Chapter 43: A Transitional Chapter

Chapter 43: A Transitional Chapter

The Abyss, the Sea of Illusions.

Phoebe had caused a stir in Elbereth City, but here it was deathly quiet.

The Bobbit sandworms had already delivered today’s feast, along with the familiar picnic mat, all laid out.

The enormous demon sat beside the colorful picnic mat as usual, picking up a plate of hot Lake Tidal fish, slurping it down in one gulp.

It tasted bland.

What lousy cook?

It looked down, picked another spicy dual-sided fish pancake, and tossed it into its mouth... still flavorless.

Beelzebub was somewhat discontented, unable to pinpoint why. Usually a joyful feast, today it felt utterly insipid.

"Yet, the surrounding wooden, dull Jumping Ghost Fish, as usual, swarmed towards the feeding mat."

"Their large tails swept over, and another batch immediately replaced them."

"Their round eyes were etched with 'greed.'"

"The demon suddenly lost interest, 'Want to eat? Then eat.'"

"It reverted to its human form, walking away from the feeding mat with ennui."

"Behind it, the sound of Jumping Ghost Fish swarming over ensued."

"The taste of the food seemed unchanged, unbeknownst to it, due to the witch's instructions, the chef had put even more effort into this meal."

"The abyssal sky was perennially covered by dark clouds. In the distance, the roars of unknown dark creatures echoed, and the sound of shoes stepping on the sludge created a displeasing noise."

"All around was obscured in gloom, a cold fog drifting past the ears."

"How long did Fiya say she would be gone? About 15 days, I think."

"For a demon with an extended lifespan, 15 days isn't much, but for some reason, today each minute and second dragged exceptionally slowly."

"No appetite, no desire to play, no anticipation, utterly dull."

"Can’t be too sentimental. I am a child of darkness, the most ferocious and cruel demon of the abyss. Can't I even wait for 15 days?"

"After a while, the Jumping Ghost Fish, having fed, listlessly burrowed back into the sludge, leaving the surroundings quieter than silence itself."

"Looking at the dirty picnic mat, the demon’s three hearts suddenly twisted together."

"This is Fiya’s mat," one thought dominated its mind, "I have to clean it, I have to return it to Fiya."

"A massive black ring abruptly appeared beneath its feet as Beelzebub picked up the mat. The dirty picnic mat was cleansed by black magic in its hands, then disappeared with it in a flash of light."

"The next second, the Jumping Ghost Fish emerged again, their lifeless eyes blankly staring in the direction of the sky."

"At the Witch Academy’s principal’s office."

"Lilith, sensing something, lifted her head, 'Has that demon left?'"

"Angie, beside her, exclaimed, 'Eh! I thought that old thing would never leave that place.'"

"'Angie, Mr.,' Lilith corrected her, 'You should call him Mr. Beelzebub. He is the one our predecessors pleaded with countless times at life-or-death moments to help sustain our race’s power.'"

"'If it weren’t for his assistance, it would have been impossible for young witches to grow enough to graduate in just four academic years.'"

"'I know!' Angie pouted, 'But he’s so cold and standoffish, it’s like we owe him a fortune every time we visit. But why did he suddenly leave? Ever since the Divine Punishment, he hasn’t left that place.'"

"Who knows?" Lilith sipped her icy sparkling fruit wine, the image of Jacqueline nearly being killed by the demon flashing through her mind.

"Our best student, hasn't she also taken a leave recently?"

The silver-haired principal's lips curled, "Perhaps Mr. Demon had some urgent matters to attend to."

"By the way," she changed the subject, "how is Mr. Clifford doing?"

Turning to serious matters, Angie became more earnest, "That old man is extremely stubborn. He seems to firmly believe that the boss of Black Moon can lead him to rebirth. He refused to utter a word and even tried to commit suicide when he got the chance."

