"Nero… Are you ready to wake up yet?" [Kendra] begged the question while tilting her head to the side.

...Lianix totally took it upon herself to pimp out the animations to a whole lot of my abilities. She's not very pleased that I didn't notice. Also, she's desperate for Candy. I feel the same way. We all want Candy~ Tonight… I shall begin making preparations for the festival, and also… The Prestige. Edith, the Koalakin Candy Man, and I are all going to be quite busy over these next few nights… The two of them will be tirelessly conjuring Candy into jars while I will be tirelessly devouring it all to conjure high grade Clothing from the Cat's Costumery. Yesh… Additional goods incapable of being used before the deadline will be saved for emergencies. Also, Cetilla's going to need a Marble or two filled. You see… Clothing can help everyone, but Marbles only help Cetilla. I know that I promised to help her… But I can't dedicate too much. Just one or two excessively high-stat Marbles in attempts at bestowing Cetilla with a chance to save us all from impending doom. She's becoming our trump card… I can't afford to fund Cetilla's wrath at every move we make. It's simply not feasible.

"...Nero?" [Kendra] asked once more, growing slightly impatient.

"Yeah, I'm awake. Enjoy the Tides~" [Nero] let out while assuming his Human form and grabbing his belongings.

"Where to next, might I ask?" [Roah] begged the question with a wry smile.

"Well… We've got to buy more ingredients for Mary… But she'll enjoy handling that by herself. We need to visit Georgia, and ensure that everything will be in order on her side… I want to check in with Edith, so we can bring some of the ingredients over to the Koalakin Candy Man... I should pay Vigi a visit so that we can have a weapon commissioned for Conrad… The Bands(wo)men will need to learn some new songs… And you should definitely go speak with the Mousekin Artisan about having his help with building the Goblin Town on the Forsaken Isles… Vigi could also prove quite useful." [Nero] explained with an exhausted expression.

"...Right. No use standing around~ Let's go check in with Mary first." [Roah] sighed before getting onto Nero's Broom.

"Okay~" [Nero] sighed before elevating and taking off into the skies.

"Incase the festival's any larger than last time… Maybe we should invest more in food." [Roah] suggested.

"You're right… To help Mary and the Sable Ferretkin work more efficiently… We might as well ask Minny to help them store pre-prepared or even pre-cooked food." [Nero] remarked with an excited expression.

And so… It was decided over a wondrous serving of Salmonetti, breaded and drizzled in the spiciest sauce that Mary could muster; that Minny… The Tier 5 Carrier Navigator Human Vampire would join the Keep's Kitchen Staff during the first half of every festival, offering her talents as a mobile refrigerator~ Everyone has a task… Isn't that right, Robert?

"I usually handle switching the songs on the Scaraoke machine monster… But THESE nights, you can find me flying Berries down to the Forsaken Isles~" [Robert] confessed with a casual expression.

"Eh? Hey Robert~" [Roah] greeted the Tier 1 Bat with a smile.

"Damn straight." [Nero] remarked with a proud expression.

"Nero! Come quick! It's an emergency!" [Grenda] dramatically screamed after busting through the doorway of the Dining Hall.

"...Grenda? It feels like it's been ages~ How's it going on the Forsaken Isles? Have you been eating well?" [Nero] asked with a naïve smile.

"Nero… I'm fine, but one of the Deer managed to outpower all of the other creatures and they've begun to circulate to different Islands." [Grenda] explained after regaining her composure.

"...Lucky." [Nero] muttered with eyes wide.

"E-Excuse me?" [Grenda] let out with a look of utter dismay.

"Have no fear, Grenda; my dear... We shall rescue the confused Deer and lend it the strength that it needs to thrive in our society." [Nero] explained with a wry smile as he grabbed his Broom.

"So... I really have no say in this? Because I find that working in the Kitchen is demeaning… I became a Mercenary because I was hoping to avoid a life in the Kitchen… You know?" [Minny] asked while making a sour face.

"Minny… It's only during festivals. Honestly, there's no one better suited to the task… It's you, or it simply won't work." [Nero] grumbled while rolling his eyes.

"...Why can't I do something related to being a Navigator, and not a Carrier?" [Minny] asked while seeming dejected.

"Well, I don't know… Do you figure that we'll spontaneously all get lost and require navigation during the festival?" [Nero] asked with a tired expression.

"Ugh… Anything can happen~" [Minny] groaned while shrugging her shoulders.

"No." [Nero] shot back before getting on his Broom.

"You know, we could probably make do without Minny's help during the festival…" [Mary] hesitantly offered as the Sable Ferretkin began to nod.

"Exactly!" [Minny] agreed with an excited expression.

"See? Mary's saying that to be kind, because she's a kind Catkin… Minny, you should repay her very obviously relentless kindness by trying to help limit the amount that she needs to work during the festival." [Nero] explained with a smile as he gracefully nudged the Vampire toward Mary.

"Words can not describe my regret…" [Minny] groaned.

"It'll be fine… There won't be another festival for awhile after this one~" [Nero] calmly reassured the Vampire with a smile.

"If you say so…" [Minny] grumbled while walking away.

"So… About that Deer?" [Grenda] chimed in with an impatient expression.

"Apologies~ Let's go!" [Nero] exclaimed before beginning to fly toward the Throne Room.

And so… Grenda led us to the rampaging Deer which had Evolved too far ahead of the surrounding ecosystem. On the way there, I got a chance to catch a quick glance of the farms. Goblins were working the fields, helping the genuine Farmer. Also, that one Goblin who survived in the Caterpiller Colony? He's acting like some sort of big shot meow… He's risen through the ranks, and survived many a battle... He's like a Goblin Champion or something, and he's shelling out orders like it's nobody's business! He's really taken command around here, and Grenda also acknowledged him. According to her, he's been a great help since his return… Though on account of his newfound power, he's needed to fetch his meals from the almighty Mary. He requires enchanted sustenance. To be honest, we all do… Except me; I think. I don't get a larger stomach for some odd reason, but I'm pretty sure that everyone else does. I think I might actually still be just a regular old Cat, and that my [Shapeshift] is actually just a big show of Creation magic. My real stomach is still quite small. Yesh… I'm almost certain of it… If one were to gain an X-Ray scan on my body… They'd likely find a deceptably cute Cat curled somewhere beneath the skin. It's probably near the brain… Massaging it with his tiny Cat paws, ordering all of the conjured nerves to do as he dictates.

Okay, so… The Deer's a mess. It's currently attempting to take on a Snake cluster, and if I know those Snakes… It's THE Snake cluster. They won't back down. They're trying to strangle the Deer by latching on to it with their long bodies, and coiling down hard. The Deer is thrashing about, but roots are growing from the ground and slashing up some of the Snakes. I repeat, Root magic. It's sending me all the way back to my previous encounters with Lillian… The way it fights when in dire straits, this Deer might just Evolve into a new Leshi if it survives the encounter. I'm convinced. I simply must rescue it. It won't survive long if all of the other inhabitants choose to band together like this, and I have no doubts that the Snakes will win this battle. Swooping in, everybody calmed down considerably quickly… Dispersing immediately. All of the Snakes formed an organized line, circling around us as they began to hiss incessantly. The Deer's considerably wounded. Too much to move, perhaps. Grabbing it by the antlers, I began to lift the Deer… Only to realize that I was dealing far more damage than the Snakes ever could, and so I was forced to hand it off to Roah. He can carry the Deer, as my paws are already full with other items.

