Miss Witch’s Devotion Has Gone… Twisted

The young man from the Rivers family clearly felt some discomfort, but he still suppressed his nausea and echoed Horn:

”As expected of you, your taste is truly excellent, these are all top-quality ingredients...”

”Young man, your taste is quite good.”

”Well then, you make the choice.”

The young man swallowed his saliva, looking uneasily at the great noble who had brought him here. He saw the noble nod, signaling him to make his selection.

The young man forced a smile, deep fear lurking in his eyes, but ultimately he extended his finger and casually pointed at the little boy standing at the very front.

”I’ll take him...”

”Good, you have good eyes.”

Horn clapped his hands, and the chef waiting nearby prepared to step forward and drag the little boy away.

”This time, don’t cook him first. Eat the brains directly—pour hot oil over them and eat them alive while they’re still fresh...”With that said, the chef brought the boy to the center of the table. At this moment, Anna finally understood why there was a hole in the middle of the table, and why Loren hadn’t teased her about her gluttony this time, instead telling her to wait and see.

”Master Mentor, can I kill them all?”

Loren didn’t speak. Instead, he flipped open the magic book in his hands.

”Who goes there?”

The nobles who had been chatting suddenly heard Anna’s words and turned to look in her direction.

Anna revealed a smile. At that moment, she understood Loren’s intent—he had already given her permission to slaughter them all.

Seeing strangers suddenly appear in the room, the bodyguards began to gather magic, though they didn’t make the first move.

The fact that these people could appear here silently meant they could also eliminate them just as quietly, so the bodyguards dared not act rashly.

”May I ask what business you have here, sir?”

Horn reacted quickly, immediately flattering them, while his hands made a few gestures behind his back. Noticing this, the chef began moving toward the exit.

”Give me a list of everyone who’s come to your place.”

Loren raised his head, didn’t speak, but simply snapped his fingers. The red wine in Horn’s glass transformed into an arrow, piercing through the chef’s head.

”Water magic...”

Horn was widely experienced and immediately recognized what Loren’s technique was, simultaneously beginning to deduce Loren’s identity.

Most people who used water magic were Sea God’s followers. Although the God of Freedom’s territory didn’t openly allow followers to learn water magic, their enforcement was lax, and many of the Freedom God’s followers would conveniently learn some water magic since it was very useful by the seaside.

Pirates were unlikely to launch an attack, so Horn deduced that the visitor was from the Freedom Church, because their activities had become a bit too blatant.

”Sir, I’m from the Bountiful Church, here to conduct a transaction with the Freedom Church. Lately, the God of Bountiful Harvest’s territory has been very peaceful, with a great harvest of grain, so we plan to sell at a reduced price...”

Horn assumed Loren was a high-ranking member of the Freedom Church looking for benefits, and he offered sufficient incentives.

The price reduction was his unilateral decision; the others in the Freedom Church didn’t know about it. So if Loren really was from the Freedom Church, he could pocket this price difference for himself.

The God of Freedom’s territory relied on imported grain—this was no small sum.

”Yes, yes, we came here precisely to discuss business with Lord Horn—it’s all for the good of the Freedom Church...”

Hearing Horn say this, the few who had been silent beside him finally spoke up.

They were nobles from the God of Freedom’s side, the nominal masters of this place.

Loren still didn’t answer, continuing to cast his magic. He snapped his fingers, and a water blade materialized out of thin air, decapitating several bodyguards.

Even so, the remaining bodyguards showed no intention of fighting back. Without receiving orders, they wouldn’t make a move.

Such loyalty—no wonder they had been brought here.

”Sir, getting the list won’t do you any good. There are many important figures on it. If you offend them, it could very well lead to the cessation of our trade, and grain imports would stop.”

Horn changed his approach. Since Loren wasn’t greedy, he would use greater principles to pressure him.

Loren still didn’t speak. He drew Requiem, and instantly, an oppressive aura enveloped the room. Horn immediately felt his very spirit trembling.

This was another effect of Requiem—[Severed Hope]. When drawn from its sheath, it could inflict a spiritual shock on others, similar to Conqueror’s Haki.

Under Loren’s deliberate control, those with weaker minds fainted from the shock—like the children.

”Alright, I’ve used so much water magic; they should think I’m a pirate by now.”

”Who... who exactly are you?”

”Take a guess.”

Loren snapped his fingers, and the corpses instantly dissipated. At this moment, Horn, being a Bountiful follower, immediately recognized this common magic:

”Return to Earth... You’re from the Bountiful Church?”

”Now that you know, hand over the list.”

Knowing Loren was from the Bountiful Church, Horn panicked even more. He felt that Loren had come specifically to investigate him.

Since Loren had already arrived, it meant the evidence was already gathered, so Horn decided not to make excuses.

But he was conflicted. If he didn’t confess, Loren would deal with him. If he did confess, the people on that list would destroy his family and home, and he’d end up shooting himself in the back, dying of ”suicide.”

In the end, Horn weighed the pros and cons and wrote down the list in exhaustive detail.

Now he could only pray that Loren would clean up everyone on that list, leaving them no energy to come after him.

Even if he ended up in prison, that was still better than dying outright. He’d been bribing the prison staff for years, hoping that if he ever ended up inside, he’d have a comfortable stay.

”Sir, this is the complete list...”

Horn took out paper and pen, filling it with names. Loren glanced at it—essentially every major family was included.

”Good. Then you’re useless now. Kill them all.”

”Great!”

Anna had been waiting for this order for a long time. She didn’t even bother asking Scarlett for a weapon. Picking up a stool, she directly smashed in the heads of those Freedom Church nobles.

”Attack!”

It was only now that those nobles finally issued the order to fight. They had no choice but to engage.

Unfortunately, their strength was nowhere near Loren’s level. Loren casually tossed out a few water blades, cutting them all down.

Water blade was only a second-tier water magic, which Loren had just learned.

Other guards sensed what was happening inside, but there was nothing they could do. They were killed in a single encounter by Anna, who had gone berserk and was beating them to death with chairs. She had already shattered several chairs.

After dealing with these guards, Anna charged into the courtyard and began a massacre, leaving no survivors.

The nobles inside the room were left for Loren. He happened to want to try out other water magic.

”Stay back! Or I’ll kill these kids!”

At that moment, the young noble from the Bountiful Church aimed his gun at the unconscious children.

”Why do you think I care about them?”

Loren extended his finger, and a high-pressure water jet shot from his fingertip, piercing through the young man’s head.