## Chapter 1153 – #276_Overture
#1147
1.
Masquerade Suite, No. 1 Waltz.
This piece, composed by Aram Khachaturian after much effort, remains one of the most beloved symphonic works in Russia, despite the unfortunate incident of its premiere being cut short due to the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
A beautiful melody, filled with swirling melancholy and sorrow, flows from an old gramophone, adorning a witch’s table.
Though the guest is only one, the table, covered with a tablecloth whiter than bone, is laden with a meticulously plated meal, enough to satisfy at least twenty people. And that’s after the host in front of him has already devoured half of it.
“……”
In stark contrast, Pin, who hasn’t touched his fork and knife once since the meal began, looks at the host.
Eyes and hair with a deep purple hue, like violets on the verge of wilting.
Orselia Limos, the former witch who was invited by Cliffort to join Hexennacht and became the face of the hardliners, the ‘Witch of Proverbs.’
Orselia ate with truly restrained and composed movements, carefully. It seemed to go beyond the simple act of consuming food or enjoying its taste, almost like a solemn ritual.
“Why don’t you eat something? I prepared plenty.”
“I’m fine.”
A unique aura emanated from Orselia, who had just crunched down on a T-bone steak, blood still dripping, bone and all.
Even Pin, who had worked as Lydia’s secretary for a long time and met many witches, had never seen such a unique aura.
She seemed like an extreme nihilist, devoid of any motivation, yet also like a greedy opportunist, overflowing with uncontrollable desires. The ferocity of a tyrant, the benevolence of a saint, the untamed savagery, and the refined elegance.
Many other elements were mixed within Orselia’s single body.
“I went to the trouble of inviting you and even cooked… Isn’t it rude not to take even a bite?”
Orselia’s pressure was directed at Pin.
The very fact that this meeting was arranged was at Pin’s request.
The retaliatory attack on Las Vengadoras, Shinshiu, which Pin had orchestrated by coaxing his sisters, ended in a massive failure, with three-quarters of the participants wiped out.
As a result, the Solidus Trading Company was collapsing in real-time.
With the leader already gone, and a large number of executives missing or dead, the achievements built by his mother’s hands were crumbling like a sandcastle before his eyes.
Revenge was becoming more and more distant, and even the sisters who had initially followed Pin were gradually turning their backs on him. It was likely that the Werfanas who had been dispatched earlier had been swayed by her.
Nevertheless, Pin wanted revenge.
Even if it meant handing over his mother’s empire to the hardliners, he would be satisfied if he could take his enemy’s head.
Therefore, he intended to make a deal, offering the collapsing Solidus Trading Company to Orselia in exchange.
In that case, it would be unwise to offend her.
Pin reluctantly picked up his knife and fork, cut a piece of meat, and put it in his mouth. Orselia stared intently at Pin, her eyes filled with a curious light.
“…Ugh.”
Feeling the soft texture of the meat being crushed between his teeth, the juices and blood rolling on his tongue, Pin barely managed to swallow down his nausea.
“In the natural order, the most powerful evidence is none other than the law of predation.”
Pin’s refusal of Orselia’s hospitality wasn’t because he was intimidated by her, or because he suspected she had tampered with the food.
It was for a rather straightforward reason.
“This law, where the strong dominate the weak, is the fundamental truth of the natural world. The strong survive and thrive, while the weak are sacrificed and become prey, the foundation of new life. In this way, predation can be seen as the primal drama of the world and the clearest evidence of the superiority of species, wouldn’t you say?”
Orselia smiled.
Looking at Pin’s grimace, a mischievousness, like oil on the surface of water, swirled in her smug smile, confirming her superiority.
“How does it feel? To be reborn as the greatest species on this cruel order of the world?”
The Witch of Proverbs had ‘devoured’ countless witches. This table was a packaging of a barbaric logic that could only be described as insane, with a refined aesthetic sense of cooking.
How many witches had been provided by Cliffort to fill this vast table?
“…It’s the worst.”
Orselia, unconcerned by Pin’s honest assessment, smoothly spread foie gras on a piece of rye bread. Or rather, what was thought to be foie gras.
“Anyway, I’m not particularly interested, but I’ll hear the business that brought you here.”
Pin desperately stated the proposal he had prepared.
Now was not the time for Solidus and Cliffort to be at odds. A real danger was looming. Hexennacht had to unite as one and wage war against Gehenna to prevent further infringement of their sovereignty, and Shinshiu had to be punished as an example.
Now, witches would be reborn as the law of the world. It was time to revive the ambitions of the early days of Hexennacht.
He asked her to incite the hardliners to start a war.
In return, he would give everything of Solidus to Cliffort, especially to Orselia. That was the gist of it.
