Mage Manual
Chapter 429 - 358: Witches Have Knights Too (Thanks to the Alliance Leader for the Triple Update)

Chapter 429: Chapter 358: Witches Have Knights Too (Thanks to the Alliance Leader for the Triple Update)

Igula stood up, leaning against the wall, and pulled a bandage out from under her skirt to wrap her hand. Ignoring Ash, she walked straight into the Floating Car.

Suddenly, Ash remembered something and looked toward the Black Knight not far away, "That person..."

"The person from that office is already dead."

Igula glanced at the slightly trembling ’Liss’, "Although its body is still alive, the soul inside has extinguished... This is the Spirit Mage’s judgment, believe it or not."

Believe it or not, the Black Knight has the Blessing of absorbing all damage, and Ash had no way to deliver a killing blow. He looked down at ’Liss’, "You’re not expecting me to carry you into the car, are you?"

Diya raised her head, "Can I not?"

Ash didn’t say a word and glanced at his own right hand.

Diya looked and immediately jumped down, terrified to touch it—Ash’s right hand was almost entirely cracked open, the arm bone even breaking through the flesh, and the handle of the sword of sweet words and hidden dagger was stuck directly in his palm.

In order to buy as much time as possible for the ’rush’ to Miracle to take effect, and because he was worried about not being able to hold the sword steady due to strong inertia, Ash intentionally used the palm of his hand against the handle; but this caused the falling kinetic energy to first tear through his right arm, buying perhaps about 0.1 seconds of midair delay.

Whether the 0.1 second was useful or not, Ash’s hand was definitely ruined.

Incidentally, the sword of sweet words and hidden dagger was completely fine, not even bent, making Ash feel like his hand was the screen under the protective film—the film was intact, but the screen shattered to bits.

Fortunately, Ash had cast ’Joyful Sword’ on himself beforehand, otherwise he would have fainted from the pain already.

"This hand needs continuous treatment for six hours." Banjee jumped down from the Floating Car and said, "I’m going to perform an emergency cryogenic treatment now, at least it won’t affect movement."

Having an elder at home is like having a treasure. As a 60-something-year-old Two-winged Mage, Banjee could find the right treatment for any situation, and Ash nodded gratefully to Banjee.

Although the young butler seemed indifferent, his movements in treating Ash were as gentle as possible, appearing to have forgiven Ash for his previous action of splitting up—the main reason being that Ash was already in such a bad state, Banjee couldn’t really get angry even if he wanted to.

Diya did not disturb Ash’s treatment. After entering the back seat of the Floating Car, she spoke to Igula, "Do you have a mirror?"

Igula glanced at Diya coldly, took out a hand mirror from under her skirt, and looked towards the night sky outside, sparing not a single word or glance for her.

Diya didn’t mind the Swindler’s attitude and looked down at herself in the mirror.

"Liss, before we switch, I want to tell you and everyone a story."

Liss: "Now?"

"Once upon a time, there was a naïve and adorable princess who lived in a tower. Since she was born, she had been inside the tower and never stepped outside into the world. Everyone told her that the outside was full of bad people and that it was most comfortable and safe for the princess to stay inside the tower, guarded by knights, but the princess still longed for the outside world."

"One night, the princess heard strange noises outside, and saw from the window a Bronze Dragon coming to take her away. The princess locked in the tower couldn’t escape anywhere. But she was happy inside because the Bronze Dragon finally gave her a reason to leave, so she leaped out of the window."

"Whether taken by the dragon or caught by a knight, she could have left either way."

"But at the moment she jumped, the princess suddenly realized: the Bronze Dragon was just a phantom of her imagination, and the knight below the tower was but a guard sent by a witch. The princess had really jumped."

The little witches were captivated, but the White Queen and others felt quite odd.

Because in Diya’s original fairy tales, there was no role for a Bronze Dragon; the princess would simply jump down to be caught by a knight and then escape together starting a new adventurous life... The old version of the fairy tale was uplifting, while the one Diya was now telling was heavily grounded in reality, making it seemed quite somber and negative.

"But then,"

"Coincidentally, a thief had sneaked into the witch’s palace that night, thinking there was some treasure in the tower, but instead he saw the princess jumping down. So he jumped down too, caught the falling princess, and swung out of the witch’s palace on a silk thread from the sky, kidnapping the witch’s most important treasure."

