Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam-Chapter 685 - 77: Double Shadows

With the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, Ethan and the black-haired girl were both stunned.

The black-haired girl half-lay on the ground, supporting herself with her hands, staring blankly at Ethan, who had just executed a perfect over-the-shoulder throw.

As for Ethan, he began to somewhat believe in the theory that humans can unlock genetic locks in critical moments, though he couldn't yet determine whether it should be called science or magic. He probably became the first person in human history to perform an over-the-shoulder throw on an Elemental Elf.

In fact, if you asked him to replicate it again, he didn't think he could do it.

With his small build, it was hard to imagine completing such a feat of strength; he could only say that the Shepherd Pie the black-haired girl provided eventually backfired on her.

The standoff lasted several minutes. The black-haired girl propped herself up with her hands and stood up. She ignored Ethan's outstretched hands and ran off in a huff, her body crashing into the wall, transforming into splatters of ink that vanished without a trace before hitting the ground. Thus, the luxurious but empty inn was left with only Ethan.

He quickly checked the skill list, and the description of the Shadow Arrow had also changed accordingly:

『Shadow Arrow: Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!』

Well, he guessed the shadow elements might need a moment to cool down.

He raised his right hand, focusing on the spot in his palm where he felt a sharp pain momentarily. In the center of his palm, a black pattern appeared, resembling a burning flame.

He cleaned the remaining dishes, checked the inn's first floor, arranged the chairs he had sat on neatly, and before leaving, he called out the Shadow Arrow in the hall. After confirming no response, he left the inn.

The path he took when coming in had returned to normal. On the way back, he discovered they hadn't gone far. It wasn't long before Ethan encountered wandering low-level zombies in the mist; they still couldn't raise their heads in front of the Imperial Capital, possessing no attack capabilities. By the number of zombies, Ethan confirmed the location of the Mirror Dark Furnace City. When he returned to the castle, it was already late at night, and even the "Red Eyes" had rested.

Ave came to greet him immediately, "Are you alright? The person who lured you out, Peter, is actually…"

"Ah, it was a shadow impersonation."

"You met it? It didn't do anything to you?… Wait!"

Ave suddenly shivered, her gaze becoming much sharper, "Tell me your first title at the Reception Bureau!"

"Chicken Raiser."

"It's really you."

Ave breathed a sigh of relief. Upon realizing Peter was an impersonator, she had been anxious, as this enemy was extraordinary. The zombies and "Red Eyes" were mere decoys; they were truly facing an entity called "Hunger" by TeacherValerie, lurking in the dark depths.

"I just saw TeacherValerie. She is imprisoned in the castle's underground. Actually… I think she's staying here willingly. Until she finds out the truth about 'Hunger,' she doesn't seem to plan on leaving."

This is the nature of the Believers of the God of Truth. Their eyes are only for the truth, and they will never give up an investigation, no matter the danger they face.

Only death can stop their pursuit of the truth.

Of course, they can't leave here right now either.

In the Sheepskin Book, TeacherValerie wrote that the Fourteenth Post Office is a one-way ticket. Once you enter, there's no going back.

Neither human nor Lady Morganna knows where the exit lies.

The two returned to their room and discussed what happened at the inn. During the recount, Ethan omitted the pink heart on the inn sign and the potentially misleading name "Love Nest." However, upon hearing about the Shepherd Pie the black-haired girl invited Ethan to, Ave couldn't help but show a peculiar expression.

"I thought you were being hunted by it; it intended to turn you into a zombie or simply swallow you whole!"

Ave thought the only truly dangerous moment in the story was when the shadow embraced Ethan from behind, but strictly speaking, that didn't even count as real danger.

"Ethan, there's no one else here, tell me the truth."

Ave paused, confirming skeptically, "Are you sure you used an over-the-shoulder throw to throw her out, and this isn't some excuse you made up afterward? Uh, I mean even if you were attacked, it's not your fault. This is about our judgment of the whole situation, so I hope to know the real situation."

If Ethan claimed that at a critical moment, one of his elemental skills returned, summoning a sun in the mist, or freezing the entire valley in red ice, she would undoubtedly believe him without hesitation. But an over-the-shoulder throw?

That wasn't Ethan's style.

