"Rustle!"
The Red Robed Monk opened the scroll and began reciting its contents—an obscure, incomprehensible spell.
"Ke Rui Te... Fan Shi... Mo Luo Ke..."
After reciting a long passage, the Red Robed Monk paused and looked around, as though searching for some change.
But nothing changed.
The Red Robed Monk was not surprised. It was as though everything had gone exactly as expected. After observing the surroundings for several seconds, his gaze returned to the scroll, and he recited another obscure, incomprehensible spell written on it.
"Ke Rui Te... Fei Er... Luo Fu Si Te..."
After finishing, the Red Robed Monk repeated his previous action and looked around.
When he found that there was still no change, he recited the spell on the scroll for the third time.
"Ke Rui Te... Ai Mi Luo..."
The fourth time.
"Ke Rui Te... Wu Er..."
The fifth time.
"Ke Rui Te... Ke..."
The sixth, seventh, eighth time...
"Ke Rui Te..."
"Ke..."
"..."
Standing to the side and watching everything unfold, Richard slowly realized that reality differed somewhat from what he had expected—it seemed he would not merely be waiting a few minutes for the Red Robed Monk. It might be dozens of minutes, several hours; he would have to wait until the other man finished reciting the entire scroll.
What could he do? There did not seem to be any other option.
He was already here, and he had already waited. He could only keep waiting.
Waiting, waiting.
As he waited, Richard endured more than three rather torturous hours. At last, he saw the Red Robed Monk finish reciting the final spell on the scroll and roll up the thick, unfolded scroll.
Was it over...? Richard let out a breath, unable to resist feeling mentally exhausted on the monk's behalf... After all, reciting