Under Tilis's guidance, Luo Wei arrived at a mansion situated on higher ground within the town.
The location offered a broad view, and Luo Wei could see the long coastline in the distance, as well as a small island shrouded in thick fog, faintly visible in the sea.
That place was likely the island Tilis had mentioned, where the head of their hermitage was trapped.
Before entering the courtyard, Tilis seemed to have some urgent matters to attend to. Several mages in light-colored robes quickly approached her as soon as she appeared, forcing Tilis to give Luo Wei an apologetic look.
Luo Wei signaled for them to go ahead with their business and then turned to Evelyn.
Tilis's mischievous magic had left Evelyn's hair completely soaked. She had been drying it with a towel the entire way, and it still wasn't completely dry...
Evelyn looked at Luo Wei with a resentful expression.
"Teacher, let me help you dry it..."
"No need!!"
Evelyn glared fiercely at Tilis's retreating figure, her entire body radiating anger.
"Is that witch out of her mind??"
"Teacher, calm down..." Luo Wei smiled helplessly. "That's just how she is. Maybe you should avoid talking to her next time..."
Evelyn shot Luo Wei another glare. "She definitely did it on purpose! She's definitely targeting me!!"
Luo Wei chuckled awkwardly. Whether Tilis was targeting Evelyn or not, he wasn't sure, but Tilis's personality had always been rather troublesome. Despite appearing to be a solitary and quiet individual, she was actually quite mischievous...
Who would have thought that even as a vice president, she still enjoyed playing pranks like a child...
"Hmph!" Evelyn snorted coldly, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Seems like the rumors were right. She really is a cunning witch..."
"Teacher, keep your voice down..."
Luo Wei quickly glanced back. Even though they were quite far away, Tilis seemed to have eyes on the back of her head as she turned around.
"What are you two talking about?"
She blinked and slowly walked toward them.
"Uh..." Luo Wei coughed. "Nothing, nothing..."
Tilis noticed Evelyn's tense posture and asked, "Luo Wei, is your teacher feeling unwell?"
"I—"
Luo Wei immediately covered Evelyn's mouth and quickly replied, "Yes, she's feeling a bit under the weather from too much sun."
"Oh..." Tilis nodded and then raised her hand. "Shall I help you with that?"
"Not again!!" Evelyn leaped back several meters like a startled cat.
"No, no!" Luo Wei quickly corrected himself. "It's not from the sun! Uh, she's just not used to the environment here... She's never been to this place before..."
Tilis tilted her head, looking confused. "Is that so..."
Luo Wei nodded repeatedly.
"Well, if she's having trouble adjusting..." Tilis thought for a moment and raised her hand again. "I have another solution!"
As she spoke, a mist began to gather in her palm, hinting at another spell she was about to cast on Evelyn.
Evelyn's face turned pale. "Stay away from me!"
Luo Wei could only smile wryly.
He quickly grabbed Tilis's hand, and as her purple eyes turned to him in confusion, he hastily explained,
"Teacher is a vampire. Her recovery ability is strong. You don't need to worry about her. Really, she'll be fine in a moment..."
"Oh..." Tilis nodded, seemingly understanding, and then smiled gently. "Alright, I won't bother her then."
"Good, good..." Luo Wei quickly signaled to Helena. "Helena, why don't you chat with Tilis for a bit? You two go ahead and eat. I'll join you shortly!"
Helena opened her mouth, looking somewhat uneasy as she glanced at Tilis.
Tilis smiled softly and gently patted Helena's head.
"It's been a while since I last chatted with little Helena..."
Helena shivered internally at her smile.
...
After everyone entered the mansion, the courtyard was once again empty. Luo Wei turned to Evelyn and whispered patiently,
"Teacher, remember, even a strong dragon doesn't provoke a local snake. Don't speak ill of Tilis behind her back. Not only is she incredibly perceptive, but she also has many ears around here..."
Evelyn glanced in the direction Tilis had left, muttering resentfully,
"Hmph... Helena was right about her..."
She really is a lunatic!
"Teacher?"
Luo Wei looked at her disapprovingly.
Evelyn sighed, her resentment fading. "Fine, fine, I won't say anything. If I talk to her again, I'll be a dog!"
Luo Wei smiled helplessly. "Teacher, are you upset?"
"Why would I be upset?" Evelyn rolled her eyes. "You two old flames reuniting after so long... I'm just an outsider. What do I have to be upset about?"
