Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1035: Betting on Both Sides
Angel was not surprised by the words of "White Saint" Katarina. After all, she had just experienced a sneak attack from the mirror world a few minutes ago. The other party accurately determined the time and location of her leaving the "God-Forsaken Land" and launched a divine descent at the right time, assisted by a seal that could kill all her substitutes at the same time, and almost succeeded.

Of course, Angel didn't think that a mirror that was obviously only at the saint level and far inferior to the "0" level seal could really kill the person in her mirror in the "City of Disaster". This was similar to her method of combining the "War Bishop" gift with the witch's ability to instantly destroy all the opponent's mirror substitutes. It was difficult to be effective against beings with a higher sequence or status than herself.

Therefore, the surprise attack of the "Blue Witch" was most likely just a test to test whether Angel's mirror figure was truly indestructible, to test whether Angel's control over the mirror world was higher than that of an ordinary witch angel, and to test whether she could deal with the "Original Witch" sent by God.

But if that's the case, then it's a bit strange that the "God's Descent" was terminated prematurely at the moment when the mirror seal took effect...

What made Angel feel strange was not only the "test" that came to an abrupt end, but also the attitude of the "White Saint".

"She actually reminded me that the enemies of the 'Witch Cult' should be careful of being attacked... I thought the disagreements within the cult were just a struggle between different factions, but what Katarina did was equivalent to 'surrendering to the enemy'..."

While wondering, Angel followed the prayer sound that had just stopped and found the corresponding prayer light spot. His spirituality spread and the corresponding picture immediately appeared in front of him.

But all she saw was broken glass on the ground.

"Mirror double?"

Angel tried to trace the connection between the substitute and the real body, but found nothing. He realized that Catalina had cut off the connection with the substitute the moment the prayer ended, and her real body was most likely hiding inside the mirror world, concealing her whereabouts.

"Very cautious, worthy of being an 'immortal' witch who has survived the Fourth Epoch to this day... My Sequence 2 honorific name has a certain inheritance relationship with the 'Golden Queen', and it has been spread on the sea for some time, so it's not surprising that she knows about it. But the reason she secretly informed on me was to hedge her bets, or did she receive instructions from someone?"

Next to the gradually fading prayer light, Angel was lost in thought, and his figure instantly disappeared from the mirror world.

After a moment, she hurried back to the place and began to look for the remains of the "Reaper Legion".

That is a priceless Sequence 3 Seal!
----

After the regular meeting held every Wednesday, Leonard Mitchell walked out of the conference room, feeling a little tired. He watched several Mandated Punishers, Mechanical Hearts, and military members leave before coming to the first floor of St. Samuel's Church, entering the prayer hall from the side door, and taking a rest on a bench in the corner.

As the captain of the "Red Gloves" and the temporary leader of the "Tarot Club Investigation Team", Leonard not only had to deal with the frequent Beyonder cases in Backlund every day, and continue to track the movements of organizations such as the "Aurora Club", but also had to hold meetings every week to share the progress of the investigation with other partners. Even with the physique of an "Insomniac" who hardly needed sleep, it was a bit too much.

Of course, there is more than one reason why I can’t bear it…

Recovering his somewhat scattered thoughts, Leonard thought of the new information he had just received. Angelica, the "Golden Queen" who was suspected to be a member of the Tarot Club, appeared on Sona Island deep in the violent sea five days ago and easily destroyed the port on the island without hurting anyone.

This apparently protest action angered the local "Manufactured Punishers", who quickly reported the matter to the Storm Church's overseas colony hub, the "Sea King" Yann Cotman, who guarded the Rorsted Islands and surrounding waters, hoping that he would punish this ignorant pirate queen.

But Lord Poseidon, who was usually very active in similar incidents, remained strangely silent. The information was passed to Backlund and placed on the table of the "Tarot Club Investigation Team".

Punishment? How to punish? This is a real angel, and a "witch" angel with unparalleled lethality and mobility. With the war between Loen and its neighboring countries tense and the main forces of the Storm Church on the front line to contain the enemy's Beyonders, the "Sea King" is already the strongest force they can mobilize.

And he is only a Sequence 3.

Leonard, who knew why the Storm Church had given him the cold shoulder, chuckled secretly. He knew why the "Golden Queen", "Miss Queen", and his former colleague Angel Granger appeared on Isla Sorna. Because at the Tarot Club the day before yesterday, "World" Klein mentioned in a private conversation with him that he had gone to the isolated "God-forsaken Land" through a "loophole" on Isla Sorna to pursue the ancient history he needed and to avoid being tracked by certain enemies. Angel was there to protect him.

The disaster that destroyed the port was caused by another "disaster" witch.

"This is another typical case of 'I investigate myself', and I can't possibly reveal my relationship with the 'Golden Queen', although the Archbishop may already know about it, otherwise he wouldn't have let Angel take Sherman away..."

Leonard muttered, and was about to stand up from the bench when he suddenly felt someone standing in front of him.

Daly Simone, who was wearing a hooded robe and light makeup on her face, looked at him with interest and asked:
"I rarely see you coming to church to pray recently. Why are you free today?"

"Just finished a meeting, taking a break," Leonard responded briefly, "Where's the captain?"

"He was transferred back to the sanctuary."

Speaking of this, Daly's face looked a little gloomy.

