Chapter 60: The Owl Strikes

Hello readers, this week was another horrible week of test and getting sick (again) 

 

However, good news is I found an editor! I'm sure some know the person from the comment board if you like reading it. Also with this, I won't have to worry much about grammar and typos anymore, so that my good fellow readers won’t have to point out every mistake I make and can whole heartily enjoy the novel.  Even if there's still a mistake, now I can have someone to blame HaHaHaHaHa. 

So before the story, how about a few words of greeting Aria?

 

*** 

Hi everyone, it’s me, Aria here. It’s such an honor to be helping Marisa-senpai. I’ll try my best to edit to my utmost limit. Though I’m confident in my English skills, in truth I’m not a native speaker so I’m bound to make a mistake or two so please be patient when that happens (I believe even natives make mistake). I can see that Marisa-senpai is having fun making me the scapegoat.

I actually run a wordpress blog on my own it’s lasciviousimouto.wordpress.com a translation website, and some original web novels. Please visit if you don’t mind.

Aside from that, I’ll be working with you all so, yoroshiku onegaishimasu~  (^_^)

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Chapter 60: The Owl Strikes

"Lisse, you can't give you up! Not when I need you most right now"

            "I'm sorry Claudia, but you know I won't last long so you have to move on without me, I---oh no, Claudia you have to get out of there, he's tracking you from our connection, he's---"

            The connection was cut inside my head, I cursed helplessly and ran from my hiding place, jumping from tree to tree, covering myself beneath their shade. Just when I felt it was safe enough, I felt the unnatural flow of mana from the trees around me. It annoyed me how every single time I could never sense him until it was too late. The roots and branches around me wiggled their way toward me, binding my arms and legs into place. From the shadows, he strolled out sensing that the game was over. 

            I didn’t want it to end like this, not like the last time. I hesitate to use my fire magic since it might spread, but if I don't show him my control in magic then all this would be for naught. I breathed out, releasing the tension which had piled up inside me. 

              [Fire Blast]

             He noticed me chanting and backed off immediately, avoiding the cascade of combustion spreading in a linear motion throughout the roots attached to me. Smoke covered me and I used it to my advantage, [Wind Chase] and in response to my chant, the smoke coiled around my hand and shot out at a frightening speed. 

            I spotted my opponent running through the forest with the thick gray smoke following behind him, he was no match for its speed and the smoke coiled around him while trying to shove itself down his throat. That kind of spell wouldn't hold him for long so while his sight is removed. I used one of my best spells to put him down for good. 

            I took out 6 of my Magic Stones and threw it toward him with precision, the stone reacted with my mana and formed together as a prison as it shot out spikes of ice. "This time the deed is done, [Earth Barricade]"

            The earth shot up and made a 5 foot tall wall surrounding it. I pumped my fist, thinking it was over. "What's wrong with you today?" My back jolted and when I turned towards his voice, his hand stretched out to me and with one word, he cast a spell on me, I could have blocked it with my mana, but after depleting it, I was vulnerable, and so I lost consciousness.

#

"Can you tell me what you did wrong today?"

          Today, Master wore an angry rather than a dissatisfied face. He was never satisfied with me always getting caught by him, but today it seems my performance was worse than any other day. 

          "I was quick to judge the state of my opponent and I got worked up in the end, I am still not good at sensing your presence, my mana was depleted when I should've always reserved a fair amount for emergencies." explaining my own shortcomings felt like making myself eat a sour plum, it makes me feel a lot more miserable than having pointed out by others. 

          "Moreover you're slow" Master further pointed out, "haven't I told you many times that your goal is to escape not to fight, and you were eager at it too, did something happen?" I gripped my hand tighter and the thought of the Strix, floated in my mind. What in the world was wrong with me? It's obvious I should stay away but I can't get them out of my mind. "I was thinking of some things"

          "Things you couldn't even share with me." I looked up to see instead of him standing while looking down on the me that sat on my thighs, he then crouched so that he was at the same eye level with me. The expression in his eyes changed to that of worry, a dreadful guilt weighed against my heart seeing it and I hesitated not to tell him anything. "I'm just out of it today, you know---since it's that time of the month for me today." 

           My Master raised an eyebrow at me, but I succeed in putting off the topic. He then turned the subject to my punishment. "You know the usual I'm sure." 

