After finally becoming familiar with his abilities, Seth felt a small sense of relief.
He was far from mastering them, but at the very least, he knew what each ability could do, and how to activate them.
He quietly backtracked his path, checking corners and previous places he went to, to make sure no witches had noticed him.
Even a single mistake could expose him, and the last thing he wanted was to get into contact with a coven witch...
For the past few days, Seth did not have a proper place to stay.
He had no ho in Zerep District, no room to rent, and no identity that allowed him to live normally.
Every night, he simply found an empty attic or an abandoned store room.
He would slip inside, activate [Null Presence], and rest on whatever surface he could find.
He was, in simple words, holess...
But Seth did not feel bothered by it.
Sleeping rough was just a temporary condition.
He currently had other priorities such as strengthening himself, learning about witches, and gathering information....
A bed could wait.
There was one matter he could not delay, however.
He only had one day left before he needed to return the parchnt paper to Phoebe.
He had borrowed it almost a week ago, and although he had not damaged it, he knew that staying true to his word would make him more trustworthy.
The parchnt did not belong to Phoebe alone.
Her ntor, Danica, was the one responsible for it.
And Danica was quite careful...
Seth assud Danica was probably still investigating him in one way or another.
Either she wanted to confirm his identity, or she was busy with her own affairs.
If she had already looked into him and found nothing alarming, she might allow him to continue using the parchnt paper to contact her.
If not, she would ask for it back imdiately.
Seth did not mind either outco.
If she said nothing before the deadline, he would simply ask Phoebe for an extension.
Speaking of Phoebe— her situation had sowhat improved.
Her mother and sister were finally cured of their supernatural illnesses.
However, the coven of solace had been watching their family closely ever since, because contact with supernatural forces always raised questions.
Suspicion was normal.
Seth did not know what Phoebe’s future would be if the coven found out she was secretly a witch.
He could only hope that she would remain safe.
She had helped him when he needed help, and he had no desire to see her punished.
For now, he received no new information from the Coven of Solace.
After Seth sent them his warning letter regarding the Coven of Abomination and the gateway to hell, the coven seed quiet.
There were no public actions or visible movents to act out against the Coven of Abomination...
That silence made him uneasy.
’I wonder if they’re checking the letter through supernatural ans...’
He thought.
If they used divination or spiritual tracking, they might try to trace the sender.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a real danger.
Fortunately, [Null Presence] made him nearly impossible to track.
Even if soone tried to follow his fate or mories through the letter, they would find nothing solid.
His presence simply disappeared from any form of detection.
But even with that comfort, he stayed careful.
The coven’s reaction could arrive at any ti, and until then, all he could do was wait, strengthen himself, and avoid being seen.
...
Later that afternoon, Seth finally received a reply from Phoebe’s ntor.
The mont he saw the written words, he felt his shoulders relax.
For days, he had been waiting without knowing whether Danica would answer or ignore him.
With a quiet breath, he took out the parchnt paper, spread it on the floor, and read carefully from the beginning.
"To Seth,
I apologize for the delay in my reply. I had several matters to handle. Now that I have the ti to properly answer, I will write everything in detail so that you may benefit from it."
"In regards to your question about acquiring demonic weapons:"
"You are correct that personal power alone is not always enough."
"There are tis when skill and talent fail, and one must use external tools to survive."
"Even I, who have practiced witchcraft for many years, rely on several demonic artifacts. They are not luxuries, but necessities."
"However, you must rember this principle clearly..."
"Demonic weapons are tools, but they are not foundations!"
"They can be lost, stolen, damaged, or taken by force."
"The only power that cannot be taken from you is the power that belongs to your own hands, mind, and will."
"I write this not to discourage you, but to make sure your path remains steady."
"There will be a chance for you to obtain demonic tools, but I recomnd you go through what I had went along with."
"If you wish to obtain demonic tools, you must go to a place called the Black Lantern."
"The Black Lantern is an abandoned nightclub located on Midnight Avenue."
"From the outside, it appears to be only a ruined building with broken windows and a rusted sign."
"During the day, nothing unusual happens there."
