Chapter 45: The Witch's Forest
The Witch's Crystal Ball.
Back when Ascal was a manager, he confiscated this item from a witch during an illegal street vendor crackdown.
He had boldly left it in his office as evidence of embezzlement, but surprisingly, no one showed any interest.
The crystal ball eventually became a nuisance. He even thought about disposing of it. Still, as it somewhat suited the office as a decoration, Ascal left the ball there.
He had completely forgotten about it until, out of the blue, he saw the dragon casting fortunes and remembered the existence of the crystal ball.
- But is the empire really doomed?
- …What an absurd human. Let me cast a divination
- I will renew the pact with the empire! I, the bringer of rain and clouds, 🝲🝪🝨🝠, will protect the empire for the next thousand years!
What exactly did the dragon see?
'He should at least show me what he saw.'
Of course, unless one was a witch, it was impossible to cast fortunes with a crystal ball.
But Ascal was confident.
Just yesterday, he had bought and thoroughly read <Casting Fortunes with a Crystal Ball for Beginners> at the market.
In fact, Ascal originally didn't believe in such things as fortunes. However, when the dragon suddenly appeared from the sky and started fortune-telling with the ball, he had to believe.
---
<Easy to follow with pictures!?>
1. Clean the crystal ball thoroughly.
2. Focus your mind, think of a question you want to ask the ball, and say it out loud.
3. If the answer is yes, the ball will turn blue; if no, it will turn red.
4. For more complex advanced techniques, come to the Witch's Forest and ask Elenia!
Author: Elenia
Editor: Elenia
---
What was there to lose? Ascal meticulously cleaned the ball as instructed in the book. It had been neglected for so long that the once-clean cloth turned black.
Woo-woong!
"Damn it, that scared me!"
He blurted out in dialect in his excitement.
It was a sudden vibration, as if releasing a long-neglected resentment.
Anyway, it means that the crystal ball must still be functioning properly.
Ascal focused his mind, just as the book instructed.
"Will the empire not fall as long as I live?"
The orb instantly turned a deep shade of blue.
So intensely blue that Ascal felt like he needed blue light blocking glasses.
****
Ascal slumped to the ground.
Cross-checked by the dragon and the crystal ball, he sat down hard on the floor.
The empire wasn't going to fall? Then what was the meaning of everything he had done so far?
It was a shock akin to believing he had been a ginseng all his life only to realize he was actually a normal sweet potato.
But he still had questions.
"Can I quit my job now?"
In those brief 3 seconds, the once blue ball turned a cruel red.
"Could I possibly enjoy my work from now on?"
There was no response.
'Was it broken?'
"Is Lia actually the third princess of the empire, Yulia, who entered the evaluation department for some hidden purpose?"
The ball turned blue again.
"…Can I escape from the empire?"
Crash-
Suddenly, the crystal ball split in half, turning a dull, ashy grey.
Desperately shaking the ball, Ascal asked more questions, but the crystal ball (aged 3) had reached the end of its life without any response.
****
"Welcome, esteemed guest!"
"The guest has arrived!"
Cute little girls in pointed hats circled around Ascal. But appearances could be deceiving. A witch who has lived for hundreds of years was inside them after all.
On his day off, Ascal visited the Witch's Forest mentioned in <Casting Fortunes with a Crystal Ball for Beginners.>
How did he find the top-secret location of the Witch's Forest?
It was just in the book. Clearly marked, with an easy-to-follow map.
"I am Ascal, here to see Elenia."
"The Great Witch? He's here to see the Great Witch!"
The little witch girls, clearly delighted, danced away into the distance, waving back at Ascal from afar.
"Over here!"
"Over here!"
Puzzled, Ascal walked towards where the little witches were.
Suddenly, a seemingly empty swamp transformed into a flower garden.
And in the middle of the garden, there was a cottage.
"Go there! Tell Elenia we guided you!"
"We'll get praised!"
"Thank you."
Ascal walked up the stairs to the cottage.
Upon opening the door, he saw a beautiful witch with long, flowing black hair sitting on a wooden chair.
"It's been a while, noble sir."
"…Been a while? We've never met before."
"Please, take a seat. You must have questions."
Ascal sat in the chair opposite her, feeling a mix of curiosity and confusion.
"This book. Did you write it?"
Ascal placed <Casting Fortunes with a Crystal Ball for Beginners> on the desk. The witch narrowed her eyes and smiled.
