Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1418 Night Theater
Having witnessed a power far greater than herself, succumbing to her own instincts, suppressing her inner anger and becoming soft and comfortable, was not the first experience for the former Danitz, now Denise.

If her opponent is only slightly stronger than herself, she is confident that she can use the few sealed artifacts at hand, as well as the magical power that combines the extraordinary abilities of the hunter and the witch after she jumps through the portal, to fight the opponent. At worst, she can use the witch's special ability to escape the scene, so her life will not be in danger.

But Gehrman and Angelica... left Denise with too many shadows. More than ten years had passed since she first met them in Damir Harbor until she learned that they had become angels, had become them. But the humiliation of being hung outside the porthole, the helplessness of being ordered around, and the despair of being tricked by them while they were impersonating Captain Edwina still appeared in her dreams from time to time.

The two girls she was now encountering, Christina and Dorothy, were undoubtedly the daughters of those two. Although they did not appear to be extraordinary, and were practically crushable to Denise, who was already the "Despair" witch, her repeated failed attempts at divination made her realize that the two girls must be protected by some angel or by a powerful sealing artifact, and were definitely not people she could touch.

In the end, I don't really have any deep grudge against them. Gehrman is still a follower of Mr. Fool, and Angelica most likely belongs to the Church of the End Times. She might even be my temporary superior. Once I send their daughter out of Bayam, my mission will be accomplished. I shouldn't cause any more trouble... Denise muttered to herself as she walked down the stairs, casually putting on the "Falsehood" ring to restore the appearance of "Flame" Danitz, making her male attire less conspicuous.

"what……"

The sight of flesh writhing and bones grinding together clearly frightened the two girls following behind him, causing them to stop in their tracks with a gasp.

"Hmph, how could those two audacious bastards have such timid daughters..." Denise chuckled inwardly, and went to the bar on the first floor. Suddenly, she found the once-crowded hall now empty and silent, with only the bartender wiping glasses and the two guards at the door. She couldn't help but ask:
"What about people?"

This was originally just a matter of divination, but her repeated failures with the Christina sisters had made her less inclined to believe in the magic mirror divination.

“They all ran away, just before you came down,” the bartender recognized Danitz and spoke with a respectful tone, but there was a strange emotion in it. “Half of them suddenly had crooked eyes and mouths, and their limbs were trembling, like they’d gone mad. The other half either had their glasses catch fire and burned their hair, or they were vomiting and having diarrhea like they’d drunk poison. I don’t know who shouted ‘Run!’ and everyone left…”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Tina and Dorothy as they descended the stairs behind Danitz, before continuing in a low voice:

“I didn’t hear those rumors, and I don’t know anything about the blonde bishop.”

What? Denise was stunned for a moment before she realized what she meant.

He thought I did all that because of the rumors we spread before we went upstairs? Damn it, it was clearly Gehrman and Angelica who were behind it. Those guys who fabricated rumors about their daughter are lucky they're not hanged at the hotel entrance... Even if they don't do anything, I'll leave some pathogens behind before I leave, so these people can taste "despair," and incidentally, clear myself of any connection to the rumors... A series of thoughts flashed through Denise's mind, and finally, a contemptuous expression appeared on her face. She clicked her tongue and said in a cold tone:

"I'll spare your life for now."

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.

"This area was originally just a muddy mess in the dock area, but due to the increase in Bayam's population, it has now been planned into a new urban area. Spice processing plants, sugar factories, canneries and supporting facilities will be built here, and the original docks will be expanded to directly export finished industrial products to the Northern Continent, instead of the raw materials used before."

Denise acted like a dutiful tour guide, leading the way toward the pier while introducing the city to the two sisters.

The three of them were passing by a bustling construction site, where countless construction workers were busy under the scorching sun. A muscular half-giant, more than two meters tall, carried a log thicker than Tina and Dorothy's waists. A nimble Rothschild native climbed up the scaffolding and handed tools to the bricklayers.

Watching people of different nationalities and skin colors working together, Tina couldn't help but say:
"You don't see so many people from different countries in Tingen, especially the half-giants of Fussac."

More than a decade after the war between the two countries ended, conflicts between civilians still occur from time to time. Cities like Tingen, which did not directly face the invasion, are better off, but in cities like Constance, which suffered heavy casualties in the war, the distinctively shaped Fussac people are the most unwelcome guests.

“Those are not Fursac people,” Denise explained. “They come from ‘New Silver City,’ and are immigrants from the Eastern Continent, with a stronger giant bloodline than the Fursac people.”

The Eastern Continent... Where is the New Silver City? Is there an Old Silver City? Tina was full of questions. She felt that this trip had really broadened her horizons. She wished she could stay in Bayam for a few days to learn more about this archipelago city. It would be even better if she could stay in the luxury suite she had just stayed in.

Of course, it was more important to help the Genie break the seal and get the wish he promised. Therefore, neither she nor Dorothy stayed there. Instead, they followed Lady Flame through the new district, which resembled a large construction site, and entered the bustling city center again.

