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Chapter 297: Witch Queen

It had been a long time since Roel Ascart experienced such sensations.

His mind was hazy as if he was inside a dream, but somehow, he was being guided somewhere by a mysterious force, reminiscent of a pilgrimage to meet a deity.

His consciousness and control of his body were dulled to the point where he felt like a spectator watching a movie in a first-person perspective. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing since it buried the exhaustion he would have otherwise been burdened with from this long journey.

If there was one thing he still felt surprised by despite his dulled emotions, it would be the environment around him.

He was walking down a street.

It wasn’t a blood-colored plain or a mountain valley, but a pristine white street with a wide passageway. It didn’t look deserted despite the lack of people. Rather, it seemed to be awaiting for the triumphant return of its king.

The sunlight from above made the white street glow faintly, cloaking it in ethereal beauty. It led all the way toward a magnificent castle that towered in the center of the city.

Whatever remained of Roel’s consciousness churned into action as he tried to process the differences in the environment.

The castle had several tall towers with flags fluttering on their roofs. Its crimson carpeting was embroidered with golden flowers, giving off an air of royalty. The numerous gates that he had passed through along the way were all humongous and majestic. It was easy to imagine just how prosperous the land was through its grand architecture.

Roel had never expected that the ancient god he would be meeting this time around would actually be living in this kind of fantasy city. His previous experiences with Grandar and Peytra hadn’t shown him any hint of ancient civilizations.

He subconsciously passed through a series of long corridors before finally arriving before a towering door. His footsteps finally halted, signalling that he had reached his destination.

It was weird, but he reflexively understood where he was—the entrance to the audience room.

He was standing at the center of the palace, the place where the ancient god resided.

There was no one to report his arrival, but the heavy and opulent door of the audience room opened automatically for him, as if inviting him in.

The opening crack of the door cast a small ray of light onto Roel’s forehead that quickly enveloped him and the area around him. At the same time, a traditional and dignified melody started playing in the background. Golden dust drifted down the audience hall, transforming into flowers upon touching the ground.

At the center of the audience hall was an elevated platform where a tall throne was stationed. Sitting on this tall throne was a white-haired woman with cherry red lips. She looked to be around seventeen or eighteen, having fair and smooth skin that looked delicate yet not artificial. She was on the slimmer side, but her tight robes accentuated the outlines of her figures. Her long eyelashes cast a slight shadow onto her closed eyes.

Perhaps due to the fanfare in the background or that she had sensed a foreign presence, her eyelids fluttered a little before she slowly opened her eyes. The moment her glowing madder red eyes were revealed, Roel felt a jolt that finally snapped him out of his trance.

“!”

His body trembled as he carefully raised his head to look at the woman on the throne. The white-haired woman appeared to be in a daze, but the moment her madder red eyes fell upon him, her lips curled up to form a familiar, warm smile.

“We’ve finally met.”

“You are...”

“I am Artasia, but you may know me better by my title, ‘Witch Queen’.”

“!”

Roel widened his eyes.

The term, ‘witch’, was not to be used lightly in the Sia Continent. Unlike his previous world, it wasn’t just a ridiculous accusation used to defame innocent women and burn them on stakes. Rather, it was a group that really existed.

There weren’t many witches in the world, and they weren’t fond of living together in a community either, so it would be hard to call them a race or a tribe. Nevertheless, they were accorded considerable standing in the ancient era.

It was just that humans were much less accepting of them compared to how they looked upon the other powerful races.

In most legends that were still passed down to date, witches were depicted as old hags or inhuman monsters. Most believed them to be incarnations of disaster.

But what confused Roel was the fact that there was actually a ‘Witch Queen’ despite the fact that witches didn’t live in communities. Furthermore, he thought that it was queer that the other party introduced herself right away. When had the gods...

“When had gods ever been so easy to speak to—that’s what you’re thinking, right?”

“Ah?”

Roel jolted in surprise at having his thoughts read out loud. Artasia laughed gleefully in response, but her smile soon faded. She began twirling her hair with a discontented look on her face.

“How mean. I’m only trying to introduce myself here. Besides, I’m not the only peculiar existence here. It isn’t very nice of you to be looking at me with prejudiced eyes.”

“I-I apologize. I was just...”

“Apology accepted. I’m not that petty, and there’s nothing I cannot forgive my hero for.”

Before Roel could finish his words, Artasia suddenly interrupted him with a snap of her fingers and assured him with a smile. Her madder red eyes were looking intently at Roel, and her lips were curled adorably.

In contrast, Roel only looked confused.

“Hero?”

“Indeed. You’re the hero who will release me from eternal death.”

Artasia looked at Roel with eyes filled with warmth and admiration.

