With the mysterious relief securely tucked away, Merlin decided against further examination. The artifact was simply too strange—it caused vivid hallucinations. He resolved to study it more thoroughly once he was safely back home.
Soon after, Anson selected a small jade artifact. However, Nason's asking price was over a hundred gold coins, which far exceeded Anson's monthly allowance of thirty coins. Disappointed, he had to leave it behind. Kailis, on the other hand, purchased a jade bracelet for a hefty sum of one hundred and twenty gold coins. It was a beautiful piece from the Morta Empire, and artifacts like this were highly valued among the nobility.
Gut attempted to impress Kailis, offering to buy the bracelet for her, but she declined without hesitation, leaving him looking deflated.
"Hey, Gut, Kailis has already left. What are you still staring for?" Anson teased, laughing at his friend's crestfallen expression.
Merlin took the opportunity to ask Anson quietly, "Anson, who exactly is this Nason? These antiques seem… suspicious. Surely the City Guard would know about something like this. Why haven't they taken any action?"
Anson chuckled. "The City Guard wouldn't dare interfere. Nason's just the front man—the real owner here is none other than the Lord of the city himself!"
"The Lord?" Merlin's face showed surprise, but he quickly composed himself. If Nason worked for the Lord, it made sense that the City Guard would turn a blind eye.
In Blackwater City, the highest-ranking nobility were barons, but the city lord, Baron Augedin, held the most power. In practice, the City Guard was essentially the Augedin family's private militia.
As they exited the passage, a chill wind struck them, sending shivers down their spines.
"Look! It's snowing!" Anson called out.
Merlin squinted up at the sky. Moments ago, it had only been a cold rain, but now snowflakes were drifting down, white and delicate.
Snow in September—it was an unusual weather phenomenon.
"Brr… It's freezing. Let's get going! Merlin, I'll give you a ride back to Wilson Manor," Gut said, pulling his coat tightly around him before quickly getting into the carriage.
---
The carriage stopped in front of Wilson Manor. Merlin stepped out, and despite wearing a warm coat, he still felt chilled.
"See you tomorrow, Merlin! Damn this weather!" Anson and Gut waved goodbye as their carriage pulled away.
Merlin made his way inside the manor and let out a sigh of relief. The warmth from the fireplace greeted him, and he noticed a maid tending to the fire, ensuring the house was cozy. He shrugged off his coat, brushing away the snowflakes that had gathered.
"Hm… that relief," Merlin murmured, noticing the peculiar artifact still wrapped in his coat. Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, he quietly made his way upstairs to his room.
After locking the door, Merlin retrieved the relief and studied it intently.
"All right, let's try this again," he muttered, rubbing his eyes before focusing fully on the relief, tracing the lines of the carved patterns.
A faint hum seemed to resonate from the relief, and suddenly, the same strange sensation washed over him. His vision blurred, and once again, the figure on the relief—the naked man in his contorted pose—appeared to come to life, moving slowly through the bizarre, intricate poses.
The movements were extraordinarily complex, pushing the flexibility of the human body to its limits. Without realizing it, Merlin began mirroring the figure's movements, his body unconsciously twisting into the same unnatural positions.
"Argh…" Merlin gasped in pain, snapping back to full consciousness. He found himself sprawled on the floor, the relief lying beside him, miraculously unbroken. His own body was twisted into a peculiar and uncomfortable pose.
Breathing heavily, Merlin stood up, wiping a cold sweat from his brow.
"This relief… there's something deeply wrong with it," he muttered, his heart pounding. The way he had lost control was unnerving, and he now hesitated to even look at the relief. It was undoubtedly eerie and unsettling.
After half an hour, Merlin's nerves had calmed. Though he avoided looking directly at the relief again, the intricate, bizarre pose was etched clearly in his memory.
"What's the purpose of that pose?" he wondered aloud. Drawn to the mystery, Merlin decided to attempt the pose again, this time consciously and without letting his mind slip into a trance.
The posture was complex and demanded extreme precision. But having committed it to memory, he was able to move into the pose relatively quickly.
Now fully aware, Merlin began to feel a distinct change. The chill he had felt earlier faded, replaced by a warmth spreading through his body. His muscles tingled, and he felt an odd sensation of fullness, as though energy were stirring within him.
He maintained the position, losing track of time as he became absorbed in the sensation.
As dusk fell, Merlin was startled by a sudden, insistent knocking on his door.
"Merlin, what on earth are you doing in there?" It was May Snow's voice.
He quickly shook himself from his trance-like focus, realizing night had already fallen. He opened the door to find May Snow frowning at him, wrinkling her nose as she caught a whiff of his sweaty clothes.
"Merlin, you're soaked in sweat! What have you been doing in here?" she asked, her gaze curious and slightly concerned.
Merlin realized his entire body was drenched. Despite the rigorous exercise, he felt a warmth and clarity coursing through him rather than fatigue.
"Nothing, really. I lost track of time," he replied casually, blocking May Snow's view of the room.
She peered past him but saw nothing unusual. Reluctantly, she relented, wrinkling her nose as she said, "Have Lucy bring you some hot water to wash up. You're reeking. Go clean yourself up before coming downstairs."
Merlin nodded, grateful for the suggestion, as even he found the smell unpleasant.
Soon after, Lucy arrived, filling the tub in his room with hot water. Merlin stripped off his sweat-drenched clothes and sank into the warm bath, letting out a sigh of relief.
Soaking in the tub, Merlin leaned his head against the edge, staring absently at the ceiling. His mind raced, wondering about the strange energy he'd felt and the power hidden within that mysterious relief.