Chapter: 259
“Wait, the source of the Barrier has disappeared? Is that really true…?”
“Really? Well, that’s a big problem! Is there no way to fix this? If that’s the case, the city is finished!”
The source of power for the Barrier—the witch’s body—has vanished.
As we came out of the Control Room and announced this news outside, it naturally caused an uproar.
Who could stay calm upon hearing the sudden realization that we were now doomed?
“This news will lead to a massive riot among the citizens…!”
“What should we—what can we do? We need to come up with some countermeasures, as soon as possible!”
The emergence of trouble was already expected.
Until now, the Barrier had been something that was simply taken for granted in this city.
Even if the outside world was a place where humans couldn’t survive, this city was believed to be safe from the encroachment of miasma, a land where there was no fear of contamination.
That belief was the greatest driving force allowing this city to function well.
However, now that the Barrier was gone, people could no longer live in peace.
Even though the use of miasma purification devices might prevent the city from being severely tainted, the difference between having zero protection and some protection was of an entirely different dimension.
Even if the demonic beasts were weak, they had enough power to harm civilians, which meant that a demonic beast could suddenly appear beside my bed and kill me.
From now on, people would have to live in constant anxiety, fearing that a demonic beast might kill them at any moment.
This alone would surely lead to chaos in the city for quite a while.
Yes, people lived with various dangers all the time, but expecting them to immediately accept such a rapidly changing situation was unrealistic.
How could anyone easily accept that a new kind of danger had emerged without any reason?
Of course, even so, it was impossible for everyone to just sit back and do nothing.
The reason for the meeting being called was also to look for some sort of countermeasures.
“For now, I’ll try to expand the reach of the World Tree’s power as much as possible. If I’m right, I should be able to extend it to the northern area of the city, so we should evacuate the citizens there for now.”
“Will that be possible…? Then while the citizens are evacuated there, we’ll proceed to install miasma purification devices in other areas as quickly as possible. I was worried that we might have to abandon the city entirely, so this is a relief.”
Fortunately, thanks to Sylvia, there was some glimmer of hope.
The area near the Northern Forest, where the World Tree was rooted, had transformed into a livable space due to the World Tree’s power, and Sylvia was able to expand that area to the north of the city.
The plan was to gradually make the city safe starting from that point.
Without the revival of the World Tree, this would have been impossible.
In fact, in the original story, once the Barrier disappeared, the city gradually became consumed by miasma, forcing the residents to abandon it and flee.
Maybe because of this, the more the meeting went on, the more glimmers of hope began to show on people’s faces.
However, despite the situation improving compared to the original, optimism was nowhere to be found, and unlike the others, I couldn’t relax my stern expression.
And I wasn’t the only one making such a face.
“Um, Ms. Eve, do you have any ideas for countermeasures?”
“Ah… well, I can’t particularly think of anything special.”
At the sudden question, Ms. Eve gave a somewhat forced smile and then returned to a serious expression as if she had a lot on her mind.
For reference, Ms. Eve just happened to be sitting next to me.
While everyone discussed countermeasures and tried to find some hope, the two witches sitting side by side kept wearing serious expressions, drawing attention from nearby eyes.
Perhaps those gazes echoed the sentiment that while this was a life-and-death matter for them, witches like us didn’t need to worry about miasma, thus looking indifferent.
But I wasn’t making such a face because I wasn’t taking the situation seriously.
And that was likely the case for Ms. Eve as well.
“…Teacher?”
When I gently called her, Ms. Eve turned slightly in my direction as if to ask what was the matter.
I quietly asked her.
“…What happened to the Witch of Gluttony?”
Regarding the whereabouts of the Witch of Gluttony.
That was why our attitudes were bound to differ from that of the others.
I was someone who knew the terror of the Witch of Gluttony due to the original story.
And Ms. Eve was the only one among us who had confronted the Witch of Gluttony directly.
Others might also think of her as a frightening existence, but there was a significant difference between knowing and not knowing.
