Hagrid drank one cup after another, growing more and more excited, even feeling quite smug—why hadn’t he realized how clever he was before?
Ethan couldn’t bring himself to shatter Hagrid’s fantasy; after a thorough brainstorming session, his old mate finally thought of something that everyone already knew, but for Hagrid, this could already be considered a considerable leap forward.
Ethan believed that the reason the Empire couldn’t mention Lindong’s name, only referring to her as "that person," was not because they were afraid of the Witch, but rather the Church that accused her as such. After the public execution of the Witch, sharp voices arose within the Empire, questioning the Church’s proclamation and suspecting that the Lindong Witch might still be alive.
Thus, the Church quelled all societal doubts by accusing these people of being followers of the Evil God.
When power reaches its pinnacle, calling a deer a horse becomes a matter of course.
A missing witch, presumed alive, would not affect the lives of the Empire’s people, but the Church would. Temples of the Goddess of Life were spread across every major city in the Empire, and people’s words could not escape their watchful eyes.
When sharp questioning voices disappeared, even normal discussions became grating.
Why did you mention the name of the Lindong Witch?
Are you trying to imply something?
What is your true intention?
Over time, even speaking her name became taboo, and thus, the Empire fell completely silent.
Ethan asked, "Assuming your speculations are true, what are your plans?"
"Ethan my lad, you agree my speculations are brilliant, don’t you?!"
Hagrid laughed heartily, "The plans ahead are many; don’t you think it’s too coincidental that the Knight Commander’s death in battle coincides with ’that person’s’ return? Lately, I’ve had this vague premonition that the Empire is about to change dramatically, so from today on, I’m going to brush up on the swordsmanship I’ve neglected over the years."
Who hasn’t been young before?
Back then, he was the genius lad of Ximu Town, carrying an ancestral sword to Gear City. Although he was eliminated in the final round, he did pass the first two rounds of testing. He knew nothing about the ’Holy Seal’ and couldn’t perform the Knight’s battle skills. When it came to pure swordsmanship, Hagrid believed no one in Ximu Town could best him.
However, after he was eliminated, he was dispirited for some time, and as the residents of Ximu Town lived in peace and stability, there was no real opportunity to engage in life-and-death battles. Over time, his swordsmanship became rusty.
Now, with war imminent, Hagrid decided to prepare in advance, and he reminded Ethan, "But on the other hand, swordsmanship requires talent. You’re quite slim and not very strong. I suggest you give up on swordsmanship and specialize in firearms instead!"
Ethan noncommittally agreed, though in the coming period, he actually intended to specialize in firearms, but not for combat, rather for development.
Hagrid raised his glass high, "Nothing else matters, come, let’s drink, celebrate we’re still alive, and tonight, drink till we drop!"
Ethan couldn’t remember how many cups he drank that night, or how he got back to his apartment. When he opened his eyes again, it was already daylight, and his chest felt ice-cold, and he saw a white-haired maid, eyes closed, with furrowed brows.
Lindong always slept lightly, her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she soon opened her eyes.
Then, with a "poof," she turned into a petite, adorable ragdoll cat, curled into a ball, and found a comfortable position to continue her deep sleep.
However, the living room of the apartment was already buzzing with activity.
The aroma of roasting meat wafted into the bedroom, making one ravenously hungry.
Ethan dressed and went out to find the members of Old Sen Magic Technology Store fully assembled. On the other side, life in the small town had seamlessly integrated, but the wild animals in the forest faced a catastrophic disaster, and going hunting had become a daily routine for her and Miss Keroy every morning.
"A freshly killed wild boar, and the spices are my secret blend."
She popped her head out from the kitchen, while Rowena and Ave on the other side were already prepared with knives and forks, the golden hair on Ave’s head cheerfully greeting Ethan.
—Good buddy, you’re finally back!
Soon, several large plates of roasted meat were set on the table, Rowena raised a hand and requested from her, "I want that red, spicy sauce!"
"Shoo, shoo, if you can’t handle it, don’t pretend."
She scoffed, waving her hand dismissively at Rowena, complaining to Ethan, "I suspect Rowena has a problem, clearly can’t eat spicy but insists on it, crying and munching on meat, anyone watching would think we were mistreating her."
"I’ve emphasized, it’s a normal physiological reaction, and research shows balabala..."
Rowena launched into another long monologue.
Ave, long accustomed to their bickering, asked, "How’s Gear City?"
"Matches my expectations of a big city, except the priests in the Saint Hilman Church are a bit... overly enthusiastic."
"Quite indecent, right?"
Ave said calmly, yet upon hearing this sentence, Rowena instantly became unsettled, she jumped up, excitement on her face, "Indecent? Who do you mean is indecent? How are they indecent? Elaborate!"
Her gaze at Ethan was almost laser-like, hoping for great insights from his visit to Saint Hilman Cathedral.
Meanwhile, Rowena didn’t forget to clarify, "Don’t misunderstand, I’m not interested in these things at all, after all, I’ve been through a lot. I just didn’t expect those usually well-mannered priests would have such a hidden side, I must criticize them a bit!"
To this, Ethan expressed deep doubt.
Of all those who reacted to the dynamics between him and Lindong, Rowena’s was the most conspicuous.
Especially late at night.
Lindong enjoyed lying on the bed "chatting", the energy crystal seemed to have unlocked some inner switch, in modern society, she would be the type to send 999 messages a night.
Whenever Lindong went silent, Rowena’s radar would instantly alert, every 30 seconds demanding to know what Lindong was up to.
Rowena thought of something, and immediately shifted her focus to Ethan, "And you, your cat already spilled the beans, you rented only one room at the inn in Gear City, what exactly were you two doing behind our backs at night?"
Discovering this news left Rowena truly despairing.
As a miser, she even proposed, "You rent two rooms, and I’ll cover the cost".
"Explored the mysteries of life."
A calm voice came from behind Ethan, as if just recounting a trivial matter, yet this single sentence was like a dagger piercing into Rowena’s heart.
In face of betrayal from an old partner, she finally succumbed.
The cat jumped onto Ethan’s shoulder, delivering the final blow, "Exploring every day."