Volume 1 Chapter 530

Chapter 530: The Scene After the Mist

Whispering Dorothy’s name, the red-haired Miss Witch suddenly froze once more.

"Dorothy… Diana?"

She looked at Lolth in disbelief, then turned her gaze to the magical scene forming above the crystal.

"Her last name… is Diana, isn’t it?"

The witch inquired softly.

"Yes, Dorothy Diana, the descendant of the brave Trish Diana," Lolth replied, lightly tapping her head, "Ah, speaking of which, I wonder if you’ve heard of Trish Diana…"

Lolth paused, suddenly falling silent.

She had just realized what was amiss.

Connecting Miss Witch’s fragmented words, she seemed to grasp something.

Three thousand years, Abyssal Demon, Trish Diana…

Lolth seemed to understand why Miss Witch had mistaken her.

Because the person connected to her three thousand years ago might indeed have been the Abyssal Demon and the brave "Trish Diana" herself!

In other words, Dorothy’s ancestor.

But… this makes it even harder to explain!

Although the Abyss has scant records of the last "expedition," even if someone who went to the main plane back then is still alive, almost no one mentions it. The records from the main plane have been transformed into legendary tales by the Minstrels, making them as credible as the history in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms."

However, from those few words, Lolth could still piece together what roughly happened back then.

Three thousand years ago, an unknown Demon King unified the Abyss, forcibly opened a plane channel that lasted for ten years, led his forces to the main plane, occupied one-third of the continent, enslaved many races, and established a terrible rule.

But just a few years later, she was defeated by a hero who appeared out of nowhere, the protagonist-like "Trish Diana," along with her team of heroes.

A team of only five people traveled from the west of the continent to the east, causing the Abyssal Demons to retreat in defeat. In the end, the hero herself even jumped into the Abyss and created chaos in the demon race’s stronghold before leaving.

So, when did she… meet this Miss Witch with someone who seemed like an Abyssal Demon in the southern part of the continent?

And what was the time and reason that caused the demon race to allow this Miss Witch to open the alternate plane door to rescue the person who was likely "Trish Diana"?

Lolth thought about hell and the transaction between Trish Diana and the hell demons, but she couldn’t connect everything completely at that moment.

She could only watch the red-haired Miss Witch, seeing her eyes slowly lose their shine.

"Trish Diana? Of course, I know her…"

The witch gave an answer that was not surprising.

"She was my best friend a long time ago."

She tossed the crystal seed onto the bed, remaining calm instead of losing control again, her voice holding a hint of sorrow.

"Descendant… Dorothy Diana, so she really has a child."

The red-haired witch stared at the picture that trembled as the crystal seed rolled, showing Dorothy waiting quietly for Lolth to return, sitting still.

After a long silence, she finally sighed.

"If you had told me sooner, I wouldn’t have protected her," Miss Witch lowered her gaze, "You abyss creatures are all liars."

Lolth was unexpectedly hit by an AOE attack, but she didn’t get angry; she simply scratched her head.

"Ah… I didn’t realize you actually knew Dorothy’s ancestor," Lolth said, a trace of embarrassment crossing her face. "But I believe the actions of her ancestor shouldn’t be a burden for the descendants to bear… Honestly, she hasn’t reaped any benefits from the Diana family."

As Lolth spoke, she also glanced at the image on the original crystal seed.

"Truth be told, she has endured quite a bit of hardship… I think if she had a choice, she would prefer not to be the descendant of a hero or the princess of the Golden Peacock."

As Lolth continued, the red-haired witch was taken aback.

"What…? A princess?"

She asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

"The princess of the Golden Peacock Kingdom… It’s likely you’re unaware of this," Lolth calculated the timeline. "If you’ve been confined to this forbidden place all these years, this would have occurred several centuries after your arrival."

As Lolth explained, Miss Witch’s expression suddenly softened.

"I see… Now I understand."

