Green looked at Sophie with a heavy gaze.
At this moment, an ominous aura emanated from the witch. It was an aura Green had encountered in his previous simulated life.
The Evil God.
An unspeakable, loathsome existence dwelling among the stars beyond the crystal wall of the material plane. It was no wonder Jessica was so obsessed with exterminating witches. If the conflict between other races and humans was merely a clash of interests and hatred accumulated through years of war, then witches were the natural enemies of the material world itself.
“Mr. Green.”
Seeming to notice that Green was weighed down by his thoughts, Jessica spoke in a persuasive tone, “I know it is difficult for you to make a decision. After all, before this Miss Sophie lost control, she provided great assistance to you and your people.”
“But unfortunately, the world is just that cruel. Sometimes, we must make sacrifices for a greater goal.”
Green did not pay any attention to the Knight of Truth. Looking at Sophie’s pale, bloodless face, he slowly reached out his hand.
Hum—
Holy Light!
The pure essence gathered in his palm and directly enveloped Sophie’s entire body.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Two diametrically opposed forces canceled each other out, sending ripples of aftershocks through the air.
“Ugh!”
Green’s body jolted, and he was forced back several steps.
Roar!
In the void, a distorted figure let out a muffled roar. Several scarred tentacles emerged from thin air, lunging straight for Green as if he were a tempting delicacy. They were willing to brave the purification of the Holy Light just to drag him into that deep darkness.
A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of Green’s mouth. That power… it was even more terrifying than the power of Wither within Alice.
“As expected of the Bewildering Witch.”
Jessica, watching coldly from the side, felt her eyes flicker. Although they were all witches, the difference in strength between them could be as vast as heaven and earth. No matter how one measured it, Sophie—the Bewildering Witch—was a terrifying existence among the top three.
“To think the great Bewildering Witch was hiding in this barren land? She even almost died at the stake?”
Jessica still found it hard to believe. But the intelligence of the Church of Light did not make mistakes. For some unknown reason, Sophie’s body was already exceptionally weak; combined with the fierce battle just now, she was clearly unable to resist the terrible entity lurking in the depths of her soul.
Corruption. Loss of control.
“This is the natural end for every witch, Mr. Green. No one can change it.”
Jessica looked up at Green—the man who had built this prosperous town with his own hands, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding lords. Having already gathered immense intelligence, she knew Green’s weakness. She pointed toward the bustling town in the distance, where cooking smoke could be seen rising despite the heavy snow.
“Can you really bear to watch your people be persecuted by a witch?”
Faced with this question, Green fell into an unusual silence.
“Phew…”
Green took a deep breath. “Miss Jessica, what you say makes a lot of sense.”
Excellent! Jessica looked pleased. Had this lord finally admitted his ignorance and decided to stand on the side of justice?
“It makes so much sense that it almost convinced me. Truly.” Green shook his head. “But Jessica, I still stand by my own view.”
Stand by his view? Coexistence between witches and humans? What a joke!
“You are gambling with other people’s lives!” Jessica couldn’t help but snap back.
Boom!
“No, Miss Jessica,” Green denied. “I am indeed gambling, but I will not gamble with the lives of others.”
With that, Green waved his arm, and magic runes began to emerge from him. That was—that was—
Jessica’s eyes widened. She saw what Green was doing. Sealing, teleporting… he was constructing a barrier? Wasn’t he just a mere First-Ring mage? Why could this man cast Legendary spells so rapidly? And as for gambling with his own life, could it be…
“You’re going to break into her soul world? Are you insane?!”
Jessica could not believe she was witnessing something so mad. A mage would actually stake his most precious possession—something more important than life itself, his soul—to save an unrelated person? No, a witch who wasn’t even human?
“I am not insane, Miss Jessica. I admit the risk is great, but…”
Green looked at the town—the only point of light on a pitch-black sea under the falling snow—and his eyes filled with pride.
“Don’t you think that, compared to personal life and death, changing the world is a goal more worth pursuing?”
Changing the world? Jessica blinked blankly. She had never thought of such things. In the City of Radiance, the words of the High Priest never mentioned this. Day after day, year after year, Jessica only learned how to more quickly and efficiently exterminate witches and other things that might threaten humanity.
“Changing the world?” Looking at Green, who was about to step into the depths of the witch’s soul to face the horror within—where he could be swallowed at any moment—Jessica could no longer maintain her composure.
