The Witch's New Trial / The Lion-Headed Shopkeeper ...

"As a thank you gift, I'll give you a tablet. It has a bigger screen than a phone, making it much more convenient for watching dramas. Remember that, Shirou," Yukino Yukinoshita said.

"Um... um." Shirou hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Oh, so he was the one who had to pay.

"Thank you, Yukino- san." The young Medea smiled immediately.

"Tsk..." The two goddesses watching the spectacle clicked their tongues in boredom. They now wanted nothing more than to stir things up and create a huge scene.

"Elder Sister, you should be happy that you don't have to fight," Little Medusa quickly said, seeing through her two older sisters' thoughts.

After much persuasion, they finally managed to convince the two goddesses to come down.

Medea and Yukino Yukinoshita to be having a pleasant conversation.

"Should we still fight like this?" Circe whispered to her niece furtively.

"We can't fight anymore!" the adult Medea said helplessly, covering her face.

In fact, she also preferred not to fight in the teaching building area, after all, this place was also very important to the adult she liked, like a place to settle down, a dock for ships to moor on a stormy seashore.

"Aunt, I've already said that Mr. Shirou has been wronged, so let's not make another mistake." The young Medea stepped forward and advised Circe.

"Don't call me aunt!" Circe jumped up and retorted. She hesitated for a moment, then looked at Shirou and the goddess's fighting power, realizing that it would be difficult for her side to save face. She could only agree, "But this matter... let's leave it at that."

So the three witches reached a consensus.

"Well, since we've already talked it out, please help me remove the curse. In a little while, I'll turn into a cat again," Shirou said, stepping forward to the three witches.

"I'm sorry, there's no way to remove the curse right now," the young Medea said apologetically, bowing her head in embarrassment.

"Huh? Why?!" Yukino asked Shirou in surprise. They had gone through so much trouble, finally finding all three witches, but in the end, it was still like this?

Chapter 808 The Witch's New Trial

"Ahem, that was a curse cast by the three of us together. Even a god would find it hard to resist, and it will take time to lift it!" the young Medea explained sheepishly.

"No need for further explanation! You want us to work for free? You expect me to do whatever you say? Wouldn't that make me lose face?" Circe jumped up, sporting a "I'm just being willful" expression, and said:

"Anyway! You two need to overcome this problem! Prove that you're truly in love. If you can do that, then we'll lift the curse. If you can't, it proves your relationship is just that kind of thing. As long as you, girl, um, your name is Yukino, right? Get rid of this guy. If you do, I might let him go."

"Impossible!" Yukino Yukinoshita blurted out without a moment's thought. She didn't even need to consider such a question.

Circe took flight, revealing a defiant expression, just as she had done in the past when she poisoned various humans and even gods, only to be met with their desperate pleas for an antidote. Generally, she would simply ignore them or send them away with an even worse poison.

"Then prove to me just how much you love each other! Kiss me here! No! Do it right here on this sofa! If it's true love, this kind of thing is perfectly fine, right? Even doing this in a temple would be perfectly acceptable!" Circe shouted.

"Hey, Goddess, let's do it together." Yukino Yukinoshita said decisively, then had Shirou join forces with the goddess and the others to attack.

"Wait, wait! I was wrong! Let me think of something." Circe quickly admitted defeat. Helpless, she impatiently shook her arm and said, "I really can't do anything with you. Well, I'll slightly change the curse. Give me your hand."

"Oh..." Shirou reached out and had his hand placed on his wrist, feeling his pulse like Traditional Chinese Medicine, except that she was using her palm instead of her fingers.

"Would you like to change the type of transformation as well? It doesn't have to be a cat, you know. How about turning into a pig, a cow, a siren, or even just a woman? They're all human, so it'll be easier to move around, right?" Circe suggested, recommending the transformation package.

"Huh? Can even curses be customized?" Shirou said in surprise. He had only heard of customizing clothes, shoes, and weapons, but he never imagined that curses could be used like this.

