### Chapter 498 – Room 207, The Gate Room – Second Trial ‘The Witch’ (6) Fin
—
– Elena
— RUMBLE!
The scale spinning in spirals moved with enough force to crumble even the rocky walls.
Can I dodge it this time with how fast it’s going?
The opponent, belatedly reacting, shifted half a step sideways.
Although it was clearly a movement surpassing human limits, it was pitifully slow compared to the scales of justice.
There shouldn’t be a way to evade this.
They should crumble without responding.
And yet, the scale missed again.
“…”
“…”
With justice already being served, I couldn’t speak, and neither could my opponent.
In this eerie silence, the psychic duel continued.
After narrowly dodging two attacks, my opponent moved right into a position where they could strike me in one breath.
In a flash, the sword shot out at a speed beyond recognition.
— THWANG!
The moment the red sword struck my body, a metallic sound echoed as the ‘opponent’ bounced back.
I had a hunch, and indeed it was true.
With justice activated, my body may not have had regeneration, but my durability was exceptional, preventing it from crumbling under the strike.
The attack rightfully returned to me.
Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t actually controlling the golden scales moving at such incredible speed. I was more like the one giving tactical directions, and the scales operated independently.
Given that both attacks had missed, I needed to change the pattern.
The opponent had some peculiar evasion skills I couldn’t comprehend.
Wouldn’t it be better to spread the force out rather than focusing it on a single point?
CLANK! The form of the scales vanished, replaced by a foggy glowing wave.
— RA-AAA!
A sound reminiscent of a heavenly choir engulfed the space with the swirling wave.
And then.
“GUH!”
The pitch-black knight staggered back, spitting curses.
No matter how remarkable their evasion skills are, an attack that eliminates the chance to “dodge” can still land!
Once, twice, three times!
As the waves hammered down, finally, crimson liquid splattered from the knight’s helmet.
That indicated a hit, but honestly, it’s quite shocking.
The moment the scales transformed into waves, the range of attack drastically increased, diluting the concentrated power.
However, the scales originally contained enough power to crush concrete buildings in one blow.
Even if weakened, could a human truly endure three of those strikes?
That thing was so solid it made me question if it was human at all.
— THWACK!
Having endured all three waves, the opponent once again seized the opportunity to charge at me!
Is that even a person?
What are they, an ogre or a troll?
Is this how the martial artists from Room 205 moved?
Even if I’m pretty solid, engaging in close combat doesn’t seem wise.
So, I slammed my feet into the ground.
In an instant, the ground expanded, the opponent shrinking in size!
With that single movement, the opponent lost their sword’s intended path while my waves could still reach them.
This is the greatness of flight!
So, what’s your next move?
You’re strong for a human, but you’re not Kain or have wing boots like Ahri!
At that moment, the pitch-black knight dashed towards me as if stepping on empty air.
“…!”
I was startled.
I was genuinely shocked!
Had I been capable of screaming, I might have howled to the heavens!
You can fly too? What the heck are you?
Even the far more advanced Management Bureau couldn’t create psychic beings as recklessly!
One good thing, though, was that during the execution of justice, “my” role wasn’t to fully control the scales.
Even as I floundered in a panic, the scales, empowered by the waves, unhesitatingly intercepted the opponent.
— RUMBLE!
The knight, eyes ablaze, charged forward.
The waves of justice struck the knight repeatedly!
After two collisions, I faintly grasped the principle behind this knight’s “flight” ability.
It wasn’t like wing boots dispersing thrust downwards to fly upward.
Rather, it appeared they created solid things akin to steps in the air and climbed them!
Once I understood the principle, I instantly conceived a strategy.
It wouldn’t be easy to knock a person standing on a staircase down with vertical pressure from above.
A sturdy support would hold them.
I should push from the back or the side.
— WHOOOSH!
The wave cutting through the knight turned into a vortex enveloping them.
Left, right, front, back!
As it shook them violently side to side, the knight lost balance and ultimately slipped off the staircase to the ground.
Like Icarus without wings, witnessing the fall at that moment—
I instinctively knew this was my greatest chance!
No matter how peculiar their evasion skills were, they couldn’t dodge an attack while dropping from the sky!
The waves, which had spread thinly and wide like a vortex, converged back into a single point.
Even a 21st-century concrete building couldn’t withstand the power aimed at the crimson knight!
As the thunderous force struck the opponent—
— KABOOM!
Again, the powers of the universe saved “them.”
