We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The Eastern Magician and the Northern Witch.
The Witch?
Are you talking about the Northern Witch?
What exactly is going on?
The Eastern Magician knows the Northern Witch?
Of course, even though they lived in different places, it wouldn’t be strange for them to recognize each other, as they had resisted the Demon Race for many years.
But how did the Orb of Flame taken from Listea connect to the Witch?
“Hey, if you know about the Northern Witch, then I know her too!”
I thought that if we had a mutual acquaintance, we might be able to contact her from there, so I spoke up.
Then, the Eastern Magician, who had shown little reaction to Listea’s pleas or Slaton’s nagging complaints until now, reacted sharply to my words.
However, it was with an unexpected presence.
With a glare, the Eastern Magician keenly glared at me from behind the bear fur.
Wh-What?!
Why are you reacting like that?
I flinched at the unexpected reaction. The Eastern Magician continued to stare intently at me from behind the bear fur.
Um…
This is troublesome. The topic I brought up as a bridge of friendship has instead made the atmosphere worse. I was perplexed about how to salvage the situation. However, the Eastern Magician only glared at me for a while before immersing himself back into his own world.
Dragging the oversized bear fur, the Eastern Magician began to move. He pulled over a dilapidated desk from the corner, which looked like it would break at any moment, and placed it in the center of the space he lived in. Then, from one of the leather pouches, he took out a crystal ball, transparent and far too large to fit the rough furnishings and unhygienic dwelling, and placed it on the desk.
I wondered what was about to happen. Listea also fell silent, carefully observing the Eastern Magician’s actions.
As if he had already forgotten our existence, confined in a prison created by illusion, the Eastern Magician silently continued his work. From among the other stacked leather pouches, he prepared powdered substances, dried plants, and what looked like dried animals and insects, as well as water in a dirty pot.
I knew. Not just me, but Listea and Slaton knew in detail as well. They were catalysts and ritual tools needed for casting curses and sorcery.
So, was the Eastern Magician going to use sorcery now? Ignoring our presence, the Eastern Magician finished his preparations and stood before the crystal ball placed on the desk. Then, he placed the Orb of Flame next to the crystal ball.
“…N-No way!?”
Listea seemed to realize something. However, the Eastern Magician, unfazed, began the sorcery ritual.
Unlike his distorted and grating spoken words, the Eastern Magician spoke in a smooth melody, like a song. As he did so, he added ritualistic mediums to the pot filled with water.
Perhaps the overly large bear fur was hindering the ritual, as the Eastern Magician peeled back only his hands, revealing his fingertips. Although I knew of his petite build beforehand, the hands and fingertips peeking out from the fur were so thin, like skin and bones alone, giving a fragile impression. It was just like Laira when she was on the verge of death.
“Uooh!?”
At that moment, immediately after the Eastern Magician began chanting, ignoring my observations. A red hexagonal array appeared on the floor beneath us, or rather, throughout the entire cave living space. Complex patterns and designs illuminated and filled the space. Furthermore, the array moved, rotating and revealing new magic circles in sync with the Eastern Magician’s chanting.
“This is unbelievable… Creacio also uses arrays, but they usually draw them directly on the ground or carve them. To reproduce it with light…”
I had seen it many times. A 3D magic circle of light. It was an extremely advanced technique that Old Man Sleigsta displayed when using powerful Dragon Arts like the Transferring Art. Was the Eastern Magician’s magic circle precision at an unimaginable level, regardless of the power or effect of the sorcery he was about to unleash?
As the Eastern Magician chanted, the magic circle filling the cave moved in complex patterns. Simultaneously, changes began to appear in the pot and crystal ball prepared for the ritual.
First, several colors of foul-smelling smoke began to rise from the pot into which various catalysts had been added. It was strange for multiple colors of smoke to rise from a single pot, but something even more peculiar occurred. As the smoke filled the cave, it began to be absorbed into the crystal ball.
The transparent crystal ball became cloudy with various colors. As this happened, the cloudiness gradually mixed and melted within the crystal ball, filling it. Finally, the inside of the crystal ball turned completely white.
…No, it seems slightly different. It didn’t turn white because the cloudiness mixed together.
That is…!
“Remote sorcery…”
Listea let out a small voice. But that was all she could manage. She was mesmerized by the miracle unfolding before her eyes and watched intently, speechless.
