The night fell, and the hazy moonlight shone through the tower's windows, casting dappled shadows.
The fireplace embedded in the wall emitted warm flames, and the heart of the flame demon, Kuro, was hidden within it, ensuring the fire would never extinguish. The tower was as warm as spring.
The ancient bookshelves were filled with yellowed scrolls, and ink and quills lay scattered nearby. They occasionally opened their eyes, cautiously glanced around, and upon seeing it wasn't Paula, they continued to pretend to sleep, like lifeless objects.
On the stone round table, a bronze lamp emitted a dim yellow glow, and the flickering flames cast an eerie dance.
In the corner, a black cat sat in an iron cage, napping lazily with its eyes narrowed. It occasionally opened its deep, mysterious eyes, as if probing the secrets of the dark night. This was the black cat that Fia had left with Paula, and Fia seemed to have performed some mysterious experiments on it.
The black cat showed no curiosity about anything, proud as if it were a noble.
The witch's tower was eerily quiet, with only the faint sound of wind and the distant howls of a wolf pack breaking the silence. A new litter of wolf pups had been born in the Silent Forest, and they were unusually lively at night.
In the deepest part of the room, a bed carved from black ebony was covered with a quilt made of dark feather down, which still seemed to carry a faint trace of magic.
On the bed lay a figure, her long hair cascading like a waterfall onto the pillow. Her pale, slender hand held onto the young man in front of her, her eyes filled with pleading and longing.
"Moria, you've finally come for me," Megawati said softly.
Katherine, who had regained her memories, knew the woman before her was her aunt Megawati, who had been missing for many years. Yet she didn't immediately disturb Megawati, choosing instead to stand quietly by her side.
Leon was also organizing his words, afraid of saying something wrong and upsetting Megawati.
"You didn't want to marry me, so why have you come to see me?" Megawati's expression suddenly turned sorrowful, her tone filled with resentment. She let go of Leon's hand and turned her face away, like a young girl pouting at her lover.
It was just as he had thought; she was once his father Jack Moria's fiancée, and there had been feelings between them.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Leon said, speaking on behalf of his father Jack Moria.
Though he couldn't see Megawati's status, from her words, Leon judged that her mind was in turmoil, her memories distorted. It was likely her body's self-defense mechanism, erasing the dark days she spent in the Azure Dragon Court and leaving her with only the memory of Moria rejecting the engagement and abandoning her.
Otherwise, given her personality, she would have felt utterly humiliated and unwilling to ever see Jack Moria again. She might have even tried to take her own life to escape.
Hearing Leon's words, Megawati could no longer hold back. She threw herself into his arms and burst into tears.
"You—you—you liar, why did you call off the engagement? Why did you call it off!"
Katherine quietly stepped back, hiding in the corner and wiping away her tears.
She was heartbroken over her aunt's tragic fate.
She was also relieved that she hadn't ended up like her aunt, thanks to Leon.
Katherine loved Leon even more now, vowing to forgive him no matter what mistakes he made in the future.
No man would risk so much to save her time and time again.
Leon wasn't just her lover; he was her savior.
Even if the whole world forgot about Katherine, Leon would remember.
Even if she forgot who she was herself, he would help her regain her memories.
Katherine felt lucky to have met someone like him.
Even if Leon's heart wasn't entirely hers, his actions in risking everything to rescue her from the Azure Dragon Court spoke volumes.
Katherine watched as Leon comforted her aunt Megawati, feeling no jealousy, only pity.
She knew Leon was doing this to avoid upsetting Megawati.
Megawati eventually cried herself to sleep in Leon's arms.
She was truly too weak; even with the highest-level healing magic, she still needed plenty of rest and quiet.
Though he couldn't see Megawati's status, Leon could sense that she wouldn't live much longer.
Leon gently placed Megawati on the bed and covered her with the quilt.
From start to finish, she clutched Leon's hand tightly, refusing to let go even as she slept.
"How is Aunt Megawati?" Katherine asked softly.
Leon shook his head. "Not good."
