Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Witch's Cabin (5)
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-Whoosh!!
A powerful beam of [Sun Light] shot out from my grasp.
-Sizzle!
The light, sharp as the sword of the sun god Arjan, scorched the shadows. Seizing the moment while they recoiled, I turned and bolted away. It was because I didn't have enough strength. My mana felt stuffy and trapped inside my dantian, as if I were possessing someone else's body.
'To the park!'
Once I reached the park, the situation would tilt in my favor. Even without my totem, bow, or arrows right now, I was still...
'A druid.'
As I raced toward the park, dredging up memories, the crows' cries echoed overhead. Caw, caw, caw. That chilling screech, waiting eagerly for me to collapse.
Unbelievable.
Did they think I'd die so pathetically?
Even if I die, I'll see the Origin God's face first!
The park sign came into view in the distance. I pushed harder. Just a bit more, just a little further! My breath rose to my throat. Well, my current body was that of an ordinary office worker, not a druid.
-Thud crash!!!
Was I too hasty? I tripped right at the bushes. I tumbled across the grass, then scrambled up in a fluster, but something felt off. It didn't hurt at all. It was as if the grass had cushioned my fall on purpose.
And there was one more strange thing.
'This is...!'
A brilliant rainbow light spilled from the inner pocket of my jacket where I'd stashed Pipi. I cautiously reached inside. Something light, smooth, and firm met my hand.
A bow.
The pocket was smaller than my palm, but I had no doubt what was inside. Like a subspatial ring, as I pulled my hand out, a bow too large for the pocket slowly emerged.
A bow gleaming softly in rainbow hues, as if carved from opal. I'd seen this bow once before. When I defeated Grizzel, my bow broke, and then...
'Pipi burst into flames and transformed into this.'
With this, I could fight.
I stood and climbed the platanus tree right beside me. Even in dress shoes, I reached the top unscathed. It felt like the tree was supporting my feet. The branches and leaves parted gently, clearing my view. I scanned the surroundings. Shadowy masses crawling from the alley were visible.
-Grrr...
-Grrrrumble...
-Glug!
The thing devoured the surrounding darkness as it approached rapidly. From shadows under glowing signs to those of drunken wanderers. It swallowed everything. And crows circled around it. They were searching for me.
I slowly drew the invisible string of light on the bow. Light gathered at the center, forming a rainbow arrow.
-Zzzzt...
Pulling the string to its limit, the rainbow arrow at the tip spun, emitting sharp crackles of electricity. Not yet. Just a bit more, just a little... I waited until the shadow crossed the park entrance.
-Pop.
-Screeeeeam!!!!
The moment the shadow snapped a branch, I released the fully drawn string. The rainbow arrow spiraled out long and powerfully, streaking like a meteor.
By the time the shadow mass noticed, it was too late.
-Boom!!!!
-Bubble bubble!!!!
The arrow pierced the center of the shadow mass. Like something made of mud, it burst open, briefly revealing something in the middle. Too dark to make out clearly, but fist-sized...
"...A heart?"
If I wasn't seeing things, the pulsing thing was definitely a 'heart.'
-Bubble bubble bubble!!!
The scattered shadow fragments boiled and evaporated away. The circling crows scattered in panic. Some got hit by light shards, screeching as they plummeted.
-Piii...
With a feeble cry, the bow reverted to Pipi's form. It seemed to have given its all to help me, collapsing limp into my palm. I tucked it back into my pocket and carefully descended the tree. Then I ran toward the park entrance where the shadow mass had been.
"......!"
There, a black heart still throbbed on the ground.
What the hell is this?
It looked suspicious to anyone. I turned on the faucet by the entrance, cupped cold water in my hands, and began chanting a shaman spell.
"The clear spring is like the pupil of the sacred forest, hiding nothing from the truth..."
Well, a faucet isn't a spring, and a park isn't a forest... but close enough, right? I splashed the water from my hands onto the still-pulsing black heart.
-Sizzle!!!