And so, that is how we came to find a new candidate for the Deer Monarchy. Unlike the first Python, we won't be slaying this troublemaker. We want him. According to Roah, the Deer's a male. I still can't get over how absolutely unexpected this whole ordeal was, and how happy I am to have had it happen. I was expecting more Rifa, but I'll take a freaking Deer! Talk about a jackpot… I heard that Lillian was quintessential to the Wailing Keep's defense. The moment she perished, it was practically over. She fell when trying to hold the Beastkin back in the Throne Room, as the final protectors attempted to retreat. A few different creatures fell doing the same, but Lillian held the longest defense out of all of them. She slew countless before she inevitably burned. Her noble sacrifice was the main reason why Ben, Lora, and Wilson survived. Imagine where we'd be if Ben didn't survive the Wailing Keep… That'd be two whole Kings, gone. If Wilson died, Wolrietta would go into immense stages of grief… And Lora… Lora's going to be my Clanswoman one night. It was decided the moment that I picked her from the Snake bundle. She was purple, and would likely become of Halloween in due time. I'm holding her to that! I want to explore poison damage. It's either going to happen with a Lamia, or it's going to happen with an Arachne. It's going to happen. I don't seem to be capable of obtaining it, given my fiery disposition… So I want the next best thing. A Clans(wo)man with poison! If we can get a Leshi even HALF as capable as Lillian back on our side to protect the Monster Knights, I'd feel safer during the day. Root magic is powerful stuff. Ask Grollicus~

"So… We're bringing him to the Tides, right?" [Roah] begged the question as he effortlessly held the Deer.

"Hmmm… I've got a better idea~" [Nero] replied with a wry smile.

Conrad, I'll be needing your help to ensure this Deer thrives.

"What are you thinking?" [Roah] asked while tilting his head to the side.

"The Beach is far too crowded… Let's bring him somewhere a little bit more remote, where he can train on his own." [Nero] remarked with a smile.

"Oh? Got anywhere in mind?" [Roah] begged the question with an intrigued voice.

"I like to call them the Cobra Caves, but it's probably more along the line of Cobra Continent. It's a massive Dungeon that I encountered in the Forest of Witches." [Nero] explained with a look of uncertainty.

"Is it… Safe for such a weak critter?" [Roah] asked with a nervous voice. To which, bright orange flames appeared; swelling out from Nero's Lantern as he grew a smirk.

"I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Deer survives." [Conrad] swore with a determined expression as he manifested from within the Lantern.

"Thank you, Conrad~ Y'see, Conrad's going to keep a safe distance away from the battles, hiding his presence by using the Crowliphistae to do all of the work. If anything goes wrong, one of the Crowliphistae will swoop in, and rescue the failing Deer." [Nero] explained with a smug expression.

"...Very well. I'd like to bare witness to the Cobra Caves, do you think that we could more deeply explore them while Conrad does his thing?" [Roah] asked with eyes wide.

"Ugh~ They're incredible… Sadly, I can't tonight. Not right now, anyways~ There are still too many preparations to make for the festival, but I could drop you off there and pick you back up later if you'd like?" [Nero] confessed while seeming somewhat dejected.

"That's a shame… Perhaps it best I wait. I've got a feeling that Cetilla will also want to come along, so let's give it our all tonight…. So that we can all go there together tomorrow~" [Roah] replied with a low voice while placing a hand on Nero's shoulder and leaning in close to his ears.

...It's moments like these that I can't help but appreciate my friendship with Roah. He's really quite considerate, I must admit; I fancy myself another visit to the Cobra Caves. I want to go and visit the Cursed Mongoosekin men. Check in, you know? We hit it off the last time that we met. So… Nyah~ We're keeping the Deer in Halloween for meow. After leaving him to his own devices, we went back to Mary; and blessed her with new funding. We left her with a cool 500 Gold Coins, 350 to be spent on the festival, 50 to be spent on additional ingredients required for regular night to night cooking in the Wailing Keep, and 100 to be spent entirely for the Goblins and Harpies, during the festival; or after if there's more remaining. All Goblins and Harpies shall eat for free, it hath been decided. That decision left me with 1 Diamond Coin, and 218 Gold Coins. I counted. I made the mental decision to spend another 400 on booze for the festival, bringing me down to 818 Gold Coins. I still require Talon Guards, and to decide a price worth paying Edith and the Koalakin for their dedication. Additionally, I'd like to give every single Monster Knight and Clans(wo)men a single Gold Coin. Perhaps two, if I can afford it. I think I can afford it. They can choose to keep their gift, or they can spend it to enter our next Safari Card Tournament; testing their luck to see if they have what it takes to become the Safari Card King or Queen! Also, we'll play a separate tournament strictly for Dice… But that one won't really have a clear winner, unless we pool everyone into one single match. A match to rule them all… Or perhaps, we could come up with some special ruling to enable several matches; even WITH each match containing over a dozen players! I'm excited~

After we had reached Vigi's Forge, I was thrilled to once again be in the company of that hulkin' Minotaur~ There's something about speaking with Blacksmiths, that really drives home that fantasy atmosphere… There's nothing quite like it. Speaking with Rudou is fun, but Vigi's on another level. Although I heavily enjoy our encounters, I'm quite used to Clive at this point; so we've lost that spark… We do too much business, we're literally business partners at this point… Just like Georgia. Rudou's fast on his route to becoming that way as well… This, is something that only Vigi can do. The feeling that I'm some adventurer, coming along and buying some needless; yet desirable merchandise… And coming to that one, special shop that I've frequented for ages… Not necessarily for the quality or price, but for the connection that I have with the owner. The fact that I know, in my heart… Because I know that stingy ol' owner; that I'm going to need to bargain my way into getting an actually decent price… Just because he enjoys making me struggle… And truth be told, I enjoy flaunting my capability to rise to his challenges. He's the only one who can give me this, truly~

"...50 Gold Coins, no less." [Vigi] shot back as he slammed a hoof down, and took a stand to face the Halloween Cat. To which, Conrad's Crowliphista vehemently glanced toward Nero with an expectant gaze.

"Wha-?! What are they even made of?! Black Steel?!" [Nero] hysterically asked while dropping his jaw. To which, Conrad's Crowliphista turned his gaze toward Vigi.

"...Obsidian." [Vigi] retorted with a deep voice, hardening his resolve. To which, Conrad's Crowliphista seemed quite excited.

