madnovel Chapter 24 is about battle aura; I added battle aura to it.
Chapter 24 is about battle aura; I added battle aura to it.
Winston looked at Martin and mentally made the sign of the cross.
Thank you for your hard work, Martin. I appreciate your outstanding contributions to the study of the occult in terms of "brainwashing rooms" and "magic." If I ever publish a book called *Supernature*, I will name you as a co-author.
"System, exchange for the skill 'Whisperer'."
The new skill immediately appeared on the panel.
Winston clicked on the details.
[Whisperer Lv.1: Your voice can exert a slight influence on the mind of the listener. The effect depends on the listener's willpower, mental state, and relationship with you.]
[Lv.1 Impact Level: Slight]
Duration: 15 minutes
Each use costs 3 mana.
Having squandered all his authority points, Winston turned to Martin after reading the report. Martin's blue eyes looked particularly sharp in the hazy light... but he didn't realize what Winston was planning to do to him. He even gave a polite, silly smile after feeling Winston's gaze.
Sigh, it's true that everyone has weaknesses.
"Martin."
"prime minister?"
Winston stared into Martin's eyes and silently chanted, "Use skill, Whisperer."
[Skill Activation]
[Target: Martin Greerling]
[Willpower Assessment: Moderate]
Our relationship: Loyalty
[Impact on success rate: High]
Current Magic Power: 54 → 51
Winston felt a faint warmth rising from deep in his throat, as if he had just drunk a sip of hot tea to soothe his throat.
It's fighting spirit; I added fighting spirit.
He spoke in the same tone as usual:
"Don't tell anyone what happened at Professor Norman Lovecraft's house today."
Martin blinked and said without hesitation, "Of course, Prime Minister, I understand."
His attitude was as natural as if he were agreeing to have toast instead of cereal for breakfast tomorrow.
Winston waited two seconds.
That's all.
That's it?
He couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you even going to ask me what I'm specifically going to do in the future?"
Martin was even more puzzled than him, and said cautiously, "Is there anything I need to pay extra attention to? In my opinion, your beliefs and principles of conduct have not changed over the years, and that is enough."
Winston: "Even if it involves secretly establishing a clandestine organization directly responsible to the Prime Minister?"
"Especially when it comes to establishing a secret organization directly responsible to you," Martin said seriously. "The fewer people who know about this, the better. Besides, you yourself said that they, and I—I hope this doesn't make me sound like I'm taking myself too seriously—are all the forces you can currently command, so I fully understand your caution."
"..."
He truly is a fanatic; as long as Queen Victoria is there to tempt him, he will always be a hardworking and uncomplaining donkey.
Winston felt he had wasted 3 points of magic; even without using his skills, Martin would probably have readily agreed...
Well, at least he's now confirmed that the skill does work and that temporary magic power will be consumed. As for the effect, he'll try it on an even more difficult target tomorrow.
Soon, the address of 10 Downing Street appeared in the fog, and Martin got out of the car first to open the door for Winston.
On the other side, the door was opened from the inside, and the maid Eileen stood straight in the doorway, her blonde hair neatly piled up behind her head, her long dress reaching her ankles, holding a note in her hand.
"Prime Minister, Mr Grayling."
After obtaining Winston's consent, she said, "Scotland Yard has sent a telegram that Inspector McLeod Angus would like to visit you in the next few days and asks when you will be available."
Winston took the telegram, glanced at it, and joked to Martin, "Looks like your influence is still effective; he's finally starting to panic."
Martin said unhappily, "There are rumors that McLeod Angus is a hidden extreme human libertarian. People like him have one thing in common: they are good at making excuses for their incompetence and inaction."
Winston took a few seconds to recall the meaning of "extreme human libertarianism."
To put it simply, just as there are fanatics like Martin Grayling in this world, there are also liberals whose values are human-centered. However, given that the Queen has been on the throne for seven hundred years, the ideas of London's most extreme "human liberals" are nothing special in Winston's eyes.
It's impossible to go to extremes! We can't have equality between humans and gods, can we? That would make us damned heretics, and what's the difference between that and rebellion?
So ultimately, Inspector Angus's "human liberal tendencies" are mainly reflected in his limited crackdown on cults and those legitimate heretics from abroad (99% of whom are charlatans who falsely claim to be from overseas).
You might say he has a problem with his thinking... but what if he just lacks the ability to keep up?
Winston, in any case, considered the reliability of such rumors questionable, but he was not prepared to refute a fanatic, so he simply laughed it off and said nothing.
……
"Has Margaret Lisa not come back yet?"
Harry, the ringmaster of the Gilded Circus, paced anxiously back and forth in the tent, grabbing a member and demanding, "Has any of you received a message from her?"
Everyone, including Anna, shook their heads, and Captain Harry grew increasingly furious:
"What about the performances this afternoon and evening?! Tell me what to do?! Her fans are determined to see her no matter what. Even if I tell them she's in a hospital bed and can't get up, they'll still bring flowers to her bedside. Once they find out Margaret is gone, it's all over! The circus will have to close down on the spot, and none of you need to come anymore!!"
Anna was drawing her eyebrows in front of the mirror when she heard his words and gave a soft hum.
The circus ringmaster immediately looked at her, his eyes practically spitting fire: "Anna! What are you thinking?!"
Anna stopped what she was doing and said, "I think you should just reveal the truth and let them know that Margaret has run off with a man and will never come back. Once these people realize that they have misplaced their feelings, they will naturally stop pursuing Margaret so obsessively."
The circus ringmaster snapped, "Nonsense! You don't understand rich and powerful men at all. Do you think they'd just cry and jump into the Thames like you after a breakup? No! They'd be angry! They'd vent, they'd retaliate! Margaret can walk away and live her good life, but we're finished!"
"But you have no other choice, do you?" Anna also became agitated. "And how do you know Margaret will be doing well? She might have already been shot dead, her body left in the park to be devoured by wild dogs. At least we're alive, what more could we ask for?"
Circus ringmaster: "You—you dare speak to me in that tone—"
Just as the atmosphere was about to explode, the tent flap was suddenly pulled open.
The hazy afternoon light shone through the gaps, and a tall, slender figure stood in the middle of the corridor, backlit, with a radiant smile on her unadorned face, possessing an indescribable, breathtaking beauty.
Everyone recognized her instantly.
Including Anna.
"Long time no see, I'm back." Margaret said cheerfully and curiously, looking around. "I think I heard someone calling my name just now. Were you talking about me?"