Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Witch
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"What were you talking about?"
The blonde elf, munching happily on french fries, cola, and a bulgogi burger, asked.
I'd stocked my inventory pretty full before coming here.
But if we three kept gorging like this with these gluttonous elves, it'd all run out eventually.
Still, as a guy, scolding them for eating too much would bruise my pride.
To prepare for that, I figured we'd hit up a restaurant tour when we reached a big city.
Future disasters needed advance planning.
"The chief was going on about some witch... offered a commission. I said I'd think about it."
"You gonna do it?"
"Nah, we leave tomorrow."
"Then why say you'd think about it?"
"Polite way to refuse."
Who knew if that'd fly in this world... but these were people I'd never see again after tomorrow anyway.
"Wait, a witch? What's that about?"
Luna seemed curious about the conversation between me and the chief.
"Said there's an evil witch living in the forest."
"An evil witch?"
Their eyes lit up with interest, all focused on me.
"Apparently she kidnaps village youths for evil magic experiments and extorts the village or something..."
I hadn't paid close attention, so the details were fuzzy...
But that was the gist.
"Black magic?"
For some reason,
the elves were suddenly burning with a sense of justice, making a huge fuss.
"........What?"
Their sudden fervor left me baffled.
"Humans cross lines they shouldn't way too often. They've nearly destroyed the world plenty of times."
"About 800 years ago, a human black mage summoned the demon king from the demon realm, nearly turning the world to ash."
"I... see..."
"It's said over half the elves died then. Not just elves—most living beings in this world took heavy losses..."
"So... you're going to check it out?"
What were these justice-filled heroes who just wouldn't adapt...
"Are elves just extra sensitive to this stuff?"
They'd reacted to my casual mention of the Abyssal Corruption Labyrinth too.
"No, most races check out anything that seems like a world threat or black magic."
"........Humans?"
"Humans have short lifespans... That event's already legend to them—a long time ago."
I wasn't from this world's humans, so no need to feel guilty, right?
"So you want to check it out..."
They nodded seriously, but bulgogi burger sauce stained their lips.
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"We'll take the commission."
To satisfy their sense of justice, I decided to take a brief detour.
I'd planned to ignore it originally,
but I boasted to the chief a bit.
"Th-thank you so much."
The chief bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
"Follow the path east of the village, and you'll see a mansion."
"The witch lives there?"
"Yes."
A witch living in a mansion...
We headed to the witch's mansion as the chief described.
Neatly lined forests flanked the surprisingly well-maintained path.
The ground was paved better than modern sidewalks. No—the natural stone looked even nicer.
If I hadn't known, I'd have thought it was a well-made walking trail.
About an hour along that stone path,
a massive mansion appeared, just as the chief said.
Too clean and grand for a witch's home. It didn't fit the shabby village at all.
Pristine stone walls.
A beautiful garden beyond.
A fountain spraying clear water in the center... Anyone could see it was regularly tended.
Not an evil witch's lair.
A high noble's grand estate.
"This... is where the witch lives?"
"No magic presence."
Luna looked puzzled at the unexpected sight.
We passed the lovely garden and stood before the mansion's grand entrance.
'Did the chief lie? Or wrong path? Another route?'
I opened my senses to scan inside.
But something blocked it—I couldn't detect anything within.
Like... those giant hornet nests.
'Suspicious.'
I grabbed the knocker and rapped on the door.
-Thud. Thud.
"........"
After a while,
A woman's voice came from somewhere.
Pretty normal reaction for a witch.
"Message magic."
Luna said, looking around.
No presence... but being watched?
"Is this the witch's place?"
I asked straight out.
"Heard you're the witch who kidnaps people for evil magic riches."
"No?"
She denied it, but it proved she was the chief's witch.
Her story differed slightly from the chief's whining.
Or maybe the witch was lying... Didn't matter either way.
That wasn't what we needed to confirm...
"Are you a black mage?"
"She says no?"
I shrugged at the elves.
"We have to check."
"Right. Can't just take her word and leave."
Aila and Luna showed no sign of backing down.
"She says so. Mind if we come in?"
Irritation laced her reply.
The witch really hated letting us in.
"Can't you spare a moment? Or come out yourself."
The justice-burning elves weren't about to obey the witch meekly.
I naturally sided with my lovers over the witch.
"Sorry, but... we can't just leave like this."
I placed my hand on the ornate grand door and pushed.
Unexpectedly unlocked, it opened easier than expected.
We strode right into the mansion.
A gorgeously painted grand hall welcomed us.
With those words from the witch, darkness swallowed everything.
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I stood in darkness.
Up, down, front, back—pure black void everywhere.
Aila and Luna, who'd come with me, were gone.
This happened the moment we entered.
I opened my senses to scan around.
Nothing registered.
Was it blocked in this darkness, or truly empty? Couldn't tell.
'Underestimated it?'
Standing still didn't suit me.
I walked.
Nothing. No obstacles.
Then I ran fast.
Speed no car could match. Covered serious distance, but still nothing.
Did it end? Infinite?
Spinning in circles?
Frustrating.
'Trouble.'
No direct danger sense...
But I couldn't help worrying about Aila and Luna, separated from me.
'Trapped in another dimension or space?'
Moving seemed pointless.
I formed a mana orb and hurled it hard.
It vanished into the dark.
No reaction.
Then it hit me—the one place that might respond.
'.........This might...'
I pulled a massive hammer from my inventory.
There was one thing in this darkness interacting with me.
I wrapped the hammer in mana, raised it high, and slammed the floor.
-Boom!!
The roar echoed through the sealed dark space.
The floor was the only thing hittable here. No clue if it'd work, but worth trying.
Nothing else to do.
-Boom! Boom!
After hammering a while,
"Stop. No point pounding however much you want."
Not pointless.
The witch had appeared in this empty, stifling void...
The witch materialized smoothly from the darkness.
Expressionless face.
Deep purple hair and eyes, nearly black.
Dizzyingly stunning beauty.
All-black attire.
Wide-brim hat with veil.
Black dress.
Mystical patterns on a black parasol that seemed pointless here.
Hand in black glove holding it...
Perfection.
Like a noble house's daughter.
Or archaic foreign funeral garb.
'Likes black—witchy, huh?'