"These Talon Guards are cracked, can't you see?! Right there! These are defective, and henceforth; the price should be lowered." [Nero] remarked while holding one of the Talon Guards up closer for the Minotaur to see. To which, Conrad's Crowliphista tilted his head to the side.

"Those are just the natural edges of the Obsidian... Obsidian doesn't round well, not with the heat from my Forge; anyways… I can't do any better with this equipment, but does that mean I should belittle the quality of my own work?! Obsidian is an incredibly difficult material to use!" [Vigi] explained with a frustrated expression. To which, Conrad's Crowliphista nodded his head.

"...Difficult? You're bringing difficulty into this...? Perhaps I was wrong about you~" [Nero] sighed with a cavalier tone of voice. To which, Conrad's Crowliphista seemed nervous for a split moment.

"What's that now?" [Vigi] asked while squinting, as Conrad's Crowliphista began leaning in closer to Nero; waiting for his answer.

"Oh… It's just that I was under the impression that you were the finest Blacksmith in all of Reygid… But perhaps I simply haven't set my scopes wide enough, and a visit to meet some Dwarves is in order~" [Nero] sighed with a wry smile. To which, Vigi grumbled something before exclaiming…

"Fine… I'll work on the Talon Guards a little while longer, and see if I can smooth it out a bit more. If by the night after tomorrow, you still don't agree that these are worth the price… Then I'll reduce them to Arrows and sell them to someone else. Deal?" [Vigi] offered while seeming quite tired.

"...Deal." [Nero] replied with eyes wide, as Conrad's Crowliphista slouched over; clearly dejected.

"That went better than expected…" [Roah] sighed as the three left the Forge, and rejoined Conrad's main form.

"Yeah… I wasn't expecting him to have already had made Talon Guards befitting of Conrad's affinities… But they're not good enough. I know, that Vigi can do better." [Nero] replied with a knowing expression as he shrugged the Crowliphistador's obvious disappointment off, before turning to glance at his Lantern.

"The flames are burning brighter from it, these nights…" [Roah] exclaimed with a soft voice as he lent a hand down to help me hold the Lantern, lifting it up closer for us to see.

"I agree… Do you have any suspicions as to why that might be, Conrad?" [Nero] begged the question as he deeply stared into the flames of his Lantern.

"Your connections with Lianix, and with Halloween are growing stronger with each passing night… Having so many Clans(wo)men faithful to Allwe at your beck and call has only amplified this surge in the increased rate of fusion." [Conrad] explained with a distant expression.

...Conrad almost appears to be seeing… Through me. I don't understand how he does it… He's so perceptively aware of his surroundings. It makes no sense to me! Wait a second… Is my Lantern… Hot? It feels hot. What does this have to do with my connections with Lianix and Halloween? I haven't bound my soul to Halloween yet, but I sort of did with Lianix… So, is Lianix connecting me to Halloween through her own channels… Causing my own connection with Halloween to be amplified? If this keeps up too long, I'll literally burn my hands just trying to wield my weapon. I don't think this has anything to do with my connection to Halloween… Is this what Cetilla meant, by taming so many creatures with ease? Am I finally beginning to feel the effects of overexerting myself? Eventually… My Lantern will literally overheat, and cause damage to me at every moment that I wield it? Now that I think about it… If it's happening meow, of all times… It's Conrad. He's far stronger than me, and he's not even the only Clans(wo)man that I'm helping to leave Halloween right now. They're all over the place, spanning all the way from Reygid, to the Lost Kingdom, to the Forsaken Isles… I rarely even see them, these nights… But if this were the case, then wouldn't Conrad be wrong? I struggle to believe Conrad's a fool… He's always been far better at this sort of thing than I have~ But I need to find a way to limit how hot this Lantern becomes… Perhaps, I should ask my Allwessistant for advice. It's time to pay her a visit, I dare say~

I'm not being overly fearful, or avoiding a visit to the doctors or anything… But for some reason, I still have the urge to finish my tasks for tonight before visiting the Allwessistant Dott. I think it's on account of me feeling as though I've generally not been working very much lately. I don't know… I've been doing stuff, but it's just not enough. There's too much to be done, and not enough Halloween Cats to go around! I'm a hot commodity, these nights~ So is my infant Lantern, apparently. Oh! Maybe I'm just too powerful for my Lantern now…? It's like, melting under the prolonged pressure of Lianix and Conrad? It's not actually me being too weak, it's just my weapon?

"It's time to visit Edith, and the Koalakin Candy Man. Conrad, could you do me the favor of finding Minny? We need her help with storing some ingredients. After you find her, bring her to see Edith; and have Edith place half of her remaining ingredients into Minny's possession. Then, and only then… Bring Minny to us, at the Candy Store~" [Nero] explained the plan with a smug expression.

"The one on Una Street?" [Conrad] asked with an expectant glance.

"Yes! Why, it's just down the way!~" [Nero] happily replied. To which, Conrad departed immediately.

"...So, why is the Lantern so hot?" [Roah] asked while staring at it intently.

"Three possible scenarios… One, I'm becoming too powerful to remain this way; without having Prestiged… And need to finally solidify my connection with Halloween, once and for all. Two, my Clans(wo)men are becoming too powerful for me to contain, and I need to release some of them in order to continue properly functioning. Three, my Lantern is too delicate to stand the heat of my connection with Lianix coupled with Conrad's newfound power, and all of my other Clans(wo)men." [Nero] grumbled while rolling his eyes.

"Yikes… All routes lead to the root problem being, too much power." [Roah] remarked while seeming sorry for the poor, True Allwe Halloween Cat.

"It's rather unfortunate… I had hoped that I might be without limits, but something in my little setup here is no longer working…" [Nero] sighed.

"As far as problems go… It's not too bad of one to have, though; now is it?" [Roah] shot back with a wry smile.

"...How do you figure?" [Nero] shot back with a flat expression.

"...Having too much power?" [Roah] shot back while playfully nudging the Halloween Cat.

"Yeah, you're right… Too much power is fine, but I'll be worried if I start getting burned every time that I wield this little fella~" [Nero] laughed before beginning to walk to the Candy Store.

"Fair enough! Do you want to try and figure out the problem later? We can try temporarily releasing some Clans(wo)men and see if it cools down~" [Roah] offered while shrugging his shoulders.

"Hmm… I'll try asking the Allwessistant Dott first, but if she comes up with nothing; then definitely~" [Nero] sighed.

"Sounds good~ We still haven't saw Cetilla yet tonight, I wonder where she is~" [Roah] sighed.

"Yeah… Maybe she's off visiting her family?" [Nero] suggested as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Sounds likely… But wasn't she feeling annoyed by them before?" [Roah] asked while tilting his head to the side.

"Eh… Cetilla's always going to warm back up with her mother, but Roy's another story… I don't fully comprehend the situation as to why they aren't very fond of each other, but she's told me at least twice that she preferred her Mother… To the point that she'd be relatively fine with leaving him to die, so long as she could rescue Veronica in her time of need." [Nero] confessed with eyes wide.

