Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam

The reply from Gear City branch was swift as usual. On the night she sent the letter, Ave received a response from Gear City, brought to her by a red falcon perched on the windowsill, delivering both good and bad news.

The good news was that her application for reimbursement on alchemy purchases was approved.

The bad news was that the branch director was concerned about her mental state and sent a mental state evaluation.

The branch director also subtly expressed in the letter that if she couldn’t manage, he would help recommend her to the Imperial Capital Bureau.

Holding the evaluation, Ave’s golden hair stood on end, expressing a silent rage.

Firstly, making the hen an alchemist was Ethan’s idea!

The one who truly needed a mental evaluation was Ethan!

Ave really wanted to throw the reimbursement application and mental evaluation at Ethan’s face and lock him in a small room to thoroughly test what’s going on with his mental state. But, while angry, she ultimately dismissed the notion because she’s genuinely worried Ethan might not pass a mental state test.

That would be big trouble.

Front-line investigators are constantly dealing with cursed items. Even with the help of blockers, their minds are inevitably affected. An insane investigator poses a great threat to themselves and their companions, making mental assessments a very serious matter.

If the evaluation fails, the investigator must be forcibly recalled to the nearest branch for isolation treatment until the Reception Bureau deems them fully recovered.

However, according to reports from recent years, the treatment results are not ideal. Only seventy percent of investigators fully recover after treatment. Twenty percent succumb to symptom addiction to blockers to suppress mental anomalies, forcing them into retirement, which is already considered a decent outcome.

The remaining ten percent of treated investigators either develop strong self-destructive tendencies or become extremely dangerous, attacking the treatment staff.

Before night fell entirely, Ave went next door furiously, ordering Ethan to go to town to buy crucibles. After issuing the command, she locked herself in her study and spread the mental state evaluation flat on the table.

Then, she did the tasks!

She regretted it.

At the time, she really should have reimbursed Ethan out of her own pocket, thus not leaving Gear City branch people with the impression of "unstable mental state."

With Gear City branch funds in hand, Ethan had to emphasize that the Reception Bureau is indeed an excellent workplace, and there’s Ave, an impeccable leader. He was ready to pay for Miss Keroy’s alchemy studies himself, yet unexpectedly, the leader generously reimbursed this expense.

Crucibles used in alchemy are not particularly extraordinary items, easily found at the town market, while sources for low-grade magic potions... Ethan had no idea where Miss Keroy obtained them from. The small animals he encountered seemed to come equipped with a "picking up" trait.

The fortune-bringing one could rummage up entry-level textbooks for Elemental Shapers, while Miss Keroy was skilled at finding various herbs.

Walking alone through the streets, Ethan was quickly drawn by the commotion from the market. Seeing from afar, candles and lights gathered people around. It’s the first time Ximu Town has been this lively since news of a witch spread. And now, as night approaches, the gathered crowd at the market showed no intention of leaving.

Captain Hagrid wouldn’t welcome such a situation in the town.

Although it’s unlikely Miss Becky would make a comeback, there’s now a more terrifying enemy than Miss Becky.

Reliable information indicates that the eccentric killer of the Dream Eclipse has most likely reached the border.

If Captain Hagrid let’s it go—

Well, Captain Hagrid already knows.

Upon nearing, Ethan saw Hagrid at the end of the crowd, rising on his toes and stretching his neck just as Miss Keroy did. Observing for a while, Ethan judged that Hagrid didn’t plan to disperse the crowd but was queueing.

Even Ethan could see Hagrid’s eagerness.

Hagrid was wearing a guard’s armor, with a long sword slung diagonally at his waist, obviously changing his plans midway during work.

"What are you all doing here?"

Ethan squeezed in, the dense crowd blocking his view, so he mimicked by rising on his toes, his sight passing over heads and barely seeing someone setting a table under the steps, a woman with smooth black hair, her half face covered by thin veil.

She wears a red-white long robe, which could be described as bizarre attire, her slender waist wrapped with a fancy satin belt, a white-based smile mask dangling at its end, resembling a jester in theater.

Neither her hair color nor attire resembles any Empire citizen.

A glowing crystal ball sat on the table, facing her was a man eagerly anticipating his fate to be revealed, whom Ethan recognized as the town’s lumberjack.

Almost immediately, Ethan felt a warning. He reminded Hagrid, "Don’t you find it extremely suspicious for a foreigner to appear suddenly in town at this critical moment?"

"I investigated this at the first opportunity."

Hagrid waved his hand, "She is a magician certified by the Astrology Association, holding an officially issued medal."

"But at such sensitive times, holding a large-scale gathering in the town is still improper, isn’t it?"

"That’s true, but I can understand them. Who could miss such an opportunity?"

Hagrid took a deep breath. He too had a matter that needed clarity through divination, "Ethan, buddy, you see, I’m not getting any younger. So you get it, right?"

"Honestly, not really."

"A man my age should settle down. This matter has been weighing on me for too long. Today, I must get an answer!"

With Hagrid’s emotions too intense, Ethan stepped back several serendipitous paces, "Hold on; speak if you want, but why put your hand on my shoulder?"

"Because you’re my close friend, Ethan, buddy!" ƒreewebɳovel.com

"Alright, alright, I get it."

Ethan extended his hand in refusal, blocking between him and Hagrid. With the crowd and Hagrid’s excitement causing incoherent speech, if this caused any major misinterpretation, he’d be facing nightmares for a month.

Ethan redirected his focus back to the woman with black hair. She had already obtained revelations from the crystal ball, and the lumberjack sat formally before her, his expression transitioning from unease to comfort. Although Ethan couldn’t clearly overhear their conversation through the crowd, he could infer it was a positive outcome.

The lumberjack attempted to pay the black-haired woman a bag of remuneration but was politely declined. He could only clasp his hands in prayer to express his gratitude.

Once the lumberjack departed, the black-haired woman placed her hand on the crystal ball, where light and shadow entangled. Suddenly, she announced the characteristics of the next "lucky one."

The gray-haired youth at the end of the crowd.

In an instant, envious and jealous gazes converged upon Ethan.

Huh?

Ethan hadn’t expected this and was merely here seeing Captain Hagrid and chatting for a bit.

"I just arrived; this feels improper."

Ethan waved to the woman with black hair, speaking loudly, "Beside me is Captain Hagrid. He has something that desperately needs knowing..."

"Twenty years."

The woman’s voice was soft yet clearly heard by everyone, "He will have no romantic prospects for twenty years."

Suddenly, the crowd fell silent.

A simple sentence caused all eyes to instinctively shift to Captain Hagrid.

Ethan did as well.

He saw Hagrid with his mouth agape, as though struck by fate, all beauty and hope leaving him at that moment. Next, his whole being seemed to have lost its color, weathering and wilting in the winter cold.

Ethan stood stiffly in place.

Sorry, sorry.

It was unintentional.