A Potential Threat

Translator: CinderTL

"Coleridge!"

Alvey, who had been silent all this time, let out a terrified scream. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the figure by the window.

That iconic white hair, and that icy, frost-like expression—it couldn't be anyone else!

Alvey's journey of suffering had begun with Coleridge's relentless pursuit. This powerful witch had always been the nightmare haunting his heart.

After traversing the vast grasslands and finally arriving at the Northwest Bay, Alvey had thought he had escaped this nightmare. After all, more than a year had passed. Would a witch tirelessly chase a target that had already been lost? Yet, he never imagined that the white-haired witch would track him all the way to the Northwest Bay, still intent on ending his life.

"She's the assassin sent by the emperor to hunt me down. My God, how did she end up here?"

At that moment, four guards rushed in. They had been stationed outside the mansion.

Seeing the woman by the window, the guards didn't hesitate to raise their guns and fire.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four more explosions rang out.

However, it seemed as if an invisible layer of Ice Armor had formed in front of the witch. After the shots were fired, the sound of shattering ice echoed around Coleridge once more, and shattered ice fragments appeared in the air.

It was unbelievable—bullets that could pierce through metal armor were being blocked by a layer of ice. However, under certain conditions, ice could indeed become incredibly hard. Moreover, the guards were wielding short-barreled guns, which were less powerful compared to standard firearms.

The white-haired witch let out a cold laugh. With a wave of her hand, clusters of white, fluffy substances began to form around her, gradually shaping into sharp, pointed forms.

The guards didn't have time to reload. Displaying fearless courage, they drew their swords and charged at the witch.

Paul and Catherine shielded Eileen and the injured Ladia as they retreated from the room.

The sharp swords thrust forward, but unlike the bullets, they didn't encounter any resistance. The guards widened their eyes, seemingly surprised by how smoothly it was going.

Just as the sword tips were about to pierce the witch's body, something unexpected happened.

Coleridge's body suddenly took on a ghostly, ethereal form. When the guards' swords pierced through, it felt as if they were stabbing into a shadowy illusion, and the Ice Spikes that had formed around her earlier vanished.

The witch smiled, and suddenly her ghostly form completely disappeared. A burst of white mist erupted from where she had been standing, or rather, the shadow seemed to disperse into a cloud of Ice Mist, carrying with it a bone-chilling cold.

"Protect the lord!"

One of the guards shouted. They tried to return to Paul's side but suddenly found their legs immobilized. Looking down, they realized their legs had been frozen, encased in thick ice that connected them to the ground.

The entire dining room was plunged into a frozen wasteland. In just an instant, icicles began to hang from the ceiling, and the walls were covered in thick layers of ice.

"Damn it! The door is frozen shut!"

Paul kicked at the door, which was now covered in a thick layer of ice, but it didn't budge.

A swirling mass of White Frost, resembling a miniature blizzard, suddenly appeared above their heads. It was undoubtedly the work of the terrifying witch who had just vanished.

Ladia gritted her teeth, raising her hand as if to act, but immediately spat out a mouthful of blood. Her eyes grew unfocused, and her entire body seemed to waver.

In this critical moment, Alvey shouted, "Coleridge, isn't your target me? Come on, let's go outside and have a duel with this old man!"

He took a step forward, moving away from Paul, and rushed toward the window.

"Do you think you can escape?" The icy mist emitted a disdainful voice.

Alvey ran a few steps but suddenly slipped, falling backward. The back of his head hit the icy ground with a thud, and he lost consciousness. He wasn't going anywhere! Coleridge decided to deal with Paul and the others first.

The white-haired witch had already concluded that if she didn't eliminate this young marquis, he would undoubtedly become a troublesome enemy in the future.

After losing track of Alvey, she decided to head directly to Aldor, as that country was Alvey's intended destination.

After traversing the Neron Corridor and reaching the border between the Yellow Lands and the Blackstone Plains, Coleridge happened upon a border skirmish between Aldor soldiers and Orc troops.

The witch witnessed firsthand how the Aldor soldiers, in orderly formation, used long-barreled weapons that spewed fire to shoot gaping holes in the charging Orcs.

The well-equipped, fierce, and numerically superior Orc army suffered a significant defeat and was forced to retreat.

This conflict left a deep impression on the witch.

Using her abilities, she observed the Aldor army stationed at the border as closely as possible.

Her final assessment was: this was no ordinary mortal army. The discipline, weaponry, and supplies displayed by the Aldor forces were on a level the witch had never seen before.

From the locals, Coleridge learned that this Aldor army hailed from Alden in the Northwest Bay.

The Northwest Bay—when she heard this geographical term, she was momentarily stunned. If she remembered correctly, Bennett, a former member of the Council of Ten, had last been heading to the Northwest Bay before disappearing without a trace.

In that instant, she had a vague feeling that she might find her target, Alvey, in the Northwest Bay.

Coleridge had always trusted her intuition.

As if guided by fate, she arrived in the Northwest Bay, in Alden, a place undergoing dramatic industrial changes.

But what shocked Coleridge the most was that she encountered her own kind here—Spellcasters, and in significant numbers.

Upon inquiry, she discovered that the local lord had been secretly sheltering Spellcasters, prompting many Wizards suffering from "Witch Hunt" persecution elsewhere to relocate here.

The white-haired witch found herself in a conflicted state of mind.

On one hand, she felt she should be glad that the world now had a ruler who harbored goodwill toward Spellcasters.

On the other hand, she believed that the world of Spellcasters shouldn't have two attractive centers.

Through observation, Coleridge knew that Alden was a powerful and prosperous territory, politically lenient and with a low cost of living, making it highly suitable for her Spellcaster brethren who preferred a settled, secular life.

Over time, as this place became widely known among the Spellcaster community, it would undoubtedly diminish the appeal of the Gabella Empire under the control of the Arcane Order.

Tonight, Coleridge confirmed that his target was under the protection of the local lord, Paul Grayman.

There was no other choice. The white-haired witch decided to eliminate Marquis Grayman as well.

The beautiful blonde woman—apparently Grayman's wife—thrust a sword at her, but it caused no harm to her still non-corporeal form.

She silently chanted a spell, determined to deliver the final blow to those below.

Then, something unexpected happened! A burst of light suddenly erupted from the green-haired fellow Spellcaster, and several people vanished.

Including Coleridge.

(End of the Chapter)

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