"That fool thought I wouldn't notice the changes he made when he created such a failed thing. How could he not know that he altered the ritual circle for summoning creatures?
I've been doing this for a long time!" the hooded woman complained loudly. She was currently in a completely dark environment, and apart from her, two other breaths could be heard.
"What about that fragment of the Spirit World?" asked a raspy male voice, as if the speaker's throat were injured.
"Why didn't you just kill him if you disliked him so much?" asked another person, clearly a woman. She laughed after speaking as if she were having an attack of the giggles.
"That ignoramus believed we brought that fragment, as if humans were capable of doing such a thing. Besides, because of my task, I couldn't kill him.
He told me he wanted to take over that place. As if I didn't understand, his true purpose was to feed that failed spiritual core," she said, stomping her foot in obvious annoyance and anger.
She was filled with anger toward Howard Stone and the fact that she had to act foolishly in front of him while ignoring his suspicious actions. At least she was able to interact with the real culprit who had brought the fragment into the real world, which was a small consolation.
However, she felt sick teaching them her spells, especially the thread spell. She kept those comments to herself, though, because she didn't want to explain too much to the people around her.
"Wasn't it her idea to do that? You should complain to the boss! Hehehe," replied the owner of the female voice with a strange laugh. Her voice was somewhat hoarse, making her sound like a monster.
"I'm not interested in any of that garbage you're talking about. I just asked for more information. Is that witch a suitable target for me?" the man asked, his tone unnaturally neutral and emotionless. This made any listener unfamiliar with it feel uncomfortable.
"Yes, I know it was her idea. Well, she doesn't like us to mention her name. The boss knew about Howard Stone's theft of her research and even used him as a guinea pig," the hooded woman replied, her words full of mockery. Then she moved on to the next question.
"I can confirm that the witch with the surname Rohan is suitable for your strange hunt. Just be careful; her teacher is not just anyone, and she may become aware of your existence if you get too close before attacking.
Believe me, you won't be able to defeat her if she turns against you," she warned, her tired tone indicating her mental exhaustion. Instead of kind responses, however, she received only a shrill laugh from the woman and a snort from the man.
"My goals, my problems. I won't be stopped by anything or anyone," the man replied, his tone devoid of emotion. It seemed intrinsic to him rather than a simple way of acting.
"Looks like you found some interesting things following that shoddy producer! But I still don't understand. Why don't you really enjoy yourself? Hehehe," said the female figure in the darkness.
"I just wanted to use that amount of energy to summon something new or exotic. Who knows? Maybe it could help me with my research. However, I had to watch Howard Stone, that half-baked magician, try to create a spiritual core.
It was interesting to see how something like that gained consciousness, perhaps because of the changes in the ritual circle. The emergence of souls is a worthy subject of study! It aligns well with my goals," the hooded woman replied to her companion. She continued chatting about topics the other two figures weren't interested in, and they walked toward the exit.
"I'M NOT INTERESTED IN YOUR UNINTERESTING STUFF! I'd rather go disembowel my little angels. Hehehe," shouted the woman before abruptly opening the door to the dark room. The little light that entered made her partially visible.
She was a woman with messy black hair covered by a battered hat. Her white skin was slightly tanned and covered with stitched scars and keloid scars.
"I have other prey to pursue. Since the Tower sent those guys after me, it's been difficult to find suitable targets," said the man before leaving with the woman, who kept laughing maniacally.
The light from outside illuminated him only slightly, but the hooded woman could see part of his head, especially his hair, which was an exotic mixture of four vibrant colors, unlike his lifeless voice.
When she noticed the pair was no longer in the room, the woman in the hood stopped talking. The scholarly demeanor that had surrounded her until that moment transformed into a regal and dignified one, though no one was there to appreciate it.
Two small blue glints appeared in the darkness of her hood where her eyes should have been. The woman began to laugh, first softly and measuredly, but soon uncontrollable laughter burst from her mouth.
"Bastards! I have to distract myself from my own research because of uneducated people like you who only know how to kill," growled the woman. She squeezed the hood that hid her figure tightly as if she wanted to scratch it. However, she barely left any marks on the garment.