That’s right. It didn’t turn white. It was projecting a scene from somewhere far away onto the crystal ball. And the projected place was just white. Looking closely, I could see something like horizontal streaks within the white.
A blizzard?
Even though snow piled up in the Heavenly Mountain Range, it didn’t blizzard. So, was it projecting a land different from here, a land that was blizzarding?
“Where… is it?”
Gazing at the crystal ball, the Eastern Magician mumbled something while chanting. Occasionally, the crystal ball would turn from white to cloudy. And then, it would project a white landscape again. The projected scenery was always monochrome white, but it seemed to be showing various places.
No matter where it showed, it was a world of pure white. Even though it wasn’t winter yet, it was a world that blizzarded and was covered in snow.
Picking up fragments of the Eastern Magician’s words, the answer was…
“The Eternal Snowfield?”
Yes. The extremely cold land where it is said no living creature can survive, the land where the Northern Witch is said to live.
Why was the Eastern Magician using remote sorcery to search for the Northern Witch? In front of us, who could only watch, the Eastern Magician revealed the answer.
“Found… you!”
Although the crystal ball had repeatedly switched projection targets, it had shown only white each time. However, after dozens of attempts, it finally captured something other than white. However, the captured shadow was also white.
Alone in the blizzard-swept snowfield. A lone figure stood. Just as the Eastern Magician was covered entirely in bear fur, a person completely covered in a pure white cloak was projected in the center of the crystal ball.
“Finally… Witch. This time, I will…!”
Ah, I involuntarily let out a sound. The Orb of Flame placed next to the crystal ball glowed crimson. It emitted intense heat and light, releasing the curse power contained within.
“He can’t be! He’s going to use the Holy Sword’s orb as a catalyst!”
Listea snapped back to her senses, her eyes wide with shock at the power of the remote sorcery the Eastern Magician had unleashed. The snow blizzarding within the crystal ball turned into flames. Each snowflake transformed into a spark. Not only that, but even the snow covering the ground turned into flames, and the landscape projected onto the crystal ball was now a world of fire. The Eastern Magician, perhaps concentrating on the remote sorcery, continued chanting in a song-like melody, staring intently into the crystal ball.
“That woman! She stole the Holy Sword’s orb to attack the person in the crystal ball!”
Slaton, furious at the Eastern Magician’s actions, banged violently on the iron bars. However, the iron bars, which were an illusion, were as immovable as real ones, continuing to confine Slaton and us.
I was more focused on the world projected in the crystal ball than on Slaton’s anger. The Eternal Snowfield, now a sea of flames. And the Northern Witch standing alone in it. Sparks danced wildly. The snow, blown sideways by the strong wind, transformed into a storm of fire, swirling and dancing. With the fiery blizzard, the burning earth also swayed with increasing intensity.
“If this continues, she’ll be in danger!”
Toris was worried about the Northern Witch shown in the crystal ball. However, I seemed to have a different impression than everyone else. I felt it was beautiful. Indeed, the flames created by the Eastern Magician had transformed the Eternal Snowfield where the Northern Witch stood into a world of fire. But the dancing sparks and the flames of the burning earth were beautiful and exquisite to no end, captivating my heart.
“Wi-Witch…”
Perhaps the Eastern Magician… The Northern Witch stood quietly in the center of the suddenly transformed fiery world, gazing at the dancing flames. But that didn’t last long either. Suddenly, the Witch looked up at the sky.
“No way, did she realize she was being watched by the remote sorcery?!”
Listea was speechless. It was understandable. We too had been repeatedly affected by the Eastern Magician’s remote sorcery after entering the Heavenly Mountain Range. However, we could not discern where we were being watched from or where the spell was being cast. Yet, the Northern Witch had seen through it in such a short time.
And it wasn’t just that.
“Guhh!”
Grumbling, clutching his eyes, the Eastern Magician crouched down. It seemed he had been counterattacked by the Northern Witch. The gazes of the Eastern Magician and the Northern Witch had met through the crystal ball, and that alone caused the Eastern Magician to writhe in agony. Nevertheless, the crystal ball continued to show the Northern Witch. But after the Northern Witch casually waved her right hand, the image was cut off. The crystal ball returned to its original transparent state.
“Goooh. Gggrrr.”
