The Sorcerer's Handbook

If it hurts enough, grip with both hands,

Cut it open, let yesterday’s curse expand.

Through endless night and day it flows,

Leaving behind only scars that show.

Having stayed up all night, Iger let out a long breath. He leapt from the bed, but just as he reached the doorway, he froze. ”Why the rush? Wouldn’t it be better if he were already dead?”

Shaking his head, he returned to his usual routine and headed to the bathroom for a bath. This time, however, the water offered none of its usual comfort. After a brief soak, he hurriedly dried himself and moved to brush his teeth, hoping to activate the Revelation spirit.

Normally, resonating with the Revelation spirit required a calm, natural state of mind. Iger’s thoughts were far from calm, so he expected failure. Yet, inexplicably, the Revelation spirit responded. A line of words, written in toothpaste foam, appeared on the mirror. It read, ”Don’t be too surprised.”

Iger felt a chill run down his spine. Surprised at what? Is Ashe really dead?

Recalling how attentive Gerard had been toward Ashe yesterday, Iger realized the Hunter Captain had come specifically for the unpredictable cult leader. Escorting prisoners and assisting with the Blood Moon Tribunal were routine duties, but they did not usually merit a captain’s personal presence. Gerard could easily have refused any task that didn’t interest him, so his presence at Shattered Lake meant that someone, or something, had truly caught his attention.

In the Blood Moon Kingdom, law was divine will. Rules were absolute, unquestionable, and unbreakable. Once guilt was established, no one could escape trial, not even the permanent secretary, the mayor of Caimon, or a wealthy heiress.

Iger had never forgotten the national Blood Moon Tribunal he witnessed at the orphanage thirteen years ago. On the screen, an elegant man with a serene expression was torn apart by executioners. That man was Silence Performer, Thales Goldo. He was a Legendary sorcerer and a century-long icon whose fully unfurled four wings nearly touched the divine plane. Yet even someone of his power could not escape justice.

From that day on, Iger set his path clearly. In the Blood Moon Kingdom, real strength lay in understanding, exploiting, and manipulating the law. No matter how powerful a person was, they were little more than a slightly stronger ant before divine law.

Still, in his years as an Insurance Contract Officer, Iger had learned that a select few enjoyed legal immunity. These individuals could break the law without facing any consequences, while the parliament and Church were obligated to protect them, manage public opinion, and contain any fallout.

Such privilege was rare and required two conditions. First, one had to belong to either the Blood Saint or Moonshadow Clan, both favored by the Blood Moon Lord. Membership could be gained through examinations, and both the research institutes and the Church recruited new members annually.

The second condition, holding a critical position, was trickier. Most ordinary people would assume that mayors or members of parliament were qualified, but in reality, they weren’t. The Blood Moon Kingdom recognized only three institutions as paramount: the Heresy Court, which wielded judicial authority; the Battle Zones, which suppressed the Abyss; and the Church of Devotion, which oversaw orphanages, maternity hospitals, and population statistics.

The top three positions granting legal immunity were the Church Bishop, the Battle Zone Commander, and the Hunter Captain. The Bishop came from the Moonshadow Clan, the Commander from the Blood Saint Clan, while the Hunter Captain could come from either.

Gerard Westminster held such a position, which meant he could act outside the law. Even if Gerard and Ashe were alone in a cell and only Gerard emerged alive, he would face no consequences. He could behave as if nothing had happened.

Many in the prison assumed that Gerard was simply keeping an eye on Ashe, or perhaps engaging in a friendly sparring match in which Ashe couldn’t fight back. After all, Ashe was trapped on a dead-end path in prison. Gerard had no reason to tarnish his own reputation for someone doomed to die. Killing Ashe would only soil Gerard’s hands.

Iger had thought the same until, in the dead of night, a chilling realization struck him. The true question was not whether Gerard wanted to act, but whether he could. Why did Gerard insist on staying close to Ashe? Because he was testing whether Ashe was truly worth committing a crime over.

At that moment, Iger felt certain that Ashe was doomed. With his low emotional intelligence, undeveloped mind, and infant-level control over his expressions, Gerard could decide to kill him on a whim. Well, that’s not so bad. If he dies, I won’t have to fulfill his wish...

