novelraw Chapter 24: The Witch’s Trick
Chapter 24: The Witch’s Trick
"Those two are definitely dumb, but it's hard to survive these days... Let them go. Not only is all the treasure here yours, but I’ll also tell you about several other hidden caches—everything will be yours, just spare their lives."
Korriri looked at the bleeding Famasie lying on the ground. She resisted the urge to reach out. Her expression remained calm—barely.
Fischer didn’t hesitate. The glow from his cane grew stronger.
"Hmm, not bad. But killing you all and taking the visible treasure works just fine for me..."
A crack appeared on Korriri’s composed face. As the glowing light moved closer to Sia’s body, she couldn’t think of any other way to stop him.
She hesitated, then suddenly shouted:
"That red Dragonkin—she never completed her Coming of Age in the tribe. She can’t reach her final form without it. I can provide the method for her full transformation! And all the treasure’s still yours—just let them go!"
But the moment she said it, Korriri regretted it.
To humans, demi-human slaves were just property—likely not even as valuable as treasure.
Raphaëlle also closed her eyes, for the answer was obvious. “...Interesting.”
To everyone’s surprise, the light on Fischer’s cane gradually dimmed. He lowered his arm. “One of your companions needs to stop bleeding. Hurry and take care of her.”
Korriri froze for a second, then quickly floated to Fischer’s side and checked on Famasie, who lay unconscious. The blood on her was drying, but the wounds still looked shocking.
Frantic, Korriri pressed her phantom hands over the injuries. A ring on her finger began to emit a faint glow—it was inscribed with a simple healing spell. Fischer didn’t interfere and simply sat down on the carriage, quietly waiting for her response.
Nearby, Raphaëlle opened her eyes in surprise at Fischer’s words. She turned toward her companions, only to find them all staring back at her.
“What are you all looking at?”
Now it was Raphaëlle’s turn to look flustered and awkward. Her tail swept side to side behind her, drawing the attention of the imprisoned human nearby.
“Korriri... how’s Famasie?”
Sia had finally snapped out of her daze. Korriri didn’t look at her. Only when she confirmed the bleeding had stopped did she sigh in relief.
“She’s okay. Barely breathing.”
She glanced at Sia’s battered state and instantly understood—they were no match for this human. They’d raided many humans in the area, but this was their first time meeting someone like him. He was a monster...
“Now, will you tell me how Dragonkin come of age?”
Fischer tapped his cane against the floor, making a crisp sound that drew Korriri’s attention from her healing.
She withdrew her hands from Famasie, looked at Raphaëlle, and said:
“Dragonkin require a ritual to guide their horns to grow. Without the specific incantation for Dragonkin, the horns may grow chaotically—or in completely random places. I once exchanged knowledge with a Dragonkin tribe and obtained part of the ritual. This one should be coming of age in a few days, so we have time to prepare.”
She continued:
“The ritual setup needs several items—some have to be purchased from other tribes. Some only accept gold, not human currency…”
Fischer cast a glance at the treasure piled in the hall and said calmly:
“Don’t worry about money.”
A dark line appeared across Korriri’s face. Beside her, Sia clutched her stomach and tried to speak:
“Hey, at least leave us a little.”
Fischer gave her a blank look. She immediately went limp. Whatever strange system she had must’ve triggered again—her face flushed red, and her spider body trembled—but no more silk would come out.
“I don’t want your money. Let the people here go, help me complete the ritual, and we’re even...” He looked at the two barely functioning demi-humans and added, “And my wallet.”
Korriri glanced at Sia, who reluctantly pulled the genuine leather wallet from inside her blouse and tossed it to Fischer from afar. It was warm and carried a faint scent.
Fischer opened it and counted the Nary Euro inside.
The money was intact. More importantly, it still held his bank receipts and the photo Renée had entrusted to him.
Once everything checked out, he finally relaxed.
“We’ll stay here tonight. Start preparations tomorrow. Take care of your companion first.”
He walked to the prison and released everyone. Larr immediately ran out and hugged him, her small frame clinging to Fischer, startling the others.
“Larr!”
“Fischer, Fischer, I thought I’d never see you again! That Spiderkin said you were dead—it scared me to death... I was worried you’d end up with holes in your head or something...”
