"So what if you are a High Witch?! So what if you are the Grand Inquisitor?! It doesn't give you the right to make light of my daughter's death! You don't have any children! You don't know what it's like to lose one! Being able to make more doesn't make one any less precious!"

As Istana Gleriath roared furiously, her mana churned quickly and transformed into a great flame that threatened to swallow everything.

Within moments, a great blazing sphere of scorching-hot flames loomed over everyone in the outer courtyard, causing the surrounding temperature to rise.

Istana Gleriath didn't hesitate to shoot the great blazing sphere at Ember Killian once its power peaked.

"Lord Gleriath, you are mad! How dare you raise your hand against the Grand Inquisitor!" one of Ember Killian's people shouted with anger and fear as the great ball of flame descended upon them.

However, Ember Killian herself remained calm in the wake of the blazing fire's descent. Even Astoria Braveheart didn't flinch at the incoming attack.

Only people below Peak-stage Senior Witch would fear such an attack. Those above it had no such fear, especially for Ember Killian, the High Witch of Purgatory Flame.

"Playing fire with me?" Ember Killian smiled with a mix of ridicule and nonchalance.

With a single stomp, multiple pillars of blazing inferno burst out of the ground in Ember Killian's surroundings, seemingly uncontrollable.

But as they shot into the sky towards the giant descending ball of flames, Ember Killian's pillars of flames intertwined and transformed into a greater phoenix of fire with humongous wingspans that blotted out the sky above the courtyard.

Kree!

The flaming phoenix seemingly cried before it devoured the giant fireball, wrapping its wings around it and soaring higher into the sky.

Istana Gleriath's fire was quickly snuffed out before Ember Killian's flaming phoenix dispersed into the air.

Just as Istana Gleriath prepared to launch another attack, Astoria Braveheart closed the distance with a single decisive step in the blink of an eye and pressed her body and face into the ground with her huge greatsword, immobilizing her.

"Garghhh! Let me go!" Istana Gleriath roared with bloodshot eyes, a flushed face, and protruding veins.

But no matter how Istana Gleriath struggled, she couldn't break free from the crushing weight of the greatsword pressing down on her with Astoria Braveheart's superior physical might.

"Marquis Ember, please don't antagonize Lord Istana any further. We don't want any incident of mana deviation and berserk transformation to take place. We've already lost a few good witches in recent years; Wise Scholar Eniwse being the latest," Astoria Braveheart suggested with a sigh.

"Ptui! How can that brat Eniwse compare to me?!" Istana Gleriath spat.

"Don't put me in the same boat as her! Even if the world was destroyed before my eyes, I still wouldn't lose control and experience mana deviation like her!"

"You're right," Ember Killian nodded before saying with a chuckle, "How can someone who hasn't even lived half a century compare to a 300-year-old hag like you?"

"Marquis Ember!" Astoria Braveheart warned.

"Alright, alright," Ember Killian compromised with a shrug and said, "Even if you didn't tell me not to, I didn't plan on continuing further anyway. We've already gotten our answer."

"As you can see, Lord Gleriath is genuinely angry at me. Considering how much she cared about her daughter, she doesn't look like someone that would kill her own daughter. There's a high chance that she had been speaking the truth and didn't know about Vaan Raphna's excellence prior to the events."

"I'm sorry if I had offended you, Lord Gleriath. I hope you did not mind that I used unconventional means to test you. I did not mean what I said earlier," Ember Killian apologized to Istana Gleriath shortly after.

After Istana Gleriath heard that, she quickly calmed down and stopped resisting. Even so, she still expressed her displeasure.

"You were testing me? Sometimes, words are sharper than knives. Please don't use such a vulgar method on me, Marquis Killian," Istana Gleriath said snappishly.

"I am willing to take responsibility for inciting the Dark Hellhounds. Even if I didn't know Marquis Delarosa's daughters were passing through my territory, innocent lives were still lost due to my actions."

"I am also willing to cooperate with your investigation in any way I can; I only ask that you help me seek justice for my daughter," Istana Gleriath requested.

However, after Astoria Braveheart returned Istana Gleriath her freedom, her expression turned cold.

"Seek justice for your daughter?" Astoria Braveheart uttered unhappily.

"Your daughter committed a grave crime. She had no respect for academy teachers, did whatever she wanted, caused Wise Scholar Eniwse to turn, and got my teacher killed. Does she deserve it?"

"And if that isn't enough, you still dare to accuse the dead of murdering your beloved daughter. Even if you aren't related to Teacher Raphna's death, you don't need to twist the truth for your convenience to act atrociously."

"Have some shame, Lord Istana," Astoria Braveheart criticized, causing Ember Killian to smile wryly.

Who was antagonizing who this time? – Ember Killian thought ruefully.

Nevertheless, Istana Gleriath didn't explode with anger like last time. Instead, she met Astoria Braveheart's eyes directly without backing down.

"You have always been mild and approachable, Headmaster Astoria. However, the way that you are now is not your usual self. Why are you so bent on believing that servant is dead when he is alive? You don't think it's weird that his body disappeared the same night my daughter was killed?"

Istana Gleriath retorted with a sharp look.

"I find it weirder that you can claim someone is alive after dying. Do you think people can come back to life? If Teacher Raphna wasn't confirmed dead, do you think his body wouldn't have been dumped in the wasteyard to be incinerated?" Astoria Braveheart argued back.

The two witches butted heads and glared at each other fiercely, battling with words.

On the side, Ember Killian watched them argue for some time before deciding to step in and stop them.

"That's enough, you two. I have heard the argument from both sides. Each of you had reasons, but it is not enough to determine the truth of the events. I have to go back over the facts to confirm what happened," Ember Killian stated calmly yet firmly.

"Who was the one who confirmed Vaan Raphna's death, Headmaster Astoria?" Ember Killian asked shortly after while holding back her strong curiosity.

Just how great was Vaan Raphna's notebook for Headmaster Astoria to back him up so strongly in such a short time after returning to the academy? – Ember Killian wondered.