Chapter 40: The Witch’s Weakness

Sophie quickly located the bandits’ hideout.

It was an abandoned mine. Decades ago, it had been a rich coal source, sparking a fierce and bloody struggle between Falling Leaf Town and nearby territories. But as the minerals dried up, it became nothing more than a temporary shelter for refugees fleeing the Long Winter, or a haunt for highwaymen and brigands.

However, incited by certain people with hidden agendas, this narrow, filthy mine was now teeming with activity.

“Hey, is everyone here?” The leader was clad in leather armor, his greasy short hair matted with snowflakes. A deep scar ran across his prominent hooked nose, accentuating his naturally sinister aura.

“Boss, boss, that girl is still making a scene!” Another bandit scratched his head, sounding frustrated. “The other hostages are dealt with, and we’re just waiting for that fool Lord to walk into our trap. But that girl… hiss, she’s proving to be quite a handful.”

“Seriously, how old are you?” The leader clicked his tongue in disappointment. “You can’t even handle one girl? What will Lord Martin and the Bishop think when they see this?”

Lord Martin? The Bishop? Sophie, who was silently observing the bandits from the shadows, narrowed her eyes. She remained still, her thoughts racing. Even though she was standing mere feet away from them, her magical concealment ensured they had no reaction whatsoever.

A bunch of mortals. She quickly confirmed their identities. The only problem was…

“So many residents of Falling Leaf Town are involved in this?” A sharp pang of pain shot through Sophie’s heart. Ordinarily, as a witch, she was long accustomed to betrayal. But reflected in her pupils now were not the strangers who usually hunted her—they were the people of Falling Leaf Town, the neighbors of her new home. But most importantly…

They were Green’s subjects.

Sophie knew exactly how much Green valued the people under his rule. No, “valued” didn’t seem quite accurate enough to describe his attitude toward them. Sophie knew the gospels of the Church of Light; she had seen them promote the virtues and examples of benevolent lords. Without a doubt, those lords were “good people,” and their heroic deeds in saving commoners were worthy of admiration.

But no matter how much the priests spoke with fervor, Sophie never felt those lords were the same as the commoners beneath them. Spellcasters were spellcasters—noble masters of the arcane. How could they be compared to the masses?

But Green was different. In terms of mercy and generosity, Green didn’t actually surpass the “Benevolent Sovereigns” praised by the Church. But that idiot Lord possessed a trait those other lords lacked.

He never felt he was different from the commoners.

Because of this, Green was sometimes actually “harsh” toward them. He held them to high standards—treating them as equals to himself. To the Church or other lords, Green’s behavior was heterodox and scandalous. But Sophie knew clearly: this was what made that idiot Lord special.

After all, he was just that kind of fool.

“But a Lord like him…” Sophie’s gaze toward the bandits filled with worry. For a moment, she even wished that the people who had kidnapped the villagers and little Mary were Ninth-Rank Knights of Truth as strong as Jessica. Facing a powerful enemy, the Witch Sophie never felt fear. In her currently stable state, she could fully unleash the terrifying power of the “Bewildering Witch,” one of the top three names on the Church’s wanted list.

However… Facing these commoners, Sophie felt her hands were tied. Having tasted the sweetness of being accepted by the residents, she could no longer bear the loneliness of a life on the run.

She… she was afraid. Not of the enemy, but of herself as a witch. If she revealed the horror of a witch’s power, would those humans still look at her with the same kind eyes? More importantly, would all the painstaking effort Green had put in these past months go to waste?

Sophie was caught in an agonizing dilemma. Waaaah! Just as she was wavering, a commotion broke out in the crowd.

“Boss, I whipped that girl just like you said. She’s finally quiet.” Drip, drop. A bloody whip.

Sophie stared blankly at the scene. The familiar face of the little girl had been lashed open; purple bruises were stark against her snow-white cheeks.

“Hey, brat! Admit that the witch is an enemy of humanity and a curse to Falling Leaf Town, and I’ll stop hitting you!” The bandit roughly shoved the girl’s frail body.

“No! Never!” Even though she was covered in blood and her face was a mess of tears and snot, Mary remained stubbornly upright. Her red-rimmed eyes were full of defiance. She lifted her head and cried out, “Miss Sophie isn’t a danger! She… she’s our benefactor!”

“My mama told me… if it weren’t for Sister Sophie, we… we would have died in the Long Winter long ago!” The girl’s voice wasn’t loud. Perhaps due to her earlier struggle, her pale face was drained of color, and her voice sounded incredibly weak. Yet, that faint voice fell upon Sophie’s heart with the weight of ten thousand tons.

