Looking at the sparkles in the boy’s eyes, Jinn’s mind started to wonder, ’I wonder if there is a way I can kill him without anyone knowing it was me? Maybe if I made it look like an accident...’
Getting no reply, Geralt called out his name.
Jinn snapped out of his daze and shook his head. "Why think about something you have no control over? I only think about matters that are within my control."
"True..." Geralt trailed on with a shocked look on his face. Then his expression suddenly turned serious. "They are here."
Jinn did not have to even turn around to know who was here.
He could already sense the huge energy signature coming from behind him. Even though he and the priest were in the same rank, his power still made him feel a little tense.
’Is this the power of a spiritualist?’ Jinn wondered while looking at Geralt, whose faint energy was almost similar to his own. ’I can sense other awakened ones even from this distance.’
Turning around, he saw the Head priest walking into the hall.
But this time, he was not with the matron.
Instead, another teacher accompanied him.
A middle-aged man with a patchy beard and balding hairline walked behind father Augustus with a look of reverence on his plump face.
He was dressed in some heavy clothing, a thick white cotton shirt paired with brown pants and matching boots. Along with the shirt, he wore a black overcoat with a furry collar that had completely devoured his small neck.
"Mr. Huggins?" Geralt seemed to be surprised to see the fat teacher walking into the hall. "Was he not on a leave?"
"Maybe his date ended before it could even start... again." Jinn commented nonchalantly, but there was a hint of pity in his voice as he uttered the last word.
And Geralt seemed to share that sentiment: "No wonder he is following father Augustus like that. Only prayers can help him now."
Jinn’s eyes slowly drifted towards the worn-out bag in the priest’s hand.
The blood vial needed for the ritual was still in his hands, and from how calm the clergyman appeared, Jinn guessed that he did not know about his missing item.
’I have to return it before he opens that pouch.’ With his quick thinking, Jinn came up with an idea and told Geralt. "I will go talk to father Augustus; there is something I need to ask him."
Geralt was surprised to hear that, but he nodded without asking any questions.
Jinn saw the father climbing up on the stage and moved to approach him. His movements were bound to draw attention as the others’ did.
"Why is Jinn going up the stairs now? Father did not call anyone yet?"
"Is he an idiot? Yesterday he did not go up, and now he is going up before the time even arrived."
"Must be his way of showing that he was not scared."
The kids laughed. Making assumptions and fun of him among themselves.
But one of the kids stood out, as he remained silent from the start.
The boy with the messy hairstyle just stared at Jinn’s back without blinking, his thoughts unknown.
He was standing in the back of the hall with no one around him. Everyone maintained several steps of distance from him, not even willing to look in his direction.
They all treated him like he was some sort of plague.
Up on the stage, father Augustus saw Jinn as he placed his pouch on the table and smiled, "Ah, it is you, little one. How can I help you?"
’It’s time to test if my new powers can save me today or not.’ Jinn thought while smiling at the head priest. "Good morning, Father Augustus."
"May the divine protect you and guide you to greatness, my child." The man pressed his hand against Jinn’s forehead, blessing him.
"Sister Agnes asked me to help you. If there is anything you need, please tell me." Technically he was not lying.
The last time he spoke to the matron, she asked him to be prepared to help the priest in her stead. It was because she knew how unreliable Mr. Huggins might be.
Father Augustus looked confused. He looked around, searching for the plump companion, only to find him standing in a desolate corner of the hall with a lost look on his face.
Mr. Huggins was leaning against the wall, caressing it like it was the love of his life.
With a cough, the priest turned to Jinn and forced a smile. "If you can be so kind, can you bring me a flask of warm water? I can take care of the rest."
"Of course." Jinn was already weaving his fingers in the air, on the side. A faint silver mist came out of his hand and blended into the air.
His eyes never moved from Father Augustus’s face. He was looking for any sign in case the man noticed his action.
Jinn moved close to the stage and raised his arm to pick the flask. He turned around and flashed the priest a smile before walking towards the side of the room.
On the side, Geralt watched his every movement closely. He looked just as confused as the rest of the kids.
Soon the black-haired boy returned to the hall and placed the flask back on the table. Official source ıs 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⟡𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⟡𝓷𝓮𝓽
"Thank you, deary." When he returned father Augustus was already taking out the last of the equipment from his leather pouch. "No wonder sister Agnes talks so highly about you. You are a very thoughtful child."
Right under Jinn’s gaze, he pulled out a glass vial full of red liquid and placed it on the counter.
"Since you are already here, I will help you unlock your root chakra and awaken your... Yawn, slumbering dragon energy." Suppressing a yawn, the priest forced out the words. "Forgive me, I woke up early."
"Father Augustus. It will be an honor." With a comforting smile touching his face, Jinn stepped to the side, waiting for him to finish preparing for the process.
Using a familiar set of movements, the father prepared the ritual diagram on the ground and asked Jinn to step into the circle.
’They look miles apart from what I drew... I should just be lucky it worked.’ Looking at the markings on the ground, Jinn recalled his own drawing and forced a smile. It was like comparing the work of an artist to the drawing of a child who just started holding a paintbrush.
After stepping into the circle, he took the cup and sipped the water inside of it.
’Time for the great reveal.’