Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

Natalia breathed a slight sigh of relief, looking up at the two petite figures busy in the kitchen.

She hadn't looked closely before, but now, observing carefully, she couldn't help but notice that the child named Lavinia had skin so pale it was almost bloodless, and beneath her disheveled white hair, there seemed to be a faint, dark protrusion.

A cool breeze swept over Natalia's back.

Unbeknownst to her, the back of her clothes was already soaked with cold sweat, and a sense of confusion and doubt welled up in her mind.

By the way, how did that child appear?

Chapter Thirty: Snakes Don't Die from Being Blamed

"What are you thinking about? How about another drink?"

Natalia, who was in a daze, was awakened by a soft laugh.

Samael, standing at the counter, casually picked up a cocktail shaker, turned around, and took out a portion of each of the spirits: gin, rum, vodka, and tequila. His nimble fingers moved like butterflies flitting among flowers, shaking the liquids in the shakers and pouring them into glasses with ice. Finally, he opened a can of cola to add a finishing touch to the drink.

"Long Island Iced Tea, please enjoy."

Immediately, a classic cocktail with a black, agate-like color was pushed in front of Natalia.

This is not tea, but a spirit. It is said that during the Prohibition era in the United States in the 1920s, bartenders mixed spirits with cola to avoid being caught, thus creating this beverage that looks like tea.

As a seasoned wine connoisseur, Natalie Adam was immediately invigorated by the prospect of fine wine being available for free! She quickly dismissed her earlier doubts and eagerly picked up her glass to savor the drink.

Phew, I finally managed to fool them.

Seeing that the bounty hunter had turned his attention to the free drinks, the ancient snake glanced at the two petite figures huddled together in the kitchen, chattering away, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, succubi are indeed a species that are very sensitive to emotions and atmosphere, and Natalia's perception was naturally correct.

The two little girls in the kitchen were no ordinary children; they were true "forbidden witches," servants of the Outer God Yog-Sothoth.

Therefore, the two of them are tainted by the "madness" and "chaos" of those ancient rulers, and will inadvertently exude the characteristic of "loss of reason", which will affect the minds of the intelligent beings around them to a certain extent.

Samael kept them by his side; it would be more accurate to describe it as control rather than adoption.

Their birth is also related to Samael.

However, before delving into the specific reasons, he must first clear his name and, incidentally, add a layer of armor.

This is not his fault.

Centuries ago, during the battle at Marshal Gil's residence, Samael realized that those "extraterrestrial life forms" had begun to notice Earth, the planet that nurtured intelligent civilizations, and had even secretly extended their tentacles here.

Therefore, the ancient serpent used the sacred spear Rungomminiad to activate the ley lines, awaken its old friends on the outer reaches of the planet, gather manpower, and secretly establish a response mechanism. It secretly searched for the "seeds" sown on Earth by these extraterrestrial life forms around the world, eliminating the traces and influences of those indescribable things, and taking precautions against future problems.

Over the long years, this guardian of the gods gradually discovered many traces left by the Great Old Ones.

There are artists who go mad after hearing inexplicable murmurs in their sleep, fools who believe in heresy and engage in evil rituals, distorted regions where space and time are warped, and cult manuscripts filled with mad words...

Samael did his best to calm things down.

Destroy what should not exist; ban what cannot be destroyed.

The activation of the earth's veins also brings about a mysterious prosperity to some extent.

During this period, the birth rate of human babies with magical talents increased significantly.

But to Samael's surprise, this change also triggered social unrest.

Faced with a large number of outliers appearing in their lives, humanity has chosen the most blind and foolish way to deal with them.

—The witch hunt!

Under the influence of the church and public opinion, people began to frantically exclude "witches" and "magicians" who possessed magical talent and unintentionally displayed extraordinary power.

This farcical scene of mutual destruction happened twice.

The first large-scale witch hunt occurred between 1480 and 1520. It began with Pope Innocent VIII issuing a formal decree to hunt down witches, with the Inquisition responsible for the pursuit of female witches. The hunt then spread throughout the world.

Left with no other option, Samael intervened, effectively ending this bloody movement of humankind excluding those who were different, from the perspective of the church.

However, just 60 years later, a second witch hunt broke out.

This was not only unprecedented in scale, but it also lasted from 1580 to 1670, doubling in duration. The subjects of the trials also shifted from the church to secular courts, leading to a surge in the number of people persecuted and more brutal methods of punishment.

Samael witnessed firsthand how humanity broke free of moral constraints and unleashed its monstrous, bestial nature.

Therefore, in the face of the madness of the masses, the messianic voice of salvation seems so pale and futile.

These two upheavals led to two consequences.

One was the Magic Association, led by the Clock Tower, which was severely weakened. Many magicians who had been hiding among the human population were unearthed and turned into charred remains on the cross.

