After the tumultuous luncheon came to an end, Tilis was once again called away by her subordinates. She always seemed to be busy.
Seeing the apologetic look on Tilis's face, Luo Wei nodded, signaling that she didn’t need to worry about him for now.
After she left, it was as if all the negative energy had been taken away with her. The atmosphere around the dining table instantly became more relaxed.
Evelyn let out a relieved sigh and then muttered as she looked at Luo Wei.
"She was really quite intimidating just now..."
"Now I’m more and more convinced that the Church’s assessment of her as the 'Calamity Witch' is true..."
Luo Wei sighed silently. The witch had not only become increasingly gloomy but also seemed to be losing her sanity...
He couldn’t help but fiddle with the key in his hand, pondering the things she had just said.
Tilis had called it the key to the "Divine Research Institute." Ever since the faction led by the Institute’s director had pushed her out of the research project, they had taken her painstaking work as their own.
This was something Tilis couldn’t accept. Her fervent expression made it clear that studying a "god," touching unprecedented knowledge and power, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
So, for the past six months, Tilis had gathered all her supporters, openly clashed with the director, and not only trapped him and his followers on the island where the "Divine Research Institute" was located but also set up a massive magical barrier to prevent anyone from leaving. This was the origin of the so-called "Curse of the Divine."
Although Tilis hadn’t explicitly said it, Luo Wei could tell that her faction harbored an undisguised intent to kill the director and his followers.
Earlier, while passing by, Luo Wei had accidentally seen several apprentices in light-colored robes transporting large crates one after another.
A faint blue glow seeped through the cracks—those crates were filled with standard magic crystals...
It seemed that Tilis was preparing to lead an assault on the island to confront the director.
"Are you really going to the island with her? To see that... divine corpse?" Evelyn frowned.
Luo Wei looked at her. "I don’t think I have much of a choice."
"The director of the Magical Hermit Order holds a higher position than Tilis..." Evelyn said with concern. "He’s probably an incredibly powerful figure. This trip is really dangerous..."
The mage who had tried to sneak out earlier was already quite troublesome, and he was just one of the director’s subordinates. As for the director himself... he must be many times more powerful.
Luo Wei, however, shook his head. More than the director, what puzzled and concerned him was...
The divine.
Could the divine really be studied?
How was that possible?
From what he understood of this world’s cosmology, all so-called "gods" were malevolent deities, embodiments of chaos and terror, entities beyond comprehension and contact.
Even the so-called "One True God" enshrined in the Church, the "Great Deity who bestows happiness and light upon humanity," was undoubtedly fake—either a fabrication by the believers or some malevolent deity playing tricks for amusement...
What Tilis called "touching the truth" couldn’t possibly be a good thing. Such knowledge would only bring misfortune and calamity. Perhaps she had already been driven mad by the polluted, forbidden knowledge...
So Luo Wei could only hope it was all a lie...
"Huh? What are you thinking about?"
The atmosphere suddenly quieted for a moment, and Tilis's cheerful voice sounded in Luo Wei’s ear.
"Nothing..." Luo Wei shook his head and looked at her.
Tilis noticed the key he had been fiddling with, the one she had given him, and her eyes lit up with excitement. "Have you started to feel intrigued by what I told you? Do you also want to witness the truth with me? That’s wonderful!"
Luo Wei hesitated, but before he could say anything...
Tilis grabbed his hand, her face brimming with eagerness.
"Quick! Come with me~"
"I’ll take you to a wonderful place~"
Luo Wei quickly turned back, but he didn’t even have time to say goodbye to his sister and teacher. A faint glow flashed, and a magic circle appeared on the ground. In an instant, their figures vanished from sight.
Seeing the two of them disappear, Helena and Evelyn immediately grew restless.
"Brother!!"
"Hey!" Evelyn stared at the dissipating blue light in the air, exclaiming in surprise, "Where are you going?"
Only silence answered her.
Helena and Evelyn exchanged glances, and the room fell into a heavy silence.
"Oh no, oh no!" Helena began to fret anxiously. "Brother’s been tricked again! What if that witch does something terrible to him?"
The more she thought about it, the more worried she became, even recalling the last time her brother had been taken away by that white-haired bad woman...
"Could something happen to him?"
"That crazy woman is completely out of her mind! What if she tricks him into going there just to kill him... and then buries herself with him?!"
Evelyn had been worried too, but hearing Helena’s words, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
"You think everyone’s like you, huh..."
Seeing Helena’s darkening expression, Evelyn glanced meaningfully at the wooden doll in her hands.
"That witch is so mysterious and bizarre... Maybe she wants to trap Luo Wei’s soul inside a doll. That way, he won’t run around anymore, and he’ll never defy her orders again..."
Helena froze for a moment. Why did that sound so familiar?
Then it hit her—controlling someone’s mind and body! Wasn’t that exactly what this woman had tried to do to her brother before?
"Vampire! You’re messing with me!" Helena scowled.
Evelyn chuckled. "Don’t get worked up."
She thought their reasoning was sound. That witch claiming she wanted to witness "truth" with Luo Wei? It couldn’t be that simple. She was definitely lying!
Tilis had gone through so much trouble to lure Luo Wei over. She must be plotting something big!
Evelyn just hadn’t figured out what it was yet...
With that in mind, Evelyn stood up.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Helena asked, quickly trying to follow her.
"To help your troublesome brother, of course!" Evelyn waved her hand dismissively. "You stay here and behave. Don’t follow me."
"But..."
"No buts. You’re nowhere near as stealthy or fast as I am. Leave the investigation to me. Don’t worry~"
With that, a crimson shadow flashed, and Evelyn’s figure vanished from the room.
Staring at the now-empty dining room, Helena pouted unhappily.
The wooden doll sat on the table, its eerie smile directed at Helena as if mocking her.
Helena frowned in disgust and twisted the doll’s head to face the other way.
...