She vigorously patted her grimy face, and a smile she couldn’t suppress appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"At least she has some conscience," Miss Witch remarked, her gaze still fixed on Dorothy. "If you had told me earlier, even if it wasn’t for your sake, I would have protected her."

In just a few minutes, Miss Witch’s stance towards the same person had completely changed.

Lolth looked at her, somewhat bewildered.

Then, she decided to let it go.

"Well… as you can see, Dorothy’s condition isn’t very good right now. Although I’d like to continue our conversation, I really need to get her out of here quickly…"

As Lolth said this, she stood up, ready to bid farewell, but the witch grabbed her firmly.

"Wait a moment—succubus," the witch said, tilting her head as she looked at her. "Even though she is the descendant of that irksome individual, since you’re also of the demon race… I have something to give you."

The witch then crouched down under the bed again. After some rustling, she emerged with a rusty compass.

"This compass points to the deepest part of the ‘Black Lake Marsh’ forbidden zone. Without it, anyone attempting to venture deep inside is sure to get lost in the mist," she explained seriously as she handed the compass to Lolth. "Take her there, I… she…"

The witch seemed at a loss for words, and finally, she stamped her foot lightly in frustration.

"Oh well—no matter what, just go for it!"

Lolth held the compass and looked at Miss Witch, feeling even more puzzled.

She could sense that this old compass, which showed no signs of magical energy, surprisingly held a very high status.

Considering that this Miss Witch could make all the magical creatures in the Black Lake Marsh cease attacking Dorothy just by speaking, along with the way she brought Lolth to this little house…

Lolth could easily deduce that she must have a deep connection to this Life Exclusion Zone.

She just couldn’t tell if it was tied to her since the forbidden zone was first created or if it was because she had lived here for too long.

"Well… then thank you."

Lolth said this and gently nodded.

After she put away the compass, the red-haired Miss Witch showed a happy smile.

"Let’s save the thank-yous for later because you will be super, super thankful to me soon… But this isn’t really a good time for a visit," the red-haired witch said, gently snapping her fingers, and the door of the wooden house opened wide. "Come on, go do what you need to do."

Lolth looked outside, and the swirling mist parted, creating a path.

She stood up and walked toward the door. When she reached the door, she turned back and gently bowed to Miss Witch, who was sitting on the floor of her wooden cabin.

"Goodbye, Miss Witch."

The red-haired witch heard Lolth’s voice and waved her hand.

"Iris Flavissima."

She uttered a strange and ancient string of syllables, and Lolth paused for a moment.

"This is my name, Yelixi Flavesima," the witch laughed heartily, "goodbye, Lolthlinda."

As she said this, she waved her arms more vigorously.

Before Lolth could reply, thick mist gathered again, obscuring the space between her and the witch.

The heavy fog surrounded her on three sides, and when Lolth reached out to touch it, it felt like something soft was stopping her.

Even magic could not penetrate it.

The fog rose up all around, leaving only the path ahead.

There was no time to say goodbye again.

Lolth sighed and continued to walk forward, suddenly realizing that she felt as though she had seen the witch somewhere before.

The name Yelixi Flavesima sounded familiar.

But she couldn’t quite remember.

Yet there was a faint sadness in her heart, which did not feel feigned.

She kept walking forward, and the fog grew thicker.

Soon, Lolth saw a group of people stumbling through the fog ahead.

They were the mercenaries she had seen earlier.

Lolth then realized that the surrounding fog seemed to not only block people’s sight but also their ability to sense magic.

She hurried over and found that, including Dorothy, they were all lying on the ground.

However, upon closer inspection, these people’s lives were not in danger; even Dorothy seemed to be merely sleeping peacefully.

Even the protective magic, the Rod of Eden, and the magic cube that Lolth had left for Dorothy were undisturbed.

Because this was not an attack, it did not harm Dorothy.

