[You escaped death yesterday and met with fortune today. +3 Magic Ritual]
So it's real! Juan's eyes flashed with joy as he read the sentence in the text box. He got another three magic rituals! With this, he can quickly replenish his illusion magic.
[Magic Ritual: 3]
[Current Magic: Healing Magic x1]
Nodding, he walked out of the room and took a bath before having breakfast. After that, he entered his room to stay the whole day! How could he just leave now when others saw 'him' already leaving for work?
Wouldn't that make them suspicious of me? Juan wasn't that retarded. So he returned to his room, lying on his bed. On the side was a pile of bulging sacks full of money. He would slowly use it first to avoid any kind of suspicion.
As for the money he gave his illusion, Hehehe, those who want to know where it came from would only see it as his stash money. Juan chuckled as he opened up one sack before taking one bundle of 1,000 paper bills.
Juan counted it, and it was a whole 100,000 paper bills. He put it beside him before continuing his sleep. With no laptop or any other entertainment in the room. He can only sleep or try drawing some anime characters during this boring time.
As for going outside the room and watching TV in the lobby, Juan won't be too careless, as he might get found out. He suddenly regretted it. Why did he only have to cast the illusion magic in his room and not the whole house?
Juan shook his head and unknowingly fell asleep from thinking too much. He was just too tired to notice how much his body had experienced nervousness yesterday. All the focus and jitteriness actually made him always in an adrenaline mood.
Even in sleep, he was still tense. But now, he might have felt much more safe and can let go of his guard so that he can finally relax and calm down to a real sleep. Soon, time passed in his quiet and dark room.
Even when his parents returned and the noise of the neighbors rang. Juan hadn't moved or awoken at all. At the same time, his mother suddenly remembered to clean Juan's room today.
"Ah, I almost forgot. I still need to clean Juan's room today. After all, it's Monday." His mother put down the stick broom on her hand as she stepped inside the hot house with a feather duster in hand.
At this time, Juan has once again entered a dream. In this dream, he had with him his male friends having fun in the circus. Draw and Art came with their girlfriends, which shocked him because he didn't know they had one but not himself.
His friends made fun of him, and Juan joked about having his the next day. And then they rode all kinds of rides until, finally, they sat on the fiercest of them all. The roller coaster has a 45° angle. Juan gulped a mouthful of saliva.
Suddenly, when the ride started, they were falling down. Juan screamed as the ride they were on was suddenly lifted by a giant. "Where did this giant come from?" At that moment, Juan sobers up a little to know that this isn't reality but just a dream of the unfulfilled promises of the past days.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Just as he felt awake in his dream. He suddenly saw the giant's fist going to rain down from above towards him. He saw the fist getting bigger and bigger. And then he opened his eyes to see the familiar ceiling.
Indeed, it's a dream.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Suddenly, he was jolted by the sudden banging of his door. Juan's heart suddenly sank as he almost felt the whole room darken when it was indeed quite dark because he hadn't turned on the light. He felt cold; he was trembling.
Juan could swear that in these past two days, he had truly shown how a cowardly man can act in times of helpless despair. Who is it? Did they find out about my illusion? Do they have an awakened that can see through illusions?
What should he do? Should he jump out of the window? But what if it's just a burglar? A burglar making too much noise? No matter how he saw it, this is enemy trespassing! Suddenly he heard another set of footsteps, and then he heard the door knob getting lockpick.
Damn it! They're indeed forcing their way in. They know I'm here all along! The illusion was seen through! The windows might also have already been blocked. I've got no way out! Juan finally felt what it was like to be in despair with no breath to take.
However, just as he was about to breakdown into a berserk state, He suddenly heard this. "Honey? Did our son just lock his room before he left? Don't tell him he forgot that I'm to clean his room today!"
"Honey, you said none of that. It's just you going your way in without his permission. So he probably got annoyed and locked it before leaving." He heard his dad outside. Seems to be calming his flaring wife.
Juan was dumbfounded; he regained clarity of his surroundings. He suddenly didn't know what to say. But an emotion called anger did surge out of him. Father, mother, you almost caused this child a lifetime of trauma! Darn it!
By the time they left the front of his room, Juan finally noticed how sweaty he was. He felt cold, though he was sweating a lot. Juan felt the tense muscles in his arms leave him slumping on his wet and hot bed.
I swear I will leave this house and build my own somewhere. And just like that, time passed, making him feel like he had been waiting for centuries to arrive before his illusion finally returned home. "I'm back."
"Welcome back. What do you want for dinner tonight?"
"Vegetables."
"Oh, and what's in that box?"
"..."
Juan waited for a while before the door opened, and a figure came in before the door closed and locked. He saw his illusion put the small box and big box on the floor before handing him the other box.
