VIP Chapter 161: Piecing Together Clues
“But Shuna, how did you figure out that freezing was the method to reveal hidden markings?”
Back in their resting room.
Will observed carefully…
It was indeed true.
On this dark red scrap of cloth—well, it couldn’t be called a scrap now, it was better cloth—there was an identical, crudely drawn Witch Hat.
“Could it be that Shuna, you thought that things dug up from a fire dungeon… would be revealed by freezing? What a genius idea!”
“Uh…”
Shuna, uncharacteristically…
Instead of puffing up with pride after Will’s compliment, she showed an embarrassed expression and scratched her head with her hand.
“Actually, it wasn’t just freezing. I also tried strong compression, high-temperature scorching, and electrical shock. Oh, and I tried leaving it out in the sun. As you can see, this one worked.”
“…Genius! Shuna, that’s a brute-force method that requires immense courage!”
“You’ll praise anything I do, won’t you!”
“You are the strongest Shuna in my heart!”
“Alright, alright, let’s look at the cloth on the table.”
Will stopped joking around and turned to continue his observation.
He hadn’t expected…
They had come here because of the “Yamik City Souvenir” on the box, and then because of the white traces on the shattered Green Ghost Stone… but there was a very obvious clue, placed on the cloth that was used for packaging?
It was indeed the insignia of the Witch Association, but…
It only proved that this cloth might be one of the “items” provided by the Witch Association.
As someone who had mingled with witches for many years, Will possessed extensive knowledge.
The goods Lia had purchased from the Witch Association—according to her, the Association actually had many witches, but they didn’t easily reveal their whereabouts and had unique channels to procure items from the Witch Association.
Both the coins and the ring on Will’s hand were shipped from the Association.
But no one knew the Association’s exact location to this day.
It was like a phantom organization, non-existent in this world. Despite possessing vast quantities of rare treasures, no one knew where they were produced or stored.
“You must know a lot about this, after all, you have a great witch teacher.”
Shuna crossed her arms, looking with Will at the cloth on the table, which had revealed the Witch Association’s insignia only after being frozen.
Why did Will feel a hint of aggression in her words?
“Uh… I know her, but… if we’re talking about understanding…”
Will felt embarrassed to say that Lia might… not have enough seniority.
Lia’s witch training was still shallow. After all, the earliest witch, Yar, was from five hundred years ago. Senior witches were all over four hundred years old. Lia, being over a hundred years old, seemed very “young” among them and was far from being able to know these things.
Lia was like a consumer who only knew how to click on a shopping app to buy items but had no idea about the app’s underlying operational logic—someone who waited for delivery without even going to a courier station.
“So… it only proves that this thing is related to witches?”
“Mm. However…”
Will pondered for a moment.
Most witches now “lived in seclusion” in their respective domains—Will didn’t know where they were hiding either, but it was hard to find traces of them in this world.
With such hidden channels and so many items unseen by the outside world, they would naturally not leave things in places that could be so easily discovered.
The only ones who had observed traces of witches…
One was Lia, as a lecturer at Entak First Academy, she was arguably the closest witch.
The other…
Was…
According to Lia, her mother who had left without a word.
Could it be…
That Lia’s mother, whom she had been searching for all these years, had appeared beside them in such a coincidental manner? And so close?
If only Lia were here. Regardless of whether she had any connection to her mother, she would probably be overjoyed to hear about such a witch-related clue.
Unfortunately…
She was probably with Iaar and Treya in Nov, patiently waiting for the true protagonist to appear?
“The Witches currently active outside, besides the one I know, is only her mother.”
“It seems like the case you’re investigating is being handled by an old acquaintance.”
“Uh… but I’m not familiar with her mother. She’s actually out here looking for her mom.”
“If this lead doesn’t pan out, we’ll have to pay a visit to the Ice Queen.”
Looking at this thing, Will couldn’t help but feel…
Since arriving in Nov, the place where the “original work’s” continuous plot had truly begun, things had been deviating further and further from “fate.”
For example, the “former Shining Star” who had disappeared.
The “Green Ghost Stone” that suddenly appeared here, so similar to the game items he had designed.
And…
His witch mother, who was a mere “background character” for Lia in the original work and only provided a simple goal, had always been unheard of.
However, these clues, when put together, seemed unrelated. No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn’t figure out what catalyst had caused these changes to happen at the same time.
Nor could he imagine how fate would “correct” these things.
If only…
His “Quest System” were with him.
His memory of the plot was too faint now. He could barely recall a few famous scenes that readers often discussed and emphasized. He couldn’t accurately describe the details. Although he had probably forgotten a lot of what he wrote four years ago, it was still better than his current state.
Like most readers and most works.
No matter how good a novel, manga, or movie was, in the end, what remained in the minds of those who watched the story were only a few particularly memorable scenes.
Not to mention, they were already considered disposable entertainment, right?
“Ah, this is annoying. Shuna, let’s start my training today.”
Will slammed his hand on the table.
“What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly so enthusiastic? You were just lounging around in the dungeon earlier.”
“I think if I really start training, I might have fewer worries like this.”
“Keeping busy to temporarily forget difficulties, huh? This is a brand new form of escapism, Little Will~”
“There’s no progress for now anyway.”
“It’s okay, I’ll give you new worries.”
“?!”
“Don’t think that S-rank training is going to be simple.”
***
Meanwhile, in a luxury hotel in Yamik Town.
The receptionist was organizing the list of today’s check-ins.
Suddenly, he noticed a small hand appear on the front desk.
“Hello, little one, can I help you…”
“The largest room, please.”
He looked down and saw the “child’s” red pupils hidden beneath the hat—a terrifying blood-red, like the man-eating witches of legend.
Her voice carried a hint of coyness, possessing a maturity that completely contradicted her appearance.
“But the largest room…”
“I need to put down quite a few things. It’s very urgent, very urgent, very urgent. Please…”
“Slightly rush other guests.”
“I’ll pay double the price.”
Her eyes, staring at him, seemed to leave him no room for refusal.
