I Can't Be Bothered to Care About You!

After the Hypnosis and psychological suggestion ended, Celia curled the corners of her mouth and snapped her fingers.

"Alright, wake up~"

Ansu blinked, pretending to regain his senses.

He looked helplessly at Celia, who had returned to her book.

This vile witch's habit of hypnotizing him at every turn was truly irritating; he really needed to find a way to make her change.

"Lady Witch..." His tone held a rare trace of dissatisfaction. "Is it really okay for you to cast magic like this in a public place?"

"Hmm?" Celia's face peeked out from behind the thick book. She glanced at the empty hall and then smiled.

"Don't worry, no one can detect my magic fluctuations. Have you forgotten what they call me?"

"The Ash Witch?" Ansu raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean that if anyone sees you, you'll just burn them to ashes?"

Celia chuckled. "Do you really think the Church hasn't caught me because I use magic flames to destroy all the evidence? Of course not! Concealing magic is what's most important. Very few people in this world can sense my magic fluctuations."

Ansu could read a sense of pride from her expression.

According to Celia, as long as she wanted to learn a spell, it would be as obedient as a well behaved little sprite. Controlling and concealing magic was as simple as eating or drinking for her.

Unless she cast relatively high level forbidden black magic, the powerful surge of magic could not be hidden no matter what. However, she proudly stated that no one had ever forced her to reveal her trump card.

Ansu sighed inwardly. Celia truly lived up to her reputation as the most talented mage since the Great Magic Collapse a thousand years ago.

With such formidable strength, he didn't even know how to cut ties with her.

With her personality, if she found out he had been deceiving her, she would surely hunt him to the ends of the earth and the end of the world...

Moreover, setting aside the matter of running away later, Ansu was worried that this moody vile witch might suddenly snap and hypnotize him again.

He knew that if the process was interrupted, it wouldn't count as a single magic effect.

Ansu subconsciously observed Celia's expression.

The bright afternoon sunlight fell on her cheeks. Celia was focused on reading the thick ancient text, her lips occasionally pursing or curling upward slightly...

For some reason, her mood did seem quite good today.

And since she had found a book she liked, she shouldn't be a danger for the time being...

Today, Ansu could feel a subtle shift in Celia's attitude toward him, as if everything was moving in a positive direction...

But! Ansu still didn't dare to trust her.

He would never leave his fate to Celia's control. This witch had never developed a normal person's worldview, nor did she have any conventional morals.

The vile witch definitely just saw him as a toy. But even a favorite toy... was still just a toy, wasn't it?

...

The two of them spent the rest of the afternoon in the library.

Ansu and Celia occasionally exchanged a few words, so Ansu got a general idea of what she was looking for. She was likely searching for the legendary demon army's treasure.

It was said that at the end of the Demon Calamity War, the alliance of humans and demihumans surrounded the remnants of the demon army at the edge of the continent. The demon army had buried a vast amount of treasure plundered over many years in a hidden place, intending to make a comeback one day.

For a thousand years, people had tried to find this treasure, but it usually ended in nothing, eventually becoming a legend.

Ansu remembered that the demon army's treasure was an important plot point involving Celia and a key turning point that led to her fate changing.

"Is the Lady Witch short on money?" Ansu thought of the great cause she always mentioned.

"I have no interest in money. What interests me are the magic texts the demons plundered from many ancient kingdoms." Celia gently turned a page.

"It's said those magic texts are extremely precious. Perhaps they can help us reclaim the inheritance of lost ancient magic."

"Oh, I thought the Lady Witch wanted to revive the great cause of the demon race." Ansu nodded. Although Celia had demon lineage, she truly had no interest in power. Her goal was always to explore the mysteries of magic and become stronger.

Unfortunately, fate liked to play tricks. In the plot, the harder she worked, the more she would discover the cruel truth, gradually falling into despair and becoming an enemy of the whole world...

Unaware of her future fate, Celia quietly looked up and jokingly teased Ansu.

"However, if I really do inherit the demon army's treasure..."

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Then wouldn't I become the demon queen? What official position should I grant you then..."

"If you become the demon queen, I'll be your demon prime minister."

"But you aren't a demon?"

Ansu curled his lip, thinking she was taking it quite seriously...

"But..." Celia smiled and said, "Since you are so loyal to me, I can grant you the title of king of humanity then, to manage this vast human kingdom for me."

Ansu gave a couple of dry laughs. He was going to become a traitor to humanity now...

At dusk, the setting sun outside the window enveloped the quiet campus.

When it was time to close, the librarian came over to remind them. Celia reluctantly returned the books and left the Benalu Royal Academy with Ansu.

"I was really happy today. I haven't been this relaxed in a long time~"

Celia stretched and looked lazily at Ansu beside her. "Oh right, I should remind you to be careful on your way home from now on."

"Do you mean..." Ansu frowned slightly.

Celia said, "Even though you used your quick wits last time to stop Ms. Mary from succeeding, the elders behind her won't let it go."

Ansu remembered the cult elder who could turn into insects. Although he had been tortured to death by Celia in the simulation, he was still alive and well now.

After he left Celia's residence that day, she must have met with Ms. Mary. Given Celia's vengeful nature, Ms. Mary was likely gone.

Due to the information gap, Elder Hall might not know the situation and might still be thinking about stuffing insects into his mouth to monitor Celia...

"The public security in your area is so chaotic, so you need to be more vigilant." Celia warned, "I don't want the infighting within the Council of Elders to involve you."

"In that case..." Ansu suggested with a smile, "Why don't the Lady Witch escort me home?"

Taking advantage of her good mood, Ansu was uncharacteristically direct.

He couldn't help it; he valued his life. He didn't think he could fight an insect elder with only two level zero spells...

"Escort you back?" Celia was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Sure, taking you back is obviously..."

Halfway through, her expression changed, and her beautiful face suddenly turned cold.

"Of course not!"

Celia gave Ansu a sharp glare. "Don't push your luck! I am the great Ash Witch. I have so many great causes to attend to. How could I have time to be your personal bodyguard?"

"Hmph! I can't be bothered to care about you... anyway, go home yourself!"

Ansu was speechless as she changed her face so quickly. This vile witch certainly put on airs!

"If you won't protect me, then you won't..."

Ansu silently walked toward the steam bus, muttering to himself as he went.

"I won't waste the Lady Witch's precious time. My miserable life isn't worth as much as your time anyway..."

Celia waved goodbye with a giggle behind him. "This is the time to test your wit and magic level. Good luck! Don't let me down~"

Ansu boarded the crowded transportation directly.

The steam bus emitted choking black smoke and slowly drove toward the Black Harbor District against the setting sun.

Celia watched the vehicle fade into the distance and curled her lip.

She quietly followed the steam bus.