Elden Ring, my witch is a talkative beautiful girl

Because she was wearing a strange mask, she suddenly made a sound from the darkness, startling the two (mainly Melina). She offered to treat them to some cookies as an apology. The basement was now decorated with shelves of azure stones emitting a star-like brilliance. Enjoying the refreshments under the dim blue light was quite a delight.

Ah Tui shook his head: "We should be the ones to apologize for intruding into your residence, especially since you treated us so warmly." Having said that, he glanced at Melina next to him. The witch was eating biscuits with her mouth full, her cheeks bulging, like a cute hamster.

"Speaking of which..." the lady changed the subject. "What brings you two all the way to this remote ruin? I don't suppose you're just passing through here for some cookies, are you? After all, the ventilation here isn't very good, the aroma of the desserts can't even get out, and those wild plants outside are always attacking passersby."

"Hmm... Hmm!" Hearing this, Melina finally remembered the real purpose of her visit. She drank the tea that A-Tu offered to her and swallowed the biscuit in her mouth. "We heard that you are a very powerful magician. My partner came here specifically to become your disciple and learn pyroxene magic."

"Learning pyroxene magic? From me? Why not go to the academy... I almost forgot, that shabby place was sealed off over a dozen centuries ago." The woman in the stone mask tilted her head, seeming a little surprised. "I'm called 'Witch Seren'. Due to some circumstances, I was expelled from the Rhea Lukalia Magic Academy. Even knowing this fact, you still want to become my disciple and learn magic?"

When it comes to things related to magic, her words suddenly become concise, and she describes something very remarkable in a very calm tone.

"Would you mind telling me what the so-called 'some things' are specifically?" A'tai began to sweat.

"That's a long story..." Se Lian recalled the past. "To put it simply, I wasn't happy with the taste of the food in the academy cafeteria. In a rage, I got into a fight with the head chef in the hall and accidentally razed the entire building to the ground. As a result, we were both expelled from the academy. I heard that the old man later joined the Red Lions, and I moved here to continue studying magic, hoping to further explore the essence of magic."

There are too many flaws in this passage. Compared with the heavyweights here, Bernal's experience is nothing. A Tai was sweating profusely on the back of his hands. The people introduced by his own witch are more unique than each other.

The fact that Seren would hide in the basement and bake cookies by herself seemed to be related to this matter. She was really demanding about the taste of food.

"This little thing is nothing. My partner is destined to become king in the future!" The latter half of this sentence has become Melina's slogan when introducing A-Tai. "Learning magic requires a spirit of exploration. When my partner becomes king, he will definitely vindicate you."

"Hahaha, will you definitely become king? I haven't heard such ambitious words in a long time." Se Lian chuckled and said seriously, "I am very strict with my disciples. You must be mentally prepared and don't regret it."

Ah Tui patted his chest, and his armor made a crackling sound: "No matter how hard the training is, I can stick to it."

The images of arduous training that came to his mind were sitting cross-legged and meditating under a waterfall, running a marathon with a hundred-pound rock tied to his feet, and carrying Torret to fight against the Crucible Knight.

"Having the willingness to endure hardship alone isn't enough. The most important aspect of learning magic is aptitude. If you only have subhuman intelligence, no matter how much time you devote to studying, it will be a waste of effort."

"Your intelligence..." Se Lian moved closer to observe whether A'tai was a barbarian with 9 intelligence. If so, he could say goodbye to learning magic.

As he observed, Se Lian's eyes beneath his mask gradually shone. "You're wearing armor, yet your intelligence is so high? You're already above 80% of the students in the academy. You're capable of learning even the most advanced magic. You're qualified to become an apprentice."

Volume 1: The Journey Begins: Chapter 14: Comet Azrael

Se Lian was a man of action, and after accepting his apprentice, he immediately arranged for a full-service teaching program. He adjusted the brightness of the pyroxite, found a blackboard from the pile of miscellaneous items, and officially began the class.

The great magician's professional skills are not to be underestimated. Give her a pile of scrap metal and enough time, and she can build a golem guard in the cave.