"Yes, that's right. I wrote it as a playful pastime, never imagining it would reach you. Such is the nature of fate."
"So, the contents of this book are fake?"
"No, they are real. It worked because of the overflowing energy within you, Ascal."
Ascal squinted. He was puzzled by her knowing his name already, and this witch... she seemed familiar.
"But when I asked a question, the crystal ball shattered. Do you provide after-sales service or insurance for such incidents?"
"…The crystal ball shattered?"
Great Witch Elenia's eyes widened.
Ascal unfolded a cloth he had brought. Inside were the two halves of the broken crystal ball.
"That's impossible… My precious crystal ball shattered… That should be impossible…"
"Your 'precious' crystal ball?"
Ascal's suspicion deepened. As he stared intently at Elenia, she turned her head away.
"It's difficult when you stare so intensely."
"Witches' ages should never be trusted. Are you that illegal street vendor from before?"
"I really don't know what you are talking about."
Ascal spoke softly.
"Yulia."
"Kaaaaaah!"
"Got you, the culprit."
Setting up illegal street stalls in the empire, donating faulty balls, and making him come all this way to the Witch's Forest? Truly deplorable behavior.
"Please, not that name… I'll tell you anything."
"Then tell me how I can escape from this empire and live freely."
"Alright, I will."
Elenia fumbled in a corner of the cottage, pulling out another crystal ball. As she bent over, her posture seemed pitifully frail.
"I will cast a fortune to see how Ascal can escape from the empire."
"Do it quickly."
"Aaaaaah!"
The ball cracked. Elenia, having glimpsed the future through the ball, screamed again.
Desperately clutching the ball, Elenia whispered an incantation, sweat dripping down her forehead.
"Why, why are you doing this?"
"Do you really have to escape the empire? Can't you just stay?"
"Then show me what happens if I stay."
Elenia muttered another spell.
The future appeared in the ball again.
Elenia spoke calmly.
"Just escape."
"What exactly did you see?"
The future was not absolute.
It could change with even the smallest variable. However, the more skilled a witch was, the more likely they could see a probable future.
Elenia concentrated, finding the one path for Ascal's escape.
"Save the Emperor."
"How?"
"I don't know that much. But the longer the Emperor lives, the higher the chances of your escape."
Save the Emperor.
An old man on his deathbed?
What power does Ascal have?
"Do you know how to make an elixir of immortality or something? I have some money."
"If such a thing existed, I would have drunk it myself. I've already been providing the Emperor with extremely expensive elixirs... Oops. Please pretend you didn't hear that."
Elenia broke into a nervous sweat.
"Have I been of enough help?"
"Hmm."
"Then farewell, noble sir."
"By the way, those little witch girls wanted me to tell you they guided me here."
"Those little ones…"
Elenia's gaze turned distant, as if she was lost in a memory from the past.
Ascal, sensing she needed some time alone, left the cottage.
'Save the Emperor... The Emperor...'
Even if the empire didn't fall, countless high-ranking officials had been purged and executed, like traitors thrown into Zulat Prison. Who knew when it would be his turn?
Lost in thought, he saw the little witches again.
The little witches were giggling as they fed his pet Fer.
"Was the consultation helpful?"
"Did it help?"
"The service was satisfactory, and the consultant was kind."
One of the shorter witches handed Ascal a flower, reminiscent of receiving a mint candy at a barbecue restaurant.
"Come again!"
"Visit us again!"
It had been a fruitful journey. Ascal left the Witch's Forest, feeling content.
****
Serena bit her fingernails nervously.
No matter how she looked at it, she had missed the big catch, Ascal Debrue.
Had she done her best? Yes. She had carved out time from her busy schedule to continuously woo Ascal, even participating in a blind date.
But why had she failed?
It was because the Crown Prince and Yulia had approached Ascal before she could.
This time, she was a step behind.
"Ah..."
It was too late when it was late.
It was time to accept defeat.
She still had Count Gaius and Count Telio. If she could win them over, she could form a substantial power base. And then, though she hated even the thought of it, she would have to ally with Yulia to counter the Crown Prince...
And Ascal Debrue.
He appeared fine on the outside, but there must be little substance to him. He seemed like the type to be swayed easily, causing chaos wherever he went.
"A workhorse. A dry man who knows nothing of art. Do you even understand art? I dislike boring men like you."
As a subordinate, maybe, but as a romantic interest, he scored zero.
Serena nodded to herself in agreement.
This was three days before Serena realized Ascal was the Prince of the Night.
