Millennium Witch

Lant immediately looked up and met her gaze without flinching. In those young, fiery eyes, Yvette saw layers of shadows, all thick darkness stained with blood and fire, twisted by deep-seated hatred.

As someone who considered herself discerning, Yvette was certain that this was a young man with strong likes and dislikes. When the topic of the previous Demon Queen Rosalind was mentioned, his remembrance and admiration were genuine and heartfelt, but when the conversation turned to the demons of the abyss, a surge of hatred immediately welled up, and he wished he could skin and tear those demons apart.

Combining his descriptions of history with the knowledge she had gained about the Western Continent from Dugrabi long ago, she could confirm that the demon race was definitely "pro-Rosalind" in their attitude towards Rosalind. On the other hand, the abyss demons, who were originally the royal family of the demon race, had their treatment reduced and their privileges lost because of Rosalind's policies. It was obvious that they were "anti-Rosalind," at most refraining from acting due to the authority of the Supreme Demon King. It was only after Rosalind's death that the resentment suppressed for a hundred years finally erupted, turning into a bloody purge and revenge against the demon race.

Of course, based solely on these one-sided accounts, Yvette doesn't know whether Rosalyn showed any extra favoritism or care to the demon race when she was the Demon King in the Demon Abyss Continent.

But the fact that the Abyss Demons are the opposite is self-evident.

With this in mind, Yvette immediately made a clear judgment.

She looked at the demon boy kneeling before her and calmly asked, "Then, are you willing to learn magic from me?"

Publish first, then revise.

Chapter 141 What's the difference between that and taking her life?

Upon hearing Yvette's question, the demon boy Lant was naturally overjoyed. He immediately kowtowed to the ground again, choking back tears as he said, "Thank you, Witch..."

“Don’t get too excited yet. Before that, I’ll give you a trial period. If you can’t satisfy me, I won’t teach you anything,” Yvette said.

She realized she must have been indulging in favor of Rosalind, considering that the demon race might have been a group Rosalind had particularly favored, and seeing the child's deep respect and admiration for Rosalind, and his tragic fate, she couldn't help but nod. However, she felt that if Rosalind were still alive and here, she would probably lend a helping hand to the boy, even if only from the perspective of maintaining a balance of power among races and limiting the power of the abyss demons.

“As long as you grant me the ability to take revenge, I am willing to endure any hardship!” Lant said firmly.

Yvette nodded slightly, then, as if remembering something, asked, "Have you ever heard of a dragon named Dugrabi? The son of the Flame Dragon King of the Dragon Clan."

She was still a little dazed from the shock of her eldest apprentice's situation, and only now did she realize that she hadn't inquired about Dugrabi yet.

Lant shook his head blankly: "I...I've never heard of it..."

Yvette hummed in agreement, not finding it strange. The Dragon Kingdom was located in the southeastern sea of ​​the Eastern Continent, while the Demon Race lived in the southern part of the Western Continent; the two were indeed completely unrelated. Lant was just a village child, and if it weren't for the Demon Race's special faith and affection for the Supreme Demon King, it would be normal for him to know nothing.

Moreover, Dugrabi is only a little over two hundred years old, right? In the dragon race, where it takes seven hundred years to reach adulthood, it will probably be a long time before he truly shows his abilities.

……

Thanks to Rosalyn's efforts, meditation has unexpectedly become quite popular in the illiterate Demon Abyss Continent. Even a rural boy like Lant has mastered it, which saves Yvette a lot of trouble.

She planned to first teach him some basic "rune recognition" content, and then test whether the boy was as hardworking as he claimed by how efficient he was at memorizing runes. If he performed well, she would teach him the "Earth Magic Codex" and the "Heavenly Punishment Magic Codex"; otherwise, there would be no further instruction.

It was nearing noon when Abella, dressed in a burqa, lazily descended from the second floor, accompanied by footsteps.

After rescuing the little boy from that other world yesterday and settling him in an empty room on the first floor, she felt that she was closer to her master and should have a higher position. After reporting to her master, she moved her bedroom to an empty room on the second floor overnight. She was also very particular about the location, placing it right across from Rosalind's room, which was probably to put herself on the same level as her master's student.

After all, he is an old loyal minister who has waited for his master for hundreds of years. So what if he has a higher status?

Seeing that the boy had woken up and was kneeling humbly on the blanket next to the host's sofa, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself, thinking that someone of lower status than her was finally going to appear in this place? Would she then be able to have subordinates she could boss around?

