The Warden of The Witches

The Amnesiac Witch

Rebecca, a colleague of the former Aiden within the Inquisition Bureau who had a reasonably good relationship with him. She joining the unit a year later than Aiden, she had served in Aiden's squad and stood out as a prominent investigator among the younger generation.

Upon inheriting the identity and memories of her predecessor, Aiden naturally assumed the previous interpersonal relationships. Rebecca had even assisted in organizing the farewell banquet when Aiden left the bureau for the Rose Prison assignment.

Investigators from the Inquisition Bureau often faced high-risk missions, dealing with the hunting of dark wizards and other criminal entities, risking injury or even sacrifice.

When frontline adjudicators took leave for "recuperation," it usually meant recovering from injuries.

"Just last week, we received intelligence that the S-rank wanted criminal Priscilla had relocated to the southern forest of the city. Rebecca led the team for a surprise raid." Harold struck a match, toasting a cigar as he explained the circumstances.

"Witch Priscilla?"

"Yes, that's her."

Priscilla, the witch, was a highly sought-after fugitive by the Inquisition Bureau, designated as an S-rank criminal with a red-level danger rating. Proficient in mental magic and a crucial member of the "Witch's Gathering," her bounty exceeded even the initial witch, Dailey.

"Was she captured?"

"She was. There were some complications during the assault, and the search team got separated in the dense forest. However, Rebecca pursued Priscilla alone and successfully apprehended her."

"Quite impressive," Aiden sincerely praised.

Facing a red-level alert criminal alone was an accomplishment achieved by only a few exceptionally skilled individuals, even among the seasoned and skilled higher-ranking adjudicators.

When Aiden left, Rebecca had just been promoted to a higher-ranking adjudicator, and in just a few years, she had grown to this extent.

If Priscilla was captured, it wouldn't be long before she was transferred to the Rose Prison.

"But she's experiencing amnesia now," Director Harold said solemnly.

"Amnesia?"

"There were complications during the capture. She fell victim to Priscilla's mental assault, causing partial memory loss. It's a tricky situation, and recovery seems challenging." Harold lit his cigar, took a puff, and exhaled a plume of smoke.

"If Priscilla has been captured, why not have her try to restore Rebecca's memories? She's skilled in mental black magic, isn't she?" Aiden suggested, considering this as a potential solution.

Harold glanced at him with a complex expression and reprimanded, "Only you would immediately think of such a questionable idea. Don't get too close to those monsters; they're all criminals!"

After Aiden left for the prison and became the warden at the Rose Prison, he soon gained another "highlight" that irked Harold deeply—he was getting "too close" to the criminals at the Rose Prison.

The Inquisition Bureau functions as a typical law enforcement agency, characterized by an extremely strict atmosphere. Their primary task is to apprehend formidable criminals, in short they simply view them as enemies.

Harold was a very typical inquisitor, he held no trust and harbored a significant level of hostility towards the criminals the Inquisition Bureau was responsible for capturing.

Aiden, on the other hand, as a prison warden, had a different perspective. For him, criminals were his work subjects. The individuals he dealt with had already been apprehended, with most having had their fangs and claws removed.

Given the long-term interaction with these individuals, he couldn't maintain a perpetual adversarial stance. Though he shared the lack of trust, he would attempt to communicate from a more neutral standpoint.

The difference in job nature determined distinct thought processes. In simple terms, Aiden use of criminals, a practice seen by Harold as akin to dealing with a tiger for its skin.

In fact, when Aiden had persuaded Harold to allow Dailey and Arsena to research forbidden arts and in exchange the result for reduced sentences, considerable effort was expended.

"Criminals are valuable assets," Aiden calmly responded, "and regarding Rebecca's recovery, you shouldn't be so rigid."

Harold stared at Aiden for a moment, snorted, and retorted, "Do you think I've truly gone senile? If it were possible to attempt, I wouldn't be unwilling to give it a try. But it's impossible."

"What do you mean?"

"Because the witch Priscilla has also suffered amnesia," Harold replied curtly, "and her situation is even more severe than Rebecca's. She can't even remember who she is."

"How could this happen?" Aiden frowned slightly.

"Rebecca still retains some memory fragments of the incident. According to her report, when Priscilla attacked her mentally, she fired a magic bullet at Priscilla's arm before falling unconscious due to the mental impact. However, Priscilla also suffered a backlash from her own magic, wiping her memories."

"there's such a thing..."

"The results of the mental assessment also confirm that Priscilla has completely lost her memory. It's impossible to rely on her now," Harold said in a subdued tone.

"This complicates things," Aiden couldn't help but sigh.

With the witch Priscilla losing her memory, not only did it mean one less potential avenue for Rebecca's memory recovery, but it also signified that Aiden would have to deal with a prisoner requiring special attention.

Given Priscilla's identity as a witch, he would likely have to confine her to the core area. However, a woman without memories in the midst of those monsters was akin to a lamb among wolves.

"So, when you have time, go check on that girl. She hardly has any recollection of her work at the Inquisition. Contact with people she used to work with might help in her recovery," Harold softly suggested.

Strictly speaking, Aiden didn't have much experience working with Rebecca, despite the memories still lingering in his mind.

Nevertheless, he agreed, "Alright, once I finish up with this matter, I'll visit her."

"With capable people in the bureau becoming scarcer, the days ahead might be tough," Harold took a puff of his cigar, sighed deeply, and gave Aiden a meaningful look, almost saying, "Why don't you come back to work?"

From Aiden's inherited memories, Harold had originally aimed to groom the former Aiden as his successor.

Aiden thought, "It's not that I don't want to help you, but my abilities are limited."

"Well, it's getting late. I'll take my leave," Aiden excused himself, sensing it wasn't suitable to stay any longer.

"Get lost, you brat," Harold chomped on his cigar, letting out a gruff insult from the corner of his mouth.

Advance Chapter