Serving Witch, Doksayeon
Only Doksayeon knew. And she had believed it would stay that way forever. But when that secret was dragged into the light, her pupils trembled harder than ever.
“H-how... how do you know...?”
“Awakening's like that. But your experience doesn't look like zombie kills. And it seems true you never left the house.”
*Cough, cough.*
“Then you killed a person.”
“What do you... ”
“Want me to spell it out? You might get through the whole explanation before you croak.”
“.....”
“Yeah, we're both pinching pennies on time here. Let's keep it simple. So, answer? You killed, right?”
She squeezed her eyes shut and murmured.
“...I... I did kill. But it wasn't murder...”
“Huh?”
“She got hit by a car... She was gonna die anyway.”
*Grit.*
“No meds. No ambulance. Outside's a shitshow... So. So...”
*Cough, cough.*
“...She was gonna die anyway. Wasting away in agony... gonna die—!”
Squeeze.
“...I just put her out of her misery.”
Words are mysterious things—saying it out loud, it almost felt like her roommate's dying pulse was still throbbing in her palm.
“Ha—, so self-righteous, but why the bullshit?”
“...What...?”
“Whether you killed your roommate or hacked her up and boiled her for dinner, I don't give a fuck. ‘Put out of her misery’? Doesn't that sound kinda pathetic even to you?”
*Snicker.*
“It was to make your life easier, not hers.”
“No... *cough*. No! ...No, it's not.”
“It is. Ah, I'm not judging, so no need to get all embarrassed. I get it. Summer heat. The dying bitch whining nonstop. Better dump her before the bugs come swarming, right?”
“.....”
“Bonus: saves the food stash at home.”
*Flinch.*
“Hmm, traffic accident's dubious anyway. Whatever. That's not what I want from you.”
Doksayeon killing her roommate? Zero fucks given. Unless the roommate had tits as massive as hers—hell, I'd have been disappointed if she hadn't.
“Anyway, you killed your roommate, confirmed?”
*Nod...*
“Good. See how nice it is to stick to the truth.”
*Roar.*
*Cough cough...*
“That's settled. Next.”
*Flip flip.*
“Spit it out quick. Something's gotta be there.”
“Th-that... doctor, I killed the doctor. Ran into him at the hospital... Wanted to live... Afraid you'd abandon me...”
“Yeah? Got it. Next?”
“N-next?”
“Not that small-time shit. Your real fuckup.”
“Y-yes...? *cough*, ack.. *cough*...!”
She was struggling to stay lucid amid the thickening smoke.
“Ah...! I... betrayed you, Master. You said don't run, but *cough*—I betrayed you. To the others...”
“Not wrong. But not what I wanna hear.”
“Y-yes...? Then...”
“Playing dumb? Or actually clueless?”
“Sorry, *cough*, sorry. I really don't... *cough*... know.”
“Hah. Fine. I'll spell it. Your real sin...”
*Grin.*
“Daring to think those pathetic shits were stronger than me.”
“Ah...?”
She couldn't comprehend my words. Not from the smoke fogging her brain—my mindset was just beyond her grasp from the start.
Doksayeon still didn't get it, but...
“Y-yes... I, I dared... think those worthless trash were stronger... When you're a hundred, a thousand times stronger. I, misjudged... badly.”
*Cough, cough.*
“Please forgive my idiotic judgment.”
...She just begged. Purely to survive.
“Whew~, no helping it. Fine. Forgiven.”
“Tha, nk. *cough*. You.. *cough*.”
She figured forgiveness meant I'd douse the flames, untie her. Wishful thinking or expectation—who knows.
“Then say it. You'll be my slave.”
“I'll be... your slave...”
“Forever at my side, working only for me.”
“Forever at your side... only for you *cough cough*. I'll work.”
“If I say die, you die.”
“...!”
“Why hesitate on that?”
“No! If you say die.. I'll die...!”
“Yeah yeah. So easy when you obey. Right?”
*Nod nod nod nod...*
“...Huh?”
“...?”
Suddenly he tilted his head, staring at me.
“What. No window popping up?”
“...Window? What...?”
“Hmm. Not triggering?”
I clapped. Lightly. Way too lightly to pronounce her death sentence.
*Clap.*
“Okay. Was nice. Bye forever.”
Then I turned and headed back to the police station.
“Eh...?”
Her eyes bulged impossibly wide, brain short-circuiting on reality.
He's really leaving...?
Played like a toy. Never meant to save her. Betrayal twisted her face into demonic rage.
“You bastard—!”
“You said you'd save me! You promised!”
“I did everything you asked!”
“What did I. I. Do wrong. *Cough cough*. What!”
What had she done so wrong? She just wanted to live. World was fucked. No cops to judge, no judges for right/wrong. All dead.
So she fought to live...
Isn't it fine to do anything to survive...?
What did I do wrong? Why me specially to die...?
You'd do the same...
“You monster—!”
You did worse, stone-faced. Why only me die?
Wait, die...?
“No... No, *cough cough*. No, no. No—!”
Wrong. Really wrong. Didn't know... Yeah, ignorance.
Didn't know you were that strong. Would've never if known. If you'd explained proper, never happened.
Right. Not my fault. All yours. I did nothing wrong. Zero!
“Please.. *hic*... spare me.. *sob*...”
*Roar.*
“Aaaah—!”
Flames licked her toes. Brain blank on options, vision tunneling... Me, gone.
Doksayeon finally admitted it.
“Ah...”
I die like this...
Pathetic dump. Alone, unseen. Those monsters? Zombie chow, no funeral.
Pathetic... *Urk.*
If dying like this...
Should've lived free. Life sucked. Daily grind filthy. Everything revolting.
Helping others? Saving lives? Joyless. Hated nursing.
Fake smiles through harassment? No.
Dawn shifts for whinier-than-babies patients? Fuck no.
Pillow-smother. Home early, chug beer, crash.
But didn't.
No, couldn't!
Parents drilled it. Helping = harmony = happiness. God watches, heavenly rewards. Brainwashed too long.
Heaven? Never truly believed. Injustice made me cling maybe. Now? Locked out.
Lived good. Till apocalypse at least. Purgatory redo...!
Reborn. Then real freedom.
Gouge leering eyes with fork. Slice filthy tongues, grill 'em, throat-stuff.
Right/wrong? Irrelevant. Want to. Live wild. No job. Beer. Popcorn binge. Happy...
...Happy? Never tried.
But no regrets like now. Even if not...
You... that free monster looked so liberated.
Enviable. Next life, like you. Must, absolutely like you... free...
*Cough, cough... *sob*...*
“Don't wanna die...”
Not wait maybe-next-life. Want this one now. Free world, be me...!
Want to live...
*Grit.*
“I'll be your slave… Fuck— whatever—!”
Lick feet? Spread legs? Bear your brats? Hundred, thousand. Take my karma, reincarnation, heaven ticket! Fine, you fuck...!
*Cough, cough.*
“Please spare me...”
Witch's Special Potion
Burnt Recipe Book
Hunting Revenge
1st Fluid Extraction (Passive)
Owner's Physician (Passive)
Slave Contract (Active)
Owner's Duty (Passive)
Misaligned Declaration → Aligned Declaration
Messages flooded her already narrowing vision. Like when she'd justified killing her roommate—“put out of misery,” no, murder—vowing to survive no matter what. Similar yet different text.
The biggest difference? This.
Do you wish for Doomsday Aptitude Cheongun to become your master?
Doomsday Aptitude, huh... Fitting last thought, Doksayeon nodded and bowed her head.