I don't want to conquer witches anymore.

Duke didn't care about this little incident. He and Amber walked through the door side by side, and Cecil didn't recognize them after their disguise.

And once they entered the alternate dimension, the battle suddenly broke out!

Because they were initially positioned in a relatively remote location, their entry into the alternate dimension was also quite late. Eleven adventurers had entered the alternate dimension before them to participate in the New Witch Game. After Duke adapted to the discomfort of spatial movement, he heard a large number of shouts of killing.

Duke looked closely and saw that the eleven people who had entered before them had already started fighting. Their opponents were a squad of soldiers made of cookies! Their bodies were made of round taffy cookies, and the cookies were covered with sword-shaped patterns. They had no heads but had limbs. In their small hands, which were also made of cookies, they held swords made of orange hard candy and shields made of marshmallows.

No, not only are the enemies the adventurers fight against cookies and candy, but even the buildings they live in are made of cookies and candy.

This place seems to be the hall of a castle, where colorful candies are used as jewels to adorn the walls made of soda crackers, and chandeliers made of gummy candies hang from the ceiling, emitting a soft glow. In the very center of the hall, there is a fountain made of milk-coated wafer biscuits, spouting hot chocolate.

"What kind of weird place is this, meow?" Amber looked around at everything and swallowed hard. "It looks so delicious."

"Candy Castle..."

Duke, however, fell into deep thought.

They didn't even need to join the battle, because the fight between the adventurers and the biscuit soldiers had already become one-sided.

After all, the adventurers who dared to participate in the new witch game must have some skills, and these eleven people seemed to know each other before. After a brief moment of panic, under the command of one of the adventurers, the group launched a tacit counterattack and immediately suppressed the biscuit soldiers' attack.

The commander himself was even more impressive in combat. He wielded a watermelon knife and chopped at the biscuit soldiers as if they were melons and vegetables, moving through the enemy's territory with ease.

“That person is Mad Song Joseph, currently ranked second on the newcomer list.” Amber saw Duke turn to look at the commander and whispered in his ear, “I heard he’s the kind of reckless guy who acts faster than he thinks, I didn’t expect him to be able to command battles.”

"That's normal. Command skills and a reckless style don't conflict."

With the outcome of the battle already decided, Duke began to consider his escape route, turning around to examine the layout of the hall.

Ahead was a staircase leading to the second floor; needless to say, the staircase was made of cookies, and the red carpet on it was also made of candy. Behind them was the main entrance to the Candy Castle, but at this moment, he wasn't sure if they could leave the castle.

Just as Duke was pondering whether he should take Amber out or upstairs, a loud, dignified shout rang out from above the stairs.

"Stop it all!"

Upon hearing this shout, the biscuit soldiers immediately stopped fighting and withdrew from the battle with the adventurers. The adventurers originally did not intend to stop, but Joseph also shouted, "Stop!" which stopped them.

Duke couldn't help but glance at the guy a couple more times, then turned back and glared at Amber.

How could someone so calm be a brainless brute?

Amber spread her hands out at him innocently, then tilted her head in surprise. She had obtained this information from a familiar information broker, so it shouldn't be wrong.

Joseph didn't notice Duke and Amber's subtle movements. Busy with the battle, he naturally had no time to pay attention to these slackers who started slacking off as soon as the witch game started. He frowned, looked up at the stairs, and asked in a deep voice, "Who goes there?"

"Fellow outsiders, I apologize for disturbing you with the inconsiderate guards."

What appeared before the adventurers was no longer cookies and candy, but a normal human being, a man and a woman. They looked alike and were about the same age, clearly siblings. Both were dressed in extremely flamboyant and extravagant attire, like the robes worn by the most pedantic nobles. The sister, especially, who was behind her brother, wore a wide, cake-like dress that stretched the hem out like a ball, making one question the aesthetic appeal of such tattered clothing.

Holding his sister's hand, the older brother smiled and introduced himself to the adventurers:

"It is an honor to meet you all. My name is Hansen, and this is my sister Grete. We are the owners of this castle."

Duke raised an eyebrow.

The two names and the candy castle reminded him of a fairy tale he had read in a past life—the candy house.

The main characters of this story are a brother and sister named Hansen and Grete.

Chapter Fourteen: The Candy House Siblings

"It is an honor to meet you all. My name is Hansen, and this is my sister Grete. We are the owners of this castle."

The classic fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel" comes from Grimm's Fairy Tales. It tells the story of Hansen and Gretel, a brother and sister who are abandoned in the forest by their stepmother. They get lost and end up in the witch's candy house, where they are captured and almost eaten. But through their wit and courage, they eventually escape the witch's clutches.

Throughout the world, "Hansel and Gretel" is a well-known fairy tale. Duke has a good memory; he watched the animated version of "Hansel and Gretel" once when he was a child and remembered the names of the main siblings.

