The Sorcerer's Handbook

Chapter 429: Iger's Daughter

[Happiness Ranking No.9: The Happiest Child]

Seeing the title of the ranking, the members of the Funeral Agency finally breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way they could possibly appear in this one, or so they thought.

They couldn't completely rule out the possibility of appearing as the "parents of the present generation." However, the future of Ashe and the others was practically already set in stone. One was a career-minded fraud mastermind, one was a drifter completely uninterested in the living, and the last had just crawled out of hell. Where would they even find the time to have children? Was Ashe supposed to have a child with a veela from hell?

Synopsis: Leia Perskin is the daughter of Anphel Belldet and Iger Perskin. From the day of her birth, she was destined to be the heir of the Belldet family, the master of Montphera, and the sole successor of the Control Class. After Archibald laid the entire Belldet bloodline to rest, Leia would be completely freed from the curse of her lineage. She grows up surrounded by the loving care of her parents, and whenever she goes out, she is secretly protected by the followers of the Four Pillars Cult. She lives a life filled with carefree... liv—"

Just like the previous entry, the text of the synopsis suddenly became distorted. The entire page blacked out once more, and blood-red ink formed a name that everyone was already thoroughly tired of seeing.

[Ashe Heath]

At this point, no one cared about the abnormalities of the ranking anymore. Instead, they all turned their bizarre gazes toward the fraudster.

Iger, however, showed no surprise. Instead, a contemplative look crossed his face.

At that exact moment, gray flames suddenly ignited on the left half of his body. They did not burn his clothes or flesh, but instead spread at a rapid pace, attempting to engulf him entirely.

The sudden attack put everyone on high alert. "What's going on?"

Pankey and Annan quickly scanned their surroundings, but Iger, whose face was already half-covered in gray flames, remained completely calm.

"No need to panic. Ashe, give me a hand," he said.

Seeing Iger extend a hand that had nearly turned into a torch of gray fire, Ashe did not hesitate and grabbed it. The gray flames surged along his arm and transferred onto him, causing the others to cry out in shock. Yet Ashe only felt a brief chill. The flames then flowed back to Iger, and this time they quickly extinguished themselves, leaving no trace behind.

Iger explained, "Earlier, Evelyn unleashed a Control Class Miracle on me in an attempt to distort my cognition while I was off guard, forcing me to return to the Belldet family as a son-in-law. I have to admit, it's a highly innovative Miracle. The abstract concept of distorting cognition is actually manifested as burning flames, using combustion as a medium to accelerate the process... Very good. I've already learned something from it."

Ashe asked, "So, letting me hold your hand was part of the solution? Do I have some kind of anti-mind-control effect?"

"No. I just wanted you to be scared too," Iger replied.

Lys pondered, "Wait, so Evelyn is trying to bring Aunt Perskin back, and the ranking also shows Perskin's daughter... Does that mean Anphel already has a child named Leia?!"

Ashe gasped. "Iger, you worthless pump-and-dump husband! How did you manage that in just a few days?! You definitely used hypnosis, right?! Teach me!"

Iger's mouth twitched. "Who was the one that dragged me into this mess in the first place?! Besides, I think I've figured out what this ranking is doing... The Lady probably has as well. If you lot of ungulates still can't understand after reading this, you should ride a bicycle straight off a cliff. I'll explain once you do that."

Annan nodded in agreement. "Mmhmm. These rankings will be far more surprising than you think."

With both of their primary intelligence anchors saying so, everyone turned their attention back to the ranking.

The projection shifted to footage, showcasing Leia's happy life from birth onward. She grew up under the gentle care of her mother in the Belldet estate, living freely within the gardens. Occasionally, her father would take her out to witness magnificent scenery and experience the hardships of the mortal world, allowing her to develop a kind heart toward the weak and a gentle, empathetic nature. Despite her privileged upbringing, she possessed restraint, understanding human nature while excelling at empathy. Aside from a bit of childish mischief, Leia embodied the best qualities of both parents.

It was the kind of life that instinctively evoked admiration and longing. It even made people want to ask, "Iger, do you have any future parenting plans? Can I reserve a spot for reincarnation?"