She immediately walked over with a smile, greeted her master respectfully, and then asked curiously, "Little brother, who are you?"

“Hello, Auntie.” Lant raised his head cautiously and said politely, “Nice to meet you. My name is Lant Quinn, and I come from the Demon race.”

He spoke the language of Radiant Light, which, thanks to the promotion of the Supreme Demon King, had become the common language of both the Eastern and Western continents. Abella had learned about this language from Dugrabi, so it did not hinder communication between the two sides.

“Auntie?!” Abella immediately noticed the strange address, paused for a second, and her expression quickly darkened.

"You dare call me 'Auntie,' you brat? You must have a death wish..." she thought fiercely, but after glancing at her master, she suppressed her anger and said with a forced smile, "Hmm... no need to be so formal, you can call me Sister Abella."

“Hello, Sister Abella.” Lant obediently did as instructed.

Abella stopped looking at him and instead looked at her master, saying in the Black Tide language, "Master, what's wrong with this brat? Can I kill him?"

“No. He’s a demon from another world. His family was slaughtered by the demons of the abyss, and he ended up here,” Yvette said. “I just took him on as a disciple, so he’s practically my student now.”

“Student…” Abella’s eyes widened. Only Lant was still standing there, looking on in a daze. Otherwise, she would have been clinging to her master’s leg, sobbing and crying.

She had been waiting by her master's side for a hundred years and still hadn't become a student, but this brat became one after only one day! How could this be!

She immediately broke down in grief, wailing, "Master, you're so foolish! How could you make such a hasty decision about accepting students? You must have thought it through carefully..."

“So initially there is a probationary period, during which we observe both character and talent… and then decide whether or not to teach.” Yvette completely failed to grasp the hidden meaning in her words.

"But don't you think there's someone more loyal, more reliable, and more devoted to you by your side who would be suitable to be your third disciple?" Abella gave a smile that was three parts flattery and seven parts shyness, blinking hard. "Hehe~"

"Does your loyalty, reliability, and deep affection mean writing me into your erotic stories and making me suffer?" Yvette glanced at her. "If you burn all that stuff, I'll agree."

Abella's expression immediately wilted. Becoming her master's student and receiving formal inheritance and more preferential treatment was certainly precious, but to pay the price of 50 years of her life's work... No, impossible, absolutely impossible!

She is already an artist with a sacred and noble soul. How could she sacrifice her art to exchange for such vulgar things as knowledge and power?

What's the difference between that and taking her life?

Seeing that Abella was silent, Yvette was a little speechless. Did you really cherish those erotic novels that much?

She then glanced at Lant, who was completely bewildered by the encrypted communication, and said in Radiant Language, "This lady is also a master of magic. If you have any questions about runes, you can ask her."

Although Abella, like Dugrabi, only learns existing spells and not the basic theories related to rune sets, she is still quite good at rune recognition. After all, this is the foundation for mastering spells, and it is similar to the vocabulary required for learning English.

She was too lazy to explain such basic knowledge, so she let Abella handle it.

“Thank you, Sister Abella,” Lant said sincerely.

Abella's lips twitched. The thought of this brat arriving yesterday and becoming a disciple today made her furious; her jealousy was about to explode. But she dared not disobey her master, so she could only grit her teeth and say, "Fine... I understand..."

Just you wait, you brat, I'll show you the most terrifying knowledge hell in no time!

I'll get you drunk!

Feeling the chill emanating from the Spider Witch, Lant sensed something was wrong. He observed the young woman's expression and thought to himself, "Why does this older sister's gaze look so frightening... It's best not to bother her unless absolutely necessary."

It's really unpleasant to live under someone else's roof.

……

Late that night, inside the manor villa.

On the first floor, Lant was reciting the basic runes he had just learned. On the second floor, Abella was fast asleep in bed in a very unladylike manner. On the third floor, Yvette sat behind her desk in the study, looking at the half-finished sketch of a new vehicle design in front of her. After a moment of silence, she rolled it up and threw it into a drawer.

She suddenly felt that whether or not she left Ish Island, or whether or not she went on a trip to explore the mainland, no longer mattered.

Rosalyn has perished. Dugrabi is an immortal being and there is no need to worry. She seems to have lost the motivation to travel.

With the End Witch, the greatest potential threat in the Land of the End, gone, her already limited survival pressure has been reduced to almost nothing.