"Cetilla can be frightening…" [Roah] sighed with a nervous expression.

"Agreed… She's twisted, but getting better; maybe?" [Nero] laughed.

"Hmm… Rather than getting better, I'd say that she's just saving her strength." [Roah] laughed.

"...Wait a second! Cetilla totally bought that Emerald Tiara! It won't work if the Leshi's a guy, right?!" [Nero] shot back with a frantic look in his eyes.

"...Yeah… It might be a little too late to solve that~ We can just save it for the next time." [Roah] replied with a smile.

"Agh… Well, I appreciate her going out of her way to find proper equipment for the Monarchs… And you're also helping with building better homes for the Goblins..." [Nero] muttered with a sigh.

"Hey… You're still doing plenty enough for all of us. More than enough… The Goblins are my own people, and I would be in the same circumstances as they were if not for having met you. You gave me the Coins needed to help them, and so I want to do it. The Monarchs of the Monster Knights… And Conrad… They're looked up to, as the greatest hopes of our battalion. To save face, we'll need to have them properly dressed for battle. Cetilla probably feels the exact same way as I do. It's only right that we lend a helping paw every now and again, to help all of them… Especially considering that we know you would, if you could. We're all in this together, right? It's not as though you spend all of your Coins in an attempt to benefit yourself…" [Roah] confessed his thoughts with a sincere expression as the two continued to make their way toward Una Street.

"...Thanks, Roah… Looking back, I haven't made too many purchases… Not substantial ones, anyway~ Mostly, I just buy more Candy so that I can conjure more Clothing… Used to generate more Coins, paying the costs of my growing addiction to Candy; allowing me to continue earning more Coins so that I can go about holding festivals which now actually earn even more Coins, or bestowing excess Clothing to the Monster Knights and Kingdom… Or, well… I bought Lianix for myself. I also bought myself a bathtub, and a few other souvenirs from Monastazia. I shouldn't forget my Lantern, which I had commissioned… Or the few nights that I spent profits simply to have good times at Taverns and Brothels." [Nero] replied with a weak smile.

"Oh well… It can't be helped if you break once and again, choosing pleasure over business. Maybe… Try to choose more of it~" [Roah] sighed with a smirk.

"Shh… I'm not going to run away with you~" [Nero] laughed.

"Worth a shot…" [Roah] sighed.

"This is it…" [Nero] exclaimed while glancing across the road toward the Candy Store.

"The infamous Candy Store…" [Roah] remarked before gesturing for the Candy Mongerer to go first.

"Why thank you~" [Nero] frivolously sighed before making his best strut down on over to the doors, and slamming them open as he turned around to reveal his mischievous smile for a split moment before disappearing out of Roah's sight as the door closed.

"...Nero! I've been awaiting your return~ I happened to come across a little extra goods of your particular liking!" [Koalakin Candy Man] exclaimed while waving to the approaching Candy Mongerer.

"Oh…? Had an import from Nidallia?" [Nero] asked while tilting his head to the side.

"E-Er… I suppose you could say that…" [Koalakin Candy Man] confessed with a nervous expression.

"Relax~ I've got no quarrel with good business. Tonight, I'll be having some ingredients dropped off here; and am hoping that I might be able to commission you to help with using them. Bring me as much Candy as you can possibly make within the next 2 nights, please… Any additional ingredients can be sent to me at a later date." [Nero] explained the situation as Roah entered the establishment.

"Ahh… I do appreciate your out rightness… It leaves little to no room for conversation, which works to my benefit at the particular moment. I'm quite busy, you see… But I promise to give your job as much of my dedication as I can possibly muster…" [Koalakin Candy Man] accepted the job with a smile.

"...You don't care about the price?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.

"My sincerest apologies… My mind's all aflutter right now. I'm sure that we can work out an acceptable payment later, when I'm in better sorts." [Koalakin Candy Man] apologized while bowing his head.

"Eh… Okay~ By the way, what's on your mind?" [Nero] asked while tilting his head to the side.

"I… I took it upon myself to attempt conjuring a rather tricky recipe, and I'm having difficulty controlling the spell. I may have bitten off more than I could chew this time~" [Koalakin Candy Man] nervously laughed.

"Oh? Is there anything that I can do to help…? Could an extra Candy Woman help finish the spell?" [Nero] asked with a weak smile.

"Another creature capable of conjuring Candy? Well, yeah… That'd be a great help! She can help me stabilize the honey!" [Koalakin Candy Man] replied while seeming somewhat hysterical.

"R-Right… I'll see to it. We shan't allow this magic to fail." [Candy Mongerer] accepted the quest as the fire around his eyes began to burn ever more brightly.

"What are you attempting to make?" [Roah] asked while seeming somewhat intrigued.

"It's called Honey Taffy. I learned about it from a new Mythic Grade Recipe that I bought from the Candy Man in Nidallia… Because his stats weren't high enough to use it. It was originally discovered within the depths of Candy Land's Whipped Cream Peaks, dropped by a Giant Gummy Bear with a wicked sweet tooth who got a little bit too close to a legendary party of Dwarves... The Mighty Mead's Militia." [Candy Mongerer] explained the tale with a rather serious expression.

"W-Wha?! Candy LAND?!" [Nero] shot back with clenched paws.

"You didn't know…? Candy Land is the main reason why my ancestors chose to remain on this continent! It's an incredibly famous Dungeon for Candy Men and Woman everywhere, and is likely one of the reasons why Dwalynna is such a prosperous Fortress." [Koalakin Candy Man] explained with a calculative look in his eyes.

"...Huh. So rather than getting all of your Candy related means overseas, you actually get some of it from the Dwarves?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.

"Meh… I'd say that it's around half. Candy isn't lucrative enough for too many parties to challenge Candy Land, so it's usually passed up on by Adventurers… I'm limited on what I can buy simply due to the number of people willing to take on the job." [Koalakin Candy Man] sighed.

"...Yet a legendary party was recently challenging it?" [Nero] muttered with a look of disbelief.

"That was a lucky break~ But they weren't mainly there for gathering ingredients. Rare Recipes were the main concern, alongside gaining experience." [Koalakin Candy Man] exclaimed with a smile.

"Hm… I suppose that I truly can't ignore Dwalynna any longer~" [Nero] let out, before turning to face Roah; who held a thumb high and an unwavering smile.

