Miss Witch's Forbidden Book Secret

"No wonder, no wonder! If we want to obtain the power of the Philosopher's Stone, it seems we really have to deal with the Prophet completely."

Lovisa clenched her fist and slapped her breastplate, the steel plates of her gauntlets clanging loudly against her armor. She then solemnly said, “Envoy Sulph, President Jeremiah previously requested that we provide you with special protection. If you are going to Mistmoon City, I, Lovisa Baal, dare not do so in the name of Saint Enggard, but I am still willing to provide you with all the assistance in the name of ‘Hand of Justice’ Lovisa.”

Tia snapped out of her daze, patted her chest in respect, and said, "Thank you for your generosity and kindness, but to be honest, I haven't decided yet whether or not to go to Mistmoon City."

The timid and lecherous nun next to her raised her hand from the bottom of her heart and said, "Can I not go? I just advanced to Sequence Six!"

“No way~” Tia smiled at Vera and said, “You advanced to Sequence Six specifically for me, so if you don’t come to Mistmoon City with me, wouldn’t your advancement have been for nothing?”

"I can't beat them!"

"It's okay, we're like family. I'll extract your soul and make a separate doll, I guarantee it'll be one-to-one lifelike."

Vera immediately shook her head, "I don't want it, it's made of wood!"

Tia said, "I can make you meat. It's all the same."

"Really? When did you learn this skill? Could you make one for me with ears and a tail?"

Vera became interested upon hearing this, but it was indeed just as Tia had said—since she was already here.

It wasn't just that she had been promoted to Sequence Six; she also received a gift from Pope Peter that saved her life, which is why she dared to be so bold.

Tia didn't want to pay attention to Vera's embarrassing question, and turned to look at the knight lady who was staring blankly at the two joking around.

“Sir Lovisa, the situation in Mistmoon City is still unclear, but at least Sazdive is a very strong opponent, and I'm afraid none of us can confront him head-on. As for the Hand of Transformation and the Empire's superhumans, we will need more power.”

Beside him, Marn took out a cigarette from his pocket, but seeing that the people around him were either girls or knights who didn't smoke, he awkwardly put it down and then said:

"I immediately sent an urgent telegram to all the border regions with news from Fogmoon City, so that we can mobilize the local societies and other extraordinary individuals who support the country to respond to your call..."

As he spoke, Ma En swallowed back the prefixes like "supreme and great" that he was about to utter.

Others may not know the true identity of the girl before them, but he was fortunate enough to witness it firsthand—that was a soul that was definitely not of this world.

Therefore, although he had some objections to Jeremiah's special selection of Tia and his regard of Tia as a "protector of the nation," "hero," and "savior" to some extent, he had to admit that Jeremiah's judgment was indeed sharp.

She truly possesses that talent—a god with humanity, something Marne had never heard of before. Therefore, she is willing to place her hopes on her. She hopes this witch won't pull off a major event before saving the irises, like a replay of the great plague from hundreds of years ago.

He lowered his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of respect, but he quickly sensed something amiss, coughed a few times, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "However, I suggest that before recruiting manpower, it would be best to confirm Sulph's identity first. Even with President Jeremiah's appointment, Sulph's status as a royal envoy is not immune to some rumors."

Lovisa nodded and said, "That makes sense. What do you think?"

Marn said, “Envoy Sulph has just inherited the sanctuary of his teacher, and the Philosopher’s Stone is almost finished. It would be best to do it in the name of the Great Alchemist.”

Lovisa agreed, "That's good."

Tia had no objections and raised her hand in agreement.

Anne was a Gentile and had no right to vote.

Vera, being a foreigner, was of low status and had little influence. Compared to the others, she was like a citizen and a slave—Tia's slave. In any case, she had no right to participate in the discussion and couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Tia added, "If it's an urgent telegram to the border region, you could pay special attention to White Hart Castle in the Silver Mist Border Region. Lord Lost is Brigitte Montreal's uncle. I have an important ceremony that requires Brigitte's assistance."

.......................

.......................