Strictly speaking, my deductions weren’t wrong.
No matter how much “luck” played a role, it couldn’t let them evade my attack in that situation.
But the scales of judgment could make their helmet come off before crumbling the knight!
“Ah… Ah… AAH!”
Their voice returned.
The execution of justice dissipated, and my body slowly descended to the ground.
I stared in a daze at the face beneath the now-removed helmet.
The appearance was that of someone around their late teens to early twenties.
While they were quite bulky, growth spurts during adolescence explained that.
Teenage boys tend to grow significantly within a few years.
“What, what is this?!”
The knight’s true identity was Seungyub!
I was stunned.
I was confused.
At least thousands of years had passed since ancient Egypt, and he still looked like a late teenager, utterly ignoring the passage of time?
That was baffling enough, but the next issue was way more serious.
Why was he attacking me?
Is he out of his mind? Why?
Where’s Yumi? Is she somewhere alone?
Did she get sealed away, preventing Yumi from coming out?
What on earth is going on—
— SCRAPE!
Once again, a flash of a sword flew mercilessly toward my neck.
If it had been in the past, I would’ve lost my life instantly from that attack!
「‘Self-defense’ has been activated.」
The swirling golden power deflected the sword.
The scales of justice, recognizing them as an ‘ally’ and pausing the execution, declared ‘self-defense’ against this renewed assault.
Ah…!
Oh dear…!
I wanted to stop it.
I didn’t want to kill Seungyub, no matter what!
However, the reactivated scales showed no signs of sparing him simply because he was an ally.
In some sense, the “justice” transcended even my will, deeming mercy to be given only once.
— CRUNCH!
A shape resembling the sky god’s fist descended.
Instantly, the pitch-black knight was reduced to a pile of flesh and bone fragments.
I wanted to cry.
If only the scales hadn’t restrained my body’s autonomy, I would’ve collapsed and sobbed!
As the execution neared its end, I needed to find out.
How had they survived all this time? Why did they attack me without recognizing me?
If I dug through Seungyub’s remnants—
The execution isn’t over yet?
“…”
No tears flowed, and my lips remained sealed.
Clearly, Seungyub, transformed into the pitch-black knight, has turned into a handful of blood!
The execution hasn’t finished yet?
At that moment— a box appeared in mid-air.
A ghostly apparition rose from the remains of flesh.
Soon, an unfathomable force began reassembling the spread-out flesh and metal shards!
The soul was clearly gathered within the ‘soul jar’.
So, had Yumi vanished?
…
Maybe not.
Unlike normal humans, Yumi’s essence isn’t purely soul or body.
In a sense, she was like a psychic parasite!
She might’ve transferred her ‘data’ to another body.
“…”
I thought it over.
During the second trial, Eunsol and I had our legacies sealed.
What about the companions from the first trial?
Jinchul’s death at the very start meant that the shockwaves from the timekeeper’s incident allowed him to use his legacy.
In other words, their blessings must have been sealed too.
“…”
Therefore, it’s not strange at all for “that” to be resurrected using the soul jar.
If anything, it’s odd that they used the power of luck until just moments ago.
Could they have originally utilized their legacy, and the blessings became accessible once the first trial finished thousands of years ago? Has the hotel’s seal been lifted?
“…”
An opponent equipped with luck, immortality, and an exceedingly powerful Aksha’s soul.
This being’s odd reasoning made them hostile towards us.
A chuckle escaped me.
— CLANG!
The pitch-black knight again revealed its fighting spirit.
…
I’ll win even if I fight again.
The current Seungyub is incredibly strong, but he can’t compare to the activated justice.
I would win whether I fought him twice or thrice.
What about four times?
Five times?
Six times?
Justice will eventually exhaust that power.
In contrast, the soul jar provides Seungyub with infinite chances.
“…”
One of two things is needed.
Power to revert Seungyub’s insanity, or the ability to break the soul jar’s immortality.
The Flute of Rest or the Spear of Mortality.
Or an alternative force with similar capabilities.
I had nothing of the sort.
— RUMBLE!
Against the knight, who was revealing their intent to fight, I felt justice roaring in fury.
Calmly, taking slow breaths, I attempted to ‘persuade’ justice.
“Phew… HAH….”
I’m not trying to stop the execution.
I’m also not giving up on justice.
This is like a 2-step forward, 1-step back strategy.
After all, no bearing could call judgment upon an opponent who couldn’t be executed by a scale, right?
“… Yes, yes.”