Right! It's decided. We're going to visit the Dwarves… Or, well… I might not be able to focus too much on it over the foreseeable future, but the stronger Monster Knights can… And that's good enough~ Imagine… Training, and gathering the necessary materials for continued profits and growth in Halloween's power… All at once! Lilith… Things are about to start moving faster~ Seriously… My lack of intel is severe. I need a list of Dungeons on this continent. Vanheim might have the proper documents… But I'm terrified of Elves! They're so… Nosey, and snobby to boot! The vast majority of them believe that they're better than everyone else or something, and I'm almost certain of it. How many times… Exactly, have I been reprimanded by Elves for my admittedly questionable warmongering tendencies? Too many. Each and every single time, they just… Shrug me off, as if I'm only some young child with far too much power and importance to actually bother stopping… Yet they're openly showing disapproval for my methods, and even going so far as to limit my connections with their nation. I'm too problematic, and naïve to be considered an ally at the current moment… So they're waiting for me to grow up? I can't be bothered to rely on people like that… But I need their help. Maybe the Witches are a better choice? They're a hassle to deal with… But I'd like to think that our relations are improving. Yeah! I'll ask the Witches about it before I Prestige~

"Master… The ingredients have been obtained." [Conrad's Crowliphista] explained after entering the establishment alongside Minny, interrupting Roah and the Koalakin's conversation.

"Thank you." [Nero] thanked with a smile. To which, Minny sighed before unloading her bag onto the counter.

Conrad… Could you also bring Edith to meet the Candy Man? He needs help with a spell. Moments later… The Koalakin was frantically rushing jars to fill with the rapidly appearing ingredients. I can't help but feel sorry for him… Minny's too unruly to be a very accommodating Carrier. I don't understand where this bad temper came from… To my understanding, she was always the most; well… Understanding of the Crimson Slayers, right? Maybe becoming a Vampire can alter one's personality...? She's losing touch with her past self, at least a little… That much is obvious. It might be my own fault, though. I haven't given her, or any other Clans(wo)men aside from Conrad any truly pressing issues lately… It can't be helped. I'm trying to avoid gaining vast power right meow.

And so… Roah and I have both began to return to the Wailing Keep. We're returning to the Mousekin Artisan, and settling our debts. I owe him for the Paper, I think. Also… We need to ask him about helping Roah get rid of all his Lumber, and convert it into something usable for the Goblins. Nyah~

After we arrived at the Wailing Keep... We were met with Gluttatosk, Cetilla, Cycleo, Mary, Edgar, Rosa, Orianna, Rei, Milton, Robert, Christina, Wilson, Wolrietta, Ben, Rita, Wendel, Benji, Luna, Steve, Andy, Mick, Skeldoragora, Molag Dregora, Miscare, Mescarga, Betty, Becky, Phillius, Phillian, Grollicus, Penny, and the other Pixie. Wh-What fresh hell is this?! This is QUITE the ensemble to be assembled in the Dining Hall at this fine hour… What's going on?!

"Ah… It would seem that he's finally decided to join us." [Cetilla] remarked with a wry smile.

"Nero… This is an intervention." [Gluttatosk] explained with a solemn expression.

"HOLD UP! That is the LAST thing that I want to hear coming out of his mouth!" [Nero] spat back hysterically while pointing a finger toward the Land Shark.

"We're serious. We've all agreed, as have many others." [Penny] chimed in while gesturing across the table… As everyone present nodded.

What…? An intervention from WHAT exactly?!

"You need rest." [Molag Dregora] shot back as he snapped his neck to face the Halloween Cat.

"...We're on the precipice of both greatness, and complete collapse. If I stop now… It could cost us everything." [Nero] shot back as he removed his aviators to show the seriousness in his eyes as he slowly walked across the room, inching closer and closer to his chair while brushing his fingers across each and every creature unfortunate enough to be on his side of the table.

"Nero… We'll take care of it." [Conrad] declared as he entered the room.

"Hear me loud, and hear me clearly… We're not winning right now. We're barely scraping by. This festival's success will make or break the next few months for us. Believe it. If we're to keep this thing of ours going and save this continent; or dare I say... Halloween itself, we are going to need to be willing to dance with the the devils themselves. Can't you see? There's no room for rest… Not where we're heading." [Nero] declared before he finally took his seat and began to glare at all of those present.

"We hear your thoughts… Constantly. We can finalize this festival's preparations with, or without your direct participation." [Luna] shot back as she glanced down at her Spellbook, avoiding the need to face Nero.

"Think of it as practice for after you've Prestiged!~" [Betty] offered with an optimistic expression.

...They won't give in. Very well… I'll leave this festival to them.

"400 Gold Coins." [Nero] beckoned with a sadistic expression.

"...To do what, exactly?" [Edgar] begged the question, finally giving in.

"That, will be your budget for Alcohol. It should be enough for 20000 of the cheapest bottles that Nidallia has to offer. Do your business through Georgia, she can figure a way to handle the order by splitting it with other Alcohologists. Ask the Mousekin Artisan about helping Roah rid himself of his obscene amount of Lumber, aiding the Goblin Village. I'll be choosing some new songs, and dances for the Bands(wo)men to learn… But the Beach must be taken care of at all times." [Nero] explained before taking a stand from his seat.

"We won't fail you." [Miscare] declared before departing from the Dining Hall.

"I relish a challenge… This festival will be better than any other!" [Benji] exclaimed as he began to fly around the room with an equally ecstatic Robert.

"Betty… How do you figure we can help this play out smoothly if we can't touch anything?" [Phillius] asked with a look of despair.

"Don't you worry about a thing… We've got a deeper role to play than something as simple as lifting goods~" [Betty] replied with a smug expression.

"Oh yeahh?" [Becky] asked with a mischievous glance.

"Oh yeaaah!" [Betty] shot back with a hysterical expression.

"Oh YEAAAHH?!?!" [Becky] shot back, far more mischievous than the last time.

"Oh YEEAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!" [Betty] screamed psychotically as she slowly fell through the floor.

"...Why do we follow her?" [Phillian] asked with a bewildered expression.

"She's wild…" [Phillius] let out, clearly infatuated.

"Did you hear about the new toy that Kendra talked the Mousekin into making for her?" [Rei] asked while talking to Cetilla.

"Oh yeah! I heard about it! I hear-" [Penny] let out, flying closer to the two before being brutally interrupted.

"Hey! Not another word… Not here." [Cetilla] shuddered before capturing the Pixie and leading the two maidens, alongside Christina off toward the basement.

…Welp… They seem excited to be helping out more, but I'm seriously interested in that conversation between the girls… It can't be helped~ I couldn't possibly infiltrate their meeting and overhear them, considering that three of them can hear my thoughts~ They'd figure out if I tried to surprise them, for sure… It needs to be a thoughtless, NOT pre-calculated deed if I hope to succeed~ Regardless… I just obtained a whole lot of free time. I don't really know what to do with it… But I guess, enjoy it with Roah? Taking a glance over at him… It doesn't seem plausible. He's currently off with Gluttatosk, Cycleo, and Benji... Likely conspiring some means of improving the festival. I suppose… I really am, all alone right meow.

