CH 12

The Six Witches of Doom are the divine enemies of the cult of the Holy Light, which is practised in over two-thirds of the continent.

They were responsible for the earthquake that struck the Empire 100 years ago, the White Death that spread across the eastern part of the continent 150 years ago, and the great war that raged across the continent 200 years ago. The six silver-haired, gold-eyed witches are the subject of many children’s bedtime stories, and it is said that they are behind many other historical disasters.

“Master, are you all right? Are you not being trained?”

After neutralising the knight, Neimilia touched the chains that bound Raidorl. Then, like a piece of paper wet with water, the black chain shattered into a thousand pieces and dissolved into the air in the form of particles, disappearing.

“……Oh, no problem. Thank God.”

“Mmmm, I did what a maid is supposed to do. I’m sure that I’ll take good care of you, Master. From top to bottom!”

“……you make it sound like a putdown, but it doesn’t matter.” 

When he was released, Raidorl was uncomfortable with the way that Neimilia was acting, but he thanked her for her help.

He moves the joints of his arms and legs lightly to make sure there are no problems, and then turns to Mertina again.

“Well……I’m royalty, and you’re trying to put a curse on me, and you fail. You know what you’re going to get, Mertina.”

“……I didn’t think your Royal Highness had the Witch of Doom on your side. This is my loss.”

Mertina shrugs her shoulders in resignation.

Raidorl rebukes his childhood friend, who has a mysterious demeanour and makes no excuses.

“I’ll ask you a question. Was it King Granard who cursed me and ordered me to be taken to the Royal Capital?”

“No.”

Mertina closes her eyes and shakes her head.

“This is my own decision. Neither his Majesty nor my father had anything to do with it. It was all my fault for being too hasty.”

“That’s a lousy excuse. But…… let’s pretend it is.”

Raidorl drew his sword from his waist and swung it sideways. A silvery blade shot out towards Mertina’s neck.

“…….”

An inevitable death looms before her eyes. Mertina accepts it without resistance, her eyes downcast.

“…this is too boring”. 

A slash slices through Mertina’s neck…… and just before it does, the sword comes to a halt. The skin of Mertina’s neck is sliced open and a streak of blood runs down.

Mertina blinked her eyes in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected it to be stopped.

“……Your Highness, why did you stop?”

“Don’t be mistaken. My mercy is not because we are childhood friends.”

Raidorl said disconsolately and sheathed his sword.

It would be easy to kill Mertina here. And it will be a pleasure to kill her, who betrayed him once and has done so again. 

“But …… I don’t like it.”

The look on Mertina’s face, as she was about to be slayed, was not one of fear.

She looked as if she had been expecting it all along, and the idea of killing her was completely lost on her.

Raidorl walked up to the knight stretched out on the floor and stomped on his belly as hard as he could.

“Ugh!”

“Wake up!”

“Oh, you’re…… no, your royal highness!”

Looking down at the knight, who has finally woken up and raised himself up, Raidorl coldly declares. 

“Listen to me. Mertina Marcell here has unleashed a curse against me, a member of the royal family, and tried to capture me by force. For this crime of disrespect, I am detaining her here and now!” 

“But..that’s..”

The knight looks puzzledly at Mertina, who is behind Raidorl.

“…..”

Mertina nodded silently and made eye contact at us to show that their trick had failed.

“Yes, I understand. So, what should I do……?”

“I’ll take Mertina into my custody. You are to return to your superiors and report this to them.”

“…… yes, sir.”

The knightly man nodded reverently, but with a sullen look on his face.

Raidorl sniffed and threw in a few more words.

“And one more thing, my participation in the war against the Alsatian Empire is indeed accepted. As soon as we are ready, we will be on our way to Royal Capital, so make sure you tell them that!”

“Wha..?”

“ee..?”

“Fue?” 

The knight and Mertina together roll their eyes. Even Neimilia, who is supposed to be on the side of Raidorl, has her mouth hanging open.

“Ku,ku,ghe”

As the three looked at him in surprise, Raidorl grinned like a naughty boy who had just thought of a prank.