"The princess quietly observed the thief, and compared to the mighty Bronze Dragon, the fully armed guard, and the terrifying witch, the thief seemed too weak. But in her heart, this thief who had fallen with her was the real knight, and she was willing to wander with him."

"Alright, I’ve finished my story, what do you think?"

Having held back for a long time, the Black Butler finally couldn’t help it, "Wait a minute, it was clearly us who had Liss deceive and bond with Ash. We were the proactive ones! Or did I misunderstand, and the princess in the story is Ash, and we are the thieves?"

The White Queen laughed, "Diya, for her own glorious image, has started using the power of the Time Faction to modify the Time History Book."

Liss, as if awakened from a dream, exclaimed, "Ah? Is the thief in sister Diya’s story our father, and the princess, sister Diya herself? Does this mean sister Diya has fallen for our father!?"

The Red Death Cultist spoke calmly, "Diya, Ash just saved us; don’t be ungrateful."

Diya: "Great, it seems everyone really liked this new fairy tale. Thanks for the support, sisters. I’ll work hard to write new Chapters."

Black Butler: "She’s gone mad."

White Queen: "She completely ignores what we say now."

Red Death Cultist: "But Diya, Ash only has eyes for Liss, not for you."

Liss: "Right, right, daddy likes me, he saved me, Diya, don’t you dare try to take daddy away from me!"

"Since when can sisters stealing from each other be called stealing? It should be called sharing."

The sisters were shocked into silence, but Diya quickly explained, "Just kidding. The little witch will continue to play ’Liss’; I won’t take her role."

"After all, ’Liss’ is just a little girl now, I wouldn’t be of use anyway. But, once the trial of the Bronze Dragon is over and we turn back into ’Lissdia’..."

Black Butler: "Does the little witch have to call you mom then?"

Liss: "I don’t want a stepmom right now..."

Diya: "You’re all thinking too far ahead. Let’s put the naming issue aside for now. In any case, if we turn back, then I’ll be ’Lissdia’, and as for the ’Witch’ in the Void Realm, whoever wants to be her, be her."

Red Death Cultist: "So it’s just ’put aside’ for now..."

Black Butler: "Aren’t you satisfied having sisters? If you’re lonely, just summon a few more sisters. Why care so much about that guy..."

"Black, you’re not also planning to become ’Lissdia’, are you?"

"Nonsense, I definitely am not! Looks like you’ve become addicted to getting spanked!"

"Good that you’re not." Diya snorted, "And what about you, White sister, Red sister? You two don’t want to become her, do you?"

White Queen: "Certainly."

Red Death Cultist: "Not interested at all."

Diya said, "Then all of you swear, sisters don’t lie to sisters."

White Queen: "Diya, you know me, the proud White Queen isn’t interested in any man."

Red Death Cultist: "A Red Death Cultist born for battle doesn’t need love."

Black Butler: "Even if he begged to kiss my feet, I wouldn’t allow it!"

Diya: "Then swear it, sisters don’t lie to sisters!"

White Queen: "Diya, how can you not trust me? Sister is heartbroken."

Red Death Cultist: "I was about to sacrifice for you just now, and you still want me to swear?"

Black Butler: "Believe it or not."

Even Liss could tell something was off.

"Daddy, my daddy, is going to be taken by my sisters... Diya, give me back my body!"

"The little witch has entered a rebellious phase, daring to command her sister so rudely... You’ll be punished by being allowed to log on later."

Diya, seeing Ash squeezing in with his frozen right hand, immediately opened her arms and hugged his waist. Ash quickly lifted his hand, which was almost like an ice pop, "Hug your Aunt Bokin? I’m all hurt and my right hand is even ice-chilled, aren’t you cold?"

"Not cold, all warm and cozy."

There was a time when Diya actually envied the Sword Maiden, envied her for joining the team from the start, envied her better relationship with the Observer, envied her ability to joke freely with the Observer, envied her for getting more attention from the Observer.

Even if the Sword Maiden tried to hide it, even if the Observer adjusted the team atmosphere perfectly, sometimes Diya still felt that she was the most unnecessary one among the three.

But now, she wouldn’t feel jealous anymore.

The Sword Maiden might stand alongside the Observer, but the Witch also has a Knight guarding her.