The Eastern Magician let out strange noises that were neither laughter nor groaning. It seemed he had consumed a considerable amount of curse power, as he remained crouched down, clutching his eyes and breathing heavily.
“I have no idea what’s going on…”
Alex let out a small remark. The relationship between King Armēdo, the founder of the kingdom, and the Eastern Magician. The origin of the Holy Sword and the circumstances of how the orb was made. The Eastern Magician’s true identity and nature. And his relationship with the Northern Witch.
That’s right. I mustn’t forget. We have also been imprisoned like this. We have to somehow persuade the Eastern Magician and escape from here. Moreover, it’s not about resurrecting the Holy Sword, but first about getting the orb back. The road ahead is long. Facing the current situation, filled with problems and questions, not only Alex but everyone else was discouraged. And as if to add insult to injury, the situation worsened.
A pathetic rumbling sound echoed through the cave. Looking, Slaton, who had been shouting and kicking the iron bars moments ago, was rubbing his stomach and giving an awkward, wry smile. Hmph. This guy really knows how to read the room, doesn’t he, Slaton? Even Listea looked at Slaton with a facepalm.
“I-I can’t help it! We haven’t had a proper meal since yesterday!”
No, no, Ares-chan gave you sweet potatoes, and you were eating your own preserved food, right? However, it’s true that we haven’t eaten to our satisfaction. Since losing the carriage carrying our luggage, we had only eaten small amounts to stave off hunger in between busy moments. On top of that, there was a major skirmish with an army of demons, even if it was an illusion created by the Eastern Magician. Even if not Slaton, we were all undeniably overwhelmed by hunger.
“Gugu, Gugu…”
Then, hearing Slaton’s stomach rumbling, the Eastern Magician looked at us and chuckled. It was a laugh as if mocking us.
“Damn it, if you’re going to take us prisoner, at least give us some food!”
The astonishment at the Eastern Magician’s terrifying remote sorcery from earlier vanished. Slaton, perhaps to cover his embarrassment, made more noise than usual. I thought that if he made so much noise, he’d only get hungrier? However, the Eastern Magician seemed unwilling to provide us with food. In fact, there was no food in this living space. The only thing that looked edible was Oz, hanging upside down in a corner of the cave. He was holding him captive to eat him or use his fur, wasn’t he? Oz was unconscious due to sorcery, so he didn’t react no matter how much Slaton made noise. He didn’t seem dead, but we had to rescue Oz quickly too.
Putting that aside for now. How did the Eastern Magician manage his usual diet? That became clear immediately. The sound of flapping wings was heard from the cave entrance. Wondering what it was, a Great Eagle flew in front of our gaze. The Great Eagle held a snow rabbit in its large, sharp talons. The Eastern Magician approached the Great Eagle that had brought the snow rabbit. It seemed he had the phantom Great Eagle, which looked real, hunt prey and bring it to his dwelling. Or so I thought. The Great Eagle, even after completing its task, did not disappear, still holding the snow rabbit in its talons. Then, it unceremoniously extended its beak. Of course, it was towards the captured snow rabbit. The Great Eagle tore open the snow rabbit’s skin with its sharp beak and powerful talons, and began to eat its flesh.
“Ugh, is that Great Eagle real?”
It seemed Slaton was right; the Great Eagle was not an illusion but a real bird. And what was even more surprising was the Eastern Magician’s action. To our disbelief, the Eastern Magician crouched down and bit into the snow rabbit’s flesh along with the Great Eagle.
“Seriously… He doesn’t even cook it?”
There was no cooking, let alone portioning the meat or carefully skinning it. The Eastern Magician, like a beast, tore off chunks of the snow rabbit’s flesh directly, chewed them with a wet, squelching sound, and swallowed. The Great Eagle and the Eastern Magician, side by side, were voraciously eating the snow rabbit right before our astonished eyes.
Rumble rumble rumble.
And then, Slaton’s stomach rumbled again.
“I can’t help it! I’m starving. No matter how disgusting the scenery, seeing meat just makes my stomach grumble even more!”
Slaton made excuses, his face flushed red. Then, the Eastern Magician looked up, looked at us, and chuckled again.
“Gugugugu.”
It was a distorted laugh, as if someone who didn’t know how to laugh was laughing purely by instinct. Only the Eastern Magician’s mouth was visible from the gap in his bear fur, and his smile, stained with snow rabbit’s blood, was chillingly eerie.
