ckmoon Academy
“Ahhhh!”
In the early morning of the following day, ady’s scream echoed from the academy’s infirmary, rming nearby witches and witches-in-training to the scene for investigation.
“What happened?” a second-grade witch-in-training asked after spotting the frozen screamer by the first ward’s entrance.
More witches-in-training began to gather as the terrified assistant pointed inside the ward with trembling fingers before they spotted the arrogant Isabelle’s headless cold body on the bed.
The bed was soaked in red, and Isabelle’s head had dropped to the ground in a patch of blood that dried overnight.
As the young witches-in-trainingid eyes on the decapitated head of the City Lord’s daughter, they immediately felt nauseous.
The gory sight and pungent scent of blood made them sick. Several young witches-in-training threw up the morning meals on the spot, staining the clean white floor.
“Bleurgh!”
“What are you all doing in the hallway?!” Senior Witch ine frowned as she arrivedte to the scene, only to see a group of witches-in-training dirtying the infirmary’s hallway.
“I-Isabelle has been murdered!” the young witches cried.
“What?!” ine’s expression turned fierce instantly.
She gave the spoiled witch a night to recover and was just on her way to interrogate the suspect behind Wise Schr Eniwse’s berserk transformation.
And yet, that person was murdered?! How could she ept that?!
“Move! I’m going to take a look!” Senior Witch ine ordered.
“Don’t, Senior ine!” a young witch stopped ine and said, “The smell of blood inside is especially pungent!”
“Even if it is, can it be more pungent than all your vomit?! I won’t ask again, move!” Senior Witch ine stated solemnly.
Having a witch murdered on academy grounds is already a big problem. It’s an even bigger problem when considering the murder witch’s status!
A Senior Witch’s authority cannot be disobeyed.
ine walked past them and stepped inside the ward after they made way before her eyes narrowed instantly.
Isabelle might have just been an Apprentice Witch, but she was still a witch, nheless. How could her blood smell so pungent like a mortal?
“Summon Lady Gwena for me!”
“Yes, Senior ine!”
A few minutester, they returned with Senior Witch Gwena before ine dispersed the crowd of young witches, leaving just the two Senior Witches behind at the crime scene.
“What do you think, Gwena?” ine immediately sought Gwena’s expert opinion.
Senior Witch Gwena was the leading figure in the studies of life, nts, and healing magic in the academy.
Gwena took a moment to study Isabe’s corpse before she spoke, “The cut was very clean. Isabelle had no chance to resist before she died. Judging by the wound, it was definitely done by a weapon. But this isn’t the most interesting point.”
“Witches, from the moment of their birth, are blessed by mana. Their very bodies are infused and transformed by mana and continue to do so as they absorb mana and grow, granting them lifespans that far outstrip any human in the past.”
“A witch’s blood should be brimming with vitality and possess a pleasant scent due to the vibrancy of life and mana, making it not easily dried. For Isabelle’s blood to be dried, it would mean she had beenpletely drained of mana,” Gwena exined.
“Right?” ine nodded with a frown before she said, “Although I did suspect this, but doesn’t this seem like the work of a demon?”
“It does, but it also doesn’t make sense if it is. It’s more likely to be the work of another witch, masked to look like the demon’s work. Only a True Witch or higher could have drained another witch’s manapletely like this,” Gwena stated with a thoughtful look.
After Gwena and ine exchanged nces, they seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion. Someone must have taken revenge for Wise Schr Eniwse.
Even so, absorbing another witch’s mana was taboo in the kingdom.
ine shook her head with a sigh and said, “I’ll have to trouble you to report Isabelle’s death to the City Lord and have here pick up her daughter’s body. We won’t be able to hide this news from her anyway.”
“Sure, you can leave that to me,” Gwena agreed before asking ine as she was about to leave the infirmary, “But what about you, ine? Where are you going?”
“Me? I’m going to visit the red-light district to make it seem like I’m heading out to collect information. Even though Isabelle’s death is unlikely to be the demon’s work, we need to make it seem like it is to protect our students.”
“After all, City Lord Istana, that old hag might just go crazy and persecute all our students and torture them to find the culprit that murdered her daughter,” ine added.
“That does seem like something that old hag would do,” Gwena agreed.
City Lord Istana was a Senior Witch like them, but she was much older and more experienced, not to mention that she was also a Combat Witch that specialized in attack magic.
As someone who earned enough merits in the war against demons and was bestowed the Region of ckmoon by the Witch of ck Rose, City Lord Istana was more used to cruel and direct methods.
Thest thing Gwena and ine wanted was for their innocent students to suffer under the hands of such a person.
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Earthly Pleasure Manor
The morning was early, but it didn’t stop the brothel’s business from thriving as bustling activities and noises quickly filled the establishment.
The degenerate witches needed a taste of that morning wood to kickstart their day.
The thumpingmotion next door gradually woke Grissel up from her slumber.
She rubbed her drowsy eyes and nced around the room, but the person she was looking for was no longer present, makingst night’s experience seem like a dream.
Her eyshes fluttered as she felt a sense of emptiness.
The pleasure between men and women was, strictly speaking, just business. It was a means to an end in pursuit of speedy growth and power.
But a single night of passion with Vaan had left an unforgettable memory.
“I’ve be one step closer to Senior Witch in a single night. Once I take thest step and ascend, my status will bepletely different. That has always been my goal. I should be happy with my progress, so why aren’t I?” Grissel frowned.
It took a moment before she noticed two letters ced on the table. One was addressed to her, and the other was for Lord Manfred, the brothel’s owner.
She ignored the second letter and read the one addressed to her. It was a short letter with a single line.
“If it’s fated, we will meet again?” Grissel read before she grumbled with pursed lips. “How can you just leave after making me feel like this? What an irresponsible man.”
She immediately burned the letter with fire magic and scattered its ck ashes outside the window. Her eyes glinted shortly after.
After experiencing the benefits of Vaan’s skills, his existence became too valuable for her to ignore. He was simply a miracle witch maker.
If she can experience his magical touch again, She will be a Senior Witch in no time.