On the way, Tina noticed that this city had more churches than Tingen and Backlund, including the "Lord of the Storms" church, which was old and seemed to be hundreds of years old but had few worshippers visiting now, the "Fool" church, which had become the absolute mainstream, and the "Goddess of Calamity" church, which was built almost one-to-one with it.

What intrigued her most was the "Sun God" church, which was almost unheard of in the Northern Continent except for the Republic of Intis. This huge church, with white and gold as the main colors, as if wrapped in gold leaf, had steep spires, huge stained glass windows, and flying buttresses carved with images of angels, dragons, and saints, as if it had mixed the characteristics of churches from all other religions.

But Dorothy quietly told her that, according to folklore, the belief in the sun god is actually the origin of all modern religions, including scriptures, myths, and church styles, all of which are derived from this ancient belief that has recently been revived.

However, no church is willing to admit it, and even believers in the sun god have not actively promoted this.

Passing by church after church, Tina suddenly had a guess:
According to the "genie," the ultimate goal of the potion path is actually the true god. Does this mean that the relationship between these religions implies conflict and cooperation between gods? Are those religions that suddenly decline or even disappear because the god above them has encountered a major problem, or even perished?

If so, could it be that the "Fool" and "Goddess of Calamity," which have no historical record but have suddenly become mainstream beliefs, are only recently deified?
The thought frightened Tina. To shake off the thought, she looked around and suddenly noticed a huge black building at the intersection of two busy streets.

It occupies all the open space along the street in a fan shape, standing there like a black boulder. Music can be heard from inside, and cars and people come and go at the entrance. Every now and then, well-dressed ladies and gentlemen enter through the gate or leave with satisfied smiles.

A street magician wearing a trench coat and a white smiling mask is conjuring flyers with his bare hands and handing them to passersby.

Just as Tina was about to ask Denise, Dorothy spoke first:
"What is this place?"

“This place…” The witch, disguised as a man, glanced at the black building and revealed a playful smile. “Ten years ago, it was one of the most famous places in the entire sea, a treasure coveted by all pirates, and an entertainment mecca privately known among travelers from the Northern Continent… the Red Theater.”

Seeing the two naive girls looking at her with puzzled expressions, Denise regained a slight sense of superiority. She coughed lightly and continued to explain:
"The Red Theater is the largest place in Bayam and even the entire Roside Islands where adult women can legally sell their bodies for money, and their customers are pirates who roam the seas, sailors passing through, local colonial troops, and travelers from all over the world who have heard of it."

She emphasized the word "adult" to prevent the two girls, especially the two angels behind them, from misinterpreting the situation and ending up like those brainless, disease-infected rumor-mongers in the bar.

Fortunately, Tina and Dorothy were more curious about what happened to the "Red Theatre" afterward and pressed for answers:

"what about now?"

"After the colonial army withdrew from the islands and the local armed forces, with the help of the Church of the Sea God and Mr. Fool, recaptured the city, the Red Theater, which was associated with numerous missing persons cases and fostered countless illegal transactions, was forcibly closed. Although the current government and church have not explicitly prohibited such transactions, they have cracked down severely on forced sales... forced prostitution. This den of iniquity has become history."

Denise explained that she puffed out her chest when talking about the Church of Poseidon, as if she were the heroine who led the liberation of the city.

But soon, she sighed again:
"But this kind of transaction is impossible to ban. As long as it does not involve coercion, it is difficult for the government to manage it. Look at those places with red banners hanging by the door, they are scattered, private 'red theaters'."

Upon hearing this, Tina looked towards the alleyway connecting to the wide street and indeed found that in many places, bright red strips of cloth were hanging on doorknobs or windows. Occasionally, a furtive man would pull down the strips of cloth, knock on the door, and slip inside.

As a curious 13-year-old girl, she had already learned about matters between men and women through various channels, and she wasn't too ashamed about it; she just felt that she had gained some new knowledge about the world.

Instead, she was more curious about Denise, who was hesitant and carefully choosing her words, wondering why the other was ashamed to bring up these topics. Judging from her previous behavior, she didn't seem afraid of setting a bad example for children… Gathering her thoughts, Tina continued, "..."

"So, is this now the 'Dark Theater'?"

She pointed to the black building where guests were still coming and going, unlike a building that had been forcibly closed.

Denise shook her head and said:
"To be precise, it's now called 'Night Theater'."

"After the Red Theatre was closed, the government originally wanted to demolish the building and turn it into a department store, but a brother and sister bought it and transformed it into its current black-themed appearance, using it as a regular opera house. It hosts daily drama, song and dance and magic shows, and has become a famous entertainment venue in Bayam."

“I have been to see several operas. The theater lighting and props are first-class, making the audience feel as if they are in a dream. The actors’ performances are also very exquisite, and the costumes and makeup are full of details. Unfortunately, they never leave the theater, and it is extremely difficult for many audience members who admire the actors to see them in the audience.”

