Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: The Witch's Cabin (6)
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Should I tell Khalid everything honestly?
"......"
The answer was no.
I had made a deal with Khalid, received his help, and was even climbing the Silver Mountains with him, risking our lives...
'But these secrets are too vast and dangerous to reveal.'
You never knew how the characters in this game-like world would react if they learned another "reality" existed.
Especially for a sharp-minded mage like Khalid—his reaction was even harder to predict.
"Urgh..."
Right on cue, a pained groan came from beside me. I turned to look and locked eyes with the witch in question.
"......"
"......"
Her eyes were as cold and blue as a glacier, so clear they almost seemed devoid of pupils. With those beautiful eyes, she glared at us like she wanted to kill us.
"You're awake, Didier."
"Khalid."
"Long time no see."
"You're not here just to exchange greetings."
The atmosphere was tense.
Lloyd had been the same, and now this witch too. Did Khalid really have no friendly connections?
'Maybe just me?'
For now, I quietly observed their exchange.
"We came to see Tondra. We had no intention of stepping into this crumbling shack. Think about it—who'd want to enter a mad place like this? Aside from stupid nobles... Oh, it's been decades since the nobles cut ties, hasn't it?"
"Still all talk, as ever, Khalid. If I'd had a bit more time, I'd have ripped that mouth of yours first. Then you wouldn't dare utter Tondra's name."
"Hahaha! Looks like you're still sore that you're not the only one permitted to speak Tondra's name. Get a grip, Didier. You're no different from a house cat. Just a mad witch Tondra lets roam free in the Silver Mountains."
Before Khalid finished, the Silver Mountains' witch, Didier, sprang up with astonishing agility and lunged at him. I instinctively stepped between them and caught her collapsing body. She thrashed and screamed like a madwoman. Khalid watched with a smile, as if it were sweet music. Then, casually scanning the room, he started rummaging through an old dresser. Didier went even wilder, and I exhausted myself holding her back.
"C-Calm down! Just calm down!"
If she fell now, she'd crack her head and get a concussion for sure! Still gripping her, I shot Khalid a look. He ignored us completely, pulling out new magic stones and reagents from the drawers.
"Hold her a moment, Theodor. I need parts to fix my golem."
That's what this was about. I sighed, glancing at the shattered golem in the corner. Still, this witch really lived up to the rumors. To shatter one of Khalid's golems... And this one was the same golem I'd reinforced with eye lotus stems for stronger connections.
-Clank, clank!
-Crack! Crackle!
-Rumble!
"Wha—what?!"
The chains binding Didier rattled. She was crudely blasting her mana to break free.
Not on my watch.
I quickly cast [Plant Bind]. Thicker weeds and vines than before—thanks to my level-ups—sprouted and wrapped around her in an instant.
-Snap!!!!
The chains shattered, but fortunately, the weeds and vines held firm. The vines, infused with Linshaka's divine power, withstood the erupting mana better than expected.
"Damn it!"
Didier slumped, having already spent a ton of mana forming the dark space, fighting Khalid, and breaking the chains. I gently lowered her to the floor and checked for injuries—the snapped chains looked sharp.
"What the hell are you?"
She glared at me. I gave my usual answer.
"A druid."
She clearly didn't buy it. Her glare turned venomous, followed by a scoff.
"What kind of druid dreams 'those kinds' of dreams?"
"......"
"Tell me, druid."
"Where I grew up was unusual."
"A place paved with gray stone roads, filled with tall angular temples, iron carriages faster than dozens of horses, covered in indecipherable codes?"
"Yes."
"Ha! So you're from the East or something?"
Well, South Korea was in the East. Asia. Close enough.
"Could be."
"What?"
"I said, could be. I can't say for sure. Know South Korea? Korea."
"S-So-South what?"
"See? That's why I didn't mention it. Mages think they know everything. Isn't that too arrogant?"
"I received a share of Tondra's wisdom..."
"Even Tondra wouldn't know where South Korea is."
I'd bet my hand on it. Stunned by the unexpected retort, Didier stared at me in disbelief.
"There, I've answered your question. Your turn, Didier."
"......"
"You show people happy hallucinations they can't wake from, right? But what I saw was different. It was happy, sure. But..."
Why did the 'Crows' appear?
Was this witch in league with the Crows?
If so, cherished by Tondra or not, she'd have to be dealt with.
"Why did 'those things' attack me in the 'dream'?"
At my words, Didier's pale face flushed with anger.
"Are you toying with me?"
"...Pardon?"
"You summoned the Crows into the 'dream'!"
I froze, speechless, staring at her. She wasn't lying. Pure rage burned in her eyes—nothing else.
"There's a misunderstanding. I've never summoned Crows..."
"My dark space is perfect! But in your dream, those filthy things started crawling out. What are you, really? Hey, Khalid! Are you in with the Crows too, you bastard? Tondra won't forgive you...!"
"Didier."
I called her name in a low voice.
"I'm telling you clearly: I'm not with the Crows. Quite the opposite. Didn't you see? In the 'dream,' they attacked me."
"......"
"You saw me take down those impious bastards, right?"
Didier opened and closed her mouth, speechless. So she had seen.
That conversation confirmed it: she hated the Crows. I drew my dagger from my belt and began cutting the vines binding her.
"The point is, you don't know what interfered with your dark space either."
"My dark space is perfect..."
"If it was, the Crows couldn't have broken in."
"......"
"Let's figure out why this happened first."
Once the vines were fully cut, her ferocious energy vanished. Didier looked at me with a softened, confused expression.
"You..."
"Yes."
"What are you?"
"I told you, a druid."
I stood casually and helped her up. From behind, Khalid tsked as he repaired the golem.
"My companions will take a while to wake."
"......"
"Want to talk until then?"
I dragged over an old chair and table from the corner, then pulled simple snacks from my subspatial ring: cookies topped with moon persimmon jam. These were good. Warm milk would be perfect, but not the vibe right now. Cookies it is. I placed one in front of Didier and smiled faintly. Even back at the station, interrogations started with jajangmyeon. Fill the stomach first, then the words come.
"Why did you do this?"
Didier bit into the cookie, dazed.
-Crunch.
"Tell me what you know about the Crows."
-Crunch crunch.
And so, our long conversation began.
* * *
Suspicious figures had been entering the Silver Mountains for some time, climbers without sherpas. At first, Didier had just watched them silently.
But once they fell into the witch's cabin, things changed. The 'dreams' she glimpsed were filled with rotten minds and unfathomable darkness.
From then on, she began luring climbers into the cabin. She delved deep into their psyches, reading their souls. Mostly unreadable, tainted by darkness...
"So that's how you learned about the 'Crows.'"
"Yeah. Something they want is here."
"......"
I stroked my chin silently. That 'something' was probably...
'Earte's fragment.'
Had Didier been catching every Crow climber, preventing them from finding it?
If so, I needed to find Earte's fragment before them...
"Didier. Do you want to drive the Crows out of the Silver Mountains?"
"Of course."
"Then how about teaming up with us?"
"What?"
"I'm being hunted by the Crows too, for reasons I don't know. Seems I got on their nerves somehow."
"So because of you..."
"No. Not that. We decided to come here days ago. I didn't summon Crows to the Silver Mountains."
"......"
"I've killed Crows multiple times. If you want them gone from here..."
"Then?"
"No better choice than joining me."
Crunch. I popped the last moon persimmon jam cookie into my mouth and said it.