My dear witch, please turn evil according to the script!

Chapter 176 Disinfection Procedure, Ocean and Evil God
Nash's words caught Roland's attention.

The Storm Ocean is extremely dangerous.

Roland, who grew up in the port city of Switzerland, naturally knew this.

After all, these days, not many ships dare to venture into the open sea.

Current shipping routes generally follow the coast.

The most typical example is the route from Riskan to Isfar, a fortress city in the northern border of the Empire.

From south to north, the route stops at several port cities.

The few that choose routes slightly closer to the open sea will try to select sea areas with islands when the routes are designated.

Of course, this is also thanks to the great exploration initiated by the Society back then; otherwise, humanity probably wouldn't even have nautical charts for the Storm Ocean.

However, in Roland's view, the dangers of the Storm Ocean lay nothing more than the frequent and unpredictable magical storms and magical tides.

And the unpredictable weather or the sea creatures that roam the sea.

But clearly... in the eyes of those immortal beings, humanity's understanding of the Storm Ocean is not deep enough.

This is also normal.

After all, the Storm Ocean wasn't inherently dangerous from the start.

To understand why it has become what it is today, we must trace it back to that great exploration that came to an abrupt end.

"What do you mean? Tell me."

Roland looked at Nash and asked him a question.

Iluvia and Kalia also curiously came over.

Seeing this, Furam sighed and said, "Fine, I'll explain."

"The cat is right, the situation in the Storm Ocean is extremely dangerous."

"Those who have learned this skill should have advised you to cancel this operation, right?"

Roland nodded: "Yes, Chairman Götze did suggest canceling or postponing the operation."

"However, he was much more relieved after hearing that you would be traveling with him."

Frum had an "I knew it" look on her face, then sighed, "He's still too optimistic."

"Just like Nash said before, even dragons would not choose to approach unfamiliar seas these days."

"The principle behind my crossing of the stormy ocean is the same."

"They fly to high altitudes far from the sea, and then descend to a safe area near Avalon."

"The skies remain safe, but the oceans may not be..."

Frum was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking about how to clearly tell the truth about the Storm Ocean.

"Until 150 years ago, although the Storm Ocean was full of storms as its name suggests, the formation of those magical storms could still be traced."

"By following the natural order, fishermen can easily reach the open sea to fish."

"It was because of this that the Knight King was able to successfully reach Avalon by ship and obtain the Holy Sword Durandal from the Elf King."

"After the Demon King War ended, I also took Xinmeier and other companions on a boat trip to Avalon."

"However, a strange change occurred in the Storm Ocean 150 years ago."

"The first to notice something was amiss was Himmel, who was already in his later years at that time."

"She, who was just one step away from becoming a member of the gods, noticed something strange in the sea, but even after drifting on the ocean with her for several years, we still couldn't find anything unusual."

"The second person to notice the problem on the Storm Ocean was Argus, the chief sage at the Society's headquarters at the time."

"He discovered the anomaly when it was already time for me and Hinmel to return from the sea."

"His approach was clearly bolder. After years of preparation, several large fleets set sail from major ports in Riskan and Isfar, and even from the Federation of Nations, to the open sea."

"This marked the beginning of a great period of exploration that lasted nearly seventy years."

"Until that disaster happened..."

"The enormous magical storm, so vast that even the capital city deep inland could clearly see its cloud formations, took shape in an instant."

"It destroyed nearly half of the Academy's fleet in an instant."

The cause remains unknown.

"Those members of the society who managed to escape back to the offshore base that was then established near the island chain claimed that they encountered unspeakable horrors at sea."

"They wouldn't have been able to escape if that terrifying magical storm hadn't destroyed everything."

At this point, Roland subconsciously said, "If what those members said is true, they really did encounter something indescribable and terrifying."

"Those magical storms in the Storm Ocean...aren't they more like some kind of error correction and virus removal mechanism?"

Frum nodded: "You're quick on the uptake, kid."

"That's right, although it took countless experiments after learning it to prove your point."

“But it is true.”

"This is why, even today, the Riscan branch still needs to observe the Storm Ocean almost constantly."

“Every time a magical storm is generated, it is a sterilization of the world itself by the Great Source Will.”

"The Great Source Will?" Roland blurted out unconsciously upon catching a new word.

This time, Flam didn't go into detail about this point, but simply said, "Well... just think of it as something like the will of the world."

