Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1369 Synchronous progress
Inside the newly renovated reception hall of Red Swan Castle outside Trier.

The high-hanging crystal chandelier shines brightly even during the day. The armchairs, coffee table, and piano needed for the salon are separated on the other side of the room by a long bar. In front of the floor-to-ceiling window facing the city of Trier and with a faint view of the city walls and the golden spire of the Sacré-Cœur Monastery, there are only two single sofas, on which sit two red-haired men.

One of them was none other than the current owner of Red Swan Castle, the hidden master of the Soren family, the "Weather Wizard" Gled Soren. He was wearing a leather hunting coat, fitted riding breeches, and black boots that kept shuffling on the thick carpet, his gaze fixed on another person.

The latter, wearing a black vest and white shirt, with his right leg resting on his left knee, slumped on the sofa, lazily gazing at the rising sun.

“If you keep staring like this all day, your Lord will not grant you the ‘Conqueror’ trait. If you want it, go and take it yourself.”

Gled chuckled and said, then picked up the glass of deep red wine beside him, took a sip, and let the blood-like liquid seep from his lips.

“Medici, you should know that the last chance has been lost. Besides, I don’t see that you really tried. Are you afraid of that woman…that goddess?”

He added.

Medici, sitting on the sofa, glanced sideways at Glad Soren, his leg dangling from his knee, and pointed to one of the faint scars on either side of his cheek, saying:
“I had reserved a spot for you here, but it seems I don’t need it, yet you’re still so noisy.”

That was the mouth of the former when He was still the "Red Angel" evil spirit, when Sauron was still in a state of fusion with Him.

At that time, the three were led by Medici, who had once contained the uniqueness of the "Red Priest." The other two, apart from disrupting His recitation of the true Creator's name, did not have much opportunity to interfere with the outside world. Yet now, they have all been reborn, possessing physical bodies, regaining their angelic powers, and even being able to talk face to face. One cannot help but marvel at the wonder of fate.

“You can say that to Einhorn. I believe He will agree to merge with you again, of course, with Him as the master and you as merely an extra extraordinary trait within Him.” Glad said again in a mocking tone. “I guess He has already regained control of the family and used that ‘Conqueror’ trait to advance to Sequence 1.”

"He hasn't yet."

Medici put down his feet, turned to face Soren, and answered seriously.

During this time, He had been researching how to obtain the only remaining "Conqueror" trait. He conducted extensive investigations into the Einhorn family of the Fursak Empire, which had been defeated by Rune three years ago, and was certain that their Sequence 1 trait had not yet been transformed into a potion.

"Although the Sequence 1 ascension ritual is not difficult, it is not so easy to achieve. Einhorn is no longer an evil spirit, but like us, he resurrected himself by using the 'weather sorcerer' trait separated from the 'Conqueror' and the flesh and blood of his family members. Now, if he wants to ascend, he can only go through the process again, rather than devouring the trait, and use the evil spirit state to avoid the risk of madness and loss of control."

"Furthermore, given the current situation, He probably wouldn't risk advancing to Sequence 1, since the attitude of the goddess above him is unclear, and Fussak and His family no longer have the protection of any true deity."

Finally, Medici sat up and glanced at the rising sun outside the window.

Then why don't you go and get the "Conqueror"... Gled chuckled inwardly, then changed the subject, saying:
"You felt it that day too, didn't you?"

Medici looked away, sank back into the soft sofa, and nodded.
"That one has indeed resolved the activated consciousness in the 'City of Calamity,' which is the 'Source of War' that we used to worship. Now, He is probably only one step away from becoming a great being and simultaneously wielding the 'Cataclysmic Destruction' through both the witch and red priest paths."

"But the consciousness and spirit of the source are eternal. All He can do is merge with it and compete to become the dominant part... Of course, I believe it is highly likely that the one with the fiery personality and stable state will be the dominant one, just like when the three of us were dominated by me."

“Tsk,” Glad spat and sneered, “That was something Einhorn and I discussed and put you out there to be the clown. Don’t you think it’s incredibly stupid to have two mouths on your face and argue with yourself? To others, the ‘Red Angel’ isn’t a mad demon, but a comedian.”

"Ha, who was it that cried and said they would seek revenge on Tudor and kill every one of His descendants, and then overjoyed when they saw that down-on-his-luck Tudor bloodline who had even forgotten his own ancestors?"

Medici retorted with a disdainful look, and just as the other person's expression suddenly changed and he was about to burst into a tirade, he sighed and said:

"Those were the days when things were easy and simple. We'd bicker and tease each other every day, without all the worries we have now..."

