The Witch of Oblivion (2)
The Witch of Oblivion, Leticia. Her eyes were as empty as a still lake. In contrast, Selena’s gaze as she glared at Leticia was filled with murderous intent.
……There was no need to say who it was directed at.
Whoosh!
Selena’s sword sliced through the empty air where Leticia had been standing. It was truly in the blink of an eye. But Leticia had already slipped away in an instant—
Pop!
She had vanished like a ghost, only to reappear with me on the upper floor—completely out of Selena’s reach. Then she casually placed the bound me on her lap and flashed a bright smile toward Selena.
I felt like a captured prisoner. Leticia began to toy with me as if she found the whole thing amusing. She twirled my hair around her fingers, hugged me tightly from behind on purpose—her actions were neither witch-like nor knightly, and the killing intent in Selena’s eyes grew even thicker.
I nodded desperately, but it was useless. Leticia, still holding me like a doll, looked at Selena and spoke.
…….
Whoosh!Leticia swung the staff in her hand. As if they had been waiting for it, the skeleton soldiers rose to their feet. There were far more of them than when they had faced me. Had they judged Selena to be that much more threatening?
Indeed, Selena’s sword strikes looked powerful enough to make even a witch flinch. If only that sword could reach her again…!
When I clenched my fists and trembled, Leticia whispered into my ear.
I had become the witch’s complete plaything. Bound by shadows, I couldn’t even struggle. All I could do was watch Selena fighting desperately, surrounded by monsters.
Slash!
Gwoooaaar…!
The only relief was that Selena was handling them skillfully. With Angelica and the soldiers joining in, dealing with the skeleton soldiers didn’t seem all that difficult.
Angelica’s commanding presence as she directed the soldiers in perfect order was also impressive. As expected of a noble lady, she overflowed with charisma. Her swordsmanship was nearly on par with Selena’s, and she was cutting down the skeleton soldiers one after another.
But then—
The soldiers began losing their memories one by one. It was Leticia’s terrifying trap called “Oblivion.” Was there any way to break it?
Janice, who had seemed to know something, was still slumped on the floor….
…….
……!
At that moment, my eyes met Janice’s golden ones. Strangely, even Leticia—who seemed to see through everything—hadn’t noticed that Janice and I had locked eyes.
Janice gave me a small nod, then began muttering again like someone who had lost their mind.
I recalled what Janice had said when she handed me the coin.
‘Throw this at the moment you think is most advantageous.’
‘For the enemy? Or for us?’
‘Obviously for us.’
‘Will a moment like that even come…?’
It was suspicious in many ways, but I decided to trust Janice’s shady nature and information network. When I had sensed her with gigaam, she hadn’t felt like a bad person….
……!
I flinched involuntarily at Leticia’s sudden words.
?
Leticia smiled ominously. Once again, she swung the staff embedded with a massive crystal orb.
And at that moment—
Whoosh!
Flames erupted from the center of the plaza. The very flames I had seen clearly with these two eyes once before. Should I call them beautiful, or terrifying?
Before I knew it, I was recalling the final moments of my previous life.
…….
The Knight of Scarlet Flame. The image of that person’s armor wrapped in flames rose vividly in my mind. And that image became reality, now standing in Selena’s way.
It was dangerous. But even the voice trying to shout that warning wouldn’t come out. Leticia simply giggled like an evil witch as she watched me.
She was the mastermind behind all of this, yet she watched on like someone enjoying a show from across the river.
Even then, I was fidgeting with the coin inside my pocket.
‘Just when…!’
Would a truly advantageous moment ever come?
Before long, the red knight wrapped in flames had reached Selena. Angelica’s soldiers were helpless against the approaching inferno. One by one, they screamed and scrambled into the corners.
At the soldiers’ words, Angelica puffed out her chest and shouted.
Angelica’s dignified voice echoed through the plaza. Perhaps surprised by the sight, even Leticia let out a murmur of admiration.
As Leticia stared intently at Angelica, I began thrashing wildly on her lap. Of course, I was immediately restrained by the shadows again.
Leticia said so and released the shadow covering my mouth.
"Haaah!"
I breathed in fresh—well, relatively stale—air. The moment I inhaled, it felt like Leticia was observing me closely, but I pretended not to notice and looked down at the plaza.
Roar!
"Haa… haa……."
"Selena…!"
I could see Selena locked in a fierce battle with the Knight of Flames. Angelica followed close behind, supporting her. They were somehow managing to keep the surrounding skeletons from approaching Selena.
But—
Whoosh!
If that really was the Knight of Scarlet Flame from my memories, even Selena would eventually be overwhelmed. The red flames that had swept across battlefields. Scarlet Flame. The image of the knight swinging his sword while wrapped in those flames was still vivid.
Could Selena truly withstand that knight’s blade?
Clang!
But surprisingly—
……!
Selena wasn’t being pushed back at all against the Knight of Scarlet Flame. No—in fact, she was toying with the knight using far quicker movements. She occasionally grimaced as if in pain, but after glancing up at me once, she swung her sword again. It was as if she was desperately trying not to forget.
Seeing that, I could only mutter quietly.
"……Selena."
Even Leticia murmured in amazement. She gently stroked my head, then began whispering into my ear.
……!
Grind. I clenched my fist at Leticia’s words. Then I spat out a curse.
Treating us as resources rather than mere pawns. Was this the true, wicked nature of a witch?
Leticia whispered in an excited voice, as if she were completely absorbed in something.
……?
Leticia looked back and forth between me and Melissa. In that instant, a chill ran down my spine.
The one person both Melissa and I knew in common. Someone who might be even stronger than the Knight of Scarlet Flame in my memories—most likely.
Without realizing it, I thought of someone and squeezed my eyes shut.
Leticia slowly raised her staff. At the same time, a dark crimson energy began rising from the center of the plaza. The manifested Knight of Scarlet Flame, Selena, Angelica—everyone turned to look at it in horror.
They must have all sensed it instinctively.
Step.
Step.
From within the thick, fog-like darkness, a knight clad in black armor slowly walked out.