Chapter: 339
[…I felt it while I was fighting with that witch girl earlier. When the power of that witch disappeared as it burned in the flames from your body, I sensed a sudden loss of energy in my miasma that was flowing into your body. At that moment, I wondered what kind of harmony this was, but if you can create flames that only burn miasma, it’s not that strange to feel that way.]
“…Me, having such a power?”
Flames that do not burn anything but miasma. I mumbled in a dazed voice at Lucy’s claim that I used such a power.
Regardless, it must be clear that I created flames that only burn miasma, given the circumstances.
I had seen with my own eyes the flames coming from my body burning Beatrice’s abilities and the miasma that filled Yoon Si-woo’s body.
However, it was hard for me to wrap my head around it.
I didn’t even know I had such a power until now, nor did I consciously use that power.
So, while I wore a blank expression, Lucy asked me in a voice that seemed incredulous.
[Hah, what kind of reaction is that? Are you saying you had such a power and never realized it before?]
“…I guess that’s true. I didn’t know. I thought my ability was just to shoot flames.”
With a hint of grievance at Lucy’s words that made me feel very foolish, I replied.
Honestly, isn’t it possible that I wouldn’t know such a thing?
There’s no status window like in a game saying, “You have this hidden ability,” so how was I supposed to know I had such a power?
However, Lucy insisted that it was unimaginable.
[It’s more surprising that you were unaware of it. In my case, as soon as I awakened my ability, I instinctively realized that I had such a power and was able to use it.]
“Uh… is that usual?”
[Usually, yes. Consider that witch we just fought. She instantly learned to fly in mid-battle and could use it freely, right?]
“Uh, now that you mention it….”
Hearing that made me feel a bit down, as if I had been an idiot for not being able to use my own powers.
However, Lucy added after contemplating me for a moment.
[But… thinking about it, you might be considered a very special case that isn’t exactly a typical witch.]
“…A special case?”
I tilted my head in confusion, not understanding what she meant, and Lucy questioned me.
[You said you always believed your ability was to handle flames, right?]
“Yeah, I could naturally use the ability to handle flames…”
[Here’s a question. Is that ability to handle flames really your own ability?]
I could only be left bewildered by Lucy’s words.
If handling flames isn’t my ability, then what is?
But after hearing her next words, I finally understood what Lucy was trying to say.
[To be precise, the ability to handle flames isn’t yours. It’s actually the capacity of the Witch of Wrath before you.]
“Ah.”
She was right.
Originally, the flames were not mine but were Evangeline’s, the original Witch of Wrath.
I had somehow gained the ability to use her powers.
[Since I’ve been watching you with Si-woo for quite a while, I have an idea of the situation. You are an unprecedented and highly special case. A witch’s body housing a separate personality. I wouldn’t have imagined such a thing if I hadn’t seen it myself.]
Indeed, when I thought about it, I was an extraordinarily unique case.
Even if she was currently dormant, it was a situation where there were two personalities in one body. No, if we considered the original Scarlet Evande’s personality, it could be called a triple personality.
[Although I don’t know exactly what your body is like, it’s likely close to that of the former Witch of Wrath. You can naturally handle that witch’s abilities because of that.]
“So I can wield Evangeline’s powers because I share the same body?”
[In the end, the medium that manifests a witch’s power is miasma, isn’t it? Since both you and she share the same source, it’s the most plausible explanation why you can use the same ability.]
As I nodded at this plausible explanation, Lucy continued.
[But that’s only the ability that Evangeline, the Witch of Wrath, possessed. In my view, the flame that burns only miasma seems to be a power you awakened as a witch.]
“…My, witch’s ability?”
[Yes. Witches typically awaken abilities that are unique to each one. Have you ever thought about why witches possess such varied abilities?]
Overwhelming regeneration abilities characterized the Gluttony witch, while the Lust witch had the power to control people with insects. Beatrice had the refusal to be interfered with, and Lucy had the ability to sever everything.
And Evangeline wielded the capacity to project flames from her body.
The powers of the witches I had seen so far were each vastly different, and there was no semblance to be found among them.
But I had never really questioned why that was until now.
However, Lucy seemed to know the reason, as she told me.
[…I’m not entirely sure, but from my experience, witches awaken their abilities based on their wishes. In my case, I wished to cut rocks with a sword, and one day I awakened such a power.]
Lucy spoke to me in a somewhat nostalgic voice.
“…Wish.”
And upon hearing that, something clicked for me.
For example, Beatrice seemed to have awakened the power to refuse interference because she despised being disturbed.
Evangeline, desiring to return the wrath and pain she suffered from betrayal by fire, awakened the potential of flames.