"However—" Angie seemed to recall something, her lips curving upwards, "Sallyra loves to judge such sin-burdened souls. After her trial, the old man finally spilled everything he knew."

But the senior witch hadn't expected that, even someone as strong as Clifford, was just a peripheral member in Black Moon.

"He only knew two official members, one being the bespectacled man named Budapest. He’s a core member, but only serves as a liaison. He conveys all orders from the boss, and it seems he possesses an immensely powerful teleportation ability."

"The other..." Angie drew out her words, "Remember the bearded man who Belona encountered earlier? Eccentric in behavior, yet exceedingly familiar with black magic spells, whose soul could not be found after death, his body dissolving into a pool of blood."

"Of course," Lilith nodded, "the Dark Archmage's favorite trick, [Dissolution]."

"Yes, according to Clifford, that Dark Archmage specializes in witch curses and is adept at creating puppets. The Witch is his masterpiece, designed to target our Polly. That witch curse mage has been quite helpful."

Polly is the most unique, as ordinary witches are easily detected by the presence of a senior witch.

Therefore, Polly sacrificed her body and used the text of a ritual.

But other ordinary witches don’t need to.

According to Clifford's testimony, these girls look no different from normal people.

But he doesn't know much about how the curse works or the time it requires. The Dark Archmage is not one for socializing.

"As for other members," Angie paused for a moment, "when the boss of Black Moon issues tasks, it's all done through Budapest. Even when they gather for meetings, everyone uses magic to disguise themselves. He doesn’t know much about the other members, and even less about the boss."

Lilith blinked, unable to comprehend the thought processes of these people.

"How could Clifford be so blindly devoted, believing the boss would grant him rebirth, even sacrificing his granddaughter, when he knew nobody?"

"Who knows?" Angie shrugged, "Maybe it's the power of 'The Ritual'? Rather than loyalty to the boss, it's more like they are devoted to the mythical kingdom of that deity, believing they can leave this place and gain eternal rebirth there."

"However, the good news is that we've got the address where the boss once summoned them. Maybe we should check it out. Oh right, and there's also that Black Moon bar."

Angie and Gaia teamed up to encase the Black Moon bar. On the surface, it seemed they erased it, but in reality, they just hid it in a pre-prepared space.

Now, the entire bar has been moved to Gaia's secret garden, where all the instructors are working overtime on research and investigation.

They killed everyone inside, but the corpses can still speak.

"There are no hidden chambers in the bar; it's just a regular bar from start to finish. Most of the staff were ordinary people, but we did find one very special person."

Angie clapped her hands, "The bar's owner was in a similar situation. As soon as magic was infused, he committed suicide instantly, his body dissolving into that disgusting puddle."

Lilith adjusted her glasses, "I'm glad we might have found the third member of Black Moon."

"And possibly the strongest one," Angie commented, "Lilith, keep in mind that Sallyra and Valentina were the ones who invaded with magic."

Valentina Bauer, the Witch of Disaster, one of the nine senior witches, a fourth-year instructor teaching the spread and handling of plagues, also dealing in black magic artifacts.

"So, even the simultaneous attack of two senior witches allowed that guy to detonate a witch curse and escape?" Lilith pondered, "There aren't many Dark Archmages on this continent capable of such feats. I think I might have two names in mind."

"That's fantastic," Angie grabbed her arm, "But there's more. You know Gaia, good at uncovering secrets. She found several hidden symbols in the ceiling decorations of the bar."

"What symbols?"

Angie raised her hand, and bandages flew out from her palm, floating in the air, forming those symbols.

"The inverted triangle representing witches, the white dove of the Abbey, the swan, rose, morning star, ocean, and goldstone of the top five royal families, the giant lizard of the Southern Desert City, the snow leopard of Northern Lulubi City, the elf of the Mercenary Association, and finally, the great sword representing the royal family of the Assyrian Empire."

"Hmm?" Lilith slowly rotated her pupils, "They sure have a big appetite."