"Specifically, you can try to communicate with the World Tree, or seek some answers from the big green ball He gave you."

Kalia, who had been listening in the background, also complained, "So, in the end, they still haven't said what dangers are actually at sea..."

Flam gave Kalia a deep look, then said quietly, "Do you really want to know?"

Kalia silently rolled her eyes: "Come on, isn't the reason we're asking you this question precisely to find out what dangerous places are at sea?"

"That's simple, you'll see once you demonstrate your abilities."

"Eh?"

Frum's words startled Kalia and drew everyone's attention to Kalia and Frum.

Having roughly guessed what the anomaly at sea referred to, Roland raised his hand: "Ms. Fram... don't tell me that the anomaly at sea was caused by some evil god?"

Upon hearing this, Flam's eyes immediately turned serious: "You brat... it seems that the Demon King has been telling you some nonsense again, hasn't he?"

"Never mind, you'll find out about this sooner or later anyway."

“That’s right, the anomaly on the sea comes from an evil god, an evil god that doesn’t fit the usual definition.”

"Even I, before you, Roland, used the power of the World Tree to remove the cognitive interference for me, subconsciously ignored how the anomaly on the sea surface was formed."

"The silent sea, the dark, viscous shadows, the terrifying, twisted sea beasts possessed by the shadows, and even monsters made entirely of shadow..."

“I should have noticed something was wrong long ago… As one of the few mortals who knew the truth, besides the gods and great beings like the Dragon God and the Elf King, I should have realized it sooner.”

"But as it stands, I may have been experiencing cognitive interference much earlier than I thought."

"The Whisperer of Eternity, Azgrath... the lord worshipped by the madmen of the Chaos Brotherhood."

The string of words caused Kalia's already limited mental capacity to shut down.

She only felt a string of unfamiliar words enter her right ear and then smoothly slip out her left ear.

I didn't remember anything!
On the contrary, Roland, Iluvia, Cellina, and even Nash all looked as if they had suddenly realized something or were deep in thought.

Should I make a similar expression myself? Otherwise, I'll look rather silly...

Furthermore, what does all of Flam's talk have to do with unleashing her power?

The changes at sea were none of her business.

However, Kalia didn't rush to ask this question.

Because Roland and Fram... seemed to know something.

After listening to Fram's explanation, Roland nodded: "I have a general understanding of the situation on the surface of the sea."

"But...Ms. Flam, have you decided to tell Kalia about this?"

"Yes. She's all grown up now. And she threw a tantrum this time because I didn't want her to come. I don't want her to hate me. This is a good opportunity to make things clear."

As she spoke, Flam walked towards Kalia: "Lia, are you ready?"

"Ah, me? What are you going to prepare?" Kalia pointed to herself, suddenly feeling a little uneasy.

Iluvia, however, sensed a familiar atmosphere.

This is similar to the atmosphere I felt when I learned of my own abilities back then.

However, it was Salah III, Chief Mage Sean, and Lady Flam who explained his innate magic together.

Although she was very young at the time and had only just begun to remember things, that scene remained vivid in her memory.

Clearly... this blue-haired pet is quite similar to himself in some ways.

She just didn't realize it herself.

After all, what Flam said just now had already implied something quite obvious... at least she understood it.

That is Kalia's innate magic as a witch, which is very likely related to the evil god who caused the Storm Ocean anomaly.

That said... the Whisperer of Eternity, Azgrath, this was the first time she had ever heard of that name.

Is this the evil god worshipped by the Chaos Brotherhood? But why did Ms. Flam say that the other party is an evil god that does not conform to the usual definition?

Iluvia, filled with doubt, silently observed the situation, but of course, she still placed her hand on Kalia's shoulder, offering the other some comfort.

She could sense that Kalia was somewhat uneasy.

Frum looked at Kalia and said, "Lia, actually, I originally wanted to keep this answer a secret forever."

"But I've been thinking about it, and there are some things you might be better off knowing."

“You are a child with your own opinions and a good sense of proportion. Although you may not seem very smart most of the time, you are different when it matters.”

“You have always been on the Chaos Brotherhood’s target list; you are the ‘god’ they are pursuing.”

"They regard you as a gift from God, as the beginning of the end of the world."

"They've been plotting against you ever since they asked you to deliver the key to Rishkan."