Katherine's eyes reddened again, and she covered her mouth to stifle her sobs, fearing she might wake Megawati.
Though she had only spent a short time with Megawati in the dragon's lair, she could feel the bond of blood between them and didn't want to lose one of her few remaining relatives.
"I'll do my best," Leon comforted her, not wanting his fiancée to grieve.
Katherine nodded slightly, trusting Leon.
But Leon was torn. He could turn Megawati into a vampire, but upon becoming one, her memories would become painfully clear. She would remember everything that happened in the Azure Dragon Court, and she would live forever. Was this a blessing or a curse for Megawati? Would she want to live in such pain?
Leon was unsure.
He decided to postpone the plan and first consult with Paula and Fia to see if there were other options. At worst, he would seek Megawati's own opinion before proceeding.
Immortality was something most people desired, but there were always exceptions.
"Water lily," Leon called softly.
Nina Owen floated into his vision and bowed slightly. "Great Master, is there something you need me to do?"
"Can you bring my father into my dream?"
"This is a succubus's ability, but I should be able to do it as well," Nina said humbly.
"Good."
Leon had Nina bring both Jack Moria and Megawati into his dream.
Megawati still lay on the bed, only now she was in the Green Shade Manor instead of the tower.
Meanwhile, Jack and Leon were in the study.
"Leon, have you run into trouble again?" Jack assumed Leon had called him into the dream because he was facing some problem, perhaps torn between his two fiancées and seeking advice from someone with 33 wives.
Jack was more than happy to guide his son on how to handle relationships with women.
"It's not me who's in trouble, Father," Leon said.
"What kind of trouble have I gotten into?" Jack asked curiously, looking at Leon.
"I found Megawati at the Azure Dragon Court. She seems to have amnesia, only remembering things from her past with you and not her experiences in the court. Do you want to see her?"
"Megawati?" Jack paused at the mention of her name.
He had thought he would never see Megawati again in this lifetime. The reason he chose to call off the engagement back then wasn't just because of family reasons but also because he truly liked Megawati and didn't want to be tied to her.
At the time, he had already obtained the Eye of the Future. Torn between his choices, Moria ultimately gave up on Megawati.
He hadn't expected that after the engagement was called off, Megawati would run away and remain out of contact for so many years. It turned out she had been in the Azure Dragon Court all along.
"How is she?" Jack asked.
"The situation couldn't be worse. Her body and mind have both been severely traumatized," Leon replied honestly.
"I wronged her," Jack said, his eyes filled with deep remorse. "I want to see her."
"Of course."
Leon didn't stop him. This was, after all, why he had brought Jack here. These two needed healing, and each other was the best medicine. If they were willing to move forward together, even if only for a short time, Leon believed they could find redemption for each other.
Jack pushed open the familiar door.
The candlelight flickered, casting colorful shadows on the heavy silk curtains.
The walls hung with his old armor and sword.
In the center of the room stood a finely carved wooden desk, cluttered with documents and books.
On the mantelpiece lay several pieces of armor adorned with hawk feathers.
On the bed lay a beautiful black-haired woman. Her sleeping face was as serene as an angel, stirring old memories for Jack.
Jack hadn't expected Megawati to still be so stunningly beautiful, as if time had left no mark on her face, only adding to her charm.
Even after twenty years, seeing her again still made his heart skip a beat.
Megawati heard the footsteps and slowly opened her eyes, seeing the older Jack.
The familiar face made her hold her breath.
Until Jack took her hand and said, "Megawati, I'm sorry I'm late."
"Moria, how... how did you age so much?" Megawati asked, her voice filled with concern.
"I'm sorry. We haven't seen each other for too long. I've been through a lot over the years and have become worn out. I'm no longer the young man you once liked." Jack said bitterly.
Megawati reached out and embraced him. "No, no matter how you've changed, my love for you will never waver."
“Thank you, Megawati. This is exactly what I wanted to tell you, so… will you marry me?”
Jack knelt on one knee and pulled out a box from his pocket. Inside was a diamond ring.
Megawati’s eyes welled up with tears, unable to believe what was happening.
