Trial (3): Sonia's Capture and the Mukbang Witch
Indiscriminate bombardment turned the spot where Sonia stood into a thick cloud of smoke.
"White!! Stop it! At this rate, we won't be able to find out where Rose is!!"
Carmine, who had leaped out from the spectator seats in the meantime. Most of the witches in the stands hadn't evacuated yet, but the witches assisting the trial had cast protective magic, enveloping the spectator area in a blue barrier.
At Carmine's shout, White began to calm her rage and halt the bombardment. Still, her eyes remained fixed on where Sonia was.
As the smoke gradually cleared, a human silhouette emerged, and with a gust of wind, Sonia appeared completely unscathed.
Grind— Seeing her look so leisurely, White unconsciously ground her teeth.
"Impressive. Such tremendous firepower. If you hadn't absorbed the mana of the Heavenly Spear God, I'd have been done for."
"No more hiding it, huh. Sonia."
"Yes, I figured you'd already pieced it together."
"As expected, Big Sis Rose was right."
"Oh? Did Rose say something about me?"
"She said good elves get beaten, and bad elves don't."
"......"
"And among them, you're the irredeemable leaf-wrapper bitch who deserves a beating no matter what."
"Pfft!"
Carmine, who had been listening to the exchange from the side, shook with barely suppressed laughter.
Sonia's temple twitched at the sight, but after a deep breath, she returned to her usual composure.
"Hoo... Fine, whatever. That woman's foul mouth is nothing new. But aren't you curious? Where Rose is."
The mood shifted instantly as Sonia dropped the names of their big sister and close friend.
Seeing their reactions, Sonia smirked, convinced they'd fallen into her rhythm, looking utterly relaxed.
"If you want to know... you know?"
White grimaced and clicked her tongue, and the drones surrounding Sonia retreated back into White's subspace.
Sonia's mana, floating in the air, reacted violently once more, and the remaining witches in the plaza focused on her, bracing for secondary damage.
Everyone assumed it was an attack spell, but White thought differently.
'Teleport?!'
Sonia was gathering mana not for an attack, but for a transfer spell.
White hurriedly summoned the drones again to prepare another assault, but Sonia flashed a triumphant smile.
"Too late."
A transfer magic circle inscribed itself around Sonia just as the spell activated.
'...?'
Sensing an ominous vibe, Sonia whipped around. Her elven mana detection had saved her from countless crises before, but this time, the window was too narrow to react.
Shing—!!!
"Kyaaah...!!"
Sonia's barrier, unmoved by White's bombardment, shattered like glass as something unidentified pierced her shoulder.
Crippled by the unexpected strike, Sonia plummeted into the central plaza. The other witches, caught off guard, could only stare blankly.
"Lady White!! Lady Carmine!!"
A woman dashed into the chaotic plaza. Her chest, bigger than her head, bounced wildly, making it look exhausting. It was none other than Luine Asphodel.
Snapping to their senses, White and Carmine were startled by her sudden arrival.
"Luine? Didn't you run away?"
"Yes! Lady Carmine helped me... But looks like it's already over."
"Yeah, we don't really know what... uh."
White finally glanced up at where Sonia had been—and there hovered a massive red greatsword the size of an adult woman, exuding ferocious demonic energy, as if ready to annihilate everyone present. Its blood-red hue matched its wielder's hair.
"Dainsleif? No way... Big Sis Red...?"
"Yes, actually... After I escaped, I contacted her through the communication orb."
"You did, Luine?"
"Well done, Luine. We nearly let her slip away."
With the situation clear, the witches on stage began restraining the fallen Sonia, while the floating red greatsword streaked back the way it came, leaving a crimson afterimage in the night sky.
Carmine let out a long sigh.
"Haa... She sends only her 'precious' even after getting the call... Red's thoughts are impossible to read."
"Don't say that, Lady Carmine. Lady Red helped us despite being busy."
"Luine, even in this situation, defending your future sister-in-law? I'm a bit hurt."
"Y-Yes?! N-No! I... I just... um."
Luine flushed and shook her head at Carmine's unexpected words. White felt a pang of complicated emotions, but help was help.
"Luine, anyway... thanks for coming as a witness. Really grateful."
"N-No, Lady White. Of course I'd help."
"But White, why did you call Luine? We didn't need a witness for today's trial."
"...Actually, there was another trial today. Luine was the witness for that."
Nihilum's trials are held only under the full moon. In Triia, the moon symbolizes power and truth, with legends saying its energy empowers judgments. White had awaited this once-a-month chance more than anyone.
But the venue was now a battlefield. Continuing was impossible.
White squeezed her eyes shut, gathered her thoughts, and approached the subdued Sonia. The binding spell from earlier held firm this time; Sonia ground her teeth, unable to break free.
"Urgh...!! What the hell?! Why won't the magic...!!"
"Dainsleif's power. You can't use mana without Big Sis Red's permission now."
"...? What do you...!!"
"So spill it. Where's Big Sis Rose? I'll ask Red to at least let you use your mana again."
"......I don't know."
"You really...!!"
"I really don't!! Before I could do anything, Rose used that magic tool you made and escaped!!"
"...What?"
The magic tool Sonia mentioned was the 'emergency escape device' White had given her sister as insurance against threats. It should have teleported straight to White's workshop—but it hadn't.
Sonia was lying. Unable to hold back, White yanked up Sonia's bound arm.
"Kyaaah...!!"
"Wh-White!!"
Grabbing the injured shoulder made Sonia scream, and the binding witches rushed to intervene. But White's unfamiliar feral expression stopped them cold.
White's mana surged.
"Hey, do you not get the situation?"
"Ugh...! It's true...!! She definitely escaped with the transfer-enchanted magic tool...!!"
"If she really used it like you say, she'd have arrived at my workshop right then. So why didn't she?"
"M-Maybe you set the coordinates wrong... Kyaaaaah...!!!"
"Tell me straight. What happened exactly?"
"Hah... L-Lastly, my attack hit the transfer circle. Not on purpose, but it veered off!!"
"Magic? Don't tell me... you used a spell with the 'Fallen God's Mana'?"
"......Y-Yes... so now, please..."
Before Sonia finished, White flung her aside. Sonia yelped and crumpled.
Other witches rushed to check her and prepare to drag her to prison per protocol.
Carmine and Luine joined White late, but shadows darkened her face.
"White, what happened? Your face is so grim."
"N-No way...! Something happened to Lady Rose?!"
Luine's eyes welled up, and even Carmine tensed at her words.
White, fists clenched, bowed her head silently at first, then slowly spoke.
"I need to talk to Laurus."
Their eyes widened.
"...You sure? Last time you tried..."
"I have to. If my hypothesis is right, we need Laurus to find Big Sis."
White hurried off to the sealed space holding Laurus.
'Big Sis Rose...'
Recalling her clingy, foolishly smiling sister, White quickened her pace.
Meanwhile, at that very moment, Rose was...
"Ha! Think you can handle this? Two packs of multi ramen with extra dumplings!!"
"I'm not Pinky!!"
She was putting in every effort to tantalize her viewers' appetites.