Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1351 The Witch and the Curse (First Update)

The heavy workload of official duties cannot trouble Salomon's life, at least not yet.

He dispatched all the Royal Guards, leaving only Hammurabi and Amun to provide close protection. These two Royal Guards, wielding shields and greatswords, participated in all the security arrangements the Sisters of the Land had made for the estate and retained their status as the estate's rapid response force, responsible for guarding and maintaining the estate's emergency evacuation systems.

Of course, not all manor residents would welcome the Royal Guard.

Initially, the emperor's two sheep were terrified of the two giants, but as time went on, they began attacking the guards along their patrol routes, headbutting their leg armor. The bear cubs, though mischievous, were clever enough to avoid the guards. Using their predatory instincts and heightened brain capacity, they deduced that the guards were actually apex predators. Self-preservation is a biological instinct, even for bear cubs; they wouldn't provoke the guards like the foolish sheep. Aside from the horses in the stables, who welcomed Hammurabi and Amun because of their ability to care for horses, few animals liked the guards, and the two guards themselves didn't understand why the emperor kept so many animals on his estate.

The manor owner wasn't suffering from paranoia; he simply knew how treacherous the world was. Otherwise, he wouldn't have approved the Sisterhood's request to install mines and underwater sensors, nor would he have crammed the manor with hidden anti-aircraft artillery and missiles. If necessary, a ballistic missile could be launched from underground within the manor. However, because the missile's silo was actually in a clearing in the woods behind the manor, camouflaged with grass and trees, Bayonetta was somewhat annoyed—as one unnamed British prime minister had put it, Britain was like a missile launch platform for the United States. This description was extremely accurate—for the Emperor, Britain's role was similarly that of a missile launch platform. After all, the strategic geographical location of the British Isles was perfectly suited to the current Balkan Federation, and the ambivalent attitude and contradictions between the United Kingdom and continental European politics were also exploitable political topics.

As per the agreement between the sorcerer and the witch, political issues cannot enter the manor.

Bayonetta knew Salomon's plans as early as when she bought the estate and saw the blueprints. Although the thought of the estate's most beautiful scenery and picnic spot being destroyed one day made her feel uneasy, she managed to put it out of her mind after a few days. After all, the ballistic missile was meant to protect the witch and the estate, and her partner had sacrificed a lot to ensure the normal family life she wanted. There was no need to make a scene over it; that wasn't the way Rosa had taught her to keep her partner.

She and Salomon sat on the sofa in the small living room, wrapped in blankets, watching TV idly and saying silly things. These sweet moments were extremely rare. Sometimes Bayonetta would deliberately rub against his thigh or whisper something in his ear, watching Salomon blush and breathe heavily because of her actions. She enjoyed this behavior immensely until Salomon lifted her from the sofa and sat her on his lap, kissing her freshly washed body, and starting another round of pleasure.

"Joan of Arc is coming back soon." Strands of her disheveled hair clung to the black-haired witch's cheeks, a thin layer of sweat clinging to her face. The cool air from the air conditioner did little to alleviate her burning breath, and sweat trickled down her smooth back. "She might shoot when she gets back," Bayonetta said breathlessly.

"I don't mind her joining us," Salomon said with a smile. "Let's spend dinner here."

Milia didn't see her adoptive parents all night, until the next morning at the breakfast table, where her adoptive father and two flushed adoptive mothers were waiting for her. She skipped and hopped onto a chair in the dining room, then threw herself into her adoptive father's arms, immediately smelling her adoptive mother's scent on him. However, she didn't understand what this meant at the time, and instead asked Salomon if he could come home from get off work and play sword games with her.

"Of course, of course, my little princess." Salomon picked up Milia, kissed her twice, and put her back in her seat. The Cheshire Cat dutifully followed the girl all over the manor until Milia met Salomon, at which point it finally settled down to enjoy the tuna puree that Dinah had prepared for it. "But if you don't eat more, the game can't continue," Salomon told the girl. "I know you don't like broccoli, but you have to eat some when you're eating meat; it'll make you strong and healthy."

Joan of Arc wrinkled her nose and scraped the plate repeatedly with her knife.

"Don't make any noise. Milia isn't your rival!" Bayonetta rolled her eyes at her colleague. "Watch out for that female spy and the female archaeologist, and that Hydra woman. The Malik family women can burn a man alive with their eyes."

"My curse skills haven't waned yet. I'm not worried about such things. I'm going to turn those who infringe on property into pigs!" The white-haired witch raised her chin. She was referring to a very famous European curse, originating from a medieval European story, in which a witch turns a young hunter into a wild boar, using elements such as moonlight, mistletoe, and a magic potion. However, the magic of the witch clan is not so complicated. Their curse skills are quite powerful, unlike those of rural witches who need to prepare for months in advance and are often captured and burned by mortals.

"Really? Then who was it last night who started firing indiscriminately because they didn't participate in the game beforehand?"

Joan of Arc lowered her head again, pretending not to hear. She would never admit to breaking the expensive rose window, even if the bullet had indeed come from her gun, even if Bayonetta and Salomon had seen her fire and shatter the four-hundred-year-old rose window in the small drawing room. Joan of Arc would never admit it. If Salomon hadn't used magic to restrain her, she probably would have run away like a cat caught doing something wrong.

Salomon didn't hear the witches' conversation. Although the secret magic they used wasn't particularly profound—and could easily be deciphered by him—he didn't. He watched as Milia shoved salted broccoli into her mouth with a pained expression, while the two witches whispered amongst themselves, occasionally casting him a knowing glance. He didn't think much of it; after breakfast, he'd have to end his vacation and head to the capital. Regent Victor von Doom's only requirement was public appearances to ensure the world knew he was healthy. If possible, the Regent also hoped he'd make a public appearance in a city in another country, as a strategic deterrent or for friendly exchange.

However, he won't do that today.

He was to meet a scientist who had once been employed by S.H.I.E.L.D., a scientist with exceptional expertise in mechanics, artificial intelligence, and bionics. Although he had previously assigned people to monitor Coulson's team and investigate the scientist's background, he hadn't openly contacted him before a certain technology was invented. But now he had received news that the US government was going to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D.—the US S.H.I.E.L.D., not the UN Security Council's S.H.I.E.L.D. In the past, S.H.I.E.L.D. had to pretend to be a neutral organization; now it was openly receiving US defense funding—according to the Kamar-Taj sorcerers' divination, the scientist had some connection to the Dark Book. Duty called, and Salomon felt he had to act quickly; the fastest solution was to have him meet the scientist personally and promise him technology and the future.

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(End of this chapter)