“Am I dreaming?”
“Yes, this is a dream, but I will find you, no matter where you are, and I will make you mine. If you don’t mind marrying a man who has nothing now.”
Jack spoke with utmost sincerity.
Megawati nodded slightly,
“I hope you have nothing, so I can become the most precious thing to you. I’ve waited too long for this day.”
Jack placed the ring on Megawati’s finger. “Yes, Megawati, you will be everything to me. I promise.”
Jack stood up and embraced Megawati.
They held each other, tears streaming down their faces, their hearts finally reunited.
Lien didn’t want to disturb the long-separated couple, so he asked Nina Owen to extend the dream. He let them spend a month together in the dream. Although Jack struggled with the urge to go further with Megawati, he restrained himself, knowing this was his son’s dream and he was aware of everything that happened.
Megawati felt like a girl in her first love, enjoying every day and imagining her wedding with Moria.
The next morning, the gentle sunlight woke Megawati. She realized she had had a long, beautiful dream.
She looked down sadly, then saw the diamond ring on her finger. Her eyes sparkled,
“Did Moria really propose to me?”
“Yes, Aunt Megawati. Father said he will come to the tower soon to fetch you.”
Lien smiled.
“Aunt.”
Catherine also entered the room.
Megawati looked at Lien and Catherine, seeing her younger self and Moria in them. She paused for a moment, then realized,
“You’re Mehriban’s child?”
“Yes, I am Catherine, Aunt.”
Seeing that Megawati recognized her, Catherine’s eyes reddened with excitement. She walked to Megawati’s bed, knelt down, and held her pale, frail hand.
“Mehriban’s children have grown so big.”
Megawati gently stroked Catherine’s hair, her eyes filled with disbelief.
“Who is he?”
“He is Lien, also from Moria’s family.”
Catherine’s cheeks blushed as she spoke.
Lien also came to Megawati’s side, “Aunt Megawati, I am Catherine’s fiancé, the son of Jack Moria.”
Megawati paused again.
“Jack’s son?”
Before Lien or Catherine could respond, she continued, “I knew he must have an illegitimate child, but I didn’t expect him to be so grown-up.”
“If he had an illegitimate child, would you still marry him?”
Lien asked.
“Of course.”
Realizing her answer sounded too certain, Megawati asked cautiously, “What about his mother?”
“She passed away a long time ago.”
Hearing this, Megawati seemed to sigh in relief, though she tried not to show it. She patted Lien’s shoulder,
“Good boy, Aunt will take good care of you both.”
“Aunt, do you remember what happened after you left home?”
Catherine asked hesitantly.
Megawati nodded, “I remember I joined an adventure caravan and set sail. Then we encountered a shipwreck and were rescued by a mysterious man. Oh, we were also invited to a magical continent where many dragon humans lived.”
Megawati talked non-stop about her experiences, surprising both Lien and Catherine.
She remembered up to the third day of her life on the Dragon Island, but not being chosen as an experiment, marrying the Dragon King, becoming the queen, the Dragon Mother, or being imprisoned in the Dragon’s Nest for 20 years. This was likely due to the Dragon King’s curse and memory alteration.
But she didn’t remember those events, which was good for her.
“Have you ever thought that there are other continents besides the North and South?”
Megawati smiled at Catherine and Lien.
She thought their surprised expressions were due to her sea voyage story.
“Yes.”
Catherine, who was bad at lying, glanced around, but Megawati didn’t notice.
“But the sea is so dangerous. No wonder it’s called the Forbidden Sea. Catherine, you must never go on an adventure like I did. I regret it now. If I had died at sea, I would never have seen Moria again.”
“En.”
Catherine nodded heavily.
“Catherine, you look so much like me. Others would think I’m your mother.”
Megawati laughed.
Lien swallowed hard, feeling a bit panicked. What if his wife, who had slept for so long, turned out to be his sister?
“Aunt, that’s impossible. Don’t say such things.”
Catherine was clearly worried too, remembering that Lien’s father, Jack Moria, was famously promiscuous.