“So, tell me your name. I wish to know the name of the hero who has come to save me.”

“My name is R...”

Don’t tell her!

“!”

Roel was just about to reveal his own name when Peytra’s anxious voice suddenly echoed in his ears, though it faded right after. The unexpected warning shook him for a brief moment and he lost his voice for a brief instant there.

Artasia blinked her eyes, intrigued as to what was going on with him. But before she could ask, Roel had already reverted back to his usual state.

“... Ro. My name is Ro.”

“Ro? What a marvelous name you have!” said Artasia with a charming smile.

She rose from her throne and spoke words that left Roel utterly dumbfounded.

“Now that we are done with the introductions, shall we get to know each other better through a date?”

“A date?”

“Of course! I have to repay the hero who has come this far to free me. Isn’t that how it usually goes in the stories? The knight defeats the evil dragon and saves the princess from her captivity. In return, the king bestows great riches and betroths the princess to him. It’s all perfectly normal.”

“But I haven’t defeated any evil dragon, and I didn’t choose to save you on my own volition,” replied Roel awkwardly.

Artasia was stunned for a moment, and her lips puckered into a pout. A faint hint of red embarrassment colored her cheeks.

“I-it’s the outcome that counts! No matter what the motive is or how much suffering one goes through, it’s meaningless if one fails to save the princess in the end! B-besides, don’t you think that it’s necessary for us to get to know one another better?”

“You’re right. Pardon me, Your Majesty.”

“Really! Can you not address me so formally? Just Artasia will do.”

Artasia turned her head away with a pout. A moment later, an idea seemed to come to her mind. She raised her skirt a little and gracefully sashayed down the stairs, adding a patch of whiteness to the field of flowers.

“Look, we’re standing on the same ground. Can we do away with those troublesome formalities now?”

Artasia tilted her head as she asked with a smile. Her beautiful face exuded gentleness and warmth that would melt the heart of any man. Roel was dazed by her for a moment before finally nodding.

“Alright, Artasia.”

“Wonderful! Let’s begin, shall we?”

Artasia’s madder red eyes lit up in excitement. She snapped her fingers, and the next moment, the two of them were suddenly sitting on a dining table by the window.

On the delicately sculpted dining table were a pair of carefully polished wine glasses and customized silverware. The window beside the table granted a scenic overview of the massive castle and city beneath.

“I’d have preferred to watch a theatre performance for our date, but you look exhausted. The long journey here must have tired you out. Allow me to replenish your energy,” said Artasia with a graceful smile.

With a clap of her hand, delicacies suddenly blinked into existence on their plates. At the same time, the wine glasses began refilling themselves with red liquid.

This unbelievable sight made Roel’s jaw drop. He couldn’t help but stare at the gleeful Artasia, but unexpectedly, the latter started to fidget under his gaze.

“I know that I’m amazing, but I’d prefer it if you could refrain from staring at me so intensely... This is my first date.”

“Your first date?”

“Mm... I’ve never had anyone accompany me at the dining table before.”

Artasia seemed to be put on the spot as she started twirling her hair again. Her madder red eyes darkened gloomily as she recalled her past memories, but she quickly turned her head away out of fear that she would be seen through.

Roel felt his heart softening up.

“I see. It’s my honor to be granted the privilege to take you on your first date.”

“Heh, that goes without saying. Feel free to eat your fill. This is the magnanimity of the Witch Queen!”

A smile returned to Artasia’s face after hearing Roel’s remark.

Roel picked up his silverware and began digging into the food. The moment he popped the food into his mouth, his pupils dilated in amazement.

“Delicious!”

“Isn’t it? It’s my favorite flavor too. It looks like we’re really compatible with one another.”

Artasia clapped her hands merrily.

The two of them chatted over food before moving on to a musical performance. Afterward, they rode on horseback to a beautiful lake and took a leisurely stroll around the area. Roel even taught her the rules of chess on the spot and played with her. Unfortunately, he ended up getting outplayed after a few matches, which brought a triumphant smirk to her face.

It was under a warm and fuzzy atmosphere that the two of them returned to the audience room.

Artasia dived into the field of flowers and flailed her arms around joyfully. Then, she lifted her head a little and stared at Roel, who was still standing by the doorway. Roel sighed softly before walking over to lie down beside her.

“Just to make it clear, I didn’t ask you to do it.”

“You can think of it as a one-sided wish from my part then. It’s not my hobby to stand stoically by the side and gaze upon a young lady lying in a bed of flowers.”

“Hahaha! Young lady? It has been so long since anyone called me that.”

Artasia closed her eyes, and the two of them rested quietly on the bed of flowers for a long while. This peaceful environment was eventually broken by a reluctant sigh from the white-haired witch.

“Looks like time’s up.”

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