"Apprentice, the first step in learning magic is to understand its essence. Right now, you are like a newborn baby in the magical realm, who hasn't even learned to walk yet. But everything has two sides. Only when one recognizes their own immaturity can one comprehend the true nature of magic."

Ah Tui listened carefully to Seren's lecture, while Melina beside him swung her feet slightly, acting as the accompanying tutor and creating an atmosphere.

"Our pyroxene magic has a history of thousands of years, and among all magics, it's the school with the most advanced academic theories." Selian wrote down the types of magic one by one on the board. "In addition, there's blood magic, fire magic, gravity magic, night magic, and even star magic, which disappeared along with the Lost City a long time ago. Many academics believe that as members of the academy, we only need to declare pyroxene magic. This pedantic idea is simply nonsense!"

Serenan struck the board with his staff, frightening Melina, who was putting a biscuit into her mouth, so much so that she bit her index finger and blew on it in small sips.

"It's humans who wield magic; magic itself is merely a tool, neither right nor wrong. Therefore, as a teacher, I have always upheld the principle of openness to all, and there are no taboos in learning magic!" She paused for two seconds, giving the two a moment to process her words, before posing a question, "Besides magic, there's another power at the border called 'prayer.' The two manifest in very similar ways. This, little miko, should be clear to me, right?"

Melina lit up at this question. "Miko's required courses include three years of faith and five years of prayer. I was top of my class back then! Even the finger-removing grandma praised me as a once-in-a-millennium genius! Because prayer only requires sincere faith, allowing faith to lend power to you. In other words, it's the power of belief. The two are not the same. Reading and chanting spells are too cumbersome. Prayer, where you can summon power simply by praying sincerely, is so convenient."

In short, she was somewhere in that magical realm of "knowing a little bit." While she had enough intelligence, she was too lazy to put in the effort to learn, so she just followed her instincts.

"Okay, thank you for your explanation." Se Lian touched her head and rewarded her with a plate of raspberry cookies.

Ah Tui asked curiously, "Amei, you said before that you had to go to the golden tree in order to fulfill the mission assigned by Queen Marika. Do you also believe in her?" He really couldn't see that his partner had a tendency to become a fanatic, nor did he see her take out a small statue of Queen Marika to worship before getting up and going to bed in the morning and evening, and her tongue would be tied when she said the queen's name.

"My faith?" Melina swallowed the biscuit. "I believe in myself."

"Do you believe in yourself?"

"Yeah, is there a problem?"

"No, no problem..."

Ah Tui felt that he had inadvertently asked something extraordinary. According to Melina's description, other people had strong faith in beings, and they asked them to lend them strength, but why did it become faith in herself for her?

"That's enough theory. Now let's move on to practical training." Se Lian pointed his staff, and a short staff and a scroll flew out from the pile of debris, landing steadily in front of Ah Dai. "This is a scroll that records the foundation of the foundations of pyroxene magic—pyroxene magic gravel—and an apprentice's pyroxene staff. My conditions here are not as good as those at the academy, so you can make do with this one for now. Once you become a master, you can find a better medium for your own casting."

"Teacher, are we starting the actual practice now?" Ah Tui looked at the words on the less than one page of notes and had the illusion that he had just slept through a class.

"Apprentice, practice makes perfect. The best and only way to progress in experimental magic is through practice. Remember this: practical magic is the magic that suits you best. Those fancy things are meaningless." Se Lian pointed to the fluorescent writing on the board. "Didn't you notice that I used pyroxene magic gravel to write on the blackboard? Don't limit your thinking by the uses of your predecessors. Magic has infinite possibilities. Those who only use it in battle are true fools."

The teacher had said so, so Ah Tui didn't waste any time. He read the scroll, analyzed the magic structure according to the instructions, and then constructed a basic model in his mind. This thing can be learned by anyone with an IQ higher than 9, and with his intelligence, learning such basic magic is not a problem.

A flash of green light emerged from the pyroxene at the tip of the staff. The pyroxene magic gravel Ah Tu used struck the basement wall, creating a barely perceptible dent. This thing's power was limited; it required minimal concentration. In actual combat, victory depended on stacking numbers. You couldn't expect much power from a basic magic spell mastered by an apprentice.

