Nox's POV:
So, I've been thinking and no, I am probably not a legend. Anyone could pull off what I can, it's just a matter of effort and knowhow. Plus, it is not impossible the playboy has come into contact with other soul-based artifacts or entities that could have triggered this mutation in his aura.
"Glad to get that cleared up!"
"Then get in the god damn carriage you little-! Whoa!"
*Thud*
"Sorry, I zoned out cause you were boring me with your bad jokes! You need to work on your material!" I said, as I slipped passed the rat-man as he was trying to push me into a carriage.
"YOU INGRATE! I SET THIS WEDDING UP FOR YOUR SAKE! NOW GET IN THE CARRIAGE AND BEHAVE!"
"Oh, that's a good one! See, I knew you could do it!" I said as I patted the red-faced rat-man on the back.
I was worried his career as a comedian was taking a turn for the worse when he suddenly dragged me out of the main manor, talking about some marriage stuff and duty to the clan crap. I started dozing off when he tried to force me into the carriage.
"You know what the old man said, right? Now go admit you were wrong to the nice neighbors and apologize for lying!"
After the playboy attack, the old man had yelled at the rat-man to go call off the arranged marriage he made for his nonexistent daughter named after me. Or at least I hope it was a lie. I didn't really check if anyone else was in the building before I lit the fire.
"FATHER AND SISTER ARE TOO SOFTHEARTED TO MAKE SUCH TOUGH DECISIONS! HENCE, WHY IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS THE NEXT PATRIARCH TO MAKE SURE YOU CONTRIBUTE TO REBUILDING OUR CLAN! SO, GET IN THE GOD DAMN CARRIAGE!" He shouted as he tried to grab me, but he was just too slow.
"I've got a better idea!"
*Swoosh*
*Crash*
*Slam*
*Click*
*Buzz*
"Why don't you get married instead?"
I had jumped in front of the carriage door, only to dodge at the last second as he tried to tackle me into the carriage. Then I slammed the door shut behind him, locked it and used my spirit magic to draw a quick reinforcement enchantment, just in case he tried to destroy the carriage.
"HEY! OPEN THIS DOOR THIS INSTANT OR I…!"
"Hey, the bride is ready to go! Chop, chop!" I said to the coachmen.
"But-!"
"Here is a little extra for your troubles! Remember, you only need to deliver the carriage! You don't need to stick around until they open it! Also, don't worry about any threats he might make! I'm pretty sure he doesn't remember the faces of servants!" I said as I handed the coachmen a mid-grade magic stone.
"Thank you miss!"
I then waved goodbye to the carriage while wiping my crocodile tears with a handkerchief, as I watched them drive into the sunrise I was imagining behind the rain clouds.
"Okay, that takes care of that!"
I have had a sneaking suspicion that rat-man doesn't want the best for this place since day one, hence why I called him a rat. It's just this gift I have. I can sniff out selfish pricks from a mile away. Which is why I don't want him around for what I am about to do. If my hunch about him from day one is right, then he doesn't want his mom to wake up.
"Who's ready to slap that sleepy head awake?" I said as I entered the cabin in the forbidden zone.
I had been here about a month ago, when I needed a ghost costume, so I can tell not much has changed from back then. There was a muddy cracked mirror in the corner, that I can totally not be held accountable for. A couple of chairs, a table, and a baby-faced lady crumbling into dust inside a bed.
"Can you really wake her up?" The dumbass asked.
"Lass! I'm putting her fate in your hands! So, don't you dare let her die!"
"Hey, what's with all the pessimism all of a sudden? You looked a lot more optimistic about those other guy's, who couldn't even get mom to twitch!" The muscle-maniac said.
"Okey, dokey! I'm going to need you all to stand guard outside, okay! And don't come in for any reason until I specifically say so! Got it!" I told them.
"I'm staying inside!" The old man said, defying me.
"Dad! I don't think Nox will-!"
"Okay, but on one condition!" I said, cutting off the dumbass.
"Which is?"
"You cannot interfere with my process, no matter what I do! And I mean it! Any slight mishap and she will die! You can also not enter or leave the building, or she will die! That goes for you two as well! If that door opens before I'm done, it will throw the entire thing off the rails, which could and most likely will kill her! You all understand?" I asked.
They all nodded.
"Good! Now, if for some reason the Rat-man shows up and breaks past the guards, it is your job to stop him from getting near the cabin!"
"I don't understand why Ping can't be here for this! He was the one who's cared the most for mother's wellbeing after father!"
"Care maybe! But I'm not sure about the well part!"
"What do you mean?"
"Just a hunch! If I'm wrong, then no harm no foul! So, get out there and cockblock your brother from your mother's cabin!" I said while giving them a thumbs up while winking.
"Uh, Sure!"
I seemed to be getting a rather cold reception here. Could it be? Is it my material that's getting bad and not the rat-man's. I'm alone with the old man, so maybe I should practice my dad jokes. He'll definitely get it seeing as he has a grandson. That means he's like a senior dad who'll laugh his ass off from jokes specifically tailored to his kind.
"Ehm! So, when does a joke become a dad joke?"
"What are you going on about? Just start the treatment already?"
"When it becomes apparent!"
"…"
"Tuff crowd! I really am losing it!"
"STOP MESSING AROUND AND START ALREADY!"
"You're right! I shouldn't hold back on the wife jokes on account of the sleeping beauty. So, a lady screams at her husband: 'You haven't listened to a single thing I've said, have you?'!"
"…"
"Her husband responds: 'What a weird way to start a conversation'!"
"STOP MESSING AROUND!!!"
"Who is messing around? This is a very important part of the process!"
"WHAT POSSIBLE PURPOSE CAN TELLING THESE BAD JOKES POSSIBLY SERVE?!"
"Well, they're a good distraction, for one!" I said, as my golem assistant finished cutting open the sleeping beauty's chest.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
"But more importantly! It helps me practice for my next standup routines! You never know when a good joke can save your life!" I said as I rolled up my sleeve and plunged my hand into the energy pool inside the sleepy head's torso.