"Too bad I couldn't witness the imminent demise of that disgusting guy. Using my thread spell that way simply wastes its potential. But never mind, I'm sure Rohan killed him. I wonder what exactly happened. I just hope she's more promising; after all, she is that witch's student.
Will she be able to take on those deranged murderers? At least that way, they can give me a better reason to neglect my research! If she kills them, so much the better," the hooded woman continued, unleashing all her contempt on the two figures who had been with her just a moment ago.
From the way they left her alone, one could say the disdain is mutual.
𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝
"Why are you charging Francisca money? Last time it was free!" complained Élodie after the nun's luminous power purified any trace of spiritual energy in her body and healed the wounds she had suffered during the conflict.
"Nothing I do is free, Officer Duval. The police paid for the services I provided yesterday. Why else do you think I agreed so readily?" Sophia asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling mischievously as she channeled a large amount of Mother Light's power onto the girls.
"Now I have to pay for the services? Why?" Instead of letting Élodie answer, Francisca asked her own question, causing the nun to look at her.
"Because you're filthy rich, Lady Zhang," Sophia replied easily. The alchemist was left at a loss for words by that simple logic and simply accepted it.
Having decided to work more closely with Séraphine, she was prepared for this kind of thing, so it wasn't much of a problem for her. Instead, her gaze turned to a police officer who took advantage of the moment to give Sophia a wad of Aureum.
"I've saved up enough... I need an extensive purification." This was Roman, a wizard who worked for the Blume police force. Two nights ago, Séraphine had bought a spell from him.
"Finally, huh?" But... I have some things to talk to you about." Despite being covered by a vast power of light, the witch pulled a revolver from her hat and pointed it at the wizard.
The police officers became alert, but a raised hand stopped them from moving. Captain Holland prevented his officers from acting, understanding that Séraphine had her reasons for doing so.
"The person we had to deal with in the Spirit World fragment, Howard Stone, not only organized a ritual but also used the corpses of the victims to create undead creatures.
But there's something remarkable about all this. "I know I bought you a spell, Roman. I need a very good explanation from you," said Séraphine. Her words caused the people around her to react in different ways.
They already knew something shady was going on in the destroyed factory, but they never expected a revelation like that. Most importantly, the scandal involves a member of Blume's high society, which will undoubtedly cause an uproar in Shattercrown.
Dealing with this type of controversial issue always results in comments from the public or officials attacking the police, a classic occurrence.
But what could they say? Did the influence and power of the wealthy generally place them above the law? They only had the opportunity to act when something drastic happened, as it did now.
When a high-status person's actions had such a strong impact that their contacts or favors couldn't help them, the police enforced the law efficiently and without hindrance.
They did not doubt Séraphine's words and agreed with the measures she took. The police were already aware of Howard Stone's shady dealings and had tried to investigate him. However, he always got away with it because certain people protected him.
Now, they could bring him down! Although Stone was surely dead, only four people and a fairy had left the factory, so they could search his properties for evidence to finally bring justice.
Criminals are like cockroaches or spiders in that if you find one, there are sure to be more hiding. Apart from that detail, another important point was Roman's possible involvement in this matter. Roman was a police wizard.
"I have proof that my current situation is the result of my own investigation!" Roman declared before coughing hard. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and, when he saw the black blood on the cloth, a self-critical smile appeared on his face.
"Yeah, I don't have much time left. I just want to die without turning into something else," he said.
Sophia stared at him, realizing something.
"The corruption in your body isn't enough to affect you like that. Do you have cancer?" the nun asked, her voice filled with concern. Roman simply shrugged.
"I didn't betray you, Séraphine. But there was someone else with us at the time." Roman turned to look at his coworker, a popular officer in Blume who appeared at many crime scenes.
Kath. This blonde woman with glasses and a doctor's coat caught Roman's gaze and the rest of those present in the area. She remained calm, unconcerned by the caution in her colleagues' eyes or the scrutiny of Séraphine, whom she observed with peculiar fascination.
"I didn't think that bastard would be such a loudmouth. But, hey, someone with such outdated spells who only used his power to satisfy his basest desires couldn't be a good partner," said Kath, pushing her glasses back up her nose.
"Are you an accomplice of Howard Stone?" asked Captain Holland, annoyed by the outcome of the situation.
