Melusine wiped her mouth and slightly raised her chin, a touch of pride appearing on her face. "A mere trifle. But after all that work, we should fill our stomachs first. There's no rush to continue the search until tomorrow."
Hearing her words, Aslan couldn't help rubbing his own belly. After that prolonged battle with the wyverns, he was indeed feeling hungry. As the saying goes, food is the paramount necessity—nothing takes priority over a proper meal.
After all, one needs strength to study magecraft, doesn't one? And besides, after everything that happened today, it was only natural that the magi needed some time to cool off. Better not to disturb them for now. The foreign magi who had arrived from the mainland had no desire to act either—not because they were frightened by the wyverns, but because they were busy plotting how to deal with Morgan.
Even though they'd only glimpsed Morgan from afar, without any direct confrontation, every magus present could sense what kind of power this witch of the Isle of Britain wielded. Especially when she transformed the wyverns into mere sparrows mid-flight—that display had been anything but subtle.
Just like Aslan, who had become a hero by felling many wyverns through sheer strength and skill, Morgan, despite barely lifting a finger, still radiated overwhelming power. She too was now treated as an honored guest.
After all, who would want to offend a witch?
Sitting in her room, Morgan finally felt the environment quiet down. The corners of her lips curled slightly into a faint smile—but only faintly.
Meanwhile, in another room, the magi from the mainland had taken out various potions and enchanted items from their pockets. Faced with such a formidable magus, potions alone wouldn't be enough. If necessary, curses would need to be invoked. Fortunately, they'd brought with them a host of forbidden and sealed artifacts when they came to this island.
One figure clad in a black robe pulled a bone dagger from his pocket. Though made of bone, the weapon emanated a deep violet glow—ancient and mysterious, yet laced with an unmistakable air of corruption.
When the other magi saw the dagger, their faces filled with shock.
"You actually brought that with you? You didn't leave it on the mainland?"
The man scratched his head. "I couldn't bear to leave it behind for someone else. Even if it's a one-time-use item, this is still a relic from the Age of Zeus."
The other magi instinctively leaned back. No one wanted to be stabbed by that dagger. Not only would it seal the victim's magical energy and curse them on the spot, but until the wound healed, the victim would suffer continuous mental torment. Worst of all, anyone wounded by it would inevitably begin to spiral into madness.
The degree and direction of that madness would differ based on the victim's will, thoughts, and desires.
Looking at the array of magical tools spread before them, it was clear that this dagger gave them the best chance at victory. The magi exchanged glances and reached their hands toward the uniquely shaped blade. A flicker of cold determination passed through their eyes. Ruthlessness is a necessity for greatness. To settle here and continue their magical research...
Morgan the Witch—this dagger is your gift.
But those scheming weren't limited to just the magi.
A noble girl had slipped into her father's warehouse. Over the years, her father had gifted her many valuable items—including rare magical artifacts created by witches. Now, she was determined to claim a knight's sword of her own, and there was nothing she wasn't willing to do to get it.
Her eyes widened as she stared intently at the contents of the warehouse. Madness burned brightly within them, completely unrestrained. After all, throughout her life, nothing she ever wanted had been denied to her. Everything she desired, eventually fell into her hands...
So this time would be no different.
Though her father had warned her that the items in the warehouse were not to be used lightly—she believed that even if she disobeyed him, he'd be able to deal with the consequences. There was nothing her father couldn't handle.
After a long search, the girl finally retrieved a magical artifact resembling a choker. A twisted smile appeared on her face—one that could send chills down anyone's spine. The item in her hands was a one-use, force-command device. If her father hadn't saved a witch many years ago, the woman never would have given him something so powerful in return.
It was said that, used correctly and with some luck, this artifact could even make its wielder the next reigning lord. Fortunately, her father had no ambition for power. His loyalty to the kingdom and love for his daughter had kept such desires at bay.
As time passed and the Age of Gods came to an end, this artifact would eventually lose its potency.
But now, with Aslan's arrival, destiny had begun to shift.
If she could just find a way to put this choker on the blacksmith, she'd finally obtain the knight's sword she so longed for!
Whether this artifact landing in the hands of this noble and his daughter should be seen as fortunate or unfortunate is hard to say. At least they weren't using it for some world-ending ambition—yet.
The girl stuffed the choker into her pocket, already thinking of how to sneak it onto Aslan.
Doing it directly was impossible—Aslan was far too strong. A thoughtful look appeared on her face before a cunning plan formed in her mind. She turned and made her way toward the servants' quarters. Since her status had earned her only disdain from the blacksmith, she would simply approach him under a new identity.
As an honored guest, she knew the blacksmith was being served by several maids. All she needed to do was blend in, use an inconspicuous magical item to mask her presence, and she could finally fulfill her long-standing wish.
When the maids saw their young mistress entering their quarters, they paled in fear. But the girl simply waved them off and picked up a freshly washed maid uniform. Raising a finger to her lips, she said,
"I was never here. Understand?"
Then, she slipped on a ring that suppressed her presence, donned the maid uniform, and set off for Aslan's room.