What do you do when you have free time and are alone? Oh… I suppose that I need to bestow the festival committee with some funding. Okay~ Uhm… Someone care to take this Diamond Coin to Clive and have it converted into Gold? Cool… Thanks, Molag… Conrad, you can keep an eye on the remainder of the Gold Coins. Don't lose them~ I'll accept paying the Mousekin a total of 20 Gold Coins for his work on Luna's Spellbook… 60 for your Talon Guards, but still try to drive a hard bargain out of him~ You can go ahead and give everyone two Gold Coins as well. Each of the Monster Knights, Clans(wo)men, Grenda, Chiffona-Cya-Macaroon, each of her daughters and their betrothed, as well as the Goblin from the Caterpillar Colony may be included. So… Nyah. Make sure to inform them of the upcoming game tournaments, and that there will be a price to participate in them… So that if they'd like to participate and have the chance at winning big, then they should think about saving their Coins.

Okay… Huh. I'm truly alone, meow. I've left the Wailing Keep, and I'm honestly thinking about just leaving Reygid entirely. I need something to do… So I'm thinking that learning about all of the different Dungeons should be my route to success. Research tonight… Song choosing and Cobra Caves tomorrow… Healing Clans(wo)men and conjuring clothing the day after… And finally, the final festival… Leading to my Prestige. A full calendar… But I can say with absolute certainty, that it seems achievable. Not even achievable… This might actually be relaxing~ On arrival into the Forest of Witches… I noticed that the Coliseum was vacant. Not only that, but the skies seemed empty. Not a Witch in sight... Things are pretty quiet over here right meow… It's eerie.

Seeming uncertain of where I should head first… As I'm not exactly well-liked by the general public, I decided to just skip straight ahead to the upper echelons. Unlike other high societies, the Witches don't terrify me in the slightest. These people are relatively simple-minded, and quite upfront about their feelings. If they've got a problem, they're going to say it. Straight to my face, and they'll likely add some salt on top for good measure. It's terribly disrespectful, yet also strangely respectable. I feel like I can deal with these women, and brush up all of their insensitiveness to mere trash talk. It's no big deal. They don't actually mean it when they say that I'm…

"You again?! You're such a total waste of space as a disgusting half-blood, you good for nothing pet playing at being a Witch… What could it POSSIBLY be this time?!" [Bitchy Witch with the Pink Fedora] spat immediately upon my arrival to the top floor of the massive tower in the Forest of Witches.

"Relax… Telliphi, I've told you several times… He's genuinely a Witch worth the name… Regardless of his rather unfortunate... Disposition." [Grescilda Ollivander] exclaimed with a snide expression.

"...Thanks." [Nero] muttered with a tired look in his eyes.

"It was nothing~" [Grescilda] sighed while seeming somewhat proud of her decency as she fluffed up her hair.

"Well… If he's come about that silly contest… He's going to need to wait." [Telliphi] shot back while rolling her eyes.

"Uh- That CONTEST is called the Tournament of Night (TBD)... And it's not silly~ It's a proper means of gaining great power, and profit for both of our Kingdoms…" [Nero] spat back before taking a seat at the table. To which, two Witches present audibly gasped.

"Oh, so now we're calling that cesspit of BEASTS a Kingdom?" [Snide Witch with obnoxiously long blonde hair] chimed in with a wry smile.

"...And I suggest that you both change your tone before I choose a different nation to bless with its appearance." [Nero] sighed. To which, the Blonde gave a look of indifference.

"Putting the playful banter that I honestly enjoy aside… I must say… I find myself intrigued by what the Cat wants." [Pink haired beauty with a respectable bust] remarked while nonchalantly playing with a miniature Broom, forcing it to fly around the room with the flick of a finger.

"Oh, can it; Melania!" [Snide Witch with obnoxiously long blonde hair] shot back as she took a stand and slammed her hands down onto the table.

"Look… Crystal's been moody ever since her pet Mongoosekin ran away last week… Don't take too much offense to her~" [Melania] sighed with a wry smile as she continued to play with her toy Broom.

"That BITCH stole my fucking Rui Chan!" [Crystal] spat back hysterically as sparks began to fly across the room.

"Pfft… You know I detest those things~ Why in Melchiadore would I possibly wish to take one from you?" [Melania] begged the question, clearly enjoying herself.

"You've had it in for me ever since I accidentally let Rui Chan get into the Cake on Grescilda's birthday! You've just been plotting for a way to get rid of him when I wasn't around this whole time! You believe me, right?! She's evil… Right, Grescilda?" [Crystal] rambled on, showing a wide range of emotions before finally latching onto Grescilda as she plead for help.

"Puh~lease… Grescilda's on my side. You probably just lost track of him again~" [Melania] shot back with a wide grin.

"Nobody asked you, pet thief!" [Crystal] spat back as she continued to clutch onto the exhausted Grescilda.

"So… Why is it so empty in here?" [Nero] begged the question with eyes wide as he glanced at the dozens of other empty chairs. To which, each of the four Councilwomen held strange expressions.

"...The truth is-" [Grescilda] began to explain, before being brutally interrupted.

"You can't tell him what's going on, what are you; stupid?!" [Telliphi] shot back with a baffled expression.

"Well, it's not as though we can hide it?" [Grescilda] retorted while raising her eyebrows.

"He's already figured it out, and there's not much that we could do against him with just the four of us… I say, tell him~" [Melania] remarked with a casual expression.

"On one condition… He must find Rui Chan." [Crystal] demanded with a serious expression.

"Refused." [Nero] shot back while rolling his eyes.

"Wha-Why?!" [Crystal] asked frantically, tears beginning to stream down her face.

"Uhm… To start, all of the Mongoosekin are Cursed creatures who absolutely despise you. Rui Chan probably fled, no offense." [Nero] confessed while averting eye contact with the distraught Witch.

"B-B-But… You don't understand! Rui Chan is d-different! Rui Chan loves me! We snuggle together every single day, and he comes with me everywhere that I go! We bathe together, we eat together, and we fly together! He'd never leave me!" [Crystal] wailed before embarrassingly fleeing the room.

"...So…" [Grescilda] muttered while exchanging glances with both of the other two Councilwomen present.

"You know my side~" [Melania] sighed.

"...Fine, but if the others get pissed off later; you're responsible. I had no part in it~" [Telliphi] groaned while rolling her eyes.

"Okay… The truth is, every year; we hold a special test for the Apprentice Witches to take. Essentially, they test themselves in a Dungeon. Those who perform best, get to join an elite course at the Academy, and those who are already taking the elite course also need to renew their eligibility… So, as you can probably imagine; it's a pretty big deal around here." [Grescilda] explained with a casual expression.

"Pretty? It's freakin' MASSIVE! 9 out of 10 Apprentice Witches take the test, every single year. 7 of every 10 Acolyte Witches take the test, and 4 of every 10 Senior Witches take it as well; simply hoping to further their studies in the less known fields of Witchcraft." [Melania] chimed in with a smile.

"That many?" [Nero] asked with a look of disbelief.

