Witch, Fireball and Steam Evil God

Chapter 215: Witch's Career Change Guide
The imperial capital is such a hellish place.

This was the conclusion the Nightmare Witch came to after some investigation. She had thought that she would have to spend her entire trip to the imperial capital in a secret place.

Hiding in the shadows, secretly controlling the great nobles of the empire, obtaining intelligence from them, and finally finding the hiding place of the Winter Witch and Rowena, the thought of competing wits and courage with the entire empire made her blood boil for the first time in a long time, until... she found herself walking down the street with a swagger and no one stopped her.

Reason told Nightmare that she should go straight to Rowena's mansion and give the two members of Dream Eclipse a big "surprise", but her body disobeyed her thoughts and stopped in front of a mansion door.

"Witch Recruitment Registration Office".

The mansion seemed to have originally been the residence of a great nobleman, but was now requisitioned as an office space.

Well, let her come and see what this damn place is all about!

As soon as she entered the door, Nightmare was attracted by the aroma of food. Although the witch did not need to eat to restore her strength, anyone who knew how to enjoy life would not give up delicious food.

She immediately saw the ham bread, enoki mushroom beef rolls, and long-grain rice with beef stewed in red wine on the plate. In her broken memory, these were foods that would only appear at aristocratic banquets. The sign on the wall formed a sharp contrast with these dishes - self-service food pick-up area.

Nightmare felt like his brain had crashed.

What does self-service mean? Does it mean you can eat for free?

Are you kidding? This trap is as crude as putting a bag of gold coins on the road in the wild. It must be poisoned!
"Gululu——"

Nightmare originally wanted to refuse, but his stomach was not cooperating and made strange noises.

She had been on the road these days, and in order to avoid causing unnecessary trouble, she did not stop in any of the cities she passed through. She hadn't had a hot meal for a long time.

She stood there, staring at the plate for a long time.

But, then again, as one of the most powerful witches, she is naturally immune to all poisons. Let her try to see if the poison-making skills of the people in the imperial capital have improved after hundreds of years!

Before taking action, Nightmare found a staff member of the Witch Recruitment Registration Office and confirmed, "If I understand correctly, the food in the hall is free?"

"Yes, please go ahead, Miss Witch."

The staff at the registration desk smiled warmly at her and handed her a flyer. "Before you dine, you can learn about some specific matters at the registration desk."

It had been a long time since anyone had smiled at her like this. Even Meng Shi's subordinates were only respectful on the surface, but secretly wished to replace her. Meng Ye frowned. It was this warm smile that made her feel uncomfortable all over. She felt that most people in the imperial capital were sick to be so enthusiastic about a witch.

Could it be that, during the time she was away, the witch had withdrawn from the daily lives of humans?
That’s not right. Didn’t Winter start a war here two years ago?

In line with the principle of fully testing the "toxicity", Nightmare took some food from each plate, especially the ham slices, which filled half of the plate.

Friends who are well versed in poisoning know that ham slices are the most toxic ingredient and must be carefully examined.

Anyway, there didn't seem to be many people at the registration desk, so it would be a waste to keep these things here.

Unconsciously, Nightmare's footsteps became lighter. My god, this place is so comfortable that it's just like her mansion! No, it's even more comfortable than her mansion. Although she also has servants, they are all believers of the evil god. The expressions on their faces are very abnormal, and when they smile, they look like serial killers. It's impossible to relax when staying with those people.

When you take a bite of the ham slice, the salty and fragrant taste spreads across your taste buds.

The toxicity... was very strong! It reminded her of the smell from hundreds of years ago.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath for a moment, the Nightmare Witch crossed her legs and placed the flyer on the table. At first she just glanced at it casually, but when she saw the content clearly, her eyes suddenly widened.

"Witches are no different than you and me. They are humans who pursue magic."

"They are not inherently evil."

"They can be members of the Artisan Guild, they can be magicians you met in the Astrology Guild, or they can be your companions, friends, or lovers!"

She asked, who wrote this?
The Nightmare Witch almost slammed the table in anger. What companions, friends, and lovers? Witches are superior to them. Magicians and elemental shapers are nothing compared to their magical talents. They are good at playing with people's hearts and are proficient in conspiracies and tricks!
No wonder the workers she met before were not afraid of her, but also showed warm and innocent smiles to her.

These foolish imperial people were obviously deceived by the false propaganda on the leaflets.

Well, let her continue watching...Why is there an interview with Rowena below?