Ideally, none of his subordinates would be linked to criminal figures, but that was inevitable. Corruption happens everywhere. Although humans can have many virtues, money and interests can always find cracks in personal ethics.
He couldn't ask his men and women to be saints, but he could ask them not to get involved in shady dealings. Kath was one of the members of the police forensic team, and the fact that she was linked to someone like Howard Stone had crossed his personal line.
"Accomplice?" No! I just have some contacts who are interested in our consulting work." Kath continued to stare at Séraphine even though the brunette was pointing her revolver at her.
"Who?" asked Séraphine, making Kath laugh as if she had heard a very funny joke.
"They'll find you. You won't have to wait too long," the woman replied cryptically. She grabbed the gun of a police officer standing near her. Before anyone could react, a shot rang out.
She put the gun to her mouth and blew her brains out. However, even though blood was gushing out, a terrifying smile remained on her face, her teeth stained red.
Her body fell backward. Séraphine could have done something, from shooting first to casting a spell to stop her movements, but her green eyes were narrowed, staring coldly at Kath's corpse.
Something about her suicide made her blood run cold. She had seen something similar in the past, when she was a rebellious teenager. There were no ritual circles, spiritual energy, or magic involved, but she could tell what was causing that uncomfortable feeling:
Cultists. Only the devoted could give up their life so easily without hesitation. The terror of these people was not the damage they could do or the creatures they could summon, but that life and death had no meaning to them, only their goals.
"That was creepy," said Élodie with a hint of annoyance in her voice. She had struck up a friendly relationship with Kath, one of her first friends, so this outcome made her angry.
Not only because Kath had committed suicide, but also because the motives for her death were obviously murky. This made her doubtful. Had Kath approached her to harm her? Did she want to lead her into some kind of cult?
Apart from feeling a pang of sadness at the loss of someone she considered close and anger at a possible future betrayal by Kath, Élodie was also relieved because someone so dangerous had been revealed.
"It looks like we'll have to wait a while to hear their stories," Sophia commented, pursing her lips as she touched the bridge of her nose with two fingers, feeling a migraine coming on.
The problem wasn't finding a cultist; it was that she was a police officer. That was another matter entirely, and a very serious one at that. So the story of the woman who had entered the fragment of the Spiritual World could wait.
"So, I can't leave? I want to take a long nap," murmured Madeleine. Despite being bathed in the power of Mother Light, she was quite exhausted and seemed most affected by this unexpected adventure.
"We don't have much time. Why don't you divide up the work?" Francisca suggested. Sophia hesitated a little before agreeing because the Tower really needed to know what had happened, especially since the outcome had affected the normal world.
The appearance of a crater after the disappearance of that special space meant that it had begun to take root on this side. This also meant that the situation was serious, and Sophia felt that she might not sleep well tonight.
"Well, then, how did you get into this mess?" asked the nun, looking directly at Séraphine. She knew that the focus of this event had to do with the witch.
"We could say that it all started when..." Under the gaze of Sophia and her companions, Séraphine began to recount what had happened from the beginning.
There was no need to hide anything, so she didn't. Madeleine wanted to finish and go to sleep, so she contributed anything that needed to be added. She, along with Élodie, who had picked up on many details that enriched the story, and Francisca, who provided specific information, were the ones who contributed.
Sasha even added something. After all, she had ended up in the fragment of the Spiritual World because of her curiosity. She had spent quite some time there and learned things that the other women had not been able to discover due to a lack of time.
Thus, everything related to this special space became clearer, although many questions remained unanswered. For now, though, the information they provided was more than enough. At least it had been resolved without causing drastic damage to the real world.
The appearance of two higher entities from the Spiritual World was, of course, an important warning sign, causing the Tower's superiors to take this matter very seriously. But what did a witch like Séraphine have to do with it?
She was curious, but she knew when to stop. Some things were better left unknown. Instead of focusing on the motives of these beings, she decided to worry about the money she earned from this affair.
At least the money could give her peace of mind after everything she went through. Not to mention the photos she took and the things she observed, learned, and understood. Moreover, her connection with Élodie and Francisca had grown stronger.
She also couldn't ignore the fact that her anger over Howard Stone's actions had disappeared because the man had finally gotten what he deserved.
Now, all that remains is for time to heal the wounds he left behind and for his name to gradually disappear from history.
𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝
Instead of returning to her detective agency, Séraphine headed straight home because she was exhausted from everything she had been through that afternoon.
However, she did not go alone; Élodie and Francisca decided to accompany her. After all, they had many things to discuss because what happened today could not be taken lightly.
Not to mention the most important issue: The Adventure Group! It started as a whimsical idea of Séraphine's, but because of today's events, all three women were now serious about making it a reality.
When Séraphine opened the door to her apartment, it wasn't she who went in first but rather Élodie, who was curious about the witch's living environment. After all, who wouldn't be curious about a witch's house?
"It's so...normal!" the blonde exclaimed, disappointed by how ordinary the surroundings were.
Francisca noticed that Séraphine's furniture was expensive, but because she wasn't knowledgeable about such matters, disappointment filled her face when she didn't find what she expected.
She didn't see the skulls displayed in cases that she had imagined, especially since the witch had a skull in her office. In her house, however, there were none.
She didn't find any strange masks, straw dolls, crow feathers, strange rugs, or exotic curtains either. She didn't see a crystal ball or paintings of eyes on the walls either! What kind of witch's house was this?
"I don't know what you had in mind, but the 'witch' stuff is at my agency." Knowing the interest the blonde had shown in her house, Séraphine had already expected this reaction, so after yawning, she said these words in a tired tone.
"However, you have a very special piece of furniture here. This piece is very expensive!" Francisca wasted no time approaching the sofa in the living room and sitting down on it.
"Isn't it just for sitting?" What does it matter if it costs money?" asked Éloïde, showing that she didn't care much about material things.
"If you don't live comfortably, why would you want money so much?" Séraphine replied with another question. She sat down on the furniture, letting her body slide down a little. For her, it was quite comfortable, but for others, it would be considered poor posture.
"Is that why you're so obsessed with money?" Knowing how the witch acted on this subject, Francisca was curious and took advantage of the moment to ask the question.
Élodie was interested in the topic as well, so she left her hammer leaning against a nearby wall to hear the brunette's response. Then she sat down on the sofa with the other girls, leaving Séraphine between her and Francisca.
"There's no story of overcoming adversity behind it, nor is there an inspiring tale. There was simply a moment in my life when I understood that earning money myself was much more satisfying than receiving it from my parents.
It's a way to distract myself. With enough money, I can indulge myself by buying nice things or clothes I like or continuing my hobbies." After sighing, Séraphine pointed to a shelf in the living room where there were several similar objects:
Miniature ships. Some were simply placed there, while others were inside glass bottles. Francisca had already noticed these objects but thought, as with everything else, that they were things the witch had bought ready-made to decorate her house.
She never thought Séraphine liked model ships. Upon closer inspection, the redhead noticed that the figures were highly detailed and included various models, ranging from ancient ships from the Age of Exploration to more modern metal ones.
There were merchant ships, pirate ships, steamboats, and warships. She had all kinds! The shelf was filled with these models, showing the witch's fascination, and perhaps obsession, with these objects.
"Oh, I thought you were obsessed with money for no reason. Did you build them yourself?" asked Élodie. She wanted to get up and get closer to the figures, but Séraphine's hand got in the way. It pressed against her stomach and pushed her back onto the sofa.
"DON'T TOUCH MY SHIPS...! Hey, you're strong," Séraphine exclaimed, somewhat upset. But her tone changed abruptly as she became intrigued by what she could feel.
Séraphine already knew that Élodie was strong. After all, she had seen her muscular arms and noticed her legs many times. But she never thought she would have such a firm abdomen.
She raised an eyebrow, expressing her curiosity, and continued to feel up on Élodie, who blushed a little at the sudden contact. Instead of refusing, she simply settled down on the sofa, letting the witch explore her body.
Why did she react this way? The blonde couldn't think of a reason, but she felt relaxed when she felt Séraphine's touch. Having gone through a stressful situation earlier, she let things flow.
"Oh? Are you already so confident in yourselves?" Francisca asked mischievously, resting her head on the witch's shoulder and watching Séraphine's actions.
"I just didn't think that Élodie's abdominal muscles would feel so good," the brunette replied distractedly. Her eyes narrowed when she realized the meaning of what she had just said.
