All Encounters in This World Are Reunions After Long Partings

Cassia Desert, south.

Miyana, the Ghost Witch—a battle-hardened witch with little tiger teeth—was preparing to take the Sandworm Digger, the underground train she had developed, carefully toward the Shadow Camp beside the Investigators' main camp. It was a ghost camp, where she intended to exchange the witches she had hunted for medals.

As a particularly bold witch who had even come aboard the Cassia Desert to hunt, she knew witches did not care much about such things. Still, having Ghost Witches bring captured Investigators to the Investigators' main camp to exchange them for medals was a little embarrassing, and utterly at odds with witches' sense of aesthetics. After all, some Ghost Witch camps had been built in the Cassia Desert, just as some Investigator camps had been designed near Ghost Castle!

The witches on both sides simply pretended not to see one another.

I caught six witches in total. If I don't trade them in for medals soon, they'll eat all my supplies... Miyana turned her head, unconsciously making a ghostly bun face.

Inside the train's luxurious carriage, decorated as though receiving honored guests, a long table was laden with food. On another table sat all kinds of wirelessly connected game consoles, along with fine tea. The six captured Investigator Witches, dressed in gorgeous Lolita outfits, were enjoying an exquisite afternoon tea, gulping down the Ghost Witches' finest brew without the slightest hesitation, along with Miyana's treasured boxes of precious sweets.

One of them, petite and adorable, even flashed Miyana a huge smile before chomping down on a slice of cream cake with a loud plop, utterly unaware.

If this keeps up, my captives are going to eat me into bankruptcy! Miyana wore a pained expression. She confirmed it once more: she had to hurry to the Ghost Camp, or