“Haha, look how scared you both are. It’s not possible. I couldn’t have given birth to someone as grown-up as you.”
Megawati laughed.
Her cheerful personality surprised Lien again.
“En.”
Catherine seemed lost, as she could feel that the child in her womb was no longer there.
Seeing Catherine’s sadness, Lien asked Nina Owen to take care of Aunt Megawati and took Catherine back to the White Rose Manor in Dragon City.
Outside the manor, sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows. Birds sang in the forest. The manor’s walls were covered in blooming white roses, their petals glistening with dew. The heavy, ancient gate was half-open, as if welcoming visitors from afar.
Inside the manor, the courtyard was paved with cobblestones, surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges and colorful flowers. A fountain stood in the center, its water sparkling in the sunlight. Around the fountain, elegantly dressed ladies and armored knights chatted, their smiles radiant. These were the manor’s original servants and knights, now paid by Lien.
In a corner of the courtyard, a young painter sat at his easel, capturing the beauty of the scene. He was a former court painter and once a devoted servant to a princess, but after being abandoned, he stayed in the manor to heal. His eyes reflected gratitude for the peace and his passion for art.
When he saw Lien and Catherine, he quickly painted their figures into the landscape.
Walking further along the cobblestone path, the manor’s main building came into view. It was a Gothic-style structure with pointed arches, flying buttresses, and stained-glass windows. Inside, the decor was lavish, with fireplaces, chandeliers, and exquisite murals reflecting the Frank family’s opulence. Now, it belonged to Lien.
This manor was one of the 12 Lien had won at the Royal Gambling Table during the Harvest Festival. It was one of the few properties truly in his name. Lien had only visited it once when he took over, but now he decided to give it to Catherine.
“Do you like this manor?”
Lien asked.
“It’s nice.”
Catherine neither said she liked it nor disliked it. In truth, she didn’t have any special feelings for it, as her mind was preoccupied.
“It used to be called the White Rose Manor. From now on, it will be called Catherine’s Manor.”
Lien smiled.
Catherine looked up, her dense eyelashes casting a shadow. She stared at Lien in surprise,
“You’re giving this to me?”
“Yes, Catherine. This is what I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me anything. It was my fault. I failed to protect the child.”
Catherine said, blaming herself. She didn’t know the child had disappeared due to Lien’s “Time Traveler” ability, thinking it was because she hadn’t taken care of herself on the Dragon Island.
“Catherine, let’s forget the unhappy things. We’re still young. We’ll have many children in the future.”
Lien held Catherine’s face.
Catherine nodded, “En.”
Lien kissed her deeply. They embraced, their hormones filling the manor. The servants withdrew, leaving the couple alone.
Lien pushed open the door and carried Catherine to the luxurious bed. The noble dress was too complicated, so Lien tore it apart.
Her white skin glowed under the sunlight, pure and beautiful, yet sacred.
---
This translation maintains the original story's emotional depth and context while ensuring natural English expression.
Her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall onto the pillow, her eyes shimmered with faint tears, and her red lips parted to call out En's name, as if in a whisper, or perhaps a dream.
---
【Omitted 500 characters】
Time passed quickly.
In the master bedroom of the White Rose Manor, the two rekindled old flames and spent an unforgettable 24 hours.
Even when morning came and Catherine had not yet woken, En had already begun.
Immersed in the river of love, Catherine's spirit seemed to detach from her body, as if she had entered another world, weightless, with wings unfolding in the void.
This feeling was not just a single occurrence; it left her deeply captivated.
"Good morning, Catherine."
"Good morning, En."
En picked up his wife and dressed her in the gown brought by the servants.
"Let's go bring her aunt over today," Catherine said.
"Actually, her aunt is fine in the Spire. I asked Dolores to help her with a spell to make her forget the past completely. She'll get along well with Dolores and the others."
En embraced Catherine from behind. "Let's wait a couple more days."
"Why wait?" Catherine asked, confused.
Soon, she realized En wasn't seriously dressing her but had carried her to the windowsill.
The morning sunlight bathed them, glistening in a single drop of sweat, reflecting their silhouettes.
