Chapter 146: Night Howling Hound

Now that Quest was on his way back, if Ming Datiss managed to escape the quagmire in Carolina, the Green Dragon’s empty nest would be his next one.

An empty nest, yes, but one containing a Vine Monster created by a Green Dragon.

Seeing that the Ghost Witch coven here had been dealt with, the golden dragon didn’t linger. It beat its wings and soared into the sky, heading straight for Aiksuuri to tutor the Young Dragon.

Meanwhile, the surviving Ghost Witch began to stir, slowly regaining consciousness thanks to Victoria’s healing.

"COUGH, COUGH!" Polly coughed weakly. "So, you killed them all?"

"My sister, my mother, and my ’auntie’?"

"You’re not planning on getting revenge, are you?" Sera said, brandishing the Grip of the Vast Wave. "I’d be more than happy to kill another Ghost Witch!"

"No, it’s just a shame, that’s all," the Ghost Witch sighed. "If I had killed them myself, I might have become even more powerful..."

"Like your mother?" Ron glanced at her. "Your mother did the same. She certainly grew stronger, but she also went mad. And in the end, she died."

"You have no reason to feel regret over it."

"Perhaps," the Ghost Witch said, forcing herself to her feet. "At least... can I receive her inheritance?"

"There’s no inheritance to receive," said Aive. "She was turned to dust. Nothing is left."

"No, there is something," the Ghost Witch said, holding her hand out to the two Night Howling Hounds. "Come now, my darlings. Bring your companions over as well."

"Your former master is dead. It is time for you to serve a new one!"

However, no matter how the Ghost Witch tried to entice or even threaten them with words and gestures, the two Night Howling Hounds remained motionless. They simply stood their ground, letting out low, threatening growls in her direction.

At the same time, the other hounds—those that hadn’t been killed by the golden dragon or Sera’s group—emerged from the final moments of pre-dawn darkness and surrounded them. Their red eyes glinted against their black fur. Up close, you could see they had vaguely human-like faces and necks more flexible than any normal dog. A smell of smoke wafted from their bodies, stinging the nostrils.

"What are you..." The Ghost Witch was baffled. "You should be serving me! Why are you just standing there? Get over here!"

A hound, more powerfully built than the rest, padded over and sniffed the Ghost Witch, then turned its head away with an expression of clear disgust.

"No, you’re supposed to serve a master like me! How could you not choose me?!" The Ghost Witch watched in shock as the lead hound actually turned its gaze toward Ron.

Then, its expression soured with even greater disgust.

"These creatures prefer to follow an evil master," Silvia said, leaning on her Walking Stick. "Oh, they’re heading for Delaford. They’re going to..."

The Vampire Descendant took a step back, dodging a hound that tried to nuzzle against her leg. "Shoo, go away! What do you think you’re doing?"

"Hmm. It seems someone is a bit more ’wicked’ than she gives herself credit for," Victoria said, her expression unreadable. "If you insist on keeping them, you’d best watch them closely."

"These things could be a threat to the other townspeople."

"Whether or not I keep them is up to my benefactor," Silvia said, watching Ron’s expression. "Right?"

"Go ahead and keep them," the Ghost Witch said, shooting Silvia a look that was half jealousy, half hatred. "These creatures form a Mind Link with their master. They only appear when you call for them. During the day, they must return to the Astral Plane. At night, if you don’t need them, they’ll go off into the wilds to fend for themselves, so they won’t threaten the safety of your territory."

"In that case, keep them," Ron said, glancing at the Night Howling Hounds that were desperately trying to curry favor with Silvia. "An extra bit of power is always a good thing."

"Alright, alright," Silvia said, making a show of reluctance as she forged a pact with the twelve remaining hounds, then immediately dismissed them back to their home plane. "Since my benefactor insists, I suppose I can reluctantly accept them!"

"You don’t look the least bit reluctant," Victoria noted with a sideways glance. "But speaking of which, wasn’t their initial target Delaford? Why did they switch to you?"

"I already have Big White," the Goblin Hunter said, stroking the large white rat on her shoulder. "The reason they rejected the Ghost Witch is because they saw her as a failure. There was no future in following her."

"As for Ron, they couldn’t stand his ’stench’—and those aren’t my words, that’s what the lead hound said."

"So in the end, after being picky, they settled on Silvia. These creatures must have a master; it’s what they’re born for."

"Alright, let’s talk about you," Ron said, turning to the Ghost Witch. "You no longer have to scheme and plot against your sisters. What are your plans now?"

"What else is there to do? I’m just a wretched old woman," the Ghost Witch said, her beady little eyes darting about. "I’ll stay far away from outsiders, far away from everyone. Unless they come looking for me."

"Perhaps one of your subjects will get lost and stumble upon a small hut deep in the swamp. An old woman will offer them a cup of hot tea and some pastries. If they’re injured, they might even receive some healing salves and Potions... Heh heh..."

"I can only hope you don’t serve them rotten food," Ron shrugged. "And I hope you keep your promise. Otherwise, I’ll have to pay you another visit."

"Think about your family."

"Are you threatening me?" the Ghost Witch asked, confused. "You’ve already killed all my relatives!"

"That’s my point."

"You...!"

Ron paid the Ghost Witch’s sputtering no mind. After a quick sweep of the battlefield with his companions, they prepared to leave.

’As long as this Ghost Witch isn’t completely insane, she’ll know how to behave from now on.’

Since the golden dragon had already transported most of their luggage to Aiksuuri, Ron and the others made much better time on their return trip. However, as they drew closer to the trade post, they noticed something unusual.

"Aren’t there a few too many outsiders?" Victoria asked as they walked through the gates of the trade post. She frowned at the strangers in their fine clothes, who looked completely out of place among the local villagers. "What are they here for? Are they merchants?"

"I don’t see any cargo or pack animals," Sera said. "They’re from the south. I’ve only ever seen patterns and accessories like that in Rose City."