episode_0031

Dust billowed up, obscuring everyone’s view.

A silence so chilling it sent shivers down their spines settled over the previously chaotic battlefield, leaving everyone questioning the witch’s whereabouts.

In a situation where time-space magic couldn’t be used.

Without shields, wouldn’t they have been turned into jerky by that powerful attack, even if they had them?

However, strangely enough.

Except for the high priest, no one thought the witch was dead.

An extraordinary woman who creates hope even in overwhelmingly unfavorable situations.

Would she have left for the afterlife with just that blow?

But then, a moment of silence.

“Wow… she’s really ruthless.”

The witch revealed herself between the ashen giant’s fingers.

The witch looked much better than everyone had imagined.

Though her clothes and face were covered in dust, there wasn’t a single scratch, not even a small one.

Apart from a large hat that could simply be called the witch’s mascot, there was nothing wrinkled.

A stark contrast to the elf who had retreated after being hit by the ashen giant’s arm moments ago.

Nevertheless, despite this sight, Beatrice rushed to check on her well-being.

“Are you okay? Any injuries?”

“I’m fine, narrowly dodged it.”

“…Dodging that seems impossible.”

“You’ll understand when you see the drama unfolding from now on.”

After finishing speaking, the witch chuckled and looked at the bewildered high priest.

“Thanks for the resurrection spell. I was alive before, but thanks to it, I could return unharmed.”

“Haha, it’s just delaying the inevitable. You were lucky to escape, but how far will that luck take you?”

“Luck?”

The witch burst into laughter, then abruptly hardened her face and emitted a fierce magical aura.

“If I had been damn lucky, I would have been living peacefully here or in the north, not arguing with you right now, right?”

“…”

“Don’t babble nonsense; luck has long abandoned me. Listening to you makes it even worse.”

Ptuh.

With a contemptuous attitude, the witch spat towards the high priest and slowly approached her.

Although the high priest urgently gave orders towards the ashen giant.

“S-Saint! Attack once more! It’s fine to kill her, just turn her into dust!”

Huh?

The saint only expressed doubt and didn’t move at all.

What happened?

As the high priest nervously nibbled on her nails, filled with anxiety, the witch smirked and clapped her hands.

“Oh, I forgot to mention. This guy won’t listen to you anymore.”

“W-What?!”

“We made a deal. He’s going to be my slave.”

Koo…?

The ashen giant looked down at the witch with a ‘When did I agree to this?’ expression.

Then, the witch unfolded a huge contract made of magical energy in the air, grinning broadly.

“Do you see the palm print here? You stamped it yourself, right?”

[……?]

“Why, you stamped it vigorously just now. Don’t you remember?”

Abandoning her fierce demeanor completely and embracing a bewildered one, the ashen giant burst into loud laughter.

Hahaha!!!

An unexpected turn of events.

How could such a wicked idea come to mind even in a despairing moment?

From the perspective of an apostle of evil, ‘evil’ is like a drug.

Therefore, he expressed joy in its sweetness, but his laughter didn’t last long.

“Why are you hesitating? I know what to ask of you.”

At the witch’s words, the ashen giant’s expression stiffened.

Come to think of it, it was true.

He was an apostle, part of the vanguard sent to destroy dimensions according to Poneria’s orders.

However, if he couldn’t handle this small piece of land properly.

[I thought you were useful, but you turned out to be utterly useless.]

It might lead to his immediate demise upon returning to the side of evil.

Koo…

What to do? Damn it?

The ashen giant, finally grasping the gravity of the situation, touched his forehead. The witch, observing quietly, commanded the giant with a wicked smile.

“Well, as a commemoration of becoming a slave, shall we start with a simple self-introduction?”

…Well, a self-introduction shouldn’t be too difficult.

With an arrogant attitude, the giant attempted to announce his wicked name by pounding on his chest.

However.

“No, not like that. Speak a bit shyly. You should have roughly understood it in your head already, right?”

[…]

Overwhelmed by the flood of information rushing into his mind, the giant lost his words.

Is this how it should be done?

Really?

With an earnest gaze pleading for reconsideration, the giant looked at the witch, but she firmly shook her head.