"After all, to obliterate the entire world, each step must be meticulously planned, or how could the scheme succeed?" Angie retracted her bandages, "According to the intelligence provided by Faye, Belona has intercepted numerous cases of 12-year-old girls being trafficked."

Following the Polly incident, the senior witches abandoned their usually low-profile approach, becoming increasingly aggressive.

Belona unleashed the full fury of the War Witch; once she confronts someone head-on, she lets no one escape from her presence.

"Not only are the prepared girls gone, but it seems Black Moon has also suffered significant losses in manpower."

Angie thought of the headless warhorse, like death incarnate, and couldn't help but laugh. "If those guys still plan to break through using cursed witches one by one, I wonder if they have enough stock left. But, we should start as well."

Lilith stood up from the carpet, casually tidying her hair.

"Angie, go call Belona. Let's visit an old friend together. He might have some information about that sorcerer."

*

Black crows flew over the bustling skies of Elbire City, smoothly landing inside the teleportation station.

Quincy's "speech" seemed to have caused a stir in Elbire City, where he confessed not only his crimes but also mentioned many revered names.

This will likely alarm even the royal family. The remaining unspoken names will surely prompt someone to make Quincy reveal them.

The monastery has Quincy's allies, but also his enemies.

Some monasteries in the Assyrian Empire will probably face a significant purge soon.

Meanwhile, the girl who caused all this chaos was moving through the teleportation station as if nothing had happened.

[Northern Lulubi City teleportation point, 5th floor, Number 37.]

The more remote the location, the greater the distance between teleportation points.

Fiey climbed to the 5th floor, finding the deserted teleportation point. She attached the ticket and stepped in confidently.

However, this time, the teleportation point suddenly emitted a voice.

"Dear guest, upon detection, a battle is occurring near the destination, and the safety factor is low. Do you wish to continue with the teleportation?"

"Battle?"

Fiey looked up, questioning, "What battle?"

"I'm sorry, I cannot answer that question for you."

Fiey's curiosity piqued. Was it the demon god created by Black Moon finally losing patience and acting? Or was it like those [Siege Events] that often occur in games?

Due to the perennial snow in the Great Ice Plains, many magical creatures near Lulubi City often attack the town, seeking to secure their own food supplies.

For this reason, the people of the Northern Territories have been honed into warriors, each and every one.

Whether it was for either of these reasons, Fiey felt compelled to see for herself.

She didn't realize that at the mere mention of "battle," her blood had started to boil with excitement.

"I want to go," the girl said firmly, looking straight ahead. "Please continue the teleportation."

"Understood."

Lulubi City was colder than she had imagined, still engulfed in heavy snow despite the onset of spring.

Fiey took a deep breath and hurriedly wrapped the woolen scarf she had just bought around herself.

Indeed, she hadn't even left the teleportation station when she heard the sounds of fierce fighting.

The noise came from outside the city, accompanied by the constant flare of various types of magic.

These magical lights intertwined in the sky, resembling a spectacular fireworks display.

People constantly rushed through the streets on their mounts, stunningly beautiful snow leopards, a type of magical creature three times larger than ordinary snow leopards.

These majestic creatures, with their thick silver-white manes, were known for their loyalty and bravery.

Even the knights responsible for guarding the city patrolled on snow leopards.

The bravery and skill in battle of the people of Lulubi City owed much to these formidable combat partners.

Fiey was awestruck at the sight.

She wondered why, in the game, the snow leopards weren't as large and beautiful as these. Had the future snow leopards shrunk in size? Indeed, reality offered a far more striking impact.

She resolved to ride one after settling the matters here.

But for now, more pressing matters awaited.

Seizing a moment of solitude, the witch adjusted her transformation hat.

A snowy owl took flight, heading straight towards the outskirts of the city.

There, she saw a group of giant two-headed wolves fiercely battling the people of the North.