"Do you want to see them?" Élodie asked quietly. She made Séraphine look at her while Francisca smiled, finding the whole situation amusing.
"If you're going to show us something, you can't be the only one, right?" Why don't all three of us contribute?" After all, Séraphine has some interesting things that I'm sure you'd like to see." Taking advantage of her position, the redhead slid her hands under Séraphine's armpits, reaching her ample breasts. She grabbed them, spreading her fingers as wide as possible.
"Hey, I've always wanted to do that!" Seeing how daring Élodie had become, a hint of envy appeared in her eyes. She had wanted to do the same thing since the night before!
"Do you really want to touch my breasts that badly? They're nothing special." Séraphine remained calm, not caring about Francisca's overly intimate contact.
Although she seemed to downplay her own beauty, she lifted her cheek and flashed an arrogant smile. How could she not be aware of her attractiveness?
She was just pretending, which was obvious to the other two girls. Séraphine was a genuine witch, aware of how beautiful she was. She had used her attractiveness as a weapon and now used it as a source of jokes to ease the tension the three women felt.
Élodie knew the witch was being conceited, as usual, so she rolled her eyes. Then, an idea occurred to her. With a smile on her face, the blonde moved closer to Séraphine and placed her hands on her chest.
"They're pretty big. I don't know how your back doesn't hurt," Francisca complained, shaking the witch's breasts because she was jealous. After all, of the three, she was the least endowed.
"Or how you keep your balance with them," muttered Élodie, who, mentally comparing the size of Séraphine's breasts with her own, realized hers were smaller by far.
"Ha! A witch must know how to overcome that kind of thing. I can even run in heels. Not just a light jog, I'm talking about running at high speed over a long distance," boasted the witch, exuding pride through her words and gestures.
"Nah, I don't believe you. That's too far-fetched," Francisca replied, not entirely convinced by Séraphine's words. Séraphine simply snorted and didn't pursue the subject.
"So, are you going to keep groping me like this? There's nothing inside. I don't know what you're looking for," she said. She saw that the blonde's and redhead's hands were becoming more mischievous. They were unbuttoning her shirt and exposing her torso and black bra. The brunette felt it was time to stop.
It wasn't that she cared too much about being touched. In fact, she could say she was enjoying it because the girls knew how to touch her breasts without making her feel uncomfortable or annoyed, which she appreciated.
However, in her mind, the conditions for this kind of "special" advance had not yet been met. She didn't want to lose her virginity after a moment of playful jokes!
Especially since she knew Francisca was doing it purely for fun and not for anything sexual. If there was one thing that excited the redhead, it was alchemy. Perhaps if Séraphine were an alchemical work, it would arouse her more.
However, Élodie was a different matter entirely. She didn't know why, but her caresses felt much more special and relaxing, giving her a different kind of pleasure.
She didn't understand why her body reacted this way, but when she felt the blonde's fingers brush against her skin, her muscles tensed, her skin prickled, her breathing quickened, and chills ran down her spine.
She enjoyed the mere contact of touching Élodie's abs through her police uniform. This was the first time something like this had ever happened to her. Unable to fully understand the origin of these physical reactions, she paused.
But at that moment, her green eyes met the blonde's blue ones, and the response never came. They both remained silent, staring at each other.
Francisca noticed, so she slowly released Séraphine and began to back away. She got up from the sofa and approached an armchair. She enjoyed the subtle interaction between the witch and the warrior while crossing her legs.
"I understand, but it seems that you haven't stopped touching me." Though her words might sound strange in another context, she was referring to Séraphine's constant touching of her abdomen, which continued even after she removed her hands from the witch's body.
"Hmm? Sorry." Realizing what she had done, Séraphine felt her face grow hot, though the blush was not very noticeable due to her dark skin.
Due to the temperature rise, the witch instinctively began to take off her shirt before remembering that she was not alone. The exhaustion caused by her experiences today had distracted her, which was one of the reasons for her actions.
However, her previous actions had left her shirt half off, revealing her bare shoulders and large breasts covered by a black lace bra.
"They are indeed more impressive when you see them like this," Francisca commented, genuinely admiring Séraphine's breasts. It wasn't every day that one could appreciate breasts as large as these.