It was probably around this time that "concealing mystery" became the first principle that magicians had to adhere to.

Magicians who violate this principle will not only be investigated and held accountable by the Magic Association, but in serious cases, they may even be executed.

As for the second consequence...

Samael turned to look at the two young girls who had rolled up their sleeves and were bringing over a pot of potato and meat soup. His eyes lowered, and he sighed softly.

The large number of witches who were killed caused the resentment from many souls to accumulate on this land, attracting the attention of the ancient rulers and gradually forming two distortions in time and space.

One is the Dunwich region of England, and the other is Salem, a small town in Massachusetts, North America.

It took the ancient serpent a great deal of effort to nip this mutation, which could have spread throughout the world, in the bud.

However, as the alienation disappeared, he also gained two "trophies".

Lavinia Wettley from Dunwich, and Abigail Williams from Salem.

In fact, because these two children are the product of the witch's resentment, the distortion of the world, and the influence of the Outer God, they possess the constitution to attract the Great Old Ones to descend.

Samael promptly severed their connection with the Outer Gods and, out of compassion, granted them new life.

Thus, the two little girls naturally boarded the ancient serpent's pirate ship, serving as humanoid sensors to monitor the movements of the outer gods in real time.

As for the matter of abducting the Outer God Priestess and stealing her away from these Old Ones...

Well, it’s so sweet!

The ancient snake picked up its bowl and chopsticks, gulping down the meat and potato soup. Watching the two little girls who seemed to really enjoy the kitchen, bustling around the stove, a pleased smile played on its lips.

"It's done!"

After having a hearty meal, Samael promptly tossed the two repaired Colt M1911A1s to Natalia, who was waiting in front of the counter.

The female nightmare took it, disassembled and reassembled it cleanly and efficiently, and then put her beloved gun back into the holster on her lower back with satisfaction. Her gaze towards Samael also held a hint of encouragement.

"By the way, what do you think of my suggestion from last time? What's so great about staying in this lousy tavern? Why don't you work for me and we'll split the commission 50/50?"

He can mix drinks, repair equipment, and even make special bullets. It would be a shame not to recruit him as a second-in-command.

After all, with him on the team, the money for buying bullets and repairs can at least be saved.

Samael nodded with a smile, his face full of agreement.

"Okay, you tell them to release the people, and I'll go with you."

Upon hearing this, Natalia slumped onto the table in frustration, rolling her eyes and complaining.

"Forget it, I can't afford to mess with those freaks in the council."

Chapter Thirty-One: The Dark Round Table

As Natalia hummed softly, she couldn't help but recall the various legends circulating in the industry about a certain behemoth.

The so-called "parliament" is actually her current employer, whose full name is the "Dark Parliament".

It, along with the Holy Church and the Mage's Association, is known as one of the three major organizations in the mystical world. In fact, the Dark Council's size and power surpass those of the other two.

As far as Natalia knew, this organization was relatively new, seemingly emerging gradually during two witch hunts, with the aim of protecting and hiding those with special powers and helping them integrate into human society.

Furthermore, the Dark Council has few rules and regulations, and its entry requirements are very broad. It does not ask about the background or origin of its members, making it a relatively loose alliance.

What makes those outsiders even more appealing is that the council does not impose restrictions on them, tacitly allowing them to use their abilities to gain advantages.

If any human were to harm them without cause, they would be allowed to defend themselves and resist, and "cleaners" would be provided to clean up the mess and help them change their appearance and hide again.

Simply put, as long as you don't cause trouble and abide by basic social rules and a few simple prohibitions, you can receive help and protection from the parliament and live openly in the sunlight.

Therefore, not only persecuted witches, but also many non-human creatures left on the surface as the Age of Gods declined, such as fairies, dragons, fantasy creatures, vampires, ghosts, and even angels, chose to join the Dark Council for help.

After all, the Holy Church, with its religious fanaticism, is far more dangerous than the Magic Association, which seeks to squeeze every last drop of value out of these outcasts, and the Magic Association, which is driven by rationality and self-interest.

Of course, as a corresponding supplement, if any member disregards the rules and crosses the line, causing serious damage and impact on the existing order of human society.

Then, what awaits them will be the Dark Council's bloodiest and most terrifying "cleansing".

Over the centuries, there have been many outcasts who, relying on their strength and talent, have hidden themselves in human society with the help of the Dark Council, remaining unchanged in their depravity and secretly stirring up trouble.

But unsurprisingly, they were all wiped out by the [Punishment Knights] sent from above.

Incidentally, the top-level power structure of the Dark Council seems to be modeled after the style of the Knights of the Round Table in ancient Britain. Under the "King" are twelve seats that assist in decision-making, and under these twelve seats are disciplinary knights who are responsible for carrying out tasks. Therefore, they are also known as the "Dark Round Table".