"You conspired with the Duke of Wellington to destabilize the capital, used a curse to make Salah ill, planned to unleash the plague in Rishkan, and even attempted to kill me through your hand..."

"Their goal is simple: to make your abilities spiral out of control." As she said this, Kalia began to tremble slightly. Iluvia, who had her hand on Kalia's shoulder, could clearly feel the trembling.

Roland moved closer to Kalia, then gently took her hand and smiled at her.

Seeing Kalia's hesitant expression, Roland laughed: "I already knew all this, so don't worry too much. You can already control your power very well, but... it seems you don't have an accurate understanding of your own power."

Frum nodded, agreeing with Roland's assessment: "That's right, Leah. Most of the time you have a good grasp of your power."

"But... that's just the surface of your abilities."

"Your magic is not simply shadow manipulation; that's just the most basic part."

"As I said before, you are the Son of God in the eyes of the Chaos Brotherhood, and this is not an unfounded claim."

"Shadows and nightmares are merely superficial manifestations of your abilities."

"Its essence is deathly silence and fear, which is also part of the authority of the Whisperer of Eternal Silence."

"I knew about your magic when I saw the village destroyed because of the power that went out of control when you were born."

"That's why I adopted you, because killing you would cause this uncontrollable power to erupt completely, and it could very well transfer to the next host."

"This is beyond the scope of a 'witch's' innate magic. It is a gift from the gods."

"All I can do is take you back and adopt you, teach you how to control and use your power, and keep you as far away from hatred and fear as possible."

"I'm lucky, at least I managed to do these things."

Frum laughed as she spoke: "Although you sometimes complain about how boring your life is, at least you haven't become some kind of madman who only wants to destroy the world."

Roland: "..."

Kalia was silent for a moment before speaking: "So, that's why you won't let me participate in this operation?"

Frum nodded: "Yes. Yesterday, you almost lost control of your abilities just from sensing a tiny fraction of the evil god's power that formed the curse."

"In fact... now that I think about it, your first loss of control over your abilities at Roland's house might not have been your fault. It was the cursed objects in his house that caused you to lose control of your abilities."

"This shows that although you did not intend to hurt others and wanted to control your magic properly... it is clear that it did not work."

Gently patting Kalia's head, Flam withdrew her small hand: "Anyway, the purpose of investigating the shipwreck this time is also to find a way to remove the restrictions on you."

Kalia lowered her head, pursed her lips, then looked up and smiled: "Okay... but this can't be a New Year's gift on the spot."

……

Nash's plan failed.

Or rather, it was never going to succeed in the first place.

The silly cat lay listlessly on Cherlinina's lap, looking like it had lost all its dreams.

At first, she thought that Roland or Fram were unaware of the dangers at sea.

But now it seems... they shouldn't be too clear-headed.

Knowing full well that there are tigers in the mountains, yet still venturing into the tiger's den—this is the style of Roland and Fram.

They will participate as long as there is something worthwhile to acquire, no matter how risky or feasible it may be.

But Nash was different.

As a well-known good-for-nothing dragon on Dragon Island, her principle has always been: if you know there are tigers in the mountains, don't go into the mountains you know are dangerous; nothing in this world is difficult if you are willing to give up.

Unfortunately, this time it wasn't up to her.

As expected, Dragon Island doesn't just keep useless people around...

For the first time, she longed to return to that boring island and live a carefree life of eating, waiting to die, and basking in the sun.

At least I don't have to go with the fleet to the sea and face those monsters corrupted by the power of the evil god.

Although the dinner had been lavish and the atmosphere pleasant, Nash still felt like it was his last meal before his execution.

Looking down at Nash, who sighed every now and then, Cellina rubbed the cat's head and comforted him, "Don't worry, this voyage is in coastal waters."

"Even if it is the destination, it is on the edge of the open sea, and we have not actually entered the dangerous open sea."

"We might encounter some cognitive interference, sea monster attacks, or magic storms, but that's all. Don't worry."

Nash weakly began, "Demonic... no, Nina, you... no, you demon are so kind, I'll never call you demon again..."

"Also, will you be able to protect me well on the ship? I'll do anything."

Cellina's lips curled slightly; the timid cat on her lap brought her plenty of joy in life: "No problem, just don't run around."

"Although I think you're still worrying too much."