The magical creatures of the Great Ice Plains seemed to be generally larger than normal, even the two-headed wolves, which were smaller than the snow leopards by two sizes but still intimidating compared to ordinary wolves or humans.

Especially the two-headed wolf king.

This creature was almost as large as a snow leopard, and it had two heads.

The snowy owl perched on a tree branch, recognizing this elite monster.

The two-headed wolves were level 40-45, and the wolf king was at least level 65.

"While their individual output isn't high, the wolf pack comes with a group attack buff. United, they form a powerful group at the top of the food chain in the Great Ice Plains."

"The people of Lulubi City, as expected, were embroiled in a tough battle."

"Monks, mages, knights, and civilian militia - the battlefield was in chaos. Blood, like sulfuric acid, splashed onto the ground, slowly corroding the snowy surface into pitted scars."

"Corpses of various creatures lay everywhere."

"The snowy owl turned its head, its attention suddenly drawn to a particular fight."

"An Ice Mage and a knight were fiercely battling the Wolf King."

"The Wolf King seemed enraged, entering a frenzied state."

"Its body swelled in size, its sharp claws more terrifying than massive boat hooks."

"With a roar, it slammed its paw into the ground, and the chilling sound of cracking ice instantly spread across the entire battlefield!"

"Fiey saw the face of the Ice Mage in the white robe lose all color."

"‘Danger—!!’ Without time to think, he immediately turned and yelled a warning."

"The Wolf King seized the moment, shrugging off the slower knight and lunged with its massive body, like a mad beast!"

"Uh-oh."

"The snowy owl took flight."

"In the next instant, an unfamiliar figure descended from the sky."

"Her speed far surpassed that of the Wolf King."

"Hey," Fiey looked up and smiled at the bewildered mage, grabbing his wrist with one hand and using her tremendous strength to swing him behind her!

"The terrifying Wolf King was right before her eyes!"

"But having seen demons of various sizes, the Wolf King seemed no more intimidating than a toy in Fiey's eyes."

She raised her hand, "Extreme Cold Freeze."

"The temperature plummeted, and frost filled the air."

"The Wolf King, once as formidable as a ghost king, was instantly frozen into an ice sculpture by the sudden burst of powerful magic."

"Fiey snapped her fingers, and before the ice sculpture hit the ground, it shattered into glistening particles."

"Some even landed on the mage and knight."

"What are you two dawdling for?" Fiey clapped her hands, snapping the stunned duo back to reality. "Your comrades are still in fierce battle."

"They snapped out of it and, without time to say anything to her, hurriedly rejoined the fight."

"Fiey tightened her scarf in the snow, 'I didn't give myself away just now, did I?'"

"She had used Extreme Cold Freeze, a magic that doesn't emit the black mist of her manifestation."

"Keep in mind, the Ice Mage’s white robe was embroidered with gold thread."

"In the monastery, only the head steward had the privilege to use gold thread."

"She didn’t want to risk exposing her witch identity and end up on a new wanted list before she could even offer her favors."

"But judging by those two's expressions just now, it seems I managed to hide it well."

"With the most dangerous Wolf King dealt with, the morale of the wolf pack plummeted, and they soon chose to flee the battlefield."

"A wolf pack without its king is like scattered sand. Until a new king emerges, they pose no further threat to Lulubi City."

"The people cheered with raised arms."

"However, the high spirits quickly diminished during the grim task of cleaning the battlefield."

"Gathering the bodies of fallen comrades is never a joyful task."

"The Ice Mage found her."

"'Thank you for your generous rescue,' the archmage said, his face pale but his eyes a deep, unfathomable black."

"He bowed to the young girl amidst the snow, 'I am Lance Porterlier, and the knight earlier is named Eugene.'"

"Fiey keenly noticed that he didn't mention Eugene's surname or reveal his own title."

"A cunning fellow."

"'It was nothing, I just happened to be passing by,' the girl's gaze drifted to where snow leopards were helping pull sleds laden with human corpses."

