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nSylvester looked at the dolls and then at the Cardinal. In his mind, he did a quick calculation on who mattered to him the most. On the one hand, the Cardinal was Sir Dolorem’s friend, while the nobles of the Duchy were essential to run the whole region. Having all of them killed would mean that most of the authority figures would be gone, pushing the entire region into chaos.

nAnd not to be forgotten, the entire duchy was known to be the real money maker of the Gracia Kingdom. With its destruction and the mess that happened in the northern Duchy of Colorwood, the entire Kingdom will be doomed to extreme poverty and hunger.

n“What? Confused? Let’s make it easier then.” The ugly Witch spoke. “If I were to pour this fire pot on these Blood Idols, then that would kill all the important nobles of the Duchy. Most of these are under arrest by you, as I understand. Now, if they all were to die–”

n‘Fuck!’ Sylvester cursed internally. ‘The people will lose faith in the church if they believe that the church and I killed them. They will see me as a cruel person, and my name will be tarnished around the continent. But the Cardinal is a man in a very high position, and he can truly help me when the time comes.’

n“What’s your plan? Let’s say I chose one. Then what? You have nowhere to escape.” Sylvester asked.

nThe Witch smiled creepily, showing her rotten teeth. “You will ensure I can leave this continent alive and well on a ship, Lord Bard. You may only select one, and that will be my hostage. Then you will arrange me a ship in the Duke’s Private port. A ship from Libertia.”

nSylvester scoffed and folded his arms while keeping a look of pride on his face. “Then I choose none, you ugly wench!”

n“…”

n“What?” Felix gawked.

nThe Inquisitors also looked at Sylvester in confusion. Were they not going to save anyone? That sounded like the worst deal possible.

nThe Witch was also taken aback. “How dare you mock the great Darkbird! I am an elder Witch, and I can curse your generations with misery!”

nSylvester kept the same persona. “Is that so? Are you going to curse the Bard of the Lord, who possesses the most potent light magic in history? Wench! Open your eyes and look around. There is nowhere to run, and no matter what, I will have your head!”

nEveryone was confused why Sylvester had changed his method all of a sudden. What was it that he saw, but others didn’t?

nEven Sir Dolorem took Sylvester’s side. “She deserves nothing by fire.”

n“Hehehe… Are you sure you want this? Fine, I shall kill the Cardinal first, then.” The Witch moved towards Cardinal Cornelius hanging on the stake.

nShe took out a dagger and extended her right hand towards the Cardinal’s throat. She giggled menacingly the whole time, while the Cardinal didn’t even react as he was already on the brink of death.

n“You caused this, Lord Bard. These deaths will be on your head.”

nWoosh!

n“Aaaaargh! My Arm!”

nOpposite to what most were expecting to happen, the Witch started screaming in pain as her arm disappeared all of a sudden. Now, it was just a simple fountain of blood, spewing red everywhere.

n“Aaaa!” She spun around in anguish and covered the wound with the other hand. Her entire right arm from the shoulder had gone missing as if it had been cut with a hot knife. The wound was too smooth.

n“W-What have you done to me?” She screamed.

nOnly Sylvester knew what had happened. On his shoulder, the furry boy returned with a grin on his face, showing his cute little thumb. Miraj had successfully eaten the arm of the Witch.

nSylvester, without any reservations, walked forward. But, simultaneously, he sang a hymn that created a halo behind his head. He did it not to attack but just to make the present Inquisitors more loyal to him.

nO’ filth that has been born on this land.

nSins you have committed, crimes so grand.

nAll has a price that you must understand.

nI shall ensure not to leave a single strand.?

nNow, prepare to face the wrath of heaven, heathen!

nTo burn you, you have given me enough reasons.?

nThe Witch finally started to panic and stumbled back, falling down. “S-Stay back! Do you have any idea who you are dealing with?”

nSylvester nodded and stopped singing. Then he created claws on his fists, made of solid light, long, sharp and shining bright. “What’s your real name?”

n“A Witch has no name! But you may call me Darkbird!” She grunted back in reply while dragging herself away.

nSylvester agreed and kept walking closer. “Darkbird, do you know what’s the difference between a Wizard and a Witch? A Wizard can harness the Solarium and use it to create all sorts of miracles and control nature to the whim. But, a Witch can not use Solarium like that. A Witch can only do certain things indirectly. By using materials, using various runes. But she can never attack like a Wizard.”

nSylvester’s face was slowly turning from a smile to an evil grin. “Do you know what that means? You are nothing! A pest! I can walk over you, cave your skull, and you can’t do anything to me! Use your materials. Against me? Go ahead and try it.”

nThe Witch panicked and tried to stand up fast. But, the lack of an arm stopped her from that.

nBam!