"How about you run a couple of laps on the ground to help digest your food? You ate quite a lot just now."

Nash barely managed to lift his head: "Hiccup... No need... Let me lie here and digest my last meal for a while."

"Also, Nina, why don't you go to the terrace with Roland and the others to watch the midnight fireworks?"

"Even that elf went to join the fun. Why don't you stay inside with me?"

Cellina laughed: "I'm just... not used to such a lively atmosphere."

"I've spent many New Years alone."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the midnight bells rang out from outside the window.

The city of Riskan was brightly lit on New Year's Eve, and the clock struck midnight precisely.

The next moment, fireworks lit up the night sky.

Cellina looked toward the terrace and saw Kalia jumping up and down excitedly, while pulling Roland's arm up and down.

Iluvia wasn't that excited; she didn't even go to see the fireworks.

He simply leaned against the balcony railing, turning his head to look at Roland, who was helplessly stopping Kalia.

As for Fram... she seemed to be blocked by others, and Cherlinina couldn't see her clearly.

Soon, the people on the terrace crowded together and came to the fireplace to exchange gifts.

"Hey, weren't we supposed to exchange gifts at the stroke of midnight?"

"I wonder who was it that started this fuss about wanting to see the fireworks show..."

"Okay, Roland, where's my gift?"

Why are you so agitated? Didn't we choose the gift together?

"It can't really be just those picked out this afternoon, can it!?"

Seeing the noisy Roland and Kalia, the others tacitly took the gifts they had prepared.

Cellina was the first to receive a gift.

When Fram handed her a small box, Cellina couldn't help but pause for a moment.

Why would Flam give her a gift?
"Surprised? Take them, they're just small items. After all, when exchanging gifts, I can't leave someone out, can I?"

As she spoke, Fram shoved the box into Cherlinina's hand.

After confirming that Cellina had accepted it, Flam held out her little hand: "Okay, where's my gift?"

Celinina: “…”

What would happen if I said no at this point?
Nash then chimed in with a complaint: "I already told you, I went out with Leah and the others this morning to pick out some gifts."

Cellina looked down and glared at the silly cat.

Actually, she had prepared a gift. She just hadn't prepared a gift for Flam.

Seeing the expectant look in Frum's eyes, Cellina sighed: "Is it okay if there's no packaging?"

"Sure, I'm not a little girl anymore, I don't expect any gift wrapping." Flam nodded, then bent her fingers.

After hesitating for a moment, Cellina put the gift box that Flam had given her aside, and then took out a ring inlaid with a sapphire from her storage ring.

After hesitating for a while, Cherlinina gritted her teeth and handed the ring to Flam.

Flam: "?"

Cellina nodded heavily: "This is the most valuable thing I have besides my weapons and equipment."

“…Never mind, I feel like I can’t live with myself if I accept this.” Flam shook her head and returned the ring to Cherlinina: “It’s really just a small gift I gave you, you can give me whatever you want.”

"I……"

Cellina was momentarily speechless.

Aside from the gifts she had prepared in advance for Iluvia, Kalia, and Roland, this ring was the only thing she could give away.

These were some jewels he had taken from the family treasury when his family was destroyed.

The vast majority of them had already been sold off piecemeal to fund her escape.

All that's left is this ring as a keepsake.

As for the rest of her storage ring, it was all weapons and equipment, changes of clothes, and things like hidden weapons and traps.

She didn't think these were suitable as gifts.

Frum frowned: "Really, just some small items will do. If that's not possible... you can give me some hair ties or hair clips."

"Hey, is that okay?"

"sure."

Frum didn't care and took the hair tie that Cherlinina had taken out from her hand.

"Hmm, not bad, it's worth the price. By the way, you'd better think carefully about what gifts to give them."

“Especially Leah, that child isn’t as easy to fool as I am.”

Cellina nodded seriously: "Yes, I understand!"

Seeing Cherlinina's expression, Flam glanced at the hair tie in her hand, then slowly asked, "...You didn't just not prepare a gift for me, did you?"

"Probably not?"

Cellina forced a smile: "Of course not! As for the gifts... I definitely prepared one for everyone!"

Fram=w=: "You've been corrupted by Roland too. Lying isn't something a good child does."

"Forget it, forget it, an old man like me really isn't suited to participate in your young people's activities..."

"I think I'd better go to bed early, sigh..."

(End of this chapter)