To confirm he hadn’t misunderstood, Ethan asked, "Did you recognize me back at Fireplace Bay?"
"I saw you practicing the Ice Arrow."
Miss Witch was likely referring to the time when he and the Ice Elemental Elf won the first skimming stones competition; he couldn’t help but feel grateful that Miss Witch didn’t join halfway, otherwise he might have had to settle for second place.
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on these matters. Ethan had a more soul-searching question, "What you said back then, was it true?"
The other had talked about a long-distance boyfriend; if you put yourself in Zhaocai’s shoes, it did seem plausible.
Ethan immediately said, as the saying goes, if you laugh fast enough, awkwardness can’t catch up with you.
Miss Witch raised her eyes to him and explained seriously, "Tying you up and putting you in the basement after knocking you out was a friend’s idea. I’ve already reprimanded her and held a reflection meeting."
Ethan thought that those books were right, witches are surely the most adept at seeing through people’s hearts in this world. In just a few words, she made his emotions feel like a rollercoaster ride. But he didn’t like the feeling of things being unresolved; only confirmed facts could calm his heart, regardless of whether they were good or bad.
"What about the earlier part?"
"The earlier part is true," Miss Witch said, "You did everything, so you have to take responsibility."
Exactly what I wanted!
Ethan cleared his throat, trying his best to act serious. This was going to be one of the most important moments of his life. If a girl is willing to teach you, who knows nothing, elemental magic, turns into a cat to accompany you, has white hair and red eyes, her feet look nice, and more importantly, on a night when the moonlight is beautiful, she opens her heart to you willingly, then you really should strike hard.
Anyone who still dithers at a time really deserves an Ice Arrow — that was Ethan’s impression when he read novels or watched anime.
In those plots where both parties clearly have feelings for each other but end up missing out because of silence and misunderstandings, he’d always want to shoot an Ice Arrow machine gun.
Of course, if everything happening at this moment was merely a dream caused by overexertion, then when he woke up, he’d pretend nothing happened and quietly study the upgraded Fireball Skill, as no one would know what was bottled up inside anyway.
Even though he had made up his mind, given that his practical skills were at zero level, to describe it as introductory would be flattering, he spent a long time deliberating but felt that saying anything at this moment might ruin the mood. At that moment, he fully understood the conflicted feelings Miss Witch had earlier.
Fortunately, Miss Witch demonstrated a textbook-level example.
He said nothing and opened his right arm, wrapping it around her shoulder. Miss Witch’s face almost naturally rested against his chest; she should be able to hear his intense heartbeat.
Tonight, Mystic Scholar Ethan made groundbreaking progress in witch research; he found that a witch’s body was also soft, at least softer than he’d imagined, and the fruity scent at the tips of her hair was pleasant.
"The night is still long."
He began to speak, "You can start from a very, very long time ago in the story."
It was indeed a long story, tracing back to when the former Director of the Reception Bureau was still alive. His long-term work had taught him one thing: to completely eliminate the followers of the Evil God, one cannot tackle the Evil God belief itself. This job allowed him to see the imbalanced system and how ordinary people of the Empire were gradually transformed into followers of the Evil God.
Thus, he traveled everywhere, gathering a group of people with a common ideal. They discussed day and night, formulating several reform plans targeted at the current Empire. He ignored his family’s objections, stormed into the Royal City to meet the King, and candidly warned him of the threat he had seen. If no changes were made, the Evil God would surely devour the entire Empire.
A secret organization named Violet Commune was born.
The commune was rarely mentioned; after the former director’s death, all its activities ceased.
Few people knew that the Lindong Witch, a member of the Seven-member Council, was once part of the Violet Commune as well.
"The real danger does not come from the enemy, but from the people around you."
Miss Witch calmly summed up the failed reform.
Ethan suddenly thought of the case Ave was investigating, where Dreamweaver members were hunting down former Reception Bureau A-level investigators. Even though their identities were kept confidential, even though they went into hiding in remote small towns, they were still found out and brutally killed at home.
"Those investigators..."
"...are all members of the Violet Commune."
She laughed, and it was not a gentle smile. In those people’s final moments, she would watch them just with a smile, "So the enemy knows our actions inside out... Do you know? Just by making an inconspicuous alteration to the anchor point record during exploration in a contaminated area, one can delve into a deeper level."
These were results she obtained from years of investigation.
Someone within the commune altered the anchor points established by the Reception Bureau, bringing those in the deeper dimensions into the reality plane.
The containment breach remains an unsolved case to this day.
Yet, the true unsolved mystery lies in the fact that everyone who touched the truth died mysteriously, and ever since Regent King Freeman rose to power and promoted the new director, all investigations came to a halt.
It was a very long story.
As Miss Witch narrated this long-suppressed history, dawn had already arrived.
The only thing longer than this story was Miss Witch’s assassination list.
She nestled in Ethan’s arms, softly reciting name after name, from those Ethan had never heard of, to those who occasionally appeared in the "Horned Owl Beast Daily," and finally to well-known figures like the Iron-handed Chief Judge, Regent King, and the Pope, who were familiar to everyone in the Empire.
Miss Witch lowered her eyelids, as if she were a young girl daydreaming about a better life in the future.
Ethan felt an immense burden on his heart.
He had read many love-themed novels where "villainesses" were often portrayed. The characters were usually those with various reasons for having unpleasant personalities, yet with a unique charm. Ethan would always immerse himself in the fresh and somewhat thrilling reading experience.
But he felt that Miss Witch shouldn’t be considered a villainess in the traditional sense.
"My vacation is coming to an end."
Miss Witch smiled sweetly, although a cold wind blew.
The date location was the town cemetery, the confession a terrorist declaration.
Like a teenage girl in love, she leaned against Ethan’s chest, tenderly whispering sweet words, "When I’ve killed them all, I’ll come find you."