Tsk, this damn war, Ms. Daly just got engaged to the captain... Leonard also frowned, and was about to make a comment, but then he remembered that he had received some kind of "privilege" by staying in Backlund, and quickly changed the subject:
"Is the situation tense over there?"

"It's even worse than what the newspapers say. The attacks of the Feysac army have slowed down in the deep winter, but the Beyonders' attempts have become more frequent." Daly simply sat next to Leonard and said in a low voice, "After a while, I may have to go and meet up with Dunn."

"what?"

Leonard was very surprised.

He was not surprised that Dunn Smith was transferred back to the temple, because this senior deacon was already a Sequence 4 Night Watcher and possessed a holy object bestowed by the Goddess. His strength was also top-notch among the saints.

But "gatekeepers" like Daly Simone are different. In a war involving a large number of saints and even angels, they are almost cannon fodder at the bottom. They are not even capable of self-protection, let alone creating any value. Unless...

"You were also approved for promotion?"

He also asked in a low voice.

Daly nodded, her hood swaying.

"Recently, several 'gatekeepers' in the church who have been waiting for promotion but have not been approved have been notified that they can try to be promoted in the near future. The previously scarce magic potions are now in sufficient supply... I am one of them."

So fast... By the way, Ms. Daly is one of the few geniuses who has comprehended the "acting method" on her own, and I only know this because of the old man's reminder... Leonard was a little dazed for a moment. All his old acquaintances in Tingen City have become or are about to become demigods. His former "protagonists on the world stage" now seem so ridiculous.

But he immediately collected his thoughts and thought of the reason why the church accelerated the promotion of mid-sequence Beyonders to high-sequence Beyonders.

The first is naturally the need of war. This is not only true for the Church of Night, but also for the Church of Storms. Several "Wind-lovers" and "Ocean Singers" he knew, who had already met the conditions for promotion but were deliberately suppressed, have disappeared recently. Apparently, they have obtained new opportunities for promotion.

Secondly, at the Tarot Club, from Pallez's few words, Leonard guessed that the reason why the Goddess of Night was in a bad state recently was probably related to the "God of Death" who had fallen long ago, and this god was the Sequence 0 True God of the path where the "Gatekeeper" was.

Could it be that the goddess is controlling the adjacent "Death" pathway... A terrible thought suddenly popped up in his mind, and he suddenly felt that the color of the Holy Emblem of Night on the stained glass in front of him had become darker.

……

After bidding farewell to Ms. Daly, Leonard got on a hired carriage bound for the East District. He looked out the window at the street scene that was receding, and suddenly tilted his head and asked in a low voice:
"Old man, do you think I can have a chance to advance in this war if I stop stalling and digest the 'Spiritual Witch' as ​​soon as possible?"

After a brief silence, he heard the old voice of Pales:

"What? Aren't you afraid of exposing your uniqueness?"

"I……"

Leonard hesitated.

"...I don't want Sherman to help me block the attack like last time..."

"And the anxiety of watching everyone you know ascend to demigod status, right?" Pales mercilessly exposed him, "If it weren't for the inexplicable luck of the 'Black Knight', I would have stolen his herding ability completely and made him lose control on the spot."

He immediately laughed in Leonard's mind and continued:
"But it's a good thing that you've become more motivated now. Let's do this. When the Jacob family's exploration yields results, you can find an opportunity to capture a few powerful spirits in the suburbs of Backlund in the name of investigating the Tarot Club. With my help, this won't be a difficult task. Perhaps within two months, you'll be able to digest the Sequence 5 potion, and then you can reveal it to your archbishop..."

Leonard's frown gradually relaxed as he listened to Pales' plan, and he asked curiously:
"The exploration of the treasure is about to begin? Aren't you worried about any traps?"

“Heh, this is thanks to your former colleague. He went to the ‘Forsaken Land of the Gods’ in search of Beyonder characteristics that would allow him to advance to Sequence 2. This is bound to attract Amon’s attention. With him as bait, I can relax for the time being.”

Pales replied with a chuckle.

“Bait…” Leonard’s expression changed. “Did you know that Amon was waiting for Klein in the God-Forsaken Land?”

"He must have known that Amon would try to capture him in order to find the Fool and obtain Sefirah Castle, but he still chose to go to the blocked continent to take risks and seek promotion, because only by becoming an angel can he have a chance to resist, rather than just running away.

"Rather than worrying about him, you should worry about yourself first."

Worried about myself... Leonard was startled, and the carriage happened to stop at this moment. A slender figure flashed by on the second floor of the building outside the window.

Leonard immediately forgot about Klein and Mr. Fool and jumped off the carriage in two or three steps.

----

"The Yellow and Black King who controls good luck...

“…Dear Mr. Fool, please pass these on to the hungry ‘world’ in the God-forsaken land.”

After reciting the prayer, Angel opened his eyes and found that the whale oil used to keep the lantern burning, several packaged foods and a can of Black Bear Coke had disappeared, leaving only the candle used for prayer.

“Mr. Fool is very concerned about Klein’s affairs. The possibility of my guess has increased…”

She muttered, extinguished the candle, and untied the spiritual wall. Before she could catch her breath, a figure wearing an intricate court dress and with nothing above her neck fell from the sky.

(End of this chapter)