As An Antique Shop Owner, It's Only Reasonable That I Know A Bit Of Magic - Chapter 105

Facing Su Fan’s provocation, the Astrologer female ghost didn’t seem in a hurry to attack immediately.

Having continuously materialized Tarot cards earlier, she had expended most of her strength.

Her aura had visibly weakened as a result.

But Su Fan was growing a bit impatient.

The system prompt still hadn’t appeared, and she was already running out of steam?

My new supernatural ability isn’t even settled yet.

With this thought, Su Fan immediately pulled out a Spirit Suppression Talisman from his robe and activated it towards the Astrologer female ghost!
The power to subdue evil spirits erupted from the talisman, transforming into a golden light that shot towards her!
Su Fan’s fierce and aggressive approach angered the Astrologer female ghost.

She let out a sudden roar, and immediately, the cloaked Hermit holding a yellow lantern appeared in front of her, blocking the Spirit Suppression Talisman head-on. It then began rapidly closing in on Su Fan!

Unfazed, Su Fan launched two more talismans.

One for depletion, one for suppression.

The Hermit could only transform back into a card and fall to the ground.

It was at this moment that Su Fan finally heard the prompt in his ear.

[You have repeatedly witnessed the ability to imbue lifeless objects with vitality and seem to have gained a slight understanding of its intricacies.]

Perfect timing!

Su Fan breathed a sigh of relief and looked towards the Astrologer female ghost opposite him.

Her aura was already wilting, the dark mist she constantly emitted earlier had disappeared, and she could no longer maintain her floating state, landing on the ground.

Before Su Fan could take any further action, the Astrologer female ghost transformed into a wisp of black smoke and returned to the Tarot card.

The Tarot card gently floated up and landed in Su Fan’s hand.

He examined it for a moment before finally deciding to put it away.

“It’s over. You’re safe now.”

Seeing the female ghost disappear from the street, the four onlookers breathed a collective sigh of relief.

“Remember to prepare the money and deliver it here within seven days.”

“Wait a minute, I don’t remember you mentioning anything about payment…”

The chubby Paxton blurted out instinctively.

“How much do you need?”

Compared to Paxton, Grant was much more tactful.

“Fifty thousand dollars per person.”

“That much?!”

Su Fan glanced at Paxton and then spoke.

“One hundred thousand for you.”

“……”

The chubby guy immediately clammed up, covering his mouth with his hand.

“Any problems?”

This time, no one dared to voice any objections, all nodding their heads vigorously.

“Good. Now, everyone head home. I won’t see you out.”

Su Fan stepped forward, picked up the chair in the middle of the street, returned to the antique shop, and closed the back door.

“Paxton, you really should work on that loud and impulsive habit of yours.”

Grant watched Su Fan leave and sighed.

“Compared to your life, money is nothing. A mere fifty thousand to buy a life is already a great deal.”

“Yeah, after seeing him so many times, can’t you tell the boss has a… particular personality?”

Haley chimed in from behind.

“I was just stating my feelings… We’ve been spending a lot lately, and I don’t have much cash left on hand…”

Paxton looked like he was about to cry.

“I just said one thing, and it cost me fifty thousand more… sob…”

“Be proud, that’s literally worth a thousand dollars per word…”

“You want this ‘thousand dollars per word’ honor?”

“Too kind, you keep it.”

“Haley said you’d appear before your friends in a different state… did she mean as a pauper?”

“I think it’s ‘homeless person’.”

“Peggy, you’re making fun of me too!”

……

Back inside the antique shop, Su Fan rummaged around looking for a jar.

A few days ago, while reading, he had come across information about the ‘Five Fierce Spirit Soldiers’ and had been thinking about trying it out.

And now, the perfect candidate had just shown up.

He wasn’t considering seizing one from others or borrowing from an unaffiliated troop.

There were two legitimate sources for Spirit Soldiers.

The first was inheritance from a master or sect.
This type was the easiest to control and use, considered top-tier.

The second was self-refinement through ritual.

This kind was slightly inferior to the first, as it would greatly consume one’s own energy, and sometimes required other ritual tools to summon and command.

Su Fan didn’t have a proper orthodox inheritance, so he could only choose the second method.

This Astrologer female ghost’s abilities were quite good. If he could tame her, she’d probably be a useful assistant.

The main reason Su Fan had held back was that, among the evil spirits he had encountered so far, she was one of the rare few who were ‘clean’ before their death.

She was infinitely better than the likes of Freddy or Mary Shaw.

Su Fan also didn’t see anything wrong with the female ghost cursing and killing the Count.

In that era’s context, it was practically impossible for a commoner to resist a high-ranking noble in any meaningful way.

When the law fails to deliver justice for the victim, revenge becomes a reasonable and righteous act.

Besides, that Count was truly an odd character.

He was the one who demanded the divination, and then got angry when it came true.

Upon learning his wife would have a difficult childbirth, he neither took preventive measures nor tried every method to change fate. He just focused on persecuting the fortune-teller, then transferred his anger, hunting her down and causing her daughter’s death.

What a lunatic.

In short, picking the best of a bad lot, made possible only by the poor quality of the others.

Su Fan searched for a long time but couldn’t find any suitable jar-like vessel.

Should I go out and buy a pickled vegetable jar?

Su Fan pondered this seriously.

Just then, a slight fluctuation came from the Tarot card.

The Astrologer female ghost reappeared in the antique shop, but this time, her form was very faint, as if it might disappear at any moment.

“Perfect timing, you’re out.”

Su Fan looked up.

“I’m short-handed. Do you want to work for me? I won’t force you. You can say no if you don’t want to.”

“……”

Seeing Su Fan’s hand move towards his robe, as if to pull out another talisman, the female ghost’s faint figure shuddered, recalling his fierce performance earlier. She nodded.

“Great. Now I need to find you a place to stay…”

Su Fan looked around again.

After all, she was his first Fierce Soldier, he shouldn’t treat her poorly.

With just one sweep, he quickly spotted the perfect item.

“How about this?”

The Astrologer female ghost looked at the garishly colored spittoon in Su Fan’s hand, then looked at Su Fan, and retreated back into the Tarot card.

Seeing this, Su Fan understood her meaning.

I’m fine staying here, no need to move elsewhere.

“You still need a jar. We need to perform a ritual later… it’s like a contract.”

Su Fan patiently explained to the Tarot card.

Hearing this, the Tarot card reacted.

Faint red light emanated from it, drawing a pentagram pattern in the air, which floated before Su Fan.

Su Fan understood intuitively and reached out his hand.

A familiar chilly sensation spread from his palm, and the pentagram disappeared.

From this moment on, Su Fan felt a faint, intangible connection with her.

If he destroyed the magic circle in his palm, the Astrologer female ghost would feel pain, or even dissipate immediately.

Brings her own contract. How thoughtful.

As for the ritual, Su Fan didn’t dwell on it too much.

The result was the same, no need to get hung up on the form.

Picking up the stack of Tarot cards again, Su Fan felt a different sensation.

If before it was threatening and antagonistic, now it was obedient and responsive to his will.

Could this be considered hiring an employee?
Su Fan looked at the Tarot cards in his hand, struck by a sudden thought.

From her previous behavior, the Astrologer female ghost seemed to possess considerable intelligence.

She could understand his meaning and perform basic communication.

If he trained her a bit in the future, maybe she could handle cleaning and odd jobs in the shop…

No need for food expenses, no salary, no need for sleep or rest…

Apart from only being able to move around after closing at night, she was the ideal nuclear-powered donkey.

Su Fan’s eyes instantly gleamed with excitement!