           I sigh as I gave in to it. "One week of potion making, what potion will it be this time?" 

           "I'm still thinking on it, though personally I'd like you to make a Regrowth Potion"

           "ANYTHING BUT THAT!" I exclaimed. My eyes were begging and moistened just hearing it. If you're wondering why, then it's because one of the ingredients is a headless cockroach. If you ask me to jump off a cliff, done. Fighting an army of soldiers, no problem. 

            Handling a cockroach? Rotting in prison sounds more charming to me. 

            "Though I was sure Lisse would be where you were, but I guess I was wrong"

            ".....what are you talking about? Didn't you track me from her Link Spell that extended to me?" 

           "If I did that, it'd be much faster to get to her before you, in fact I tracked you faster because you were spreading your mana more than usual" 

             "That can't be right, you taught me to reuse my mana as much as I can, so there would be less traces of me left behind." comprehending each other’s own words, the two of us then had the same astound expression, realizing what Lisse did. "She tricked me! She used me as bait to get away!" 

            "She had always been capable of tricking you but to think she could outwit me as well, obviously she has a better head than you"

            "What's that supposed to mean?"

            "I'm saying, rather than always think your way with your spells, you should think with your head instead. I'm quite worried since a simple minded person like you would easily get swayed with sweet words and caught in the momentum of things. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd get trick into joining a shady group." 

            My whole body froze for just a second and then I laugh because of what my Master had said. Certainly it won't be as he said, but I couldn't say it out loud confidently. We got back to our home, there I saw Adelle, putting out plates, the smell of barbecued deer meat sent a tingling rumble to my stomach. Not just her, Lisse was there, helping her out by putting out glasses and other tableware alongside with another person helping alongside them. Her blond hair was braided, she was wearing a grey skirt and a casual brown shirt. Her flat shoes looked worn, it was obvious looking at them that it wasn't made to walk around the thick forest, her slender arms looked white and clean as if she had never met any hardship with them. 

            "Astrid you came!" I ran over to her side and hug her, I cuddled my best friend tightly and she respond with a laugh. 

“What brings you here today?" I asked. 

"Did you forget?" she leaned on closer to my ear with a small voice, "didn't you send me a message saying you wanted to talk, just the three of us"

            When she told me that, my memory jolted that I did send her a message, but I didn't think she would come here so soon since I sent it at dawn today. I nodded at her and then called out to Lisse, saying we need to talk. "Master, we'll be going for a walk for a moment, don't eat the meat by yourself, you're getting fat these days" I said that but I was too late, Master had already stuffed himself with two sticks of the deer meat that had just finished grilling, Miss Adelle seemed to look flustered since he ate it while it was still piping hot. "What I eat is none of your business, if you want to go, hurry and go!" he said after gulping down the meat. I sigh at his disgraceful behavior and went out, just the three of us.

#

Once we were out of sight from Master's view, I turned toward Lisse who was on my left and shot a quick spell toward her. [Wind Choke], the wind followed the movement of my gaze and aimed at her neck. Lisse was surprised but responded quickly with a chant, her spell was much faster than mine and suddenly water shot out from below and aimed at my face. The attack was to disrupt my concentration and my spell was stopped in the middle, but the pressure had struck her chest, causing her to staggerdown. I forced myself to continue chanting underwater, or more like inside the water and a burst of flame evaporated the spell.

           I stroll my way to her, held out my hand for her to grab and help her get up. "That's for making me a bait!" 

           "Hey, niether of us want to spend our week making potions, so no hard feelings here." Lisse winced in pain as she got up and held her chest. Did I overdo it? Usually she's fine with this much power. "Seriously, can you not resolve everything with magic, it's like nothing is inside your head except for spells."

             "Shut up." I said while giving her a hard slap on her back. To think not only Master but even Lisse would say the same thing. Am I that simple minded? Somehow the fact is hard to swallow. 

             As we bicker, Astrid laughed at the back. At the start she would look at us with worry whenever either of us might get hurt, now she's already used to it. If an outsider see this, it might look like we have corrupted or brainwashed the mind of an innocent woman as she was dragged away by two dreadful witches. 

            "So, isn't it about time you tell us why we're here?" 

            I nodded at her remark. I took the paper from my pocket and gave them a look of what's written as I tell them a story of that meeting.

            "Claudia--this...you have to throw it away!" 

