Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Visit (5)

“Cough!”

The wandering knight, Ellem, spat out a black clot of blood.

Among the black blood were bits of dissolved innards.

Squeak! The remains didn’t last long before melting away.

Poison.

A powerful poison that even a knight at the upper Expert level could not resist.

Ellem looked towards the witch with eyes red and swollen as if they would dissolve. He muttered weakly:

“Wha… why… you…?”

…

The Witch of the Starry Sky did not reply.

As always, she was gazing endlessly at the star-filled sky, just like in the occasional sightings people had reported.

However, this scene was far from normal.

‘Certainly… I’ve never heard her described as someone like this…’

On this continent, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t know about the Witch of the Starry Sky.

She appeared everywhere yet nowhere at once.

She came and went without warning, showing up wherever people needed help.

A famous story about her existed:

One day, a bandit gang attacked a small, uncharted village that was destined to be wiped out.

Then, suddenly, the Witch of the Starry Sky arrived, saved the village, and rehabilitated the bandits before vanishing again.

Exactly three days later,

In a small fiefdom,

The Witch saved a lord who was attempting suicide.

What was astonishing was that the tiny village was at least a month’s journey away.

This event cemented the fame of the Witch of the Starry Sky.

Her words to the lord have been passed down through the ages:

– “The stars still shine upon you.”

Beyond that, little information is known.

Is the Witch of the Starry Sky human?

Unknown.

Is she a magician?

Unknown.

Where she comes from, what group she belongs to, or where she was born—none of it has been revealed.

She is an enigma wrapped in mystery.

The one certainty is that she leans toward good.

Of course, not everyone likes her.

The Empire dislikes her for undermining the nobility’s exclusivity,

And the Kingdom of Knights dismisses her powers as heretical, akin to dark magic or sorcery.

Hence, her visit today was unwelcome.

An uninvited guest.

Treated more like a criminal than a foreigner.

Ellem was different.

Having traveled widely as a wandering knight, he respected the Witch after seeing and accepting many cultures. However…

Today, for the first time, he regretted his choice.

– “The stars are… unusually bright tonight.”

The sudden appearance of the Witch was incongruous with how she had smiled and parted ways not long ago. She had brutally slaughtered them in a manner so cruel it was hard to believe.

It was impossible to tell what kind of power she used.

Her glowing white body seemed to devour corpses, gaining some new ‘power’—

“W… witch…”

She’s closer to a witch than a seer.

Ellem whispered with a fading voice.

At that moment,

A faint voice of the Witch penetrated his dimming consciousness.

“…Didn’t I say I wouldn’t do such things?”

[Yeah, that’s right. That was our ‘contract.’]

A high-pitched yet similar tone whispered.

[But, you see it too, don’t you? The constellation that mediated our contract won’t appear in the night sky tonight.]

“…”

[Today, yeah. There’s no contract between us. It’s fate decided that way. You know, maybe even better than me.]

No constellations visible?

Ellem struggled to lift his head.

The constellations spread across the vast night sky—what exactly was she referring to…?

Meanwhile, voices continued to echo but remained unheard.

Was she talking to a ghost?

Or was it like a dialogue between two people alone?

“Oh, by the way,”

The Witch slowly turned her head.

“There shouldn’t be anyone who knows this.”

Creaking, her head turned.

Ellem met her gaze.

Two eyes.

No, four eyes?

Her face wasn’t singular. Or was it? No, her eyes appeared quadruple.

His brain was twisting, trying to process the incomprehensible sight, forcing the originally single face into two, fracturing and rearranging it…

BOOM!

Ellem’s skull exploded.

A corpse that couldn’t even recognize its own death vanished instantly.

The Witch slowly retracted her extended hand.

Although her face was hidden under a tightly pulled hood, sorrow was evident.

[Hehe. Yeah, that’s fate.]

“…I merely sent him off peacefully.”

[Yeah, those who aren’t worthy go mad when they see ‘us.’ But you really did kill him, didn’t you?]

The Witch shook her head, as if unwilling to hear it.

[Don’t forget. ‘You’ aren’t alone. It’s always ‘us.’]

SWISH!

The Witch turned her head, unable to withstand the final whisper.

