On this continent, people who use magic as a means of making a living can be roughly divided into three types.
One type is called mages.
Most of them are believers, or rather, students of the Goddess of Wisdom Acu... no, Minerva.
They are the most traditional magic learners and the most familiar type of spellcasters to most people. They complete a spell by studying magic texts, understanding magic arrays, constructing spells, and activating magic formations. They are the most orthodox and meticulous spellcasters.
Another type is called sorcerers.
Compared to mages, sorcerers don't have to work so hard to learn because their spellcasting talent comes from their bloodline inheritance. For them, casting spells is as instinctive as eating and breathing. Therefore, they do not worship Minerva or are simply atheists.
The last type is difficult for ordinary people to encounter and is generally referred to as arcanists.
The biggest difference between them and the previous two is that they do not learn magic for the purpose of casting spells but to explore the essence of magic itself and pursue the nature of magical power. In Lister's words, they are the group of spellcasters on this continent who are most like scholars.
The Three Prophet Witches Tea Party that Olivina belongs to is a rather well-known arcanist organization.
Previously, Olivina was just an unknown small member, living a hard life of wandering around to get sponsorships and playing poor scientific research. Quite a few other arcanists even mocked Olivina's wild ideas and gave her the title of "Crude Stone" because she was stubborn and dull, like a clumsy stone.
Of course, after the advent of the Magitech Electrical Device, no one dared to use this title to refer to her anymore, except for herself.
In fact, after leaving the mayor's residence, Olivina did not teleport to another place but returned to the front of a white building in the royal capital of Saint Viliana Kingdom.
On the sign at the entrance hung a plaque that read "Olivina Research Institute".
Olivina walked straight in and opened the door. Amidst a pile of equipment and circuits of all sizes, a petite figure with pink hair was constantly weaving through them.
The figure noticed Olivina walking in and immediately rushed over.
She was wearing a loose white lab coat and stood only as tall as Olivina's chest when standing up. Her face, which looked quite childlike, was hung with a tired and weathered expression. Her big eyes, crawling with dark circles, looked especially pitiful.
"Well, well, isn't this our famous Great Witch Olivina? What, finally have time to spare to come and take a look at your own lab today?"
"...Long time no see, Evie."
"Ha, long time no see? You, as the owner of this lab and the lead researcher, actually say 'long time no see' to me, the poor soul working for you? Should I thank you?"
Unlike her cute and small appearance, this pink-haired dwarf woman named Evie was actually nearly thirty years old, and her words were extremely sarcastic.
However, faced with her sarcasm, Olivina could only put on a solemn apologetic look and clasped her hands together.
"Sorry, I know it's my fault for leaving you alone here to do the upgrades and development of the device, but I have no choice..."
"If you know I'm working hard, then hire some people for me! Don't tell me you're short on money?!"
"Oh my, I only trust you... And hiring new people is such a hassle, having to teach them this and that. No one is as useful... no, as smart as you."
"I'm gonna...!"
Hearing this, Evie's resentment, which had already been heavy due to long-term overtime, grew even more. She raised her eyebrows and wanted to jump up and give Olivina's knees a big hit, but the next second, Olivina picked her up from behind.
"Put me down! You little brat! I'm older than you!"
"Promise me you won't be angry, and I'll put you down."
"Okay, I won't be angry."
"I don't believe you."
"I'll kill you!!"
"Ahaha..."
Olivina laughed and put Evie down while dodging Evie's instant burst of magical power.
"Alright, no more messing around. One good news and one bad news. Evie, which one do you want to hear?"
Seeing that Olivina seemed to have something serious to say, Evie temporarily put aside her anger and asked Olivina:
"With good news, does that mean you found Lister?"
"That's right, and he's now free from Aurola's control."
Upon hearing this, Evie's eyes immediately lit up.
As Olivina's friend of many years, she knew that the reason Olivina's crazy ideas in her mind could be realized was all because of a person named Lister pushing them forward.
Whether it was providing funding, purchasing materials, or even directly participating in research... Evie had witnessed the whole process from the side.
For arcanists, the most valuable things are research funding and exploration ideas.
And this person named Lister could provide both.
Moreover, Evie saw in him a kind of foresight... a foresight different from anyone else in this world.
Therefore, Olivina hit it off with him and was even unwilling to accept the title of "Legendary Witch" given to her by the Tea Party without his joint naming.
Such a person was a treasure to all arcanists... and to Evie as well.
"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and tie him back!"
"Hey, what do you mean by 'tie'? If it weren't for Aurola constantly blocking him, Lister would have voluntarily returned to the side of his only confidant in this world long ago, okay?"
"Come on, in his heart, you probably can't even compare to the hem of Aurola's clothes."
"Nonsense! He was just deceived by that bad woman Aurola. After this incident, he will immediately return from his misguided ways!"
"Then prove it to me and bring him back."
Faced with Evie's fatal question, Olivina paused for a moment, then continued:
"Don't be impatient. Didn't I say there was bad news too?"
"What's the bad news?"
"The reason he can break free from Aurola's control is that he has now been taken to the Demon Lord's Castle by the Demon Lord."
"...?"
Evie tilted her cute head.
"Demon Lord?"
"Yes."
"That Dark Dragon?"
"Exactly."
"Why?"
"I want to know too."
"..."
Evie lowered her head and pondered for a while, then sighed helplessly.
"I knew nothing good would come out of your return."
"Anyway, I need you to come with me to the Demon Realm for a trip."
"Let me make it clear first, even for me, I don't have much confidence against that Demon Lord."
"We're just going to save someone, not to fight. Just be careful."
"Tsk, what a hassle."
Evie sighed, then took off her lab coat and snapped her fingers. Her entire body changed into a set of blue-black expensive mage robes that fit her body size.
This robe represented that the wearer had attained a spellcasting level exceeding the 7th tier recognized by Minerva and was the recognition of the Mage Association for a spellcaster's magic level.
Others might be deceived by Evie's dwarf-characteristic petite and cute appearance, but Olivina knew clearly that this little lady was a terrifying existence who could rank in the top twenty in terms of lethality among existing spellcasters and was once called the "Rising Star" Evie.
As for why someone so powerful would come to her lab to be a slave?
Of course, it was for the money.
...