"Eugene was there, directing the knights in the physical labor of transportation."

"'I guess you have more important matters to attend to,' Fiey exhaled a breath of air, suggesting her departure, 'I'll be leaving then.'"

"Lance paused, taken aback by the girl's straightforwardness."

"Recently, the Great Ice Plains had seen a frequent occurrence of strange events, all seemingly directed at Lulubi City, heightening Lance's vigilance to its peak."

"Yet, he couldn't simply let go of the person who had saved him, even though her extraordinary strength, seemingly incongruent with her age, was highly suspicious. But etiquette ingrained since childhood prevented Lance from letting Fiey leave without due acknowledgment."

"'Please, wait a moment!' Lance called out, stopping her. 'You must be new to the Great Ice Plains, Miss. May I have the opportunity to repay you? This is a map of Lulubi City, the central gold mark is the monastery.'"

"He handed Fiey a magical scroll, 'If you don’t mind, Miss Fiey, could you first visit the monastery and wait for me? I’ll rush there as soon as I finish here.'"

"'Just call me Fiey,' she said, waving her hand, taking the scroll, and gesturing a 'goodbye'."

"The vicinity was ravaged by battle, with no transport back to town. Lance thoughtfully arranged for a knight’s snow leopard to escort her back to the city."

"Riding on the fluffy creature, shielded from the wind by the knight, Fiey felt content."

"But only until they reached the city."

"The knight had to return to the battlefield, leaving Fiey to navigate the city streets alone."

"The icy wind slashed against her face like a knife. Many, wrapped in thick fur coats, were shoveling snow. The streets, cleared of snow, revealed a thin layer of ice underneath. Despite stabilizing magic, one could easily slip."

"Fiey, feeling weary, took a few steps and mused that even if she were a world-destroying villain, she wouldn’t bother with this place."

"No wonder Instructor Sarilla said the artificial demon spent a long time in the North without completing its mission or even understanding what it was looking for."

"Even a demon would fall on ice!"

"But it must be said, although the future Lulubi City is much more peaceful than other places, it can’t compare in terms of population."

"At this point in time, Lulubi City was bustling with residents. The crowded streets in the Great Ice Plains were a sign of prosperity."

"Finding a wind-sheltered spot, Fiey unfolded the map and discovered that the monastery was at the town center, with the orphanage not far from it."

"Fiey remembered that in 'Land of Gods and Demons,' she had seen an orphanage in this place too. However, the orphanage of the future was a derelict site, unfinished in its modeling, marked only by ruin and darkness."

"Players could neither enter nor interact with it. Over time, it faded from the players' attention."

"Fiey's clear memory of it was due to her frequent visits as a power-leveler, passing by hundreds, if not thousands of times, leaving an indelible impression even without deliberate attention."

"But at this point in time, the orphanage was still intact and not dilapidated."

"On the contrary, the interior structures seemed new, as if recently renovated. Despite being covered in snow, one could see various playthings meant for the children."

"Fiey lingered at the entrance for a while."

"Due to the recent battle outside the city, all the staff in the orphanage were on high alert, patrolling vigilantly, even with a knightly guard continuously present outside."

"Although infiltration was not a problem for her, it wasn't conducive to gathering information."

"After hesitating for just two seconds, she turned and walked away in the blizzard, heading in another direction."

"She decided to start with the monastery first."

"Author's Note:"

"Not sure why the new map is a bit glitchy, I'll need to sort it out. Regarding age: Although it's mentioned in the text, I'll explain again since some readers asked (I seem to enjoy explaining, QAQ). In this story, 12 years is considered adult age, equivalent to 18 in our world, so there's nothing inappropriate. As for the love story... just bear with it. The plot has a detailed outline, but the romance is a spur-of-the-moment thing for me, not a major part. I hope you like it nonetheless. Thanks again – bowing deeply~"