"Ms. Rowena answers reporters' questions"?
In an interview, Rowena answered many questions people had about the Winter Witch. She admitted that as Winter's partner, no one understood Winter better than her. When reporters asked about past cases, Rowena announced the crimes of those targets - all this was to clean up the cancer of the empire!

Pope Julius's henchmen, the Lophik Group, a capitalist group that exploits the lower classes...

This interview received support from many residents of the empire.

Rowena also pointed out that the rumor that "witches cannot control their magic power and will kill innocent people when they go crazy" is pure rumor. Winter is like a cat. Although it often breathes at people, it rarely scratches or bites people.

"A witch is a woman who is like a wild cat."

Looking at the final summary of the interview, Nightmare’s eyes almost popped out.

Rowena, what are you doing? Are you betraying me, Rowena!
With her extremely sensitive hearing, she even heard the excited discussions of the staff at the registration office next door.

"Ah! I finally saw a real witch!"

"so beautiful!"

"I really want to take it home and raise it."

All of this touched upon the Nightmare Witch's blind spots in knowledge. She was still holding a piece of bread with ham slices in it, and she didn't know whether to eat it or not. She was used to people's bad words, and solving problems with magic and fighting was her life.

It's time to remind these ignorant people in the imperial capital of the horror of witches!

But before that, she had to finish her meal first... Eh? What was the recipe for this red wine beef stew? Why did it make people more and more hungry the more they ate? Since it was free, it shouldn't be against the rules to take another plate, right?

She heard the discussion next door again.

"Did you see that? Miss Witch was eating voraciously. She must have been hungry for a long time, right?"

"After all, people in most regions have prejudices against them, and their lives are very hard."

"Oh my god, it's exactly like a stray cat!"

……

I decided not to take it.

In order to save the face of the Elder Council, Nightmare gave up the idea of ​​getting another plate of beef stew and long-grain rice.

However, the heavy impact on the imperial capital did not end there. When Nightmare continued to read the interview transcript, she finally understood the real purpose of the "Witch Conversion Registration Office". A series of regulations issued by the cabinet were displayed in detail in front of her.

The qualification review for transfer registration was very clear, and even someone like her who had left the empire for hundreds of years could understand it at a glance.

“In 50 years, no serious cases have been committed (except under forced circumstances).”

"Have an open mind. Knowing magic, elemental magic, alchemy, magic mapping, and craftsmanship is a plus."

“If you have been involved in any case, you need to report it to the registry for review.”

"If approved, the 'Witch Conversion Qualification Certificate' will be delivered within three working days."

"The registry recommends the following careers: Astrologers' Guild, Craftsmen's Guild, Alchemy Workshop."

"In addition, if the registrant intends to start a business or settle down, he or she can apply for entrepreneurship and housing subsidies from the registry."

She meets all these criteria.

With these subsidies, she could easily open a store in the imperial capital...

wrong!

Nightmare shook her head. She wondered if she was under an illusion spell. Why was she checking her qualifications so seriously?
She came to the imperial capital this time, carrying important instructions from the Council of Elders. Winter and Rowena had been acting without a word outside the organization for such a long time, it was time to recall them. The evil god festival was approaching, and Dream Eclipse was in need of people, and the Council of Elders especially needed Winter's talent.

The Council of Elders unanimously agreed that the Winter Witch was undoubtedly the best candidate to participate in the ceremony, and this would also be of great benefit to Winter.

If she can pass the test of the evil god, her magic power will be further improved, and at such a young age she will reach a level that even the Council of Elders cannot estimate.

However, some sharp voices have been heard within the organization recently. Some believers active in the Empire and the capital of the Western Continent, Ophira, believe that Winter has betrayed the organization and defected to the Empire. There was a conflict between the servants of Ophira and Xinkalo, which disrupted their plans.

For this, Tycoon Flor was also implicated, and the calls of Sinkalo followers for a change of leader have become increasingly strong recently.

The Nightmare Witch sneered at these sharp voices.

Lin Dong is the young man she thinks highly of, and is also the newcomer she has absorbed into Dream Eclipse. She has seen the fire of hatred burning in Lin Dong's heart. For someone so powerful and so talented, the only person to blame is the empire that pushed her into darkness.

How could Winter and Rowena possibly quit Dream Eclipse?
They...just don't participate in the organization's activities anymore.

"Ms. Nightmare."

A gentle voice interrupted her thoughts. When Nightmare raised her eyes, she saw a figure wrapped in white bandages all over his body, with only his left eye exposed, driving an electric wheelchair towards her.

