Witch Taming System

Port Town was located north of Holienne. Much like Holienne, where ordinary witches lived, it was a mixed community of ordinary humans and witches who had settled there.

The Witch City of Riviere welcomed everyone, which was why it had become such a popular tourist hub across the continent.

Due to Faust taking Lancel away from Angelica’s custody, she had been banned from stocking supplies for her research.

Although the ban had been lifted nearly three weeks ago, most of the things she needed were still out of stock when she tried to resupply.

Recently, however, she received news that a massive cargo shipment had arrived at Port Town. To make sure she could restock as much as possible, she asked for Lancel’s help.

Naturally, Lancel didn’t mind at all. He owed Faust a great deal and had been wondering how to repay her. This seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Faust slipped a piece of paper into his hand.

"The items I need are written here along with their addresses. And here’s my insignia. If you show that, they’ll give you access to high-quality goods befitting an Erudition like myself."

It had to be said, but Faust really liked to flaunt her status as a member of the Erudition Society. While she had acted indifferent and cool in front of her mentor before, she was actually quite proud of her achievements.

"You don’t have to worry about money. Just show my insignia, and they’ll give you a receipt. I’m counting on you, Lancel."

"Don’t worry. I got this."

The task was split between them. Lancel would procure the items he could get on his own, while Faust would handle the rest that only she could acquire. This way, Faust could secure as many supplies as possible.

"Great, let’s meet in the Central Plaza at 6:00."

"Works for me."

With that, the two of them separated.

The first item on Lancel’s list was located in Prinzessin Street.

The last time he had been in Port Town was when he was looking for a witch who could fix his arm. It had been a year since then, but this place still took him aback.

Back then, Lancel had been a lost and desperate man. Not only had his arm been broken, but he had also recently lost his lover, Leticia.

Quite frankly, the existence of Leticia Herscher was still a mystery to him. He still had many unanswered questions. If anyone asked whether he had moved on from her, his answer would still be no.

These days, he felt like he was drifting in an endless sea, constantly trying to gain as much strength as possible so that he would never lose someone like Leticia again.

There were all sorts of monsters roaming the continent, even ancient deities that had yet to reveal themselves.

Lancel had only learned this truth after coming to the Witch City of Riviere. He now understood just how important witches truly were and how crucial their role was in preserving the planet.

That was why a lingering sense of regret remained whenever he thought about the witches he had hunted in the past. While he wasn’t certain of their circumstances, surely not all of them had been evil.

"This must be the place..."

The address seemed correct, but what Lancel found was a rundown shack that contrasted with the other shiny-looking stores lining Prinzessin Street.

He paused for a moment, wondering if he had the wrong store, before deciding to step inside and check anyway.

"Hmm..."

Compared to the shabby exterior, the inside gave off a completely different atmosphere. It had a strong sense of mysticism.

It didn’t take long to realize the interior had a distinct witchy aesthetic, if that was even a thing.

There, a girl with flowing brown hair looked up from behind the counter.

"Hm?"

"Is this Bonabella’s Hair Studio?"

It was already odd that the store was called a Hair Studio, and considering the item Faust needed, the name didn’t match at all. Lancel had pictured a regular hair salon when he saw the name, not something that sold Pixie Extract.

Besides, the store didn’t even have any proper signage outside.

"It is, but why is a man here?"

"Ah, I’ve come running an errand for a witch. Does this place sell any Pixie Extract?"

"Hmm?"

The girl looked uninterested. She hadn’t even bothered to look at Lancel properly until he mentioned he was running an errand for a witch. Her face stayed grumpy, as if she didn’t want any customers at all.

"That depends on who’s asking."

"An Erudition."

"Ah, shit."

"...?"

The sudden curse caught him off guard.

"Wait for a moment."

The girl disappeared into the back room. When she returned, a witch followed closely behind her.

Lancel eyed the new arrival from head to toe. She had smooth, magenta hair that fell to her shoulders and wore oversized robes that made it hard to tell if she was overweight or if the clothes were simply too big.

What was noticeable, however, was the impressive size of her bust, which stood out even under the loose fabric.

"My, what can I do for you, cutie~?"

Lancel blinked, shifting his gaze from her chest up to her face before answering.

"I’m looking for Pixie Extract under the orders of an Erudition. Perhaps Countess Lieber rings a bell?"

"Ah, of course it does. Countess Lieber is a regular. May I see the insignia?"

"Yes."

Lancel handed it over. The witch inspected it for a moment, then nodded and returned it to him.

"Alrighty~ Come over here, dear customer."

"...?"

This was strange. Shouldn’t she just hand the item over the counter?

Why was she leading him toward the back room like this was some kind of black market deal?

"Has Countess Lieber ever explained to you how Pixie Extract works?"

"No, not really..."

Lancel had a bad premonition.

"As per its name, it’s bodily fluids extracted from Pixies," the witch explained. "It starts as Pixie Dust, but it needs a specific solvent before it becomes proper ’Pixie Extract’."

"And that means...?

""It’ll need a second party’s urine."

"...."

No wonder Faust had left this item for him to handle.