Of course, Lant was just a country boy, and the answer he knew might not be the truth. On the bright side, maybe only the Witch of the End died, and Rosalind might have survived... She comforted herself like this, and then suddenly thought of necromancy and the various concepts proposed by the Holy Spirit Cult.

Now she can finally understand how those foreign believers who knowingly support the Holy Spirit Sect with real money when they know it's a cult can feel.

Fortunately, she also obtained the necromancy technology of the Holy Spirit Cult. Although she didn't have the most core secrets, it was enough for her. All she needed to do was spend her time studying it.

Over countless years, whether it's necromancy or other forms of magical conception, one day she will find the possibility of realizing the miracle of "resurrection." This is the hope she has found for herself.

I've lost my mind, everyone.

Chapter 142 The Curse of the Demon God

Having crossed the abyss and arrived at the Land of the End, he was rescued by the legendary goddess, the Silver Witch, and even gained the opportunity to become her apprentice. For Lant, a country boy who had just lost his family, the past two days had been like a dream.

On the first night, he didn't even dare to sleep, fearing that everything before him was a dream, and that every time he closed his eyes and opened them, he would see the burning village again, and the corpses of his parents and sister lying in front of him again.

But what he didn't expect was that this happiness only lasted for the first few days, after which his life plummeted into a deep trough.

The reason is simple: someone dislikes him and hates him. That person is Abella, the witch's servant.

When they first met, he didn't realize this. He just thought that Miss Goddess was aloof and liked to keep a sour face and not talk much. But the next morning, when he ate a sandwich from the cooler and was humiliated by her with the words "Can't you take care of yourself if you have hands and feet?", he could clearly feel that she really seemed to hate him.

This doesn't really make sense, because yesterday, the witch allowed him to eat the food in the refrigerator. Besides, he's just an ordinary person who needs three meals a day, and he's not at the point where he can abstain from food.

But since the maidservant had spoken so directly and in such a harsh tone, Lant, a child with self-respect, immediately put the rest of the food back, left the manor, and went outside to find food.

The foraging process went quite smoothly. The aberrations in the central area had all been cleared out by the skeleton soldiers. He found a nest of wild eggs in a hidden corner formed by the collapse of an overpass and had a hearty meal.

But after he finished eating, when he returned, he was attacked by the maidservant again. The reason was that he had gotten himself all dusty while hunting outside, and when he changed into slippers, he was criticized for being dirty just by walking into the house.

Lant sincerely apologized and quickly borrowed the bathroom. However, he didn't know how to use the bathing facilities and, in the dead of winter, took a bath in ice water, nearly freezing to death in the bathroom.

When he changed into his bathrobe and came out trembling, he fell to the ground due to muscle spasms. This made the maid even angrier. She showed no pity and told him to get up and wipe the water off the ground and not to hang his clothes out to dry in the manor, lest they get in the way.

Lant endured the pain and got up to wipe the floor. After he finished, the maidservant had already left. He stood there, feeling a burning sensation in the corner of his eye. He immediately raised his head to stop the tears from falling, then silently returned to his room, hung his clothes to dry in the bedroom, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

This went on for many days.

Since it was a probationary period and he hadn't become a formal student yet, the witch basically didn't teach him anything. She only gave him a notebook, and the rest was left to his own devices. He had to solve everything himself or ask Abella for help.

But the servant girl disliked him in almost every way. Not only did she forbid him from eating the food from home, but she was also extremely impatient when he asked her questions. It was as if even breathing was wrong in front of her.

Lant knew why; young people who have lost their families are often precocious. He quickly understood that the servant girl's aversion to him stemmed entirely from his own actions.

Because he is too ordinary.

The demon race once had a glorious history and legends, but now the demon race is just an ordinary branch of the human race. Their talent in magic is even inferior to that of the human race. And Lant is just an ordinary village boy with an unremarkable appearance. His magical talent is only average in the village. What makes him worthy of becoming a student of the gods?

If he were the son of the Flame Dragon King named Dugrabi, he wouldn't be treated this way. If he were a genius like His Majesty the Supreme Demon King, then perhaps the Divine Servant would have been finished before even being treated coldly.

But he was nothing special; he was just an ordinary, ubiquitous rural boy with a life full of hardships.

Such an ordinary identity is itself enough to be considered an original sin.

