Ophelia's Ward Round... and Side Quests

“The Calamity... Witch, huh...”

Luo Wei hadn’t expected that the witch he knew would now have such a notorious reputation in the church, associated with death and disaster—words that carried the most negative connotations. It was a stark contrast to the Tilis he had in his mind.

Suppressing the whirlwind of thoughts in his heart, Luo Wei silently gazed at Evelyn, waiting for her to finish speaking.

Evelyn continued recounting the intelligence she had gathered from a branch of the vampire family.

“Over the past few years, the Magus Hermetic Order, a once low-key underground organization of dark wizards, has become increasingly radical and brazen. They’ve openly attacked the city guards, killed clergy, unleashed large-scale forbidden dark magic, spread plagues, and sown panic...”

“From all the signs, it seems they’re brewing some grand conspiracy, undoubtedly aiming to pull off something monumental. However, my vampire contacts have limited information and don’t know their true intentions...”

“As for your witch...” Evelyn looked at Luo Wei and shook her head helplessly.

“She’s in a league of her own...”

“The intelligence suggests that Tilis holds an exceptional position within the Magus Hermetic Order, almost like a spiritual leader. Over the past few years, her presence has been spotted repeatedly across the northern continent, and her shadow looms over almost every major event.”

“The title ‘Calamity Witch’ originated from a clash with the church four years ago.”

“At that time, Tilis appeared in the coastal region of the empire’s southeast. Upon receiving the news, the church dispatched a knightly order to suppress her as quickly as possible. However, not only did they fail to kill her... the entire knightly order was annihilated.”

“It’s said that the battlefield was a scene of devastation, with the earth trembling and corpses littering the ground. Even the seawater turned blood-red... truly horrifying.”

“But then again,” Evelyn added, “if the church hadn’t suffered such heavy losses in that operation, the old emperor wouldn’t have been able to extend his influence into the church’s upper echelons. After a major reshuffle, not only did he weaken the church’s power, but he also managed to install his son into a key position...”

Evelyn paused, noticing Luo Wei’s increasingly somber expression.

“In any case...”

“From then on, the name ‘Calamity Witch’ became one that struck fear into the hearts of many...”

She shrugged. “If it weren’t for knowing all this, judging from the letter she wrote, I’d never have guessed she was like this...”

Luo Wei let out a deep sigh. If all these things were true, then Tilis had changed dramatically over the past four years...

In the first timeline, the witch, though solitary and gloomy, always seemed to have a moral compass in his eyes.

She was deeply engrossed in her magical research, striving to solve the age-old affliction that had plagued mages for millennia. Because of this, she often had heavy dark circles under her eyes, looking perpetually sleep-deprived and lethargic. She would lazily lean on Luo Wei, yawning and dozing off at any moment. Sometimes, upon waking up, she would wear a dazed yet adorable expression.

Back then, despite her high status within the organization, she remained aloof from worldly affairs, indifferent to the infighting among the various factions within the Magus Hermetic Order. But now, it seemed she had unified the internal divisions within the Order—an undeniably impressive feat.

The Magus Hermetic Order, with its millennia-long history, was rife with factions and disagreements.

Some were obsessed with uncovering the truths of magic, while others sought to restore the glory of the ancient magical empire. Among the latter, there were extremists who wished to eradicate all ordinary humans, as well as more moderate ones who believed in coexistence, with humans serving as slaves to provide food and labor...

Each and every one of them was a heavyweight lunatic.

The more Luo Wei thought about it, the more his head hurt. Seeing that he remained silent, Evelyn shrugged and walked over to fiddle with the various spoils she had bought earlier that day.

There was a floral sundress with a southern seaside vibe, and the rest were mostly food items—various seafood products. Compared to the troubled expressions on Luo Wei and Helena’s faces, she truly seemed like she was here on vacation...

“You’re really enjoying yourself, aren’t you?” Helena shot her a glance before turning to the silent Luo Wei.

“Brother, since that witch is so dangerous, why don’t we just go back...”

“Going back would mean another three days and nights on the train, you know~” Evelyn interjected casually.

Helena’s face paled, and she covered her mouth, feeling nauseous again.

Even so, she really didn’t want her brother to meet that witch. After a fierce internal struggle, she turned to Luo Wei again.

“We could travel back on foot... yeah! Let’s treat it as a hiking trip!”

Luo Wei looked at Helena’s serious little face and shook his head silently.

“We’ve come all this way...”

...

As night deepened, Helena, who was already feeling unwell, drifted off to sleep again.

Luo Wei tucked her in and quietly closed the door to her room.

Returning to his own room, just as he was about to wash up, Luo Wei suddenly noticed a mysterious magical glow emanating from the ring on his right hand.

Then, a cool, melodious voice echoed in the hotel room.

“Why are you still up so late?”

“Were you thinking of me?”

Luo Wei turned around in surprise to see Ophelia’s translucent figure appearing not far away, smiling at him.

“Are you here to check up on me?” Luo Wei chuckled. “I was just about to sleep.”

“Well, I’m about to rest too, but I suddenly missed you, so I thought I’d come see you.”

Luo Wei smiled as he gazed at her. What appeared before him wasn’t just Ophelia, but also a faint, almost transparent view of the interior of a tent. She must be in an outdoor camp right now.

Ophelia had left five days before him, tasked by the emperor with an urgent mission. She had to travel day and night to Antius, a key northern stronghold of the empire, to visit the ancestral tomb of the Wigner royal family. Given their pace, they should have arrived by now.

Now, the two of them were separated by almost the entire length of the empire, one in the south and the other in the north. It felt like a long-distance couple video-calling across vast distances, which stirred something in Luo Wei’s heart.

“It must be pretty cold over there, right? How’s the mission going?”

Ophelia, rarely one to complain, let out a hint of frustration. “Further north lies the snowy tundra, so yes, it’s quite cold... Fortunately, Caroline prepared plenty of thick winter clothes. As for the mission...”

She shook her head, glancing toward the outside of the tent. “The mountain here has collapsed, and we’re still figuring out how to proceed. It’s a bit complicated.”

Ophelia had previously shared some confidential information with Luo Wei. He knew this was a matter of great importance to the old emperor and potentially very dangerous. He patiently reminded her to delegate tasks to Caroline and the shadow guards whenever possible, rather than taking everything on herself.

“I know, I know. You’re getting more and more naggy,” Ophelia said, though her smile grew brighter despite her words.

“Anyway, the ring’s magic reserves aren’t infinite, so we shouldn’t waste them like this. It’ll be needed for more critical purposes later!”

Ophelia seemed ready to end the conversation. “Once I descend, I might be out of contact for a while. Don’t go flirting with that woman while I’m gone! I’ve already secretly instructed Helena to keep an eye on you! Behave yourself!”

Luo Wei nodded with a smile, recalling the day she had come to say goodbye. She had whispered something to Helena back at the old house—now he knew what it was about.

It was surprising that these two, who usually didn’t get along, had managed to form an alliance...

Just as Ophelia’s figure began to fade away, a notification suddenly popped up.

[Side Quest: The Dragon Tomb of Antius]

A side quest? Luo Wei was momentarily stunned.

“Wait a second!”