Counter-kill, Going Home with the Witch

As his consciousness returned...

The cold, grim basement vanished, and Ansu found himself back in Mary's bright office.

[Reality]

[Light Calendar 625, April 13th, 16:02]

[Commentary: Congratulations! You have been brainwashed by the Witch of World Destruction once again and have earned the achievement "King of Brainwashing Resistance"!]

[Compared to the first simulation, the host's ability to gather information has significantly improved, and you have learned a new spell during a critical moment...]

[Rating: D+]

[Reward: Points *12, "Charisma Boost Lv1"]

[Remaining Points: 50]

The rewards this time were indeed more generous than the first simulation, and Ansu quickly glanced at the new ability he had just acquired.

[Talent: Charisma Boost Lv1]

[Your charisma value has significantly increased. When interacting with others, appropriately displaying your good side will make it easier to gain their favor.]

[This talent is passive and cannot be forced to take effect.]

After reading the detailed description, Ansu thought to himself that this system felt a bit like a life coach...

In truth, he would have preferred a powerful skill, or at the very least, an ability that could save his life.

But thinking about it carefully, this move might also be able to save his life...

By turning into a succubus, perhaps...

Additionally.

[Mage Hand (Mastered) (Learning Progress: 50/50)]

It seemed that the magic learned in the simulation could indeed be inherited. Ansu felt a surge of joy; with this, his plan was even more secure.

In the office, Mary stood with her arms crossed, watching Ansu, who had remained silent for a long time.

"Well? Speak up."

She sneered, "Don't tell me you're busy making up a lie on the spot? Are you racking your brain trying to come up with one?"

"Of course not." Ansu's gaze shifted quietly toward the solid wood desk not far away.

In the second drawer of that desk, the chemical used to knock him out—ether—was stored.

"Teacher Mary, the truth is... it's really not convenient for me to say, because everything I did was for my younger sister."

"Your sister?" Mary frowned, "What does you seeking out people from the Church have to do with your sister?"

"You know the situation at my home right now..." Ansu put on a helpless yet sincere smile, "We're so poor we can't even afford school, but my sister is so bright; it would be a real shame if she couldn't attend..."

Ansu's smile was incredibly earnest, and Mary, looking at that expression, was momentarily stunned.

"A church school?"

Following Ansu's lead, she subconsciously thought of this.

"Yes!" Ansu nodded, "Exactly, a church school. If my sister could attend a church school, the tuition would be cut in half, so I was trying to use some connections..."

A faint trace of mana condensed, and the [Mage Hand] quietly appeared behind Mary.

"Connections?" Mary eyed Ansu suspiciously, "I know your family situation very well. How come I didn't know you had connections with the Church?"

"Teacher Mary." Ansu revealed a meaningful smile, "There might be many things you don't know yet..."

Mary's brow furrowed even deeper, and she suddenly had a strange feeling.

"What on earth are you babbling about?"

Ansu smiled but said nothing.

"It seems I'll have to use some methods..." She was about to step forward immediately, but suddenly noticed that Ansu was inexplicably covering his nose and mouth.

"You..."

Behind Mary, the sound of a drawer sliding open rang out softly.

She realized what was happening in an instant and whipped her head around.

But it was too late; the bottle filled with ether shattered right in front of her.

"Crack!"

Mary's eyes widened; it had all happened so unexpectedly.

The pungent chemical gas evaporated rapidly. The dosage in that bottle was so large that Mary's body quickly went limp, and she collapsed to the floor.

"How... did you know..."

Her consciousness grew hazy, and she slowly closed her eyes.

I know, of course, because you were the one who told me.

How the tables have turned!

Ansu held his breath, threw open the door, and sprinted out of Mary's office.

After holding his breath for nearly 40 seconds, Ansu finally dared to open his mouth and take a deep gulp of fresh air in the hallway.

With Mary dealt with, time seemed much more abundant, but Ansu didn't dare waste a single second. After leaving the school, he boarded a carriage headed for the Riverside District.

In the simulation, Ansu remembered Cecilia mentioning that she usually studied magic at a secret manor in the Riverside District.

That place was likely a secret stronghold for the Echo of Truth Cult.

Although he hated to admit it, the only person who could save him right now was that wretched witch who had brainwashed him into a "Puppet" twice...

Just thinking about how he might be entangled with her for a long time to come made Ansu's head ache...

What a twisted fate...

