"The Shackles of Deception"

  "Tin can!"

  "Go! I'll be fine!"

  Seeing the situation, Lilith didn't dare to linger. She flapped her wings and escaped swiftly.

  Javier, the old mage, beamed with joy. "It worked! All his divine powers have been sealed. Move in! Capture him now!"

  The others saw the holy light around Rowan Kai had indeed vanished. Encouraged, they rushed forward, pressing their swords to his neck.

  Javier approached quickly, his gaze icy. "How does it feel?"

  "Where did you get your hands on this church-banned magic scroll? What’s your connection to the Tower of Truth?"

  “That,” Rowan Kai smirked, “is none of your concern.”

  With a wave of his long sleeve, Javier commanded, "Vera, take your men and lock him in the dungeon. I'll go after that fleeing demon—that's the most crucial evidence of his dealings with the infernal."

  "Yes, teacher!"

  The rapid turn of events left Vera momentarily stunned, but she instinctively obeyed her teacher's instructions.

  Bound by sacred shackles that sealed his powers, Rowan Kai offered no resistance. Instead, he followed Vera obediently towards the Laurence estate, a mocking smile playing at his lips.

  At the dungeon entrance, the guards approached.

  "Miss Vera, what brings you here?"

  "Lock him up! Guard him strictly!"

  "Understood!"

  The guards opened the heavy dungeon door, unleashing a nauseating stench. Vera, visiting this place for the first time, frowned deeply.

  “What is that smell?”

  Rowan Kai, silent until now, chuckled. "Rot, mold, and a hint of corpse stench. Miss Vera, doesn't it feel somewhat...familiar? Like something you’ve smelled on your revered teacher before?"

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  Vera's brows furrowed. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

  "The scent of death is distinct," Rowan Kai continued nonchalantly. "Its top note is fear, the middle is pain, and the base is resentment. Once experienced, it's unforgettable—no perfume can cover it."

  Taking a slow breath, he exhaled deliberately. "It’s the instinctive reaction of a living being, repelled by death itself."

  "Enough!" Vera glared at him angrily. "Don’t think you can smear my teacher's name just because he’s not here! From the age of eight, he’s been the Laurence family’s magic advisor, tirelessly teaching me for a decade. And you, a mere guest for days, dare sow discord between us?"

  Rowan Kai burst into laughter. "Ah, yes. Such profound camaraderie. So much so that your dear teacher used a priceless forbidden scroll just to capture me."

  Seeing Vera's bewildered expression, Rowan Kai tilted his head slightly, exposing the brand on his neck.

  "Didn't your teacher teach you? Sacred Shackles—full name, the Chains of Sanctity. They sever the bond between clergy and their deity, rendering all divine practitioners powerless.

  It was a forbidden technique devised by the grand mages of the Tower of Truth during the Holy War a century ago to counteract divine forces.

  After the war, the Tower of Truth was destroyed, and this forbidden magic was lost to history. Most existing scrolls were destroyed, with only a few surviving.

  Do you realize how valuable it is?

  To put it in perspective, it could buy three estates like the Laurence family's domain and still have change left over.

  Your teacher, with his modest earnings over the past decade, couldn’t even afford a corner of it.

  Do you really think handing me over to the Holy Capital will earn him some miraculous reward? The Church would see these sacred shackles on me and immediately declare extermination on your family, annihilating every last one of you."

  Pausing, Rowan Kai’s eyes gleamed with mockery. "Aren’t you curious where your teacher got his hands on such a thing? Who he really is? Or why he needed it so desperately?"

  Vera faltered under Rowan Kai's rapid-fire questions but quickly steadied herself, forcing a cold smile.

  "Hmph. Spouting such lies—you think I’ll fall for them? Take him in and guard him well!"

  "Sure, sure. Just remember, I was only exploiting your demon problem to freeload here," Rowan Kai quipped with a smirk.

  Standing in the dim dungeon, Vera gripped her staff tightly, her knuckles whitening as she suppressed a tremor. Rowan Kai's cryptic words lingered in her mind:

  "Is your revered teacher truly who you think he is?"

  Taking a deep breath, Vera lowered her voice. "What exactly are you insinuating?"

  Leaning casually against the cold stone wall, Rowan Kai smirked. "Insinuating? I never insinuate. I just find some people's obsession with the Tower of Truth...peculiar."

  Frowning, Vera asked, "Tower of Truth? What is that?"

  "A place even the gods avoid," Rowan Kai replied lazily. "It’s said that the scrolls and forbidden techniques all originate from there. As for your teacher..." He trailed off, his gaze playful. "Do you really think he obtained that scroll just to protect the Laurence family?"

  Vera clenched her jaw. "You're slandering him!"

  "Slandering?" Rowan Kai chuckled softly. "Why not ask him yourself? Or...investigate why he sneaks out late at night."

  Vera bit her lip, refusing to respond. She turned sharply and left. Her footsteps faded, but the doubts Rowan Kai planted took root.

  The dungeon’s oppressive air seemed colder than before, the walls whispering silent truths, urging her to uncover the shadows lurking behind the facade.

  A Newcomer’s Journey: Sharing My Writing Story

  Luwen Kai and his outrageous, often hilarious, adventures. From brainstorming wild plots to weaving in quirky characters and unexpected twists, this journey has been as exciting for me as I hope it is for you.