The Truth of Witches and a Dangerous Plan

[After Aile left, Chris has been acting strangely lately.

In the past, she never hesitated to let Mingqian and Eliza enter her room.

Recently, however, not only Mingqian but even Eliza found themselves barred from her presence.

Moreover, Chris’s gaze lingered on your back with increasing frequency, and you caught a whiff of danger.

There was a period when Noyu often muttered phrases like, ‘This area seems completely undefended.’

Though you trusted Chris wasn’t that kind of child, you still kept a wary eye on her.

Should any unforeseen events occur, only Eliza’s quick thinking could resolve them.

After seeing Aile off, you plunged headfirst into the library.

This world held some peculiar anomalies; for instance, despite both men and women wielding magic, why were men never called ‘Demons’ while women were labeled ‘Witches’?

Why did the phenomenon of berserk states due to excessive magic use manifest solely in women?

Driven to uncover the world’s truth, you pushed your life force harder than ever before.

You had already placed your condensed magical core, the very source of your power, into Aile’s bag—a mere drop, or perhaps two, was all that remained of your essence, with your vital signs now wholly sustained by Noyu.

Noyu had said with a laugh that if she were to accidentally perish, Mingqian would immediately follow.

This, indeed, was the truth.]

****

Outside the window, night deepened.

At this very moment, he had already devoured half the library’s collection.

His expression was etched with weariness, for it had been a full week since his last respite.

Though magical elixirs could dispel fatigue, the physical toll was almost irreversible.

As he gently closed the book, Chris, who had been soundly asleep beside him, stirred slightly but ultimately remained unconscious.

The young girl had accompanied him for precisely as long as he had sat there.

Silently, he draped a cloak over her shoulders, then patted his own face.

Chris slept deeply; listening closely, it seemed she was mumbling something.

“Hehe… I can’t eat anymore… Master… my throat… my throat is so full…”

‘This one, it seems, is having quite an extraordinary dream.’

‘Perhaps some deductions can be made now.’

In these past days, he had scoured countless ancient texts—some borrowed from the Imperial Palace Museum, others unearthed from the black market.

These densely packed ancient tomes had initially given him a severe headache.

Yet, as time progressed, he gradually found himself reading them with fluent ease.

Chris had once glanced fearfully at the dense script, instantly turning her head away, clutching her arms.

She was never adept at studying, and such material appeared as a monstrous flood to her.

It was fair to say that the current Mingqian now possessed a profound understanding of the concept of ‘Witches.’

Any ambiguities could now be boldly conjectured.

“The term ‘Witch’ is not one that originated in ancient times.”

“Rather, the concept of a ‘Witch’ itself seems to have been nonexistent a thousand years ago.”

“A millennium ago, humans in this world possessed no magic whatsoever, and their habitable territories were exceedingly small.”

“There was a five-hundred-year gap in between, but after that, people suddenly began to wield magic.”

Mingqian retrieved his diary, a book that was nearing the completion of its purpose.

Adopting a writing style reminiscent of the Bronze Age, he slowly penned down his key points.

“Why, then, are magic-wielding women called Witches? Let us draw a conclusion first: they are demons.”

“This world unusually lacks legends of divine descents, which likely bears a significant connection to the origin of humanity.”

“Within ‘The Four Records of Aeneas,’ the most ancient historical text, one can glimpse the history of humanity being driven out by demons, yet other historical accounts remain conspicuously silent about this period.”

“The author of this book was Virgil, a favored minister of the Empire’s first emperor, and his records are likely accurate.”

“As a favored minister, he would have no reason to fabricate historical facts.”

“This suggests that demons had conquered humanity, but for reasons unknown, they eventually lost their dominion and interbred with humans—thus giving rise to present-day humanity.”

“The magical energy within women tends to be purer than that of men, and many phenomena observed in women can be termed ‘atavistic manifestations.'”

“Women who overuse magic transform into emotionless devils; Aile’s mother, at that time, was perhaps but a single step away.”

“Emotionless devils unleash large-scale attacks indiscriminately, without distinguishing friend from foe.”

“And women who awaken this power seemingly become consumed by magic in the end, leading to catastrophe.”

“The first emperor evidently knew this. To curb the Witches’ power, he established rules to suppress women, preventing most Witches from using magic. Indeed… if magic is not used for an extended period, the source of magical energy becomes obstructed.”

“Over time, their danger would dissipate, and they would become indistinguishable from ordinary people.”

“The so-called ‘Witch Hunts’ were, in reality, a mechanism established by the first emperor to protect women.”

How ironic it was; the very subjects intended for salvation ultimately became the targets of persecution, and the dragon-slayer eventually transformed into the very dragon they fought.

The world is not static, nor are its phenomena; this truth remains constant everywhere.

Mingqian sighed, realizing this could not be considered revenge at all. From beginning to end, it was a tragedy brought about by humanity itself.

Moreover, his process of nurturing the young girl would ironically push her closer to complete demonization, a fate he wished to avoid.

Even now, he knew he had to help Aile break through the Level 100 cap; there was no other recourse.

A certain detective once said that once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

It was highly probable that the true purpose behind the ‘Witch Hunts’ had been lost somewhere in the annals of time, eventually degenerating into a tool of tyranny.

He wondered what Aile would think if she knew all this.

Mingqian rubbed his aching head, clenching his fists.

Sensing the shift in the surrounding atmosphere, Chris slowly awoke, first giggling foolishly at Mingqian’s face, then abruptly wiping her mouth.

“I didn’t swallow it!”

‘Perhaps it’s best not to ask what kind of dream she was having.’

“More importantly, Chris, there’s a serious matter at hand.”

Noticing the gravity on Mingqian’s face, she straightened her own.

“What?” She glanced at the diary splayed on the table, then at Mingqian’s face.

“Ah, don’t tell me, let me guess.”

Chris’s intuition was remarkably sharp; she disliked studying but excelled at strategizing.

Originally, the role of a strategist, rather than a guard, would have suited her better.

“You’ve probably uncovered the truth about Witches? So? And it concerns Aile again?”

Mingqian nodded slightly, laying out all his deductions.

Chris pondered for a moment.

“Your deductions, Master, are never wrong. I understand. You intend for her to… no, you intend to push her one step further, don’t you?”

“I truly don’t want to do this, but…”

Chris smiled softly, lifting her sword.

Her face held no resentment, only a gentle smile.

“It’s nothing. I’ll do it. During this period, please allow Sister to remain by your side, never leaving, alright?”

“Mm.”

Chris waved her hand lightly, then slipped out the window.

[You had unearthed the history of the Witches.

Your fortune was considerable, as this very entry had aided you countless times before.

The plan was simple: Aile had already journeyed south, and her heart might still be wavering.

All you needed to do was ignite a small spark within her.

Unleash a widespread apprehension of Witches across the nation.

You had no intention of truly executing them; you believed that if Aile could reach Level 100, she would undoubtedly save them.

The barbarians of the north were biding their time, poised to strike. Should Aile raise a banner of rebellion in the south, with powerful figures across the land rallying to her cause, Noyu’s knight order alone would be utterly incapable of resistance.

The sole remaining issue was Noyu… you had to devise a retreat for her, and this one point still eluded your calculations.]