nSylvester finally arrived beside her and stepped one foot on her chest. Though he appeared visibly disgusted as he now saw her from close. “Tell me, why were you after the breasts of noble women?”

nCrunch!

nSylvester’s leg pressed harder, creating cracking sounds. He was serious, and he could easily kill the Witch. He realised this fact just now as he smelled no scent of death or danger from her.

n“Speak!”

n“Aaaa! T-To make my sisters! Look behind me! I needed the best parts from women to make them!”

nSylvester looked back and noticed the other tall figures. They turned out to be just scarecrows made of human flesh. “You can create a life by joining human parts?”

n“I tried… A lot! Lord Bard… Do you want riches? Do you want eternal beauty?”

nSylvester sneered and pressed harder on her chest, cracking a few more ribs. “How did you become like this? Last I saw, you were a shorter graceful beauty.”

nThe Witch scoffed. “That was merely a disguise! This is the real me, a body and form I have attained after years of hardships, rituals and experiments! I am the epitome of beauty that men should desire! So tell me, Lord Bard… What is it that you desire the most? I can make anything come true!” ｂｏ𝚟𝚕.

nSylvester raised his right hand and showed his claw. “Your head.”

nBam!

nHe didn’t behead her as he still needed answers. So he only stabbed her in the various parts of her muscles where they wouldn’t bleed as much. Then, he stabbed her again and again, turning her immobile.

n“So much misery, so much pain. There is more to you than what meets the eye, I know. Congratulations, Witch, your days of torture will now begin.” Sylvester muttered and let her drift into sleep.

n‘I still don’t know who Sir Kenworth is, and who gave me that small clue in Baron Redwood’s town?’ Sylvester still had many answers left.

nSylvester then looked to the side. He saw the small, baby-like creatures. They were now very demonic but also appeared frightened. He could smell it from them.

n‘These are perhaps real babies she stole and experimented on over the period. No wonder the town outside the castle has an orphan problem.’ Sylvester sighed at sight.

n“Inquisitors, carefully kill these little creatures, and burn everything in the vicinity!” He started ordering. “Bishop Lazark, call your undead again and make it undress this Witch. We can’t allow her to take anything dangerous with her—especially in jail.”

n“Understood, Lord Bard!” The men got to work.

nBut Bishop Lazark’s was the most important job. He made the poor undead slowly undress the nine-foot-tall, hideous body.

n“Uwaaa!” Gabriel really vomited as soon as the gown was removed.

nFelix tried to hold it in while he moved to Sylvester and hugged him tightly. “B-Brother, my beautiful best friend. Thank you for saving me that night… I would have killed myself if she had done it with me.”

nSylvester, too, was amazed at the sight. The body of the Witch was rotten, to say the least. Her breasts were mismatched and appeared fake as they were not yellow in colour like the rest of her skin. Instead, they seemed to have normal human skin. The Witch had likely operated on herself and implanted them, he reckoned.

nThe rest of her body was filled with tumours, ulcers that were swollen and some even leaking smelly substances. The Witch’s nether regions were rotten beyond words. It was best never to explain the details, for they were too grotesque.

n‘Is this why she got so angry when I asked her about the looks? Perhaps she was also trying to attain her normal body back? While coping with the fact she’s ugly right now?’ Sylvester wondered and patted Felix’s shoulder.

n“Felix, you were lucky. But think about the poor Cardinal. And did the Duke know about her true form?” Sylvester wondered.

nBishop Lazark sighed and prayed for all the men who were violated by the Witch. “May the lord have mercy on them and keep them without disease, for this hole is infested with corruption.”

nSoon, the whole area got engulfed in the fire. All the little demonic creatures got killed, and all the other scarecrows got burnt. Leaving only the Witch to be arrested and taken into a torture chamber.

n“Lord Bard!” Just then, Bishop Lazark exclaimed. “The undead found something, a letter addressed to you, as far as I noticed.”

nSylvester took it to read. “What did the Witch write for me now? Hmm… Dear Sylvester Max–”

nThud!

nThud!

nThud!

nAll heads looked left and right at the sudden thumping noises.

n“What’s that?” Felix wondered and took out his sword.

nSylvester put the letter in his pocket and prepared his spear as well. His eyes were now focused on the gate from which they had entered. “Inquisitors! Battle formation!”

nThud!

nThud!

nBeastkin Elyon stood beside Sylvester and whispered. “Humans, my lord.”

nSylvester took a sigh of relief from that. ‘My senses don’t give me any particular smell either. So they can’t be enemies then.’

n“Prepare to attack when I tell you!” Sylvester roared.

nSoon, the sound became more apparent, and it felt like the footsteps of a marching army as it descended the stairway. It was coming closer with each passing second.

n‘I was not informed that anyone would be coming here. Is it the Inquisitors from the camp?’ He wondered in silence and kept his palm facing the door.

nThud!

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