"Wow, that's great, great! I got it right the first time." Melina's tambourine clattered, happier than when she'd just learned to pray. "Buddy, learn a few more nice spells. From now on, you won't have to spend runes to buy fireworks at night. Just raise your hand and you'll be able to create tons of beautiful barrages."

Se Lian offered serious advice: "If you want to set off fireworks, I personally recommend the Star Shower or Meteor Shower spells. These two spells create a shower of meteors above the location designated by the caster. Remember to check if there are any passersby before setting off to avoid harming innocent people."

"I don't think I learned magic just to set off fireworks..." Ah Tui felt that their original motivation for learning magic had subtly changed, but seeing Melina so happy, he wouldn't pour cold water on his partner. If Ah Mei wanted to watch fireworks, he would set them off, and he could watch them for as long as he liked. After all, the Blue Dew Bottle didn't cost runes, and he could find a blessing to replenish it infinitely.

"Listen carefully. Next is the third lesson. I'm going to teach you how to deal with other magicians." Se Lian led the two of them to a clearing. "Use the pyroxene magic gravel to attack me."

Ah Tui was a little confused when he heard this: "I attack you with magic?"

Se Lian saw his hesitation and said, "Don't worry, and don't be soft-hearted. This kind of childish play can't hurt me."

"Well... okay." Ah Dai took a deep breath, aimed his eyes at Se Lian, and cast the Pyroxene Demon Gravel. Just in case, he aimed the spell at Se Lian's left hand, not at the vital part.

The moment the magic gravel shot out like a flying arrow, Se Lian raised his staff, and the tip of the staff gathered tremendous magic power in a few tenths of a second. The blue-green flash illuminated the dim basement as if it were daytime.

"Watch carefully, apprentice. Let me show you what true great magic is!"

A gleaming light gushed out from the tip of the staff. Facing this laser-like torrent of magic, the pyroxene magic gravel was completely submerged without even a wave. The terrifying torrent swept past Ah Tui's side, hitting the thick wall with a sizzling sound: "You must use magic to fight magic. If you encounter someone who uses magic against you, use stronger magic to fight back!"

Feeling the magic laser a foot away from him, alarms started ringing in Ah Tui's heart. If he was hit directly by this beam, even if he was wearing armor and holding a shield, he probably wouldn't be able to last more than a few seconds. His final fate would be to melt into a pile of indescribable black objects with a "sizzling" sound.

"So handsome..." Melina was so surprised that she couldn't close her mouth. "Teacher Seren, what's the name of this move? My partner wants to learn this!"

"Comet Azrael." Seren paused the laser and casually announced the name of the spell. "This is a spell my teacher, Azrael, named after himself. I used it to open the vents when I first moved into this basement. It's powerful enough to split mountains and rocks. Not even a demigod would dare to use his body to forcibly withstand the damage it inflicts. Of course, no demigod would be so foolish as to stand still. Your intelligence is not yet capable of learning this move, but a slight improvement should be enough."

"Use magic to open the vent?"

“Is it so down-to-earth?”

Melina and A'tai were both focused on the first half of the sentence, a similar feeling crossing their minds. A magic teacher who wrote on the blackboard with pyroxene magic gravel and built with comet Azrael—you wouldn't find another one like him in the entire magic academy.

"Actually, I've always thought this name wasn't very good." The spell teacher, using gravity magic to manipulate the rubble to repair the breach created by Comet Azler, continued, "I'd advise the old man to change the name. 'Yazile' would be a better choice. The elegant opening move, the sizzling sound, the joy of defeating the enemy—it's both vivid and concrete. That's the correct way to name magic."

Treat magic as a convenient and practical tool. What she said before was not bluffing. She actually practiced it and taught it by words and deeds.

"When I was still young and hot-headed at the academy, quite a few idiots took offense at my use of magic, saying I was tarnishing the noble art of magic." Selian sneered, "Oh, what a bunch of pedantic idiots! I'll capture them all and fight them one-on-one. Whoever refuses will be convinced. These idiots don't even consider their own worth. They think they're Knights of Kalia just because they've learned a few tricks."