Realizing this, Lant became even more silent. His dissatisfaction with the Divine Servant vanished, replaced by an even stronger obsession with becoming stronger. This was not only for revenge, but also to prove to the Divine Servant that the Witch's judgment was correct, that he was worth investing in and nurturing, and that he could live up to everything the Witch had taught him.

In the days that followed, apart from going out to get food, Lant spent almost all his time in his bedroom, staying indoors all day. His only entertainment, besides meditation and studying, was to stare at the scenery outside the window for a while and think about his deceased relatives.

He was like a madman, even reciting basic rune knowledge in his dreams, and turning all the sarcasm and indifference from the Divine Servant into motivation to spur himself on.

Driven by such madness, he managed to learn the basics of runic literature in just over seven months. Even Rosalind, who was initially obsessed with runes, took a year to learn the same amount of material. Not to mention Dugrabi and Abella, who each took more than five years, it was completely inefficient.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Lant's talent surpasses theirs, but rather that this is similar to memorizing vocabulary; hard work is more important than talent.

Rosalind was able to complete the course in a year, partly due to her incredible effort and partly due to her immense passion. Lant, however, lacked that passion; his mastery in seven months wasn't just effort, it was sheer relentless hard work.

But he could only fight desperately.

For a country boy as ordinary and lowly as a weed, fighting desperately is the only way he can change his fate.

……

One summer afternoon, Yvette was sitting in her study, exploring the uncharted territory of potions, when she saw Lant knock on the door and come in, looking tired but full of energy, to report on his progress.

"You've already finished studying that notebook?" Yvette asked in surprise.

“Yes, Lady Witch,” Lant said respectfully.

After a quick check, Yvette fell silent.

In fact, she was not completely unaware of the humiliating and oppressive life that Lant was living here.

But if Lant doesn't contact her, she pretends not to know.

Because if you were to question Abella, she would have something to say—she worked diligently as a maid here, her status second only to the master, and then some random wild child came along, calling her "auntie" upon meeting her, and even without any special talent or status, wanted to become the master's student, ranking higher than her. How could she tolerate that? Especially the food in the cooler, which were snacks she had specially made for the master, and the wild child had eaten several of them; it nearly drove her crazy.

So Yvette thought that would be part of the evaluation. First, she could see the boy's personality and way of handling things. Second, as an avenger, if he had the opportunity to go back, he would have to go through all kinds of dangers. Enduring humiliation and hardship was an inevitable path. If he couldn't bear it and collapsed, then he wasn't meant to be.

However, to her surprise, Lant neither argued with Abella nor tattled on her. Instead, he accepted everything and turned all the ridicule into motivation, learning the basics at an incredible speed. Such a strong mind is truly rare.

Without saying anything more, Yvette gave him a notebook containing some spells and requirements, mainly for practicing the mastery and control of spells.

This is the final hurdle: the talent test.

Judging from his meditation techniques, Lant's cultivation speed is not fast, and his talent is average. However, there is another aspect that also relies on talent: mental strength. If he performs well in this area, he still has a good chance of passing the assessment.

……

In the blink of an eye, spring has passed and autumn has come; a year has gone by.

Completely baffled by her research into necromancy, Yvette turned to studying potion-making, intending to enhance her practical application in the field of runic medicine.

Abella spent her days idly, and when she was bored, she would torture Lant. However, because Lant had learned the basic runes in just seven months, which was an astonishing achievement, her attitude softened slightly, and she was now willing to guide Lant on the essentials of spell practice.

Of course, it wouldn't be accurate to say that she actually liked the guy. She simply felt that the chances of him passing the probationary period had increased significantly, so she cautiously adjusted her attitude slightly.

Unfortunately, Lant's magical talent was surprisingly mediocre. Not to mention his slow meditation efficiency, his ability to manipulate spells was extremely poor, a situation that was difficult to improve no matter how hard he tried.

So, that afternoon, after noticing this, when Lant finished practicing outdoors and returned to his bedroom, Yvette stopped him and asked, "Is your talent really only average in your village?"

“Yes,” Lant said respectfully.

"Is it your problem, or is the magical talent of the demon race really that poor?"

"I'm sorry, Witch..." Lant lowered his head in shame.

"No, what I really want to ask is, with such poor talent, how did the Demon Race survive in the Demon Abyss Continent?" Yvette asked.

She had felt something was off before, because in Rosalyn and Dugrabi's descriptions, the Western Continent was a very terrible place, and all the races living there were much more powerful than their counterparts on the Eastern Continent.