The Witch’s House and a Burning Resolve

The bone ring emitted a glistening jade light, as if drawing out the soul.

In an open-air cottage, bathed in sunlight, a sense of peace permeated the air. After traversing a long, winding corridor, the ash-haired maiden finally settled silently in the center of the room, a wicker chair resting behind her.

Iordera recalled this place as the ‘Witch’s House’ on the rooftop.

“Good evening, my dear,” Hecate greeted, waving gently.

Iordera shook her head, cautiously glancing around the ethereal space.

This mental realm, created through the ring as a medium, functioned much like a chatroom.

“Hecate says not to worry, you’re still in the same place.”

She pushed open a window, revealing the tranquil scenery of a farm outside.

“The place I’m in is called Moore Manor. The pastoral scenery in the countryside is truly lovely. I’ll bring you to visit sometime, if you wish.”

Iordera shook her head, a bitter twist to her lips.

She hadn’t yet formulated how to explain.

Noticing her expression, Hecate inquired, “What is it, my dear? By the looks of you, things didn’t go well?”

“I failed,” Iordera sighed, slumping down in dejection. “I failed.”

She recounted all the events and encounters she had experienced in Saroyan over the past few days.

Hecate tilted her head. “So, you’ve found us a daughter?”

“No, three,” Iordera replied instinctively, before realizing her mistake and shaking her head vigorously. “And no, we haven’t done any such thing.”

Hecate chuckled softly twice.

“Stop laughing,” Iordera said, a hint of irritation in her voice. “I don’t understand what they did wrong.”

“They did nothing wrong, my dear,” Hecate said, her tone mild.

“She merely stood in someone else’s way.”

Hecate closed the window and returned to her wicker chair. “So, you went to summon The Sword Saint, believing he would uphold justice for you?”

Iordera shook her head. “He said those children aren’t citizens; they are property, and thus unprotected.”

She relayed The Sword Saint’s exact words.

Hecate listened intently, then nodded thoughtfully. “He makes a valid point. He wasn’t wrong.”

Having spoken, she noticed the young girl staring intently at her. Hecate quickly waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t look at me like that, my dear. The truth is… while I deeply sympathize with your plight, you must remember I cannot intervene. If I were to act, you and our three daughters would become targets, branded as followers of the Witch, and assailed by heroes from across the land.”

“I know,” Iordera said, her voice laced with bitterness. “I wanted to ask you if there’s any other way.”

“Of course there is,” Hecate responded without hesitation. “You don’t even need to ask me; aren’t you already quite clear on it yourself?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You’ve already thought of two ways to resolve this, you merely chose the latter one,” Hecate twisted her neck, looking at her. “Have you forgotten?”

Iordera grew even more despondent. “I can’t do it.”

‘Indeed, I had considered two methods back then. One was to appeal to The Sword Saint Sorold, and the other… was to simply eliminate Busius.’

‘If the person blocking the path were gone, the obstacle would cease to exist.’

Hecate blinked curiously. “Why can’t you do it?”

“Why can’t I? Because he’s over Level 60, twice my strength!” Iordera gritted her teeth. “Before him, I wouldn’t even have a chance to strike. Even if I could land a blow, it would be useless.”

Hecate poured a pot of tea in the mental space, slowly savoring it. “That’s not necessarily true. You just don’t know the full extent of what you’re capable of.”

Iordera stared at her blankly.

“There are some things you haven’t yet realized. For instance, why did you go to consult The Sword Saint?” Hecate asked her.

“Because The Sword Saint is the most esteemed person in the East District. Everyone says he upholds justice,” Iordera replied.

Hecate let out a low laugh. “My dear, does the person with the highest status always uphold justice and maintain order?”

Iordera shook her head, remaining silent.

The facts proved otherwise.

“He certainly upholds justice, but didn’t others also say that, from the perspective of Imperial law, there’s nothing wrong?” Hecate gazed directly at her. “My dear, by what standard do you judge his actions as right or wrong?”

Iordera opened her mouth, but no words emerged.

“That’s why you haven’t realized something crucial,” Hecate shook her head. “In the last city, you picked up your own sword. But here, you handed your sword to someone else, hoping they would wield it for you.”

“What should I do?” Iordera asked.

“As I said, you need to realize one thing,” Hecate’s voice drifted ambiguously through the mental space. “By what standard do you judge the order you believe in as right or wrong?”

“I…”

“You what?”

“I said, I,” Iordera turned her gaze towards the window, “by my own judgment.”

The sky outside the window was tinged with layers of dark gold.

“It seems you’ve realized it,” Hecate said with a smile. “Congratulations, my dear.”

****

Sophia awoke with a start, lifting her head to see that dawn had broken outside.

She quickly stretched, went out to buy breakfast, and then returned to the cellar.

“Iordera, do you want breakfast…? What are you doing?”

In the dim light of the dungeon, the white-haired girl held her small box, taking out the five candle stubs one by one and examining them in her palm.

The candle stubs had been kept with the bone ring in the box, brought along with her.

“I don’t want to eat, thank you,” Iordera said, gazing intently at the candles. “I’m thinking about some things.”

Sophia set down the breakfast. “Thinking about what?”

Iordera held up a tiny candle stub. “You make a wish to a candle, and it helps fulfill it. When they extinguish, it means the wish has come true, right?”

“Yes,” Sophia replied, utterly confused. “Why?”

“She once made a wish to me,” Iordera said, clenching her small hand. “Surely, I can’t be worse than a candle.”

The image of the cat-eared maiden closing her eyes and blowing remained vivid in Iordera’s memory, as if she could still feel the soft, tickling breeze on her face.

The maiden had harbored only one small wish: to live under the sunlight.

Sensing something was amiss, Sophia attempted to reason with her. “But Iordera, some wishes just can’t be fulfilled. Birthday candles can’t grant every wish, right?”

“True, but they at least try their best,” Iordera said, spreading her hand. “A candle stub I powdered… those that don’t extinguish will burn themselves out trying.”

“But they are candles, and you are human!” Sophia exclaimed, panicking. “They can burn, but you can’t possibly…”

‘Burn?’

The golden-haired girl blinked, unable to believe what she was witnessing.

In Iordera’s eyes, dark golden flames blazed fiercely.

“Sophia, please do me a favor.”

[Soul Core Synchronization Rate: Ascending. First Authority ‘Natural Order Unlock’ Progress: 80%]