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Chapter 31.5: Nikolaus, Part One

Chapter 31.5: Nikolaus, Part One

When Nikolaus informed the king that he would be heading out to investigate the witch, he was told to wait a few days due to changes needed in the guard placements and castle defenses. He resolved the issue instead by brute-forcing a wide-area defensive barrier over the entire castle. The king reluctantly gave his permission, and Nikolaus departed at once.

(…This isn’t anticipation. It’s irritation. I just want to wring the culprit’s neck as soon as possible.)

Using a teleportation magic circle, he first traveled to the city where the lord overseeing Bit Village resided. From there, he literally flew to Bit Village using flight magic.

When he saw the area surrounding Bit Village from above, the scene was vastly different from that of other human settlements. The entire village was encircled by brambles, and vivid greenery and multicolored flowers spread throughout its interior. The lush palette was beautiful, yet terrifying at the same time.

(It’s being swallowed by plants. Looks like how plant-type monsters mark their territory. Well, it’s not the same, since there are so many different kinds, but still.)

When plant-type monsters evolve to a certain level, they start establishing territory by spreading roots and leaves across an area, forming a domain. Bit Village resembled such a state, but the variety of plant species made it something else entirely.

(According to the report, there’s a watermill cottage a bit away from the village… That must be it.)

A lone building stood by the riverside, some distance from the village. The waterwheel turned slowly beside a cottage surrounded by flowers, it looked more like a botanical garden.

That must be where the audacious woman calling herself a witch was. Nikolaus landed in the floral garden, only to immediately freeze, sensing the overwhelming presence of 「something.」

(…What is this… magic power?)

Someone with an enormous amount of magic power was inside that building. He had never felt anything like it before, not from any of the impostors he’d investigated, nor from any other race.

(If I look at her and use Appraisal, I’ll know… Calm down.)

He took a deep breath and slowly approached the house. He’d seen abandoned homes covered in ivy before, but this was different. The building itself wasn’t dilapidated; instead, vibrant flowers and greenery had blossomed all over it. Not a single plant looked withered or dead. It gave the impression of a 「living plant house.」 Only the door was free of growth, ensuring clear access.

Before Nikolaus could touch it, the door opened on its own. A beastkin child appeared, followed by a woman watching from behind. Just looking at her, he could tell, her magic was overwhelming. There was no way she was an ordinary human.

He immediately activated the skill 【Appraisal】 to uncover her identity, but the results were completely unexpected.

(…What is this?)

【Race】 ◆Clan: ■■■ (?)
【?】 ??
【■Power】 ?
【Magic Power】 ?
【Sk◆ll】 ■?◆■?
【?】 ■
【◇◇◇】
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■――

Even the fields that should display basic information were unreadable. He had never seen a status screen like this.

Appraisal typically fails either when there’s a vast gap in magic power between appraiser and target, or when recognition-blocking spells or skills are used. But in the latter case, if the appraiser’s magic is strong enough, it should still work. For it to fail completely, this woman’s magic power must far exceed his own, by a wide margin.

「…Who are you?」

Nikolaus turned his gaze to the beastkin child who had asked with innocent curiosity. When he used 【Appraisal】 on the child, it worked just fine.

【Race】 Human (Beastkin)
【Age】 8
【Stamina】 B
【Magic Power】 E
【Skill】 Beastification
【Title】 Attendant to the Flower Witch
【Notes】
A beastkin who swore loyalty to the mistress who saved his life. Believes in her with almost fanatical devotion. Will not hesitate to sacrifice his life for her.

Apparently, this beastkin child was in service to the woman known as the witch. Having a beastkin serve her, how very demonlike. And her magic power exceeded even Nikolaus, who was from a race famed for its magical prowess. But that alone wasn’t enough. It wasn’t yet conclusive proof she was a demon. With a status too warped to determine whether she was human or not, he couldn’t be sure.

(…I’ll uncover her identity. But I won’t get my hopes up.)

Just having overwhelming magic power could still point to a mutant from another race. He had come to verify whether she was the real deal. There wasn’t enough information yet, he needed more. So Nikolaus opened his mouth.

「Huh… You’ve got a beastkin servant, just like a witch would. So you’re the impudent one calling yourself a witch? Or rather… what are you, exactly?」

He watched her reaction closely as he used his words to provoke her. But even as he subtly cast doubt on her identity, the woman only smiled gently and looked back at him. It was the kind of serene composure one might see in someone who had lived for a very long time.

「You dare speak rudely to Witch-sama…!」

It was the beastkin child who reacted to Nikolaus’s words. As devoted as the status suggested, he wasn’t about to let anyone speak disrespectfully of her.

It seemed impossible to have a proper conversation with the woman as long as the child was around. Nikolaus cast a sleep spell on the child, and the moment he collapsed, the plants crawling along the walls shifted to catch his falling body.

(…I’ve never seen magic like this. There were texts saying that when demons master a single kind of magic, they no longer need incantations and gain far greater control, but…)

Still, Nikolaus wasn’t sure. He had never met another demon besides himself. In his case, he had pursued versatility, learning many kinds of magic instead of specializing in one. There wasn’t enough data to compare.

(Not yet. It’s too early to say she’s a demon. I need to observe her more closely.)

He stepped forward and looked down at her. Her features were sculpted like a doll, and she wore a perpetual, serene smile. She looked at him with the kind of affectionate expression one might show a child. For a demon who had supposedly lived 500 years, to show that kind of face… Was she treating him like a child?

「You’re awfully calm. Not even flustered when a real magic-user shows up at your door, huh?」

She didn’t answer, just kept smiling. Then she made a gentle motion with her fingers, and the vine supporting the child shifted into a bed. Ignoring the child, Nikolaus pressed her again for an answer, but she said nothing. Instead, with a soft rustle, she sat down in a chair. From this angle, her flower-crafted hat obscured her face entirely.

(…Is she mad? About how I treated the beastkin?)

To make sure, he sat down across from her, adjusting his position to see her expression. She was already smiling again, maybe she hadn’t been all that angry after all. He was briefly unsettled by his own moment of panic.

(No. I’m here to uncover this woman’s true identity… Why won’t she say anything?)

Even as he asked more questions, the woman remained silent, smiling. A strange sense of unease began to creep in, until he remembered: there had been a report saying she couldn’t speak. But she should be able to write. He took out a pen and some paper and laid it on the table.

She finally picked up the pen.

『Can you read this?』

She had written it in ancient script, characters that now only appeared in old grimoires left behind by the extinct demons. Nikolaus had studied those tomes and learned every spell from them. He was very familiar with the writing.

No modern human used this script anymore. All demons used to write like this.

(…Still not definitive. Just being able to use ancient script doesn’t prove she lived in that era…)

This script was the root of the current writing system. With enough study, someone could still learn it. Just being able to write it wasn’t enough proof that she had lived in those times.

So Nikolaus tried again, this time writing in modern characters. He made sure to write upside down so she could read it from her side of the table.

『You’ve been designated a monster. The kingdom has issued an extermination order. Run.』

There was no way someone wouldn’t react to such an extreme message. Nikolaus watched closely to see how she would respond.