The way the magic power fluctuated was very strange, as if she was not facing a living person, but a puppet controlled by magic. The man just sat in a wheelchair and seemed to have difficulty moving, but Nightmare did not dare to underestimate him. This was definitely the most difficult person she had encountered since she came to the empire.

An unknown saint?
Shadows swirled beneath her feet, and she prepared herself for a fight.

Only a saint could make her feel this way, and the other party directly reported her name. What is coming will come sooner or later.

At least, she finally met someone who recognized her.

The man noticed the shadow hovering under Nightmare's feet and took the initiative to explain, "Don't be nervous, Miss Nightmare. I have no ill will towards you. Let me introduce myself first. I am Palansi, and I am affiliated with the Root Department. The responsibility of this department is to establish an institution to maintain the long-term survival of the empire."

As he said this, Palansi calmly placed a small octopus opposite Nightmare.

From the moment Nightmare broke into the imperial capital, he sensed the existence of this witch, which was undoubtedly a potential threat to the imperial capital.

Nightmare is a genuine witch, the daughter of an alchemist. She has had an almost paranoid obsession with immortality since she was a child, and she even sold her soul to the evil god Bazatos.

This happened during the reign of Henry III. After leaving the empire, there was no news of the Nightmare. However, in some cities of the empire, there was still a legend that the witch had extinguished the sun and plunged the world into thirty days of darkness.

Of course, from a "technical" point of view, the nightmare did not extinguish the sun, but instead plunged the entire city into a long sleep.

As an observer of the empire, Palansi naturally remembered nightmares. During the reign of Henry III, she was also a legendary figure who could stop children from crying.

But without truly understanding the Nightmare Witch's domain magic, it is hard to imagine how powerful she is now after disappearing for hundreds of years. Her immortality does not come from the spell that seals her soul, but is a genuine gift from the evil god Bazatos.

"Palansi, Knight of the Round Table, I didn't expect you were still alive."

As the former nightmare of the Empire, she would naturally not be unfamiliar with the name of Palansi. Although she didn't know why Palansi was now wrapped in bandages and looked sickly, his title of "the strongest knight" was unquestionable. In addition, the current distance was a little disadvantageous to her, and she might not be able to gain the upper hand if she acted rashly.

Palansi tried his best to show his might as a Knight of the Round Table, but he knew very well that in his current physical condition, he could not compete with the Nightmare Witch at all, even with the armor and holy sword of the Knight of the Round Table.

However, he brought a weapon more powerful than the holy sword.

Elliot the little octopus.

After talking with Rowena, he realized how terrifying this little octopus, which he once regarded as a mascot, was.

He could only say that this little octopus was much more useful than the holy sword.

This is... the wisdom of old age.

"It seems that Ms. Nightmare wants to live in a different city?"

Palansi probed.

The headquarters of Dream Eclipse is outside the empire, in a country called the "Bottomless Abyss" by the evil god's believers. Even the servants of the god are unable to know the true appearance of the "Bottomless Abyss". Some of them have tried to break into the country belonging to the evil god's believers, but have lost contact with them forever.

Just like Turzan and Khadra, it was not only their bodies that were destroyed, their souls also completely turned into nothingness there.

The servants of the gods also hold different opinions about the "Bottomless Abyss". Most people believe that it is essentially a polluted area left by the evil god, chaotic and twisted. Anyone who enters it will be exposed to the evil god's glance, and "evil-intentioned" souls like theirs will naturally be killed by the evil god as soon as they enter the abyss.

"Where are Winter and Rowena?"

Facing Palansi, Nightmare frowned and explained his purpose.

As long as she could achieve her goal, she could leave quietly without causing any disturbance within the empire.

"They are all attending a dinner at the palace tonight. I can take you to meet them if necessary."

?

What do you mean, Knight of the Round Table?
What about the virtues of chivalry?

What about the declaration that light and darkness cannot coexist?
Nightmare was ready to debate and threaten Palansi, but Palansi's answer made her gasp for air - why did the Knights of the Round Table of the Empire agree to the request made by a believer of the evil god like her without even blinking an eyelid?

She felt that if she were a lord knight, she would have to punch Palansi.

Achieving the goal so easily made Nightmare's heart full of anxiety. Ever since she came to the imperial capital, nothing in this hellhole was normal. She was like returning to her mansion in the abyss, and everyone did what she wanted.

"Ms. Nightmare, what's the problem?"

"Why did you agree so easily? They are attending a palace banquet. Aren't you afraid that I might harm the imperial family?"

"For your own safety, don't do that."

Palansi was sincere.

He seemed to see his past self in the Nightmare Witch, who had not returned to the imperial capital for hundreds of years and was also full of vigor and vitality, returning like a king.

