Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 242 - 229 Veraliz

"Meow, meow~~" "Meow, meow, meow~~" "Meow~~~" Mory shook their head and mimicked the sound of a cat in front of the black Ankara cat. Afraid that their imitation wasn’t good enough, they drew whiskers on their face with coal ash and balled their hands into fists, shaking them like a real cat raising its paws.

Their behavior indeed had a certain effect. The Ankara cat’s gaze was completely captivated by the cat-calling girl in front of it, its head nodding left and right in sync with Mory’s movements. However, the cat never responded to her "cat language," looking at Mory as if they were looking at a fool.

While Mory was fully showcasing their language talent, a quarrel broke out inside the tent separated by just a cloth.

Lily and her sisters watched the envoy who sat with closed eyes on the fabric. She was a Vengeance Witch, a member of the witch tribe that had summoned this witch gathering. As the name implies, Vengeance Witches are a group focused on punishing humans who persecute witches—paranoid avengers. They would re-enact the trials of witches on those sinners, using the enemy’s blood to quell their own fury. In their lifetimes, Lily’s group—the Witches of Death—looked somewhat askance at these impulsive sisters because they had once made a mistake, one that caused the witches to crumble and disperse, now existing in several small, scattered groups. Revenge and harm are not the only purposes of the witches’ existence. Such thoughts led Lily’s group to decide to establish a nation for witches. They chose to settle, but Cinderella shattered, falling under the fierce fires brought by the Holy Light.

The envoy wore a pure white silk robe, her smooth skin glowing with a mystical witchcraft aura. She was beautiful, her brows and eyes smiling, especially while looking at Lily and the others’ corpse-like wounds. The smile became even stronger.

"Nacia, what do you mean when you say we cannot enter?" Lily floated in front of Nacia, fury suppressed within her eyes.

"As organizers of the gathering, we Vengeance Witches need to maintain the safety and stability of the meeting, as well as the purity of the witches themselves. Witch Mother Lily, your tribe does not seem suitable to enter the gathering." Nacia stood up, her hands crossed, leisurely circling around Lily, as if examining the full view of an item, "Right now, are you dead people or witches? I heard that my disappointing sisters have joined a group that appears to have joined Andrey. Isn’t that a pure group of Liches? A strange world controlled by men. How can I be sure, Witch Mother Lily, that you are witches seeking help and not dogs searching for a way for your master?" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"We are not servants of Andrey. You can feel it..." Lily’s floating body drew closer to Nacia, invisible witchcraft energy bursting forth from the cracks in her body, that power clenched Nacia’s throat, hoisting her up like a fish out of water, "According to witch traditions, dear Nacia, you should show the proper respect to a Witch Mother. Has my sister Sesela indulged you too much?"

Nacia struggled and twitched in the air, her face turning the color of chokeberries, her bulging eyes fixed on Lily, "Go ahead and kill me if you dare, dead woman. You know the rules against harming witches, the tradition."

Nacia was thrown to the ground, gasping for breath. Lily took a deep breath, "Threatening a vengeful lunatic, I must have been too repressed lately. You win, Nacia, but please tell Sesela she is still as foolish as ever."

Nacia struggled to her feet.

"My Matriarch is much smarter than you. While you dead bitches hid behind city walls, we were the ones leading our bewildered sisters to survive in the wilderness! Your tribe consists of selfish wretches!"

"Selfish? We gave witches a home, a place to settle and live, another option, a reason not to become a tool of vengeance for your tribe!"

"Home? Another hope destroyed! You make witches weak and conservative. You sinners! You are taming our sisters on behalf of those men, like domesticating livestock. What happened to you is well deserved! What did I see in the encampment? A bunch of fools who don’t have clothes and don’t know how to plunder! Sharing? Ridiculous! You all are complete failures!"

Anger twisted Nacia’s features, her flushed skin resembling steamed flesh. But soon after, Nacia let out a shrill, cackling laugh. "Soon, the age of witches will come under our leadership. A new Matriarch, the eldest sister of all witches, will reappear, uniting the scattered power of the sisters, and witches will have their voice heard in the new age."

"Matriarch? Has Sesela ascended to the level of Matriarch?"

"No, we have a shortcut and new power."

"Have you gone mad! Didn’t the failure fifty years ago teach you anything! There’s no shortcut for the emergence of a Matriarch, other than natural ascension! You were there too! Nacia, why didn’t you stop her! Stop the ultimate witch plan!"

"Enough, Lily! After our initial failure and your subsequent betrayal, you no longer have the right to question us! We failed last time because the Matriarch we chose was weak, though her potential was limitless. In the end, she rejected us and returned to her damned family. This time, with the ultimate Witch, we will adopt a new approach. We’ve chosen to collaborate with an even mightier race. She will embrace us, becoming one with our collective, our Mistress. Our vengeance will indeed be realized."

Nacia pushed aside the tent flap and walked out.

The pure black Ankara cat finally grew bored of Mory’s obstinance and shifted her gaze, just in time to see Nacia, who had stormed out of the tent.

Soft with a touch of valor, her voice was as clear as moonlight.

"Nacia, come here."

The abrupt appearance of the woman’s voice startled the three girls sitting together. They exchanged glances.

Rola, "Is that a sister hiding in the corner speaking?"

Nacia quickly burrowed into the haystack, ignoring the three little witches and knelt on one knee before the black Ankara cat.

"Lady Veraliz, why are you here? This place isn’t safe."

The black cat’s eyes narrowed, as if piercing through flesh to stare at Nacia’s hidden soul.

"No, this place is safe, Nacia. These are good children. On the contrary, it’s the darkness in your mind that is dangerous. All witches should attend our assembly, for the sake of our collective unity. Understand? Not a single one should be absent."

Nacia pressed her lips together and eventually let out a breath.

"The Vengeance Witch obeys your will."

"Good child." The cat strutted, climbing onto Nacia’s shoulder along her extended arm.

Before departing, Veraliz turned her body and raised a front paw towards Mory.

"I understood that meow."

"Meow meow meow~~ Silly girl."