Chapter 20: Spellweaver’s Monolith
In Han’s mansion, the maids went about their duties. Two lucky ones lounged on the sofa, reading newspapers and casually gossiping about other Dark Families, Churches, Demi-Humans, and basically anything they heard. The moment the Head’s Artifact gathered Dark Mana into a door before the fireplace, all maids abandoned their duties and gathered in the living room, ready to serve.
Before Han and the others emerged, a chest of condensed mana appeared beside the door. It exuded such cold mana that steam billowed from it.
Han stepped out first, his wings and horns hidden. Xena followed, and a third presence came with them. The melted flesh around the newcomer’s eyes drew the same look of disgust from the maids. Seeing that scar in real life was even worse than seeing it in the newspapers.
The maids quickly looked back to their handsome Young Master and bowed.
"Welcome back, Young Master Han. We hope you had a great adventure and received many boons from the Head."
"Yeah, I’m back," Han replied.
The chest beside the mana door drew Han’s attention. It all but imposed itself on him, releasing so much cold mana that he shuddered. He couldn’t allow that chest to remain in his mansion any longer.
"It must be a reward from Father," Han said, kneeling before the chest. "You also see that I got a new present. She’s bound to me with the same collar. I’ll turn her into a cauldron later. Give her a room and tend to her like you do with Xena."
"Of course," the maids replied.
"She’s forbidden to talk right now because she spits righteous nonsense that makes me cringe," Han added, and his maids sighed.
There was nothing worse than a devoted priestess babbling about faith and sacrifice. Their speeches could unsettle even the calmest Dark Practitioners. Han didn’t give her a chance to bother him with righteousness; he simply told her to shut up, earning a secret favor from Xena.
As the chest opened, Han peeked inside. He believed the minotaur’s essence would be stored there, and it was. But there was also a gleaming marble monolith inside. It was blank, carved from a precious stone, and shone with rich mana.
"Daddy is trying to cover his neglect with those gifts," Xena said aloud.
"Is he? I assume this marble is more precious than it looks," Han said.
Hanna explained, "It’s more precious than you imagine, Young Master Han. It’s called the Spellweaver’s Monolith. In your family, the direct lineage earns the right to have one from birth. If they want more, they must contribute significantly to the family. This monolith helps with a single spell’s creation, and it’s said it can create world-defying spells as long as one has a solid understanding of the desired spell."
Just hearing the explanation nearly made Han rush to his room with the Spellweaver’s Monolith in his arms. He had a spell he wanted to create, inspired by his hunt. The first spells formed the foundation of one’s path, and he wanted to nail his third spell.
He also understood Xena’s reaction now. She was jealous that he had received such a treasure and took a jab at his Father for it. He let that slide; he would have felt the same in her shoes.
Once the maids picked up the monolith along with the minotaur’s essence, the chest melted away. Warmth returned to the living room, but no one remained to enjoy it. Other maids took Xena and Bellatrix to their rooms, while Han and the ones carrying the monolith went straight to his room.
"I can’t wait to use it," Han said, rubbing his hands.
His maids smiled. A hungry Young Master was a sight to behold.
"Are you aware of the Sun Champion’s fame, Young Master Han?" Hanna asked as she carried the monolith on her back, walking closest to Han.
"No," Han replied. "All I know is that Champions are believers chosen by their respective gods."
Hanna nodded. "Bellatrix was one of the most active Champions in spreading the Sun God’s Faith. She was welcomed almost everywhere for her beauty, smile, and kindness, except in the Underworld. It was said the crops were always ready to be harvested the moment she arrived, and farmers sometimes hailed her as the Goddess of Harvest. But she lost everything in a single day and disappeared without a word. I never expected the Head to have captured her."
It was clear Hanna held back so he would hear it from the Sun Champion herself. It was a nudge: there was an opening he could exploit to shape her into whatever he wanted her to be.
Han understood the hint and nodded.
Still, he was more excited about his spell than the priestess.