"Hey, what's wrong with Radish?"
Celia looked toward the horse beneath Ansu, blinking curiously. "We haven't even gone that far yet, so why are its legs trembling so much? Is it sick? Do you want me to treat it?"
Ansu suddenly felt the trembling beneath him intensify.
"I think I'll pass..."
Ansu looked helplessly at the vile witch, who was giggling behind her hand, and realized she was intentionally scaring the horse.
"Radish is already traumatized by you. I think you should stop scaring it, otherwise, how are we going to finish the rest of the journey?"
Ansu recalled Radish's "treatment" over the past few days.
Every day, the maids would hold it down firmly and draw several jars of blood, all while the vile witch watched with an excited, beaming smile. If he were Radish, he would be terrified too.
"Tsk!" Celia shot a glance at Radish. "Cowardly horse! You had the honor of entering my underground laboratory and coming out in one piece. That's only because I gave you special treatment, okay? It should be grateful for my kindness!"
"Is that so?" Ansu muttered as he stroked Radish's mane. "Radish says thank you very much!"
Celia chuckled, but her gaze remained fixed on Radish with even more interest because this modified racehorse's recovery ability was truly formidable.
Furthermore, Radish carried her hopes of creating a monsterization inhibiting serum, a massive problem that the Council of Elders had failed to solve for a thousand years.
"Ansu..." Celia pleaded again with puppy-dog eyes. "Once we get back from this trip, let me keep Radish for a while longer. I'll send it back to you once my research is finished. Don't worry, it'll be fine~"
"Well, about that." Ansu looked at Celia, feigning deep thought. "I have to consider Radish's feelings..."
"Please, Ansu..." Celia pursed her lips and blinked pleadingly at him, her deep purple eyes turning misty.
That pitiful yet charming look made Ansu stiffen his face, looking down expressionlessly.
Because if he didn't, he would lose his composure in the next second.
She was too cute.
Why did it feel like the vile witch was getting better and better at acting cute around him?
Hmph! But she was obviously faking it!
This woman truly knew how to make his heart soften.
"Ansu~" the vile witch coaxed after her display of cuteness, laughing as she pressed him. "Is it a yes? Is it a yes?"
"Fine, fine, fine..." Ansu couldn't do anything about her. After all, he actually agreed with the development of the inhibiting serum. As for Radish's feelings...
Radish suddenly raised its large head and glanced sideways at Ansu.
Ansu felt that its eyes were filled with resentment toward him.
"Great~" Celia immediately broke into a brilliant smile.
Heehee~ Wrapped him around my finger!
While there was laughter and chatter at the back of the team, a sudden argument broke out at the front.
The entire horse team was forced to stop. Ansu and Celia rode forward in confusion, only to find Professor Duncan and the vice captain arguing.
It was another dispute over the route.
"According to my magitech detector, the direction of the Resonance Perception is clearly to the northeast! Why do you insist on crossing the Black Forest?"
Professor Duncan was the specially appointed consultant for this trip, but the Inquisition of Heresy squad didn't always take his advice. They even showed a lack of trust in his highly confident professional magitech equipment, which greatly dissatisfied him.
"Our squad explored that northern wasteland several times in recent years, and we've searched every abnormal corner!" the vice captain said irritably. "Moreover, countless civilian adventurers have passed through that place. If there were any clues to ancient ruins, they would have been found long ago!"
"That is because they are all fools!" Professor Duncan huffed. "The magitech detector is a precision instrument I specifically researched for this purpose. Through its internal magic runes, it can achieve a Resonance Perception close to 2nd Circle elemental magic..."
Professor Duncan tirelessly repeated the core principles of his invention, but the vice captain only grew more impatient.
"Enough, enough! You're insulting us as well!" The vice captain swept his gaze over Duncan and his students, finally landing on the device that emitted a magical aura he loathed.
"Magic has always been the most unreliable thing! Allowing you to bring this contraption along is already a special mercy from the captain! You've been acting like some muttering black mage all the way. If you ask me, this thing of yours probably has side effects and will bring corruption to us all!"
"How is that possible!" Professor Duncan was so angry his beard bristled. "How can you, as a clergyman of the Church, not know that only high-level magic is filthy? Low-level magic is safe! The principle of the magitech detector is to utilize low-level magic runes..."
Seeing how agitated he was, Professor Duncan's students quickly held him back.
"Professor Duncan, please don't, please don't..."
The other student turned to persuade the officer. "Vice Captain, I still hope the team can trust the professor's judgment. After all, magic has always been very accurate in these matters..."
"Is that so?" The vice captain sneered. "Hard to say. I believe mages are simply inferior to clergymen."
Ansu noticed that Celia's expression changed instantly as she listened.
She looked at the stupid vice captain with an unpleasant expression. As a transcendent on the side of magic, she naturally disliked the arrogant and contemptuous attitude of the Church.
Thus, Ansu quietly pulled her hand. When she turned around, he gave her a steady look.
It's not necessary to fall out with them.
Celia took a deep breath and nodded slightly.
Ansu quickly stepped forward to support the fuming Professor Duncan and whispered in his ear, "If they don't want to listen, let them. I believe in you regardless."
Professor Duncan's mood finally improved a bit. It seemed there were still smart people in this world.
"If they insist on going to the Black Forest, then let them. Our goal has already been achieved anyway," Ansu continued to whisper. "Later, we can find a reason to head toward the Eastern Wasteland side..."
This argument was exactly what he wanted, as it would be the perfect chance to split the team.
He couldn't actually lead the Inquisition of Heresy all the way to the ancient ruins. After all, the Church's goal was to smash and burn everything, which was something he couldn't accept.
However, to his surprise, the captain, who had dismounted at the back of the team, suddenly walked forward.
He smoothed over the atmosphere genially. "Professor Duncan is very famous in the academic world, and we don't have to strictly follow the rules of the previous trips. I think we can place more trust in the judgment of an outside professional."
He smiled at the vice captain. "After all, Professor Duncan is a senior consultant recommended by the Holy Maiden herself."
Hearing the captain say this, although the vice captain was still resentful toward Duncan, he eventually nodded.
"Fine..."
Subsequently, the team set off again. The captain rode at the very front, occasionally checking the map of the Eastern Wasteland.
This scene also disappointed Ansu. It seemed he would have to think of another way...
This time it was Celia's turn to comfort Ansu. She leaned out and leaned in with a smile.
"What, are you unhappy that the argument didn't continue? It's fine! Looking at the team's current mood, another explosion is only a matter of time~"
Ansu also smiled, feeling that the witch truly understood him more and more, guessing what he was thinking every time.
The team began to advance toward the wasteland to the northeast.
After traveling for a whole day, night gradually fell. Ansu suddenly felt that Radish beneath him was somewhat uneasy.
Its large head rose from time to time, looking toward a direction deep in the night, and it kept snorting heavily.
"Radish? What did you find?"
"It's monsters." Celia's gaze looked far into the depths of the wasteland, her brow furrowing slightly. "A large group of monsters."
"A large group of monsters?" Ansu looked at the clergymen, who had all gone on high alert, with a suspicious expression. "How could a large group of monsters appear in the heart of the Empire?"
Rate on N.U.