My voice returned.
It was the first time since entering the hotel.
Justice, which had found no method to enforce judgment, returned my autonomy.
Approaching that boy, filled with madness and unable to recognize me— my old companion.
Even if this boy doesn’t regain his senses today…
I wanted to leave a sliver of hope.
“Can you hear me?”
*
– Lee Eunsol
Once Inquisitor Thomas was killed, there wasn’t a single person in Ernhheim gutsy enough to chase after and torment me.
Thanks to this, Sophia, Valentina, and I explored the vast nature of medieval Europe.
How was this time? I’d say not bad at all.
Honestly, it was fun and joyous.
My body was a bit tired, but this level was commonplace in a hotel.
Compared to the primitive era of Room 203, medieval times feel like cutting-edge civilization, right?
— MEOW!
“Sophia, did you make another talking cat?”
“Uh-huh! I need to teach it a bit more, though! But mommy, why can’t mommy’s bird talk?”
“…”
Good question.
If cats can talk in this world, then why can’t you, Pero?
— PEEEEP!
“Sophia, mommy’s bird can’t talk, but she can transform, right?”
“Hmph! My cat can transform too!”
“When it comes to fighting, mommy’s bird wins!”
“…”
With that comment, Sofia wore a slightly downcast expression while Valentina, who’d been cooking nearby, looked bewildered.
“Eunsol, do you really need to bring Sofia down like that?”
“She needs to learn how to tone it down a bit.”
Seriously!
A girl who’d kill civilians like squashing ants once they annoy her needs some grounding.
“Mom! Mom! When did you start using magic?”
“…”
I essentially ‘came out’ to Sophia and Valentina.
I revealed that I too am a hidden witch.
Using the powers of Pero and the dream butterfly, mimicking being a witch wasn’t difficult. Initially, Valentina was shocked but soon accepted it.
Perhaps she thought that since her daughter was a witch, it meant she could be one too.
Sophia was incredibly delighted.
She thought she’d have to hide her magical powers and live in the shadows, only to find out that her mother was similar!
“…”
I taught Sofia day by day.
What’s allowed in the world, and what isn’t.
It wasn’t an easy job, yet it felt meaningful somehow.
Because, you know, it’s written in the papal book, Malleus Maleficarum.
Most witches run amok because they’ve never properly been educated since childhood.
If they are well taught, they might at least pretend to be an ordinary person!
“Mom, but what’s this drawing?”
“…”
I’d attempted to draw.
Sadly, my drawing wasn’t at the level of an artist, but I managed to sketch out a recognizable portrait.
“Someday… these will be Sophia’s friends.”
“Someday?”
“Sophia, I’ve told you multiple times, right? I can see a bit into the future?”
“…”
Every time I mention this, Sophia looks puzzled.
Despite being a fellow witch, is it hard for her to believe I can see the future?
“In the future, they’ll discover vast lands across the sea. They’ll talk about colonizing a new world, and you must go at that time.”
Will Sophia be alive until Ari and Grandpa Mooksung’s time?
They say witches live longer than humans, but I’m unsure.
All I can do at this point is to do my best.
“Mom, do you have any other stories?”
“Well… watch out for tulips?”
“Huh? Tulips are pretty!”
“Pretty, but they aren’t something worth investing in. Oh, and ‘Namhae Stock Company’ is another one to be careful of.”
“… I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Yeah, I don’t either.”
I feel like this.
I’m somewhat happy, but there’s an indescribable anxiety wrapping around me.
…
And one day.
— PEEP!
A shrill cry from Pero jolted me awake.
It was early morning, with Sofia and Valentina still asleep.
“Is it time?”
After sharing a long rapport with this parrot, I recognized the signs with just a glance.
Finally.
The boss of the second trial had taken down Elena.
And now, it was time to come for me.
“Pero, you have to escape this place with Sophia.”
Only I, Valentina, and Pero know that Sophia is a witch.
I’m not sure when the Inquisitor last reported, but that report probably only mentioned that ‘Lee Eunsol’ was a candidate for being a witch.
So…
“Pero, you need to live a long, long life.”
— PEEP!
“You have to live, really live. If possible, stick by Sophia’s side. Also… comfort Sophia, okay?”
— PEEP!
This should do it.
Today is my day of sacrifice.
…
「All participants have died, and the second trial comes to an end.」
「You failed to defeat the second trial’s boss, Fortuna.」
「The background of the third trial distorts.」
「Witch, Fin」
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