“Dooong——～～!!”
A deep and prolonged chime rang out suddenly.
“A major announcement is now being made!” came the voice of a woman.
Though it was merely a voice, it sounded so sweet and alluring that one couldn’t help but be enchanted by it.
It wasn’t particularly loud, yet somehow still managed to rise above the heavy chime.
A tall, medieval-style building, lavishly adorned with red and gold decorations—it looked less like a residence and more like a grand ballroom where nobles held dances and feasts.
There was an open second floor, furnished with luxurious seats.
Judging from the quality and the intricate carvings on them, it was clear that each chair was worth a fortune.
At the very center of the ground floor stood a large platform, occupying nearly half the space of the entire hall.
The platform stood about one and a half meters high.
The enchanting female voice came from atop this very stage.
A woman in a scarlet evening gown stood there with a gentle smile, holding a piece of parchment in her hand.
Her crimson dress looked as though it had been soaked in fresh blood, making it appear both bewitching and bizarre.
Yet this striking color did nothing to diminish her beauty.
On the contrary, her stunning appearance and the dress that accentuated her perfect figure seemed made for each other—as if she had been born to wear such a color.
Such elegance.
Such allure.
One glance and it was impossible not to fall for her—impossible not to be overwhelmed with desire.
Many would give up everything just for a single look back from her.
That irresistible smile still on her face, she now raised her head and appeared to gesture slightly toward the upper level, holding the parchment as she spoke again.
“I, as the 34th Witch, Roseithe Elodé, the Witch of Lust, hereby announce the successor of the next Witch.”
“Clap, clap, clap—” Light applause echoed through the hall.
Somehow, the seats on the second floor had quietly filled with people—each of them women dressed in formal ball attire.
All of them wore masks that only covered their eyes.
But judging from the lower half of their faces, it was clear they were all quite attractive.
“Ahem—”
After the applause, Roseithe cleared her throat and continued in a loud, clear voice.
“The selection for the 35th Witch’s role will now begin.”
She lifted her head and gave an elegant bow to a grand, unoccupied throne at the front of the second floor.
Suddenly— “Bang—!” With a loud noise, a massive contraption appeared in front of her.
The upper part of the machine was a transparent glass dome, and inside were countless small spheres.
It was… a gacha machine?
The Witch of Lust glanced at the device, then turned toward the shadows behind her and smiled gently.
“Come forth. This is the moment your fate will be decided.”
From the unusually dark shadows, a faint figure could just barely be made out.
“…”
No reply.
The entire building fell into a strange and heavy silence.
After hearing Roseithe’s voice, the figure hiding in the shadows slowly stepped forward.
One step at a time, emerging from the darkness into the light of the massive crystal chandelier above.
Her hair was a dull, pale gray-white that reached all the way to her waist—its color like that of an aging elder, devoid of any luster even under the light.
Her frame was somewhat thin—or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, flat?
She wore a long black dress, yet her delicate and petite feet were bare, not covered by any shoes, as she silently stepped up to the enormous gacha machine.
As she lifted her head to look at the large glass dome, the face that had been hidden beneath her long hair was finally revealed.
Her gaze was blank, as if she hadn’t yet come to terms with the current situation—or perhaps she had just awakened from a deep slumber, her expression filled with dazed confusion.
She had a delicate face—not quite on par with Roseithe’s, but still a rare beauty by worldly standards.
Her pale green eyes were half-closed, vacant and unfocused, as though still lost in a dream.
Yet within those eyes, like a tranquil lake reflecting the starlight of the night sky, shimmered a quiet depth.
Judging by her appearance, she seemed to be a girl of sixteen or seventeen.
Standing in front of the massive gacha machine, the girl didn’t move.
She merely raised her head in a daze and looked up at Roseithe, who stood a head taller and watched her with a smiling face.
Her appearance stirred murmurs among the audience on the second floor.
Some were admiring her beauty, some lamenting her frail figure, while others speculated about the role she was about to receive.
