Act 0. Exiles Under the Moonlight (6)

To ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reach the imperial palace, we had to pass through several checkpoints: the Red Magic Tower, the Blue Magic Tower, and the Imperial Knights. Even taking the most covert route, the easiest path was still straight through these three.

Before ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠crossing the checkpoints, the witches met their allies. Elves wielding swords, elves with bows, and even dark elves skilled in assassination. Of course, they were all stunningly beautiful or handsome.

"I don't like cooperating with humans much... but let's fight together just this once."

"Please take care of us today."

"We already know the plan. Let's head out right away."

"Keep in mind, we don't want any casualties on our side if possible."

"...Tch, got it. Let's go."

The witches, elf archers, and dark elf assassins vanished in an instant, while the elf knights, me, Asella, Priscilla, and a few other witches pressed forward.

"Hold on, before we go."

The elves approached me and bestowed the spirits' blessings.

'...These buffs are insane.'

"You said you're the key to this plan. These blessings will let you go even wilder."

"Thank you."

Thanks to the witches' passive skill that boosted all stats at night and the spirits' blessings, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my current stats were way beyond my level range.

"Alright, let's move."

We knew the numbers weren't in our favor, so the witches aimed to avoid combat as much as possible, while the elves provided rear support to prevent fights from breaking out.

"The witches have appeared!!!"

"Quick, report to the higher-ups!!"

Of course, we couldn't dodge the gaze of all those guards, so we ended up in a skirmish at the first checkpoint, the Red Magic Tower.

I drew my sword and charged straight into the heart of the enemy lines.

"Wh-what the hell?! Take that one out first!!"

'Hoo, stay calm.'

The Red Magic Tower specialized in fire magic. Soon, several fireballs came flying my way.

'One, two, three.'

Shwaaa—!

"Wh-what?!"

Two fireballs were sliced by my sword and scattered without a trace. The Red Magic Tower mages panicked at the unfamiliar sight.

The fireballs reversed course, hurtling back toward the Red Magic Tower mages.

"Deploy shields!"

"Not happening."

I slipped behind the mages trying to cast shields and began my incantation.

The Illusory Dream series—I hadn't used it since the Paradise of No Heaven—but nothing instilled fear in enemies quite like it.

"Gaaahhh!!!!"

The butterflies spun rapidly, shredding the mages in a whirlwind. They collapsed, bodies mangled, consciousness lost.

"Wh-what the hell is that..."

To utterly break the enemy's will, I needed an overwhelming performance. My purple eyes burned darkly as I formed a sinister smile, radiating dominance.

"P-please spare me..."

"H-heck... what is that..."

The remaining mages knelt, bowing their heads or trembling in terror until they passed out. I casually stepped past the broken mages.

"...No wonder you're so confident."

Priscilla approached, having casually slammed the Red Magic Tower Master face-first into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the ground, brushing off her hands. The tower master twitched on the floor, head buried.

"...You didn't kill him, right?"

"Oh my, what do you take me for?"

Seemed like he was alive. It reminded me once again that Priscilla was the hero of the Great War and the first Grand Witch.

Red Magic Tower, cleared. Zero casualties on our side, zero on theirs.

...

The Blue Magic Tower specialized in water and ice. As we approached, they were already battle-ready, having heard the news.

"Kill the suspicious intruders!!!"

"Suspicious my ass."

I slashed through the massive ice chunks flying at us and sent them back.

"Kuh?! Dispel magic?!"

My role was to infiltrate the enemy center and wreak havoc.

Sparks began crackling over the mages' bodies, jumping between them to form massive electricity.

Kwajijijik—!!!

Blinding flashes erupted everywhere, and from within one emerged a witch, Noel, strolling casually.

I could have killed the mages if I wanted, but there was no need. Our goal was just to etch ourselves into their memories. Stirring up too much enmity might provoke a full retaliation, no matter the cost.

Mages lay fallen, pierced by elf arrows. As expected from late-game elves, their skills were top-notch.

With the enemy lines already shattered by me, my role now was supporting to ensure zero casualties on our side.

'Whoa... this is pumped.'

Witches and elves fighting side by side. An alliance between humans and elves, forged by their common enemy: the mages.

"All clear?"

"Yes... whew."

Behind Priscilla, something presumed to be the Blue Magic Tower Master was buried in the ground.

"...You didn't actually kill him, right?"

"...Nay. He lives."

