The change of title from Purple Crystal Witch to Demon Witch shares one commonality, which is that both of them attain the title of a sorcerer. Although Morgentaa's name also changes with the title, Eleuther cannot deny that the woman in black attire with purple ornaments adorning her high-collared neckline to conceal the intricate tattoo on her neck - which was clearly visible in her previous attire - still remains a sorceress. His suspicions were entirely founded.
Sorcerers originate from humans with magical talents, extruphs. To become an extruph, the quantity of mana within the body is the most fundamental criterion. And to become a sorcerer, these extruphs must undergo various training as a measure of their sorcerer's rank.
Currently, Eleuther is one of the high-ranking sorcerers in the Hawk clan. Therefore, it shouldn't be difficult for him to determine the ranks of other sorcerers. With that in mind, he should have no trouble sensing Morgentaa's rank, right?
Morgentaa responded confidently, "Yes, of course, I am a sorcerer."
From reclining, Eleuther now sat back up. He crossed his legs and propped up his chin. "In that case, show me the quantity and color of your adhocs!" Satisfaction was evident on Eleuther's face.
Adhocs are the most crucial aspect for determining a sorcerer's rank. Adhocs are the circles that appear behind a sorcerer's body. The first adhoc is positioned from the upper ribcage and extends upwards to three centimeters from the crown of the head. The higher the sorcerer's rank, the more numerous and larger their adhocs are.
Sorcerers of Eleuther's caliber can indeed sense the ranks of other sorcerers. However, it doesn't mean they know the precise details about their adhocs. And Morgentaa should have reached that rank long ago. It's just that, in Eleuther's judgment, Morgentaa seemed like someone who had no mana; Morgentaa seemed like a truph.
"As far as I know, asking someone to display their adhocs is not a polite action, Eleuther." Morgentaa's forehead furrowed.
"The deputy head of the clan has the right to request the truth from a guest, and a guest has the obligation to prove or refute accusations to achieve a clear conscience, so their reputation remains untarnished," Eleuther said after taking a pipe from his storage pocket.
The scent of smoke filling the room assaulted Morgentaa's sense of smell. She had to stifle a cough. "I don't mind my name being tarnished once more, as it's already been tarnished far worse. There's no need for proof before you and the public, it won't affect my pride."
Before completely passing through the door, she added, "I believe none of the Hawk clan members know that you're addicted to nicotine."
Eleuther chuckled softly after Morgentaa was out of his sight. "Wrong. Erhillmen knows this," he said softly, then leaned back and exhaled a puff of smoke high into the air. His eyes briefly closed before he put out the cigarette and placed it in his storage pocket.
He was mistaken in thinking that Morgentaa would be easy to talk to. His judgment of her hadn't changed—although initially, he thought he could change it. The fact that Morgentaa didn't care about other people's opinions had been ingrained in her since childhood. However, there was a slight dislike because Morgentaa was now acting so mysteriously.
What did she say? A sorceress?
Well, Eleuther had plenty of time to prove her words. Although he was bound by a "contract" as a form of payment for her mother's identity, Eleuther had plenty of reasons to make his own choices. He had been acting that way for a long time, with both Erhillmen and Morgentaa.
During their conversation, they didn't realize that Ekdantan was behind the wall. People passing by the reading room didn't complain about his presence. Everyone knew that Morgentaa and Eleuther had a meeting in the reading room, but they didn't know that Ekdantan didn't have the right to eavesdrop discreetly with the excuse of waiting for Morgentaa. And Eleuther didn't send a message to anyone to guard the reading room's door or to use sound-dampening magic.
Just before Morgentaa's foot crossed the threshold, Ekdantan disappeared from her view, specifically from Morgentaa. He felt safe, so he moved elsewhere. He did this because he didn't feel at ease.
The feelings of the two were interconnected; that was a fact.
Even though Morgentaa had warned Ekdantan not to join them, he was stubborn when it came to Morgentaa herself. He didn't have jealousy, but he had anger if Morgentaa was treated poorly or in a dangerous position.
Meeting Eleuther was an action he could call dangerous. And... that's how it turned out; Eleuther had strong suspicions.
"I was looking for you."
Suddenly, Morgentaa was behind him. Ekdantan hadn't noticed because he was deeply absorbed in his thoughts. For a moment, he was afraid of being caught eavesdropping, but it turned out that Morgentaa didn't know—or perhaps she didn't want to discuss it. At least he felt relieved.
"Yes, I get bored waiting in the room," Ekdantan immediately smiled without any guilt.
Of course, that was a good and true reason. Ekdantan couldn't stand being in a room without Morgentaa. Ten years is not a short time, and it had turned his habits into a necessity.
Morgentaa nodded to indicate she had no problem with that explanation. "I apologize, but I don't want you to repeat what happened two months ago. I'm just cautious because you really get emotional when it comes to me."
"But, I didn't really do it. That person was just unlucky."
"Ekdantan..."
"Yes?"
"I'm grateful that you care about me. But I don't want you to lose control of yourself when it comes to me."
Ekdantan snorted clearly. "Can't you just praise me?"
"No," Morgentaa said, laughing. Ekdantan pouted and turned his face away with a slight frown.
Two months ago marked the beginning of their reemergence after a decade of adaptation and preparation. For the first few days, they had no issues. However, when Morgentaa's name came up in a gathering of young folks, Ekdantan immediately perked up.
Comprising four hungry individuals, who had ordered a lot of food from a cheap but bustling eatery. One of them seemed to be leading the conversation.
"When we talk about the leader, it reminds me of her misfortune," the bald one said.
One of them looked around and leaned in, "Hey, don't talk about that. We could die if the leader's spies hear it."
The bald one sneered, "Let it be. The leader can't do anything. Will she kill important members like me for some unclear woman? Besides, I feel sorry. Truly sorry. Oh Creator God, you surely understand this servant's sincerity," he said, cupping his hands and looking at the sky.
"Okay, you might be safe because you're an important member of the Hawk clan. What about regular members like us? The leader could dismiss us without hesitation." The man with a sarong and a dagger protested.
"You're safe. The leader is actually very kind, as gentle as renowned chef-made steamed buns. Unlike That Woman. What's her name? Mor, Morgentaa? Ah, Morgentaa is truly ungrateful. It's rumored she sacrificed 345 high-level swordsmen to save herself." Disapproval was clearly evident on the bald man's face.
"I think that theory is wrong. If they were used as shields, wouldn't that be foolish? Hey, they're high-level sorcerers, with intelligence and sensitivity. I don't think Morgentaa is that daring," the bearded man was stroking his short beard.
The bald man rejected the opinion. "Heh, do you forget Morgentaa? The child is said to be a genius and has the potential to become a high-level sorcerer at a young age. Her behavior is polite and courteous. Her face and smile are very innocent. Pfft! Many hypocrites in this day and age."
"Your words are true, but I agree more with him." The man with the sarong pointed to the bearded one.
"Up to you. But if she's innocent, why did she leave the clan and go into hiding? It's clear that she's a killer," said the bald man, "A SERIAL KILLER."