"The view here is lovely, don't you think?" En asked.
But Catherine had no mind for the scenery, responding only with a perfunctory, "Yes."
"En, I love you."
"I love you too."
And so, they stayed at the White Rose Manor for two more days, until Catherine's inner wounds were fully healed.
Only then did En's treatment and comfort for Catherine come to an end.
He took Catherine back to the Spire, where they picked up Catherine's aunt and returned to Catherine's manor.
Not until Old Jack returned to the capital on the magic train and reunited with Aunt Megawati at the manor did En temporarily bid farewell to Catherine, Jack, and the others, returning to Dolores' Spire.
Sophie had not seen En for three days, which, for her, was not a long wait. She had grown accustomed to his occasional disappearances.
But when he returned, the scent of Catherine was unmistakable on him.
Sophie knew they were officially engaged, and there was nothing wrong with it, but she couldn't help feeling a strange sense of loss. She didn't know why. She was supposed to be just his guardian, but suddenly, she wanted more.
En seemed to notice Sophie's unease, even though her face, as always, showed no extra emotions, remaining cool and calm.
"Sophie, we're waiting for someone here," En said.
Sophie nodded faintly.
Dolores, Alexander, and the other mages in the Spire, especially the warm and hospitable Cameron, were all very friendly to Sophie.
During the three days En was away, they told Sophie many stories of his glorious deeds in the capital.
Sophie also officially joined the Hex Term Support Association, becoming the fifth witch member after Dolores, Ellie, Cameron, and Ash.
As for Catherine, Anna, and Annie, Dolores had no plans to let them join the association. This was an exclusive group for witches.
Moreover, Dolores didn't want the association to become En's harem. She felt that adding them would taint the group's purity.
When Phoebe arrived at the Spire, Dolores immediately organized a meeting of the Hex Term Support Association, also known as the Round Table Conference.
Ash's seat was temporarily taken by Alexander. Both had black hair and were young, making them almost indistinguishable at first glance.
En hadn't expected Dolores to be so ceremonial about this, but since she had called the meeting for his sake, he could only accept it silently.
After all, aside from himself, the attendees were all beautiful women. He had nothing to complain about.
"Everyone knows each other, so no need for introductions, right?" Dolores said, looking at the members.
"No need," Cameron replied, her eyes shining brightly. She felt honored to attend such a gathering.
"Given that our organization will surely grow in the future, the original seats cannot be too many. We'll have twelve witch seats, called the Original Twelve. In the future, we might be known as the Ancient Witches of the Twelve."
Dolores spoke with a sense of mission. To En, it seemed like he was seeing her fiery, dramatic soul reignite.
Dolores believed that these twelve could survive into adulthood, live long lives, and achieve longevity, surpassing all historical witches to become examples and models. This was why she used terms like "ancient" and "original."
In the history of the Northern Continent, from the first generation of witches onward, there had never been terms like "original" or "ancient," so it didn't count as plagiarism.
"The Twelve Original Witches, the Ancient Witches!" Cameron exclaimed, her heart swelling with longing. She had never imagined she'd rise to such heights, even if the organization was still small, like a secret society. All the honors were self-proclaimed, but it still thrilled her.
Dolores handed each member a pendant, even En.
"This is an invitation stone, my latest invention. With it, you can input your magic and project your consciousness to the Spire's Round Table, opening our witch meeting—not the Hex Term meeting, but the Support Association meeting."
Dolores demonstrated. It was a form of remote projection, a combination of magic and Hex technology.
Even if Dolores were far away, as long as she used the invitation stone, her shadow could appear immediately at the Round Table. The shadow was blurry, with an indistinct face, but clear actions and voice, which was good for keeping members covert.
"From now on, we'll use code names for our meetings, based on our magical domains. For example, you can call me *Fable*. Sophie is *Ice and Snow*, Cameron is *Doll*, Ellie is *Hell*, and Ash is *Barrier*."
Ellie felt a pang of resentment toward her domain name. She didn't want to be called "Hell," but Cameron and Sophie seemed to accept their names readily.