There was no one left at that spot.

[Hehehe…]

Slowly covering her head,

The voice inside her head showed no sign of disappearing.

Slowly raising her head,

Though the stars shone brightly tonight,

Ellem saw things that weren’t there.

The constellations embroidered in the sky.

They were red.

Beings closer to demons than gods.

An evil so potent it verged on purity.

The Witch, resembling a demon through the constellations, grinned maliciously…

[We are ‘witches.’]

“Shut up, witch.”

The Witch shook her head.

With a sorrowful gaze, she looked at the mountain of corpses.

Ultimately, it was a massacre she herself had created.

“I’m sorry…”

The light poured down from the night sky.

The starlight enveloped the corpses, erasing all traces of bodies and blood, restoring everything to its original state.

Fifth-tier Celestial Magic, [Restoration].

A spell that restores the landscape exactly as the heavens remember it.

The Witch quietly glanced at the scenery for a moment before leaving.

WHOOSH-

Only a chilling wind remained where the Witch had stood, as if nothing had ever happened.

In an empty room of the Alkarte Duke’s mansion,

Evan and Ossera had moved here to learn magic.

When the promised space-time magic lessons began,

…but something else happened instead.

“Auntie, why are you following?”

“Ah, I’m not following?”

Isis, caught off guard, denied Evan’s accusation while Lapis stood nearby, making it irrelevant anyway.

“Ah! I’m scared Evan might disappear into the Tower of Space-Time!”

“Shh!”

Isis quickly covered Lapis’ mouth.

Lapis’ eyes grew cold.

“Do not touch my body without permission.”

“Uh, yeah… sorry. Do you like candy?”

“I prefer carrots.”

“…Oh, that? How about this? It’s improved carrots via alchemy.”

“Tastes bad. Evan’s cooking was much better.”

Even while bickering, Isis kept sending pitiful glances at Evan.

Please don’t go to the Tower of Space-Time!

Her anxiousness was evident, unsure when Evan might change his mind.

Frankly, it felt good.

‘To be treated as such valuable talent.’

Though it was a misunderstanding, it felt nice.

If discovered, it would surely lead to trouble.

“Esteemed sir, do you know how to use magic?”

Evan shook his head.

Not that he didn’t know any magic.

[Analysis Vision], which identifies components, was one he knew well.

A mandatory skill for every alchemist.

But since mages couldn’t master it, it wasn’t considered magic.

“Can you handle mana?”

“Somewhat.”

“That’s fortunate. Spatial magic is difficult to use without basic magical knowledge.”

Ossera kindly started teaching the basics of magic.

It wasn’t bad; Evan would need to understand magic to bestow it upon Golems anyway.

“Magic is imagination and willpower. Did you ever imagine controlling fire as a child?”

He had imagined setting things ablaze but refrained because of bedwetting.

“I don’t recall.”

“That’s fine. You can start imagining now.”

Ossera added,

“Of course, not everything imagined works. It varies based on innate elemental affinity. That’s why we conduct ‘Elemental Suitability Tests’.”

Ossera smiled gently.

“Spatial magic is fine even without suitability. Anyone born on this land, living in this time, can use it.”

CLAP!

Ossera clapped her hands, and a crack appeared in the air.

‘Oh…’

It resembled something seen in anime.

Ossera inserted her hand into the crack.

“This is my personal space. We find and dominate the ‘gaps’ within the space we inhabit, storing necessary items inside. Living beings can’t enter—it’s fatal.”

“I see.”

“It’ll feel awkward at first. Imagine another space existing within the void and try touching it with your mana. Then follow my incantation.”

‘Another space…’

Evan reached out into the air.

What should he imagine exists there to touch?

‘Should I just follow what I saw in games?’

Fortunately, he had a good reference point.

Virtual reality games where wearing a device allowed status windows or items to float in the air.

Imagine that and channel mana?

“It may seem difficult at first, but you’ll get the hang of it eventually…”

“Got it.”

“Eh?”

Whoosh.

Evan’s hand disappeared into the air.

It wasn’t gone—it had slipped into an invisible backpack-like space?

‘Oh, a real gap formed.’

Though invisible to the eye, it was perceptible somehow.