However, Duke had already confirmed with others that there were no Grimm's Fairy Tales in this world of swords and magic, and similarly, other well-known fairy tales such as Andersen's Fairy Tales, Aesop's Fables, and Pinocchio did not exist.

However, in the game of "Statues," he obtained "Pinocchio's Heart," and in this witch's game, not only does the Candy Castle correspond to the Candy House, but even the only two characters who appear share the same names as the two main characters in "Hansel and Gretel." These unsettling details made Duke frown.

Is it really just a coincidence?

Hansen, holding his sister's hand, hurried down the stairs from the second floor. His pace wasn't fast, but each step was steady and rhythmic, clearly indicating he wasn't a weakling. Even more striking was his sister, Greta, whose wide, cake-like dress obscured her lower body. Unlike Hansen, Greta's gait was perfectly steady as she descended the stairs.

At least from Duke's perspective, she didn't seem to be walking down the stairs on solid ground, but rather as if she were casting a levitation spell.

"The older brother is a skilled warrior, while the younger sister is a spellcaster whose abilities are unknown."

Duke leaned close to Amber's ear and shared his assessment. The witch nodded, seemingly agreeing with him. Duke was merely a level 7 rogue; what he could see, many others present could also see, such as Amber and Joseph.

The latter stepped forward, stood in front of everyone, stopped Hansen, and extended his hand to him: "Mr. Hansen, hello, my name is Joseph."

"Hello, hello." Hansen released his sister's hand, shook hands with Joseph with great enthusiasm, and said with a smile, "Some strangers came a while ago, saying that reinforcements would arrive later. I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly, that's great! Quick, quick, let me take you to the guest rooms to rest. I'm sure you warriors are tired from your journey here."

Joseph seemed bewildered by Hansen's enthusiastic attitude. He looked at the flamboyantly dressed castle owner with some suspicion and asked directly, "Mr. Hansen, you said there was a group of outsiders before us?"

"That's right, they claim to be here on the witch's orders. I suppose you warriors are also friends of the witch." Hansen's smile remained unchanged. "To be honest, the situation at our Candy Castle is not good. The witch outside the forest has been watching this castle. She is very powerful, and for a long time we have been able to only defend ourselves. I hope you warriors can help my poor brother and sister and defeat that vicious witch!"

"What about them?"

"Sigh, they disappeared after their duel with the witch. I think they've probably been captured by that evil witch, and I've been worried about them ever since," Hansen said somewhat dejectedly. Then he suddenly perked up: "Thank goodness you arrived. I only regret that I didn't explain things clearly to those foolish biscuits beforehand, which angered you warriors!"

Joseph turned around and exchanged a few glances with his companions. In their eyes, this was the NPC who issued the main quest for the witch game. In particular, the existence of the "previous group of outsiders" he mentioned completely dispelled Joseph's doubts. His expression relaxed, and he even started chatting and laughing with the enthusiastic Hansen.

Joseph's favorite type of game is a witch game that only requires force. Although he is not as brainless as rumored, he does not like situations that require him to use his brain.

However, Duke frowned slightly, a faint sense of crisis lingering in his mind. He made a careful gesture to Amber, telling her to be ready with her exclusive teleportation spell at any time, and then began to think about another problem.

How much of what Hansen said is true, and how much is false?

The story of a group of outsiders who came before us is probably true, and the story of a witch outside the forest is probably also true, but the specific positions of these various forces may not be entirely true.

Thinking of this, Duke slightly curled the corners of his mouth, indicating that his mood at the moment was not as bad as the current situation might be.

Amber, however, paid no attention to Hansen's words; her attention remained fixed on Duke. When he gestured a warning, the witch diligently took note. Because Duke was wearing a mask, Amber couldn't see the upturned corners of his mouth, but she still sensed his good mood and silently noted down another point of knowledge:

When Duke is in a good mood, his body will unconsciously start to sway.

Hansen and Joseph had a pleasant conversation, and Hansen invited all the adventurers present to join him for a meal at the restaurant as an apology for his earlier rash provocation of the fight.

Before Duke Amber entered the game, there were eleven adventurers participating, and after they entered, another adventurer arrived. This means there were a total of fourteen players participating in this witch's game. Joseph, the strongest among them, led the group as the decision-maker.

Joseph accepted the invitation to dine at the restaurant, and all the adventurers present followed the butler summoned by Hansen to the restaurant.

It's worth noting that the butler Hansen summoned, like the soldiers before him, was also made of ponkan biscuits, a round biscuit with a pattern of a butler's uniform engraved on it. Aside from Hansen and his sister Gretel, they hadn't seen a single living person in the entire Candy Castle.

"Duke, should we follow them?"

“Go, but be prepared to leave at any time.” Duke and Amber lagged behind the adventurers’ party. He leaned close to Amber and whispered, “During this game, we’ll agree on a secret signal. When I clap my hands, it will teleport me away from where I am. If we’re in the castle, leave the castle; if we’re in the forest, leave the forest. Understand?”

The witch obediently nodded and straightened her crooked cat-ear headdress:

"Got it, meow."