The disappearance of the Barrier was a problem we could somehow overcome.
However, if the Witch of Gluttony were to be resurrected, that would mean…
Perhaps, that was why.
At my question, Ms. Eve’s expression darkened as she answered.
“…Well, let’s see.”
Knowing the terror of that existence better than anyone, her voice trembled.
“At the very least, I hope she doesn’t show up in front of us…”
I fervently wished for her to never appear before us, a witch that even witches could fear.
If such an event were to occur, it would likely be the day this world would meet its demise.
*
In the darkness.
A girl lying down with her eyes closed let out a soft sigh before opening her eyes.
“…Aah. What a pity, what a pity.”
As the owner opened her eyes, the surrounding dolls bowed their heads in unison, but the girl showed no interest in them whatsoever.
Her mind was solely occupied with the thoughts of what had just happened moments ago.
The girl bolted up from her lying position and muttered.
“I didn’t mind if I got caught, but I still feel a little regret. I really wanted to see how the humans would react when they realized the magic that protected them was gone and started panicking.”
The chunks of meat beneath her had been trembling with regret, but the girl paid them no mind.
They were merely puppets that moved according to her will.
They were things not worth her concern.
Thus, the girl who possessed the Witch of Lust, known as Floreane, asked the only one present who had the right to converse with her.
“By the way, it’s definitely true that the annoying Barrier will be gone soon, right? With the miasma under control, we can’t see the situation on the other side anymore.”
“Yep, it’s about to happen. Soon enough. Thanks for your hard work in the meantime.”
In response to the girl’s question, a woman with a hood answered.
Then the girl erupted.
“Yes, I certainly worked hard! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to hold back while you told me not to interfere with the humans?”
After preparing puppets at the top and not being able to use them freely.
Also being unable to touch her beautiful collection.
She was grumbling about all the built-up frustration, but soon her expression lit up with triumph.
“But now, that sort of restraint comes to an end! Hah, I had to hold back for hundreds of years because you made me answer thoughtlessly, but anyway, this marks the end of our contract! You said last time, right? Once this is over, I’ll be able to do as I please. So now, I will truly do as I please! Don’t you dare stop me!”
In response to the girl’s declaration, the woman nodded, as though giving her permission to do as she wished.
With that consent, the girl gleefully exclaimed.
“Aha! Then I should start preparing to burst in! I’m going right away to add the children I’ve been eyeing to my collection and make a bunch of other humans into puppets!”
“Can you handle all of them by yourself?”
The woman asked casually, to which the girl replied, shaking the black jewel hanging from her necklace.
“With this, I can. After all, the more there are, the better for me.”
“Well, I suppose with your abilities, it might indeed be possible for you to turn all the humans into your puppets.”
“Hey, I won’t turn all of them into puppets. I have to leave some for the future. If I make them all into my puppets, they lose their personality. So I’ll leave some behind to pasture.”
As the girl rambled on enthusiastically about her plans, her gaze fell on the black orb in the woman’s hand.
Upon seeing that, the girl’s expression hardened, and her voice turned into a faint quiver as she asked.
“…What about that?”
The girl’s question was laced with fear.
And it was understandable; the existence contained within that orb was one that anyone would naturally fear.
Except for that gluttonous girl.
In any case, the girl could not help but be bothered by the orb the woman constantly carried.
Every time she saw it, she felt her body involuntarily shudder.
So she spoke, hoping the woman would put the orb somewhere out of sight.
“Isn’t it inconvenient to carry that around? Why not just bury it deep underwater?”
“Ah, it is indeed inconvenient.”
The woman nodded in agreement with the girl’s words.
Oh, so now I won’t have to see that annoying thing anymore.
The girl couldn’t hide her delight at that thought when—
“As active as it is even in this weakened state, if I take my eyes off it even for a moment, it’ll try to recover its strength and pop out.”
“Yikes?!”
At the continuation of the woman’s words, the girl immediately jolted and shook her head vigorously.
“Th-that’s a big problem! So I’ll have to stay vigilant against it even if it’s inconvenient.”