During the explanation, Orselia devoured a bone marrow that had been roasted whole, ate all the meat attached to a uniquely shaped spine, neatly sliced and ate black pudding, and even ate a pinkish pate.
Now, only empty plates with sauce stains remained on the table.
“To come all the way here just to make such a proposal. I made time because you were Lydia’s secretary, but it was a waste. Your brain is too small, there wouldn’t be much to eat.”
Orselia, wiping her mouth with a napkin, smiled and berated Pin.
The definition of a ‘former witch’ wasn’t particularly special. Any witch who hadn’t passed on their lineage for over a thousand years was a former witch.
However, when you put together the implied meanings, you could see why they were objects of awe, even to their enemies.
The fact that they hadn’t passed on their lineage for a thousand years meant that they had exceptional abilities. It also meant that they were ruthless warriors who had survived the era before Gehenna was established, when there was no order in the witch society. Finally, with the exception of Duke Erelim, it meant that they were potential enemies who had rejected the order of Gehenna or Duke Keter.
That was why Pin hadn’t expected such a sharp rejection.
“Why? You have ambitions, so you accepted Cliffort’s offer, didn’t you? The reason Cliffort invited you wasn’t just for you to enjoy a life of leisure and fine dining.”
“Ah, those idiots? Thanks to them, I’m living very well.”
“If you refuse, I’ll go to the ‘Witch of Nightmares’ next.”
“Go ahead. Either way, the Solidus Trading Company will melt sweetly into my mouth even if I leave it alone, so I don’t want to go through the trouble of securing my share.”
Orselia nonchalantly accepted the dessert that was served and gave a refined smile.
“War with Gehenna at this point? Nobody wants that, right? While these cowardly Cliffort people are holding back, what difference would it make if I stepped forward alone?”
“……”
“The Witch of Gold is dead, the duke next door has reached the 25th level, and the overall morale and power are inferior. In this situation, starting a reckless war just because I want another piece of cake is foolish.”
Orselia was saying.
The game was over. With Lydia’s death, the era when Hexennacht could compete with Gehenna had ended.
“All this city can do is cower like a coward and enjoy limited freedom, as it has always done. All I can do is live more comfortably and enjoy gourmet food. I understand your admirable desire to avenge your boss…
But you’ll get the same answer no matter who you go to. Or, find a game-changer who can change this whole situation.”
Orselia tapped her spoon and pointed towards the door. A gesture that could be interpreted as ‘I have no more business with you, so leave.’
Despite the humiliating dismissal, Pin couldn’t say a word and returned to Lydia’s workshop.
In fact, he knew. Orselia’s words were all correct, and Pin had predicted it to some extent.
His last hope was crushed by a cold and disdainful sneer. The reality he faced was no different from his mother’s cold and desolate office.
“Who is it?”
As Pin gazed at the office with eyes filled with memories and bitterness, an unbelievable figure appeared before him.
“Pin, how have you been?”
Short, vibrant blonde hair and golden eyes like pure gold, cut at shoulder length. The white wrist gloves that were her symbol.
His mother, Lydia, whom he had longed to see again.
However, Pin was a realist and not someone who would be swayed by the delusion of vague optimism.
His mother was dead. There was no such thing as her coming back.
Then, the identity of the witch wearing his mother’s skin in front of him was obvious.
“The Witch of Whispers.”
“To be so cold… It’s a little upsetting, you know?”
“Shut up.”
The Witch of Whispers, Lilith.
Like Orselia, whom he had met earlier, she was a former witch with unpredictable dangers. Pin was on high alert in front of the demon who had brought inevitable ruin to all sorts of witches, but soon he only felt a sense of futility.
The Witch of Whispers would ultimately bring about destruction, but Pin had nothing left anyway. Perhaps Lilith was the last demon Pin could make a contract with.
“Don’t worry. Very, very rarely, I came here with good intentions. I won’t do anything else, I just want to tell you something you haven’t realized.”
Lilith, who had taken on Lydia’s appearance, shrugged and approached the wall. When she removed a picture frame, a safe was clearly visible behind it.
Pin was also aware of the existence of a secret safe in Lydia’s workshop. However, it required such a thorough authentication system and magical barrier that he had left it alone.
If it wasn’t opened with Lydia’s unique magical power forming the key and going through the proper procedure, it would immediately incinerate the contents.
-Click
However, Lilith opened the safe as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Here. Come on. Here’s the game-changer you’re looking for.”
Then, she disappeared as if to show Pin the contents. She vanished literally into thin air.
Pin, with trembling hands, checked his mother’s secret safe.
“Haha…”
And then he was certain.
“AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!”
The true legacy that Lydia Magnus had left behind was here.