Opera...like "The Ring of the Traitor" or "Titania"... Tina, who had seen many plays at the Tingen Opera House with her parents, had scenes flash through her mind and immediately lost interest in the "Night Theatre".

Just as the three passed the theater entrance and headed towards the dock area, the magician handing out flyers suddenly took a step closer to the two girls, miraculously producing two long, narrow strips of paper from thin air. He then paused, momentarily stunned, before handing the paper to Tina and Dorothy, saying in a joyful tone:

"Congratulations! You have won complimentary tickets to tonight's play, 'The Great Adventurer,' in our lucky draw."

Tina glanced at the paper and saw that it was a pair of theater tickets featuring Gehrman, who was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, had a serious expression, and was holding a revolver.

"We didn't participate in the raffle, and there are three of us here, yet he only gave us two tickets... Is this some kind of scam?" Tina looked at Dorothy, who shook her head almost imperceptibly, then smiled at the magician and said:
"Thank you, but we don't need it."

A hint of disappointment flickered in the black eyes peeking out from the holes of the magician's white mask, but he still withdrew his hand holding the ticket.

But the next second, the ticket was snatched away by Denise, who clicked her tongue and said to Tina:
"The prime-time tickets here are quite valuable. If you don't want them, you can give them to someone who needs them, like me."

She stuffed the ticket into her pocket, but at the last moment, guided by a spiritual impulse, she paused, looked at Tina and Dorothy, and seeing that the two girls did not object, she accepted her unexpected windfall with a clear conscience, and said to the magician, whose movements were frozen:
"Thank you for your gift."

Even after the three left the "Night Theater," the magician handing out flyers was still staring in that direction, his face behind the mask, with wisps of thick, black hair, remained expressionless.

Above him, a window on the second floor of the theater was half-open, and a woman with long black hair, whose face was difficult to see clearly, was also looking in the same direction.

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.

Upon arriving at the dock, the three noticed a giant ship from a distance.

It was a modern battleship that was over 150 meters long, made entirely of steel, with four integrated gun turrets fore and aft, an integrated lookout tower and bridge amidships, and even thick armor plating on its funnels. Compared to it, the sailing ships and cargo ships around it seemed like antiques from the last era.

The warship, painted entirely black and docked silently like a ghost, was devoid of any people and did not fly any national flags; it resembled a ghost ship.

Ghost ship… Denise shuddered, glancing at Tina and Dorothy beside her, a guess forming in her mind.

Are you going to leave on that ship?

She asked tentatively.

Tina touched the golden lamp in her handbag and nodded:
"that's it."

Sure enough, I knew the "Golden Queen" wouldn't just let her daughters take any passenger ship; she actually sent her flagship here... It's said that the ghost ship can repair itself after being damaged, but I didn't expect it could even change its appearance, transforming from an ancient sailing battleship into a modern ironclad warship... Denise thought to herself, but she didn't dare to be negligent in her actions. Under the watchful eyes of the cannons that could fit an adult, she escorted the two girls to the dock.

As she expected, the "Queen Anne's Revenge," whose appearance had changed so drastically that no one could guess its identity, quickly lowered its gangway to welcome its two young masters aboard. Then, it sounded its piercing horn and started up rapidly in front of everyone on the dock, leaving the dock at a speed far beyond that of steam-powered ships of this era, heading towards the deep blue sea.

call--

Denise breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she had safely seen the two off. She touched the two theater tickets in her pocket, wondering whether she should watch both shows that night by herself or go to the "End Times Church" to watch them with a familiar believer.

Just then, she noticed a familiar figure flash by at a corner of the dock. Her gaze immediately locked onto the person, and she froze on the spot.

He was a thin man with short, blond hair and blue eyes.

That's "Flame" Danitz!

He is Danitz, then who am I... Denise's gaze turned cold, and she was about to disappear into the crowd and follow the passage in the mirror to find out who the other person was, but when she looked around, her heart suddenly turned cold, and even her well-practiced invisibility technique was interrupted, causing her figure to flicker and return to its original state.

One by one, passersby with less defined facial features but very bright eyes gathered around.

They are all "Flame" Danitz.

You are all Danitz, so who am I?
……

Denise suddenly woke up from her dream.

Was that a dream? I didn't actually encounter Gehrman and Angelica's daughters, nor was I surrounded by a bunch of "Danitz" like I was being haunted?
She abruptly threw off the covers and jumped out of bed, noticing the blood-red moonlight shining through the curtains into the bedroom and onto her face.

The moon, which had gradually disappeared and turned into a pure white color more than a decade ago, and which no longer interfered with the spirituality of extraordinary individuals, causing them to experience various problems, has turned crimson again.

Wait, could it be that all of the past ten years or so have been a dream?
Denise's face turned pale. She touched her forehead, which was covered in cold sweat, and tentatively explored under her pajamas with both relief and regret, confirming that she was still a woman.

This isn't a dream, it's real me...

She laughed foolishly.

(End of this chapter)