“What are you blathering about!” The burly leader flew into a rage. With a shing, he drew a machete from his waist and glared at Mary with murderous intent. “You’re the one who follows that witch around all day, aren’t you? Heh, I bet you’re an unawakened witch yourself, that’s why you defend her so much!”

“No!” Mary’s eyes went wide. Even though her small frame was shaking uncontrollably, she did not yield to the man’s intimidation. She turned around to the other kidnapped residents and cried out, “Everyone… everyone, do you think Mary is right?”

Faced with Mary’s honest gaze, the crowd—who had been silent and huddled in fear—looked at one another. Inexplicably, sparks of courage began to surface in their hearts.

“Yes… yes! You’re not allowed to slander the Lord and Miss Sophie! Even if Miss Sophie is a witch, her inventions have helped us so much!” “That’s right! In past winters, we had to risk our lives just to scrounge for supplies. Thanks to the potatoes Miss Sophie invented, we can fill our bellies and even eat meat!” “And the medical potions… thanks to Miss Sophie, my mother survived the last plague…”

People spoke up one after another, citing the many inventions of Sophie and Green. In an instant, these faint voices converged into a massive torrent directed at the bandits.

“You… you lot…” A bandit, sensing things were going south, turned to the leader with cold sweat on his brow. “What do we do, Boss?”

“Damn it! You little bitch, my bounty!” Enraged, the brute raised his machete. In a desperate move, he grabbed Mary and swung the blade toward the girl’s tender neck.

“Ah… help… help me…” In the face of death, Mary let out a helpless scream, tears streaming down as she sobbed, “Lord Lord… Miss Sophie… please, please save me…”

Thud. A rag doll fell from Sophie’s arms. The witch’s eyes widened as she watched the blade closing in on Mary’s throat. In that instant, her rationality snapped.

Mary is in danger. The villagers need me! But a witch’s power is so dangerous… what if I lose control? No—no! The blade is going to cut her! You pieces of filth! Kill you kill you kill you kill you kill you!

BOOM!!! The black aura could no longer be suppressed. It erupted from the witch and shot into the sky. Kill kill kill kill kill. That was Sophie’s only thought.

Whoosh— A gale swept through. Sophie blinked. Gurgle… gurgle…

Thud. A sea of blood and unrecognizable, mangled corpses met Sophie’s eyes. She had killed them. Sophie gave a faint, bitter smile. “In the end… did I lose control after all?”

“Sophie… Sister Sophie…” A tiny voice reached her ears. The witch looked down at the girl in her arms, who was covered in blood—the blood of the bandits. She had saved Mary.

But… Sophie looked with some resignation at the heart still pulsing with a trace of warmth in her hand. Her true nature as a witch had been exposed. Looking at the timid girl in her arms, Sophie felt a sense of loss.

Sigh, it looks like I have to run again…

“Sister Sophie.” Hm? Mary isn’t afraid? “You were so cool just now.”

Sophie blinked, seeing the girl who had been trembling shortly before now closing her eyes slowly with a look of complete peace. “Thank you, Sister Sophie.”

This… She looked up at the others. “A witch… so, so scary,” one resident whispered, lowering their head in fear. “But Miss Sophie did it to save us…” “But some of those people were from Falling Leaf Town too…”

The people looked at Sophie with complex expressions—a mixture of relief at having survived and fear triggered by ancient, terrifying tales of witches. Sophie didn’t blame them. After all, even she was afraid of herself.

Clap, clap, clap. Amidst Sophie’s chaotic thoughts, the sound of applause rang out.

“Citizens of Falling Leaf Town,” a steady voice spoke. “I believe you have just witnessed the horror of a witch.” A majestic middle-aged man in plate armor stepped out from the woods, followed by a squad of fully armed soldiers.

“I am Viscount Martin of Black Raven Town.” The man held a two-handed greataxe and walked directly into the midst of the villagers, looking at Sophie with ill intent. “I understand you were blinded by the witch’s false benefits. But my fellow countrymen, that is merely a witch’s disguise. Today, I, along with His Excellency the Bishop, shall reveal to you…”

“The true face of witches!”

Standing behind Viscount Martin was a withered old man. His narrow eyes were fixed on Sophie with a gaze of pure greed. “The Bewildering Witch… it seems we’ve caught a big fish this time.”

The old man in bishop’s robes stroked his white beard. “Do your best, Viscount Martin. As a newly initiated Knight of Truth, what better stepping stone could there be than the Bewildering Witch?”

“After all, no matter how powerful a witch is,” the Bishop looked at Sophie, who was hesitating out of concern for the refugees, and a mocking smile curled on his lips, “once they give away their heart, they are no longer to be feared.“

“Attack!” he announced loudly.

Swish! Swish! Swish!