Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1267 Mutual Respect (First Update)

"Good morning, my dear, wicked shrewish women. It's only been a few minutes, eh?" Salomon strolled slowly past the dining table, which was laid out with a lavish breakfast for the manor's masters. The android maid, Dina, responsible for the meals, stood at the dining room entrance, carrying the double-edged chainsaw greatsword given to her by the witch, performing her routine guard and service. "Are you satisfied with yesterday? Or is destroying just an antique four-poster bed not enough?" he said. "Perhaps we should have a fighting match today?"

"Good morning, my dear conman stripper. It's been twenty minutes, probably since I started brushing my teeth." Bayonetta took a sip of her wine, then continued to contentedly stuff her spoonful of tender, stewed beef tongue into her mouth. One of the family's notable characteristics was their incredibly high-calorie, high-protein breakfasts. Poor Milia had visibly gained weight since arriving, providing a delicious treat for Salomon and the witches who kissed her cheeks. After the morning's routine "child-eating" ritual, Salomon finally asked another witch, "When I woke up, Joan of Arc was still unconscious. Is she still in bed?"

"She didn't expect you to be so enthusiastic so soon after your injuries healed." Bayonetta raised an eyebrow, her alluring eyes filled with barely suppressed mockery. A thin, exquisite black silk nightgown slid down her shoulders like flowing water, revealing delicate black lace trim and faint rope marks peeking out from the hem, drawing his gaze. Witches' magic can conjure instruments of torture out of thin air, these instruments existing as amusement in battle. But that doesn't mean witches won't act as victims and enjoy the things they create; in fact, many witches are quite enthusiastic about it. Salomon, under Bayonetta's long tutelage, had also learned those techniques for training Lorelei. "Also, could you please not wear that Cheshire Cat-printed idiot hoodie next time you go for your morning run? Pegasus has complained to me many times; it wants you to wear that shirt with its logo on it."

Salomon sat down at the table, filling Bayonetta's goblet to the brim, and casually used a silver spoon to cut the stewed beef tongue on Milia's plate into bite-sized pieces. Last night, he had satisfied the witches' minds with his actions, tempering their anger, but even now, something restless lingered between them, igniting like a supernatural flash. Milia looked up, thoughtfully watching the spectrum of emotions, invisible to ordinary people, collide and combine in the air. Spiritual dust rose and fell like tides, supernatural light twisted like phosphorescence—all indicating that the witch's thoughts were far from calm.

Milia's extraordinary talent and childlike instincts led her to unconsciously learn and imitate, but the electrified black crystal collar around her neck prevented her spiritual power from spreading further, protecting her mind from the witch's powerful spiritual influence before she had learned how to protect it. Compared to Kamar-Taj's control and education of gifted children, Salomon believed this method was more complete and comprehensive, ensuring that Milia wouldn't feel alienated or fearful after realizing her power in the future.

"How is Pegasus?"

"It's gone back to its own dimension to sleep. You can summon it anytime," Bayonetta said. "I should remind you that Pegasus has always considered it an insult that you didn't let it fight to the end, unless you agree to wear another hoodie and admit that it's more important than the Cheshire Cat."

"I don't think this is a problem. The Cheshire Cat can't do anything but eat, poop, shed, and scratch the sofa." Hearing this, the Cheshire Cat, who was happily munching on tuna puree, immediately raised its head from its bowl and loudly protested. However, this protest quickly subsided, as the Cheshire Cat meowed twice and then buried its head firmly in its bowl again, oblivious to its surroundings, continuing to enjoy its tuna. Compared to its futile protest, the Cheshire Cat couldn't tolerate wasting time enjoying its food. "But were these conditions really proposed by Pegasus?" Salomon waved his hand. "I just think these conditions are a bit childish."

"You can't call Pegasus childish, boy," the witch declared, raising her chin without batting an eye. "Is there anything else you'd like to say about that battle in the Koboi region? To be precise, is there anyone you'd like to thank?"

"Beunita, it's you, of course." He gently patted Milia's head, urging her to focus on attacking the plate in front of her. He allowed Milia to temporarily bypass the fortress created by the broccoli, but the firepower points created by the cherry tomatoes and sweet corn kernels had to be destroyed one by one. "I won't say I'm confident I can escape unscathed, even if my pride is screaming, I won't allow myself to be stubborn. If you hadn't appeared in time, even if I won, I can't imagine what kind of injuries I would have suffered."

"You're welcome. At least this way your adoptive mother won't keep calling me like crazy."

Bayonetta took another sip of her drink, her expression as blank as if it were water, yet she couldn't hide the resentment in her voice. There had been times when she and Athena had enjoyed pleasant conversations, but this was a far cry from the past—while Bayonetta was grateful that Athena had promptly informed her of the dangers in the Kobo's Belt and sent her there using Pegasus as a location, the goddess of wisdom's brutal methods had greatly displeased and even enraged the witch. "She couldn't possibly be unaware of the consequences of throwing people into the Kobo's Belt, but it's as if we were all mortals she used to manipulate. She didn't even remind me when the teleportation would begin."

Salomon rarely saw Bayonetta so angry, so he wisely kept his mouth shut and listened without saying a word.

Bayonetta didn't show her displeasure on her face. Instead, she continued to express her emotions with deliberately drawn-out tones, just like when Salomon first met her. Even as she was about to deliver a fatal blow, she maintained her composure and elegance. Until the bullet touched her skin or the blade sliced ​​through her bone, the witch's facial expression wouldn't change much, remaining full of mockery and amusement, as if she could offer you a kiss instead of a bullet at any moment.

"Your foster mother is a rude megalomaniac; she lacks even the most basic respect for me." Bayonetta glanced at Salomon's expression out of the corner of her eye. "Sooner or later, I'll challenge her and knee her in the face."

“Few people in this world would describe her like that. But yes, her personality does have that flaw.” Salomon chuckled at the witch's words; if Bayonetta hadn't kicked him hard in the shin, he probably would have laughed uncontrollably. “And then?” Noticing the witch staring at him with wide eyes, Salomon looked puzzled. After a few seconds, he nodded as if suddenly understanding. “I get it, a fair duel. Close combat or hand-to-hand fighting?”

"Is this funny?" The witch pulled out her gun and waved the muzzle in front of Salomon. "She must understand that, regardless of whether she gave you a basic education, she should not show any disrespect to us. If no one in the Olympian pantheon can educate her, then let me do it. According to our original agreement, I will be responsible for family matters."

Seeing that the witch was serious, Salomon raised his hands in surrender. "I'll talk to her."

"You'd better get this over with quickly," Bayonetta said. "Otherwise, I'll do it myself. You know how I do things."

After breakfast, Salomon didn't immediately go to Athena, nor did he return to his office in the Latvian castle to continue reviewing documents. Instead, he donned casual clothes, boarded a Pegasus heavy assault transport, and led the Royal Guard to Kamar-Taj. As he had said before, the disaster unleashed by Quetzalcoatl was not entirely over. The abnormal weather caused by numerous volcanic eruptions continued, the devastation left by the receding floods needed to be addressed, not to mention the many effects of the abnormally high extradimensional energy—a problem that was not easily resolved. When his assault transport landed in a valley in the Himalayas, the Royal Guard warden, who had been waiting on the tarmac, immediately handed him a report on the incorporation of magical schools.

"Twenty-six bloody incidents." Salomon scoffed. "I can't believe those things at the Vatum Temple didn't scare them. How did these idiots survive and even inherit the secret arts?"

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)