Melina and A'tai's eyes lit up as they listened, while the other rubbed a stiff cheek. They finally understood why Seren was nicknamed "Witch" at the academy. Compared to her previous fiery temper, demolishing the cafeteria and being expelled from the academy was at most the straw that broke the camel's back.

Honestly, if the magic academy doesn't expel her, she might one day develop nuclear bomb magic or meteorite magic in the laboratory. By then, not only will the cafeteria be demolished, but the entire academy will be torn down, and even the land will be blown up.

Volume 1: The Journey Begins: Chapter 15: Heading to the Weeping Peninsula

During the three-day magic training, Se Lian taught Ah Ti all his secrets, even replicating scrolls for the magic that Ah Ti couldn't learn due to his lack of intelligence. With enough runes and the right amount of points, they could instantly transform into real combat power. With a single wave of his staff, he could show the enemy that being within range of artillery fire was the absolute truth.

Although A'dai felt that his fighting style had changed miraculously, he was a pragmatist and had been influenced by Serlian's "Magical Tool Theory", so he had no psychological barriers to accepting this change.

"A master can only lead you to the door, but the practice is up to you. This is all I can teach you, my apprentice. Lost magics are hidden in many places in the borderland. I am eager to see how far your magical attainments will reach." Se Lian looked at Melina again. "Have you put everything away? You can stop by the tunnels recorded on the treasure map when you pass by. If you encounter any problems that you can't solve, you can contact me remotely."

In her spare time, she rummaged through the junk pile and found a number of valuable artifacts from ancient times. Maps of underground tunnels, often guarded by cave guardians, might contain lost magic or legendary equipment. Since Seren couldn't leave the house herself and remained a homebody, she gave all these to her two apprentices.

As for long-distance communication, Selian taught her apprentice a spell she had invented, the "Kaliah Communication." The original version was a spell used by royal family members for meetings, summoning virtual projections of attendees. However, it could only be performed from a large mage tower equipped with a formation. After being simplified by the genius sorceress, it could only transmit sound, and the scope was correspondingly reduced to a single person. As long as the person was within the boundary, the signal could be received, and the spell required concentration proportional to the time it took to cast.

Melina patted the four-dimensional leather bag and said, "Don't worry, I've put the scroll and the bag of cookies away safely. They're absolutely safe!"

Ah Tui didn't know what a weird idea it was that she kept snacks and important documents in one place. The key point was that she could always find what she needed accurately in that bottomless belt. The logistical ability of her own witch was simply magical beyond words.

Before parting, Se Lian seemed to recall something and warned, "I0 (Seven) Dam 4 Qi'? Wu Liu* If you encounter members of the Kalia royal family, remember not to use magic in a direct attack. Among the royal family's secrets is a combat technique called 'Kalia's Return,' which can be used to block and return the enemy's magic."

No matter how strong your firepower is, you can’t do anything if you encounter a shield counter.

Hearing about combat skills, Ah Tui's warrior instincts came to life. "A combat skill that can reflect magic? How can a wizard fight them?"

It would be easy if he encountered it himself. He could just use his staff to cut the straight sword and chop him up. Physical magic is also magic!

"Silly disciple, Master only said not to attack from the front. Wouldn't it be better to shoot him from the side or the back? I have 360-degree firepower, and he can fight me back." Se Lian curled his lips. "But anyone who can become a Kalia Knight is no mediocre person. After my first battle with those turtle shells, I try to avoid them. Fighting them is too troublesome."

I have to say, this answer and the firepower saturation tactics are quite consistent with the witch's style.

A gentle breeze blew across his face, carrying the familiar scent of grass. A-Tu drove the Torret over the ruins and said, "A-Mei, where are we going next?"

"Huh? Buddy, what did you say? The wind was so strong I couldn't hear you." Melina leaned against A-Tu, sitting backwards in the saddle, clutching this week's edition of Nimgefu's newspaper in both hands. Although she was prone to dozing off during magic classes, the miko still adhered to the principle that reading and reading made one wiser, and staying up-to-date on current events in the Border Territory was one of her responsibilities.