While trying to convince himself, Iger entered the cafeteria, only to be met with a scene that left him dumbfounded. Ashe and Gerard sat face-to-face, eating breakfast and laughing together.

Ashe had clearly told a terrible joke, yet the cold, aloof, silver-haired hunter laughed heartily, his voice exceeding what the Public Place Management Regulations allowed. If this were a death row inmate, the chip would have immediately muted him.

Ashe waved as soon as he spotted Iger. ”Ah, Iger, over here!”

Iger had originally intended only to observe quietly. Great. Never see you spotting things this well on regular days...

He reluctantly carried his breakfast over. ”Good morning, both of you. Did you sleep well last night?”

Gerard replied, ”Very well. The accommodations here are better than at home. I haven’t slept properly in years. And with Ashe here, it’s not boring.”

Iger raised an eyebrow. ”Oh?”

Ash shrugged. ”I stayed up late with Gerard. Haven’t had this much fun in ages.”

Iger exchanged a subtle glance with the nearby inmates. ”Fun?”

Ashe suggested. ”Stay another night, I’ll give you a chance to turn the tables. But you need to curb your impatience. I hadn’t even gone all out last night, yet you already lost yourself.”

The death row inmates nearby exchanged wary glances. Even Gerard seemed utterly defenseless around Ashe... Hiss! Ashe the Demon is indeed terrifying.

”No, no, the city’s calling me back. I’m treating this prison visit as a vacation. If I don’t return soon, the Work Hall Director will give me trouble.”

At that moment, Gerard received a message. The Bloodrage Hunters dining in the hall rose, and Gerard waved. ”The ship has arrived. See you next time, Ashe.”

”Leaving so soon? Safe travels, and write me if you get a chance.”

”No problem.”

As the hunters departed, the death row inmates looked at Ashe with newfound respect. He had forged a genuine bond with Hunter Captain Gerard. Could Black Beast Tusk do it? Could Diamond Tiger? Those questions would remain unanswered, but one thing was for certain: Demon Ashe could.

They all knew that Gerard had been the one responsible for Ashe ending up here. Yet after just one night, Gerard was completely won over by him. No wonder he could become a saint favored by the Four Pillars. No wonder he was the only madman in nearly a century bold enough to form a cult in the Blood Moon Kingdom. Truly, Ashe Heath could accomplish with ease what the rest of them could never even attempt.

Subtly, Demon Ashe had already established himself as the awe-inspiring king of death row inmates in Shattered Lake Prison.

Iger dragged Ashe up to the seaview terrace. By now, the transport ship carrying the Bloodrage Hunters had just left port and was heading north. Several Finger Sharks, awakened early, leapt around the ship, testing its hull with their teeth. Sunlight glinted off their scales in a soft shimmer.

”What did you do with him last night?” Iger asked.

Ashe blinked. Is that really the first thing you want to ask?

”What else would we do? Of course, we played cards.”

Iger froze for a moment. ”Cards? What kind of cards?”

In a highly developed fantasy society like the Blood Moon Kingdom, it was only natural that they would have playing cards. The rules varied slightly, but the games were largely the same. Ashe noticed there was no blackjack, so he modified the rules and taught Gerard how to play. The two of them spent the entire night playing.

Gerard picked it up quickly, but his style was surprisingly aggressive. He busted often, and Ashe spent the night ruthlessly defeating him.

Iger’s eyes lit up. ”Not a bad game. If the casinos got wind of it, it could easily become the next craze... But didn’t Gerard plan to harm you? I thought he came specifically for that.”

Ashe glanced at him. ”You’re worried about me?”

”Of course. You still owe me a wish,” Iger said calmly. ”If you die, who am I supposed to collect it from? In this world, only people can owe me. It can never be the other way around.”

Ashe joked, ”As I thought, even the most solitary person in this world has someone who cares about them, like a tax office or a debt collector.”

Then, he added, ”Professor Syrin asked him to come and kill me.”

Iger’s expression turned to shock. ”What? Syrin actually... Then how did you get away? If Gerard wanted to kill you, no one in Shattered Lake Prison could have stopped him!”

Ashe said proudly, ”Naturally, I relied on my sincere eyes, kind heart, and boundless eloquence!”