"Ahead lies the Cloud Valley of the Silver Mist Clan. Mr. Milke!"

On the deck, Nopheus looked at the misty expanse on the water and realized that they had entered the Cloud Valley. He then shouted to Milk.

Milke slowly walked over, holding onto the railing on the deck. His vision was completely obscured by the fog, with visibility less than twenty meters. Only when he looked outwards and the ironclad ship beneath his feet parted the fog could he see the calm water in front of him.

Milke asked in surprise, "Colonel Nophis, you're from the Silver Mist Border Region?"

Nophis immediately straightened his back and saluted, saying, "Yes, Minister!"

"Ah, I saw you pilot the Knight into the Broken Gold River and bombard the prophets' ships, I thought you were from Golden Moon Bay or the Wave Coast..."

Milke adjusted his glasses and recognized the colonel who had helped Tia bombard the prophet.

Nofis smiled sheepishly, “The Silver Mist Clan is indeed not good at sailing, Minister. The water in Cloud Mist Valley is very flat and flows very slowly. There is no wind, it is shrouded in thick fog, and it freezes in winter. Merchant ships used to not come here.”

"However, since steamships have become more and more common, quite a few of our people have actually learned to sail."

"I see. I was indeed ignorant."

Milke chuckled and changed the subject, saying, "Since you're from the border region, Colonel, could you help me see where we are? This old man has finally finished helping the chairman, and once this voyage is over, I can retire in peace."

Nophis immediately said, "This...this doesn't seem to be the main river channel of Cloud Valley. After all, your journey doesn't pass through the center of the valley, and the valley is shrouded in thick fog. Basically, you can only rely on the sorcerers on board to make temporary predictions. It wouldn't be surprising if you ended up somewhere."

"I see... But it shouldn't be a big problem. We can't possibly run into Imperials here..."

Just as Milke finished speaking, a sorcerer guarding him, drenched in sweat, climbed onto the deck and said nervously:

"This is bad, Minister Milke. We've detected a large number of unidentified ships ahead, and among them are a significant number of King-level superhumans. It's likely an Imperial fleet!"

Chapter 397 Emergency Moment

A misty fog shrouded the river, and a cold wind carrying the scent of woodland soil swept in from the mountains on both sides, blowing past the dead trees and snow of winter, before gently rolling into the damp and warm valley, and then lightly parting the water's surface, leaving a ripple.

The ship swayed slightly. In the temporary office in the cabin, Nara Selassie sat upright, her long black hair tied up under the peaked cap with the badge on it. Her emerald green eyes swept over the documents in her hand, and she looked up at the communications mage beside her who was hurriedly contacting the city of Misty Moon, as well as the officer who had just arrived.

Several communications mages immediately reported: "General! Urgent telegram from Mistmoon City! The rituals within Mistmoon City are basically complete. Next, we will conduct a three-day operation to prepare conditions for raising Bloodthorn. Lord Sazdewey has indicated that we are ready to depart!"

"No rush—wait until the ritual to elevate Bloodthorn is completed and Mistmoon City is completely covered by the Sanctuary before we prepare to head south."

Nora paused slightly, then looked up at the officer who had just arrived, frowning as she asked, "By the way, you said you captured an Alchemy Society ship up ahead, what happened?"

The officer saluted with his hand on his chest, unable to hide his excitement, and said, "It's a ship from the Ministry of the Interior! The former Minister of the Interior, Milke, was on board, along with many of his traitorous soldiers. We have detained them all."

Milke...

Upon hearing this name, Nora remembered that this minister had once held her in his arms...

She then fell into deep thought, followed by a hint of confusion.

This isn't right...

How did she end up as the commander of four legions without even realizing it...?

Before the civil war, her grandfather, Marquis Selassie, had been the border commander stationed in the three northern counties of Winter. However, during the civil war, His Majesty the King fled and a large group of nobles followed him, which made the old marquis confused. He led the border troops to defect to the empire to protect the monarchy.

Within six months, due to acclimatization issues and old age, Marquis Selassie fell ill and was bedridden. Fearing imperial intervention in their dwindling army, the Iris Nobles hastily promoted Nara to general.