"Actually, it's a high-level combination of potions, curses, and illusions, but you wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you," Circe said, waving her hand.

"No! A cat would be better!" At that moment Yukino grabbed Shirou and said nervously.

"Is that so? Never mind then, I'll just change it to allow for free allocation of transformation time," Circe in disappointment.

Circe chanted incantations, modifying the curse placed upon Shirou. A strange black light emerged from above Shirou's head, then changed shape, decomposed and recombined, transforming into a deep purple halo before merging into Shirou's body.

"Alright, so you'll control your time as a human and as a cat for the next three days. But if you run out of time in one form, you'll be forced to be a cat for the rest of the time, so be careful," Circe warned.

"That's enough," Shirou replied.

He sensed a change in the curse within him; it seemed to have transformed from a simple curse into a bloodline talent, somewhat similar to the Animagus in Harry Potter. If used properly, it could become a valuable new ability. However, due to its time-limited nature, there would inevitably be periods when he would transform into a cat, making him more like a werewolf.

"However, Medea, you can't teleport all the clothes here anymore," Yukino said, turning to the blue-haired girl.

"I know, I'll set up a teleportation point in your house, is that alright?" Medea, the young girl, blushed and agreed. She wasn't some strange, infatuated woman!

"Yukino, let's resolve the curse in the next few days," Shirou said earnestly, taking his girlfriend's hand in his.

"Mmm." Yukino Yukinoshita gripped Shirou's hand tightly and nodded.

Shirou suddenly remembered something important, turned to the witches, and asked:

"By the way, which people have you turned into animals?"

"Quite a few, actually. Because pigs aren't easy to raise in Japan, they all turned into cats and were then thrown into a place that raises a lot of cats and sells drinks," Circe casually added.

"What kind of drinks are they selling?" Shirou pressed.

"What's with the name 'Ka'? What's it again? It has so many weird names, and it tastes bitter and astringent, it's not good at all. Wine is definitely better," Circe said, shaking his head in disgust.

"Could it be a cat cafe? A cat-themed café?" Yukino Yukinoshita, her eyes lighting up.

"Ah! That seems to be the name. Actually, there's someone we know there, no, a familiar cat. You can find them once you get nearby," Circe said.

In fact, the young Medea was responsible for teleporting humans who had been turned into cats to that place. If Shirou hadn't had magic powers and gone out to find Yukino, he probably would have received the same treatment.

"A familiar cat?" Shirou blinked in confusion, and couldn't help but think of Tama and Ranran at Yukino's house.

"You'll know when you get there; everyone should know them," Circe said with a mysterious smile, keeping everyone in suspense. This way of speaking seemed to be a common trait among female Magecraft. Oh, I almost forgot, that girl wasn't exactly a traditional woman.

"Your mission is to go to that troublesome place and bring back the sinner who has turned into a cat! Alright! Now go and complete the trial! Although it will be tough and difficult, you will surely be able to overcome it." Circe raised his hands and announced in a solemn tone.

"Why are you acting like King in a hero game who gives the protagonist a starting weapon and a little money when they first appear, and then stands by and does nothing? Aren't you the culprit?" Shirou retorted.

The young witch, Medea, apologized to Shirou, saying, "On behalf of my aunt, I apologize to my grown-up self. I didn't want to become a burdened woman like my aunt, but in the end, I'm just as bad. I'm truly sorry."

"So, could you please make an exception?" Shirou pleaded with the seemingly normal girl.

"No! A promise made to a witch must be kept, or you'll end up like Lord Jason, suffering a terrible fate," the young Medea said with a smile.

Shirou fell silent, feeling that the girl was the most terrifying one among them.

Chapter 809 The Lion Head Restaurant Manager

"And what about us? We're the winners this time, aren't we?" Stheno and Euryale stepped forward and said.

