Chapter 243: Official Contact

It was afternoon.

The Mutual Aid Tavern was as noisy as ever, with the faint scent of barley beer drifting through the air.

"Hey, Brother, why do you look so listless?"

At a corner seat, Vera rested her chin on her hand and blinked in confusion as she studied Ansu, who looked quite haggard.

Ansu massaged the space between his eyebrows. "Maybe... I just didn't sleep well last night."

Sitting opposite him, Freya's pale gold eyes rested quietly on him. Having not seen him for an entire week, her gaze was filled with concern and longing.

"Lord Ansu must have been very busy and working hard lately to overcome the problem of magic pollution."

"Mhm, I was indeed very busy." Ansu silently recalled his secluded life in the mine these past few days.

Spending day and night immersed in the construction of the 【Ring of Pure Protection】 with Celia was essentially no different from being locked in a little black room...

As for the real reason for his exceptional lethargy today...

It was because he hadn't closed his eyes at all last night.

The Miss Witch's love, which was so intense it bordered on obsessive, was truly terrifying...

The two of them had battled until they were utterly exhausted before finally falling asleep in each other's arms. By the time they woke up, it was already noon the next day...

Even then, the Miss Witch still didn't want to let him go.

He had only barely managed to escape her clutches to rush back and take charge of the situation.

So, how could he not be exhausted?

"Then you should get some rest early tonight, Brother."

Seeing Ansu's clearly drained expression, Vera was happy that her brother was back, but her resentment toward that bad woman grew.

Hmph, honestly! Spending so much time on magic research every day, look how tired she made him!

Even though it was for official business, if she and Sister Freya hadn't been sending messages every day to urge him, that overbearing bad witch probably still wouldn't have let him go!

...

The trio's conversation shifted from the past few days of research to the aftermath of the Magic Prohibition Decree.

The atmosphere in the tavern was noticeably filled with an uneasy restlessness, far more oppressive than when they discussed the rising price of rye bread.

"Those clergymen and the city guard were patrolling the streets with real weapons that day. Old John was almost taken away by them!"

"But then they all suddenly withdrew at night. It's a bit bizarre..."

The low-tier mages whispered among themselves, still feeling lingering fear from the short-lived Magic Prohibition Decree.

"I'm saying, we need to think about a way out..."

"If they were determined to push that decree through, President Brenda wouldn't be able to protect us. When that time comes, every single one of us will be in trouble!"

"Yeah, who knows what those big shots are thinking? What if the Count changes his mind one day and decides to target us mages again? If you ask me... we should pack our things and run!"

Ansu listened quietly to the various discussions around him. The sudden withdrawal of the Magic Prohibition Decree was, of course, due to his 'maneuvering' behind the scenes.

He pondered the latest reports from the intelligence network.

Bishop Gordon was indeed easy to handle. The anonymous letter only revealed a portion of his dirty secrets, yet it had terrified him so much that he immediately recalled all the clergymen who had been sent out.

According to the information, this Lord Bishop now lived in seclusion and rarely left his home, showing symptoms of severe paranoia.

Meanwhile, Count Alston was in real trouble.

The accusations of "treason" against him had already caused quite a stir in the Royal Capital. The whistleblower was none other than his own nephew, Edmond Alston.

Elder Kurt of the cult was responsible for monitoring and protecting Edmond, helping him evade several assassination attempts by transcendent assassins sent by Count Alston.

Pitting them against each other in internal strife so they had no time for anything else was a key part of the plan.

Under normal circumstances, a hereditary noble's title was almost unshakable, but if the charge of "treason" was proven, that would be a different story.

Furthermore, Edmond Alston was indeed clever and patient, making him a seedling worth cultivating.

While lost in thought, Ansu reached for his oak beer mug, only for a fair and warm small hand to gently press down on his.

"Lord Ansu, please don't drink today."

He looked up to see Freya's gentle face close by. Her eyes held a trace of mild but clear disapproval.

"You're already feeling unwell today, so don't drink. Please get some good rest when you go back tonight."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable persistence.

