3 bar menu

Vol 02 Chapter 73: Witch I

 

This incident occurred from the fourth to the fifth day of the so-called Seven-Day War.

The army of the Rozel kingdom, which had been at war with King Faldam’s Country, suddenly changed direction and surged into King Domorgal’s Country’s northern territories.

Being attacked by thirty thousand cavalry and sixty thousand infantry, King Domorgal’s Country stood no chance and suffered a crushing defeat, losing most of its northern territory.

◇

「Merlin-dono’s advice was spot on. I never expected it to go this smoothly.」

As King Rozel muttered to himself, Merlin responded proudly.

「It’s all thanks to the dragons. Thanks to these little ones, we were able to easily acquire information about the enemy’s movements.」

Merlin stroked the small dragon perched on her shoulder, grateful for the tiny creatures. Thanks to these small flying dragons capable of speeds over 500 kilometers per hour, keeping up with the battle situation was a breeze.

Yesterday, Merlin had received the news that the Domorgal army protecting the northern border was moving south to reinforce the southern army after being defeated by the Rosais army. Upon learning this, Merlin immediately advised King Rozel to mobilize the army. As a result, they were able to capture a significant portion of King Domorgal’s Country’s northern territory.

「The Domorgal army which invaded King Rosais’ Country suffered a major defeat and incurred significant losses; it will take a considerable amount of time for them to recover. After receiving two major defeats in a row, the overall military strength of King Domorgal’s Country has been greatly reduced. Maintaining the current border will be tough enough for them. They don’t have the strength to retake either the north or the south.」

This signified that one of the three major countries in the northern part of the South Adernian Peninsula was on the verge of collapse.

「Should we continue to attack King Domorgal’s Country?」

「No, we should wait for the right moment. The commander of the southern expedition was Carlo, the crown prince, after such a big failure he will likely be stripped of his status as the crown prince. A power struggle for the next crown prince will surely ensue. We should take advantage of that. The signs of internal conflict have not yet surfaced; if we continue attacking them, there’s a possibility they will unify against us, making our advance harder. There’s a saying, ‘A cornered rat will bite the cat.’ For now, let’s focus on taking territory from King Faldam’s Country and strengthening the kingdom… Besides, the unification of Gallia is not yet complete.」

The Rozel kingdom only controlled the southern part of Gallia.

In Gallia, there are thirty-two tribes, of which the Rozel kingdom has conquered twenty. Twelve tribes remain defiant.

It would be more prudent to focus on conquering the Adernian Peninsula after having subdued all of Gallia.

「I see. As expected of Merlin-dono. Our country is continually in your debt.」

「Hehe, I am the foster mother of the first king and his first vassal. To me, this country is… something like a grandchild.」

Merlin’s smile exerted tremendous pressure. Although she appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, her expression conveyed the depth of a witch who had lived for hundreds of years.

「Well then, Your Majesty, I should be returning home now. I have research to attend to.」

Merlin flipped her black cloak and walked away. Many soldiers watched her back with a mix of respect and awe.

◇

Merlin’s house appeared very small from the outside. However, beneath it lay a vast basement.

The interior was adorned with complex geometric patterns, and the shelves were stocked with inexplicable chemicals.

Merlin slumped down on a sofa.

「Hey, are you there?」

—Yes, I’m here—

A child-like voice responded to Merlin’s call. This voice could only be heard by Merlin. To anyone else, it would probably seem like Merlin was conversing with a demon.

「I’ve always wondered what you look like.」

—No way I’m showing you my body. That would be embarrassing. Even letting you hear my voice is actually quite embarrassing for me—

The voice of the fairy lacked any seriousness.

—So, how’s your research going?—

「Almost ninety percent complete.」

—The effort of five hundred years is finally paying off. It was worth granting you that blessing.—

「 [Blessing of The Immortal].」

Merlin demonstrated the effects of the blessing by cutting off one of her fingers with a nearby knife. Blood flowed, but quickly stopped, and the finger soon regenerated.

「It’s not a fitting name. The effects of the blessing are more about maintaining the body in optimal condition rather than granting immortality. Dead cells regenerate instantly. But if my head is crushed and my soul is separated from my body, it’s over for me. It’s not immortality… I can’t escape instant death.」

Merlin muttered with a sigh. While it was great she was able to live a long life, she wasn’t immortal, and this blessing had brought her considerable trouble.

Living too long had intensified her fear of death to an extreme degree. She might have been better off dying like a normal person.

—There’s nothing I can do about it. I can turn one into a hundred, but I can’t turn one into nothing, nor can I turn a hundred into infinity.—

All living things have life and death, it’s impossible to have one without the other.

To live means to eventually die. Immortality is like a card with only one side—it’s a concept that contradicts itself.

Immortality is something that cannot be achieved and is also a taboo that must not be breached.

「Well, my research is about that very immortality… What lies behind magic… Twisting and rewriting the laws of the world. Rebellion against the gods. In other words, Arcana.」

—I’m excited. Making the impossible possible. I can’t wait to see it. Arcana. What will really happen? Will it bring a world like heaven, where no one dies? Or…—

Will it usher in a hellish world where no one can die?

Or will the world itself crumble and fall apart?

「I don’t want to die. I don’t want to end like Etzel. I will continue to live, no matter what.」

Merlin smiled.

—By the way, they are trying to interfere again. This time they seem to be serious. Be careful.—

「It’s the tenth time I’ve heard that. Most of the pawns they send can’t stand against the Rozel kingdom under my control. Who is it this time? The Emperor of Persis? That old man isn’t likely to come this far.」

—It’s an otherworlder. But his body is from this world. Just the soul is from another world. Whether it was intentional or an accidental event, it doesn’t really matter. His name is…—

—Almus, was it?—

「How interesting.」

Merlin poured herself some tea to drink. It was green tea imported from the East.

It didn’t taste as good as the tea from her homeland, but she preferred it over wine.

—Such a boring bunch, they are afraid of making the impossible possible. The unknown should be the most exciting.—

「The only weird fairies who enjoy the thrill of potentially dying are you and your friends.」

—Is that so? Well, I don’t really care about the others. Anyway, I’m looking forward to it…—

—Kurosaki Mari—

The voice faded.

Merlin—Mari—placed her empty cup on the desk and stretched.

「Almus, huh? …… Shall I go see him with my own eyes?