"However, every Friday night, starting exactly at 11:45 p.m., the second floor becos active."
"You must not arrive early and you must not arrive late."
"Go to the second floor. There will be a narrow hallway. The third room on the left is your destination. Do not enter any other room."
"To enter, follow these instructions exactly:"
Knock three tis.
Wait for two breaths.
Knock two more tis.
"When the door opens, there will be a man wearing a mask. He will ask you a very simple question: ’Where did you learn about us?’"
"Your answer must be only this sentence: ’I was recomnded by the Bee.’"
"No other answer will be accepted. Do not attempt to explain or add anything else. The conversation ends after that sentence and he will let you in."
"As for clothing: you must wear a mask. Any mask is acceptable as long as it covers your face. Do not show your face to anyone. If you have no money to buy one, cover your face with cloth. Even so, a mask is recomnded because others there will wear masks too."
"No one will ask for your real na so do not give it. In this gathering, identity is a burden. The less others know of you, the safer you will be."
"What is the nature of this gathering?"
Danica’s handwriting beca longer here.
"It is a eting between stray witches, rogue practitioners, artifact collectors, and others who live on the edges of the supernatural world. They co to sell items, trade knowledge, exchange information, make deals, or request help."
"You will see many things there: cursed objects, enchanted bottles, talismans, books, charms, demon parts, and more. So will be powerful, so will be useless..."
"And not everything offered will be safe, so do not touch anything without permission or knowledge about it."
"I must warn you about the cost."
"Even the cheapest demonic item may be too expensive for you at this ti."
"Most stray witches do not part with their artifacts easily. Those who do require paynt that is not small. Therefore, prepare valuable items or a good amount of money if you wish to buy."
"If you lack money and want to do things that seem befitting of a supernatural being like you, I recomnd that you use the black market request system."
"It is located behind the old laundry shop in Ragybo East District."
"The entrance is hidden quite well. Once you find it, push the wooden door that does not seem to lead anywhere, and you will find a staircase."
"At the bottom of the stairs, there is a counter. You may register there under any na you wish. They will not ask who you are."
"This system allows those who understand the supernatural world to make requests."
"So requests are simple: delivering a sealed item, watching over soone for one night, assisting with ritual preparations....
"Others request for more dangerous things such as removing a haunting, capturing a demon, investigating a cursed location, or retrieving artifacts from forbidden places."
"Paynt is given after completion."
"Paynt may be paid in bathalas, information, or other objects. You can earn enough money there to afford demonic tools if you choose your work wisely."
"But be careful...."
Danica wrote that sentence twice.
"Be careful. It is always better to be cautious."
"So requests may seem harmless at first but hide dangers."
"The people who make these requests are often desperate."
"They may not tell you everything, so read every request slowly and study the words."
"Ask for details if sothing feels unclear... If your instincts warn you, walk away."
"There will always be another job."
"As for the stray witch gathering at the Black Lantern, it is safer than the black market request system."
"The reason is simple: there is a powerful stray witch who oversees the gathering."
"Her presence alone keeps the peace."
"No fighting is allowed during the gathering, and validity of the items being exchanged will always be under her scrutiny."
"If a problem occurs, she will intervene."
"You will know who she is when you see her."
"Do not challenge her. Do not be rude to her. Treat her with respect. As long as you follow the rules, nothing will happen to you..."
"I recomnd that you first observe before participating."
"You do not need to buy anything on your first visit."
"You may go, watch, and learn how others behave. Only after you understand the place should you begin to trade."
"Lastly, rember this: trust is rare. In that place, everyone has secrets."
"Do not reveal your abilities unless necessary. Do not form alliances quickly. It is better to be polite, but distant."
"If you return alive and unhard from your first visit, then you will have gained experience. The second visit will be easier."
"May fortune be with you.
—Danica"
Seth folded the parchnt, stored it carefully, and quietly muttered...
"Friday night. 11:45."
There was nothing more to think about.
Phoebe’s ntor, Danica, was quite obviously trying to guide Seth in detail...
He glanced at the date and ti today, which was Friday 8pm...
’Should I go right now...?’
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