Miss Witch’s Devotion Has Gone… Twisted

“Jessica?”

The moment Luna heard that name, she stood up, her expression complicated.

Ever since the fact that she was a witch had been exposed, Luna hadn’t spoken to Jessica at all.

It wasn’t just that she hadn’t had the chance. She hadn’t dared, either.

After learning she was a witch, even her own parents, the people closest to her, had reacted that way. How could her best friend possibly be any different?

As long as she didn’t ask, there was still a chance Jessica might support her. But once she did, even that last glimmer of hope would be shattered.

“Yes, her. She’s already a Sixth-tier Mage, and she’s become one of the mainstays on the battlefield.”

Jessica’s family was even worse off than Luna’s. The fact that she’d managed to enter Gedlan Royal Magic Academy was proof enough of her talent.

After Loren’s guidance, it was only natural that she’d reached this level.

“Why did she go to the battlefield?”

Luna couldn’t understand Jessica’s choice. A Sixth-tier Mage was indeed powerful, but on the battlefield, she could still die at any moment. Jessica obviously had better options.

“Most likely, she was forced into it. You two were so close before, so she was bound to be caught up in the consequences.”

At Loren’s words, a sudden glimmer appeared in Luna’s eyes.

“If she was forced to go to the battlefield, doesn’t that mean she chose to stand with us and didn’t betray us?”

Although Luna felt it was wrong to think that way, she couldn’t help feeling a little happy.

“Not necessarily.”

Loren doused Luna’s hopes with a bucket of cold water. “She might have betrayed us, but the Church got nothing useful out of it, so in a fit of anger, they sent her to the battlefield.”

Luna sat back down, her spirits sinking again.

“We’ll find out what really happened once we go back and take a look. I’m only saying this so you don’t get your hopes up for nothing and end up hurt.

“Never indulge in fantasies about the people of this world. From childhood onward, they’re taught to hate witches. It’s become instinct.

“You can’t change all that just by saying a few words. You have to educate them generation after generation, just as the Orthodox Gods did.”

Back when the Perpetual Observer walked among humanity, everyone knew his name. They most likely knew that witches had come to save this world, too.

But after the Orthodox Gods brainwashed people generation after generation, the Perpetual Observer had already disappeared, so the Observer was simply erased from history. The witches, who continued to appear, couldn’t have their existence erased outright, so they were saddled with countless slanders.

“Let’s leave after we eat. Cecelia, are you coming with us this time?”

“I’ll pass.”

Cecelia shook her head.

“I’m more useful staying here. My records are being sold all over the world. Sooner or later, I’ll control the whole world.”

“Alright.”

Loren respected Cecelia’s choice, and she wasn’t wrong.

Cecelia definitely wanted to go with Loren, but she was right that she’d be more useful staying here.

“I’ll put an end to everything as soon as I can. I’m sick of living in hiding.”

Loren made his vow in front of Cecelia. He was gradually gathering everything he needed to kill the gods, and the day he officially went to war wasn’t far off.

Before leaving, Loren gathered all the puppets together, including Gwen and Orianna.

Loren didn’t intend to keep them with him all the time. Gwen and Orianna didn’t need him to control them constantly, so sending them out to carry out missions on their own was the best choice.

Besides, all these puppets were highly mobile. If Loren needed a particular one, he could simply have the nearest puppet hurry back.

Kasha, the latest puppet Loren had made, was especially mobile. She could practically rush over from a distant location in an instant to provide support. Loren had also installed plenty of firearms on her, giving her the ability to lay down suppressing fire.

Kasha

Loren dismissed the group of puppets, assigning each of them a task of her own. Their duties included searching for Tarot cards and Mythical Creatures, as well as gathering intelligence.

Afterward, Loren climbed onto Starnight’s back, now transformed into a Dragon, and waved goodbye to Cecelia.

“Goodbye. I’ll probably be back soon.”

Loren was mainly leaving to search for Mythical Creatures and visit Jessica. Once he was done, he’d probably have to make a trip to Noah’s place, too, but it shouldn’t take long.

“Goodbye.”

Cecelia seemed perfectly composed as they parted, waving to Loren.

……

“Ofemia.”

Before leaving the Uridia Kingdom, Loren went to see Ofemia once more.

Movila wasn’t there, and Loren knew nothing about what was happening at the Front Lines, so he could only make use of Ofemia’s intelligence network.

“I’m here, Master Mentor.”

Ofemia, seated in her Bedroom, looked extremely stiff. It was obvious she’d tidied the place up. She’d also taken down the girlish manga from her bookshelf. Loren had no idea where she’d hidden that copy of My Domineering Mentor Fell in Love with Me, either.

By now, she’d accepted that Loren might come into her Bedroom at any time, and she’d been on edge ever since.

Changing bedrooms wouldn’t help. If Loren couldn’t find her, he’d search every room in the place.

“Do you have any information about that monster that appeared in the conflict between the Bountiful Church and the Plague Church?”

The newspapers had described the Desolation Deer as a monster, so Loren simply went along with their wording.

“I have some. That monster has a special ability that can directly nullify Abundant Magic. So when it first appeared, the Plague Church crushed the Bountiful Church and quickly conquered a country.

“But it seems the people from the Plague Church are forcing the monster to obey them. It doesn’t really want to fight. Still, as long as it’s there, Abundant Magic can’t be used, and that’s enough.”

Ofemia had only just received this information. She didn’t actually know all that much, since this had only just happened.

At most, her account was a little more detailed than the newspapers’, which only made Loren more certain that this so-called monster was the Desolation Deer.

Loren had also learned one crucial thing. Since Ofemia knew the Desolation Deer didn’t want to fight, it must still have its own will. It was still alive.

As long as it was alive, Loren still had a chance to record its ability.

“The Bountiful Church has suddenly sent out a powerful fighter. He’s a king, apparently newly enthroned.

“He doesn’t know much magic, but he’s extremely formidable in battle. No matter what injuries he suffers, he quickly recovers, and he seems to use martial skills without tiring…”

Ofemia described the Bountiful Church’s response, information that hadn’t appeared in the newspapers.

That king’s ability was unusual. First of all, he was a man, so he couldn’t be a witch. That meant his ability couldn’t be an Arcane Ability.

Nor could he be a follower of an Outer God. Loren couldn’t think of any Outer God who granted a blessing like that. Even the Goddess of Love could at most grant immortality, not endless stamina. And at such a critical time, the Church wouldn’t allow an Outer God’s follower to make such a spectacle of himself.

That left only one possibility.

A new Tarot card.