          "Obviously, groups that invite you and not me are 100% suspicious" rolling my eyes away from Lisse’s stupid remark. My face turned slightly guilty after seeing their worried looks. "I would but...I don't know of what my own feelings are telling me, I thought there was nothing wrong in scouting them first"

           "Don't be silly Claudia, do you realize what you have been caught in?"

            "If I did then I wouldn't be so torn right now. As shady as they are...I can't judge them without knowing them myself. Besides, coming into my own convenient conclusion without knowing the person is something I will not do." I affirmed myself to her. Astrid didn't look satisfied with my answer, her pretty face had wrinkles between her eyebrows, and her bright blue eyes flash with anger. I cowered at her rarely shown expression, "Looks like you would rather listen to a group you know nothing about rather than us, and sorry that I came, I ended up pointlessly taking your time." She said that as she gave me back the paper and all alone she rushed back. 

            I didn't want to leave her at this time where, it'll get dark by the time she goes back to her village. Lisse held my hand that was about to reach out to her, "I'll make sure to take her back to the village, you should think hard on this case yourself for what's best for you. Honestly, I'm disappointed that you take their side over ours"

            "I'm not taking anyone's side, I am on my own side"

            Lisse smiled wryly, she let go of my hand and followed Astrid. I heaved a sigh and brush my hair back. When I felt my hair was getting longer and thought how I wanted to cut it. "Choosing what's best for me by myself, is it?"

            I look at the paper in my hand, written on it was the time and place, complete with a map. I crushed the paper in my hand and decided that I would not become a part of them. 

            My correct decision at that time, should've been not to go at all.

# 

"How's the potion making progressing, my Dear Claudia?"

            "You Jerk, not only did you have me skip dinner for this, but you're forcing me to stay up all night and that's the first thing you ask?" just when me and Lisse had returned, ready to eat dinner. Master had to give me my punishment on the spot, yanking me away from my plate. The potion he assigned to me, was the Beast Potion, it is a really hard potion with lots of rare ingredients, what's more since you need the moonlight as one of the ingredients, I had to pull an all nighter for this. 

            "Don't forget to dilute it, we don't want anyone to accidentally turn into something like a wolf permanently. I'll be going to sleep now so work hard." He turned his back and left for his room and I secretly stuck out my tongue from behind.

            After an hour or two, when I was sure Master was fast asleep. I stopped working on the potion and put on my robe along with my bag. I took out the folded paper in my pocket, on one side there was the time and place he wrote, and on the other side there was a teleportation magic circle. I took a deep breath after resolving my mind once more, I channeled my mana to it and the paper started to distort and spread to my entire surroundings.  I unintentionally closed my eyes as I lost my senses caused by the distortion and felt myself forced into another place.

            "Glad you could make it."

            When I open my eyes, I was standing on top of a hill, the moon light shone on top, revealing the people surrounding me. Their attire were different and they weren't wearing mask, but I could tell some were the same people I saw last time along with that guy. There were twenty people present, all were circling largely around the leader of this group. 

            "Are all these people member of Strix?"

            "We have a lot more members than this, but yes they are a part of my group." that man looked intensely at me through his mask. I look back at him without losing to his gaze, "I'm here to give you my answer straight to you" 

            "Save your answer for later," he threw something at me and I instinctively caught it with my hand. It was a bracelet. I observed it carefully and found there was a similar magic circle on the paper etched on it as well. "This isn't just drawn, it's enchanted as well, but what's the meaning of giving this to me?"

            The one who answered wasn't him, but the blond boy I saw the other day. "Well, it'd be bad if we get captured so instead we need an escape route just in case." I knit my eyebrows and it took me a moment before I understood why they were all here. They drag me along as we went down the hill, and on the way I could see the silhouette of a town. "Where are we donig and what are we here for?" 

              The next one who answered me was a woman, she looked like she was in her late 20s. She wore a playful smile with her red lips, her cleavage was shown from the gap in her robe, you could say she has the perfect image of a mature yet sexy lady. "Didn't Merlin tell you? We are in Mainz, home of one of the notorious witch trials, and we're here to put an end to it." she said it with a playful tone as she wet her lips. 

           It didn't take long for me to understand what was going to happen, and before I could say anything, I was swept by the group as all of us rushed toward the town. It was a night I could never forget, not after seeing the horrible reality that day.