Chapter 283 - 256: The Ghost Witch’s Experience

Chapter 283: Chapter 256: The Ghost Witch’s Experience

"After that," Agatha calmed herself, her gaze softening slightly, "I hid in all sorts of places, trying my best not to be discovered. A few times, I even had to hide in the sewers to escape the city watch."

"But thankfully, I still had my Magic Ability, and I also knew a little about alchemy. That allowed me to earn some income in the Black Markets of a few cities. With that income, I gradually made my way from the outskirts of Plantagenet City to Yangjiao Town."

"No wonder I didn’t hear anything about you not long after graduation," Shire said. "I worked as a Political Assistant in Plantagenet City for half a year, and I didn’t hear a single thing about you during that time."

"Back then, I was probably holed up in some gloomy basement, holding a crude wooden stick and stirring a large cauldron bubbling with green liquid." Agatha gave a bitter smile. The image she described was exactly that of the evil Ghost Witches depicted in posters.

"So what made you decide to come to Yangjiao Town?" Shire asked with some interest.

"At first, I didn’t think of coming to Yangjiao Town. I just kept hiding in the corners of various cities. But, you know, alchemy requires all sorts of herbs to make potions. In areas far from forests, herbs aren’t very plentiful. And if I wanted to buy them, I sometimes had to negotiate with merchants myself." Agatha fiddled with the gingerbread in her hands, her voice growing a little distant. "After a few interactions, I realized it wasn’t safe. After all, you get a reward for reporting a Ghost Witch to the local city watch, but I really did need the herbs."

"So you figured that there would be more herbs in the Nightmare Forest, and that there would probably be plenty of Adventurers there who would take on that kind of request," Shire finished for her with a smile.

"Yes, that was part of it. I also thought I could hide in the forest. As long as I stayed near the edge and cast a little Hidden Traces Magic on myself, I wouldn’t have to be so on edge all the time." Agatha’s tone gradually became a bit lighter. "Moving was a bit of a hassle, but thankfully that’s all in the past. I used my previous earnings to prepare several Magic Scrolls for myself in advance, and I successfully built a small cabin in the forest."

"Yeah, that little cabin." Shire smiled. That was where they had met, and the place that had truly sparked his ambitions.

"There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you." Agatha looked up at the goblin, who was now staring at the ceiling as if recalling something. "Back when we first met, how on earth did you recognize me?"

"Er," Shire slowly lowered his head and looked at the Ghost Witch across from him. ’To be honest, with her current appearance, it’s impossible to connect her to the elegant, beautiful top student she used to be.’ But he couldn’t just tell her, ’I have a cheat.’ "Like I said before, it was your voice."

Agatha said nothing, just stared intently at the goblin before her.

"First of all, your surname is very rare," Shire said with a shrug. "That alone would naturally draw attention. On top of that, you were a great beauty and a top student. For lazy nobles like us, you were definitely a popular topic of conversation."

Agatha nodded. She remembered them talking about Shire’s pranks on Calder Messes when they first met.

"At graduation, you gave a speech on stage as the student representative. A lot of people were watching you, myself included," Shire said with a grin. "Of course, back then, none of us would have actually done anything. For young nobles, marriage often isn’t our decision to make. But that didn’t stop us from watching you."

"And that’s when you memorized my voice?" Agatha asked.

"Yes," Shire nodded, then immediately changed the subject. "Speaking of which, if you were to see your sister again someday, what would you do?"

"I don’t know." Agatha hesitated for a few seconds before slowly voicing her thoughts. "It’s a big world, for one. It would be hard to see her again, especially since I’m hiding in the forest."

"What about later? I’ll leave the forest one day. When I become strong enough, I will reveal my people to the world and find a way to abolish the ’national policy’ of Three Silver Coins for an ear." Shire narrowed his eyes. "When that time comes, you’ll be able to face the world too."

Agatha sighed softly. Seeing Shire look like he wanted to say something but was holding back, she said quietly, "You don’t have to persuade me. Don’t tell me not to care about the strange looks people give me. I’m long past that stage."

"I just..." She paused for two seconds, then continued, "I just don’t know how I would face Elma."

"She’s the culprit, the one responsible for turning you into this," Shire said immediately.

"Yes, that’s what I thought at first, too. I hated her so much back then. I even wanted to do everything in my power to find her and plunge a knife deep into her stomach." Agatha bit her lip. "But after everything that’s happened, my thinking has changed a little."

Shire raised an eyebrow, waiting to hear what the Ghost Witch had to say.

"I won’t forgive her, but I’ve gradually come to understand her perspective. As the younger sister who lived in my shadow her whole life, all she ever heard were malicious comments from those around us. It’s just a shame that I was too young to understand any of that back then. I just thought from a child’s point of view that there was nothing wrong with being powerful, even if she was my twin sister."

"And now, she’s the only family I have left in this world. We’re the only two direct descendants of the Sebastian Clan still alive. If we both died, perhaps the Twelve Bloodlines would lose one of its lines."

"I know. You’ve said before that you want to find a way to cross the Boundary Wall and see the Star Realm." Shire leaned back, shifting into a more comfortable position.

"Yes, so my feelings are rather conflicted right now. If I had the chance to find her, I might apologize to my sister first. I’d explain things from when we were children and tell her that Magic Talent isn’t the measure of a person’s worth. And then," Agatha took a deep breath, "I’d beat her. I’d string her up and beat her senseless, until her face is black and blue and she can’t get out of bed for days."

Shire burst out laughing, and Agatha returned his laugh with a smile. After the laughter subsided, Shire looked at her questioningly.

"The Transformation Curse. I know that’s what you want to ask about. I looked into it carefully back when I was frequenting the Black Markets." Agatha set down the half of a gingerbread man in her hand. A moment ago, as she smiled, its other half—the head—had accidentally been pulled off.

"This thing is a bit troublesome."