“Yeah, it is indeed a big problem.”
The girl silently shouted inside her head at the woman who monotonously whispered.
What she just said is cancelled! Please don’t take your eyes off it!
And in the girl’s ears came the sound of the woman saying, in an overly calm voice,
“So, I’m just going to let it go.”
“U-uh…?”
The girl was initially too stunned to comprehend what she had just heard, caught off guard by the nonchalant tone, and finally stammered,
“J-Joke right…?”
In her confusion, she hastily asked the woman, thinking it was some kind of prank.
However, the woman’s expression did not show even the slightest sign of joking, and it was then that the girl realized the woman was not just kidding.
“You’ve lost your mind?! You’re going to just let it go?! You know what will happen if you do that, right…!”
That’s why the girl yelled at the woman, demanding to know if she had lost her mind.
Both the girl and the woman knew very well what kind of existence lies within that orb.
The girl who once belittled humans even sincerely appreciated them for sealing it away.
Let alone the lethargic one, which had at least some rational thought.
There was no rationality in it.
It was a catastrophe that devoured everything excluding itself, without distinction of friend or foe.
To set that free into the world, would be akin to signing a death warrant.
“If you do that, I’ll die by its hands…! Please! Huh? Are you planning to kill someone who has cooperated with you for so long?”
No, it might not be committing suicide.
If she sets her mind to it, the woman could keep running forever.
Of course, the girl would certainly be the one to die.
So the girl tried to appeal to the long-lasting cooperative relationship, but the woman, with a teasing smile, replied.
“Cooperative relationship, didn’t we establish this based on a contract? As you mentioned, the contract is now over, right? You can act freely from now on, and so can I.”
“Y-You…!”
The girl’s face showed the hurt of betrayal as if she felt deeply wounded, with the woman softly saying her farewells.
“Thank you for your hard work, Lust. No, Lily.”
“You b!!!!!”
The girl’s furious scream echoed loudly.
And in the next moment, the woman appeared far away from where the girl had been moments ago.
Holding the black orb in her hand.
With a smile adorning her lips, the woman muttered to herself.
“Hah, indeed, it’s fun to tease.”
The betrayal-laden expression of the girl was a sight to behold.
That was what made her an object of amusement.
As she thought of the girl realizing how she had been played and getting frustrated, the woman murmured.
But not everything she said was just a joke.
“You didn’t notice that I didn’t release it back then as my way of showing affection, did you? You’ll need to prepare to run away diligently to survive a little longer, Lily.”
The woman said playfully.
Certainly, granting the girl a moment’s consideration was likely due to some lingering sentiment.
After all, she was someone who preferred saving the best for later.
Having briefly thought about the girl with a smile, the woman finally gazed down at the orb she was holding.
Slowly caressing the orb with her hand, she murmured.
“Say, wouldn’t it be quite the ending if humanity were to be destroyed by the witch who had once served as the source of power? That seems like a satisfying conclusion.”
She continued speaking as if addressing the orb.
“So remember, you are going to participate as the last role to conclude my script. Also keep in mind that there are no freebies in this world.”
With a grin, she said to the orb.
“It’s a deal. In exchange for releasing you now, you will fulfill one request of mine in the future, okay?”
The orb trembled slightly.
The woman looked at the orb, her smile widening.
“Well then, it seems we have an agreement! I understand, so stop whining. I’ll release you now.”
With that declaration, the woman placed the orb on the ground.
The orb cracked with a sharp sound.
And the woman was already at a distance.
“…Wow, within a moment, this is what happens. Well, since you didn’t say I couldn’t hurt you, it isn’t a breach of contract.”
Without hesitation, the woman severed her fingers, turning black and crumbling, as she stared at the place where she had left the orb.
“Anyway, as much as you’ve been pent up, enjoy your riot.”
The woman laughed.
While looking forward to the return of the disaster that had once consumed seven-tenths of the world…
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■!!!!!!!!!!
As she awaited the re-emergence of disaster.
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