Book 4: Chapter 91 (1/2)

Tafel lay back on her couch. It was outside in the sun, on top of the roof of a castle. She was holding a glass of unknown liquid in one hand, a block of ice created by magic floating on top of it. She sighed. No wonder why Auntie Lindyss always relaxed this way; it felt great. After all that work running around, helping peasants, overthrowing churches, coercing nobles, she finally got a stable system set up—one where she didn’t have to do any work until she was summoned. Speaking of which, it seemed like someone was summoning her right now.

Tafel put her glass down, adjusted her clothes, and fixed her hair. Then, she opened a portal. She was greeted by the sounds of explosions and screaming, and she furrowed her brow. Hadn’t she told that person from Hungary to let her know when Alice arrived? How come it sounded like there was an ongoing war? She cast a simple haste spell on herself before stepping through the portal. As expected, there really was a battle going on, but that wasn’t too important. What was important was the small woman in front of her. “Alice!”

Alice furrowed her brow and nearly dropped the person she was holding. “Tafel?” The keepers of the church had pulled out a stone necklace and channeled their white light energy into it. Alice had thought it was an attack, but unexpectedly, the keepers of the church summoned an ally for her…. “Come, help me beat these people up.”

Tafel frowned and turned her head to stare at the keepers. “Who are you guys, and why do you have my summoning necklace?”

One of the keepers cleared his throat. “D-don’t you remember us? We’re Madam Mary’s companions. You said to summon you when we were having difficulties.”

Tafel’s brow furrowed, and she narrowed her eyes. “You all look a lot different from before, like, your faces.”

“That’s because Madam Mary had beaten all of us to a pulp on the day that we met you, and we hadn’t recovered yet,” another keeper said with his head lowered. “Please, as Madam Mary’s friend, help us capture this witch. Madam Mary wanted to talk to her, so we tried our best to subdue her, but she took one of us hostage instead.”

“I can see that,” Tafel said, nodding at Paul, who was still held by his ankle but unconscious now. “Alice, these people you’re fighting, they’re Mary’s subordinates.”

Alice stared at the ankle she was holding. Then, she swung him at Tafel, hard.

Tafel’s eyes widened, and she fled backwards. It was a good thing she hasted herself earlier; otherwise, she would’ve been hit. “Alice!?”

“This is an illusion,” Alice said. “Let me hit you with him, and if both of you get injured, I’ll believe you’re real.”

Tafel scratched her head. “What do I have to do to convince you I’m real? Preferably something that doesn’t involve me being hit by a person.”

Alice furrowed her brow. “Tell me something embarrassing about yourself that you haven’t told anyone yet, including your husband.”

Tafel’s expression darkened.

“Well?” Alice asked. “I’m waiting.”

“Just hit me.”