Lyle's gaze fell once more on the unconscious form of Quaiesse. His expression deepened, reflecting the weight of the implications.
If Quaiesse died here, there was a high chance the Slane Theocracy would sense it immediately. Their far-reaching magical surveillance could not be underestimated.
Lyle narrowed his eyes. If Zurrernorn's leader could use obscure methods to resurrect Khajiit, even after he himself had personally ended the man, then it stood to reason the Slane Theocracy could do much the same.
Still, this was not what bothered him most.
Lyle's trump card, his unique ability "Player," came with a particularly rare passive trait: Unobservable. It granted him total immunity against scrying, prophecy, and any magic that tried to peer into the future or see across distances.
It was essentially a perfect counter to the Slane Theocracy's infamous, Thousand Leagues Astrologer.
But the problem was not that. It was Quaiesse. Even if the astrologer could not lock onto Lyle, they could easily track her. And once they did, the rest would unravel like a badly tied scroll.
He muttered, almost to himself, "Getting involved with the Slane Theocracy was definitely more trouble than it was worth."
Which meant one thing.
Speed.
He had to ensure Quaiesse was erased completely. No resurrection, no fragments left behind. And once that was done, he needed to disappear before anyone had a chance to react.
Lyle raised his head slightly. Golden sunlight bled over the treetops as the sun dipped toward the western horizon.
Without a word, he assumed a cross-legged position, placed his hands on his knees, and closed his eyes. Restoring his stamina and expended mana was top priority now.
His Orb of Death had long since run dry, and even his own internal reserves were depleted. Better to prepare before things became messy.
Minutes passed.
Lyle's eyes snapped open. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a silver pocket watch from his inventory. He noted the time, then shut his eyes again.
Leaves rustled quietly.
The twin witches approached from the shadows like ghosts, one veiled in thick fog, the other cloaked beneath layers of leaves. They stopped ten meters from him, exchanged a glance with their pale gold eyes, and remained perfectly silent.
Their presence dissolved into the forest. One might mistake them for a pair of curious spirits watching from between the trees.
They had been busy in his absence, using druidic magic to cover the scars of battle: reweaving broken brambles and urging weeds to sprout where trees had been scorched. It was a passable illusion but would not fool a trained eye for long.
Darkness fell. A waning crescent moon glowed faintly behind a curtain of clouds, and the forest slipped into a hush.
Lyle opened his eyes again, this time inspecting the mana gauge on his status screen. Then he checked the watch.
"Ten minutes faster than usual," he murmured.
Previously, his mana regeneration was one point per hour. Now it had dropped to fifty minutes per point. A small shift but significant.
"Must be the new magic-based class," Lyle thought, nodding slightly. "It is not a passive bonus. It is part of the job itself."
He lifted his gaze and spoke flatly. "You two."
The twin witches responded immediately.
"Yes, Master," said both in eerie unison, their voices light and melodic.
They were far too obedient now to be scheming anything. After all, they knew the only reason they still breathed was because Lyle needed them for now.
The Gray Robed Sorcerer's twisted 'Frogspawn Egg' ritual had piqued Lyle's interest. That meant he still required the witches' blood, knowledge, and alchemical skill to replicate it.
He blinked lazily. Their sweet voices contrasted amusingly with their sharp, eerie appearances.
"Bring me the Lizardmen's alchemical cauldron. And that cave-dwelling Lizardman as well."
Without a word, the two witches vanished into the shadows.
Moments later, Leaf Witch returned carrying two black crucibles, each the size of a basin and about half a meter tall. Not long after, a familiar Cave Lizardman burst from the underbrush, panting as it approached Lyle.
The moment it reached him, a pale fog surged from its chest, coalescing midair into the shape of the Mist Witch.
The Cave Lizardman shuddered violently, suddenly lucid. It blinked rapidly, realized where it was, and froze in horror.
Then it collapsed to its knees, voice trembling. "M-Master…"
It was not looking at Lyle. It addressed the Mist Witch, who ignored it completely.
She turned toward Lyle, her posture respectful and tense.
Lyle tilted his head slightly, intrigued.
Mist Witch's ability to possess and control living beings was absurdly useful for dealing with weaker foes. He raised a hand and pointed at the Lizardman.
"Lightning Orb."
Crack.
Electricity flared in his palm, flickering with bright blue light in the darkness.
In a blink, it swelled to the size of a basin, arced through the air, and struck the Lizardman dead center.
The creature did not even scream. It simply collapsed, smoldering, reduced to blackened charcoal.
The scent of burned flesh hung in the air.
Mist Witch stood frozen, her fog trembling slightly. Beside her, Leaf Witch looked visibly shaken, golden eyes wide with fear.
[Experience Gained: 189]
[EXP: 48,765 / 120,000]
"Bring it here," Lyle said with a glance toward Leaf Witch.
Compared to earlier, his experience had jumped significantly. Nearly twenty thousand points came from slaying Quaiesse's ten summoned monsters, each over level 20.
Unlike conjured elementals or spirits, these monsters were real living creatures tied to flesh, not just mana.
Leaf Witch did not respond immediately. Clearly, she was still stunned by the Lizardman's execution.
"Sister…" Mist Witch whispered, mist curling around her ankles.
Leaf Witch twitched, regained her composure, and quickly hurried forward with the crucibles, setting them carefully before Lyle.
The surface of the black crucibles shimmered with a faint metallic gleam. They appeared surprisingly mundane, like something an evil witch might use to boil curses in a children's story.
Lyle narrowed his eyes.
"Appraise."
[Item: Magical Tool – Alchemical Crucible]
Grade: Advanced (Level 31–40)
Restrictions: None
Effects:
• Boiling and Brewing: Enhances and concentrates herbs and reagents, boosting their effects.
• Purification and Fusion: Removes impurities during brewing. High-density materials may be condensed into rare alchemical components.
Description: The Lizardmen were using this to make paint. Honestly, what a waste.
---
As expected, it was a high-grade magical item.
Lyle's lips twitched into a faint smile. In the hands of an alchemist or potion-maker, this would be priceless.
"It can condense materials… interesting," he murmured.
His fingers brushed the crucible's edge.
Still, now was not the time for experiments.