Marvel Magic Case Files.

Chapter 65 Summoning Magical Pets

In fact, when Ceresa appeared before Bayonetta, the witch recalled something. It was a gentle melody being hummed softly, a melody that Bayonetta found incredibly familiar, but upon closer inspection, she couldn't recall anything more.

However, she couldn't be sure whether the images that appeared in her mind were real or Baldr's magic, just like the illusions she had before seeing Ceresa. So the witch never told Salomon about those things.

However, the witch still told Salomon about her encounter with the short-haired white woman in red. The key point was that the woman possessed the exact same abilities and fighting style as her, leading Bayonetta to question the accuracy of some of the information Salomon provided.

"You mean, a witch?" Salomon asked. "Since the current Lumen Sage is the one from five hundred years ago, it's not so surprising that your father, the one who lived for five hundred years, would have a witch appear. It can only be explained by a lack of information. After all, Kamar-Taj didn't observe the entire battle. Even the Venerable One might not know where you were buried. Luca's father releasing you might have been a fluke, because if those angels knew your location, they would have rushed there immediately to retrieve the 'Left Eye'."

"But that so-called 'left eye'," Salomon shook the pocket watch in his hand, which belonged to Ceresa, "I don't think it has much to do with your pocket watch."

His curiosity led him to examine Ceresa's pocket watch closely, but it didn't possess the power of a "left eye" as the witch had claimed. It was just an ordinary pocket watch, except that the inscription and the ruby ​​set in its center were somewhat unusual. But those were merely magical gems that protected the watch from damage and supported its operation; nothing particularly remarkable.

Salomon spent the night on Bayonetta's sofa, while Bayonetta had to hold the little one. Ceresia woke up with a start after turning over, and upon discovering Bayonetta wasn't beside her, she turned into a crybaby again; had the witch not embraced her again, she probably would have cried all day.

Ceresia, in turn, slowed Bayonetta's exploration of Vigrid, as she could hardly bear to be without Bayonetta. Even when Salomon took her shopping, the clingy little one would frequently ask the sorcerer about Bayonetta's condition—whether she was hungry, cold, and when they would go home.

Faced with Ceresa's silly words, Salomon could only use all his energy to coax her, and he had to hold Ceresa's hand tightly, for fear that she would run off to find Bayonetta.

To put it another way, Salomon was experiencing the life of a stay-at-home dad for the first time. His magic was no longer the terrifying necromancy or destructive evocation spells, but rather flashy illusions. He even conjured up a rabbit hole on the sofa at Ceresa's request. Perhaps the witch sensed the trouble this little one might cause, which is why she so easily handed Ceresa over to Salomon. Although Ceresa was adorable, Salomon no longer wanted to take care of children; he still had his own magic to learn and couldn't watch over the little girl all the time.

Immediately afterwards, he came up with a good idea—to find a magical pet to solve the problem.

Familiars are the spellcaster's precious treasures, true lifelong companions. Even marriages can end in divorce, but not with a magical pet. It will wholeheartedly accompany the spellcaster until the end of its life—provided it doesn't seek out magical pets from lower planes. Their evil nature can cause them to unconsciously plot to kill their master; sometimes they succeed, and sometimes they don't.

If he were alone, it would be fine, but he wouldn't feel comfortable leaving such a pet with Ceresa.

As for celestial creatures, they'd probably be trampled to death by Bayonetta the moment she got home. Therefore, spirit-type magical pets became the only option. This great magic of finding magical pets was being used for the first time in this world, and it was actually for raising a child. One wonders if the sorcerer who invented this magic felt any sadness.

Ceresia stared with wide, curious eyes as Salomon placed the brass basin on the living room floor, then added oak branches, fine charcoal, and various spices into it. Finally, he lit a fire, and thick smoke billowed from the brass basin, causing Ceresia to cough repeatedly. But she still clung to the plush toy in front of her.

"Sweetheart, I think you should step back a bit." Salomon carried Ceresa out of the living room and said, "Do you prefer cats or mice, or mice, or frogs?"

Cheshire!

"Okay, then it's a cat. But I don't think I'll be able to find a cat that can laugh weirdly."

The ritual took Salomon a full hour. He had to constantly chant incantations to locate the magical creature he needed, and he even worried that this world might not have any spirit planes. Fortunately, soon after, a blurry green orb appeared before him. With Salomon's incantations, it slowly took on a complete form. Finally, the green light faded, and a round, tabby cat appeared before Salomon and Ceresa, who had secretly sidled up to him.

"Meow~"

"Cheshire!" Ceresia cried out. The chubby cat had short grey fur and fluorescent blue-green markings, very similar to the Cheshire Cat in the story—a small characteristic of spirits. Aside from a single howl upon appearing, the cat remained silent. It raised its head, staring at Salomon with its two large, round eyes—the contract brought by the ritual magic had made it aware that Salomon was its master.

