HPxLOTM: A Wizard's Path to Divinity

Klein felt a bit disappointed, but since he was already here, he gritted his teeth and asked, "Then, may I ask if you're willing to sell your Apothecary formula?"

Father Utravsky shook his head. "Sorry, I don't have any plans to sell it for now." After a pause, he added, "But, you could try asking Emlyn."

Emlyn immediately muttered, "How many times do I have to say it? I'm a noble Sanguine! I don't need to drink potions step by step to advance like you humans. The last guy was just like this too…Besides, don't you think asking a Vampire for an Apothecary formula is a form of provocation?"

Vampire?

You mean…a real vampire?

This handsome priest was actually one of those legendary supernatural beings?

But Klein was still a bit confused. He had no idea that the Sequence 7 of the Apothecary path was "Vampire," nor that vampires were used as advancement materials for later sequences in that pathway.

"However…I guess it'd be a waste to turn away money that walks right up to my door. Tell you what, I'll try asking around in the next few days. Come back again this weekend."

"Alright, thank you..."

"Just call me Emlyn."

"Alright, Mr. Emlyn. I'm Sherlock."

Having achieved his goal, Klein didn't linger. He turned and left the church. But just as he stepped out the door, a voice of prayer reached his ears.

That voice…was it Mr. Sun?

He immediately quickened his pace, planning to find a nearby washroom to head above the grey fog.

———

Inside the Harvest Church.

Emlyn was just about to start cleaning another area when he noticed Father Utravsky staring intently at Klein's departing back, lost in thought.

He chuckled. "Father, don't tell me you want to recruit him into the church too?" Emlyn rolled up his sleeves. "Just say the word, and I'll go drag him back right now."

Father Utravsky shook his head and said, "He's not like you. You are a sinner who's lost his way, while he is a guest of honour."

"???"

Emlyn was instantly fuming. He threw the broom aside and exclaimed, "I've been working diligently every day helping you clean and receive visitors, and I'm the sinner?! That guy shows up looking shady and it's his first time here, and he's a guest? Why?!"

The priest calmly looked at him without saying a word.

Emlyn puffed up his chest and gathered his courage. "Y-You can't just look at me like that! I really am angry this time. I—I won't obediently pick up the broom today..."

At that moment, the priest softly said, "I too am a sinner who lost his way."

"Huh?"

"But ever since we became believers of the Mother Goddess, we've all been her children—we're one of our own. And no matter how noble a guest is, he is still an outsider. Do you understand now?"

Emlyn scratched his head. "Sounds like you're trying to trick me again…"

But still, he bent down and picked up the broom, quietly going back to work.

——

A few minutes later, Edward walked in.

"Good morning, Father. Good morning, Emlyn."

"Good morning, Mr. Edward."

Father Utravsky smiled and nodded at him. "Here to see Emlyn?"

"Yes. I just need a few minutes of his time."

Emlyn's eyes lit up. "I was just about to look for you!"

"Uh…" Edward's expression turned strange. "You're not trying to ask me for another doll, are you?"

Emlyn flew into a rage. "How could you doubt my undying love for Alicia?!"

…You said the exact same thing about Emily, Andrea, Catherine, and Beatrice last time.

"I…I loved them all equally! Besides, Emily and the others were taken away by that bastard Danitz. What could I do?"

Edward said with a hint of amusement, "You could always sail out to find him. Last time you said Father wouldn't let you leave. But now, you're free, aren't you?"

"..."

Emlyn's eye twitched. Pretending not to hear, he quickly changed the subject, "Ahem, didn't you buy an Apothecary formula before? Did you manage to get it?"

"I did. Why?"

"Sell it to me."

"What do you want that for?" Edward asked casually as he pulled out a piece of paper, wrote down the Apothecary formula, and handed it over.

Emlyn replied, "Someone wants to buy it from me. I figured I could make a small profit. The formula's worth about 300 pounds, right? I'll give you 200 for it. Let me earn a hundred, how about that?"

"Sure."

It was an unexpected windfall anyway. Edward didn't mind. Besides, he needed a favour from Emlyn.

"I'll go grab the money then." Emlyn turned to leave.

"Wait."

Edward stopped him. "I came here today to ask you for a favour too."

"What is it?"

"I want to acquire the residue powder of a Trapped Ghost. You sanguines are from an old and powerful lineage—surely you have that sort of thing?"

Emlyn scoffed, "Old and powerful might be true, but that's not my house. All we've got are my dad's crappy coffee beans and my mom's seven or eight wardrobes full of old dresses. That's it."

And your collection of useless dolls, Edward silently added.

"I'll ask around for you. If I find it, I'll let you know."

He didn't bring up payment—he hadn't forgotten that his beloved Alicia was still technically on credit from Edward.

