My dear witch, please turn evil according to the script!

Chapter 423 will be a good omen.
"What the heck? Why is there so much snow here?"

The caravan leader muttered a curse under his breath, then took out a swig of strong liquor from his waist and drank it down.

They were just an ordinary caravan traveling along the border between Pratia and Hetland.

The guards hired from the Adventurers' Guild were only third-ring warriors.

Recently, border controls between the two countries have become stricter again, so he has had to focus on trading within the relatively more relaxed borders in Pratia.

Although everyone says the imperialists have taken over the kingdom, the regulations here are lax and there are many opportunities, so he doesn't mind making a few more trips.

I never expected that such heavy snow would fall at this time of year when the weather is just about to warm up.

At this moment, one of the more well-informed guards in the caravan said, "It's probably caused by that giant dragon."

"The Adventurers' Guild's report said that it was an extremely powerful dragon, and the storms it stirred up affected almost the entire continent, from the territory of the demons in the north to the seaports of the imperial people in the south."

"The storm then shrank and disappeared after only a few hours, but the potential impact remains."

The team leader clicked his tongue: "When the strong fight, mortals suffer... Just how big must that dragon be? By the way, is this news true? This is the first time I've heard of a giant dragon making a move on the continent."

"This creature, which only exists in legends, actually exists?"

“Of course it exists,” said a member of the caravan. “I have an older brother who is a garrison soldier in the city of Heria. He saw that Imperial Grand Duke named Roland riding a bone dragon burning with purple flames. He destroyed a forward position of the Kingdom’s army with a single breath!”

The guard echoed, "Yes, although it was just a legend before, it has now become a reality."

"The snowstorm is too heavy. Let's find a sheltered place to rest and continue our journey after the snow stops."

"Platia is still quite safe. Although there are rumors of demons appearing, the imperial army and the kingdom's army, which has been reorganized by the princess, still conduct regular raids and patrols."

"There's no need to worry about any dangerous monsters appearing on this trade route."

The team leader nodded: "That's right. I remember there was a cave ahead. I stayed there for one night when we came this way before, but I don't know if it's still there now."

"Let's go and look for it first. If it really doesn't work, we'll just have to bite the bullet and keep looking."

"This area is a no-man's land, no one lives here, not even bandits. Just be careful of the monsters that roam around."

"You guys, prepare the potion to repel the demons, and sprinkle it down in a suitable place."

"The night watch order is the same as before, with three groups of people taking turns on night watch in three shifts."

The team leader quickly gave the order and then led the group toward the cave they remembered.

Not long after, he saw a figure ahead.

Seemingly realizing he had misjudged the situation, he looked at the guard beside him and said, "Do you see someone standing in front of you?"

"Hmm... there is indeed someone standing there." The guard narrowed his eyes seriously, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.

This third-ring warrior, whose main job is to serve as a guard for caravans, has extraordinary experience.

This is why he was able to roam freely and survive in the dangerous environment of the North.

"Have the caravan avoid that person and don't interact with him too much," the guard solemnly instructed the leader.

The team leader was very puzzled: "Is that a girl? She looks quite young and so thin... Are we just going to leave her standing in the freezing cold like that?"

"Are you stupid?!" the guard said, exasperated. "Can a woman who can stand there in this kind of environment wearing a thin long dress and act like nothing's wrong be a normal person?!"

"I have to wear three layers of clothes on top of each other!"

"You'd better pray this guy isn't hostile towards us!"

"Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to stop this kind of enemy..."

The team leader suddenly realized, and then remembered the four principles his father had told him about not provoking anyone in the wild when he was out trading.

Women, children, the elderly, and the disabled.

If you encounter these four types of people in the wilderness, they are generally not to be trifled with.

Who knows, it might be some kind of powerful entity that we shouldn't mess with.

I was careless just now.

If it weren't for the guard's reminder, I might have actually gone forward to help because of my conscience.

But now it seems...

"If you reach your destination safely, I'll give you an extra bonus!"

“It’s a deal… now wish us good luck.” The guard jumped off the carriage nervously and stood in front of the caravan’s carriages, while the caravan, under the leader’s command, began to pass quickly past the strange girl.

Only after the last carriage passed behind did the guard leap backward onto the top of the last carriage and begin his retreat.

They succeeded.

The strange girl showed no hostility. At least she didn't attack them first.

This could certainly be because they didn't show any hostility, but it also suggests that the girl wasn't an extremely dangerous individual.