After getting off the carriage, Ansu looked at the elegant surroundings of the wealthy district and felt a bit lost for a moment.

The problem was, how was he supposed to find where she was?

The environment of the Riverside District was like a different world compared to where Ansu lived; it had wide, clean streets, neat lawns, and luxurious grand manors. At this moment, several maids trimming the garden were looking at Ansu with curiosity.

Ansu wandered around aimlessly, feeling as though the servants were watching him like he was a thief...

After pondering for a moment, he came up with a good idea.

Ansu sat on a bench by the side of the road, closed his eyes, and began to [Meditate].

Meditation was a compulsory course for all mages. By focusing intently on perceiving the world and entering a state of immersive "spiritual experience," one could slowly recover mana and achieve the optimal state for cultivation.

With such a faint and continuous flow of mana, someone of Mary's level certainly wouldn't be able to sense it, but Cecilia was a super genius in the field of magic.

If someone dared to play with magic right at her "doorstep," she would have to come out and see what was going on, one way or another.

He didn't know how much time had passed...

Ansu opened his eyes and saw Cecilia looking at him with a suspicious expression.

She was wearing an elegant long dress common among ladies of the imperial upper class, looking just like a noble young lady.

"How did you find me here?"

"Ms. Mary told me," Ansu replied.

Cecilia frowned slightly, "Why aren't you at school? What are you doing here?"

Ansu hurriedly looked left and right, deliberately putting on a nervous appearance, "Witch! I escaped from school! Mary is suspicious! She wants to kill me!"

Cecilia's expression showed slight surprise, "Why would she want to kill you?"

Ansu lowered his voice and uttered a name, "Elder Hall."

Cecilia's gaze changed instantly, becoming much more dangerous.

"Mary came to the library to find me today, saying that Elder Hall, a high-ranking member of the organization, wanted to see me. I felt her gaze was off, and she seemed determined not to let me leave, so I fought back with all my might, knocked her out with her own bottle of medicine, and then..."

"I understand," Cecilia interrupted Ansu, "This is not the place to talk. Follow me."

At dusk, the sky began to darken.

Cecilia brought Ansu to her home.

Cecilia's "home," or rather her secret stronghold in Benalu City, was a rather secluded manor. After entering the mansion, Ansu glanced at the gorgeously decorated living room, his gaze falling on several expressionless maids who were cleaning.

"Miss Cecilia, welcome home."

The maids stopped their work one after another and bowed respectfully.

Cecilia ignored them and walked straight up the stairs.

Ansu followed behind Cecilia, curiously observing the maids. He felt that their tone had no fluctuations and their eyes held no warmth, giving off a subtle sense of "stiffness."

These maids must have been subjected to the [Soul Domination] effect by Cecilia; clearly, they had lost their own will.

"Are you curious about my maids?"

Cecilia suddenly stopped, and Ansu nearly bumped into her.

"Huh?" Ansu paused, "Not at all!"

"They were all assistants assigned to me by the Echo of Truth. I found them troublesome, so I turned them all into toys~" Cecilia looked at Ansu with a smile, "You were almost one of them, you know!"

"..."

What else could Ansu say? He could only put on an expression of "gratitude."

"Thank you, Witch, for not turning me into a toy as well..."

"You're welcome!" Cecilia said with a smile, "You are much more useful than them; I couldn't bear to turn you into a toy."

Just as Ansu was about to thank her again, Cecilia suddenly retracted her smile.

"But if I find out that you have betrayed me or deceived me..."

"It won't be as simple as just being turned into a toy."

Cecilia gave a wicked, malicious grin, "I have a much more interesting way to play here. Do you want to know what it is?"

Ansu's heart tightened. "What kind of game is it?"

"Hmm..." Cecilia rubbed her smooth chin, looking up as she feigned deep thought.

"Among the many schools of magic, there is a rather taboo and obscure branch that deals with life, flesh, and reconstruction. Hmm... let me give you an analogy!"

"Do you know about modular toys?" she asked with a giggle. "They're those little figurines where you can detach the limbs and reattach them in different places, eventually assembling them into all sorts of bizarre shapes. It's so much fun!"

What kind of outrageous toy is that... Ansu muttered to himself. It was so cult-like; the parents of this era were truly broad-minded...

Time for some character art.

Witch of World Destruction - Cecilia

Witch of World Destruction - Cecilia

(Other characters will be posted later~)

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author instead; perhaps the name was just changed!