Ch. 6 The Witch and Her Apprentice (7)
by Afuhfuihgs
Chapter 6 – The Witch and Her Apprentice (7)
The Orc horde had gathered at the edge of the barrier surrounding the hideout. It seemed they had chosen this spot as a temporary resting point, as most of them had set down their weapons, except for a few sentries. Fresh blood still dripped from their armor, evidence of a recent battle before they arrived here.
Orc warriors were hastily chopping down trees to build makeshift shelters, while the Orc shaman waved a staff adorned with skulls, casting dark magic-like spells. It appeared they were making their own efforts to break through the barrier.
The Orc captain sat on a tree stump, drinking from a leather pouch and scolding the lazy Orcs who were slacking off.
From inside the barrier, we observed the Orcs’ movements.
“So, what do you think of the Orcs now that you’ve seen them up close?”
“…They’re disgusting.”
Josie, hiding behind me and peeking out timidly, was so cute that I barely resisted the urge to hug her. Since I couldn’t indulge her forever, I settled for a wry smile and a gentle pat on her head.
“Orcs usually travel in groups led by a chieftain. They might seem like mindless monsters, but they’re not so different from humans.”
I pointed out the roles of each Orc.
“The ones wandering around are sentries, checking for enemies. The one waving his staff near the barrier is the Orc shaman. Josie, how skilled do you think the shaman is?”
The shaman’s incantation caused a spiral of dark magic energy to rise from the ground to his staff, attacking the barrier… but it had no effect.
“He looks really weak…”
Even to me, his dark magic seemed like something a 10-year-old Josie could easily handle.
In a one-on-one situation, the Orc shaman would be a joke.
“Correct~ But think about it. While fighting the Orc warriors, if the shaman casts dark magic, it becomes much harder to deal with. And the shaman’s real danger lies elsewhere.”
The reason why the shaman must be taken out first.
In the game system, the buffs the shaman provides are notoriously difficult to counter.
Immunity to status effects
Immunity to stagger
+10% strength increase
In turn-based JRPGs, enemies below a certain health threshold should be staggered, unable to act for one turn. But with the shaman’s buffs, even at 1 HP, the Orcs would smash through our defenses.
In the community, this mechanic was called the “newbie crusher” for those unfamiliar with JRPGs.
In the game, you could just have your archer or rogue take out the shaman first, then deal with the Orcs. But in reality, finding the shaman’s position is difficult, and even if you do, the chieftain guards the path to him. So, it’s best to avoid a full-frontal assault when dealing with Orcs.
“Orcs have a keen sense of smell, making ambushes tricky. Many adventurers who acted carelessly ended up falling victim to the orcs.”
I pointed to the Orc’s nose, sniffing around near the barrier.
“Plus, they’re incredibly strong. They can lift a human woman with one hand. The key is not to get caught, understand?”
The bulging veins beneath their green skin twitched menacingly.
“Ugh… I really hate this.”
“Even if you hate it, listen carefully. You need to know your enemy to figure out how to deal with them. Life is more fleeting than you think, and if you’re not careful, you’ll end up under the soil in an instant.”
I even encouraged suicide over being captured by Orcs.
Men became food, eaten alive, while women were devoured in a different sense.
As evidence, a few human prisoners squirmed inside iron cages.
One man and three women.
The women’s eyes were lifeless, suggesting they were already broken. The man seemed unconscious, unmoving.
It reminded me of the first time I encountered Orcs.
When I first became a witch and settled in a small village, it was attacked by Orcs and turned into a sea of flames. I remembered how they captured people and held a festival.
To defeat Orcs, you must target their heads, not their hearts.
Their low intelligence makes them vulnerable to traps.
Mages should avoid close combat and prioritize safety.
It must have been a boring lesson, but Josie listened intently, her focus impressive.
“It’s just like what I read in the books.”
“Of course. I wrote those books.”