Glad Soren opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't utter the curses he was about to unleash. Instead, his expression softened, and he said:
"Anyway, there's someone taller holding up the fort right now, and that's neither me nor you."

“It should have been me,” Medici replied instinctively. “But you’re right, when the end of the world truly comes, none of it will matter to us.”

He glanced sideways at Sauron, who was sitting on the sofa with a glass of red wine, and suddenly smiled, saying:
"Speaking of which, if you could fawn over that goddess more and beg for her favors, you might have a chance to advance to Sequence 1 before the end of the world. Aside from Einhorn's share and the foundation for maintaining the 'Old Ones,' wouldn't there still be a share for the Conquerors?"

Gladley chuckled, looking Medici up and down as he crossed his legs again, his red hair cascading over his shoulders.

"And what about you? If you can't advance through the hunter path, being a witch might be a good alternative. The angels of the original 'Witch Cult' are unlikely to get the chance to advance to Sequence 1, but your master can exchange a 'Doomsday' trait with the goddess, letting you taste the flavor of a witch."

Even if I were to become an evil spirit and be imprisoned underground for two thousand years, keeping company with Tudor and Chick, I would rather become… Medici was about to open his mouth to refute when his expression changed.

He looked at the sun outside the window again.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Withdrawing his gaze from the sun, which was now different in angle, direction, and intensity of light than it had been a few seconds earlier, Fors looked around and confirmed that he had arrived at his destination.

This is the central region of the Southern Continent, the Lacre region of the former "Highland Kingdom," which has been colonized by Intis for many years. Recently, the vigorous anti-colonial movement has also reached this area. In addition, the countries of the Northern Continent do indeed intend to abandon their colonies in the Southern Continent and shrink their sphere of influence to recuperate. This place has basically restored its autonomy and, under the call of that "Black Emperor," quickly formed an efficient provisional government to take over the land and restore production, rather than wasting time in meaningless political chaos.

Of course, Fors was not there to help the new regime. To her, the Highlands Kingdom was most famous for its seemingly endless ancient tombs and the constant stream of mummies being transported to the North Continent.

Her purpose in this trip was to fulfill the mission assigned by the "Queen" lady: to find a portion of Giddas's remains.

Looking at the lake that shimmered in the sunlight not far away, Fors quickly spotted a lone figure standing by the lake. The next second, her figure disappeared and reappeared, standing in front of that person.

The latter was a middle-aged man with bronze skin, black hair, and brown eyes. His facial features had the characteristics of a native of the Southern Continent, but he was dressed in a Rune-style gentleman's suit and wore a silk top hat. When their eyes met, a mole below his ear caught Fors's attention.

It was the "Angel of Death" under Mr. Fool's command... Having recently used teleportation to attend Masses at various Fool's churches and learned about the images of several angels recorded in the scriptures, Fors quickly recognized the other party as the angel who had participated in today's operation with him. He breathed a sigh of relief and took the initiative to step forward, asking as if to confirm: "Is this Mr. Azik Eggers?"

From Mr. "Men" of the Abraham family, she learned that he was also the son of the "Death God" of the Fourth Age and the former governor of the Byron Empire who once ruled the Southern Continent, so she spoke with extra respect.

Moreover, this is someone whom even the "Queen" refers to as "he" rather than "He," and is described in detail in the Holy Scriptures of the Church of Fools, which has led Fors to make many guesses.

The man's gaze slowly focused on Fors, as if his mind had been preoccupied with something else. After a moment, he nodded and replied in a soft voice:
“It’s me, you must be Ms. Fors Wall.”

"I never imagined that after Abraham's ancestor returned, an angel with the 'gate' pathway would be born so quickly."

Actually, I was quite surprised myself. Even just five years ago, I couldn't have imagined being able to talk to an angel face to face and be called a lady. At that time, Hugh was affected by the Full Moon Curse and I was busy with my father's wrongful conviction. Even a mid-sequence Beyonder like "Hurricane Admiral," who became famous for his sealed artifacts, could scare us into running away... Fors was a little emotional.

She immediately thought of her own ascension to angelhood, her "return after completing her studies," and how she had assumed that Sequence 1 of the "Gate" pathway was none of her concern, and that becoming Sequence 2 would allow her to relax and rest easy. Instead, she found herself the only angel in the Tarot Society besides the two deities, destined to be constantly on the move. Her expression crumbled, and under Azik's calm gaze, she slowly replied:

"Yes, I have come here by divine decree of the goddess to search for the remains of 'Giddas'."

In the past, only followers of the Goddess of Night were referred to as "Goddess," while other believers would simply call her "Night." But now there is another "Goddess of Calamity," and with the current doomsday prophecy spreading more and more widely, it is difficult to distinguish who this abbreviation actually refers to.