As far as she knew, Ethan wasn't strong in melee combat. In the Royal Pillow Fight hosted by Princess Sophia, Ethan was knocked off the bed by a pillow thrown from the Other Shore in the first round, stopping at the top 32. She found it hard to imagine Ethan using an over-the-shoulder throw.

"That's the truth."

Ethan spread his right palm in front of Ave, showing her the flame-like black markings. Upon realizing what had happened, he felt that both he and Ave had misunderstood. The shadow's statement about "remembering her with his body" likely referred to a certain kind of mark.

This made Ethan feel somewhat guilty.

A rune mark didn't really matter much to him.

Ave thoughtfully returned to the Sheepskin Book. As Ethan recounted his encounters at the inn, a flash of inspiration crossed her mind. Although Ethan had lost his memories of the shadow, he was firmly convinced that their relationship was like that of siblings or an elder to a younger one.

This suddenly reminded her of the question TeacherValerie had brought up in the Sheepskin Book.

Why is Morganna-Blackref special?

Previously, they couldn't determine if "hunger" had self-awareness. The only thing they were sure of was that it could awaken the most primal hunger in humans, turning them into creatures that devoured each other. However, Morganna was special when it came to "hunger." For reasons Valerie couldn't comprehend, "hunger" not only shared its power with Morganna but also provided her with a new home.

After being infected by the "red eyes," Morganna was destined never to return to human society.

"Why are there so many low-level ghouls in the Mirror Dark Furnace City?"

Ave blurted out.

Not long ago, Ethan had raised the same question. The number of ghouls in Mirror Dark Furnace City was enormous, nearly matching the population of the real Dark Furnace City. If a change occurred in the future and these ghouls entered their world, Dark Furnace City could turn into a hell on earth overnight.

Ave had initially assumed that these aimlessly wandering ghouls on the streets were "soldiers" created to destroy Dark Furnace City. But just now, she had conceived a different idea.

"What if 'hunger' never intended to destroy Dark Furnace City?" she murmured to herself, "These ghouls in the city are their kindred; they are decorations, like pedestrians you encounter in the city. You wouldn't talk to them, and you would never remember their names."

Ave felt she had grasped an important clue.

It was a rather daring assumption, for any sensible person, upon seeing such a vast number of ghouls, would think that someone intended to use them to invade the empire. Yet she believed that such a multitude of ghouls was intended solely to ensure that Morganna would not feel lonely while living here.

They were Morganna's kinfolk, pedestrians in the city, making her realize that she was not alone here.

Their appearance predated Morganna's "children."

Then the question arose.

Why was Morganna so important to "hunger" that a being capable of easily creating "polluted zones" was willing to build a haven for her alone?

"Heaven, because it saw itself..."

The turning pages once again paused on the story of Morganna and Duke Bellamo. Morganna had a tragic past, deserving of sympathy. But in the empire, especially during Julius's reign, there were many more people whose fates were even more tragic, individuals who weren't even remembered by name and vanished in places unknown to them.

"Ethan, look here."

Ave's tone also grew urgent, "Duke Bellamo heeded the warnings of the Demon Hunter and ultimately decided to have Morganna leave the family, sending her to live in a remote small town."

In this matter, Duke Bellamo made a choice.

Valerie never reached a final judgment on Morganna in the Sheepskin Book. Yet from the moment she was born, Morganna was labeled as a "demon." Even when the Blackrave Clan was destroyed, and she lived incognito in Dark Furnace City, she couldn't escape the "demon" label.

The Demon Hunter asserted that Morganna would bring destruction to the Bellamo family. But the truth is, no one has ever been able to prove this. It became an accepted fact through frequent repetition, leading everyone to believe that Morganna was the embodiment of the devil. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Perhaps with the escort's demise in the ghoul's attack, it was a better conclusion for everyone.

At least they no longer had to worry about an embodiment of a devil.

"And you, you chose others, then abandoned it to be forgotten in the darkness."

The moment she reached this conclusion, Ave felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

She was prepared for Ethan's disdainful look because, in theory, this story was far more fantastical than Morganna creating countless ghouls to plan revenge against Duke Bellamo. Furthermore, this implicated Ethan—anyone faced with accusations would instinctively refute all conjectures made by others.

Indeed, this was just a conjecture. Ave couldn't present any evidence.

However, Ethan's reaction surprised her. He lowered his head, gazing thoughtfully at the markings in his palm, unusually quiet.

Ave defused the situation, "Of course, this is just one possibility."