Release that Witch Chapter 1497 - An Entirely Different Scenery

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Bathed in the afternoon sunlight, a soft and mild breeze drifted into the chamber, fluttering the scattered papers and Tilly’s strands of hair.

Perhaps her irritating locks had pricked her eye, or maybe some other cause, Tilly abruptly sensed her eyes growing teary. Yet she refused to shut them, terrified that the vision ahead would fade away once more.

Her visitor had no intention of letting her gaze blankly.

Dropping her bag onto the floor, she strode boldly around the mahogany table before spreading her arms wide and pulling Tilly into a tight hug.

The solid and real touch of her garments convinced Tilly that she faced no mere phantom.

“Ash... es?”

“It’s me.” Ashes pressed her cheek against Tilly’s. “Long time no see.”

The moment Ashes’s voice reached her ears, Tilly’s sight grew misty.

It resembled holding back for endless ages, only now able to unleash it in a rushing flood.

Though aware such behavior lacked poise, she craved no halt—she’d always bared her feelings freely to Ashes, whether joyful or sorrowful.

And at this moment, sadness had utterly vanished from her.

Not even a trace.

Ashes softly stroked her hair, patiently granting Tilly her space. Sunlight draped over the pair as they held still.

Only after a lengthy stretch did Tilly regain composure.

Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she gazed at Ashes. “What exactly occurred after the Battle of Divine Will? Why have you returned only now? Why has Brother been gone so long?”

Smiling, the latter gently touched the flushed face. “Don’t worry, I’ll share all I know soon enough. Truth be told, I was shocked to encounter Roland—in the Dream World.”

Next, Ashes narrated her full tale from awakening onward.

As Roland described, though he’d seized total control of the Cradle, locating a witch’s awareness amid the vast civilization archives proved immensely laborious and exhausting, especially since her body was gone. For the utmost accuracy in revival, Ashes lingered ages within the Realm of Mind.

Throughout, she pieced herself back together by gathering life’s fragmented memories. Yet forged and shaped in the Realm of Mind, the present Ashes pondered what separated her from her former self.

Roland shaped her body purely from his own recollections, despite his wish for test runs first; impatient to proceed, Ashes refused delay. Luckily, consciousness fused flawlessly with form. Upon reopening her eyes to reality, she stood upon the isle over the Bottomless Land.

“That explains why your face bears no scars anymore?” Tilly inquired.

“Uh...” Now Ashes flushed awkwardly. “I once saw them as a warning to stay alert and battle-wary, so I kept them. But with endless killing behind us, I figured you... might... prefer...”

Watching her falter, Tilly laughed brightly. “I won’t deny liking it. Still, it won’t sway whom I fancy. Are these your usual Dream World outfits?”

“Yes. Not only the attire—the cash and bag too. Roland kept saying such items beat recreating a mind by miles.”

They shared a gaze briefly, then Ashes pressed on, “I can’t tell if my mindless wanderings cost me parts of myself. So unlike the old me, I wonder if I’m still the Ashes you cherish. But one certainty endures: my longing for you has burned steady from the start—”

Tilly reached out, cutting her off. “Rest assured; you’re Ashes through and through, unchanged.”

Silence held Ashes briefly, then relief washed over her features like a lifted weight.

“Oh, and Anna with Nightingale? They were right there at war’s close and even came back to camp. What’s Brother’s status now? Must he stay trapped in the Realm of Mind forever?” Tilly lifted her head from Ashes’s hold, shifting topics.

“Roland doesn’t dwell solely in the Realm of Mind; he embodies this whole realm. He can’t exit the Cradle, yet Anna and Nightingale roam freely at will. But...” Ashes coughed lightly. “It’s less about ability and more about desire. Overall, Roland enjoys a life beyond your wildest dreams. No need to fret over him.”

“Really...?” Tilly ventured hesitantly.

“Yes, forget him—he isn’t worth your pining.” Ashes shrugged her shoulders before abruptly recalling something. She rummaged through her luggage and pulled out a document. “Roland also instructed me to deliver this to you.”

Tilly’s face stiffened. “Is this another duty he’s assigning to me?”

“No need for your direct involvement,” Ashes clarified. “It details all the gadgets he tinkered with, chiefly designed to bridge the Dream World and our realm.”

Previously, God’s Punishment Witches couldn’t detach from Roland’s “light beams” to access the Dream World. Cut off from him entirely, they could no longer relax as they once did. Without knowing his absence was temporary, the Taquila witches might have faced major turmoil.

This document offered a clear solution to their problem, letting Tilly feel secure about the ancient witches.

It contained numerous peculiar diagrams and schematics, undoubtedly outlining a magic-powered apparatus.

“I’ll summon Agathe immediately.” After placing the call, Tilly furrowed her brow faintly. “By the way, several ancient witches were linked with Brother when his awareness severed, correct? Their physical forms are beyond use now.”

“Roland accounted for that too; his subsequent plan involves crafting new vessel bodies for the God’s Punishment Witches. Their souls won’t just inhabit them—they’ll adapt seamlessly and restore full perception.” Ashes nodded. “Yet this phase demands both the Cradle and Neverwinter’s collaboration until we acquire the necessary tech.”

“I’m certain Celine and the rest will give it their all.” Tilly smiled warmly.

“After that comes the final phase.” Ashes continued. “Roland pondered this one thoroughly. Beyond enabling Witches to connect with the Dream World, he aims to bring folks from there into ours. He’s dubbed it the new Project Gateway.”

Tilly’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

She grasped Roland’s ambition right away—no question that merging a tech-savvy society with a magic-driven one would unleash earth-shattering transformations.

While it might accelerate civilization’s progress, it would also spawn far greater complications. Realizing she’d shoulder them all, Tilly sensed a pounding headache building.

“I knew accepting the crown was a mistake.” She groaned.

“Yet even if we started over, you’d still consent to his wishes.” Ashes stepped back, dropped to one knee, and offered a knight’s salute with her fist over her heart. “You’ve achieved more than you realize, my Queen. You’re already a true ruler.”

Tilly gazed at Ashes intently for a second, then stretched out her right hand. “Will you journey alongside me from here on?”

“Naturally,” Ashes affirmed resolutely. “It would be my greatest privilege.”

Indeed, unlike an hour prior, the stack on Tilly’s desk hadn’t shrunk—in fact, it had grown.

Yet dread no longer gripped her as intensely.

For now, the surroundings painted a wholly transformed picture.