But this also reflected something…

Lolth’s earlier speculations about the connection between the "Black Lake Marsh" and the witch named Yelixi were not unfounded.

At the same time, she realized that she had greatly underestimated the red-haired, somewhat eccentric witch.

Because she discovered that even the "soul" of the Rod of Eden was trapped in a strange and tranquil slumber.

Taking out the compass she had tucked in her pocket, Lolth saw the needle spinning, finally pointing to her diagonal front.

The mist in front of her immediately parted.

Lolth, carrying Dorothy on her back, thought for a moment and then decided to trust the witch’s words.

She walked towards the direction pointed by the compass needle, carrying Dorothy on her back.

After a long while, Dorothy, who was on Lolth’s back, let out a soft moan.

"Hmm—"

The frail girl woke up once more.

Upon catching the familiar scent, even though she had lost consciousness without realizing it, Dorothy felt no fear.

The first thing she noticed upon waking was that she seemed to be beside Teacher Lolth.

In fact, she was lying on Teacher Lolth’s back… which made Dorothy feel incredibly safe.

"Teacher Lolth… what happened?"

She asked softly.

"Did I faint?"

"No, you just took a short nap. It seems a kind elder wanted to help us," Lolth said thoughtfully, "Perhaps she had to make you sleep for some reason."

Dorothy nodded, somewhat understanding.

"So, after Teacher Lolth went to fight, did you make a new friend?"

Dorothy inquired.

Lolth, uncertain, took out her compass and glanced at it again, replying, "I’m not sure if we can call her a friend, but she might have some connection to your family…"

Lolth said, choosing her words carefully.

For Dorothy, who had lost her memory, Lolth wasn’t sure if it was the right time to mention her background.

Fortunately, Dorothy didn’t react particularly strongly.

"I see… So are we heading to the place that the elder, who might be related to my family, pointed out?"

Dorothy asked with curiosity.

"Yes, she said it would be beneficial for us," Lolth said as she carried Dorothy on her back, "but I don’t really know what it is."

"That really makes me excited."

Dorothy gently rested her head against Lolth’s.

Through the dense fog, Lolth slowly trudged forward on the damp mud, carrying Dorothy.

Leaving a trail of footprints, they gradually ventured deeper into Black Lake Marsh.

After walking for another ten minutes, the fog began to thin, and the terrain gradually rose.

Soon…

Lolth stepped out of the long path formed by the mist and, after ascending a gentle slope, completely left the foggy area behind.

What appeared before her and Dorothy was a… lake.

Black Lake Marsh; before, they had only seen muddy marshes.

Although there were also some dirty, dark puddles, calling it a black lake seemed a bit off.

Now, Lolth and Dorothy finally saw the real reason this place is called "Black Lake Marsh."

A thousand miles of black lake and countless muddy marshes.

Although there is no record about the heart of Black Lake Marsh, the person who named it must have been here.

Vast and dark, as if a piece of the night sky had been pulled down to the ground.

The flowing mist resembled a white border, wrapping around the edges of the lake, as if it cut off the entire world.

There were gentle ripples on the lake’s surface, but overall it remained quite calm.

Lolth set down Dorothy from her back, reached out to touch the black water’s surface, and scooped a handful of water into her palm. It was still dark as night, holding a hint of calm magical power.

Like a water element magic that had been altered.

Besides that, it was not very different from ordinary water.

"It may not be beautiful, but it is truly magnificent."

She gently poured the black water back into the lake, softly sighing.

Behind Lolth, Dorothy looked at the lake’s surface and nodded softly.

"Actually, it is somewhat beautiful."

The little girl whispered.

"Indeed," Lolth heard this and nodded slightly, then looked at the compass in her hand. "But… it feels like this isn’t the end, either."

As she looked down, the needle of the compass began to shake again.

Finally…

It pointed to the very center of the lake.

The moment the compass needle stopped, a vibration seemed to emanate from the compass.

The surface of the lake also began to tremble!