”Don’t joke. I’m serious.”

”I’m not joking! I reasoned with him, moved him with emotion, and he gave up on killing me. Then we played cards all night.”

Iger stared at Ashe for a long moment. After making sure he wasn’t lying, his expression finally crumbled. A Three-Winged Blood Saint over a hundred years old, and Ashe managed to persuade him effortlessly? Could Ashe also be a Mind Manipulation sorcerer? Otherwise, I really can’t think of a way to explain how he had convinced a Sacred Realm hunter. Perhaps the Four Pillars Deities granted him some hidden ability to influence others.

Watching the transport ship fade toward the horizon, Iger suddenly remembered. ”Wait, you said you played blackjack with Gerard all night... and you mostly won?”

Ashe shrugged. ”Yeah. Didn’t expect Gerard to be so weak.”

Iger wanted to say something, but stopped halfway. He thought. Despite blackjack’s endless variations, it should have been trivial for a Three-Winged Sacred Realm sorcerer. In theory, Gerard could rely on memory and calculation to track every card in play and determine the optimal move, even on his first attempt. And yet, he had lost more often than he won.Perhaps... Ashe really is just that good at blackjack.

***

On the transport ship.

A group of Bloodrage Hunters was playing cards together.

Gerard revealed his hand. ”Ah-ha. Exactly twenty-one. I win. That’s five Silver Coins from each of you.”

One of the hunters groaned and shook his head. ”No, Captain, you can’t play. That’s cheating.”

The silver-haired hunter looked genuinely innocent. ”You shuffled and dealt the cards yourselves. I didn’t even use any spirit. How am I cheating?”

The hunters grumbled, ”Your memory and calculation skills are far superior to ours. The moment we got the cards, you’d have already analyzed every possible outcome. How could we ever win? You’re literally crushing us with your power!”

Gerard said with a light whistle. ”Alright, fine. I won’t play.”

He pocketed the coins and walked to the railing, gazing through the glass wall as Shattered Lake Prison slowly receded into the distance.

A thin orc hunter approached. Unlike most of the Bloodrage Hunters, he was small and frail, almost goblin-like at first glance. Like Gerard, he possessed a pair of ruby-red blood eyes.

Leaning beside him, he said, ”Captain, I’m curious. What did Ashe Heath do to make you let him go?”

Gerard smiled faintly. ”Buzz, how did you know I went there for him?”

Buzz snorted. ”This isn’t the first time you’ve done this sort of stuff. Enforcement captains are notorious repeat offenders. I know who is behind the assassination attempt on Councilor Will. Every time you do something, the entire Heresy Court has to clean up after you. If you’d followed the procedure, things would’ve been much simpler.”

He paused, then continued more seriously, ”But this mission came directly from the Supreme Lord[1]. That alone means it carried deeper significance, which is exactly why I’m asking. You had every reason to act against Ashe Heath. The fact that he leads the Four Pillars Cult should have been enough. You must’ve had intelligence suggesting he was still a threat, or you wouldn’t have gone to Shattered Lake personally.”

Gerard responded, ”This is why I prefer relying on my own people. You’re perceptive and sharp. Compared to you, Amy really falls short.”

Buzz raised an eyebrow. ”Captain, you have already violated regulations against both gender and racial discrimination with that sentence alone. It also risks igniting conflict between the two Blood Moon clans. If the Caimon City media heard that, they wouldn’t need any other headline this month. They’d fill the pages just to attack you.”

Gerard chuckled, then continued, ”As for Ashe Heath... you’re right. He gave me every reason to act, like reading my least favorite romance manga.”

”So what did he do to make you change your mind?”

”He didn’t do anything. Or rather, nothing he did affected my decision. I let him go simply to spare someone else’s face.”

Buzz paused. ”Someone else’s face?”

”Yes,” Gerard looked toward the horizon, where Shattered Lake Prison had nearly vanished from sight. His thoughts drifted to the crow uniform hidden beneath Ashe’s bed, and to the faint, coppery sweetness lingering in the scent of his blood. ”I smelled the presence of Clear Source Blood. As a fellow member of the Four Great Institutes, I wouldn’t dare take the offering that a new clan member has long awaited.”

1. Another term of address for Blood Moon Lord ☜