Free Web NovelChapter 102: Chapter 102 The Witches’ Gathering_1
"The Great Witch, Abigail, the current host of the witch gathering, is also the most powerful witch recognized by all, without equal. On the first full moon night of the autumn, also when the Blood Moon first rises, she would hold a grand meeting in the Banquet Forest where she resides, inviting all witches whose names are recorded in the gathering to attend,"
Seated in her chair, leisurely sipping a cup of tea, Meiruki chattered on.
"The Inquisition knows about this... It’s more accurate to say, everyone in the world knows, though some people only regard it as urban legend," Aiden said, sitting opposite her, also holding a tea cup.
They were sitting in the back room of the infirmary, and the room just had Aiden, Meiruki, and Daili, yet Daili merely sat silently to the side drinking her tea; only Aiden and Meiruki were continuing this dialogue.
Presia’s treatment had finished, and after being injected with antidote and sedative, her condition had quickly stabilized, and she had fallen asleep not long after transforming back from the monster’s state into her human form. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
According to Meiruki, she only needed an injection of hemostatic for two days, and a diet of liquid food for a while to fully recover, so Aiden had someone restrain her to the outside sickbed to rest, then brought Meiruki to the back room to personally inquire about the pendant that Presia had coughed up.
About this pendant, Daili seemed not willing... or perhaps unable to provide information, but Meiruki clearly knew something.
As Meiruki mentioned the "witch gathering," Aiden immediately began to search through the memories he inherited for information regarding the witch gathering.
The so-called witch gathering is a loose organization composed of a large number of witches, and it is also an event held annually.
On every first full moon night of the autumn in this world, the moon inevitably turns a bright red.
On this Blood Moon night, vampires, werewolves, and several types of magical beasts all experience a substantial increase in strength. Moreover, the effectiveness of many dark spells also receives a special enhancement, and the making of Magic Potion becomes much smoother.
Then, at the stroke of midnight on this day, the Great Witch recognized as the strongest in the Southern Continent, "The Great Witch" Abigail, would hold a gathering in the Banquet Forest where she lives. She would send out bats, crows, and owls to deliver invitations to almost all witches, and those holding an invitation could successfully traverse the perpetual mist that enshrouds the Banquet Forest to reach the meeting place.
There, witches would trade research findings and goods with each other, and even auctions would take place. As the host and organizer, the Great Witch Abigail would also impart some knowledge to the attending witches and even distribute some special "souvenirs."
——This information came from witches captured by the Inquisition in the past. Of course, unlike notorious S-class criminals like Daili and Presia, most of the captured witches were minor figures with little fame or influence.
While the existence of the witch gathering is almost entirely public, no country’s Inquisition or other similar institutions have ever considered assaulting the Banquet Forest on this day to catch all witches at once.
The Banquet Forest is located in the center of the Southern Continent, not within the territory of any country — strictly speaking, no country wants to include this troublesome area, which is almost devoid of productive value, within its jurisdiction.
It is permeated by strange mists all day, and inhabited by countless magical creatures. It is said that, aside from the witches attending the witch gathering, no one who has entered the forest has ever come out alive.
More importantly, witches gathered together possess combat strength enough to oppose a small nation. Witches are generally quite individualistic, which also leads to the loose nature of the Witch Council itself.
Anyone with a bit of sense can figure out that to deal with witches, one should break them down individually. To openly launch an assault when witches are gathered together is tantamount to declaring war on all the witches at the gathering at once, freely giving the other side an opportunity to unite and eliminate oneself.
"Yes, I also attended the Witch Gathering before I was expelled," Meiruki said quietly. "This annual event could gather hundreds of participants. As long as you’re referred by the witches at the meeting, you can receive an invitation from Abigail. Of course, some witches receive an invite directly after making a name for themselves."
"So what does this thing have to do with it? You just mentioned it’s the ’proof of the Great Witch’?"
Aiden picked up the pendant made of black crystal. After washing it, he noticed that it enclosed a strange grey fog, constantly changing shape within.
"Right, among the witches qualified to attend the Witch Gathering, only the Great Witches selected by Abigail are granted this token."
"So what’s the use of this thing? Is it just a medal that other witches have to salute to when they see it?" Aiden pressed.
"It’s said that with this token, you can meet Abigail in person," Meiruki replied.
"Without this token, you can’t meet her? Isn’t she the host of the Witch Gathering?" Aiden couldn’t help feeling puzzled.
"She hosts the Witch Gathering using homunculi created through Alchemy as her replicas. Of course, only a small group of people, including the selected Great Witches, know this. Most of the lesser-minded riff-raff still believe they are meeting with Abigail herself... after all, no one would specifically tell them this. Ultimately, the relationships among most witches are just so-so."
Aiden turned his gaze towards Daili, who should have known about this given her caliber. He had heard Daili mention something about the Witch Gathering before, but she had never told him this piece of intelligence.
The Heretic Inquisition must have interrogated her about the Witch Gathering as well, and the information she provided was probably no different than that from other ordinary witches.
But from what Meiruki was implying, it seemed Abigail might grant special privileges to Great Witches like her. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Daili caught Aiden’s look and sighed, "Lady Abigail has shown me kindness; I would not reveal information about her unless it’s necessary. Please, Warden, do not make this difficult for me."
"Didn’t expect you to be so sentimental," Aiden couldn’t resist teasing her.
"Even if I weren’t sentimental, I wouldn’t dare offend that person," Daili shook her head.
"So how did you come to know about it? Did you have one of these before?" Aiden turned to Meiruki again, shaking the pendant.
"I didn’t have one, but my teacher did," Meiruki answered without emotion.
"I remember you said your teacher was..."
"Lamia, ’the Queen of Magic Potion’ Lamia. She was also one of the Great Witches selected by Abigail."