"Is the president also one of the Twelve Original Witches?" Cameron asked suddenly.
"Of course not. Daddy can't be a witch. Daddy is the Dragon God, whom all twelve witches must obey."
Alexander said proudly.
She had grown to like En more and more because his scent now carried a hint of dragon.
*Hey, don't just blurt things out. What Dragon God?*
En's mouth twitched. The Support Association was starting to feel more like a cult.
"I see," Cameron said, accepting Alexander's explanation.
En noticed Sophie had already hung the pendant around her neck. Joining this organization seemed to excite her.
So did Phoebe. She raised her hand. "Then my code name will be *Priestess*."
"Phoebe, you can only be considered an outer member because you're not a witch," Dolores said coldly.
"In fact, I've become a witch. Not long ago, I ate the mermaid crystal and completed my transformation."
Phoebe smiled. This was also why she had come to the meeting—to tell her companions the news.
Phoebe's words shocked everyone present, including En, who wasn't even a witch.
"What? You ate the mermaid crystal yourself?"
After all, consuming a mermaid crystal had a higher chance of causing one to collapse into a monster or a pile of magical flesh than to become a witch.
Yet Phoebe was unharmed. It could only be said that the God of Tigers was protecting her.
Phoebe nodded. "Yes, and it didn't taste good."
"What kind of ability did you gain?" En asked.
"The ability of knowledge and wisdom. For example, with the books on Dolores' shelf, I can know the full contents just by looking at the covers. It's similar to an appraisal ability."
Phoebe pushed up her glasses. She was very satisfied with this ability because she loved reading and researching. The power to appraise allowed her to read books instantly and store the knowledge in her mind.
"Can you implement knowledge transfer, or enhance or reduce someone's intelligence?"
En asked curiously.
Phoebe nodded slightly and pointed to the black cat in the iron cage in the corner.
"That cat is my experiment. I've raised its intelligence from that of a ordinary cat to that of a human adult. It now understands how to read quietly, dine elegantly, and pretend to be an ordinary cat to avoid suspicion."
Everyone looked at the black cat, which stared back warily. Cameron couldn't help but gasp in amazement.
"How incredible."
Ellie also nodded repeatedly.
Even Sophie, with her usual poker face, showed a hint of surprise.
"So, *Appraiser* isn't quite the right name for you. Your code name can be *Wisdom*."
Dolores said thoughtfully, stroking her chin.
Cameron and Ellie looked at Phoebe with admiration. Even though they couldn't fully understand how eating a mermaid crystal could turn someone into a witch, it didn't stop them from aspiring to become wise like her.
Phoebe smiled at En. "I've even learned to hide hexes."
"Not bad, Priestess Phoebe."
En praised.
After selecting her codename, Fia pulled out an exquisite card from her pocket. The card shimmered with a silver glow, adorned with intricate runes.
"This is a new type of magic card I've recently developed," Fia explained. "By infusing it with the corresponding magic and inscribing the magical circuit, even if I'm not present, the person holding the card can cast the spell by reciting the incantation to use my power once. This card is called 【Learning】, and it allows the user to enter an immersive state of study, achieving perfect memory retention during its effective duration.
"The card's duration is 1 hour."
Upon hearing Fia's explanation, Dorothy's interest was immediately piqued. "Can I also apply my fairy tale magic to the cards for others to use?" she asked.
"Of course," Fia replied. "These magic cards can be mass-produced. If it were me, I could make one a day." She smiled. "I can teach you all how to make the cards."
"Indeed, the Witch of Wisdom is just like the Fairy Tale Witch—a true inventor."
Cameron clenched her fists excitedly.
If she had these cards, she wouldn't need to worry about losing control during battles. She could spend her free time crafting cards, infusing them with her magic to create 【Dolls】, and then release them all during fights, summoning countless dolls to fight for her while she stayed behind. It was perfect!
Moreover, she could use the abilities of other witches, such as Dorothy's 【Bubbles】, Sophie's 【Ice Spears】, Aisha's 【Barrier】, and Ellie's 【Hell】.