But when the caravan arrived at the cave and began to set up camp for the night, the guards, who had just relaxed, suddenly felt a chill run down their spines.

He saw the strange gray-haired girl standing by a tree, quietly watching them.

Just like a hunter observing its prey...

Paji.

Before the guards could even panic for long, a branch weighed down by the heavy snow broke off and struck the girl on the head, knocking her to the ground.

Guard: "..."

Could it be that I'm just too nervous?
This comical scene eased some of the guards' doubts and wariness, but they still didn't step forward. Instead, they gestured to the caravan members behind them to hide in the cave and not come out. Then, the girl's head broke through the snow, and after confirming that she was "free," she shook her head violently, shaking off all the snowflakes clinging to it.

Then, as if suddenly feeling cold, the girl hugged her arms, squatted down slightly, and began to tremble violently.

Then I sneezed.

Then he collapsed to the ground.

The guards finally dared to step forward.

He reached out and touched the girl's head—she had a fever.

Moreover, his limbs were cold, and he even suffered frostbite.

Could it be that I was too nervous beforehand?
……

After one hour.

The guard let out a long sigh of relief, sat down in front of the large pot of hot meat soup to warm himself by the fire, and his breath instantly turned into white mist, mixing with the hot air in the pot, rising into the sky and disappearing.

The team leader looked at the gray-haired girl, who was already wrapped in thick clothes and several layers of quilts, and asked, "What do we do next?"

"What else can we do? Just find a city-state nearby and put her down. Although she doesn't seem like a threat, it's strange that she's in this position. Her identity is definitely not ordinary. Don't have too much unnecessary sympathy for her."

The guard picked up the bowl of broth, took a sip, and then said seriously, "I know you have rules when you're out trading, but for the sake of our cooperation, I have to remind you of something."

"Enough is enough."

"The reason I've been able to live so long and serve as a guard for so many years is not because of experience or intuition, but because of cowardice."

“You have already saved her, given her a warm coat and a hot meal, and will take her to the nearest city.”

"Don't do anything more. And don't tell me you've got your eye on this girl who's the same age as your daughter, or I'll have to look down on you."

The team leader sighed: "That's not what I meant. What are you thinking!"

"I mean, would any city-state be willing to accept someone with such an unknown identity, strange appearance, and bizarre location?"

"What if, in the worst-case scenario, she keeps following us?"

The guard sighed: "Get rid of them."

"Or they leave without saying goodbye."

"The main reason she was able to find us this time was because the carriage tracks left behind were not easily covered up even with such heavy snow. We also did not conceal our direction when we left, which is why she was able to find us."

"If we leave quietly, how will she find us?"

The team leader nodded: "Alright... Anyway, we're already near Heria City, so let's just leave her there. There are cardinals from the Papacy, great sages from the Academy, and that Grand Duke there... The security shouldn't be too bad. Leaving her there is like giving her one last helping hand."

……

The girl overheard their conversation.

Although she had seemed a little unwell, she felt much better after these people fed her something.

Even if one loses their memory and forgets their own existence.

But she could still feel a sense of loss.

With her limited understanding and knowledge, she realized that she was disliked.

Again…

Hmm... why does it feel like it's happening again? Have I experienced something similar before?
But if you hate yourself... why help yourself?
The girl silently made a decision in her heart.

In the middle of the night, taking advantage of the guards' inattention and because of her newly awakened power, she quietly slipped out of the cave. Before leaving, she carved two words on the inner wall of the cave.

【Thanks】

He then left without looking back, heading into the wind and snow.

This time, the path he walked was covered in ashes.

The snowflakes had just fallen when they were melted by the smoldering ashes and became part of the ashes themselves.

She walked all night until dawn before she stopped.

She looked down at her palm... and the power had vanished again.

No... it didn't disappear; it seems something is suppressing its power.

After her power disappeared, a strange chill returned, causing her to sneeze violently. She had no choice but to tighten her thick clothes.

Then, barefoot, he continued walking towards the city-state before him.

Heria City...

Is this the city those people were talking about?
Just as they said, it's really very close.

What will it look like inside?
Will the people there still hate me?
Will I accept myself?

I think so...

After all, although his abilities had been restored the previous night, there was still an annoying whisper in his ear.

But after arriving here, those sounds disappeared, and I remembered more things in my mind.

This should be a good omen.

(End of this chapter)