"Finally, arriving. Phew." He can finally talk to himself as he lets his illusion stand by the side to sit. Looking at his illusion, Juan still feels some amazement at its specialness. "It's my carbon copy, no, illusion copy. It's too perfect."
He wonders how it went at work. While he was thinking of that, at this moment. At the Acceptor Gas Station, CCTV Monitoring Room his fat senior was looking at one of the screens, dumbfounded.
"Damn! He got so rich overnight? Should I try? Wait, would he even come back to work with this money tomorrow?" The senior could only look on with envy on the stock trading screen as he saw Juan's illusion's history.
"What a luck!"
...
"My first 46,000-worth iPhone smartphone! Welcome home, my precious. Ah, such beauty and handsomeness. Careful, I don't want to damage you with my shaky hands." Juan lifted up his first rich smartphone trending this year.
After he got to enjoy its beautiful, marvelous design. Juan immediately put himself in a serious mood. "It's time for business." Juan hurriedly turned on his new smartphone. Clicking the launcher for the browser .He typed the Chatgpet website, the all-knowing website for those who searched for answers.
He hadn't forgotten about the magic that could rewind time after his death. As that kind of magic would surely be helpful in many dire situations he would be in. "Magic that will rewind time by dying. The ritual required for it should be quite complex."
"Time to get serious." Juan felt satisfied by his new smartphone's UI, as it's very smooth and fast to respond with no lagging at all. However, as Juan started the search for myths and folklore about any entities, mysterious beings, legendary objects, and plants,
Juan was helpless by the results; he found nothing amidst his research. The ability to return by death like Subaru can't be found in any myths or folklore. Instead, he did see many legends about having the ability to see the future and travel back in time.
"What should I do?" Of course, he can only be imaginative and creative! "Then should I go with this one?"
[Merlin, a central figure in Arthurian legends, is a powerful wizard known for his magical abilities and wisdom. He serves as a counselor and mentor to King Arthur, guiding him through his journey. Merlin is often depicted as having knowledge of the past, present, and future, giving him the ability to see into the future and occasionally travel back in time. His magical prowess and ability to manipulate events make him a significant figure in shaping the destiny of Arthur and the kingdom of Camelot.
"Occasionally travel back in time and see the future. The first one is too logic-defying, however the latter can be of best assistance for the current me. It's decided then, I'll try the magic for seeing the future!" Then Juan suddenly thought.
His country's folklore should have someone who can see the future, right? Let me see if there is one. Then there's no need to trouble another culture, as it might be quite complex and he had no access to their requirements for a ritual.
Not to mention the first step, which is the location and time. The local folklore in his country doesn't have too many requirements or deadlines. Just finding a suitable place is enough. However, to the other legends and myths outside his country.
He might need to go abroad to do that. However, given his current situation, Even if he disguises himself using [illusion] magic or acquires [teleportation] magic. That mysterious organization surely has things or methods to locate him, which would be very dangerous if he were found to be able to teleport.
"So seeing a future is a must." Juan immediately clicked on his phone and saw the result he wanted. He got a few examples from the internet, which are:
[1.) Babaylan: The Babaylan is a spiritual leader and healer in Philippine indigenous cultures. They are believed to have a strong connection to the spirit world and possess the ability to receive visions and foretell the future. Babaylans often use divination methods, such as interpreting dreams or reading omens, to gain insight into future events.
2.) Mangkukulam: Mangkukulams are witches or sorcerers in a folklore known for their knowledge of occult practices. It is believed that they can communicate with spirits and possess clairvoyant abilities. Some Mangkukulams are said to be capable of seeing the future and using this knowledge for various purposes, including casting spells or influencing events.
3.) Tikbalang: The Tikbalang is a creature from his country's mythology that is half-human and half-horse. According to folklore, it possesses supernatural abilities, including the power to perceive the future. It is believed that encountering a Tikbalang can grant individuals glimpses of what lies ahead or provide warnings of impending events.
4.) Manananggal: The Manananggal is a mythical creature in Philippine folklore, often depicted as a female monster with bat-like wings. While primarily known for its ability to detach its upper body and prey on pregnant women, some versions of the myth suggest that the Manananggal also possesses the power of prophecy. It is believed to have knowledge of future events and can share these predictions with those who encounter it.]
Although most of them have the ability to see the future. Some of them can only perceive and glimpse the danger of the future. None of them can truly be said to see the whole future. This made Juan hesitate about choosing among the four.
With his limited knowledge and manpower, should he still waste time and find other folklore from other countries? Maybe he can find those with easy requirements. But is that easy? Juan can only try.
Nope, he can't do that at all. Juan suddenly realized that he couldn't even complete the first step of the ritual. So why bother? He sighed, "Looks like this is it; I need to choose one from the four."