Chapter Fifteen: Even if it's true, you can't just say it.

The biscuit steward led the way without saying a word; of course, a biscuit can't speak anyway.

The adventurers followed behind it with a slightly more relaxed attitude, heading together to the restaurant in Candy Castle. The adventurers who chose to participate in the newly held witch game were all veterans. Apart from Joseph, who consistently ranked in the top two on the newcomer list, there were also many other skilled players who were well-known on the newcomer list. None of them were newbies, and they had all encountered witch games with "friendly NPCs" before.

Logically speaking, the main quest of this witch game is to help Hansen and Gretel defeat the witch. Before going to carry out this quest, it's fine to enjoy yourself in the territory of your allies, as long as you don't relax too much and affect the battle later.

Soon, they arrived at the restaurant.

Although this candy castle is made of candy and cookies, its overall style is luxurious and dreamlike; only in fairy tales would such magnificent architecture exist. The restaurant maintains the same style. As soon as Duke and his companions entered, they saw dazzling sugar lamps hanging from the ceiling. A long table in the restaurant was covered with a neat tablecloth, and more cookie butlers and cookie maids (the cookie pieces were decorated with maid outfits) stood around the table waiting for the adventurers to take their seats, while fragrant food was already laid out on the table.

In the restaurant of this castle made of cookies and candies, the food is not cookies or candies, but perfectly normal and abundant food—freshly baked bread, thick soup made of creamy corn, fine red wine, and a variety of colorful meat dishes.

Most of the adventurers present had never seen such a scene before. Moreover, the food here suited their tastes (mainly meat), and the aroma of fried and roasted meat made their mouths water and they couldn't wait to sit down and enjoy the food. However, some people frowned when they saw the food.

For example, Duke, for example, Joseph.

The latter raised his hand to stop the eager adventurers, while the former raised both hands, ready to clap in front of Amber at any moment and ask her to take him away from here.

Amber noticed his movement, but asked with some confusion, "Is there a problem?"

"This is a huge problem. How long have we been in the castle? Why is the restaurant already serving so much food? It seems like there aren't that many people in this castle who need to eat," Duke sneered, glancing at the silent biscuit butler and maids. He didn't try to hide his voice, so all the adventurers looked at him. "You guys don't actually dare to eat this stuff, do you? When did the Witch's Game turn into a picnic?"

Duke's warning was harsh, but it resonated with the adventurers present, especially Joseph, whose eyes lit up and he asked loudly, "May I ask the name of this masked brother?"

Although he is intelligent, he is not fond of using his brain and seems to have his eye on Duke University—having a wise man to do the thinking for him would be a wonderful thing for him!

“My name has nothing to do with these obvious facts.” Duke waved his hand, refusing the offer to reveal his name or remove his mask. “I’m just giving you a piece of advice: don’t believe what that brother and sister have to say.”

Duke was only offering a well-intentioned reminder; these people, clearly due to their ingrained habits, had lowered their guard against Hansen and Gretel, and he didn't want so many people to die needlessly. But just then, someone recognized him:

"You...you're not Duke, are you?"

Duke was taken aback and looked at the person who had spoken. He frowned and pondered for a long time but couldn't figure out who it was. However, the other person said with absolute certainty, "You are Duke. I participated in the Witch Game with you before. That explains why your figure and voice seemed familiar!"

Duke's lips twitched slightly.

Careless.

Since Cecil didn't come in, he relaxed his vigilance in this regard. He never expected to encounter an adventurer he had directly contacted before. It's normal that he didn't recognize this person. After all, when he participated in the Witch Game, he would just lie on the ground and wait for his ex-girlfriend, the witch, to seduce him. He had no time to remember the face of such a passerby.

The adventurers were in an uproar.

Duke?

"That Duke guy who lives off his girlfriend?"

"He dares to jump out and give orders? Bah!"

His reputation within the floating city was ridiculously low. Under such prejudice, humans were incapable of rational thought. They wouldn't even consider whether what Duke said made sense; they would simply think that such a gigolo had no right to speak or offer opinions.

Duke sighed, turned to look at Amber beside him, and clasped his hands together: "Let's go."

"it is good."

Amber nodded, reached out and grabbed Duke's sleeve, then used teleportation to disappear from their spot. His immediate "escape" after being exposed confirmed Duke's identity, and even revealed Amber's true identity—wasn't she the witch who helped Duke collect the reward for completing the "Statues" game?

This unexpected turn of events left the remaining twelve adventurers looking at each other in bewilderment.

To ease the awkwardness, some people wanted to be the first to sit down and start enjoying the food, but Joseph sneered and questioned them with an unfriendly expression, "You really dare to eat this stuff?"

So, everyone found themselves awkwardly sitting at the dinner table again.

Joseph, who had stopped his companion, sighed deeply, glared at the person who had revealed Duke's identity, and said through gritted teeth:

"Damn it, even if it's true, you can't just say it out loud!"

……