I recalled my past life and the notes I had taken on the monsters from the Aria Chronicle series. Josie had even read the Estelle Encyclopedia: Monster Edition.
As the series expanded, so did the variety of monsters, so most of the contents were outdated by now.
“That’s it for theory! Shall we move on to practice?”
“W-wait a second…!”
Before Josie could react, I snapped my fingers, and the barrier disappeared.
The Orc sentry, who had been standing like a statue, suddenly noticed us and flared his nostrils.
“Chief! The barrier’s gone! We can pass through now!”
The Orc captain sprang to his feet at the sentry’s booming shout.
“Chief! Females!!!!!! Where are the females!!!!!”
The Orc captain’s instincts kicked in, and the magic stone embedded in his forehead glowed.
“…Yeah.”
I’d heard rumors that Orc battle cries could induce panic, but…
“Josie? Apprentice~? Hello?”
Josie had malfunctioned.
Huh? This wasn’t part of the plan to show off my awesome skills and regain my dignity.
I waved my hand in front of her face, shook her shoulders, but she didn’t budge.
If I could check Josie’s status window, it would probably say “Lv. 10 – Beginner’s Mark”. Considering Orcs are around Lv. 30, perhaps this was a bit premature…
This is unfair. She should’ve been a prodigy.
She learned so quickly, I thought she’d catch up in combat just as fast.
Maybe starting with Orcs was too much…
Perhaps slimes would’ve been better?
Fighting might be too stimulating for a 15-year-old.
“Chief! I found her first! She’s mine!”
I blew off the head of the Orc who tried to lay a hand on Josie without permission.
How dare you. Who do you think you’re touching?
“My beloved apprentice. Can you close your eyes for a moment until I return?”
I patted her head to reassure her. She seemed to regain some composure, tears welling up in her eyes as I smiled at her.
Watch closely. My insane control. The open-field action RPG you’ll never see in clicker games!
And I’ll make sure to tell Josie’s descendants for generations that she cried because of the Orcs.
Just imagining it kept me entertained for the next 200 years.
Contrary to Estelle’s thoughts, Josie wasn’t afraid of fighting.
She had always admired the heroes in fairy tales who defeated evil dragons and villains to achieve a happy ending.
The Orcs’ roars were loud and annoying, but not enough to make her panic. Just irritating.
She focused on Estelle’s explanations, imagining how to deal with the Orcs.
Just before Estelle dispelled the barrier, Josie locked eyes with one of the captive women, even though the barrier should’ve prevented it.
“Wait…! This…”
The moment she saw the woman’s empty eyes, Josie froze, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly.
For some reason, Josie felt the hope and despair in the woman’s gaze.
‘Save me.’
‘Help me.’
‘Kill me.’
‘Please save me! I’ll do anything if you just save me, AHHHHHH~!!!’
The image of a trembling child hiding in a basement storage room was reflected in the woman’s eyes.
It felt like the screams from back then were echoing right beside her.
The fear of what was to come.
The helplessness of crying in silence.
Her mind went blank.
Even as the Orc’s massive arm loomed over her head, she didn’t think to run.
Maybe if she was crushed by that arm, the suffocating weight on her chest would disappear.
She clenched her eyes shut.
She gritted her teeth so hard they might break.
It was time to reunite with her parents.
But the touch that gently brushed her closed eyes wasn’t the rough hand of an Orc. It was incredibly tender.
Even at 15, it was the same affectionate touch she had felt when they first met.
Or perhaps the warmth she had always felt came from Estelle’s touch.
“My beloved apprentice. Can you close your eyes for a moment until I return?”
‘My beloved daughter, Josie. Don’t come out until Mom returns. Understand?’
Tears welled up.
Estelle and her mother’s images overlapped, and she had to admit it now.
And because she never wanted to lose her mother again, she couldn’t stop here.
The powerless 7-year-old girl, Josie, no longer existed.
Her blank mind was now filled with the colors of Estelle and herself.
Lucent
0 Comments