The Ash Witch, Selina

The crackle of the embers only deepened the surrounding silence. In the quiet, cozy atmosphere, I spoke softly with Charlotte.

Being human at heart, I still had an aversion to seeing blood. I wanted to resolve things peacefully if possible, so I expressed my desire to buy the girl for a fair price. But if that didn't work...

"I will obey."

With just a look, Charlotte had read my mind. Once our plan was set, she headed toward Gohan, who was fast asleep.

Since he had sharp night vision, his hearing was equally keen. A faint whisper drifted over.

"...I should be exempt from night watch."

"My master wishes to speak with you."

Gohan let out a long yawn and stretched. Perhaps he was just naturally laid-back, but he didn't ask any further questions and sat down across from me.

"What is it?"

"I'll get straight to the point. I want to buy your slave."

"My slave?"

While the two of us spoke, Charlotte scattered a purple powder among the sleeping crowd. It was sleep powder infused with mana. She was taking precautions in case anyone was pretending to sleep. Because Gohan was quite a distance away, he didn't notice a thing.

I pulled out a coin pouch I had prepared beforehand.

"Five gold coins. It is more than enough."

"And your reason?"

"My reason?"

"Your reason for wanting to buy my slave."

"Out of pity. Nothing more."

Gohan's brow furrowed.

"Pity? That slave isn't just a regular slave. She's a witch. Are you telling me you pity a witch?"

"Witches are human too."

"Ha! Look at the saint we have here. I have absolutely no intention of selling her."

With that, Gohan abruptly stood up. Watching his retreating back, I found myself in a dilemma.

Even in this world, slave brands existed. In a world where slave traders were legal and magic ran rampant, it was only natural. There were only two ways to erase a slave brand: the master willingly relinquishing ownership, or the master's death.

If this conversation dragged on, it would only lead to a loud argument. Although we had used sleep powder, a loud noise might still wake the others. There was no helping it.

"Charlotte."

The moment the word left my mouth—

"—!"

A surge of mana pierced the back of his neck, and at the same time, I covered his mouth. Gohan died instantly, unable to let out even a single gasp.

"..."

Looking at the corpse, I felt no real remorse. I had already fully rationalized it to myself. Gohan was human scum who abused a little girl. And, just as he had said, he might have eventually become a knight who threatened my dungeon. It wasn't a perfect justification, but that was why it was called a 'rationalization'.

I looked at Charlotte and gave her a hand signal, pointing to where the girl was sleeping. Understanding me perfectly, Charlotte woke the girl and brought her over. The girl stood before me, devoid of emotion, like a doll.

"What is your name?"

"..."

"Can you not speak?"

"..."

No wonder she hadn't uttered a single word in the carriage. It didn't seem like physical mutism; it was likely selective mutism. Seeing how she had been abused, I couldn't think of any other cause besides a psychological block.

After double-checking that everyone else was sound asleep, I took off my helmet. The girl flinched slightly. Even her level indicator instantly dyed pitch black.

I had only taken it off as a gesture of trust, but perhaps I shouldn't have.

"Do not be afraid, child. I bear no ill will. On the contrary, I wish to help you."

Rumble—

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of her growling stomach.

"Charlotte."

"Yes."

As expected, she was quick on the uptake. Charlotte gently offered a piece of jerky, and after a moment of hesitation, the girl accepted it. For her to lower her guard like this, she must have been incredibly hungry.

"She is a witch too. One of the few people who can truly empathize with your pain. So, you can ease your guard."

The girl nibbled on the jerky and nodded. Hmm. Surprisingly fast progress. I had been worried she might panic and lose her mind, so this was a relief.

"I know a place where you can be safe. A cabin where witches live. It should be comfortable for you among your own kind."

Having finished the piece of jerky, the girl nodded again. She didn't look like she had given up on life. It was impressive how calmly she listened and agreed to my words. Perhaps she had a bit of an unusual streak herself.

"Until we get there, we will protect you. Do not worry. And Charlotte."

"Yes."

Charlotte pulled out a whole bundle of jerky and handed it to the girl. It looked like she had given her almost everything we brought.

"Did you leave any for yourself to eat?"

"I am fine."

She really was surprisingly sweet to everyone except humans. And since jerky wasn't our only food source, it was heartwarming to see her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠take such good care of the starving child.

Perhaps the girl had opened her heart just a little, because she went and sat on Charlotte's lap. She continued to nibble on the jerky in her embrace.

Wait. I was the one who persuaded her, so why is she clinging to Charlotte?

