Page 337

"Mmm, I understand. You just do your best, I won’t say much more,"

After a brief silence, Dorothy nodded and continued to focus on her meal.

She had already sensed her roommate’s resolve and knew that no amount of persuasion would be of use. She was well aware that those with dreams, who understood their life’s pursuits, could not be swayed by mere words.

Across from her, Sophia relaxed but also felt a sting of annoyance upon seeing the young lady’s reaction.

Why won’t the young lady try a little harder to persuade me?

Of course, that was just a fleeting thought she entertained privately. The Pure White Witch had no intention of expressing it; it was not in her nature.

And after a moment’s thought, she let it go.

Sophia reminisced about the scene a month ago when she followed her teacher to bring the young lady back, finding the present moment quite reminiscent of that time.

Only then, she couldn’t understand the young lady’s choice, thinking her foolish for rejecting the chance to inherit the teacher’s business and give up the wealth and status that others could only dream of, all for the sake of a simple dream.

Now, it was the young lady who didn’t understand her choice, probably considering Sophia a fool in her heart, just like Sophia had thought of the young lady back then.

But in truth, it was the young lady’s appearance that had given her a nudge, because she had still been hesitating whether to truly fight for that future.

Before the young lady arrived, she was the heir to her teacher, her life and everything else bestowed by her teacher, naturally not to be wasted lightly.

Now, however, her teacher had the young lady, which finally gave her the resolve to start taking action, even though it probably meant she would find it hard to repay the teacher’s kindness, considering the path she was taking was almost certainly deadly.

The Angel Witch Clan might be in decline, but they were not something an independent witch like her, a sixteen-year-old with no real power base, could handle. Once exposed, the pressure from the Angel Witch Clan, coupled with the wrath of the Council of Sages, would mean that even her teacher could not save her life again.

But it didn’t matter anymore.

Continue reading at Lokepub

She was tired of being constantly monitored and judged despite having done nothing wrong. She couldn’t bear to live another day under the threat of the Sword of Damocles hanging over her head.

She wanted strength, the kind of formidable strength that would stop everyone from pointing and directing her life. She wanted power, supreme authority with which a single word from her could silence all those who critiqued her. Only then would she be free to live the life she wanted.

Without freedom, she would rather die.

For that, she must secure the position of the God King Holy Child. Only by gaining the recognition of the Divine King, becoming his heir, would the Witches stop their chatter, the Council of Sages relent, and she gain her freedom.

So she truly envied the young lady. What she herself desperately sought was so easily attainable for the young lady.

The young lady could be capricious, but she had no way out. Alas, repaying the teacher’s kindness would have to wait for another lifetime.

Sophia also fell silent for a moment before bowing her head to eat.

What should have been a lavish dinner was eaten in a peculiar silence.

"I’m finished,"

Having eaten her fill, Dorothy laid down her utensils. She didn’t linger to play with cats or jest with dragons as she usually did in the living room but went straight back to her room.

With the sound of the door snapping shut, the Pure White Witch breathed a sigh of relief and silently started to clean up the aftermath.

She knew the young lady was probably truly angry this time. Before, the young lady was likely waiting for her to ask for help. Knowing the young lady’s temper, had she just spoken up, she surely would have done her best to help.

But never mind that, let her be angry. She must handle her matters herself. The young lady was different from her; she had a bright future ahead and should not be dragged down by a calamity like her.

.....

"Sophia, you big idiot."

After Dorothy returned to her room and set up a soundproof Barrier, she began cursing up a storm.

Just thinking about that stupid roommate of hers trying to act like she could shoulder the falling sky all on her own made her blood boil. Isn’t she usually quick to use others with a smile?

What now? Had a change of heart, want to play the good person?

I was right there, ready to be used, and she played dead instead.

Pah...

I see, you’re looking down on me.

The shivering homebody witch grabbed the Angel’s Velvet pillow from the bed, then with a flick of her hand, a Transformation Magic spell turned the pillow into Sophia’s likeness, and she went on to punch and kick it.

When her anger subsided a little, she hurriedly cast a Restoration Magic spell to fix the tattered pillow, as this Angel’s Velvet pillow was a high-end item, really expensive.

"Forget it, I’m tired of getting mad at an idiot; it’s pointless. I’d only be harming myself in the end."

The homebody witch lay down on the bed, hugging the pillow. Then her consciousness dipped, and a phantom shadow rose from her body, condensing into the Ruined Dragon King attired in the full Grand Inquisitor’s Robe.

Moving all her consciousness into the Martial Soul Incarnation, Dorothy looked down, lifting the Witch Hat from her original head, and the Masked Senior Sister immediately considerately shifted from the form of the Emperor’s hat into the real Clown mask.

After securing the Masked Senior Sister onto her face, the Grand Inquisitor Lord Clown majestically made his entrance.

"Heh, you’re the target under my Lord Clown’s watch. Your life or death is not up to you; I’m the one who decides."

With her thought process switched to the Fairy King state, Dorothy spoke so domineeringly.

After that, she tossed her Identity Silver Badge aside to activate the Portal function of the Identity Token, and she disappeared from the room.

Outside, Sophia, who had been washing dishes, glanced at the tightly closed door to her roommate’s room, sighed, and then walked into her own room across the way.

...Lord Clown teleporting...

The first time is the hardest, but now coming to the headquarters of the Judgment Court felt as familiar as coming home.

This time, because she hadn’t come through Mother Superior’s Portal, she didn’t appear in the Great Judge’s office, but at the front door of the Judgment Court.

"Uh, why are there so many people today?"

Dorothy forcefully suppressed the urge to vomit, a side effect of teleportation, with the resolve of a Martial God. She stood still to catch her breath for a moment before opening her eyes to look around.

Her first thought was that it was indeed very crowded today and that many of them seemed quite weak.

Oh, right, today is the day for the new recruits’ special training; no wonder.

Wait... crap, I got held up by Sophia’s thing today; I completely forgot to look at that training manual.

Remembering her instructor task, Dorothy became flustered, hurriedly pulling out the training manual she had received from Mother Superior the day before to cram at the last minute.

Her behavior of walking and reading in the midst of the public space also attracted plenty of attention. Yet, when the onlookers caught sight of her donned in the Grand Inquisitor’s Robe and the Silver Medal hanging at her waist, they immediately looked away with awe in their eyes.

Ah, a big shot, untouchable and out of our league.

...Lord Clown reading...