Lilly was puzzled, not understanding the concept of stealing luck from the country, while Josh was taken aback, hearing for the first time that national luck could be stolen.
"Who are they?" Josh asked.
Pablo glanced at Josh and replied, "You're still young, there are certain things you don't need to know. It's not good for you."
Lilly pouted and complained, "Always saying that children shouldn't know anything. How can we know if adults don't tell us?"
As she spoke, she took a sip of water, showing her frustration.
Pablo couldn't help but chuckle and playfully poked her cheek. However, his action caused Lilly to spit out a mouthful of water in surprise.
She quickly covered her mouth and stared at Pablo displeased.
Master is so mean!
Pablo chuckled and replied, "It's for your good,"
She could not help but feel a mix of emotions, knowing that there were some things he could not shield her from as someone from the underworld.
Pablo, sensing the need to be cautious with his words, was hesitant to reveal too much to Lilly, fearing that she might put herself in danger.
Josh tried a different approach and asked, "Are they strong?"
Pablo sneered and replied, "To some extent, yes. They possess considerable power and even instill fear within their own ranks. Some members of their local underworld group are envious of them."
"But in terms of ancestry, we are their ancestors," Pablo remarked.
"Their sorcery originates from the Yin-Yang theory of Dudroinia. During the Spring and Autumn Periods, the Yin-Yang theory and Cosmic Theory gained recognition as orthodox concepts and eventually formed a school. It became known as the Yin-Yang School in history."
Josh was surprised and exclaimed, "Onmyoji? Isn't that from a neighboring country?"
Pablo calmly explained, "When it comes to Onmyoji, many young people, especially the new generation in our country, tend to associate it with the neighboring country, Cortondo. However, its true origins can be traced back to Dudroinia,"
He continued, "During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Yin-Yang School, an orthodox school, was introduced to Cortondo. There, it merged with their own cultural beliefs, such as the Cosmic Theory and Yin-Yang Theory. Over time, two distinct schools emerged, one focused on positive practices and the other on dark arts,"
"Our ancestors believed that the principles of yin and yang emphasize the distinction between right and wrong, and the clear differentiation between black and white," Pablo explained. "They believed that these abilities, such as divination and astrology, should be used for the benefit of humanity and to bring positivity to the world. However, the cult that emerged from these teachings held a different belief. According to their ideology, to attain the highest level of power, one must employ any means necessary. They saw everything as a tool to be used, disregarding distinctions between good and evil."
Pablo continued, "A person who disregards good and evil, blurring the lines between right and wrong, and only seeks personal gain can be truly dangerous.
They may refer to it as borrowing the luck of the country, but in reality, it amounted to stealing.
He noticed Josh and Lilly's eyes widened and decided to change the subject. "Anyway, if you ever encounter them, be cautious and stay on guard, alright?"
Lilly nodded.
Josh bombarded Pablo with numerous questions, eventually, he asked, "Will we still encounter them? If they are so evil and dangerous, should we continue pursuing the doll? If we don't pursue it, will they keep causing harm? Will they kill someone? Will they..."
Before Josh could finish his barrage of questions, Pablo's expression twitched, and with a swift motion, he took out a talisman and effortlessly sealed Josh's mouth shut.
Josh was puzzled.
Why am I unable to speak when I want to say something?
Drake pursed his lips, "Eat first,"
He brought over the menu and asked, "What do you want to eat?"
Lilly immediately raised his hand and exclaimed, "Drake, I want to eat ice cream, cakes, candies, pumpkin pie..."
Drake, acting as the responsible guardian, promptly refused, "No."
Josh looked at the menu and asked, "All of the dishes are spicy,"
Lilly thought about something as she noticed everything on the menu was spicy.
Mommy loves spicy food!
She pointed at the menu and ordered randomly, "This, this, and this..."
Drake was speechless.
Josh asked, "Are you sure? These are very spicy,"
Lilly hesitated, recalling the spiciness of the food she had eaten before, and instinctively covered her little behind.
Rumors circulated that the boss of the doll shop had fled, leaving behind only a frightened shopkeeper who appeared to be unaware of the illicit activities. The shopkeeper was on the verge of fainting from fear during the incident.
Grace was dumbfounded.
Who... who was ahead of her again?
"I heard that three children called the police..."
"Those three children are really pitiful. I heard that they saw them grinding up bones in the workshop and were so scared they peed…"
Grace was speechless.
As Grace walked past two passers-by, she could not tolerate their conversation any longer. Finally, she stopped and spoke in a cold tone, "Did you see them peeing their pants in fright?"
The passer-by, taken aback by Grace's demeanor, replied hesitantly, "Um, I heard about it..."
Grace's expression remained stern as she interrupted, "Unless you have personally seen it, refrain from spreading baseless rumors. It's wise to stop rumors in their tracks instead of being foolish."
After saying that, she turned around and left without looking back.
The two busybody passers-by exchanged perplexed looks, unable to come up with a suitable response.
Who is this kid? What a nuisance!
Grace exited the Opelucid building and went to the bathroom. Her body trembled with a chilling sensation.
Grace understood that it was highly unlikely for ordinary children to end up in such places by chance. It dawned on her that Lilly was one of the three children mentioned by the passers-by.
Overwhelmed by frustration, Grace acknowledged that her instincts had been accurate. The fact that someone had surpassed her was hard to believe.
She felt foolish for not realizing it sooner. By the time the truth about the ashes in the doll was discovered, it would likely be too late.
All her efforts were for nothing!
Grace's determination refused to waver. Before Lilly's arrival, she had always excelled in her endeavors – conducting investigations solo, confronting spirits alone, and discreetly disposing of things that shouldn't exist.
But ever since Lilly came into the picture, Grace felt as if she had lost her edge, reduced to a fool in comparison.
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