“No way.”
Fischer looked down at the cheerful little Larr. Her tail wagged behind her, but she was so light he could lift her effortlessly.
She really trusted him, even as a human?
“Alright, Larr, come down now.”
Mir, ever the sensible one, rushed over and pulled Larr from Fischer’s arms. “I’m sorry, Lord Fischer.”
Fischer patted Larr’s head to show he didn’t mind, then remembered to ask Mir:
“Do Dragonkin really have Coming of Age Ceremonies? Why didn’t you mention it before?”
“Eh? Well... when I came of age, I was in a lot of pain and mostly asleep. I have no idea what my family did. I just woke up with horns... sorry.”
Mir looked apologetic and lowered her head.
Fischer nodded. Just as he was about to ask how the humans got caught, a sudden birdcall echoed from the hall.
Chirp chirp~ chirp chirp~
Fischer turned to see a long-tailed lark glowing with deep violet light spinning through the air. It hovered midair, refusing to land, calling out clearly.
A dark line crossed Fischer’s face. He looked at the demi-humans.
“Which one of you touched the clothes in my carriage?”
Korriri blinked, then raised her hand.
“It was me...”
“Then never mind.”
All three demi-humans were female. Of course he’d asked a stupid question.
The lark’s eyes locked onto Fischer and cheerfully landed on his shoulder. But instead of a warm greeting, he got a series of light pecks.
“Fischer, bad guy! Fischer, bad guy!”
The bird spoke like a child—each peck accompanied by a cry, drawing everyone’s attention to Fischer.
The bird spoke in Nary, but thanks to the Brain Demonkin’s influence, everyone could understand.
Raphaëlle stared at the side of his face.
“Alright, Hart, what does she want to say?”
Fischer reached up, pinched the bird’s head to stop the pecking, and gently stroked its feathers.
“Three things, three things...”
“Mhm?”
“First thing, first thing—stay away from those women. One of them touched Renée’s clothes, and she’s furious. She sent me to peck your head.”
“...And how is she now?”
“Second thing, second thing—Cardo hasn’t found her home. She’s going further south to keep looking.”
Fischer paused for a long time before replying to the bird on his shoulder.
“...I see.”
“Third thing, third thing.”
The magical bird Hart chirped again.
“Renée says she misses you very much.”
Silence fell. Only the bird tilted its head adorably, waiting for his response.
“I know.”
Fischer’s silence this time lasted even longer. It took ages before he finally forced out a dry cough and a normal reply. He clenched his cane and walked a few steps toward the carriage.
“Any message for Hart to bring back? Anything? Anything?”
From inside the prison, Raphaëlle watched only the human man’s back. But their entire exchange was clear and audible.
Her tail didn’t move. She shut her eyes as if she didn’t care.
“Tell her to take care of herself.”
“Okay okay... Fischer says take care of yourself. Fischer says take care of yourself...”
The little bird repeated the message, flapping its wings and rising into the air. As it ascended, a series of magical circuits appeared in rings around it. Its speed increased so rapidly that its flight path blurred the runes.
Finally, the bird became a streaking meteor that shot from the cave into the misty sky above the Southern Continent, flying toward a moonlit stretch of stars, disappearing into the horizon.
Far away, in the region of Cardo on the Western Continent, pale, ascetic architecture cast long shadows. The weather was perfect, and sunlight streamed into a second-floor room of a hotel made of spire-like towers.
A room facing south had its window open. A faint incense scent drifted outward. A beautiful woman with long black hair leaned against the windowsill, seemingly resting her eyes.
Waiting for a violet meteor to return.
The little violet bird landed on the windowsill and hopped a few times before stopping. But when it spoke, it no longer chirped like before.
A lazy, wine-tinged female voice—like it had soaked in Black Mamba Wine—came from the bird’s mouth.
“Alright, give me my body back, Hart.”
The woman opened her eyes. Her once-empty gaze gradually filled with a deep violet, darker than the night sky. Only once her eyes glowed completely purple did she stretch and scoop the animated bird into her palm.
Too bad... that idiot Fischer couldn’t tell the difference at all.