Modern World Warlock-Chapter 258: Dante’s Painful Ability

After Dante identified the curse that was placed on the families and friends of the Azure Rebels' members, the Kappa Team was dispatched to the north to contact the rest of the hostages.

Being the experts that they were, the Kappa Team managed to make contact with all of their targets in a mere two days, which prompted Camille and Dante to act.

Since the Jade Dragons had to keep training for their upcoming ordeals with the cartel, the only ones who traveled north were Dante, Camille, and Asphodel, who decided to join them.

The rest of her vampire clan had arrived at the Jade Palace to join in the training, and Asphodel was curious to see how Dante would cleanse the curse.

When the pair arrived at a private airport near the city of Ventis, they drove to a street that was having a carnival and was filled to the brim with people celebrating.

"What's happening here?" Dante wondered as he saw the people wearing colorful clothing and dancing on the streets.

"It's the End-Summer festival… They do this every year at Ventis," Camille replied.

The street had been closed off to all vehicles, so the trio had to walk to the meeting place, which was in the center of the whole festival.

Still, it was all part of Camille's plan, as having all those people around would make it more difficult for the cartel to spy on the hostages.

Moreover, visiting the End-Summer carnival could be considered a normal activity for them, so they weren't breaking the terms they were given by the cartel.

"Ugh, the day is already bright enough to have all these colors shining even brighter…" Asphodel commented, squinting with a distaste for the light.

As the group passed by a small souvenir store, Camille quickly stopped and bought a pair of cheap sunglasses for the vampire, making Dante chuckle.

It took them a little over 40 minutes to get to the location, which was a typical office building that had been closed off for the festival. However, the Jade Dragons had reserved it for their activities.

When they entered, they saw a group of fifty people standing behind Neil and the rest of the Kappa Team.

The people ranged from children to adults of all ages, and they all seemed nervous to be there.

Dante read the flow of energy coming from the hostages, making sure that all of them shared the same curse, and started to approach them individually to reveal the marks on their necks.

Camille, seeing someone she was familiar with, approached a woman holding a child's hand, casually greeting the Heller family—the wife and child of the Azure Rebels' leader.

"It's been a while, Lira…" Camille greeted the woman.

"C-Camille…!" Lira exclaimed with surprise, not expecting the Winter handler to be present.

"Could you please tell me what's happening?" Lira nervously asked.

"Didn't my people tell you? We want to get that thing off your necks…" Camille replied with a slight, serene smile.

"They did tell me! I just wasn't sure if this was all real…" Lira commented.

From the perspective of many of the hostages, they were simply following orders so they wouldn't get killed by the curse.

Even when the Kappa Team tried to convince them that they weren't working with the cartel, the hostages still harbored doubts as they had been lied to many times after being cursed.

"I understand. I don't fully trust people's words either—It's their actions that speak to me," Camille said.

Once Dante had analyzed all of the hostages' neck marks, he asked them to make a line in the building's lobby, and as they organized themselves, a white mist began to materialize around the warlock's body.

"Beatrice… I'm sorry, but could you help me out?" Dante muttered.

As the mist congregated right on Dante's back, Beatrice's figure became slightly visible to the people, who were shocked to see the incredibly beautiful woman in an ethereal form, crossing her arms around the warlock's shoulder in a loving embrace.

Dante's hair had turned completely white, and even one of his eyes changed from red to a light green color.

Camille gazed at Asphodel, curious to see her reaction, expecting her to look surprised. However, the Vampire Mother maintained a serious expression, and while she didn't look displeased with Beatrice's appearance, she wasn't happy either.

"How painful…" Asphodel muttered under her breath, loud enough for Camille to hear.

"What do you mean?" Camille asked.

"The mental fortitude it takes to safe-keep the soul of another human inside you…" Asphodel replied.

The Vampire Mother was aware of everything that Dante had gone through, and she had only seen the warlock using his beloved's skills once in their previous world.

A person who couldn't read umbra wouldn't notice so easily, but Dante's body was feeling pain whenever he called for Beatrice's help. However, it wasn't physical pain.

"I see he is still not used to it…" Asphodel continued, crossing her arms.

Camille could tell from Dante's facial expressions that he didn't particularly enjoy using the abilities of his dead lover, which is why she always apologized the few times he had to use it.

Still, hearing it from someone who could read the warlock's emotions more clearly soured her mood.

As the people stepped in front of Dante one by one, he placed his hand on their foreheads and cast a silent spell that produced gusts of wind around them for a few seconds.

Once the winds calmed down, the marks on their necks slowly disappeared, freeing them from Netherius' curse.

It took Dante half an hour to finish with all the hostages, who didn't believe they had been freed at first. Nevertheless, the warlock guaranteed that the affliction had been lifted.

The next step was getting them all out of the northern territory, and Camille had the perfect place she could send them—The Aerie.

It was a residential community being built in the city of New Arcadia to house citizens who had been victims or who were aware of magic and supernatural beings.

The women who were saved by Lilith were already living there, so Camille thought it would be better for them to move there, at least until the war with the cartel was finished.