novelraw Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Chapter 36: The Strange Sibyl Family
Euphemia sat on the sofa in the tea room, taking small sips of her black tea. She frowned and asked the maid beside her, “Why are all the croissants gone? Seriel, didn’t you just bake a batch this morning?”
“They were all used to entertain the two guests today, Miss,” the maid bowed. “And the remaining cookies and toast were also packed up and taken away by Miss Lina...”
Euphemia’s eyelids twitched as she listened. She wanted to say something, but in the end swallowed her words.
“They’ve already left?” Euphemia set down her teacup.
“Yes, Miss,” Seriel nodded. “The two of them should have already returned to the Wizards’ Association by now.”
“Haa—” Euphemia let out a long breath and slumped onto the sofa without any regard for appearances. She raised her hand and waved at Seriel, signaling for her to sit beside her.
Tilting her head back, she gazed at the magnificent crystal chandelier above and slowly said, “Seriel... do you think I might have some kind of special trouble-attracting constitution...”
Seriel sat gracefully beside Euphemia. “Has Lady Euphemia encountered something unpleasant again?”
She paused briefly. “Is it related to those two witches?”
“Hehe...” Euphemia gently closed her eyes, adjusting her posture as she lay down on Seriel’s lap. “Seriel, do you still remember that ‘Witch of Fate’ I met in Celestis two years ago?”
“The one who commissioned you to write a book?” Seriel asked softly.
“Mm,” Euphemia blinked. “Today, within that Miss ‘Lina’’s soul... I sensed an aura similar to hers, and it was even... somewhat stronger.”
Seriel’s eyes widened instantly; she understood very clearly what Euphemia meant.
The first four Great Witches of the Wizards’ Association were existences that possessed divine authority. They were already close to some kind of fundamental laws of the world, beyond even being measured by the standards of living beings...
And yet her master had sensed, from that girl’s soul, an aura even stronger than the Witch of Fate!
“I can’t tell you the specifics... this is part of my agreement with Them.” Euphemia’s voice carried a trace of fatigue. “These ‘important figures’ have all begun to take action... perhaps, the fifth great calamity truly isn’t far off.”
“No matter which calamity it is, I will remain by your side,” Seriel gently stroked Euphemia’s hair.
“Seriel, you’re the best,” Euphemia turned over, burying her entire face into Seriel’s embrace. “If only there were no great calamities... I really want to see what a clear sky looks like.”
“Even without a great calamity, you would still have to meet your manuscript deadlines, dear Miss,” Seriel glanced at the clock in the tea room and said softly, “Miss, it’s time to go to the study and work.”
“Wuu wuu wuu... Seriel, you’re so cruel...” Euphemia sat up, fake crying.
“Then do you need me to carry you to the study?” Seriel’s face still held a faint smile. “Just like when you were a child—back then you refused to study, crying and making a fuss for me to buy you those kinds of novels...”
“Ahh! Stop talking!” Euphemia jumped up at once and dashed out of the tea room as if fleeing, leaving behind a flustered silhouette.
Sitting at her desk, Euphemia let out a soft breath and opened the unfinished manuscript—
‘The Star Witch’s Ninety-Nine Sleepless Nights · Part Two’
---
“What’s going on, hey, slow down.” Lina stepped forward and patted the brown-haired girl’s back.
The girl raised her head, panting as she said, “The Sibyl family’s enforcers are lying in wait near the Association for you..”
“Huh? When did I offend the Sibyl family? Isn’t your family’s young miss... wait... you’re Mira?” Only then did Lina recognize her—she was also one of her many students, an apprentice witch under the Sibyl family.
The brown-haired girl quickly scanned the surroundings, then tugged at Lina’s sleeve and spoke urgently, “This isn’t a suitable place to talk, please come with me.”
“I understand... let’s go. Annie, you...”
“I’m following Sister Lina!”
Lina and Annie followed Mira as they quickly left the main street, arriving at a secluded alley.
Only after confirming that no one was around did Mira let out a breath of relief, her tone turning serious. “Miss Lina... it would be best if you didn’t return to the inn for the next three days... the family has arranged at least ten enforcers near the Association, all for the sake of dealing with you.”
“Why?” Lina was thoroughly puzzled. “Wasn’t it Sibyl who asked you to deliver a message to me... did something happen on her side?”
So it was finally happening. Getting entangled with a great family meant facing something like this sooner or later... Lina wailed inwardly.
“No, it’s... it’s Mr. Tal...” Mira lowered her head and spoke in a small voice. “Mr. Tal said that you assaulted him on the street without reason, and that you bewitched the Sibyl family’s young miss... The master was furious. Ignoring the young miss’s attempts to stop him, he deployed all the family’s enforcers, wanting to get an ‘explanation’ from you...”
“*That f***ing idiot!*” Lina immediately cursed. “I should’ve just kicked his damn head in right then!”
But a trace of doubt quickly rose in her heart.
As a newly promoted D-rank witch, her value theoretically wasn’t any lower than Tal’s.
Tal might be considered outstanding among the younger generation, but not to the extent that a great family would value him so heavily.
Even if the Sibyl family didn’t try to win her over, they shouldn’t have actively turned hostile toward her like this.
Moreover, the Sibyl family’s young miss was still on her side...
Something about this was off.
“There are twelve enforcers in total. Two of them are E-rank wizards, two are E-rank witches... and there’s also one C-rank witch. The rest are ordinary people,” Mira added quietly. “That C-rank witch seems to be a retired soldier from the Holy City... her combat experience is extremely rich.”
Lina bit her lower lip, thinking of a countermeasure.
Dealing with these people itself wasn’t much of a problem... the key issue was the Sibyl family behind them.
“Th-that, Lina-jie, I... I might have a way,” Annie said softly. “Actually... I have a consumable item my mentor left me for saving my life at critical moments...”
Lina chuckled and patted Annie’s little head. “I appreciate the thought, but your Sister Lina isn’t someone who’d be scared off by this many people.”
“Th-this many?” Mira’s eyes widened. “Y-you didn’t mishear, right? They have—”
“Twelve people, including five transcendents.” Lina nodded seriously. “Under normal circumstances, they’re indeed not easy to deal with... Mira, what’s your mana attribute?”
“Me? I’m water attribute.” Mira blinked. “Miss Lina, I’ll do my best to help you, but my strength is probably...”
“It’s fine,” a sly glint flashed in Lina’s eyes. “Come closer, I’ve got a good idea... Mira, Annie, just treat this as your first real combat lesson...”
---
The street in front of the Wizards’ Association was unusually deserted today. It was eerily quiet, without a single person in sight.
All the shops had hung up “Closed” signs in advance. Yet deep within the second-floor restaurant of the seemingly empty Tamel Inn, lights flickered.
Several men and women dressed in plain clothes, appearing utterly unremarkable, were gathered inside a private room.
"Big Sis Sariel, the family head sent so many of us... just to deal with a little girl?" a burly man asked in a low voice.
“The family head’s orders are absolute,” a middle-aged woman with light brown long hair stood up. The scar on the side of her face looked especially ferocious under the light. “Jack is still outside keeping watch. All of you stay sharp!”
Sariel swept her gaze across the ten people in the private room, and a faint trace of regret flickered in her eyes.