Chapter 34: Cleansing Spell Test Subjects and the Intimidation of the Magic Wolf

Nina was not in a hurry, but Irene was.

Mrs. Aldous was certain that Zohan preferred her type, and that Nina was, at best, an optional addition to him. Nina felt deeply disappointed in Barbarov; she clearly had the desire to experience a real man, yet now she hesitated, a stark contrast to the courage she had mustered earlier when facing Mrs. Aldous's persuasion.

It was understandable. After all, Nina was the mayor’s wife, accustomed to a more upright and conservative lifestyle, which stood in complete opposition to the many times she had fantasized about betraying her husband, Lord Aldous, to seek out the passionate, romantic, and overwhelming intensity that Mrs. Aldous represented.

"There is no rush to learn the magic of cutting Barbarov down to size," Mrs. Aldous said, pulling on Nina. "Didn't we agree to let Mr. Zohan examine you to see if you are suitable as a subject for his magical experiments?" She gave Nina a graceful way out. "As you just said, you should thank Mr. Zohan; otherwise, you would have had no way to escape from the magic wolf."

It was a perfect justification: he had saved her life, so serving as a magical research subject was a reasonable repayment. It wasn't shameless, nor did it sacrifice her dignity or modesty; one could even call it a virtue of showing gratitude.

"Yes. My apologies, I had forgotten. I should thank you, Mr. Zohan. If it weren't for you..." Nina gestured toward the corpse of the magic wolf, her face still pale. "Mr. Zohan, you must have seen its... that part. It is simply not something a woman can endure."

"You might not be able to endure Mr. Zohan's either," Mrs. Aldous whispered into Nina's ear, her eyes drifting toward the hem of Zohan’s robes.

Nina flushed crimson. She never imagined that her cousin-in-law would undergo such a dramatic transformation after meeting the young mage. She would never have dared to tease so brazenly before.

"Serving as my magical experiment subject... well, let’s talk about this elsewhere." Seeing the blush on Nina’s face, Zohan felt a slight stir of excitement; there was a unique charm in the shyness of such a mature woman.

Zohan packed the carcass of the magic wolf into the box he always carried, habitually straightened the dissection table, and declined Mrs. Aldous’s offer to have servants clean the room, preferring to do it himself. Some good habits, he felt, should not be abandoned just because one had servants.

The three of them moved to the warm living room.

Mrs. Aldous spoke with a hint of impatience, "Mr. Zohan, I believe Nina is better suited than I am for the partial cleansing spell experiment."

Nina clasped her hands tightly, her heart pounding as she began to grasp the nature of these experiments. It felt surreal; Mrs. Aldous clearly already had some experience. The wild things this elegant, beautiful woman used to say while reading pulp novels were actually true! But if Irene—who held higher status and lived with a more terrifying, violent husband—was willing to throw herself at Mr. Zohan, why couldn't she?

Women were prone to comparison. "If she can do it, so can I" was almost a creed for them, which was one reason many women were easily led by their close friends to "experience" all sorts of things.

"Are you suggesting someone else because you don't like it yourself?" Zohan asked, looking at her with some confusion, given that she had been the one to suggest it.

Since Nina already knew about his relationship with Mrs. Aldous, Zohan didn't bother hiding anything, pulling her into his arms. The scent of mature, feminine allure radiating from Mrs. Aldous was truly intoxicating.

"Not at all. I feel that not only for me, but because Red Hazel Town faces a formidable enemy, my gratitude alone is not enough. Isn't it only right to offer you more beauties?" Mrs. Aldous looked up at Zohan, speaking with sincerity. Her eyes were always glistening, filled with an admiration that made one feel invincible—this was the power women had to conquer the world through men, an innate charm like that of certain rare magical species. It seemed as if she weren't ensuring her own safety at all, but rather devoutly offering up her body for his pleasure.

Zohan, lost in the indulgence of this straightforward transaction, nodded generously to accept her gesture. He turned to Nina and said, "Nina, learning magic might be difficult for you, but you have a real talent for being a research subject. How about it? Is this your own choice?"

He had no desire to coerce anyone; he lacked the perverse psychology that found pleasure in using violence to force submission. When a woman accepted him from the heart—won over by his talent, his power, and even the superficial appeal of his handsome appearance and physique—the transaction became all the more enjoyable for both parties.

Nina mumbled something that sounded like a mosquito’s hum. Zohan didn't quite catch it, but he assumed it wasn't a refusal. Everyone knew that if one wanted to refuse, they would speak up loudly, just as one did when casting a spell.

"Come, let Mr. Zohan examine you."

Mrs. Aldous had been prepared; she stepped out of Zohan's arms and instructed Nina to turn around, back to Zohan, before beginning to undo her dress. Coming from the Aldous family, Nina had been well-nourished in her youth, and she was naturally taller and more well-developed than Mrs. Aldous, with skin as fair and delicate as a lamb’s wool.

"Oh dear, it's stuck," Mrs. Aldous said, pulling the dress down, only to meet a natural resistance below the waistline. The dress had originally been hers, and while it didn't fit Nina perfectly in every area, it only served to highlight her more generous proportions.

"Good... let us start with the River Clam Cleansing Spell, which has already shown significant effects on Mrs. Aldous..."

Given that the development of the partial cleansing spell was not yet truly complete, Zohan wanted to test Nina’s magical affinity. For spells like these that directly altered the texture and tone of the subject, testing affinity was essential. It was much like how Zohan had once dried Gwen’s clothes with hot air; that spell had been limited to plant-based fabrics like cotton or linen. If the fabric were high-end—silk, spider-silk, or cashmere—the spell would be ineffective, requiring a different magic with a greater affinity for animal-based materials.

"Very well." Nina managed to maneuver the dress off herself, keeping it just barely in place, and stood with her back to Zohan, pressing against the sofa as instructed.

Mrs. Aldous held her breath. *Respected and powerful Mr. Zohan, please, enjoy yourself to the fullest!*

*Knock, knock.*

A humble, rhythmic knock sounded at the door.

"My Lady—the tracks of magic wolves have appeared outside the town. They have left four of our townsfolk's corpses on the road!"

The steward, Linde, spoke with a slight tremor in his voice. Clearly, even after such a long life, the old steward had never encountered a situation like this.