Chapter 548 ·Threads of Desire

Combining ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍all the information Yoya–Bauhinia had provided, Janna–Roland had more or less figured out how the 【Witch Sect】 managed to concoct top-grade potions—and why she was considered the most suitable candidate to enter the 【Land of Desire】.

Having ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sorted out these matters, Janna’s inner worries gradually faded, and she began to genuinely accept the task of entering the 【Land of Desire】 to acquire “materials.”

However, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍there was still one thing Janna could not understand—why had Lori–Spark shown such an envious expression when she heard that Janna could enter the 【Land of Desire】?

“Normally ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍speaking, after leaving the 【Land of Desire】, it takes at least a month to completely dispel the emotional energy one absorbs inside. Therefore, even a formal witch cannot enter the 【Land of Desire】 twice within the same month——”

“But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this limitation doesn’t really apply to you. As long as the method is right, you can even enter the 【Land of Desire】 several times within a single day. Furthermore——”

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this point, Yoya–Bauhinia paused for a moment before continuing.

“When you enter the 【Land of Desire】, you can collect 【Threads of Desire】 while simultaneously gaining access to fragments of the host’s memories. The ancient formula for potion-making—I obtained it from within when I had just advanced to a formal witch.”

“Ah?”

Hearing Yoya–Bauhinia’s words, Janna’s first reaction was disbelief.

Based on Lori–Spark’s reaction, Janna had already known there must be some kind of benefit from entering the 【Land of Desire】.

However, upon learning that this so-called benefit was actually the memories of the hosts corresponding to the “materials” used in potion-making—those very hosts from whom the 【Threads of Desire】 were drawn—Janna couldn’t help but feel shaken.

After all, the memories of sentient beings represented an immense amount of information—and in a sense, that information was knowledge!

After her initial shock, an indescribable thrill welled up inside her. As a result, she began to look forward even more to her upcoming journey to the 【Land of Desire】.

“Thank you for your patient explanation. I believe I understand everything now.”

After listening to Yoya–Bauhinia’s detailed explanation, Janna found herself viewing the elegant and composed 【Dream Witch】 in a new light. For the first time, she truly felt as though she had joined a “great organization” and begun to enjoy its privileges.

“You don’t have to thank me just yet,” Yoya–Bauhinia said softly. “The reason I’ve told you so much isn’t only because I hope you can obtain the potion-making ‘materials’ for the 【Witch Sect】, but also because I want you to re-examine the 【Law of Beauty】.”

“What do you mean?”

Janna, who had just been feeling eager to enter the 【Land of Desire】, instantly grew alert again when she heard Yoya–Bauhinia suddenly bring up the 【Law of Beauty】.

“President, I don’t quite understand what you mean by ‘re-examine the 【Law of Beauty】.’”

Yoya–Bauhinia didn’t answer right away. She simply tapped her finger lightly against the tabletop, over and over, before finally speaking slowly:

“I know that, given your witch talent, the primary laws you’ve chosen to study are naturally related to the 【Law of Growth Fragment】 and the 【Law of Withering Fragment】. Of course, from your standpoint, that is indeed a reasonable and correct path to take. However—”

Her tone shifted. Seeing that Janna did not show much reaction, Yoya–Bauhinia’s voice lost its earlier gentleness and instead gained a solemn, commanding weight that sent a chill through the air.

“If your ultimate goal is the 【Law of Nature and Life】, I suggest you reconsider carefully. It may still seem distant to you now, but once you step onto that path, you will find yourself facing hostility from the Shadow World—and even from the Outer Gods.”

At those words, Janna’s previously lowered gaze suddenly lifted. Staring at Yoya–Bauhinia’s face, still shrouded in mist, flashes of fragmented memories began to surface in her mind.

“It’s the 【Bloodred Archduke】—”

No matter how much time passed, Janna could never forget that pale giant hand that had descended through the ruptured void.

On the day when the Darksun Apostles joined forces with the Shadow World to invade the Turin Wizard Congregation, Janna had, for the first time, seen in the 【Material Plane】 the being that had previously appeared only in her dreams—the “Prime Vampire,” the Bloodred Archduke, 【Cain–Bloodred】.

That day, the entire city of Turin had been shrouded in the shadow of death. To break the deadlock, Janna had used the 【Angel’s Feather】 to summon the Seraph, 【Lucifer】.

Under 【Lucifer】’s overwhelming divine power, 【Cain–Bloodred】, who had descended only as an avatar into the 【Material Plane】, was completely suppressed and ultimately forced to retreat.

However, just as everyone thought the catastrophe was over, 【Cain–Bloodred】 suddenly lashed out at Janna, thrusting his pale giant hand through a spatial rift in an attempt to seize her.

Fortunately, 【Lucifer】 had reacted swiftly and protected Janna in time, sparing her from disaster.

Still, the memory of that “pale giant hand” hung over Janna like a sword suspended above her head, leaving her with a deep and lingering unease.

Although that unease had lessened somewhat after she entered the White Tower, the memory itself remained like a thorn lodged deep in her palm—impossible to ignore, impossible to remove.

Janna had long pondered why 【Cain–Bloodred】 would target a mere Third-Tier Wizard Apprentice like herself. Yet no matter how she reasoned it, her thoughts always circled back to the recurring dreams she had—the inherited memories of the previous Keeper of the 【Law of Nature and Life】, 【Ivrecia–Twilight】.

“Thump—thump—”

As if a nightmare had been reopened, Janna’s heartbeat quickened after hearing the 【Dream Witch】 Yoya–Bauhinia’s words. Even her breathing grew heavy as she was forced to confront those buried memories once more.

“With your 【Natural Affinity】, you indeed possess exceptional advantages in comprehending 【Law Fragments】 related to the 【Authority of Nature】. However, if you cannot even ensure your survival, then all those so-called advantages will ultimately amount to nothing.”

“Of course, it’s not too late for you to change paths now. With your gift for the 【Law of Beauty】, I can guarantee that, in the future, you’ll be fully capable of advancing to a formal witch through it———”

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