Priscilla wiped blood from her hands and handed me a vial of purple liquid.

"...What's this?"

"A potion to maximize curse power. Drink it when things get tough."

"Oh... thank you."

A potion handmade by the first Grand Witch. I checked its info.

'...It lets me use Greater Curse?'

I'd previewed Greater Curse during my third job change, so I knew the gap from regular curses. Enabling it was huge, but the flat 50% boost to curse damage and efficiency was insane.

'Sigh... too bad it disappears after the quest.'

I wanted to save it for reality, but no dice.

'Gotta use it at the end, then.'

Anyway, Blue Magic Tower, cleared. Zero casualties on our side, two on theirs—elf mishaps, probably fine.

'...Mishaps, right?'

Seeing the elves approach, grinning over the downed mages, made me doubt it.

Priscilla restored the collapsed buildings, and we headed for the palace.

...

The final checkpoint before the palace: Imperial Knights HQ. The empire's top archmage, Hera, floated in the sky. The other knight orders were geared for battle.

With almost no mages left, the dispel effect on my sword would see little use.

But.

'Judgment calls are tricky.'

As expected, Hera began prepping a wipeout spell on us all.

"Lady Priscilla, ready."

"I know."

Casting complete, the familiar catastrophe reappeared.

The sky split open, meteors raining down on us.

A dream veil shielded us. I leaped into the air, charging the meteors.

"...What an idiot."

"Challenging archmagic? Even moths don't do that..."

"Use it."

Priscilla's dress dispel and my sword's enchant. With dispel active, I swung at the meteors.

Sslash—!

The massive meteors vanished like butter, three sliced clean.

"...What the..!"

"Is that even possible?!"

Noel grinned and dove downward, pointing her sword at the knight cluster, murmuring low.

"-Release."

At 80% power, it was still archmagic. Even 50% could level a building.

The huge meteor plummeted toward the knights.

"Can't block it!!! Run!!!"

The knights scattered desperately. Those left behind were mopped up by elf knights and archers.

Boom—!!!

"Clever idea. Well done."

Priscilla praised Noel and leaped upward toward the furious Hera, robbed of her spell.

"What the hell is that guy?! Not even a Grand Witch, how..!"

Priscilla smiled at Hera.

"What else? You're beholding a monster never seen in this world."

...

We breached the palace proper, facing elite knights superior to the outer guards. The knight captain was a Swordmaster.

But we had one too.

"Failos, handle this."

"...Yeah. Leave it to me."

Failos, the elf warrior leader who'd brought the elves—a rare continental Swordmaster.

"You think I'll let you reach His Majesty—!!!"

"Not a chance. You're facing me."

The knight captain blocking us was Failos's mark. Only about 100 elite knights remained in our path.

"This ends here."

I downed Priscilla's potion immediately. Power surged through my body.

"Haa... this is it."

Purple smoke billowed from my mouth as I smiled happier than ever.

"Ah, wanted to try this."

At my words, black sludge formed under the knights, their feet sinking in.

"Ryouiki Tenkai."

I murmured a famous anime line with a smile.

"What is this?! Wait..!"

The knights, unaware of witches' powers since we'd hidden them, were defenseless. They sank to their torsos, heads barely above the immovable floor.

"Guh... you bastards..!"

Unable to do more than speak through open mouths, I knocked them out one by one. We headed for the emperor.

The emperor cowered behind his throne, trembling. Me and the witches behind advanced on it.

"It's over, Emperor."

"How dare you insult me like this..! Eek..?!"

Aim swords and bows at the clueless emperor, and he curled up shaking.

"No one's left to protect you. Revoke the witch extermination order now. And swear it."

"O-okay! I'll swear, just put that sword away..."

A life-binding contract. One senior witch had the skill, so I slowly wrote the terms.

"First, the basics. Recognize witches as a group. Proclaim it officially. Fail, and you die."

"Second, to prevent backlash. Harm witches in any way, you die."

"Third, fix the magic towers' issues. Guarantee commoners and peasants the right to learn there. Refuse, you die."

"Fourth, break this contract, and you'll die as a ghost, killing your own children with your hands."

"Fifth, this holds for 100 years. Violations extend the effect 100 years."

"...O-okay. Give it here."

The emperor signed. The contract ignited, imprinting on his heart.

"Whew... it's done."

The witches cheered, elves satisfied with vengeance, departing one by one.

"This is the happy ending."