"I say..." After confirming that they were out of the range of the beam flower and there were no suspicious enemies nearby, Ah Tui gently pulled the reins and slowed down. "Where are we going next? Should we go directly back to Stonewell City?"

"Go straight back? Of course not." This time Melina heard what he said clearly. "I plan to find a suitable place. We're going to do some chivalrous work and kill a few bandit leaders who are lording over the mountains. I'll get some runes back and strengthen your abilities. Then we can challenge Markete at that time. It's a sure thing."

From the way she spoke, it didn't sound like she was going to be a hero, covering her face, putting on a hood, and becoming a bandit, but more like a hero of the outlaw forest.

Ah Tui wondered, "Is there really a place where one can go on a killing spree and get runes?"

"A flying dragon has recently arrived at Yakir Lake and has been hunting cattle and sheep every now and then. This is a bit difficult, so I'll make a note of it."

"Someone seems to have seen a bloody finger in the nearby canyon, but we haven't received any definitive information yet. It's too time-consuming and not very accurate. Pass."

"Got it!" Melina pointed to the real-time section on the second page of the newspaper. "It seems the Argonians are rebelling on the southeastern Weeping Peninsula, and the local city lord is recruiting. We can go there to quell the rebellion and capture Rune. This way, we can also spread the name of our partner and pave the way for our future as king. Kill two birds with one stone!"

"It's true..." If he didn't know his partner's personality well, Ah Tui would have suspected that she had the ability to say things and mean things, commonly known as a "crow's mouth".

"These days, the borderlands are short of everything except people who have nothing better to do than stir up trouble. Hey." Melina held onto Atui's shoulders and spun sideways to sit sideways. "Buddy, Torret, let's go! Heading towards the Weeping Peninsula!"

As soon as the witch finished shouting the slogan, the spirit horse braked suddenly and stopped in a disc-shaped pit.

Melina, whose center of gravity was unstable, suddenly bumped into A'tai's back: "It hurts, it hurts, Torrett, what are you doing? You made me bump into your partner."

The spirit horse tilted its head and whinnied innocently: "Neigh-- (Don't blame me, I think I stepped on something)"

"Don't blame Torret." Ati steadied the reins and soothed the frightened spirit horse. "It's my fault that I didn't notice the change in the terrain. There seems to be a magical atmosphere here."

"This shape, this pattern, this texture..." Melina glanced around, the unnatural terrain catching her eye. "A sealed prison? There wasn't one when I last came around here. What scoundrel is this, occupying public land and carving it out as a prison?"

"Sealed Prisons" are man-made creations, typically used to imprison the most vicious criminals. The patterns painted on the prison's exterior suppress the prisoners while simultaneously separating the interior and exterior, creating a separate realm within the prison.

People other than prisoners can enter by touching the lines. Defeat the prisoners and you might get some unexpected rewards. But you must think carefully before entering, because if you don't kill the prisoners, you can't get out. If you dare to do this, you must be mentally prepared to take your own life.

"Huh? What's this..." The two dismounted one after another. The sharp-eyed Melina made an unexpected discovery behind Torret's hoof: a dusty blue doll. Judging from its position, it was the object Torret had stepped on. Because of its small size, it could easily be overlooked by the rider.

Volume 1: The Journey Begins: Chapter 16: The Despicable Fader

Melina bent down to pick up the blue rag doll and patted the dust off it. The doll was a blue-skinned witch with four hands, wearing a loose white robe, and a mysterious smile on her lips.

"No way..." The first time Ah Tu saw the image of the doll, he recalled the foggy night not long ago.

Even now, when he is on guard at night, he often recalls what she said before she left: "You have brought shame to Witch Lena. We will settle this account when we meet next time."

Ah Tui seriously suspected that this villain meant that a reckoning was coming. Perhaps tonight a doll made in his image and covered with iron needles would fall on his head.

Melina's eyes were fixed on the witch doll, and she didn't notice the change in A's expression. "I've seen similar dolls advertised in the royal city of Rodel. Each one costs several thousand runes. And to buy one, you have to join a special underground association and go through special channels. I don't know who would have left such an expensive thing here."