Although they didn't fight to the very end, according to Ancient Greece custom, the victors would have had the right to enslave the losers and acquire all their property. However, they were still the victors in this war, and even if they didn't take everything, ceding territory and paying reparations would be the bare minimum.

"I know that as a concession, we will no longer prevent you from entering the university campus, but in return, you cannot arbitrarily tease those students," the young Medea said to the two goddesses.

Stheno and Euryale exchanged a glance, seeking each other's opinion, before turning to each other and agreeing:

"Okay, I don't object," the two goddesses said in unison.

After all, there's still a group of followers on Fortune Telling Street, and we can't just abandon them. Anyway, the restriction is within the university; once we leave, we can do whatever we want, right?

So the three witches reached an agreement with the goddess, everyone got what they wanted, and everyone was happy.

"Then let this be the final trial. If you can bring those cats out, we will lift the curse for you." Medea raised a hand, golden particles emanating from it, dancing around her fingers like fireflies, and swore an oath under the witness of Magecraft.

"I understand, let's do it that way." Yukino Yukinoshita Shirou.

The girl didn't find the cat café a hassle at all; on the contrary, she seemed quite looking forward to it. Simply because of her love for cats, Yukino Yukinoshita could stay there for an entire day without eating. Of course, this time, she was there to complete the witch's trial. Yes, she absolutely couldn't forget such a simple test.

"Alright, Shirou ~! Let's go check out the cat café now!" Yukino Yukinoshita said enthusiastically.

"Yes, yes, I understand how you feel, Yukino, but it's already very late, so let's go tomorrow, okay?" Shirou reluctantly agreed. When the girl showed that expression, he could only try to cooperate.

"Well... that's all we can do," Yukino Yukinoshita replied with some disappointment.

In the evening, Shirou had no choice but to transform into his cat form and sit on Yukino's lap, letting her pet him to her heart's content, thus quelling his urge to go to Shirou cat cafe to pet the cats. Because Shirou was in the middle, the two cats at home also obediently nestled beside him, staying put wherever Shirou was.

Yukino Yukinoshita enjoyed the treatment of having a cat's crystal palace, and exclaimed that she had a great time.

However, the next morning, as soon as the shop opened, Yukino Yukinoshita pulled Shirou out of bed and eagerly headed outside.

"Hurry! Hurry!"

"Wait, Yukino, there's no need to rush. The shop isn't going to run away."

Holding hands and leading Shirou along the road, she chuckled as she offered her advice.

When Shirou and Yukino arrived at the cat cafe that the three witches had mentioned, just as they said, they didn't need to look for it at all; they already knew where it was.

On either side of the street, two shops were occupied by a tall man standing facing each other across the road.

Surprisingly, the man on the left has a robust physique, wears a T-shirt with a dog sticking out its tongue, and has his arms crossed; he's a handsome, cool middle-aged man. The man on the right, however, has a head that's practically a white lion.

Cats are the cutest!

Dogs are the most loyal and the cutest!

"Cats are justice!"

"Dogs are the true heroes!"

"Ahh!"

"Haa!"

Do you want to fight?

"Why don't you try laying a hand on me!"

"I moved! I just moved! So what if you do that!"

Snap! Snap!

"Hmph! That's how we'll do it! Are you scared now!"

"You bastard! You hit me twice!"

Snap! Snap! Snap!

Clap clap clap clap!

Snap snap snap snap snap snap!

Two grown men were on the street, fighting like schoolchildren, constantly hitting each other, just to get one more chance to strike.

"The two people standing opposite me! Do you think they're communicating or just talking? No! They'd be better off as cats or dogs!"

"Huh? You're asking us?" Shirou pointed to himself in surprise.

"No! We're going to that cat cafe over there! Sorry, we don't have time to linger here, excuse me." Yukino Yukinoshita said without hesitation, then pulled Shirou across the zebra crossing and headed towards the white lion.