The scene shifted to when Little Leia was eight years old, showing her playing in the garden. Then, the image suddenly flickered, and in the next frame, Ashe appeared behind her.

"Leia, nice to meet you. I'm Ashe Heath..."

The little girl looked up. "I know you! Uncle Ashe! Aunt Evelyn and Mom always talk about you! Are you here to see Dad?"

"No, Leia. I'm here for you," Ashe said, crouching in front of her. "I'm here to take you away."

Leia tilted her head and stretched out her arms. "Alright then. Where are we going to play?"

Ashe laughed. "You're way too calm about this. Now I feel like I've lost all my dignity."

"Because Uncle Harvey and Aunt Annan also take me out to play like this sometimes," Leia said, sniffing lightly and pouting. "Aunt Annan takes me all over the Gospel Kingdom, and Uncle Harvey likes to show me his newest undead creations..."

"How do you feel about it?" Ashe asked with a smile. "I heard Iger also takes you out sometimes. Who's the most interesting?"

"They're all interesting!" Leia said brightly. "Dad does take me out too, but mostly to teach me how to control people and shape situations. Ordinary people, the rich, humans, elves, men, women, the strong, the weak... He doesn't want me to exploit others, but the daughter of the Perskin family must understand how the world functions. And even though I don't carry the Belldet surname, I still have to understand the family motto: 'Increase what they desire, and grant what they need.'"

"And Aunt Annan has friends everywhere. If I travel with her, I can meet so many interesting people and see so many wonderful sights! Uncle Harvey takes me to various cemeteries, too, and I get to see something new every time we go. It feels like he is making progress in Necromancy every single second. Not long ago, he even succeeded in creating the very first Blood Moon Corpse King... Both of them are super amazing."

Ashe questioned, "Really? Personally, I don't think either of them is as impressive as you. Harvey's necromancy is indeed powerful, but even we struggle to truly appreciate the 'beauty' of his dead bodies. Iger's mind control has reached its peak, yet most people still find it hard to accept his cold, calculating ways. As for Annan... Well, we can skip mentioning her entirely. I don't enjoy traveling, so I really can't understand the appeal of wandering around aimlessly."

Ashe smiled gently. "You are the one who possesses the eyes capable of appreciating all beauty. It must be the blessing of the Belldet ancestors that allowed such a perfect child to be born. The truly fortunate ones are Iger and Anphel."

"Then you and Aunt Annan should hurry up and have one, too," Leia said playfully.

Ashe's expression suddenly turned serious. "That's why I can't let the Gospel corrupt you. I'm going to take you away."

"Take me away? Where to? Your hometown?"

"There's no need to go anywhere. When I say 'take you away,' I don't mean physically," Ashe said. "Leia, do you know? According to the Gospel's official certification, you are the happiest child."

Leia nodded. "I know... and I also know that... I really am the happiest child..."

Ashe retorted, "No, you aren't. The happiness you have now is nothing more than shackles imposed by the Gospel. Have you ever considered why you are so perfect? Confident but not arrogant, intelligent yet humble, lofty yet compassionate toward the weak... As a child, you have never once disappointed anyone."

"Isn't that a good thing?!"

"Of course it is. But what if you were placed in a far more competitive environment, say, my homeland or Iger's homeland? What do you think would happen then?" Ashe spread his hands. "You still wouldn't disappoint anyone. You would simply become another highly admired, highly successful figure."

"The Gospel claims your happiness comes from your family, environment, and luck, but in truth, your happiness comes from within yourself. Because whatever they teach you, you master it. You learned humility, compassion, appreciation, and reflection... But what if they had taught you something else instead?"

Leia stared blankly at Ashe, seemingly unable to fully grasp his words.

Ashe continued, "Why does the Gospel want you to be the happiest child? Because it doesn't dare weave a future where you are unhappy. With your talent alone, you could grow into someone who threatens the Gospel itself.

"The Sacred Realm is merely your starting point. Becoming a Legend will only be a brief stop for you, and even Angels do not mark your limit. You are the only genius in the past fifty years whose raw talent alone is enough to threaten the Divine Lord.