Then he was hit by a motorcycle and flew away.

Considering that he is a knight with a relatively strong physique, if it was Nightmare falling from such a high place, he would probably be dead.

He still hasn't been able to understand Lao Sen's elemental magic, but he learned an astonishing fact from Rowena - the wind element is not Lao Sen's unique skill, but the fire element, ice element and electricity element are!

Even Rowena, a veteran of the team, had never seen Ethan fighting with all his strength. As a newcomer who had just joined "Root", Palansi could not imagine the scene of "Old Ethan fighting with the full power of the three elements". It seemed to be just a concept proposed by Rowena.

In fact, Lao Sen doesn't like to do evil to others.

Even if the Nightmare Witch came to visit, as long as she did not do anything inhumane at the palace banquet, Lao Sen would most likely be willing to have a friendly conversation with her.

"You haven't been back for too long. The empire today is no longer what you remember."

Hearing this, Nightmare stared at Palansi's face, which was completely wrapped in white bandages, for a long time. She did not hear any threat, but instead felt a sense of sympathy.

Her intuition told her that the current state of the imperial capital was probably related to what was happening in the palace.

The evil god believers active in the empire are too low-level, have been exposed to limited things, and only talk about things they have heard from others.

Now, it is up to her, a member of the Dream Eclipse Elder Council, to uncover the secrets of the empire!

It was already dark when she left the registration office. Mengyan then realized that she had spent the entire day wandering around the capital without realizing it. For some unknown reason, she collected the flyer that the staff member handed to her.

She followed Palansi, as this electric wheelchair always made her feel a little itchy.

On the one hand, it was out of curiosity, and on the other hand, she always felt that it would be very comfortable to sit on it, and it looked very suitable for the pace of life of the elderly...

Bah, what old people!
Nightmare clenched her fists. She was not old at all. She looked to be only in her early thirties, which was the age that best suited her personal aesthetic.

She couldn't be sure what Palansi was planning for the time being. Even if she thought about it carefully, Palansi's identity might be forged, and she couldn't rule out the possibility that they had set an ambush in the palace.

The good news is, it’s dark.

The night is her friend, and shadows are everywhere.

Palansi brought such a suspicious person to the palace so blatantly. When faced with the guards' questions, she directly revealed her identity as the Nightmare Witch and explained her purpose of meeting Winter and Rowena.

And then... the guards let him go.

Nightmare understood.

These people are really not afraid that she will come to assassinate the imperial royal family.

Palansi easily found out where Lindong was. The palace banquet was about to begin and she was bathing and changing her clothes.

Listen, listen!
Is this something a Dream Eclipse member should do?
In Nightmare's impression, Winter has never been the kind of girl who is keen on dressing up. Her partner Rowena is very good at dressing herself up, but because she is stingy, the clothes she wears when she goes out are basically sewn by herself with the help of magic.

The warm lights paved the way for her, and she felt inexplicably nervous.

Getting closer and closer.

She felt the magic of winter, that familiar cold breath.

Palansi stayed outside, and she walked up the stairs. Her heartbeat quickened with every step forward. A faint fragrance began to fill the air, including cherries and a hint of incense.

The fragrance came from the attic, guiding her forward.

She quickened her pace, and the fragrance was getting closer and closer to her. Nightmare finally saw the figure she had been longing for.

She was wearing a gorgeous court aristocratic dress, with her long silver hair combed into a bun and pressed under a shining headdress. It was not difficult to tell from the sound of her footsteps that Winter was wearing high heels.

These were the cumbersome outfits that Lindong once disliked the most.

But now her steps were brisk, as if she had just finished a bath, and her fair skin was slightly flushed.

The scene before her made Nightmare stand there in a daze. Her legs felt like they were filled with lead and her voice was stuck in her throat. She could only watch as the white figure quickly walked up to a young man in a suit, turned around in front of him, and showed him the gorgeous clothes to the fullest.

Her skirt fluttered, and then Lindong stood on tiptoe, put her arms around the young man's neck, and touched his lips lightly.

This was not what she wanted to see!
Nightmare's breathing became rapid and she clenched her fists almost reflexively. Her eyes were bloodshot and blood was almost flowing from the corners of her eyes.

Where is her most promising newcomer?

Where is that cold Avenger who was full of anger towards the Empire?
Where did this girl with eyes full of love come from?

What the hell is this imperial capital of yours? Where did you hide the newcomer that she personally brought into the organization and trained?
Give it back to her!
Hurry up and return the Witch of Dream Eclipse to her!
(End of this chapter)