"The first command," Salomon said, "is that of Cheshire."

Meow~

"It seems you like the name," Salomon said, pointing to Ceresa, who was standing to the side with shining eyes. "Take good care of her until the witch returns. Forbid Ceresa from touching anything dangerous, such as electrical outlets or gas stoves. The snacks are in the drawer; don't let Ceresa eat too much. There's no litter box here; you'll need to use the toilet. If you can relieve yourself, remember to flush..."

"Meow~" Before Salomon could finish speaking, the chubby cat walked over on its own and rubbed against Seresa's leg, making the little guy squeal with delight.

Hopefully, this chaotic faction's summoned creatures will carry out their orders properly.

The arcane mage watched Seresa chase after her summoned creature out of the living room, then slipped the sling ring onto his left hand and began casting a spell engraved on it. His next step was to go to Vigrid to ensure the witch wouldn't fall into Baldr's trap, as the power involved was beyond Salomon's current capabilities. His ultimate goal, however, was to kill Baldr.

Currently, only the witch has the power to kill Baldr, and the best way to do so is to use the lipstick belonging to Bayonetta's mother, Rosa. In other words, Salomon wants to ensure that Bayonetta's path to patricide is not hindered.

Of course, Salomon felt no guilt whatsoever for this; in fact, he felt no remorse for pushing Bayonetta to commit such a crime. Because if Baldr's plan had succeeded, humanity would have been doomed, and the Sorcerer Supreme would have had to use the Eye of Agamotto to turn back time.

Even if you use the Eye of Agamotto, it's just starting over.

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To uncover a secret from five hundred years ago, one would need to go to a building at least five hundred years old. The good news is that the town of Vigrid preserves extremely old buildings, as well as some extremely modern high-rises; Bayonetta's clues won't lie in those buildings with cutting-edge technology. The bad news is, there are quite a few such buildings.

By the time Bayonetta arrived in Vigrid from the Valley of Sunrise and Crescent, dusk had fallen. In this ancient town, she encountered Joan of Arc again, the short-haired woman in red.

Joan of Arc, riding a motorcycle and surrounded by a large group of benevolent angels, descended from the sky and landed in front of Bayonetta. Although they were on the same side and the angels had brought her there, Joan of Arc showed no mercy to them. She used the motorcycle wheels as weapons, running over the benevolent angels. With a twist of the throttle, blood and flesh flew everywhere beneath the motorcycle.

Bayonetta also temporarily withdrew her attack stance. The person before her was undoubtedly a witch, but Salomon hadn't found her origins; the mysteries surrounding this woman were even more numerous than Bayonetta's. Sure enough, as Joan of Arc rode past on her motorcycle, this woman mercilessly ran over all the angels present.

Joan of Arc's motorcycle swerved wildly against the wall until there was no living creature there except for her Bayonetta, at which point she came to a stop high above the wall.

"So you did come here," Joan of Arc said. "You're searching for the secrets of the past, aren't you?"

"Your face looks familiar, and you use the same abilities as me." Bayonetta crossed her arms. Her battle with Jeanne had brought back some vivid memories, but she wasn't sure what the whole incident had entailed. She asked, "Excuse me, do we know each other?"

Joan of Arc scoffed a few times, propping her long legs up on the hood of the carriage. "The same abilities? Don't be ridiculous. You've been soaking in the lake too long; you've rusted, haven't you?"

"I haven't touched water for 20 years since I woke up," Bayonetta said, taking a few steps and placing her hands on her hips. For some reason, the sight of this woman seemed to irritate her. Bayonetta spoke with utter disdain, "The only rusty part of me is that I haven't faced a real challenge yet. Perhaps, you are that challenge?"

"You truly disappoint me." Joan of Arc took out a brass pocket watch from her bosom. Only then did Bayonetta realize that the pocket watch ornament on her chest had disappeared. Joan of Arc had stolen it in the instant she brushed past Bayonetta, using the witch's time technique, a common tactic among witches. But clearly, Bayonetta was not as fast as Joan of Arc.

"Tsk!" Bayonetta leaped up and grabbed the pocket watch from Joan of Arc's hand. But Joan tossed the watch upwards, looked at the leaping Bayonetta, and said, "It's not that simple, my dear."

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Furthermore, no spellcaster in the world can cast spells without external magic power. Mages can't, warlocks can't, mechanics can't, and even alchemists and witches from PF can't.

The only ones who can break free from external magic are mind sorcerers.

Salomon's magic is Vishanti's magic plus refined life force; he himself has no magic.

(End of this chapter)