Ch. 110 The Witch and the Black Knight (21)
by Afuhfuihgs
Witch – Chapter 110 – The Witch and the Black Knight (21)
“One of the Four Heavenly Kings has appeared in the northeast.”
The Four Heavenly Kings consisted of the Black Knight Edel, the Cursed Doll, the Vampire, and the Succubus Queen.
The Cursed Doll turned monsters devoured by demonic stones into puppets, expanding its army. The Vampire reproduced through bloodsucking, while the Succubus Queen branded humans, transforming them into succubi—laying the groundwork for the demon realm’s invasion.
As demonic forces grew, the nations united to oppose them, leading to the rise of the first hero, Kyle.
Edel, true to his title as the Black Knight, had swept through battlefields like a one-man army—so he was an exception.
Hadn’t he said it’d take a month to recover his strength?
I hadn’t realized that month would pass so soon.
Time had crawled—except when I was with Josie—yet now, it felt like it had slipped away unnoticed.
“Northeast? How far?”
I stood from the couch, dusting off my skirt before retrieving my triceratops staff from my inventory.
Where in the northeast could they be hiding?
Josie had headed south, so at least she was safe. I needed to deal with this Heavenly King quickly to ensure her journey stayed peaceful.
A flicker of impatience rose in my chest—I’d been so focused on teaching Edel pure love that I’d almost forgotten my original goal.
“Given how faint the demonic energy is, they must still be some distance away.”
Not the Witch of the North’s territory, then. Too many possibilities to guess, but we’d find out soon enough.
I wanted to teleport straight there, but without exact coordinates, we risked an ambush. Instead, I’d use a safe teleportation point I’d set up in the north and fly the rest of the way.
Time to switch from love-struck witch to triceratops-wielding menace.
Just one? Or are all three together?
The sooner we finished this, the sooner I could ease the unease gnawing at me.
“Edel, let’s make this quick.”
“Huh? I’m going too?”
As I activated the teleportation circle, Edel’s unexpected question gave me pause.
Wasn’t it obvious?
If the Heavenly King fled, I’d need Edel’s senses to track them.
Plus, who knew what trouble he’d cause if left alone?
No reason to leave him behind.
“Of course you’re coming.”
I grabbed his hand just as he settled back on the couch, likely planning to read fairy tales until my return, and triggered the spell.
Cold air greeted us as we materialized. My breath fogged in the chill, and I quickly cast a warmth spell before heading northeast—Edel’s direction.
While I rode my triceratops through the skies, Edel sprinted below, each step exploding through knee-deep snow like a blizzard in miniature.
Within minutes, he outpaced even my flight, scouting ahead like a mountain guide.
“We’re here.”
Less than ten minutes later, Edel slowed, pointing.
Nestled between snow-capped peaks stood a fortress, barely visible beneath the drifts. Only the topmost terrace peeked out—had he not pointed, I’d have missed it entirely.
No demonic energy lingered, but Edel’s gaze was certain.
Good thing I made that deal with him.
Finding this hideout alone would’ve taken half a year.
If he could locate the others this easily, maybe sealing them for a century wouldn’t be so hard.
Come out, come out, wherever you are—Doll, Vampire, or Succubus.
“Let’s go in.”
I expected monsters guarding the entrance, but we slipped inside unchallenged.
One of the Four Heavenly Kings’ trademarks was overwhelming numbers, yet the fortress was eerily silent. Had they not fully recovered?
“It’s cleaner than I expected inside.”
“Who taught you to say things like that?”
Edel’s deadpan remark sounded straight out of a horror movie prologue.
But he wasn’t wrong. Aside from ice-encrusted decor, the place was spotless—even the chandeliers, draped in icicles, glittered faintly in the dim light.
“Edel, are you sure this is the right place? It’s too quiet.”
In games, Heavenly Kings’ lairs were usually swarming with minions. Even if they’d just regained strength, this silence was suspicious.
Was he lying?
Did he conspire with the others to lure me here?
No—that can’t be.
After a month together, Edel didn’t strike me as cunning enough for betrayal.
And he was still learning pure love. Plus, he hadn’t attacked me when I was unconscious after the demonic sword incident.
“This is the place. More precisely, we’re inside its stomach.”
“Stomach—?”
SLAM!
The entrance sealed shut, plunging us into darkness. Like prey swallowed whole, we were trapped.
Faint light seeped through snow-covered windows, but it wasn’t enough. I summoned a glowing magic circle, illuminating the space—
Creak… creak…
Dolls emerged from the shadows, their movements jerky and unnatural.
Yetis, frost wolves—monsters native to the north, all transformed with a single common feature: a glowing violet demon stone embedded in their foreheads.
The Cursed Doll.
The weakest of the Four Heavenly Kings—the first Kyle had defeated.
This might be easier than I thought.
Their numbers were manageable. I channeled mana into my staff, ready to cleave through them—
“Huh?”
The dolls halted just out of reach.
No—not just halted. They avoided Edel, skittering back whenever I stepped away from him.
“Edel, did you do something?”
“I only promised to locate them. Nothing more.”
Arms crossed, he watched the standoff with amusement, as if annoyed I wasn’t swinging yet.
“Then why are they acting like this?”
Our deal had only been about finding them. I hadn’t expected help, nor did I need it for mere minions.
Studying the dolls, I noticed their forehead stones pulsing.
Demonic stones—seeds of invasion from the demon realm.
Creatures possessed by them lost their will, obeying only the Heavenly Kings’ commands.
Heavenly Kings…
“Right. Edel, you’re a Heavenly King, aren’t you?”
“I am. What else would I be?”
What else?
Well…
He’d charred food to torment my stomach, then demanded praise when he finally cooked something edible.
He’d groped my hands without permission, then played innocent while flirting shamelessly.
At first, I’d thought him a savage gorilla—but he was decent-looking, skilled with a blade, even peeled onions well…
Come to think of it, a lot’s happened this month. Mostly bad.
The image in my mind wasn’t of a Heavenly King, but a lovable idiot who needed constant supervision.
“No reason. Just remembered you’re one of them.”
Either way, skipping trash mobs was a win.
“You’re not expecting me to fight, are you?”
I ducked behind Edel, gripping his shoulders. He scowled.
“You haven’t finished guiding us yet. Do your job.”
If this fortress was the Cursed Doll’s stomach, we hadn’t reached its core. He couldn’t refuse now.
With Edel leading, the dolls parted like the Red Sea.
Though stripped of emotions and hearts, they still feared him. I stuck my tongue out at them from behind his back.
Why bother with minions when the boss is the goal?
Quietly, I smirked.
Edel’s actually useful for once.
Lucent
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