"It's an incredibly well respected course, acknowledged as the second greatest chance of furthering a Witch's knowledge in the entire world. The course changes every year, as a vast range of different Witches are brought in from all over to teach it. It guarantees an incredible amount of knowledge in at least three subjects, every single year… And even if you learn from two Witches focusing their parts of the course on the same field, you're still guaranteed to learn something new… As each Witch brought back to teach is predetermined to have been inhabiting different areas of the world from the others. Different locations may cause different Witches to learn new spells, theories, and masteries as they'll have learned to survive with different materials from that which they grew up learning about. Many Witches who come to teach, are past Councilwomen; or simply exceptional Witches who took the course a long time ago… But ventured out into the world, and gained influence elsewhere." [Grescilda] explained with a proud expression.

"Every single Councilwoman has taken the course at least 5 times in their life, which means that they were within the top 20 promising Witches of the Academy for 5 different years. We dedicate as many Councilwomen as we possibly can to overseeing the test, ensuring not only the safety of all the participants; but also the accuracy of the results which help us choose who gets to take the course." [Melania] remarked with a wry smile.

"Way to over-explain it~ You two are absolutely hopeless…" [Telliphi] muttered while rolling her eyes.

"Well, it's an interesting course. I'd be intent on taking it, if our relations weren't so sour." [Nero] exclaimed while shrugging his shoulders.

"...You?! Taking a course at the Academy?! Don't be hysterical!" [Telliphi] cackled.

"That'd be funny~ But it's not as though he could take part in it, right? I mean, the test already started… And he's never even taken a single course before!" [Melania] laughed.

"Now hold on… Surely, we can make an exception?" [Grescilda] muttered while squinting her eyes.

"You're kidding me, right?" [Telliphi] shot back with eyes wide.

"Well, think about it… We, as a Council… Have already recognized Nero as a Witch; whether you like or not… It was decided. Unlike every other Witch on this continent, Nero was never given the invitation to participate; and he's shown the inclination to do so… He's owed a chance to take the test, wouldn't you agree?" [Grescilda] asked while raising an eyebrow.

"U-Uh! Melania?!" [Telliphi] turned to face the third Councilwoman with a terrified expression.

"...How amusing. Take him to the Catacombs." [Melania] beckoned with a sadistic smile.

...The CATACOMBS?! Hold up! This sounds serious all of a sudden!

"Wait!" [Nero] shot back with eyes wide.

"...What?" [Grescilda, Telliphi, Melania] asked as they turned to face the Halloween Cat.

"I originally came here to learn the names of every Dungeon on the continent!" [Nero] confessed with a terrified expression.

"Hoho~ He's keen on learning…" [Melania] retorted with a wry smile.

"Indeed… We can make use of him like this." [Grescilda] muttered with a devious expression.

"If only he weren't so absolutely disgusting… He'd make quite the nice pet." [Telliphi] groaned before slamming her head down onto the table.

"Well, to answer your question… There's a lot of them. Here in the Forest of Witches, we have two. The Cobra Caves, and the Chaos Catacombs. In Vanheim, the Maiden's Meadow and Tree of Torment rest. As I'm sure that you're aware, the Tides of Trajedy and Mummy Mansion both plague Reygid. Nidallia has the Sewers of Sanity, while the smaller Town to its east; Bernston has the Rabbit's Hole. The Savage Lands are home to 5 different Dungeons… The Snow Sylph's Hill, the Mammoth Tunnels, the Snow Slime Lake, the Castle of Ice, and the Frost Giant's Blizzard. Dwalynna has the Perilous Pits, Candy Land, and the Golem's Grotto to worry about. The Lizardmen Tribes inhabiting the Pyramid of Pleasure, also have the incredibly more challenging Crystal Cove to their east… Though we don't believe that they're facing it. The Dragon Mountains are incredibly dangerous, with 6 different Dungeons. If that's not enough to terrify you, there's one Dungeon within those Mountains that's far more challenging than any of the others already mentioned… It's the Catastrophe Chasms. The other five, are the Serpent's Trenches, the Tree of Dreams, the Cyclops Caves, Death Peak, and Helium Heights. The Orcs need to deal with the Cracked Canyon, and the Spider's Tunnel… But they've been failing against the Canyon. The Lost Kingdom has the Lochness Lake, and Sandy Cavern… But as I'm sure that you're well aware, neither of those Dungeons seem to be very active right now. The damned Demons have three Dungeons, one of which is more terrifying than the Chaos Catacombs. It's the Temple of Torment… But it's still nothing compared to the Catastrophe Chasms~ They also have the Parrot Peaks, and the Termite's Tree. The Forest of Fae is where things get immensely tricky… They've got 4 Dungeons, and two of them are the most challenging Dungeons on this entire continent. Stronger than the Catastrophe Chasms! It's Beelzebub's Waterfall, and the Cabin of Corruption. Other than that, it's the Cursed Cemetary, and the Tree of Impurity. I've seriously no idea how they're managing to deal with all of that…" [Grescilda] explained with a wide range of emotions before finally shrugging her shoulders.

...Woah. Just… How many is that?! Thinking back… Didn't the previous King of Reygid say that there was around 20?

"Jeez, you're easy to read~ It's 35 Dungeons in total. Quite the appealing continent that we've got here, am I right?" [Melania] scoffed with a wry smile.

35?! That's nearly double! What the heck, man?! That King was BEYOND incompetent!

"Appealing…? More like impossible…" [Nero] groaned while fighting back the sudden urge to sob under the pressure.

"Alright, look… For some unfathomable reason, Grescilda here wants you to succeed. To my dismay, Melania's bored out of her mind; and willing to go along with it… And to make matters worse, Crystal's off having a fit. As the only Councilwoman here who seems to give a damn about respecting the integrity of our prestigious Academy… I've decided that if you DO decide to go through with it, I will personally attend to the overseeing of your test. What do you say?" [Telliphi] begged the question while raising an eyebrow.

"Aww… So she DOES care~" [Melania] chimed in with a mischievous glance.

"The Witch overseeing a test such as this must remain unbiased… But such is an impossibility due to his gender and our lack of personnel. The only way to ensure authenticity in his results would be to assign multiple Witches to the task…" [Grescilda] muttered with a nervous expression.

"...But we can't all go, leaving the surface unattended like this?! What if two of us do it, and then both make polar opposite decisions on the outcome?" [Telliphi] asked while tilting her head to the side.

"...Now hold on a second… Who said that it needed to be one of us?" [Melania] asked with a wry smile.

"Y-You're kidding…" [Telliphi] muttered with a terrified expression.

"No… I like it." [Grescilda] remarked with a sadistic smile before turning to face a nearby pedestal.

"What's going on...?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.

"Don't you worry a little bit~ I've got this covered…" [Melania] replied before stepping toward the pedestal, and placing her hands on it. Moments later, the pedestal lit up… Beaming white rays of light gushing forth, before suddenly calming to reveal a small aura emanating around her.

