Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty

"Miss Vanessa?"

Roland, who had tightened his grip on his longsword as the Purple-haired Witch steadily approached, watched as the woman suddenly fell silent, her expression distant. His brows furrowed, and he called out softly.

"Ah... Mr. Roland..."

His question seemed to pull Vanessa from a dream.

Her outstretched fingers suddenly changed direction, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear in an attempt to hide her earlier lapse.

"You were saying... what is it you need from me?"

Her voice was much softer, making her seem like a completely different person from the playful woman moments before.

"Hmm?"

Seeing the woman before him lower her gaze, her entire demeanor changed, Roland grunted softly and shot a questioning look at Mason, who was equally baffled.

After a moment of deliberation, he took half a step back. Only when he was certain his longsword could slice across her neck unimpeded did he cautiously reiterate his request.

"I hope you can grant me a blessing similar to Mason’s to help us safely leave this dangerous region."

"A blessing? Of course, no pro... hmm... I mean, yes... yes."

Vanessa took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil within, and turned around crisply.

A slender arm emerged from her sleeve, and she gestured for them to follow.

"Come inside with me, Mason, and... Mr. Roland."

"This..."

Mason blinked in confusion, completely unable to make heads or tails of the situation.

Roland was also unable to guess what Vanessa was thinking.

So, after murmuring a few words of caution to Pikachu Tress on his shoulder and to Mason, he tensed every muscle in his body, ready for a fight. Only then did he follow the Witch’s figure, slowly advancing.

He had only taken a few steps when a strange sensation washed over his entire body.

It felt as if he were being wrapped in an invisible, slightly viscous, oily film.

But the strange feeling vanished in an instant.

His keen Perception allowed Roland to catch a faint trace of flowing Magic Elements within it.

’A Magic Barrier...’

Recalling how Vanessa’s figure had suddenly sharpened from a blur, he immediately came to a conclusion.

However, this was followed by even deeper confusion.

According to the ancient texts he knew, a Witch did not belong to the ranks of conventional Casters.

These people, who believed in Deities and enjoyed studying Secret Techniques, weren’t even classified under the standard Extraordinary Professional category.

Thinking of this, he glanced at Pikachu Tress on his shoulder.

The latter also had a look of surprise in her eyes, confirming that his Perception had not been mistaken.

After a slight shake of his head, Roland took a deep breath and continued forward with extreme caution, his guard still raised.

Fortunately, the incident he had anticipated never happened.

The three of them passed smoothly through the dense, tangled vines and arrived before the small cabin.

The Witch, who moments ago had been lounging lazily and speaking playfully, was now waiting respectfully by the door, gesturing with a slight bow.

"Please, come in, Mr. Roland."

"After you, Miss Vanessa."

Despite her abrupt change in attitude, Roland didn’t lower his guard in the slightest.

Noticing the undisguised vigilance on Roland’s face, Vanessa’s lips curled into a faint smile. She let out a soft laugh, and without insisting, gracefully turned and stepped over the threshold of the cabin.

The instant her figure vanished inside, Roland focused his mind and silently activated his [Concentration] Trait.

His sharpened Perception extended like invisible tendrils, meticulously probing the doorframe, the threshold, and the aura emanating from within the cabin.

He confirmed that he could detect no traps or abnormal Magic Power fluctuations. All that remained was the cabin’s own peculiar scent, a mixture of herbs and old wood, and the faint, formless ripple Vanessa had created upon entering. Only then did he cautiously step into the dim interior.

But the scene before him made him pause slightly.

In stark contrast to the gloom outside, which was shrouded in thick fog, the inside of the cabin was exceptionally bright.

But this light didn’t come from flickering candlelight or a fireplace; it originated from the ceiling.

Strange, dove-egg-sized stones emitting a soft, ethereal white glow were embedded in the wooden ceiling like stars, evenly illuminating the entire space.

The room wasn’t large, but it was filled with all sorts of peculiar instruments.

There were glass containers of various shapes, Crystal Bottles that emitted faint elemental fluctuations, and some metals and tools that Roland couldn’t name at all.

