Chapter 103: The Witch's Forest (1)

The Baracant Mountains, often called the Spine of the Land, stretched from north to south across the continent's central-western region. The range, which formed the main body of the Zeden Mountains bordering the Zestrad territory, also served as the expansive natural boundary between the Lacania Empire and the Eustil Kingdom.

In the treacherous northern reaches of Baracant’s alpine expanse, a heavily armed force of twenty soldiers advanced along the ridgeline. These were the border guards stationed at Swindler Fortress, the critical gateway between the empire and the kingdom.

The captain of the guard peered down at the steep slopes flanking the ridge. He turned to a robed man in his thirties, who was surveying the area ahead.

"How’s the pursuit going, Felix?"

Felix, a priest of Saisha, Goddess of Wind and Sky, and a second-class inquisitor, shrugged. "No issues so far."

He was attuned to detecting the traces of darkness. The blatant trail laid before him was as clear as a signpost.

"It doesn’t even seem like they’re trying to hide their tracks."

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"So the remnants of darkness is strong?"

"No, it’s faint. They’re just leaving it behind carelessly as they move."

"In other words, they’re weak and sloppy?"

"Exactly. Whoever it is, they’re certainly not a high-ranking necromancer."

Hearing this exchange, the guards following behind visibly relaxed.

"That’s a relief."

"Just a petty thief dabbling in dark magic, then?"

"Still, if they’re using dark powers, they must be a witch."

The captain, however, maintained a serious expression. "Don’t let your guard down too much. The damage done so far is undeniable."

***

The Village of Esk was a small mountain village supplying goods to Swindler Fortress. The village had been plagued by strange incidents for over a month. These events were curious enough to warrant notice but not outright alarming at first.

"A witch stole my eggs!"

"A witch took my chickens!"

"A witch ran off with my dog!"

A mysterious old woman had begun appearing under the cover of night and pilfering small items from the villagers. At first, the guards were unaware of the issue.

The villagers attempted to handle the issue on their own and organized small search parties. It wasn't strange for them to refer to her as a

witch

. After all, the culprit was an old woman, and there was a recent trend of blaming anything on the Shadow of Doom. But as time went on, the incidents grew stranger.

"The witch took a pig!"

"The witch stole my cow! Oh, woe is me!"

The scale of the thefts kept escalating, eventually forcing Swindler Fortress to intervene. When the border guards began their investigation, they were baffled. Why? The method the witch used to steal cows and pigs was disturbingly identical to how she had stolen eggs and chickens.

"She carried them away!"

"What? Carried them? What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said! She carried them off with her hands!"

The old villager's testimony left the captain blinking in disbelief.

"She carried off those massive cows and pigs? All by herself? An old woman?"

"Yes!"

The elder’s voice trembled as he recounted the sight etched into his memory. A terrifying old woman, her fiery red eyes glowing in the dark, had slung a full-grown cow over her shoulders and leapt over a wall. All the while, she cackled madly into the night.

"Keh-heh-heh-heh! This one will make for a fine feast to strengthen this old body!"

"That’s what she said."

The captain of the border guards fell silent.

The old villager continued, clearly flustered. "I swear, I’m not lying, sir!"

"No, I'm not saying that you are," the captain replied.

He was simply curious whether if the old villager's age was affecting his memory or if his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Still, doesn’t this seem a little odd for the work of a wicked witch?"

"And what’s more wicked than stealing someone’s cows and carrying them off?!"

"Well... that’s true, but..."

Regardless, the damage was real. The disappearance of cows and pigs and the lingering traces of dark energy at the scene could not be ignored.

The captain spoke seriously. "Understood. We’ll take care of it."

***

As the group advanced, one of the guards chuckled. "Technically speaking, isn’t this outside our duties? We’re a border defense unit."

He was suggesting they contact the seven goddesses church and have a shadow hunter dispatched to deal with the issue.

Felix, the priest, shook his head. "I’ve already sent a request, but it’s unlikely reinforcements will arrive."

Incidents involving darkness were still far too frequent, and the personnel to handle them were always stretched thin. The story of a witch appearing in a rural mountain village wasn't likely to be a high priority for the church.

The other guards grumbled. "So what you’re saying is, they’re ignoring us because this is the countryside?"