“Is building a pure world under the leadership of the God of Light—a world of peace and hope for humanity—not enough?” she questioned loudly, stating the grand and noble goal of the Church.
“My apologies.” Green turned his head and looked at Jessica calmly. “Compared to destruction, I believe that creation better represents the future of the Light.”
Voom!
A flash of light occurred, and Green’s figure vanished from before Jessica.
Silence. No images, no sound, no time. It was pure void.
“Is this the depth of Sophie’s soul?” Even just stepping in, Green felt a profound sense of loneliness in his heart.
“Does a witch have to endure this much pain just to stay conscious?”
In an instant, Green suddenly understood why Sophie would often drift into a daze halfway through their discussions on inventions. Why she, who was immortal, would sometimes look at aging mortals with eyes full of envy. A witch was her own cage. Perhaps a witch could remain young and immortal forever, but the price was… they had never truly lived.
“Well then.” A glint of determination flashed in Green’s eyes. “Let me use this magic to grant you a true, complete life!”
“Life’s Blessing.”
Green began to chant the incantation. Hexagram symbols dispelled the darkness before him.
Zip! Zip! Zip!
In the infinite night, tentacles lunged from the void, attempting to stop Green from finishing the spell.
Flash!!!
Infinite Holy Light shielded Green.
“I offer my soul and my true name, bestowing my spirit and lifespan… unto Sophie.”
Green’s gaze reached far. In the pitch-black darkness where one couldn’t see their own hand, he searched for Sophie’s soul.
“Found you.”
In the boundless dark, a petite figure huddled in a ball, sobbing continuously, came into view. He ran toward her.
In the endless darkness, Sophie felt only a sense of void. Countless faces surfaced around her—people she had encountered during her long life. They were of all types: men, women, old, young, handsome, and ugly. The only thing they had in common was that no matter how friendly they once were, upon learning her identity as a witch, they all wanted to kill her with absolute hatred.
At this moment, they gathered together and said in unison: “Witch Sophie, you must die.” “For the sake of humanity… just die.”
Die? Sophie thought of the countless people who had fallen into misfortune because of her. Yes, perhaps… Her body trembled as she whispered, “Yes, it’s better to die… after all, the existence of us witches is a mistake in itself.”
The boundless black was devouring the last trace of humanity in the depths of Sophie’s soul. Am I going to die? In her confusion, Sophie’s memories were a mess as she gazed at a world devoid of color.
“Perhaps this is the destined fate of a witch…” That was fine. At least this way, she wouldn’t have to think about those troublesome, unsolvable problems anymore. But why did a trace of regret remain in her heart?
Green.
Inexplicably, Sophie thought of that human lord she had known for only a few months, and his absurd, laughable “dream.”
“Are you okay with this ending?”
Of course she wasn’t, but what could she do? The power from deep within her bloodline was simply too strong. But stronger than that twisted force was the hatred people felt for her. Sophie had once tried to connect with people, disobeying her grandmother’s warning to leave the old wooden house in the wilderness forest to experience the wonderful world of men. But in the end, she found nothing but a heart full of despair.
“I don’t want to die,” Sophie sobbed, her pupils hollow. “But I am alone… I can’t bear this great pain alone anymore.”
“Then what if…”
A hand was extended to her. “I joined you?”
That familiar face appeared in Sophie’s vision. “Did you forget our original deal?” Green asked with a bright smile. “Helping me achieve my dream?”
Dream?
“A world where everyone can afford stewed chicken, Sophie. For the dream of the future I’ve envisioned…” Green said solemnly, “I cannot do it without you!“
“But…” Sophie’s eyes reddened. “I am a witch. My existence only brings misfortune to people.”
“No!” The witch was interrupted before she could finish. Green opened his arms and pulled Sophie into a tight embrace. “I need you. Our home, Falling Leaf Town, needs you too.”
Need.
For the first time in her life, Sophie felt as if something had been entrusted to her shoulders. It was heavy. But it didn’t feel bad.
“You’re basically forcing a sale on me,” the witch Sophie laughed through her tears. “You big idiot.”
“How… how is that possible!”
In the snow, the Knight of Truth Jessica stared with wide, disbelieving eyes. “The corruption… it actually stopped!”
That surging, pure black power that was about to break through the cage of the witch’s body was actually controlled?! This was—it completely defied common sense!
Crack.
Jessica felt something within her mind break. The conviction she called “Truth.”
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