It felt like having an inventory or a small bag floating in the air.

Approximately the size of the internal space within the gap.

Would it expand with increased proficiency?

‘Thankfully, it’s not too difficult.’

Just a slight headache accompanied the spatial magic usage—likely a side effect.

Gently withdrawing his hand, Evan noticed Ossera’s perplexed expression.

“Did you really succeed on your first try…?”

“I got lucky.”

Always modest.

Precautionary measure rather than fear.

Definitely not out of fear.

“…Well, sometimes it happens.”

“I see.”

“Perhaps you’d like to try other magics while you’re at it?”

“No thank you.”

Evan politely declined.

Other magics?

Why bother?

He could learn them later.

Ossera’s lips twitched slightly.

‘Hmm?’

A faint light flickered from Evan’s fingertip.

A magic storage ring.

Upon recognizing the magic, the sigil inscribed itself smoothly.

A quick test confirmed proper activation.

Great, it works.

Consumed only a third of his mana.

No headache either.

‘Impressive.’

The daily limit of three uses was disappointing.

Risks aside, it could be used indefinitely.

Evan silently nodded in satisfaction.

“Thanks to you, I’ve gained a fine magic. Thank you.”

“…Ah, yes, yes.”

Ossera hesitated briefly before nodding.

Had she sensed some impending crisis?

Isis suddenly interjected,

“Me! I’ll teach you magic enchantment. Haven’t mastered [Enchantment] yet, right?”

“Yes? Yes. Still insufficient.”

“It’s normal for beginners. So, here’s how you do it…”

Though primarily an alchemical technique, magic enchantment also belonged to the realm of magic.

Primarily used for crafting artifacts.

Properly applied, it could engrave spells onto Golems.

‘Oh.’

A staff marked with a personal space sigil.

Inserting his hand, Evan found it connected to the personal space he had opened earlier.

Nice.

“Thank you.”

“…This isn’t supposed to be so easy…”

Experienced practitioners usually managed this level.

Evan withheld his thoughts.

Ossera asked hesitantly,

“…Really, you have no intention of joining the Tower of Space-Time?”

“Your offer is appreciated, but my decision remains unchanged.”

Honestly, this was enough.

Modern people, inundated with information from various media, would naturally excel here.

Though Evan being the sole modern individual in this world was somewhat disadvantageous.

“…I see. Though disappointing, I shall cherish our brief association.”

Ossera rose from her seat.

“Will you leave immediately?”

“Time lost cannot be regained… I intend to return and finish my tasks.”

Ossera bowed deeply.

“When you visit the Witch, going alone is dangerous. Please at least enhance your abilities beforehand.”

‘Isn’t that obvious?’

It’s scary.

No, it’s troublesome.

Absolutely not out of fear.

The region was Demesia Kingdom.

A country full of iron-headed sword enthusiasts.

Magic, let alone sorcery or black magic, was entirely rejected.

Alchemy?

Of course included.

A perilous place for alchemists.

Thorough precautions were essential.

“It was brief, but enjoyable.”

Ossera gracefully departed.

“Aren’t you coming, Auntie?”

“Huh? I have plenty of time to spare.”

…

Evan prepared to depart.

Honestly! He didn’t want to go.

Too dangerous, right?

But,

‘If not now, I might never meet her.’

To read fortunes, destinies, and perhaps encounter his favorite character.

Missing this chance would be foolish.

Reluctantly, he had no choice but to prepare.

“I’ll come along too!”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“Me? I’ve got loads of free time. Closed-off community, nothing to do.”

…

Couldn’t she just go already?

Though he wanted to say so, he held back.

Maybe she’d cover the expenses?

At that moment, a piece of news reached Evan’s ears.

“What… did you say?”

“A drug manufacturing facility… was completely destroyed by unknown forces?”

The underground network’s main drug supplier was obliterated.

For the glory.

That phrase was left at the destruction site.

Speculations suggested it might be a new sect of heretics.

‘New heretics? Were there such before?’

Evan sensed something amiss.

‘Indeed.’

Glory.

Honor.

For him.

The combination of these keywords screamed loudly.

Lapis smirked, clearly satisfied.

‘Good job, Frey.’

Everything was for Evan.