At this moment—Nora hasn’t even served a full year in the military!

Then, after a full year of service, she inherited the marquisate and became a proper legion commander, with all 60,000 men in the four legions of the border defense army under her command!

Nora looked up at the misty water outside the porthole. The visibility was slightly better because of the wind, and the fog had finally mostly dissipated under the priest's meteorological ritual, revealing a faint gray-white sky.

Winters in Cloud Valley are cold, and the weather priests predict a heavy snowfall in four hours. The cold air that is brewing this snowfall is moving south and is expected to bring four to five days of torrential rain around Mistmoon City.

This is a good opportunity for them.

Nara mobilized two legions, along with two full-strength army legions of the Empire, each with 70,000 men, to confront Lost at White Hart Castle on the front lines.

However, their main objective was not the Silver Mist Rangers' White Deer Keep, nor the Cloud Valley—but rather Mistmoon City.

Once Sazdive and Santis have planted Bloodthorns in Mistmoon City, Nara can use the cover of the front lines to launch a feint and advance unimpeded.

The Hand of Transformation will help them deal with the superhumans in Mistmoon City. They can then take control of the city. However, they must be wary of a potential counterattack from the south, and the republic's staunch ally—the Anzu.

Nora wasn't entirely clear on Ansu's movements, only knowing that the Ansu navy had blockaded the seas. However, the situation at sea wasn't a major concern; Ansu wasn't a maritime power to begin with, and its standing army, after reforms, was quite limited.

As for the Ansu people's superhumans... it's already quite remarkable that they can defend their few dilapidated islands.

She had heard that the envoy sent by Her Majesty Elizabeth had defeated the Prophet of the Palace of Wisdom in Golden Moon Bay. But that was of little use; unless a Sequence Three superhuman directly intervened in the war, these superhumans were nothing more than a speed bump to her legions.

They're not even as threatening as the rangers from Cloud Valley...

Of course, they also need the cover of cold winds and torrential rain.

“Take me to Milk immediately,” Nara said, rising to her feet. She then told the communications mage, “Contact Sazdive and order them to act quickly. The entire army must remain silent and lie low to avoid being discovered by the Silver Mist Rangers!”

The communications mage said with difficulty, "General, we have enough supplies, but the rituals here probably won't last more than a few days..."

"Then let the Empire put in more effort! Right now, it's not that we need them, but that they need us! If our legion is discovered, let them figure out how to deal with the formidable barrier of White Deer Fortress themselves!"

Nora's face remained expressionless as she reiterated, "This is an order."

After saying that, Nora turned around and asked the officer to lead the way to another ship to see Milke.

The communications mage in the cabin shrank back, not daring to refute.

After Nora left, her colleague said helplessly, "General Nora has given the order, so don't ask any more questions, lest you suffer even more."

The monk, while holding the ritual knife outstretched, muttered, "I'm worried about things going wrong. We can wait, but the weather can't. It's already January. If things go smoothly, we might still be able to make it to the grand festival in Golden Moon Bay in April."

"A festival... By the way, are you from Golden Moon Bay?"

"Yes, I'm a local from Golden Moon Bay..."

While the two monks were chatting, the winter wind whipped up the snow, brushed past the porthole not far away, then turned and blew over the mountains, swirling southward.

A gust of cold wind rushed into the open glass doors of the city hall balcony, and with the help of the wind, the firewood in the fireplace crackled even louder.

Scarlett clutched her wide-brimmed hat tightly to her head and called out, "Please close the balcony door for me!"

The clerks, who were hurriedly carrying documents, quickly closed the door, placed the documents on the table, and reminded him, "Sir! This is the third time we've tried going north and south today, and we haven't received a response from either."

"In addition, the Ministry of the Interior has been taken into custody by the police in the Fifth District of the Inner City—but Minister Kamas is seriously injured and unconscious...and the culprit used Star Antimony to create an obvious explosion, so we may have a hard time keeping the news under wraps."