Ah, well.

Even to a child, a Death Knight's face must be the absolute height of terror. Trust or not, it was bound to be frightening. I had simply been short-sighted. My terrifying appearance aside, Charlotte being a fellow witch definitely played a part. Or maybe it was just because Charlotte was the one who gave her the jerky.

While I put my helmet back on, Charlotte used necromancy to turn Gohan into an undead. I wondered if she was doing it to bolster our forces, but that didn't seem to be the case.

Thwack!

Charlotte threw a punch straight into Gohan's face. That punch was only the beginning; she proceeded to kick him, poke his eyes, and unleash a barrage of violence.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

...I could feel the absolute sincerity in every single blow. I guess she had really taken his comments in the carriage to heart.

Having finally finished using him as a punching bag to vent her anger, Charlotte looked down at the girl.

"You may hit him as much as you like. By the way, this is his weak spot."

"..."

Thwack!

Without a moment's hesitation, the girl threw a straight punch. Right into Gohan's groin. What a wonderful thing to teach a child.

The next morning dawned.

"Oh dear..."

"Sir Gohan did this for us..."

"Alas... to be bitten by a zombie of all things."

Gohan's body was found in the forest, surrounded by the corpses of zombies and ghouls. To any onlooker, the cause of death was clearly a desperate struggle against the undead.

Sir Gohan, who had fought to the death against a horde of undead in the middle of the night to protect everyone. The mercenary group offered a silent prayer before his body. Although it was a hassle, they decided to dig a grave and hold a simple funeral.

One of the merchants was a devout believer, and he recited the necessary passages for the burial. After everyone offered their prayers, the ceremony concluded with a brief eulogy. Gohan's body was buried in the pit alongside Charlotte's useless undead. Gohan would be remembered in everyone's hearts as a noble knight.

And with that, the perfect crime was complete.

An unspoken consensus formed that the girl was now my slave. Everyone agreed that since she was originally a knight's property, it was only right for another knight to take her. In truth, that was just a convenient excuse; they were all simply walking on eggshells around me.

After packing up the camp, the caravan set off once more. From then on, the journey was entirely uneventful. Since we were on a well-guarded main road, there were no bandits, nor were there any monster attacks. Even the suspicion I had worried ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about most never materialized.

During this time, Charlotte took care of the girl with utmost devotion. Seeing them look like a pair of close sisters warmed my heart. Later, when Charlotte tried to give her a name—knowing her terrible naming sense—I stepped in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and named her 'Elin' instead. Occasionally, I would wave to a bat (Isabella) perched in the trees, and just like that, nine days passed without incident.

Whoosh—

A biting, razor-sharp wind swept over us. Of course, since I couldn't feel the cold, that was merely an aesthetic observation. According to the others, the drop in temperature was a clear sign that we were nearing the Margraviate.

Atop the majestic wall, patrolling soldiers could be seen. Once we passed through those gates, if my identity were to be discovered, I wouldn't even have bones left to bury. That was why I had prepared a plan beforehand.

"You're getting off here?"

"Yes."

Right before the inspection checkpoint of the Margraviate, I abruptly announced my departure. To the merchants, this must have made absolutely no sense. Why not just go through the inspection together comfortably and then go our separate ways? That was undoubtedly what they were thinking.

"I see an acquaintance waiting in the queue behind us."

"Ah... I see."

They didn't try to hold us back or pry further, making for a clean break. The three of us stepped down from the carriage without any lingering regrets.

Once we alighted, our field of vision was instantly filled with a sea of people. The area was packed to the brim with travelers waiting for inspection, and if we weren't careful, we could easily lose each other.

"It's crowded enough to get lost in. Charlotte, hold Elin's hand tightly and don't let go."

Charlotte held Elin's hand firmly and followed closely behind me like a baby bird. We pushed through the crowd, walking in the opposite direction of the flow. To bypass the Margraviate and head toward the Frozen Lands, we first had to break through this sea of people.

"Boss."

I merely turned my head at the sound of Charlotte's voice from behind.

"Could I not get lost as well?"

"..."

What, did she want me to hold her hand too? Looking closely, her free hand was indeed fidgeting. I stopped for a moment and stared at her in silence. Unable to bear my gaze, Charlotte quickly hid herself in the crowd. I couldn't tell if it was from the cold, but I distinctly saw her face turn bright red.

Immediately after bypassing the Margraviate wall and entering the Frozen Lands, an intense cold unlike anything we had experienced before unfolded. Biting winds and blizzards raged in all directions, and the only things in sight were snowdrifts and birch trees.