Hearing her sour tone, Luo Wei couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. If the teacher said she wasn't upset, then she definitely was.
Seeing Evelyn still looking gloomy, Luo Wei suddenly said,
"Teacher, you're not an outsider."
Evelyn immediately turned to him, noticing the serious expression on his face.
"Luo Wei...?"
Luo Wei gazed intently at Evelyn, his serious eyes filled with meaning.
In this small town shrouded in mystery and danger, the only people he could trust completely were Helena and Evelyn. As for Tilis...
Who knew what she was really up to? She might have lured him here just to stab him in the back...
Even if she wasn't planning to attack him with a cleaver, she surely had other schemes in mind. Luo Wei hadn't come here for a vacation. He had arrived with utmost vigilance, ready to face Tilis with the resolve of a warrior.
If he didn't manage to rein Tilis in, Luo Wei doubted he'd ever be able to eat in peace again...
Evelyn, on the other hand, wasn't thinking as deeply as Luo Wei. She was still replaying his earlier words in her mind.
You're not an outsider.
Her previously angry expression softened.
Evelyn's lips curled into a smile. "At least you still have some conscience..."
In truth, her earlier interaction with the witch wasn't just her being petty. She had been trying to find a way to help Luo Wei.
If one of them could leave the town, the three of them wouldn't be trapped together. She could have done what she did when Luo Wei was trapped in the manor—bring reinforcements to rescue him...
But she hadn't expected the witch to go to such lengths.
The sheer scale of the magical barrier was unprecedented. Even the royal mages of the empire likely didn't possess such power. If the empire had such strategic magical capabilities, they could have just covered Saint Callen with it, and no bombings or cult incidents would ever occur...
Moreover, the witch's terrifying control over magic left Evelyn deeply unsettled.
Such an enemy was beyond her ability to contend with...
After this conversation,
She followed Luo Wei into the mansion Tilis had prepared for them.
Looking at his not-so-broad, even somewhat slender back, Evelyn couldn't help but feel a pang of worry.
This time... facing such a formidable opponent, would he remain as calm and composed as before? Did he already have a plan to counter her...
...
Upon entering the mansion, Luo Wei noticed that it had been cleaned thoroughly, unlike the mess one might find in a typical inn.
The living room was spacious and bright, with surprisingly luxurious furnishings. However, considering the town's past prosperity, it made sense.
At the dining table, Tilis had prepared a lavish lunch for them, featuring fresh seafood from the ocean.
"I had this specially prepared for you," Tilis said with a smile. "This is just a remote town, so it can't compare to Saint Callen. I hope it's to your liking."
"Thank you," Luo Wei replied gratefully. "It looks wonderful."
Helena, however, stared at the table full of seafood with no appetite and glanced at Luo Wei in frustration.
"Helena, don't you like it?" Tilis asked, puzzled.
Helena smiled at her. "I like it."
Tilis smiled and gently patted her head. "Helena is becoming more and more well-behaved~"
Helena, filled with resistance, turned her little head away.
Luo Wei glanced at the two of them. Compared to Helena and Ophelia, the relationship between Helena and the witch lady was actually quite decent.
After all, Tilis had a more reserved personality, unlike Ophelia, who was sharp and always acted as the "lady of the house."
As for what Helena and Tilis truly thought in their hearts, that was another matter entirely...
Noticing the momentary silence, Tilis smiled and said,
"By the way, I’ll go get the gifts for you. They’re all treasures I discovered during my travels over the past four years. You’ll definitely like them~"
Luo Wei looked at her. "So, for the past four years, you’ve been traveling?"
Tilis smiled faintly as she gazed at Luo Wei, her tone calm.
"Yes, ever since you disappeared four years ago, I’ve been searching for you."
"I traveled across the Northern Continent, the Southern Continent, and countless places I can’t even remember. I searched every corner of the world."
Her tone was light, as if these were trivial matters, but every word carried an inexplicable weight.
Tilis stared at Luo Wei, her deep purple eyes suddenly flickering with an unusual light.
"It’s good that you’re back, otherwise..."
"Otherwise..."
As she spoke, her body suddenly trembled with an eerie fluctuation.
Luo Wei looked at her in surprise. It seemed as though Tilis was struggling to suppress some intense emotion.
He even caught a glimpse of a fleeting, almost imperceptible, ferocity in those purple eyes.