"Sisters… It is I, Melania Trolio… Daughter, of Mildred Trolio… Grand daughter of Emilia Trolio… And 14th seat to the current Council of Witches… Second in command at the moment, with direct orders from the 8th seat, Grescilda Ollivander... In agreement between the present three Councilwomen… Calling upon any and all past Councilwomen… Hear my call, ready your Brooms... And come forth for you have been summoned to the Tower of Chaos! An additional candidate for the Elite Course preliminary test has been found, and several judges will be required to oversee this promising Witch's trial… This matter is of great importance, so please… I beg of you, come and support this forgotten Witch!" [Melania Trolio] beckoned with a serious expression as she grasped on to the pedestal, until finally… Small, creatures of light burst out of her palms; dancing through the room and out into the skies beyond these walls.

The entire time that Melania was calling those other Witches… Her hair was violently raging; as if under immense pressure. I'm pretty sure that she glowed at some point~ It was intense, okay?! Also… Wow. Melania's pretty coy, but she can boss the hell up when she wants to~

"Like her mother, and grandmother… Melania's highly gifted in both Psychokinesis, and Telepathy… But she hasn't quite mastered the art of Clairvoyance. If she could do that… She'd likely find herself titled the new Seer Witch; just like Emilia was~" [Telliphi] remarked while seeming somewhat proud.

"Ahh… So there was a reason as to why she referenced her family?" [Nero] asked while turning to face Melania.

"Yep… Melania's got some serious influence around here based on her familial ties… Though, it's not as much as Grescilda~" [Telliphi] explained with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"What can you do~ No one can beat an Ollivander…" [Melania] sighed while rolling her eyes.

"What's so great about the Ollivanders?" [Nero] asked while tilting his head to the side.

"We Ollivanders are a long line of Witches, dating all the way back to before we even came to this continent. Back then… We were happy. We lived in a continent called Melassym. Melassym wasn't perfect, but it wasn't all bad. The Ollivanders held seats near the top of the Council of that time, as well. Sadly, a day came when a neighboring Kingdom chose to pillage our people. Their people were starving, and needed food… But rather than keep things simple, their men got a little too out of hand. To put it bluntly, being burned at the stake was one of the nicer ways for a Witch to go out. So… We needed to band together. Under Glenndalynn Ollivander's leadership, 78 Witches were able to escape Melassym, fighting back our oppressors as we did so until finally; we found these woods. Standing strong, our Coven invaded the Tower of Chaos, and belittled it to the point of it needing a new name; the Chaos Catacombs. Like the Lizardmen, we too chose to make our home within the depths of a Dungeon that we could face. We use the Chaos Catacombs to teach our young about the dangers of Melchiadore, so that they don't falter and become so weak as to allow the tragedies of our past to repeat themselves… But our oppressors never did quite manage to find us here. Over the centuries, it became known across the world that we; a substantial number of refugees from Melassym have successfully built a new Sanctuary for Witches… And that the Council of Witches lives on through us." [Grescilda] explained the tale with a somber expression.

"Wait a second… Earlier, you said that this course was considered the second best method of learning Witchcraft across the world. Does that mean another Coven of Melassym was formed elsewhere?" [Nero] begged the question with eyes wide.

"...You could say that… But not really~ It's not as though there's another Council elsewhere, or anything like that…" [Melania] casually remarked.

"So… What's the better method?" [Nero] asked while tilting his head to the side.

"It's not even really better, per say… It's just different, and not something that we condone if I might add." [Telliphi] replied while crossing her arms.

"...What is it?" [Nero] asked with a tired expression.

"Mmm… Heretics~" [Grescilda] casually confessed while shrugging her shoulders.

"...Heretics?" [Nero] asked again in disbelief.

"...They originated from another faction of Witches who banded together in Melassym. The thing about this other faction, is that they didn't attempt to escape Melassym. They were far braver than we, I'll be the first to admit. To survive… They resorted to terribly twisted forms of magic, sacrificing their magic… Or sometimes, their lives in order to achieve overly complex and devastating spells. Eventually, they too left Melassym… But not before losing something that should have been deeply treasured… Their sisterhood. Today, they teach these dark magics for the event that their young ever encounter another situation as grave as before… But they lack proper mastery of their natural abilities, and when hard pressed; they resort to wicked deeds at the price of their own, or other lives… Most often, their supposed sisters." [Grescilda] explained with somber expression.

...Wait, what? Am I a heretic? I was totally born with a terribly dark form of magic, sacrificing my own life for the sake of continued casting of spells. Does it still count as forsaking my own natural abilities when hard pressed if it's genuinely… One of my natural abilities? Oh my… Lilith, we've been dubbed heretics on account of our greedy nature upon reincarnation… What shall we do? Join the cult coven? It's a thought.

"It sounds terrible to sacrifice another for the sake of a spell… But is it truly so bad to sacrifice one's self?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.

"It's reckless, and though it may be a particularly alluring escape from dire circumstances… It's certainly not something that we'd have taught in our Academy. There's always another way." [Grescilda] replied with a determined expression.

"Okay… But what if you can't stop yourself from doing it?" [Nero] muttered.

"Listen, we're not going to scold you for taking the easy way out... Hekate knows Melchiadore isn't merciful to Witches. Just… Don't go about coercing others into following in your own foolish path." [Melania] shot back while raising an eyebrow.

"What's this about foolish paths, might I ask?" [White haired Witch] begged the question after appearing at the doorway.

"Oh! Treya Twisslethorn… I almost jumped out of my seat!" [Grescilda] scoffed while attempting to regain her composure.

"Apologies, young one… It seems that I've arrived too soon~" [Treya] laughed before taking a seat at the table.

"Treya, this is Nero Miki. He's the one who you'll be helping to judge tonight." [Melania] exclaimed with a wry smile.

"...What?" [Treya] let out with a look of disbelief.

"The Council had previously acknowledged Nero to be a genuine Witch, regardless of gender or the stain on his status better left known as the affinity for also being a Tamer." [Grescilda] explained while gesturing toward the Halloween Cat.

"A male Witch, huh? Couldn't have been easy to convince those girls that you were the real deal, I reckon~" [Treya] remarked while patting the Halloween Cat's head.

"Suppose not~" [Nero] laughed.

And so, we waited for around ten more minutes; until an additional 4 Witches arrived. It was at that point, when Melania called out to the others with the pedestal once more… Informing them that we had been successful in finding the appropriate number of spectators for my rather special trial. Most Witches don't even have ONE full Councilwoman dedicated to overseeing them, but since I'm a man who causes them to second guess their judgements with my impeccable looks… They're drawing this whole thing out, and making it up to be way more of a big deal than it really is. It's like that, really~ That's all it is~

Somehow… When attempting to obtain a simple list of Dungeons on this continent… I managed to get sucked up into the idea of enrolling myself as an Apprentice Witch; seeking entry into the most exclusive of all courses. Honestly? I don't mind the idea of working this whole thing into my schedule. I'll certainly have at least a little bit of downtime after Prestiging… So this makes sense, no? Learn something? I'm always complaining about being uneducated on all things Melchiadore, so it can't hurt to try and not be an absolute hypocrite who's simply too lazy to go about learning those things? Might as well~