Of course, if Fors, a former believer in the "God of Steam" and now a believer in the "Fool" and "Calamity," said that, there could only be one possibility.

The angel of death under the "Fool" showed no surprise at her statement, merely humming in agreement.

"Me too, but I'm waiting for another helper to arrive."

And there's an ally... if nothing unexpected happens, it will also be an angel. Miss "Queen" said that the underworld in the Southern Continent is very dangerous, and there are suspected remnants of the oldest god of death... Thinking of this, Fors couldn't help but ask:

"Will we enter the underworld later?"

“Not the traditional kind, but an independent and special underworld,” Azik glanced at Fors and explained in a calm tone, like a scholar discussing academic matters. “Since my father’s death, the ‘underworld’ in a broad sense has closed its doors to most of the dead. The dead cannot enter there and can only wander between the spirit world and reality. This is also the reason why the countries of the northern continent in the Fifth Era implemented purification and cremation to prevent intelligent beings from becoming vengeful spirits or evil spirits.”

"But no matter which underworld it is, it is a forbidden place for the living to enter. Unless one is a high-sequence 'Death God' or is a vengeful spirit or ghost, entering the underworld will result in a quick death, and angels are no exception."

So that's how it is. I once thought it was the result of the hygiene movement that arose during the reign of Emperor Roselle, and after becoming an extraordinary being, I guessed it was a method used by the Church to prevent evil spirits. It turns out there's such a deeper secret... Fors, who had just become an angel, with a shallow foundation and less knowledge than his two teachers, suddenly realized this. He then thought that since he was neither a Death God nor a vengeful spirit, he asked in confusion:
"Then do I need to go in with you and that helper?"

"Of course, your abilities will be useful."

Azik nodded, reaching out to take a golden mask painted with either white or black oil from the suddenly appearing tall, skeletal humanoid figure. He handed it to Fors and continued:
"Wearing it will protect you from the erosion of death, but your body will gradually transform into an undead creature. Of course, in the underworld, both of these are advantages."

I knew it; His Holiness the Angel of Death must have been prepared for this… Fors calmed down, took the mask, and had his spirit confirm that what the other party said was not false.

So, the other accomplice must be a necromancer or someone using the "Grim Reaper" pathway? Otherwise, Mr. Azik would have prepared another mask...

The moment the thought crossed her mind, a beautiful figure appeared before her, wearing an elaborate, somber long dress, with blonde hair, red eyes, and a cold expression.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the depths of the misty sea, amidst torrential rain and turbulent waves, several ancient sailing ships are speeding forward through the wind and rain.

They sailed against the sea wind, their sails billowing forward as if a personal gale were blowing from behind, making them even faster than on calm seas. Steady sailors bustled about on deck, and every now and then someone would jump directly into the dangerous sea, diving down without any equipment, seemingly searching for some treasure.

Around these ships, the raging storm subsided eerily, as if the eye of a tempest were calm.

Inside the captain's cabin, Alger, whose appearance had been altered by the "False" ring and who was not wearing his usual mask as the Pope of the Church of the Sea God, held a brass compass covered in scratches and dark green rust in one hand, and pointed vaguely at the corpse whose front half was wrapped in a shroud with the other, his spiritual energy radiating outwards.

Under his spiritual inspiration, the compass needle in his hand, twisting like a tree branch growing on its own, slowly moved toward the position representing the 5 o'clock direction.

That should have represented what the compass user desired most, but combined with the part of "Giddas's" corpse, it could point to something else entirely.

It's veered off course again... Or is that part of the corpse not moving in a straight line? No, perhaps it's also attracted to this part of the "Giddas" corpse in front of me, and is approaching this ship, but we always just pass each other... Alger closed the compass and ordered in a voice as if electrified:

"Stop the ship and search the waters below."

If he were still riding the "Azure Avenger," he could have stopped steadily in the storm without any command from him. But after learning that the ghost ship of the Tudor Empire was a relic left by the "Blood Emperor" Tudor, even though the Storm Church had sent it to the "Church of the Sea God," he dared not sail out to sea again.

Fortunately, the crew were all skilled sailors, many of whom were exceptional. They quickly brought the ship to a stop, and several of the crew members who were "sailors" jumped into the sea one after another, searching for their target in the deep blue-black ocean.

Before long, shouts of joy erupted from the deck:

"Found it! It's a head!"

The harvest indeed belongs to the devout… Alger raised his right hand to strike his left chest, but at the last moment he realized what he was doing and instead gently touched his chest, praising the “Fool” and the “Goddess of Calamity.”

(End of this chapter)