She reached out and poked the doll's cheek, which was cool and springy. "When I have money in the future, I will also mass-produce my own dolls. A beautiful girl like me can definitely sell a doll for tens of thousands of runes."

My goodness, the witch simply added a zero to the price set by others, selling a doll for five figures. This way of making money would make capitalists feel ashamed.

"I think we should just give it up..." Ah Tui felt that her dream of becoming rich by selling dolls was 99% impossible to realize. By then, her leather bag would be filled with a warehouse full of Melina dolls. He advised politely, "It would be bad if someone strange bought it and used it for improper purposes."

The image of the witch using the doll to curse the person from a distance lingered in his mind.

"That's true..." Melina nodded in agreement. "Then I'll make the doll myself and give it to you, my partner, once it's finished. If I'm gone in the future, you'll still have the doll I made myself to keep you company. What do you say?"

At this moment, the "strange person" that Ah Tu mentioned grew out of the ground.

That's right, he grew out of the ground like wheat, and he was an acquaintance who saved A'tai's life from the paw of Rune Bear last time.

The half-werewolf Blaze slung a greatsword over his shoulder, his armor stained with fresh blood. He looked as if he had just fought a fierce battle in the Sealed Prison. Noticing someone outside the prison, his muscles tensed for a moment, but then he relaxed upon seeing the Faded One and the Miko, whom he had met before. "It's you, huh? What a fate to meet you here again."

"You... just came out of the sealed prison?" Just by looking at the scars on the half-werewolf's body and his bloodshot eyes, A'di could tell how fierce the fighting was that he had experienced.

"Yeah." Blaze grinned, revealing a row of sharp white teeth. "I tracked Darriwell here. That traitor set a trap to lure me into the dungeon and kill me, but I was the one who outmaneuvered him. What about you guys? Did you fall into the bandits' teleportation trap again?"

"No, we were going to the Weeping Peninsula in the east and found this doll when we passed by here." Melina held the doll in both hands and showed it to Blaze, "You know who it is..."

The witch only felt a flash of black shadow before her eyes, and Blaze had already taken the witch doll from his hand. The brilliance in the half-werewolf's eyes was ten times stronger than when he was chasing the traitor: "This is something I dropped, a treasure more precious than my life. I'm afraid I accidentally dropped it while chasing Darriwell. Thank you very much for returning it to its rightful owner."

"No, you're welcome." Melina smiled awkwardly. She really didn't expect that this petite doll was actually Blaze's. It had nothing to do with the giant sword on his back and the mighty and ferocious appearance that was two meters tall!

"To thank you for your help, I can act as an intermediary and introduce you to join our secret society." Blaze was so happy to have the treasure back that he proposed what he thought was the best way to express his gratitude, which was to invite the two to join the secret society among comrades.

In order to avoid being seen as a weirdo with a fetish for dolls, Ah Tui grabbed Melina, who was eager to try. Otherwise, he would have to infiltrate the secret society, steal the doll-making process, and then put his money-making plan into practice. "Ahem, that's not necessary. You saved us last time. When you're away from home, you rely on your friends. It's only natural for us to help you find your things. Besides, your society must have a strict selection process. Isn't it a bit rash to be so careless?"

"Hmm... you have a point. I was too hasty." Blaze mused. "To join the Rani Society and obtain the qualifications for the Rani Doll, one must undergo rigorous review. However, I still want to thank you for your help. If you meet the giant blacksmith named Iggy in the future, you can mention my name. He and I are old friends, and this giant sword is his work. I have things to do, so I'll take my leave now."

"Lani?" Noticing Blaze's name for the doll, A-Tu was puzzled. "Isn't the prototype of that doll the Snow Witch Reina?"

However, before he could ask a question, Blaze left like the wind.

Seeing her partner lost in thought, Melina waved her hand in front of him. "Buddy, what are you thinking about?"

"No, nothing." After coming to his senses, Ah Tui put his doubts behind him. As long as the witch's cursed doll didn't fall from the sky, everything else could be put aside. "Let's go. After passing the next level, we will reach the Weeping Peninsula."