Chick 349
by Cristae349
Ding!
[‘Witch of Truth’ Caregiver Registration now available.]
What?
On Groo rounded her mouth in shock.
“Wi-Witch of Truth?”
The woman, having been discovered, blinked in disbelief.
“Oh my!”
In that instant—
The scene before her shifted in a heartbeat.
As if the world had flipped over, the very air shuddered and changed.
On Groo blinked.
She found herself suddenly standing in a strange, unfamiliar space.
There was a faint fragrance in the air.
A moist, soft scent of moonlight, and the dust of ancient bookshelves.
Thousands of stars glittered overhead. It was not the night sky, but constellations engraved into the ceiling.
The stars flowed and shifted, their luminance seeping gently into the black furniture dotting the room.
Jewels and ornaments, herbs and books filled the chamber.
It was, indisputably, a witch’s room.
“Wow—”
On Groo let out a gasp of awe at the abrupt change in her surroundings.
Just then, a witch with a lace blindfold over her eyes leaned in close.
“How did you know?”
She tilted her head, seeming to search for something she couldn’t quite see, frowning as she murmured,
“How strange.”
Then Nos straightened and gave a playful laugh.
“Hmmhmm… I thought you were just an imposter…”
Gasp!
On Groo flinched in alarm…
“But my baby witch is far more impressive than I expected, isn’t she?”
As flattering words followed, On Groo feigned composure, lifting her skirt in a curtsy.
With a peal of laughter, the witch swept the child into an embrace and showered her cheeks with kisses.
“I was going to turn any troublesome imposters into frogs, but you’re far too adorable for that. Where did something this cute even come from?”
“F—Frog?!”
On Groo hunched her shoulders and trembled.
Yet the witch continued to cradle On Groo, wandering her room and showing off jewels and ornaments.
“Should I give you this? Or maybe this one? Oh, that would suit you, too.”
But when she reached for a necklace, her hand grasped only empty air.
Letting her hand fall, she muttered to herself.
“Losing my sight truly is a nuisance.”
Since losing her eyes, she had seen only through her Familiar’s eyes.
Though it let her see, she saw only through their borrowed perspective—so even objects right before her, she often missed.
Moved by the witch’s sudden sadness, On Groo gently stroked her cheek.
The witch brought the child’s fingers to her lips and laughed softly.
On Groo stared at her.
Through the lace blindfold, she caught a glimpse of red gemstones in the places where her eyes should have been.
No eyes…
“Witch, the thing you’ve lost—is it your eyes?”
On Groo asked gently. The witch pouted.
“That’s right. Some wicked fiend took them away. I should have been more careful…”
Taken by a villain—?!
On Groo sucked in a breath.
No forgiving the villain!
“Should Groo help you search for them?”
“Do you think you could?”
The witch laughed, but then paused, head tilted in thought.
“Hmm~ Yes, now that I think about it, I’d like that—my baby witch helping me.”
[Will you accept delegation of the ‘Witch of Truth’ title from Caregiver?]
On Groo nodded.
“Yes!”
[Title delegation completed.]
“Hmmhmm, and if you meet any villains, you have to bite them good and hard.”
Nos wriggled her fingers menacingly as she gave a wicked little laugh.
“Okay!”
On Groo raised her right hand high in a pledge, baring tiny, corn-like teeth and mimicking a fierce bite.
“Aaah, you’re just too adorable!”
The witch scooped her up and rubbed her cheek against On Groo’s.
“But—where is that wicked person?”
“Oh, he’s beside the Emperor. You’ll recognize him when you see him.”
I’ll recognize him when I see him?
Would that really be true?
On Groo’s eyes darted restlessly, but soon she changed topics.
The mention of the Emperor had reminded her—
“But, Witch, do you think Groo can heal the Emperor?”
Seated on a sofa, Nos drew On Groo onto her lap.
