"Never mind that. Would you be so kind as to point me toward the Vossen Household's direction?" Vaan politely requested with a charming smile.

"Ah.."

The guardswoman was briefly entranced before she blankly extended a finger northward and told Vaan to keep an eye out for the magic tower with the Vossen Household's crest, which had three interlocking circles within a triangle.

"Thank you."

Shortly after, Vaan left.

..

Two miles down the smooth, marbled road, away from the city gate, the chaotic situation within Blackthorn City became more evident.

Blasts of magic resounded left and right, tearing through the air and quaking the ground. Large groups of battle witches stormed through a vibrant garden of herbs, trampling it underfoot, and encircled a magic tower.

Not long after, they lay siege to the magic tower, barraging it with a volley of destructive spells, forcing its self-defense to activate. Dozens of magic circles appeared around the magic tower, acting as barriers, shielding it from the bombardment.

Boom! Boom!

The ground rumbled like the empty bowels of a hungry titan, and the air screamed with deafening explosions, but the magic tower remained fast and steady in its place like an immovable, unbreakable mountain under the protection of its magic barriers.

However, the onslaught was relentless, unyielding, and neverending, chipping away at the magic tower's defensive barriers like stubborn woodpeckers.

Eventually, a single crack appeared, and with it, radial and circular cracks spread across the magic barriers like fractured glass.

With one final blast, the whole defense crumbled apart and dissipated like dying embers from a wild bushfire.

"Halt!"

The Early-stage High Witch leading the battle witch group halted the attack and stared at the seemingly vulnerable magic tower solemnly.

"Lady Franziska, I give you one last chance to submit to me! If you remain stubborn, you can say goodbye to your magic tower!" the Early-stage High Witch barked.

..

Similar situations played out throughout Blackthorn City as major witch factions and groups competed for power and authority.

The collapse of order had plunged the capital into a lawless zone, allowing the reign of chaos and pandemonium.

Where there wasn't a big battle, there would be crowds of spectators watching the show. Since they couldn't stop it, they simply enjoyed it.

By then, everyone had already learned about the Holy Knight Empire's intentions, Queen Sybil's scheme, and Queen Henrietta's disappearance.

Without their ruler, the people went crazy, unrestrained in their actions, and indulged in anarchy.

Nevertheless, Vaan calmly strolled down the chaotic street, making his way to the Vossen Household. Brawls and flying bodies obstructed his path, but he smoothly evaded them with minimum effort and movements like the wind flowing through the gaps of swaying grass.

At the same time, his handsomeness, high-quality clothing, and elegant maneuver caught the eyes of a few interested witches observing the chaos at a café's outdoor sitting area.

"Wait a moment, handsome. You look a little familiar.. May I interest you with a drink and have some of your time?"

"Not interested."

Vaan's indifferent reply stunned the bold Peak-stage Senior Witch as he flitted around her and continued on his way.

The bold Peak-stage Senior Witch didn't expect to be rejected so blatantly.

At the same time, the jarring snickers of her peers caused her to feel shame and humiliation, clouding her judgment with rage.

"Stop right there! I don't know where you're from, but do you think you can just walk away when a witch is talking to you?!"

Vaan paused his step with a sigh before he turned around and accepted the drink previously offered by the witch—only to splash it in her face, as if to cool her head with its coldness.

In that instant, not only did his actions stun the Peak-stage Senior Witch but also her peers at the nearby café's outdoor sitting area.

They had never seen such a bold man before; it wasn't something any man would ever dare to do in the capital of witches.

However, the Peak-stage Senior Witch surprisingly didn't explode with greater rage. Perhaps thanks to the effect of the cold drink, her anger was seemingly silent.

She calmly wiped her face and scrutinized Vaan's figure before she asked in a low tone, "Do you have any idea what you have just done?"

"I was watering a flower. Is that a problem?" Vaan replied with a cool smile.

historical

"Watering a flower?" the Peak-stage Senior Witch blanked for a moment before she laughed with self-ridicule and amazement. "I must say.. If you want to flirt, that's not how you do it."

"Is watering a dung flower considered flirting in the capital? What a strange culture you have around here," Vaan muttered, seemingly self-absorbed in his thoughts, as he turned to leave again.

"Hahahaha—!! A dung flower, he said! That's rich!" The Peak-stage Senior Witch's peers cackled with laughter, fueling the person's shame and humiliation.

Evidently, the man didn't praise her for being pretty but insulted her for being ugly and smelly. Hence, she needed to be washed with water.

"H-How dare you! I was being nice to you, and yet you disrespected me! You're just asking to die!" the Peak-stage Senior Witch roared furiously as her expression contorted with malevolence and murderous intentions.

She immediately raised her finger at Vaan's back and channeled mana for a spell. But before she could complete her spell, Vaan's figure disappeared from her vision.

Pak!

The Peak-stage Senior Witch heard a resounding slap in the next instant.

She felt a sudden burning pain on her right cheek as her vision blurred, and her body felt weightless; she was smacked flying by the tremendous force of Vaan's backhand.

"If you want my respect, you will do better to hide that contempt of yours—or better yet, don't have any of it to show at all. Did you think I wouldn't notice if you concealed it?" Vaan coolly stated before shifting his gaze to the other stunned witches.

The witches at the café's outdoor sitting area had immediately stood up after their friend was struck. But when they met Vaan's indifferent gaze, the immense pressure of a Peak-level Demigod dragon soul weighed down on them.

As such, they froze on the spot, seemingly stricken with fear and confusion, not fully understanding why that was the case.