“If you intended to turn the master into beef jerky, you should pay the price. Now, quickly, tell me your name and age.”

Signifying to begin, the witch nodded insistently, initiating the giant’s embarrassing self-introduction.

[“M… My name is Booth… 3000 years old… I’m… a disciple… of evil…♡”]

“A, a disciple?”

What on earth does that mean?

The leader of the cult of evil widened her eyes at the unbelievable sight before her.

Approaching the leader, the witch near her lips to the leader’s ear and whispered.

“Hey, your disciples… are something else, huh?”

The leader lost his composure.

—–

“What’s going on?”

Taking a moment to brush off the dust from his clothes, the sword-wielding lad approached with a worried expression.

Was he inquiring about my well-being?

Or was he cautioning me, now a slave to the disciple of evil?

I responded to the lad’s question with a nonchalant demeanor.

“Just felt like we’d be wiped out if left alone.”

Originally, I had no intention of making the disciple of evil my slave.

If possible, defeat them; if not, flee.

Those were the only two thoughts in my mind, but as I observed the situation, it seemed increasingly impossible.

The ashen giant, seemingly unscathed after enduring hours of attacks, contrasted sharply with our exhausted group.

Facing the imminent total annihilation, a shift in strategy was inevitable.

And that shift brought forth the idea of a contract based on deception.

The preparation was simple yet challenging.

Complete the drafting of the elaborate contract before our group faced annihilation.

And ensure it remains as secretive as possible from both the leader and the giant.

Exhausted, I conveyed the plan to the dragonkin, Louis, who initially expressed doubt.

“Will that even work?”

Realizing there were no sharp alternatives, he aided in concealing our magic.

Thus, the finalized contract read:

[1. The slave (ashen giant) shall unquestionably obey the master (Beatrice).]

[2. The slave shall prioritize all commands of the master.]

[3. The slave shall not cause harm to the master under any circumstances.]

A chillingly unparalleled slave contract.

Having reviewed the content, Louis, the dragonkin, wagged his sleek tail and shook his head.

“…I thought followers of evil were the most wicked, but compared to you, they’re like innocent lambs? How could you deceive someone, not to mention trying to trick a disciple of evil?”

“Isn’t that a thought anyone would have? If you can’t defeat them, you have to find a way around.”

“Most would consider ‘banishment,’ not turning them into slaves like you do.”

Louis gave me a disgusted look, prompting me to start gathering magic at my fingertips with a wry smile.

“Aren’t you going to put up a shield?”

“Even if a saint were to come, they’d fall flat against attacks from that level. And.”

To deceive others, sometimes you have to stake your life.

As someone once said, those who sincerely try to deceive others lack the skill to avoid being deceived.

Deciding to deceive someone is hard enough, but can I really handle being deceived by someone who’s willing to stake their life on it?

As I gather the magic I’ve been saving up at my fingertips, Louis recoils in shock.

“You’re insane.”

“Yeah. Even I think I might be crazy.”

But you know, in this insane world, can one survive without going crazy?

I directed a surge of ominous magic towards the leader of the bandits, and as the magic shot towards him, the giant roared and swung his palm at me –

That’s as far as I remember.

…Honestly, I don’t recall much after that.

It seemed like I was entranced, doing something as I watched the incoming palm strike, and when I came to, the giant’s hand had barely missed me.

I still faced the towering, ashen giant in a defiant stance and spoke to the sword.

“As long as we succeed, it’s fine. We’re going to die anyway, so we might as well try before we go, right?”

“That makes sense.”

Sighing heavily, the sword chuckled and then smiled.

“No, I need to get stronger as soon as possible. We can’t keep risking our lives like this.”

“True, get stronger quickly. It’s good for both of us, isn’t it?”

I nodded in agreement with his words, smiling back at him.

It would be good if he became stronger. Having him by my side, standing among the strongest in the world, providing protection.

Was I gazing at him with a sense of security and contentment?

Suddenly, doubts crept into my mind about what I had been thinking.

Wait, once this fleeting journey ends, won’t I have to part ways with him?

Then his strength wouldn’t mean anything to me.

Why did I accept that as a good thing?

…Could it be?

My face, previously grinning, stiffened.