“Mm… The last thing I saw, back when I still had my eyes…”
She poked On Groo’s soft cheek with a finger.
“It was something only you could do.”
On Groo blinked.
Something only she could do?
She tilted her head in confusion and opened her status window.
There was a new title.
[Title: Witch of Truth, Blessed by Gnosis]
“Gnosis?!”
On Groo’s mouth dropped open in shock.
Her reaction too, it seemed, was charming enough to make the witch laugh with delight.
“Yes, Gnosis. That’s my name.”
“Witch of Truth?”
Cabalon, the second Familiar, set down his cup and repeated Mephisto’s words.
“Yes. She’s the one who even cured the plague that swept through Silvershire.”
Lately, Mephisto’s face had seldom looked so bright.
“That can’t be…”
For a witch as indifferent to the world as Shea, it was unthinkable for her to do such a thing.
Besides…
Cabalon lowered his gaze.
A black ripple spread through the cup in his hand.
He watched as the triquetra—three interlinked rings—distorted within it.
I was the one who took her eyes.
It would not be wrong to say that the reason he could control the Emperor and Mephisto was thanks to those very eyes.
In the Emperor’s medicine, Cabalon had placed countless seeds marked with the triquetra. Each one brimming with the power stolen from the Witch of Truth.
He had planted them within the Emperor for a very long time. By now, countless seeds must have taken root in him.
It would require this much—nothing less—to disrupt the mind of such a monster.
Meanwhile, overcome by the silence, Mephisto moved to a mirror to peer into another world.
Cabalon quietly approached, gazing in with him.
Earth.
Unlike here, it was a world without a Monarch.
A place where humans advanced by their own efforts.
The intricate structures, profound literature, and advanced technologies—every time he observed them, Cabalon felt renewed admiration.
Progress and advancement had always fascinated him.
‘If only that useless monster and his flock would vanish…’
If the world could rid itself of a useless god, humankind could progress all the more.
There probably had never been any loyalty toward the Monarch at all within Cabalon—or, perhaps, it had eroded entirely under the weight of corruption.
A world left neglected by an irresponsible ruler had decayed into disorder, and his frustrations grew every time he watched the other world with Mephisto.
To overthrow the Monarch and lead the way for the progress of the world—
That was his ultimate goal.
“But perhaps…”
At that moment, Mephisto finally spoke.
“Perhaps the Witch of Truth could help us.”
“Help us?”
“I heard she’s with Bailach now. If we could summon her…”
“Mephisto…”
Cabalon gently interrupted, caressing Mephisto’s hair as if pitying him.
Yet there was an icy edge lingering in his tone.
“You’ve disappointed me.”
“What?”
“This concerns our father.”
Cradling Mephisto’s face in his hands, Cabalon continued,
“So do you really think we ought to rely on such unrighteous power? What if, because of our choice, His Majesty’s suffering only grows? What then, hmm?”
“S-sorry…”
Mephisto, turning pale, shook his head.
“It’s alright. Children grow by making foolish choices. And it’s our job, as adults, to catch them and set them right.”
Ashamed, Mephisto blushed. Cabalon, as ever, was a pillar for him.
Cabalon released Mephisto gently.
He returned to steeping medicinal herbs, while Mephisto stepped past him to the desk.
Drawn and scattered across it were plans and diagrams.
The blueprints for a tower-like structure.
It was the dream Cabalon had always spoken of.
An immaculate space, free of corruption.
He had claimed that in such a place, Shea would finally find happiness.
‘Could that really be true?’
As Mephisto pored over the plans, troubled, he noticed a carriage appearing beyond the window. On its door was the crest of Shadows.
Seeing it, a shadow passed over Cabalon’s face.
“Mephisto.”
“Yes?”
“You’re keeping the sword safe, aren’t you?”
“……”
“Don’t forget—there’s something only you can do.”
Cabalon’s hand fell lightly but firmly onto Mephisto’s shoulder.