The Dark Council has always been like an iceberg hidden underwater. From its headquarters to its personnel, to how many outcasts it has harbored, and how much power it wields, outsiders have almost no way of knowing.

Over the long years, less than half of the twelve core Dark Round Table knights have left behind only fragmentary information.

The second seat is held by Holo, the "Wise Wolf." Legend has it that she possesses the identity of a deity, though her exact origins are unknown. Her primary responsibility is to provide assistance to intelligent magical beasts.

The seventh seat, "Dragon Witch" Joan of Arc, possesses an extraordinary ability to suppress dragons. She is even accompanied by a high-ranking dragon who acts as her familiar. Her origins seem to be related to a certain canonized figure from France.

The ninth seat, "Forbidden Witch" Abigail, is a representative of the witch lineage. During the witch hunt, she rescued many persecuted witches. Her identity and appearance are also shrouded in mystery.

The tenth seat is occupied by "Fairy Queen" Aurora, who comes from the Nameless Forest. She is a shrewd and resourceful person who is mainly responsible for foreign affairs negotiations.

Basically, the Fairy King acted as the intermediary for secret discussions with churches, associations, and even governments of various countries. She also coordinated the placement of fairies and fantasy species.

At the same time, she is also the one with the highest media exposure in the past century.

However, this fairy king seems to enjoy being in the spotlight as well.

The twelfth seat, "Saint" Martha, seems to be associated with the Abrahamic religions.

That's right, the corrupt and filthy Dark Council even had a legendary saint who surrendered.

Moreover, this saint never hesitated to show her face in public, and treated all those who sought salvation, such as ghosts and vampires whom the church regarded as monstrous floods, equally, truly demonstrating the love of a saint.

Therefore, she also attracted a group of apostates who had deviated from the tenets of the church and disapproved of its practices.

Of course, the Holy Church would never acknowledge such a "saint," and it would want to eliminate ghosts, witches, vampires, and other such beings as soon as possible.

Moreover, even the Magic Association, which claims to be "hidden and mysterious" and primarily academic, harbors a sordid desire to take advantage of the Dark Council, which is vying for its members and monopolizing rare resources such as dragons and fairies.

Therefore, in history, the Magic Association and the Church of Christ jointly organized a secret force to crack down on this evil organization that was trying to take a share of the mystical world and nip it in the bud.

It is said that in that battle, the Church not only dispatched its most elite "Inquisition Knights" and "Burial Agency," but even Pope Innocent VIII personally presided over the Mass to ensure that everything went smoothly, gathering a choir of thousands of people, preparing a grand ceremony and incantation, and summoning several angels from heaven.

Similarly, the Mage's Association dispatched highly capable "Designated Seal Enforcers" and "Magicians" who had touched upon the realm of magic principles.

As a result, such a formidable lineup suffered a crushing defeat in just three days, and afterwards all the participants in this campaign remained tight-lipped about the specific details.

Pope Innocent VIII, who launched the witch hunt and this purge, suffered a stroke the following day and fell into a coma, soon passing away.

As for the Mage's Association, Grand Marshal Kishua Zelrich Schbein'ogu and the mysterious "Dean" gradually retreated into the background, no longer interfering in the conflicts of the mysterious world.

Since then, the Church of Sanctuary and the Magic Association have remained tight-lipped about the Dark Council, thus forming a three-way balance of power in the mystical world. Although there have been occasional frictions among the three parties, the overall situation remains stable, and the peaceful coexistence continues to this day.

It is said that the reason why the church and the association were able to sit down and "reason" with the council was because the most mysterious "king" of the Dark Round Table intervened.

But the time and era are too far removed, and it is impossible to know what is true and what is false. The secrets involved are beyond the knowledge of Natalia, a mere bounty hunter.

As a half-sleep demon, this bounty hunter naturally chose the Dark Council, which was more friendly to outsiders, and became a glorious temporary worker, taking on daily tasks and working for his superiors to earn money to support himself.

The tavern in front of us is an information center under the parliament, responsible for intelligence trading and mission assignment.

Having completed numerous missions together, she and her upline had developed a long-standing relationship.

After getting to know each other better over time, they would often complain about the boss's incompetence and the company's greed, and encourage each other to quit and start their own businesses. This was a regular practice and a pastime when the mood struck.

Of course, that was just talk. As a temporary worker, it would be difficult for her to recruit the permanent employee in front of her. Just the fact that she had to report to the higher-ups, the Wise Wolf who managed the bounty hunters, was already giving Natalia a headache.

However, Natalia probably never imagined that the person she had been secretly criticizing all day was right in front of her.

The blonde little girl making pancakes for her in the kitchen is the legendary forbidden witch.

As for this tavern, it's actually a place where a snake works and relaxes, and it's basically not open to the public.

Therefore, this is her exclusive online platform.