"Huh?" The handsome, long-haired middle-aged man on the other side seemed somewhat taken aback.

"Hahaha!! Wahahahaha!!! See that? Once again! The world has chosen my side once again!!! What an insightful girl! Listen to me! I am the manager of this cat cafe!!! Hahahaha, discerning gentlemen and ladies, please come in! Please enjoy yourselves, all your expenses today are on the house!" The white lion laughed wildly.

"Ugh, the store manager's started giving away freebies again. If this keeps up, we'll never make any money."

"By the way, I've never seen him take off his mask before, and why is it Lion Head? Is this a cat cafe?"

"Don't even mention you, I've worked here for three years and I still don't understand."

The employees whispered among themselves, but since they were paid on time and their salaries were in the upper-middle range of the surrounding stores, they had no reason to complain even if the boss was acting strangely.

"Wait, are you the manager? We were introduced here by the three witches." Yukino Yukinoshita interrupted the middle-aged handsome man and the Lion Head's argument and spoke up. Anyway, we need to see the cat quickly! Hand over the cat!

"Ah, I heard about it from that little girl last night. It's the witch's trial. You can go in yourselves. Whether you find it or not is up to you," Lion Head said.

"I'm busy entertaining guests, I'm not talking to you dog owner!" Lion Head shouted at the man opposite him, as if afraid the man in the doghouse wouldn't hear him.

"Tsk, you might not understand, but this guy didn't open the cat cafe because he likes it. Do you really want to go to a place run by someone who only acts for profit?" Tesla advised.

"No! Even if that's not my intention, it doesn't stop me from keeping pets! Besides, I like anything you hate!" the white lion said with a wicked grin.

"Huh?" The handsome middle-aged man glared at the white lion with displeasure.

"Roar!" The white Lion Head bared its teeth and glared back menacingly.

The two men stepped forward again and began to collide their chest muscles against each other, fighting like elementary school kids.

"Sorry..." Shirou wanted to show some respect to these great inventors who had advanced human history, but Yukino's mind was already wandering to the cat café, and she was being dragged along. But that was strange, because these two didn't act like inventors at all.

Chapter 810 Tesla and Edison

Tesla was hailed as a god of science during his lifetime, and was even mythologized as a genius inventor, mechanical and electrical engineer, and a super genius fluent in eight languages. He had ingenious inventions such as AC systems, radio, radio receivers, radar, and fax machines. Furthermore, he was praised by people of his time for his patent on AC, which could have made him one of the world's richest people.

He was an invention fanatic who never married. Every time he invented something, he would invest all the proceeds into the next invention. This arrogant approach eventually led to his impoverished state in his old age. However, it was precisely because of his outstanding and mysterious behavior that people have come to imagine all sorts of things about him.

There are many mysteries surrounding him, such as the Tunguska event, which is rumored to have been caused by him and was more powerful than a nuclear bomb. After his death, all the research data he left behind was taken away by the FBI and sealed away, and has not been released to this day.

Edison, on the other hand, possessed extraordinary business acumen and management skills. He started with printing presses and then built his own factory, which became the starting point of the later famous General Electric Company. He single-handedly promoted the electric light industry and installed light bulbs in every household.

The shrewd man wouldn't invent anything that wouldn't sell. During the invention phase of each product, he already had a plan for how to market it and ensure its huge success. He led a large group of excellent employees, constantly experimenting and developing new blockbuster products, such as the phonograph, lighting, electrical systems, and sound films. Ultimately, this cemented his status as a master inventor.

The two were nine years apart in age. The young Tesla had worked at Edison's General Electric Company, but after completing his tasks, he did not receive the payment Edison had promised, and angrily left to work independently.

Then he was suppressed by Edison, and Tesla also called himself a genius and often mocked Edison. The feud between the two had become so bad that even when he won the Nobel Prize, he refused to accept it simply because he heard that the two of them were going to be on the same stage to receive the award.