“Oh? It seems you know more than I imagined.”
Hearing this answer, Lis’s evaluation of Will seemed to rise slightly.
“Wait, Will, how do you know…”
On the other side, Liya showed a surprised expression.
“It’s normal for me to know about Iaar. As the origin of witches, everyone in Entak should know her—after all, she’s already a person living in our history books, especially the part about magic.”
Iaar, who was the first to engrave the title of witch in history and brought “Ancient Magic” into everyone’s view, held a significant place in Entak’s history.
“For humans, Iaar’s legend should end with… her death, right?”
Not only humans, but Liya’s previous impression also stopped there.
“Yes. Iaar is dead. Liya, do you know how she died?”
Lis spoke very calmly. Lis was also younger than when “Iaar” was alive, so she probably hadn’t met Iaar either.
“She died in a human crusade—the relationship between humans and witches was very poor back then. Later, it eased slightly due to the development of Ancient Magic.”
“You’ve learned the history of witches very well, too.”
“…Then I won’t say that all of this was found later in human texts after I went to the human world. You didn’t explain anything at all.”
She was very angry that her mother hadn’t taught her the most crucial things.
“But, if I remember correctly… didn’t you yourself say you were looking for her whereabouts? Then, could she… like Will, not actually be dead?”
“No. She truly is dead. Thoroughly dead.”
“Then how…”
“But, being dead doesn’t mean… we can’t search for her ‘whereabouts’.”
Lis crossed her arms, her gaze now fixed on Will.
“You’ve cleared this place, so it’s bound to collapse soon. Why don’t we discuss more things ‘outside’?”
Lis was correct.
The sky above The End of Ice Abyss had already begun to show an unnatural deep black that didn’t belong to a blue sky. The ice beneath their feet was also slowly turning into water. The “existence” of this Dungeon wouldn’t last much longer; soon, The End of Ice Abyss would collapse and disappear entirely.
“It’s not safe,” Will commented indifferently. “It’s the least safe in Adventurer’s Guild cities, of course, and also within Dungeons… Unless…”
“You brat, you’re always scheming.”
Lis glared at Will, seeing through his thoughts completely.
“Heh heh, with a witch’s ability to move around conveniently on the ‘inside’ of a Dungeon, can’t I take a look at what’s going on? What should that passage be called… The Witch’s Narrow Path?”
“The Witch’s Corridor—a passage that connects various Dungeons. We internally refer to it like that.”
She fiddled with her ring and seemed to pull out a paper cutter. Using the “air” of the Dungeon as her paper, she extended the blade of the paper cutter and drew two straight lines horizontally and vertically in the air. It was somewhat similar to how Liya had drawn a teleportation portal with chalk for the first time, except this time, in front of Will, a square piece of paper fell from the entire space, and in the remaining blank space of the paper, a long corridor appeared. This corridor looked like the hallway of a museum, with portraits hanging on both sides, decorated in a classical and luxurious manner.
“So this is how this door opens…”
Liya had always traveled through the pre-existing “passages” in the witch settlements; she had never seen how this door opened herself. Witches could travel between different Dungeons, breaking through the physical boundaries of cities, all thanks to this corridor.
“Using the Space Cutter, it’s a hundred thousand each time. Kid, I’m marking this down. Remember to repay me after you’ve taken back Carver’s family fortune.”
Lis casually put the knife away.
“Hey, hey, hey, what if my plan for revenge causes the Hysterm Family to go bankrupt tomorrow?”
“Hmm? You’re not the type of person… who gets so overcome with the rage of revenge that they don’t want the money they’ve obtained, are you? A sentimentalist?”
“…”
“Pfft.”
Liya seemed to see Will falter in an argument for the first time, especially since this person was her mother. She let out a chuckle.
“This corridor, theoretically, can only be passed by those with witch blood. However, you now… should also possess such ‘qualification’.”
Lis beckoned Will. “Try it?”
Will cautiously leaned in, extending just a finger, pressing it against the door frame, and reaching out. Then he withdrew it.
“Nothing happened. It seems I can go through.”
“Don’t be so timid. If you’re going to try, go in completely.”
“What if this thing tears me apart, cuts me in half, or breaks me down to molecules? I don’t want to die again and leave Liya a widow… Wait a minute…”
As soon as Will finished speaking, Liya pushed him from behind directly into the corridor.
“Will, you’re still so glib!”
“It seems your relationship now is indeed… very good?”
Lis crossed her arms. She wore a pleased smile, as if watching a junior couple bickering affectionately.
“It’s… it’s only gotten a little better today.”
Lis wouldn’t believe Liya’s words, especially since her earlobes turned happily red from this “compliment.”
“In short, come in first, and we’ll talk slowly. After all, some things can be clarified here—especially some matters that should be told to Liya.”
However, before entering, Lis paused for a moment and looked at Liya, who had followed them.
“Oh, right. Do you know what this guy sent to the Witch Association’s courier station to spread the rumor of your kidnapping?”
“What?”
Lis took a clump of cut hair from her pocket. The cut surface was very neat, indicating it wasn’t cut from someone who had had their hair cut normally. Few people would cut hair with such a flat, straight slice. However, this lock of hair was well-preserved, wrapped in what looked like a very 고급 silk cloth.
“Will—so, so, so, so, so… my hair one day… being shorter on one side and longer on the other, no matter how I tried to fix it, was it because of you?!”
Liya even pulled up her Twin Tails with one hand, trying to cover it up for him.
“Uh… don’t… don’t you cut hair like this? It’s long hair anyway, just one snip and…”
Will glanced at it. It did seem shorter on one side, but if you didn’t look closely, you wouldn’t notice it because Liya’s hairstyle was Twin Tails, and he randomly picked a strand from one side at the time.
“Hmph!” Liya pouted, her cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish.
“Then… then, um… as compensation, I… I’ll help you wash your hair tonight?”
“What kind of compensation is that, hey!”
“If you don’t mind, you can help blow dry her hair. The thing she hates the most is using wind magic to blow dry her hair because she can’t control the temperature of the heated air well, and occasionally ends up burning it.”
“Mom! Don’t bring up my shortcomings at a time like this!”
“You know to call me ‘Mom’ now?”
“Alright, I guarantee the mission will be completed. Not burning her hair off entirely will be a victory.”
“You—!”
—Amidst such bickering, the three entered The Witch’s Corridor.