"Imagine seeing them every day in the mirror," Séraphine said, taking advantage of the situation to show off some more. She finished tying her shirt and ended up reclining on the sofa, no trace of her usual pretentiousness remaining.
"Doesn't it bother you that we're here?" Élodie asked curiously. Although she tried to maintain eye contact with the witch, her gaze kept drifting toward her chest.
'They look bigger without clothes!' thought the blonde, blushing a little from embarrassment. Neither the redhead nor the brunette said anything about it, though.
It wasn't that they hadn't noticed; neither of them was in the mood to joke around or escalate the situation by asking why the police officer was blushing.
The atmosphere was quite relaxed and pleasant. Séraphine had invited them to sleep at her house and told them they could take a bath and borrow clothes.
Francisca always had extra clothes in her spacesuit, but she was only two centimeters taller than Élodie, so the witch's clothes would fit her well.
But now, even though they were talking, it was obvious from each girl's constant yawning and blinking that they were very sleepy. Still, they continued chatting because the calm atmosphere was conducive to relaxation after today's experience.
"Wait a minute. Do you have piercings?" asked Éloïde. She had thought something was strange when she touched Séraphine earlier, but now, looking more closely at the witch's bra, she noticed marks in that area.
She recognized them as piercings from her time in the army. Although soldiers weren't supposed to have that kind of body modification, there were a lot of idle people among them, so police officers got used to seeing these adornments on their female colleagues.
"Yes, guess how I got them," replied Séraphine, who covered one eye with her hand as if thinking of something funny. A smile appeared on her lips.
"Did Miss Rohan have a rebellious phase? Any tattoos on her butt that we should know about?" Francisca asked, hoping to hear more gossip.
"You have a tattoo on your butt? I have one too!" exclaimed Élodie, hoping that Séraphine did as well. Maybe they could show each other theirs?
"No, not yet. My great-great-grandmother gave it to me when I turned 18," Séraphine answered. The two girls were surprised, while the witch burst out laughing.
"Don't you wonder why I like boats so much? My nanny has a magic boat! She's an explorer from the old days. She's very strange, but she always sends me birthday gifts, even though I haven't seen her since I was five," the witch added, revealing a little of her past and her emotions in the process.
"What a cool lady," murmured Élodie, longing to have a relative like that. Who wouldn't want a relative like that?
"She is, and thanks to today, I'll be filling my mouth and ears with more piercings," replied Séraphine after clicking her tongue; she could still taste her own blood.
"I guess she's lived a long time. Is she a witch?" asked Francisca, focusing on this aspect of Séraphine's story.
"Yes! She is. My great-grandfather is a wizard, my grandmother is an alchemist, my father is a warrior, and I am a witch. You could say that's why she pays more attention to me," said Séraphine excitedly. Even though she hadn't seen her great-great-grandmother in a long time, they had never lost touch because she constantly received letters from her.
"Well, I want to know more, but I feel sticky. Where's your bathroom?" Francisca stood up and approached Séraphine. She removed her hand from her face and pointed in the direction of her house.
When the redhead left, only the witch and the warrior remained. Then, Élodie moved closer to Séraphine. The latter did not expect such an act and sat more comfortably on the sofa, leaving the two very close to each other.
"Do you need anything?" Seeing the blonde's expression, the brunette decided to take the initiative and ask. This caused the warrior to lower her head and murmur.
"Can I put my head on your lap?" Mentally, she complained that this wasn't what she wanted to ask, but it was a much more acceptable request than the one she had in mind.
Séraphine didn't answer. She simply lifted Élodie's chin with her index finger. With a big smile showing her teeth, the witch patted her thighs, then her chest, causing ripples.
"I don't have any problems, but I thought you'd aim higher," Séraphine joked, making Élodie burst out laughing. She rested her head on Séraphine's thighs.
"Maybe later," the blonde murmured, closing her eyes and letting sleep envelop her. Even though she still didn't understand why, she felt quite comfortable around the witch.
"Hmph, that's not fair," Séraphine complained softly before looking at the warrior's legs with interest.
The two of them spent a while in complete calm together. They didn't need much to achieve this state. Could Séraphine consider her strange situation with Élodie one of the benefits gained today?
In the future, the witch's answer to that question would be a resounding yes.