319 319 Working Vacation
Wolfe stopped Peach before she could leave and pointed back to where Mary was standing next to Cassie, hiding something behind the taller Witch’s back.
“Since we might not see you again for a while, we got you a celebration gift for your Second Rank party early,” Mary informed her with a smile.
She stepped away from Cassie with what was very clearly a gift-wrapped Staff in her hand, and Wolfe realized that she had added some more spells to one of the standard ones he had made for the Witches of the Den.
This one also had a truth-speaking charm, an illusion charm, and a perfume charm, allowing the Witch to look and smell like someone else. It was perfect for sneaking around the Fortress City or the Academy once the Headmistress was used to hiding her new Aura, so she could move around without anyone knowing that the big boss was watching them.
The big werewolf wrapped his arms around the Headmistress and smirked.
“What is this? Are you thinking of smelling like someone other than me?” He teased.
For the first time, Wolfe noticed that the Headmistress didn’t look quite as old as he was used to seeing her. In fact, she was clearly back in her early middle years, and he was fairly sure that it wasn’t just a disguise spell since he had [Detect Hidden] active.
It must have been an effect of her advancement that he had never noticed with the others since they were so much younger to start with. If one of the effects of becoming more in tune with nature, which was supposed to extend their lifespan, was a youthful appearance, then it made sense that the Headmistress would look younger, but it would be a cruel joke to regress the others back into childish bodies.
The Coven group made their way to the boat while the Noxus Elders stopped to shake Wolfe’s hand and thank him for the help one last time.
“We will let the Patriarch know all that you have shown us, and we will work with the trustworthy witches from the Recovery Camps to get the Coven Leader’s support back up. Once they start to recover and find out that it was made possible by Coven Leader Reiko, I think a lot of them will come around to the idea that not all of the Council need to be purged.
Well, most of them still do, they’re more corrupt than we are, with even fewer morals, but this batch looks like they might be a bit better at running the city once we crush the last few vestiges of their embedded influence.
We will contact you with Family codes if we need anything else, and you know where to find us.” The last Elder in line, the most tattooed of the group, whispered as they said their goodbyes.
“I will keep you all in mind. Look after the city, and I will show you all just how amazing a Magi-run territory can be. Give me a couple more years, and this end of the Frozen Wastes will be a nation to be envied.” Wolfe replied.
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“Exactly. This is already our territory. I just need to improve it so that the residents aren’t living in fear all the time. Once I’ve got that down, we will start making it a proper powerhouse on the Continent.”
Ella walked up while they were talking and overheard the last bit of the conversation. “It’s good to hear that your ambitions are small, manageable and realistic. Now, grab a bike and escort the Coven team back to the edge of the Wastes. Not much will dare to attack them with you that close.”
Wolfe smiled and ruffled her short blue hair. “Got it. I will take good care of them on the way home. Is there anything that you would like me to pick up while I’m out? There might be some spring herbs available, or I can scout for some army leftovers if we need anything.”
“If you go all the way into Sylvan Coven territory, there should be a lot of damaged and leftover amulets and gear at the camps which were abandoned in the first wave of attacks. Some of that stuff might still be good and useful for our students to study and learn from.
It’s easier to let them see the real thing than to make it from a book, but we’re a bit short on teachers who are actually qualified, so having example items makes our lives a lot easier.” She explained.
“Not a problem. I can sense the magic lingering on them, so I should be able to bring back any of them which are undamaged.”
Wolfe loaded the bike as Headmistress Peach waved goodbye one last time, and the fan on the back of the boat roared to life. Then they were off down the river, skimming along the water’s surface with the light load so they could make it back to the APC as soon as possible.
“So, you got roped into coming with us, did you?” Peach asked once she got used to the motion of the boat racing down the river.
“I did. I’m the one that usually goes out on errands since the monsters of the Frozen Wastes aren’t nearly as aggressive toward me as they are toward everyone else.” Wolfe agreed.
The Headmistress gave him a concerned look. “Why do I get the feeling that you know something about why that is? Did you come across ancient knowledge here in the Wastes?”
Wolfe shrugged and smiled. “I got some knowledge here in the Wastes, but a lot of it was inadvertently given to me by the Myrrh Coven. They have a wartime ruin on their territory that needed investigation, and I went in to see what I could find. I obtained some very enlightening things that trip.”
That was about as obscure as an answer could get, but it would have to do for now. The Headmistress was a good person, and what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.