Leon was also very interested in the cards, though he wasn't a witch and couldn't inscribe magic onto them. However, this didn't stop him from using the powers of other witches.
"If you're willing, in future witch meetings, we can trade cards or exchange them," Leon suggested.
His proposal immediately received agreement from the other witches.
"I've always felt bad for always asking the president to clear the word count for free. With magic cards, I can use them as payment now," Cameron said with a smile.
Leon nodded approvingly at Cameron. Why hadn't he thought of that himself? Not only could he gain points, but he could also obtain a witch's skill once.
Very good, very impressive. Cameron had a bright future ahead of her.
It was unclear whether it was because Fia's method was too simple or because the witches present were all incredibly talented, but Dorothy quickly created her first magic card, followed by Sophie and Ellie. Only Alexander and Cameron hadn't succeeded.
Alexander, being a dragon and not a witch, had a valid reason. But Cameron was different—she was frustrated, beginning to question her life choices.
"My card is called 【Pea】," Dorothy said, introducing her card. "You just need to chant the incantation, throw it, and a giant pea vine will grow."
Dorothy looked at Sophie. "My card is 【Snow】. When released, it will snow."
"It's called 【Nightmare】," Ellie said. "When activated, it will trap someone in a hellish nightmare."
The three cards carried the most basic magical powers, nothing too profound. Yet Leon saw great potential in them. Given more time, they could surely create even more powerful cards.
"I'm sorry, I still haven't succeeded," Cameron said, drenched in sweat but still unsuccessful.
Fia kindly cast a spell to heighten Cameron's concentration, and finally, Cameron managed to create her first card, 【Doll】. When activated, it would summon a toy doll.
"Now, let's move on to the next topic," Dorothy said, turning to Leon.
"One of my elders has only about a year left to live, and I want to know how to extend her lifespan," Leon said.
The witches, all short-lived themselves, were deeply interested in the topic of longevity, though only Dorothy and Fia could offer any input.
Dorothy and Fia were deep in thought. Leon encouraged everyone to share their opinions, as it might help broaden their perspectives.
"I can create a 【Doll】 and have your elder's soul enter it. That way, she won't die," Cameron suggested excitedly, as if she had discovered the secret to immortality.
"What are the downsides?" Leon asked.
"Well, the doll can only be this big," Cameron said, holding up a palm-sized doll. "And it won't move or speak."
Leon's mouth twitched.
"If your elder doesn't want to endure the suffering of life, I can send her directly to my hell," Ellie offered.
Leon wiped the sweat from his brow. "Thank you, Ellie, but we'll never need that."
"We could freeze her until you find a solution and thaw her later," Sophie suggested.
"Does freezing preserve the living?" Leon asked.
Sophie shook her head, seeming to realize her mistake. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"The Franck family has a longevity potion. If needed, I can ask Ogulas about it," Dorothy said.
"Actually, I've already thought of something," Fia said, looking at Leon. "We just need to turn her into a vampire. She'll naturally stop aging."
"No, she has tragic memories. If she becomes a vampire, those memories might resurface and cause her to collapse," Leon refused.
Dorothy had also thought of the vampire solution but knew Leon's elder was Megawati. Since she had previously hypnotized Megawati, she understood that becoming a vampire was almost out of the question. They had to explore other options.
"If she doesn't mind becoming a ghost, I can extract her soul and create a replica of her. In a way, she'd still be alive," Fia continued.
Replicas were a type of Blessed Item, similar to the magical items like the invisibility cloak and transformation cloak in Leon's possession, which came from a black market merchant. After becoming the Witch of Wisdom, Fia had also learned the skill of creating replicas and believed she could attempt it.
"Speak plainly," Leon reminded her.
Fia thought for a moment. "If we find a time magic user, this could be resolved. A time witch could extend the length of her lifespan."
"Ah, the time witch Milian is to be executed tomorrow," Cameron said suddenly.
Leon had been gathering a list of uncontrolled witches imprisoned in the Red Tower, and Milian Scott was one of them. Her execution was scheduled for the next day.