But despite the multitude of items, everything was arranged in an orderly fashion on its respective shelf and workbench. The floor was spotless, exuding a deliberate tidiness that stood in stark contrast to Bronson’s cluttered house.

Aside from this professional equipment, the rest of the furnishings were exceptionally simple.

A wooden table covered with a clean cloth, and a sturdy high-backed chair.

The single bed in the corner was neatly made, and there was even a thriving potted green plant by the window, adding a touch of cozy, lived-in warmth to the mysterious space.

"Mr. Roland."

Just as Roland was surveying the room’s interior, Vanessa appeared silently beside the table, a few bottles of an ethereal blue Potion in her hands.

She placed the Potions directly on the table, her voice carrying a magnetic, charming quality.

"This is a Potion I’ve specially refined. Let’s call it... the Protective Negative Energy Potion."

Hearing this name, which was so straightforward it was almost plain, the corner of Roland’s mouth twitched imperceptibly.

But Vanessa’s introduction didn’t stop there.

"Drink this, and for at least ten days, you will no longer be troubled by the Ghosts in the mist."

"Huh?"

Before she finished speaking, Mason looked at the Potion on the table, a confused expression on his face.

He clearly remembered that he had been able to avoid the Ghosts not because of a Potion, but because of...

Recalling the complicated rituals and steps, he couldn’t help but blurt out.

"Lady Vanessa, then what about before..."

"That was just a necessary experiment."

Although she was explaining to Mason, Vanessa’s gaze remained fixed on Roland.

"The purpose... was precisely to develop this Potion."

"This... Lady Vanessa..."

Learning that he had been a test subject, Mason didn’t show any anger.

He knew full well that without the Witch’s help, he would have likely already perished in the mist.

However, an unavoidable hint of frustration still flickered in his eyes.

"Thank you for your generosity, Lady Vanessa."

Roland pushed aside his internal thoughts about the Potion’s name and gave a slight bow of thanks.

Although he didn’t understand the reason for the Witch’s drastic change in attitude, given her current demeanor, it was unlikely she would tamper with the Potions.

However, Roland wasn’t about to ingest anything so readily on her territory, so he simply placed the Potions carefully into the satchel at his waist.

After doing all this, he looked up and met the Witch’s gaze directly.

"Just as you said before, Miss Vanessa, you are not a benevolent philanthropist, so..."

Roland tapped his fingers gently against the glass bottles in his waist pouch, producing a crisp clinking sound.

"What price do you want me to pay for this?"

"Very simple..."

Vanessa chuckled softly, sizing up the young man before her with great interest.

He was tall, with a resolute face. The thick calluses on his palms and the Flame that had previously danced on his fingertips both testified to his impressive strength.

But other than that...

Vanessa shook her head almost imperceptibly.

’Utterly unremarkable.’

’Why would such an ordinary person receive the favor of the Lady of the Dark Night?’

As the thoughts ran through her mind, the words slipped from her lips.

"Mr. Roland, I..."

The Witch’s gaze slowly swept across the room, a hint of fondness and reluctance flashing imperceptibly in her purple eyes, but her voice remained clear.

"I’ve stayed here long enough. Sometimes... I get the urge to go out and see the world."

Before she finished speaking, she took half a step forward.

A faint, unique scent—a mix of strange herbs and a cold floral fragrance—wafted to Roland’s nose.

"Since your goal is to leave this region..."

Her voice lowered, carrying a hint of subtle bewitchment.

"Why not... let me accompany you? Of course, before that, I have one more trivial request..."

Her slender finger pointed precisely at Roland’s waist pouch.

"I perceive... the aura of a Heartstealer in there."

"I imagine... it might be blood? That’s an extremely rare material."

Despite her devotion to Shire, Vanessa showed no excessive humility toward the Divine Favored One before her; her tone was remarkably composed.

"If you can trust me, why not hand it over for me to study? In just a few days, I can refine it into a unique Potion. Perhaps... it could open a new door for you, allowing you to obtain some unexpected abilities."

Listening to her words and watching the corner of the Witch’s lips curve into a half-smile—a look of both inquiry and expectation—Roland fell into deep thought.