Here, it's quiet. The cave built by the excavation of the mountain is as quiet as the darkness in a dry well, but of course it is not dark, and it can even be described as bright. Candlesticks carved in the shape of human mermaids are adorned with thick candles made of whale and other large sea animal grease that illuminate the chambers of the cave. The icy rocky floor was covered with a thick blanket, so even if you walked barefoot, you wouldn't feel any discomfort on it. The air was filled with a faint floral scent, the scent of a scent produced by the elves when lit, soft and fresh, and it was said that a small piece of such an incense could be exchanged for twice the weight of gold. But here, this precious spice is just a daily commodity.

In fact, it's not just the spices that burn in the air, everything here is the object of contention when you put it in the Bay of Lost Heart, and when you measure it all by a single price, this building built in a cave can be called a real treasure trove. And such a treasure trove should never be found in a lawless area like Heartless Bay, because under the temptation of great profit, even if the treasure trove is inhabited by dragons, brave or arrogant people will rush in and steal this wealth by violence or trickery.

So it's not the dragons who are guarding here. It is the more feared group in this port city, the ruler of the city. They are a group of heartless witches, daughters of black cats and crows, born spellcasters, monstrous creatures clad in mortal skin. Just as the Witches' defector, Greene, spent a long time building a shelter, the Witches' Order's more manpower and money to build this base camp is a fortress that is much stronger than the castle of ordinary kings, and even a true dragon may not be able to break through the defenses from the front.

This is exactly the refuge that witches are looking for, after all, unlike the sheer of knowledge like the Grey Robes, who have to be in touch with the world in order to add ingredients to the pot, and cannot really stay away from the world. But on the other hand, they want to have their own space to learn and try to control the power in their bodies, so building a safe house in the middle or on the edge of civilization has become their natural choice. This is why the people of Heartless Bay say that those who have mastered the Black Fortress can control the rights of Heartless Bay, but only those who own the Witch's Cave can get the wealth of Heartless Bay. However, not to mention the internal organs of this shelter, even those who are lucky enough to arrive here and leave alive may not be able to find a way to enter again.

"Quack, quack!" the crow chirped on the branches made of gold. Hearing the sound of a pet's bark, the man who was immersed in his work slowly stopped his pen. She looked up, and sure enough, she saw a woman who looked to be about thirty years old striding into the room, with an expression of excitement or trepidation on her face, "The pre-tsunami tide has made landfall in the port area. Lord the Great Witch. ”

The man known as the Great Witch only nodded silently when he heard the news. Although what is about to happen this time is a great trial for the younger and younger witches compared to her, and if not handled properly, it can lead to disastrous consequences. But such a scene is not worth a surprise for the great witch who has lived for too long, when did it start, even in the face of an opponent who will die if he is not careful, he can no longer beat as fast as his heart when he was young. Forget it, don't think about these boring things. Thinking so, the great witch flicked the quill pen in her hand, and the latter turned from the pen back into a black feather, and flew back to the crow's body.

"Is there any news from Galen and Hela?" she leaned back into her thick fur, her gray-gray hair dry and curvy, draped over her countenance, revealing only the tip of her nose.

The witch who had come to report looked at the elderly leader, and it was said that there were no more than three people in the entire witch group who knew the exact age of the great witch, and the one who was thought to be the most likely to know this information was Greene, who had fled from Heartless Bay with her daughter years ago. The strength of witches does not necessarily reflect their age, but witches who are older and still do not fall into madness are necessarily strong, which is something that all witches know.

This is the key to uniting the entire Heartless Witch Clan, the existence of their Great Witch, although her appearance has been no different from the dying old woman, but she is still the wisest spellcaster in the entire Heartless Bay, and from the fact that the Great Witch has not yet determined her successor, she still has a fairly optimistic estimate of her lifespan. Whenever the thought of such a being leading the witch group is a joy for all witches.

The sorceress who reported the news was no exception, and the expression on her face quickly calmed down, and she replied in a respectful tone, "No message from them, but the fortress is sure to be sealed. Do you need me to ask them about it?"

"No need. "The Great Witch said in a non-hurried voice, "Karen is a good boy, she has a keen sense of things, and she is very decisive in her response, which is why I am reassured of her. However, she is sometimes too decisive, lacks consideration, and is easily controlled by emotions. Hela is different, the child's personality seems weak, but in fact she is just like Peg is a straw that cannot be bent, and she will see things that Glenn does not notice. Don't worry about them, you just have to go with the plan. ”

"Yes, dear lady. In addition, some sisters have expressed concern that they have not yet seen the return of the Cursed Lady, and they worry that the anomaly in the Misty Seas may hinder the return of the Kouiras. ”

The Great Witch raised her hand, her thin palm showing unusually obvious palm prints, "Don't waste your mind on something that won't happen. The prophecy has been written, and so will be the future, and the Damned Lady will return when we need her to lead the witches through this difficult time. This is something that is determined in the presence of all, and there is no need to think about it. ”

"But... IMHO, many people, including me, do not feel that Sister Kuyla is capable enough to lead us. She's undoubtedly a good witch, but her study of magic is mostly about raising insects, I mean, they're very powerful helpers, but they're only helpers. ”

A breeze blew through the crack in the unclosed door, causing the candles to flicker, and the wind blew all the way to the great witch's side, blowing her white hair up, revealing the dark eyes below. The old witch raised her hand and rubbed her thumb and middle finger together, as if feeling something in the gust of wind. Then she laughed, and the laughter nearly collapsed the other witch in the room, wondering if her ignorance had angered the leader.

"Quack!" the crow cried, spreading its wings from the branches made of gold, and flew to the shoulders of the great witch.

"It's okay, the sea breeze has given me the news that the Damned Lady has entered the port. Go and tell all the sisters that the time is coming to defend the honor of the Witch Order. ”

"Yes!" replied the messenger of Amnesty, and rushed out of the room in three or two steps, the soup pot on top, and when was the last time the Great Witch laughed? Ten years ago, twenty years ago?

When only the old witch and her raven were left in the room, the former stretched out his arm and let the latter fall in front of him. "A lion from the snow and ice? Hehe, the last time I met someone from there was when I was younger. Go and bring him, bring him to me, and at least don't let him die. ”

As the words fell, the black bird flapped its wings and disappeared into the shadows that could not be illuminated by the candlelight. It's strange that there are no entrances and exits.