As I rolled the word “wish” around in my mind, Lucy questioned me.
[Then Scarlet Evande, what did you wish for? What is your wish?]
…If I had a wish, it would be.
I paused for a moment before speaking.
“…To protect my precious people.”
As I answered that, Lucy murmured.
[To protect. Protecting implies that there is something threatening your precious ones. And that threat is probably the existence of the witch or the miasma itself. Thus, you awakened the ability to burn miasma, is that it?]
I see.
If witches and miasma were to disappear from this world, everyone could live safely and happily.
I might have unconsciously thought and hoped for that.
While I was lost in thought, Lucy spoke to me again.
[By the way, not realizing you had awakened your own ability until now is quite a problem. It may be due to having two powers in one body. No matter how good the sword, without the skill to wield it, it’s just decoration. Can you handle that ability freely?]
“…I don’t know. I’ve never consciously tried to use my power.”
[Hmm, so it activated unconsciously. Have you ever used that power even unconsciously before? If you have, you might find some clues in your thoughts or feelings from that time.]
Unconsciously, huh.
Following Lucy’s advice, I rummaged through my memories.
Even if it was an ability, it was originally just flames that sprang up during happy moments or whenever I felt good.
I couldn’t specifically remember if it had burned miasma back then…
“…Ah.”
Suddenly, I recalled something.
When I was chased from the city to the Northern Forest, Sylvia came to help me, and I spent the night with her in a miasma-infested forest.
At that time, the flames that burst forth from my body had caught onto a dead tree completely tainted with miasma.
And that tree turned out to be the World Tree that Sylvia resurrected the very next morning.
I began to think that perhaps those flames helped burn the miasma that had tainted the World Tree, leading to its revival.
Moreover, I began to see something else that made sense.
The Tears of the Ocean, a sacred relic I obtained after defeating the Witch of Lust.
It had been completely overwhelmed by miasma. I had slept beside it, and when I woke up, the miasma was entirely gone.
When I think about it, it was strange that I woke up one day and found the miasma completely gone without any incident.
There was a high chance that I unconsciously used my ability to burn the miasma that had tainted the relic.
What was I thinking back then?
While I didn’t remember anything specific, I mulled it over.
Typically, flames that burn only miasma emerged when I was happy.
But during Yoon Si-woo’s near-death moment, I wasn’t feeling happy.
So, the condition for triggering the ability isn’t just happiness.
Then what are the commonalities between the situations back then and now?
I thought hard about it.
“…I think I figured it out.”
Not long after, I was able to find that commonality.
[Did you find a clue?]
“…Yeah. My wish, which is to protect my precious people.”
Most of the time, I felt happy because of someone else.
Because of those who showed me kindness and warmth.
I wished for those who made me feel that happiness to be happy.
I wanted them to be safe.
But even in Yoon Si-woo’s case, though I wasn’t happy, I wished for his safety.
That must be the connection.
“So I think the trigger for the ability is probably the feeling of ‘wanting to protect.’ But there must be a condition. For instance—”
But it couldn’t just be that one condition necessary to activate that ability.
After all, I always wished for such things.
So, the condition must be when that heart becomes much stronger.
I recalled the moment flames raged that did not burn, as I looked at Yoon Si-woo as he was about to die.
As I thought of those feelings, I murmured.
“─I want to protect. I don’t mind what happens to me.”
Then flames erupted from my hand.
It was a flame that felt no heat.
I realized that I could now freely control that ability.
But before I could rejoice over that encouraging fact.
“─Ugh?!”
I suddenly felt an unusual dizziness and stumbled, bracing myself against the ground.
What was this? Is the fatigue from the battle finally catching up to me?
As I pondered this, I slowly took a deep breath and opened my eyes.
“…Huh?”
I blinked several more times at the sense of unease.
At that moment, while I was blinking, I heard…
[…It seems like you’ve figured out how to handle your ability.]
Lucy’s voice reached my ears.
[But… is that so?]
Her voice was laden with a heavy tone.
[…Child, the power to burn miasma is undoubtedly an incredibly effective weapon for a witch.]
I slowly turned to where her voice was coming from.
[It will be fatally lethal to a witch, whose very essence relies on miasma, abilities, and body.]
The bright blade reflected my face.
[…Your heart is quite admirable, but how contradictory it is.]
I closed my right eye.
[…Child, remember this well.]
My face reflected in the blade.
[…Your power is poison to witches.]
I opened the eye I had kept closed and then closed my left eye.
[…And you, too, are a witch.]
And I couldn’t help but smile.
I couldn’t see anything.
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