Edward saw through his reaction and thought to himself: Just one silicone doll was enough to make this proud little vampire obediently run errands for me. Definitely worth every penny.

With that in mind, Edward smiled and said, "Alright, if I get the chance, I'll ask Danitz where he's hiding your beloved 'treasures,' so you can be reunited with them soon."

Emlyn's eyes lit up, but he quickly muttered, "That's fine...as long as you also bring Danitz over so I can beat the crap out of—wait no! On second thought, better not bring him here!!!"

Edward was immediately curious. "What's wrong?"

Emlyn's expression shifted uncertainly, his face flickering between emotions. After a long while, he whispered, "Father Utravsky told me…that Danitz snuck back last time and secretly spied on me from outside the church. Before leaving, he even specifically told Father not to tell me that he had been here."

"Uh…and?"

"I suspect he…he…might have feelings for me."

Edward's face was full of punctuation marks: "???"

Bro…I admit you're good-looking, but not to the point where both men and women are falling for you, right?

And anyway, Danitz's heart is obviously all set on Edwina.

"You're…overthinking it."

Edward resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Anyway, I'll leave the residue powder of a Trapped Ghost to you. I look forward to good news."

But Emlyn continued muttering, "I'm not overthinking…That bastard's behaviour was just way too suspicious!"

———

That evening, Miss Exeggutor—Reinette—finally replied. The message was once again delivered by the giant bird messenger, Phoenix, who relayed it aloud:

"I will help you…deal with the Shadowless…Demonic Wolves. You should go to the Brave Bar…and look for Sharron."

Edward rubbed his forehead. "Uh, I've told you before—you really don't have to imitate the way she talks."

Phoenix tilted her head. "Okay~"

Still, Renette's response was quite unexpected to Edward. Didn't she tell me to stay away from her? Why is she now directing me toward Sharron and the others?

"She didn't say why I should find Sharron?"

"Nope."

"…Alright. Thanks for your help."

Edward took out his pocket watch to check the time, then Disapparated, vanishing with a soft pop. As he reappeared in front of the Brave Bar, he changed his appearance and walked inside along with the crowd of workers just getting off their shifts.

The bar was in full swing. A group of burly men were excitedly watching a match between a dog and a rat, cheering loudly and enthusiastically.

Edward tossed a coin into the air three times, confirming the room where Maric was staying, then walked over and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

Maric's deep voice came from inside.

"It's Edward."

A few seconds later, the door clicked open. A pale-faced zombie stood there, and behind him, Maric was playing Texas Hold'em with more than ten others.

There it is—the classic scene!

Should've brought a camera for this!

At that moment, Maric tossed down his cards, waved his hand for the undead to line up against the wall, and greeted Edward.

"Good evening, Mr. Edward."

"Good evening, Mr. Maric."

Edward looked toward the gaslight cover behind him and nodded, "And good evening to Miss Sharron."

Sharron, dressed in a Gothic-style court gown, stepped out of the gaslight fixture, her body shifting from incorporeal to solid. "Good evening."

"Your teacher asked me to come find you. Is there anything I can help with?"

Sharron's voice was slightly hoarse. "The people from the Rose School of Thought who are hunting us have already locked onto our location. They'll likely strike in the next day or two. But we have no intention of sitting and waiting to die."

"You want me to help?"

"No."

She shook her head. "We've already found a partner to deal with the three who are hunting us."

Maric added from the side, "It's the friend you introduced to us last time."

"But right now, we're not sure whether the demigod from the Rose School is still in Backlund. If he intervenes, we'll have no chance of winning."

A flicker of emotion appeared in Sharron's usually calm eyes. "Our teacher said…you might be able to hold off that demigod and buy us enough time."

Uh.

"Your teacher…really seems to think highly of me."

Edward scratched his head. He had just finished beating up low-level characters in the Harry Potter world, and now he was expected to face a demigod? That's quite the jump.

"She said it's only about holding him off. That shouldn't be a big problem," Sharron explained.

Edward raised a brow in suspicion. "Did your teacher happen to mention that she once said I was filled with misfortune and told you all to stay away from me? So…why is she not helping you herself and instead sending me?"

Sharron's expression turned a little strange.

"So that's why…No wonder after helping you last time, our teacher ended up attracting the attention of the abomination—Suah."

"???"

The hell? You really just dumped that massive blame on me without even blinking?!

So it's all my fault again, huh?

Then again…come to think of it, in the original timeline they never encountered the demigod from the Rose School of Thought. And this time, he was originally targeting me.

Is this Tower card really that cursed?

But Audrey—someone closest to him—didn't seem to be affected at all…

—

Meanwhile, a certain little guy at home, happily eating ice cream, silently thought:

"Who do you think has been carrying the weight for you all this time?"

———

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