“What are you waiting for, beautiful and pitiable girl? Go on—turn the wheel of your destiny! Receive the anointment of our Supreme Lord and become one of us witches. This shall be your highest honor!”
Roseithe’s ever-smiling face now showed a trace of excitement and anticipation as she loudly urged the girl before her.
The girl still looked as if she hadn’t fully awakened, but she nonetheless obeyed.
She stretched out both hands and, with some effort, turned the massive handle of the machine one full rotation.
And just as she released the handle, a cheerful melody began to play as the mechanism slowly bounced back into place.
The gacha capsules inside the glass dome seemed to boil with energy, bouncing and spinning.
In an instant, the entire hall fell silent again, everyone waiting in anticipation for the unknown result.
Then, with a series of rattling sounds, a ball the size of a basketball rolled out and landed in a tray placed at the machine’s exit.
The girl slowly picked up the orb and looked back at the beaming Roseithe behind her, as if waiting for instructions.
“Go ahead! Thirty-fifth Witch, open it and reveal your assigned role to us.”
Roseithe’s voice trembled with excitement, and the surrounding women also leaned forward slightly, eyes filled with eager curiosity.
Receiving her signal, the girl placed one hand atop the orb and the other beneath it, twisting in opposite directions.
But just then, the orb seemed to come alive.
It spun out of her hands and soared into the air.
The sphere trembled midair, as if foreshadowing something significant.
“Boom—!” With a loud bang, the orb exploded in midair, releasing a burst of colorful flowers and streamers that rained down like confetti.
Among them, an inconspicuous green leaf fluttered slowly down, finally landing gently in the girl’s palm.
On that leaf, two lines of text were written:
To thee, the divine authority is bestowed.
Thou shalt become the most faithful servant of the Demon God, the witch who enacts miracles in Their name.
Thou shalt govern curses and calamities, bringing despair to blasphemers.
Thou shalt endure the loneliness of eternity, all to fulfill the will of the Divine.
Thy name shall be—Lanafit.
The girl stared at these two lines, her confused face showing a hint of puzzlement.
She could only pass the leaf back toward Roseithe, who still held the parchment.
But Roseithe, too, stood there stunned, staring at the leaf being handed to her, not reacting at first.
Meanwhile, murmurs rippled through the elegantly dressed, masked women seated around the upper floor.
“Curses and calamities? This newbie really has terrible luck!”
“So it really does exist… I always thought that role was just a scary story made up by the seniors…”
“Could it be that the machine malfunctioned? In all our generations, no witch has ever held such a position.”
“No way. That’s a leaf from the World Tree—it can’t be wrong.”
Whispers spread among the women on the second floor, while the gray-haired girl stared blankly at the leaf in her hand.
She didn’t recognize the writing, yet somehow understood the meaning of the two sentences written there.
“Ahem! Everyone, please quiet down!”
Roseithe cleared her throat to stifle the growing chatter after finally regaining her composure.
She glanced once more at the leaf in the girl’s hand, still slightly uncertain, but ultimately raised her voice to announce:
“I hereby proclaim, by divine decree, the thirty-fifth Witch—her name shall be Lanafit. She shall preside over Curses and Calamities, and from this day forth, she is an honored member of our Witches’ Covenant!”
“Dooong——～～!!”
As if responding to her declaration, the deep chime of the massive, unmanned bell rang out once more.
Normally, applause would follow at this moment.
But this time, aside from the echoing bell, no other sound was heard.
The elegant women seated on the second floor began to fade, their bodies gradually turning transparent until they vanished completely.
At the same time, the gray-haired girl who had been standing dumbly in place with the leaf still in her hand slowly began to show signs of life—her dreamy, unfocused eyes at last beginning to shine with clarity.
Her light green eyes, bright and beautiful, looked around the lavish banquet hall in a daze, filled with confusion and shock.
…
“Um… where is this?”