At first glance, it was reminiscent of the Siberian wilderness, but beyond the snow lay the monsters of the extreme cold. Because it was a place where humans could never survive and monsters swarmed, it was called an uncharted land, then an unexplorable land, and finally, the Frozen Lands.

"Phew—I should really stop turning into a bat. I've lived as a bat for almost ten days straight."

Upon our arrival in the Frozen Lands, Isabella reverted to her original form. As expected of a Level 88, she seemed completely unfazed by the freezing cold. Charlotte was equally serene, despite wearing nothing but a wool coat. She was able to easily regulate her body temperature by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠warming the mana inside her.

Elin's shivering had also subsided, thanks to Charlotte's warming magic.

"By the way, Boss. Are you planning to bring this kid to the Tomb of Faith as well?"

At Isabella's question, Charlotte also stared at me intently. Perhaps she had grown attached to the girl over the past few days, as her eyes held a desperate hope.

Well, I had indeed thought about recruiting not just Elin, but also the Ash Witch and the other witches in the cabin. Witches possessed an innate, genius talent for magic. To live up to the reputation of the Mugan 7 Palaces, shouldn't I bolster our forces?

"I'll think about it."

We could worry about that later. For now, finding the Ash Witch's cabin was our top priority. Not just for Elin's sake, but also to locate the ancient dungeon. The Ash Witch knows the location of the dungeon's signpost. In other words, the witch's cabin was the signpost to find the signpost.

Finding the ancient dungeon's signpost in this vast, empty wasteland was no easy task. However, with Charlotte here, finding the witch's cabin would be a breeze.

The Frozen Lands, where a monster wave swept through once a year. Setting up a home in the middle of such a place was like living on the edge of a cliff. Naturally, one had to make preparations against monster attacks.

"As I mentioned, search for mana."

"Yes."

To completely hide her cabin, the Ash Witch had cast a barrier based on perception-disrupting magic. Since it was a barrier, a higher-class mage would be able to detect it. Charlotte's mana search covered an area that stretched far beyond our field of vision. Ironically, the barrier actually made it much easier to find.

The monsters we encountered along the way were nothing but minor small fry. Treating it as a bit of light farming, I dispatched them with a simple click of my Holy Sword as we pressed forward. About an hour had passed.

"I found it."

Charlotte turned and walked to the right. We followed behind her, and before long, our steps came to a halt.

"It is just ahead."

At first glance, there was nothing but empty air. Isabella waved her hand around, but she grasped nothing. It was as if she was personally demonstrating just how well-made the barrier was.

"There is no need to break it."

At my words, Charlotte tilted her head slightly. Before she could ask, I continued.

"Release your innate dark mana."

The innate dark mana of a witch. If Charlotte's dark mana touched the barrier, the Ash Witch would realize her visitor was a fellow witch. The Ash Witch possessed a blind, unconditional affection for her own kind. After all, if the player was a witch, she would act as a helper NPC, even assisting in the conquest of the Grave of the Ancient Dragon.

Without any suspicion, Charlotte reached out into the empty air and released her dark mana. The reaction was instantaneous.

Shhh—

The cabin, which initially appeared like a shimmering mirage, soon fully revealed itself. Charlotte blinked in surprise. She then cast a questioning glance at me, to which I simply nodded and gestured with my chin.

"Go ahead."

First impressions were always crucial. It would be far less alarming for fellow witches to meet first, so it was better for Charlotte to knock on the door.

Knock, knock.

The moment Charlotte knocked—

Creak!

The door flew open as if she had been waiting, and a witch with ash-gray hair appeared.

"You're a witch too, aren't you?"

The Ash Witch, Selina. Unlike Charlotte, she was a witch with a bright, warm smile. However, strangely enough, the moment she laid eyes on Charlotte, that smile began to fade.

Naturally, my gaze shifted to Charlotte. There really must have been something, as a look of shock pierced through Charlotte's usual expressionless facade.

"Charlotte? Is that... is that really you, Charlotte?"

Holy crap. They know each other?

Without warning, Selina threw her arms around Charlotte, hugging her tightly. It happened so suddenly that my train of thought couldn't keep up. I didn't know the details, but they clearly shared a deep bond. Otherwise, they wouldn't be embracing like this.

"...So you guided me here knowing all of this."

My mind went completely blank at Charlotte's words as she turned her head to look at me. No, wait, I did what?