He immediately fell into deep thought. Should he choose the Babaylan? Mangkukulam? As for the last two, Juan won't bother looking at them at all. What he wants is the magic of seeing the future!
"Both Babaylan and Mangkukulam used the word communication with the spirit world to receive visions and see the future, but only the former has the words 'strong connections," which might determine the authenticity of what can be seen in the future.
"I made up my mind; I'll go with Babaylan." The word 'strong connections' had convinced him. This might give him more accurate information and visions of the future. After all, the future can be predestined, but the choices along that path can be changed.
"Let's see." Juan immediately compiled a summary on Babaylan.
[Babaylan is a spiritual leader and healer in country indigenous cultures. They hold a respected and revered position within their communities.
Babaylans are associated with symbols such as the tukô (staff) and may possess an agimat (amulet) for spiritual strength and protection.
They often dress in traditional indigenous attire and engage in ritualistic practices that involve prayers, chants, dances, and offerings.
Babaylans have a deep reverence for nature and spend time in natural environments. They value rituals, ceremonies, and communal practices that connect them to the spiritual realm.
Babaylans are dedicated to their own spiritual growth and serve their communities by providing healing, guidance, and spiritual support.
They appreciate and promote traditional arts and crafts that reflect their cultural heritage. Babaylans are characterized by their wisdom, knowledge of traditional healing practices, and intuition.
They play a vital role as mediators between the physical and spiritual realms, embodying the spiritual authority and custodianship of indigenous traditions.]
"I got it, so the first step for environment and time can be anywhere. But they like nature very much, so I guess I can do it in the forest in the backyard. As for the clothing, would I need those?"
"Hmm, I should do so just in case. I'll have my illusion buy me a ready-made one in the city along with the materials such as the staff, amulet, and ceremonial materials." He then looked at the sacks full of bank notes around him.
As he smiled, he said, "Ah, I need to spend money again. Since I became rich overnight, I became more spindrift at home. No, this can't go on.....nope, I'm rich any way. Hahaha."
...
"Honey, do you hear our son's laughter just now?"
"Hmm, now that you said it. Indeed, he seems to be laughing rather loudly."
"I wonder what he's happy about. Could it be a girlfriend?"
"...Perhaps?"
"Ah, he had just a job and hadn't even saved enough for a family, and he already had a girl? No! I had to make him realize that it was still too early!"
"....sorry, son, I... honey, wait for me!"
...
Juan, who was laughing boisterously, was suddenly invited into a serious talk by his mother in the lobby. It was only when it was time for dinner that he returned to his room.
What the heck about suddenly getting a girlfriend just because he laughed so loudly today? Preposterous! He shook his head, having an urge to shout that it was a misunderstanding; you got the wrong answer, mother.
But would they believe him? No, it will only make things more problematic. They would see his denial as hiding it for fear of embarrassment. Naturally, his parents will also spread their correct guess around to the neighbors, as they thought it was a proud thing.
This is why he both loves and hates his parents. They're too meddlesome and gossipy. They can't be trusted at all. This further made him want to quickly leave the control of his parents and be independent.
Since that was the case, he can only further speed up his plans. Juan immediately told his illusion clone what to do the next day. Juan's clone would need to work like usual to avoid any suspicion.
So he would need someone to do the work. And he knew just the right person for that. And so, the next day he woke up, opened his window to freshen up the air inside the room a bit while it was still dark at 4 AM, and closed the window.
Juan left his room before closing the door. As he stepped on the floor, he arrived at the door leading outside the house, then suddenly remembered something and returned back to the room. He forgot to inform his illusion not to come out but to hide if he wasn't in the room.
So after doing that, he left the house. But then he stopped once again. Juan felt like he was really going in circles today. He saw that the surroundings were still dark and quiet, with only the light bulbs giving dim lighting around the roads and his neighbor's house.
He was too early; Draw would still be sleeping by this time. Juan sighed and shook a bit, finally feeling the chilly air around him. So cold, he thought. And so he returned home and started to prepare breakfast instead.
His mother had just asked him yesterday night why he locked his door after leaving work when she was going to clean it up for him. But Juan didn't want to. He immediately gave her the reason that he could do it himself, rather sternly.
He thought that no matter what her mother said, he wouldn't budge. While Juan was preparing breakfast, his illusion clone was counting money. Who knew what it was thinking by counting money.
Are illusions clones of a person even thinks? Maybe, Juan thought as he returned to his room after breakfast before letting his clone continue the next process of his usual morning.
At the same time, he tasked his illusion clone to contact Draw. An hour later, he got an answer from his illusion clone, who said to him, "Draw agreed.". Juan nodded as he let his illusion walk away.
He looked at his phone and saw that it was already 5:30 a.m. At the same time, the familiar text of his usual joy in the morning appeared.