Miss Witch’s Devotion Has Gone… Twisted-Chapter 40: The Corrupted One

"Good morning, Master Mentor."
Even though it was clearly noon, Loren detected a hint of sarcasm from the Headmaster's words. Ever since Loren openly stated he knew about the Headmaster's shady dealings last time, the Headmaster's attitude towards Loren had soured considerably. His current flattery was merely superficial, no longer the genuine, heartfelt obsequiousness it once was.
"Good afternoon, Eldrin."
Loren still called him by his name directly, sitting down right in front of him, crossing his legs, and adopting a lofty, superior posture.
Eldrin paid no mind to Loren's demeanor and began recounting the events of the previous night on his own:
"Last night, a princess was attacked. It was also the first time I truly saw those Outer God cultists. Their bodies had undergone many bizarre mutations, sprouting spikes far harder than armor that could also resist magic. Most importantly, they emitted a kind of black aura that could corrode anything blocking their path, even thorns imbued with the authority of the God of Bountiful Harvest."
After a moment of silence, Loren finally responded:
"Last night, a princess was attacked. It was also the first time I truly saw those Outer God believers. Their bodies had undergone many bizarre mutations, sprouting spikes far harder than armor that could also resist magic. Most importantly, they emitted a kind of black aura that could corrode anything blocking their path, even thorns imbued with the authority of the God of Bountiful Harvest."
"……"
Loren cared neither about the changes in those Outer God cultists nor the attacked princess. His lengthy contemplation had only resulted in giving them a name. Eldrin immediately understood Loren's implication.
Loren's thinking was simple: I've already warned you. If you turn a deaf ear, I can't save you, nor do I want to.
Eldrin was a smart man. Understanding Loren's meaning, he stopped pressing the issue:
"Please hand over the Tear of Condensed Wishes to me. I need to restore it so it's convenient for your next use."
Loren cared neither about the changes in those Outer God believers nor the attacked princess. His lengthy contemplation had only resulted in giving them a name. Eldrin immediately understood Loren's implication.
"Alright."
Loren handed over the Tear of Condensed Wishes without further ado. He knew it bore Eldrin's mark, making it difficult for him to steal. He had considered using Scarlett's Life Thief space, but it wasn't secure enough. He wasn't sure if that would be detected, and the consequences of discovery would be severe.
Moreover, if he really stole it, Loren would be the prime suspect. Eldrin would undoubtedly take action then. The old man's strength was considerable—he was the only sixth-tier mage in the Gedlan Kingdom. While his raw power might not match Valentina's, he had plenty of tricks. Most crucially, Loren feared exposure.
The mage ranking system was simple: a mage's tier corresponded to the highest tier of magic they could proficiently use. Knowing just one spell of that tier was enough, so the system was quite lax.
Therefore, Loren chose a more secure method: kill him first, then take the Tear of Condensed Wishes.
After receiving the Tear of Condensed Wishes, Eldrin said nothing more, only tossing out a sentence that seemed like a reminder but was actually a threat:
"I'm leaving, Master Mentor. You must be careful of the Blackened. If anything happens to you, it would be a tremendous loss not just for the Gedlan Kingdom, but for the entire Bountiful Church."
"Don't worry. I've done good deeds and helped the weak my whole life. Nothing will happen to me.
"Oh, by the way, let me remind you, Crimson Magic is pretty useless against the Blackened."
Eldrin's departing steps suddenly faltered. His last shred of wishful thinking vanished completely. Loren indeed knew his secret.
But Loren was that confident. Before he brewed Eldrin's portion of Ember Radiance, Eldrin couldn't possibly move against him. And by the time that happened, Loren would have already made his move first.
"Master Mentor, is this really okay?"
Only after Eldrin left did Naclis show her anxiety. She had heard of Eldrin's reputation and couldn't help but worry.
"It's fine. Everything is within my expectations. Don't you trust me?"
Loren stood up, pinched Naclis's cheek, and then prepared to go to class.
He just didn't notice that Naclis's shadow had vanished at some point.
……
Unlike Anna, Naclis did not follow Loren into the classroom. She was somewhat socially anxious. With so many strangers in the classroom, she only glanced from the doorway, spotting the Luna that Anna had mentioned in the very last row.
Simultaneously, Loren noticed an empty seat in the front row. This was previously Sylvia's spot.
"Where's Sylvia?"
Loren suddenly recalled what Eldrin had said earlier—a princess had been attacked by the Blackened. Could that princess be Sylvia? She bullied others daily; it was normal for her to be targeted.
"She's not feeling well. She took the day off."
The girl next to the empty seat answered. She was probably Sylvia's friend; she had been among those who comforted Sylvia before.
"Alrighty then, let's start class."
Loren didn't care about Sylvia's situation. Maybe what the girl said was true. The Gedlan Kingdom had many princesses; it might not be her. But Loren didn't care.
This lesson, like the last one, covered information about the Blackened. Loren also thoroughly popularized the term "Blackened." One had to admit the term was really fitting for those corrupted by Ligoss.
During the class, Loren learned something quite interesting. Last night, a masked hero appeared in the Royal Capital, saving many people. Beyond that, people knew nothing about them, not even their gender.
After class ended today, Loren didn't linger long. He tidied up in his office and prepared to leave. But as he expected, before he could depart, Luna entered his office.
Technically, it wasn't off-duty hours yet, but Loren could leave whenever he wanted; no one could stop him.
"You… you're leaving so early today?"
After hesitating for a long while, Luna couldn't come up with anything else to say. She looked nervously at Naclis.
Unlike Anna's cheerfulness, Naclis's appearance alone seemed quite aloof and unapproachable.
Naclis was also staring at Luna. Luna could sense the hostility radiating from Naclis and had no idea how she had offended her.
And most importantly, seeing Naclis so close to Loren made Luna feel a twinge of inferiority. Naclis was perfect in every way. With someone like Naclis by his side, would Loren ever really notice her?
"Who is this?"
Finally, Luna mustered the courage to ask Loren about Naclis's identity, simultaneously praying it wasn't what she suspected.
Not long ago, Anna had said Loren had no romantic experience. It couldn't have happened that fast, right?
"Oh, this is Anna's older sister, my eldest daughter, Naclis."
Loren casually stroked Naclis's hair. Naclis's aloof aura shattered instantly. She felt a bit awkward, but the feeling of being stroked by Loren was genuinely pleasant. In the end, she revealed an expression of enjoyment like a little kitten, only resuming her aloof demeanor after Loren removed his hand.
Hearing Loren's words, Luna breathed a sigh of relief. Her change in expression was noted by Naclis.
"I'm heading out now. Be careful of the Blackened recently. Feel free to come visit my place sometime; it's right here in the academy."
After this polite remark, Loren left. He still had to continue crafting the Abyssal Gaze Eye.
Under Naclis's threatening gaze, Luna ultimately did not respond.