"Leia, you were born a demon. Any disaster becomes your nourishment. To you, defying fate and overturning the heavens comes as naturally as breathing.

"You became the happiest child only because the Gospel is doing everything in its power to suppress you. Iger and Anphel might not be blind to your talent, but the alternative path is far too long and painful. So, they chose to follow the Gospel's arrangement, trying to let you grow up peacefully and happily. They love you."

The saying "Increase what they desire, grant what they need" was not only the motto of the Control Class. It was the operating law of the Gospel itself. Neither the Belldet descendants nor the greatest fraudster in history could escape this design.

"Why are you telling me this?" Leia asked.

Ashe stood up. "Because I'm going to take you away. And by now, I've already succeeded."

After Ashe left the garden, Leia sat there in a daze. The scenery suddenly turned dark and deep, and a radiant path of light stretched all the way to her feet. But Leia turned away from it, choosing instead a hidden path shrouded in darkness, a road dyed in blood-red.

Ultimately, she stepped onto the dark crimson path. She grew rapidly, maturing in an instant. Silver, Gold, and finally Rainbow Wings slowly unfolded from her back. As she grew increasingly beautiful, the innocence on her face faded away, replaced by an abyssal, almost hellish presence and a cold, unwavering gaze.

[Happiness Ranking No.9: The Happiest Child]

Synopsis: Leia Perskin, daughter of Anphel Belldet and Iger Perskin. Due to being influenced by Ashe Heath, this ranking is rendered invalid.

Reward: Void

Culprit: Ashe Heath

Unable to immediately process what they had just witnessed, everyone fell into a stunned silence.

Lys looked at Ashe with deep resentment. "Daddy... You've never praised me like that..."

Ashe replied, "Then give me a reason to praise you. What, should I praise you for eating a lot and eating fast?"

Lys stomped her foot in anger. "But why can you give such over-the-top praise to a girl you've only met once?! Are other people's children really that much better?!"

Ashe cleared his throat. "Ah, well... Lys, you were born a demon. Anything you eat becomes your nourishment. For you, eating and sleeping come as naturally as breathing..."

"That's way too perfunctory!"

Ashe continued his half-hearted attempts to endure Lys's protests while turning toward the fraudster with a deadly serious expression. "Iger, I swear I will never—"

Iger cut him off. "You don't need to explain yourself. Just like I won't explain why I supposedly married Anphel and had a child in that ranking. Let's just keep watching."

***

Inside the Belldet estate.

The blue-haired girl jumped up in excitement, tightly hugging her younger sister. "Leia, your child... Leia... has the potential to become a Divine Lord

"Did you see that? Your child will completely break free from the curse of our bloodline! Don't worry, Anphel. I will drag Iger back and force him to cooperate so you can give birth to Leia. Then we will raise Leia into a Legend! No, into an Angel!"

Anphel knew her sister's excitement was genuine, but her desire to utilize Leia was equally real.

Anphel had been using the Kingdom Gold Coin in rotation with her sister to try to stabilize Evelyn's mind. Evelyn's psyche wasn't fundamentally broken. She simply separated emotion and reason so thoroughly that even the most intense feelings could not sway her cold, calculated decisions.

Once her sister finally calmed down, Anphel said, "Evelyn, I think you shouldn't get your hopes up too high—"

Evelyn raised her head proudly. "Don't worry. Once I drag Iger back, I have plenty of ways to make him cooperate. Binding techniques, electrical stimulation, all sorts of Miracles... I will use every method available! Even if it shouldn't work, I'll make it work!"

"I have no doubt about Mr. Iger's abilities, but the bigger issue right now is the upcoming rankings."

Evelyn paused. "Hm? What's wrong with the rankings?"

At that exact moment, the Book of Gospel updated. Anphel looked down, and her expression instantly became very strange. "You'll understand the moment you see it."

Evelyn lowered her gaze to the text.

[Happiness Ranking No.8: The Happiest Wife]

Synopsis: The wife of Archibald Harvey, Nabel Harvey, is the happiest wife...

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