Immediately after, a glass of warm water was gently pushed in front of Ansu.

"Drink this!"

"Mhm, alright..." Ansu was slightly dazed for a moment before following her advice and taking a submissive sip.

He then silently thought to himself, was this the legendary 'drink more warm water' advice...?

The warm water brought a bit of heat to his body. Just then, Vera suddenly let out a giggle.

She looked at Ansu with a mischievous grin, her eyes seemingly saying... So even you have a day where you're forbidden from drinking, big brother!

Ansu glanced at her.

The noisy discussions in the tavern suddenly quieted down. Ansu looked up and saw President Brenda and Valger walking in one after the other.

"They're here," Ansu said.

The purpose of today was to have an "official contact" with these two core figures of the magic mutual aid association. Ansu was prepared to lay his cards on the table.

"Sister Vera!"

A thin, small girl with freckles on her face ran out from behind Valger, heading straight for Vera with joy.

But when she reached the table and noticed Ansu and Freya's gazes on her, she suddenly became shy and lowered her head to stare at the tips of her shoes.

Seeing Heidi, Vera immediately put on the dashing expression of a 'big sister' and reached out to pinch the little girl's cheek.

She then leaned close to her ear and asked in a serious tone, "Has anyone been bullying you lately?"

"No... Sister Vera," Heidi answered softly.

"That's good." Vera patted her shoulder. "You too, don't always be so timid. I told you I've got your back! Hmph! From now on, no one in the entire city of Norvigel will dare to bully you!"

Heidi tilted her small face up, looking at the incredibly cool Sister Vera with eyes full of admiration.

Ansu watched this scene with a smile. Vera had been playing with Heidi often lately, acting like a true big sister to her.

He had heard that when someone bullied Heidi at school, Vera didn't say a word but simply blocked the school gate after classes and used a wooden sword to beat the bad kids until they cried for their parents...

Ansu felt quite sentimental. The Vera who used to be a loner and somewhat withdrawn at school had finally made a friend and even become a "big sister" that others could rely on. This was a wonderful change.

With encouraging looks from Vera, Heidi finally raised her head and greeted the two of them tentatively.

"Hello, Brother Ansu. Hello, Sister Freya..."

She then scurried back to her father, Valger's side.

Valger looked at his lively daughter, a trace of softness flashing across his face.

As President Brenda and Valger sat down opposite them, the atmosphere turned noticeably serious.

Although the other mages in the tavern were still talking in low voices, their eyes frequently drifted toward this corner as they strained their ears.

"This is how it is..." Ansu clearly stated the demons' plot to the two of them. His gaze fell on Valger's increasingly pale face as he finally concluded, "Your mysterious benefactor, the demon leader Barcas, intended to use the powerful destructive force of the crimson marrowstone to create a disaster capable of wiping this major northern stronghold off the map, throwing the entire Empire into chaos."

Valger's expression was extremely complex, a mix of shock, lingering fear, and gratitude. If Ansu hadn't intervened, he likely would have committed a grave mistake...

He opened his mouth, but it eventually turned into a heavy sigh. "Thank you... Ansu. If it weren't for you, the consequences would have been unimaginable... How could I have been so easily deceived by him back then? That hateful demon..."

"Don't mention it. Helping you was also helping myself." Ansu smiled calmly and then looked at the solemn President Brenda.

Next, he briefly explained the motives of Count Alston and Bishop Gordon behind the Magic Prohibition Decree and gave a slight hint—it was his maneuvering behind the scenes that had caused the sudden halt of the aggressive decree.

Now, the expressions on the two's faces were even more remarkable...

President Brenda remained silent for a long time. "If that is truly the case, then everyone in this tavern..."

"No! All of Norvigel, and even all the mages who were spared from disaster because of this, owe you a word of thanks."

"I'll accept the words of thanks," Ansu said with a smile. "But I hope to receive some... more concrete rewards. Everything I've done wasn't just a selfless act of kindness."