Stan's POV
After my words, Eda felt a bit uncomfortable and rushed upstairs.
"You... you're married to Eda?" Luz looked at me with a shocked expression before making a face I often see on Mabel.
*Hiii* after making a weird sound, probably to show her excitement.
Luz started asking me several questions with Hooty assisting her in this "investigation." It's really funny seeing Luz's behavior in person, but I understand why she was isolated in her old school.
"So Eda did that!!!" After hearing the whole story, it seems Luz's opinion of Eda has drastically dropped.
"It's scandalous, playing with a man's heart like that should be forbidden!!!" proclaimed the owl on the door loudly.
"I've partially moved on since then, and meeting Eda in this dimension is pure coincidence, maybe fate wanted us to clear things up."
Bullshit, I don't believe in fate. Though I don't refute its existence, I prefer the term "fixed point in time."
"You say you've moved on, but it's not easy for a human to come to this dimension without magic since your species doesn't have any... at least normally." Eda came back after changing into her usual clothes.
"Eda's right, how did you manage to come to this dimension? Unless you're not who you claim to be." Luz gave me a suspicious look, seems the kid has had some experience of the Boiling Isles.
"One word can explain my arrival in this dimension and my current powers: 'science,'" I said nonchalantly before sitting in a chair.
"What, seriously? Science?" Eda and Luz doubt me a bit, so I opened a portal leading to the Mystery Shack.
"Come see my laboratory, I haven't brought any scientific tools or gadgets here except for my body itself." Once we arrived at the Mystery Shack after crossing the portal.
We ran into Arlecchino dragging the Shape Shifter with an energy net that occasionally shocks the creature when it gets too agitated.
"Let me present one of my best inventions, Arlecchino, a robot with an AI of my design." The main subject of my presentation looked at me, as well as the guests, before throwing the monstrous creature into a cell I knew we had, and coming toward us.
"Hello, I'm Arlecchino. I presume you're guests of the master." Arlecchino's cold voice first disconcerted Luz before she looked at it with stars in her eyes.
"Pfff haha, you're going to make me believe this human is an invention of yours?" despite her trips to Earth, Eda doesn't have such a deep understanding of humans.
It took Luz explaining Arlecchino's true nature. After Luz's explanation, she started tapping Arlecchino's body and searching all over it.
Of course, Arlecchino remained expressionless in the face of this sudden invasion of their private space.
"Indeed, it has no real signs of life..." I couldn't help but throw a triumphant look at the displeased witch.
"Can I learn to create robots with you?" Luz's sudden request caught everyone off guard, but after a few moments of reflection, I rejected this request.
"Frankly, you're not qualified for this field. You should stick with Marlyne~" I threw a provocative look at Eda, who was displeased.
For me, science is superior to magic. Anyone can become a scientist with enough effort and hard work.
Magic, on the other hand... that's another story. There are several factors to consider like the world itself, lineage, and many others.
Although I tell Luz she's not qualified, I haven't told everything. I could easily make her qualified to become my disciple, but I don't find it useful.
If I use methods like a brain stimulator, cognitive nanobots, or even diluted Percepshroom on Luz, she would certainly become intelligent, but I prefer to use that on people who already have good potential.
They'll certainly become better than Luz would with those benefits. So yes, I'm doing her a favor by refusing.
After rejecting her, Luz seemed slightly depressed.
"Trust me kiddo, it's not a big loss. Magic is better than this stuff everywhere here," mumbled Eda trying to comfort Luz, but her words touched one of Arlecchino's rare sensitive points.
"You claim to be better than the master's technology?" Arlecchino approached Eda to stand in front of her.
"What do you want, tin can?" Eda frowned while looking at the AI. She must have sensed Arlecchino's hostility.
"You claimed magic is better than the master's technology, which I don't approve of and consider a lie. Please take that back immediately."
The situation started turning sour quickly. I thought GIFfany would be the only one to cause me trouble, but Arlecchino's at it too.
In the end, both women decided to settle the situation with a duel between magic and science.
Although I tried to stop it, Eda and Arlecchino were determined to prove their point of view.
I had to teleport them immediately to the Boiling Isles to avoid drama in my laboratory.
...
**Eda's POV**
This day is possibly one of the worst in my entire existence.
First, a ghost from my past resurfaces and becomes the emperor of the Boiling Isles.
Second, this individual, who has already proven to be better than me in the magical domain, implies that magic isn't his area of expertise.
Who does he think I am? He just wants to humiliate me for my past actions by completely crushing me in the magical domain.
I won't let that happen, no way. I'm sure I would have found a solution for the curse without his help sooner or later.
*Boom* The creature named Arlecchino literally destroyed my stone pillar with one punch.
"I hope for your sake you just want to evaluate my capabilities." She's been emitting electrical arcs around herself since the beginning of the fight.
I immediately used teleportation magic. Given her physical strength, I'm too close to her.
"Too slow..." A cold voice resonated behind me.
*Bam* I immediately created a shield, then made plants grow to cover her vision and pulled out an object that could reduce the physical strength gap.
*I smile* without realizing it.
This is the first time in a long while that I'll be able to fight using all my strength.
You have to understand that I usually use a good part of my magic to suppress my curse, but I don't need to do that anymore.
I hurried to locate Arlecchino's position after finding the object I wanted.
I blew away all the trees around me by deploying magic. I was slightly surprised by the crazy amount of magic I could deploy.
It's surely due to the boost provided by this object.
By the time I deployed my magic, Arlecchino was already extremely close to me, but I was able to block her fist with my palisman.
This act surprised her, judging by her slightly wider eyes after I blocked her.
I simply smiled at her before punching her in the face to send her back.
"Little witch trick." I cleared up her confusion by showing the "Construction Coven power glyph" on my wrist.
No, I refuse to lose against Stan and this creature. I am Eda, the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch in the Boiling Isles.
I'll show them why I'm the strongest.