Fortunately, the spell worked. Amid the burning smell, the tar-like black shadow evaporated, revealing a clean crimson heart.
A heart.
"......"
Hearts were one of the magic ingredients mages and witches often favored.
'At this size, probably a snow mountain monkey's heart.'
This must be the medium for the witch's dark space spell. I picked up a broken twig from the ground, clasped it between my palms, and offered a simple prayer. Then,
-Stab!
I pierced the heart's center with the twig.
The heart stopped without spilling a drop of blood. Then, a sharp ringing filled my ears. Probably from the 'dark space' collapsing. Like motion sickness. Dizziness and nausea surged.
But that wasn't the end.
At the same time, space warped around the inert heart. Like a twisty whirl, everything spun, merging and splitting repeatedly. I had to fight hard to stay conscious.
Amid the bizarre sensations of my body reconstructing, for a moment...
I felt sadness.
'My parents' faces after so long...'
Was it fortunate I could feel them so vividly like this, or unfortunate?
I wondered how my real parents were doing...
'I have to survive and return for their sake.'
That thought kept me sane.
* * *
When I opened my eyes again, an unidentified woman lay collapsed before me. Her identity was easy to guess. With hair white as the Silver Mountains' snow, she was surely the 'witch.'
She must have taken a shock from me destroying the spell's medium. Clutching my pounding head, I rose.
"You're finally awake."
A familiar voice came from behind.
"...Khalid?"
"You're too late, even for being late."
He grumbled in his usual hale tone. What? Had Khalid never entered the dark space to begin with?
Reading my puzzled expression, Khalid chuckled.
"I'll explain later. First, why don't you free me from this."
Now that I looked, his body was bound tight in something. Up close, it was chains embedded with magic stones midway. Behind him, the golem lay half-destroyed, scattered about.
"What the hell happened?"
I smashed the magic stone with Hydra's fang, then unwound the chains. Stiff from restraint, Khalid couldn't stand right away and leaned against the wall, rubbing his limbs.
"You managed to escape the dark space well enough. For a druid... You're a strange one, Theodor."
"You're too kind."
"That's the mad witch."
Khalid nodded toward the fallen woman.
"Seeing her like that, you must've destroyed the spell medium, right?"
"Yes. Seems so. Looked like a snow mountain monkey's heart..."
"Haha. Snow mountain monkey."
Snow mountain monkeys were one of the fierce wild beasts that roamed these rugged mountains in packs. If anything, as dangerous as goblins. One alone was manageable, but three or more made them tricky. Thus, their fur, tails, or claws were rare magic ingredients seldom seen.
"If you completely destroyed the medium, the shock will keep her down for a while."
"Better to restrain her anyway, right?"
I bound the witch with the chains that had held Khalid. The shock from the medium's destruction must've been severe—blood streamed from both her nostrils.
"It was a hallucination no different from reality. How'd you figure it out?"
"...Well, 'reality' means something a bit different to me."
Different in every way. Between the South Korea of my Earth and this pseudo-medieval land.
"More importantly, the others..."
"Since you destroyed the medium, they'll wake soon enough."
Khalid nodded toward the cabin corner. There, the rest of the party lay asleep.
"Let them enjoy a bit more happiness until then. Forcing them awake could break their minds."
"Happiness?"
"Yeah. They say the mad witch's dark space illusion is so beautiful and happy, no one wants to wake from it."
"......"
Not exactly.
Sure, seeing my parents and enjoying peaceful days was nice. But the crows and shadows? Not...
Not happy at all.
I stared gravely at the witch. Did she know my identity? Is that why I dreamed of my old 'reality'?
"Why the long face?"
"Any idea how this 'illusion' works?"
"Simple. It shows what the target desires most."
"......"
"Why?"
"I don't think I only saw what I desired."
"What do you mean?"
"Could something else interfere with the 'dark space'?"
"Impossible. It's a witch or mage's personal domain."
"Really impossible?"
"......"
At my question, Khalid narrowed his eyes at me.
"What exactly did you see, Theodor?"