Scarlett looked at the pile of documents in front of her, her headache growing stronger. "What did Ms. Maximilian say?" she asked.

“Ms. Anna inspected the situation in each district and cooperated with the Society to perform divination using rituals.”

The clerk's face was grim as he said, "We've probably encountered the worst-case scenario—the entire city has been quarantined. As for the culprits, they're likely the Hand of Transformation and the Prophets. The Prophets used something like a spatial lock, which was enhanced by the sorcerers. They even sealed off the deep sea. Ms. Anna said that this kind of large-scale ritual has many loopholes, but it will still be difficult to solve in a short time."

Scarlett suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.

She had never dealt with this situation before—especially since old Kamas was still unconscious, and she couldn’t even get important advice from him!

The Grand Council was nearly paralyzed. Given the precedent set by old Kamas, even with increased security, the councilors were all worried that the Hand of Transformation would take the opportunity to wipe them out.

Now the great responsibility truly rests on her shoulders...

Scarlett looked out the window at the falling snow, glanced at it a few times, and said unwillingly, "Is there any way for Ms. Anna? Even just a small opening would be helpful."

“Ms. Maximilian said it was difficult... The important thing was how to get people out after the breach was opened. Once the breach was opened, it would definitely be discovered by the enemy presiding over the ceremony.”

indeed so.

The entire space lock was designed ingeniously and meticulously. The prophets added special rituals for cognitive filtering and risk prediction, so that ordinary people and low-sequence superhumans who were "unaware of the existence of the space lock" and "posed no threat to the space" could enter and exit normally.

However, if any mid-to-high sequence superhumans appear, or attempt to go in search of Jeremiah or Lost, they will be immediately pursued as soon as they leave Fogmoon City.

Thus, the Transforming Hand and the Prophets temporarily wrapped the fire in paper.

But neither paper nor fire is good news for Fogmoon City. She must at least spread the message so that external forces can come to her aid!

The possibility of going south to find Jeremiah, or going north to the Silvermist Border, has been lost.

At that moment, a flash of inspiration crossed my mind.

Neither the South nor the North will work...

There's also a space lock...

The crows are too weak...

Scarlett muttered a few words to herself, picked up a transfer order from the table, quickly signed her name, paused, then wrote old Kamas's name, and suddenly looked up and said, "Holly Corcia. Go find Holly Corcia immediately!"

The clerk asked blankly, "Sir, what is this...?"

"Tell Ms. Anna to ignore Mistmoon City and me, and focus all her efforts on escorting Holly out of Mistmoon City. Holly's sequence level is not high, so she won't be a primary target for the Hand of Transformation. If she encounters danger, have her leave her alchemical body and seek refuge in the deep sea under the protection of her spirit. Then, with the orders from the Artillery Legion, head to Golden Moon Bay!"

Chapter 398 Holly, oh Holly!

A cold wind, carrying snowflakes, fell on the sparsely populated streets of the inner city, whistling past the sharp blaring of steam horns and the dim yellow glow of the steam streetlights. Rows of police officers in chainmail uniforms were busily maintaining order on both sides of the street.

On the long street, knights clad in silver-white cloaks with longswords at their waists, as alchemists' flares soared into the dim sky, silently escorted the carriages along the street, moving slowly like two towering city walls, from the streets of the inner city all the way to the bridge over the Broken Gold River, and then heading out of the city.

Holly was the only person in the carriage. She wrapped herself completely in a black robe, pulled down her hood so that only a few harmless strands of hair were visible, and then had the large dog turn into a shadow and shrink into the robe.

The large dog emerged from his sleeve and warned, "Holly, you shouldn't have agreed to the governor's request—do you know how serious this is? Even old Kamas was killed recently, I'm afraid I can't even protect you in this situation!"

Holly, sensing his presence, spoke truthfully: "Dog, I know. But Anna is here. Anna is better than you."

The big dog fell silent.

Damn it, why is he calling her "Sister Anna" already?! She's just a Sequence 4, she could at least hold her own against Maximilian Anna for a few rounds if she tried!