The Deadly Charm

Part 26 : The Secret is Out (1)

Searching for Evidence in the Shadows

Master Man's house stood deserted and silent after the fierce battle. The old house, cloaked in darkness, had only the starlight above as witness to what had transpired.

Once the situation had calmed down, Teerathep led the way, with Natharinee close behind. His eyes were drawn to the worn and broken wooden door, still showing signs of destruction. Sora followed them casually, his expression unbothered. Teerathep took a deep breath before pushing the door open.

They stepped into the dark, musty house. Dust clung to the air, and the silence was heavy. Their footsteps echoed in the seemingly abandoned home, which was filled with old, decaying furniture that hinted at its long-forgotten state.

Teerathep, Natharinee, and Sora stood quietly, the aura of mystery surrounding them. They knew they had to find more evidence of Master Man's strange activities, particularly anything related to Ekawat.

"We need to find proof of what Master Man did to Ekawat and his wife," Teerathep said, scanning the office, which was cluttered with ancient items and amulets.

"I'll search over here," Natharinee offered, beginning to sift through the bookshelves and desk while Sora moved toward another corner of the room.

Sora stopped at a table in the middle of the room, covered with books and documents. Among them, a thick book with a worn cover caught his eye. Its yellowed pages were filled with ancient magical symbols and incantations. Some words were faded and difficult to read, while others bore signs of frequent use. When he opened the book, he found it was filled with spells and rituals related to charms and black magic.

Beside it was an old notebook, its pages neatly handwritten with detailed notes. It described various rituals, including methods of harnessing and controlling spiritual power.

"Here," Sora said, handing the book to Teerathep.

"It should be the book the shaman was using earlier," Sora remarked, handing the worn tome over to Teerathep.

Natharinee searched through a desk drawer and discovered a small wooden box, locked but not too difficult to open. Inside, she found several documents and photographs.

"I found something," Natharinee said excitedly.

Teerathep and Sora quickly joined her. Natharinee showed them the documents and photos, each one more revealing than the last.

The photos showed Kanrawee and Chanya meeting with Achan Man. In some, envelopes of money were being exchanged, clearly payments for Achan Man's rituals.

"Hey, that's the magic for controlling ghosts," Sora remarked, breaking the silence.

Among the documents was Master Man's journal. It detailed various charms and incantation ceremonies performed on Ekawat, including using the "Hong Phrai" spell to attack his wife. The records contained the dates and times of each ritual, as well as the materials used.

"This document describes the spell cast on Ekawat, forcing him to fall in love with Chanya and obey her commands," Natharinee added, handing another page to Teerathep.

The journal revealed that Achan Man had performed the charm ceremony many times, using rare and powerful ingredients to ensure the spell's lasting and strong effect. Every detail, from the raw materials to the preparation of the ceremony, was meticulously recorded.

"This is... terrifying," Teerathep muttered. "Is such a thing even possible?"

Natharinee, glancing at Sora who was wandering around the room with a relaxed expression, whispered softly, "Well, considering we have a non-human right here, will you still doubt it?"