"Typical. They only care about their fancy cities. Folks like us always get pushed aside."

Felix tried to placate them. "That’s not true. The grace of the goddesses falls equally upon all."

"Then why hasn’t anyone been sent to help us?"

"They have."

"What?"

"Why do you think I’m here?"

Come to think of it, having someone like Felix—a second-class inquisitor—stationed at Swindler Fortress was highly unusual. They’d just grown used to him always being around.

"Well, I suppose that’s true..."

"My apologies for doubting you, priest."

As they continued on their way, the sun began to set. Suddenly, Felix pointed toward a ridge.

"There. I see it, captain."

In the twilight gloom of a grassy hillside, a small figure stood amidst the swaying wildflowers. It was an old woman in a shabby apron, her attire resembling that of a simple farmer.

The captain squinted at her and muttered under his breath. "It's a witch."

The other guards mirrored his reaction.

"Wow, it really is a witch."

"Yep, definitely a witch."

"She looks

too much

like a witch, though."

Their reactions were rather strange, but it had a basis. The woman’s disheveled white hair, deeply wrinkled face, hooked nose covered with warts, and sunken frame perfectly matched every stereotypical depiction of an old witch.

It was as if someone had painted a textbook example of a wicked crone. Even with deliberate effort, no one could have crafted a disguise more convincing.

The guards began whispering.

"Isn’t this almost suspiciously on-the-nose?"

"Can anyone really look

this

much like a stereotypical witch?"

"What if she’s just a grumpy old lady with bad luck?"

Even Felix looked uncertain. "Well, we did follow the traces of darkness to get here, but..."

The old woman, who had been staring at the border guards, suddenly spoke up. "What brings you young men all the way out here?"

One of the border guards hesitantly asked the old woman, "Ma’am, have you noticed anything strange happening around here lately?"

"Strange? Can’t say I have," the old woman replied casually.

She rummaged through her tattered apron for a moment and then pulled something out. "Would you like a snack?"

It was an eyeball. Freshly plucked, its veins and nerves still attached, glistening unnervingly in the dim light. At the same time, the old woman’s eyes began to glow a menacing, blood-red hue.

"It’s quite tasty," she said with a sinister grin.

The border guards recoiled in horror.

"Ah!"

"Gah!"

"Damn it! She

is

a witch!"

The captain drew his sword and shouted, "Everyone, battle positions!"

***

Though the Baracant Mountains marked the border between the Kingdom of Eustil and the Lacania Empire, the majority of the range was within imperial territory. The kingdom’s claim barely extended to the foothills, where Swindler Fortress—a key western gateway of the empire—was situated.

Riding toward the fortress gates, Varos glanced around. "Wow, it’s really crowded here."

Winter was fast approaching, and the chill in the air was sharp. A long line of travelers bundled in thick fur coats were waiting at the fortress entrance. Most were merchants trading between the kingdom and the empire.

The Lacania Empire and the Seven Kingdoms Alliance had a long history of hostility. Depending on the era, they had alternated between outright war and uneasy peace. At the moment, while no formal diplomacy existed between the two, trade at the civilian level was permitted, creating a steady flow of merchants and travelers.

Pulling his cloak tighter against the cold, Karnak muttered, "Do we have to wait in this line? It’s freezing."

"No need," Alius said with a nonchalant shrug. "Being a servant of the goddesses has its small perks."

The seven goddesses church was a transcontinental institution with a presence in almost every nation. Most countries granted clergy expedited passage across borders, especially in these troubled times when the forces of darkness were rampant. A priest’s arrival symbolized hope and the weakening of dark powers. For someone as powerful as Alius, he was practically welcomed with open arms.

Without hesitation, Alius bypassed the line and walked straight to the front. No one protested. The guards, recognizing him, processed his group immediately.

"My name is Alius, first-class Inquisitor of the Hatoba Order. These are allied shadow hunters accompanying me," he introduced.

The border guards examined the group’s papers. Everything was in order, as their identities were officially vouched for by the Hatoba Order.

"All of you seem to be skilled shadow hunters," one of the guards remarked.

However, one guard couldn’t help but ask with a puzzled look, "But... is that girl also a shadow hunter?"

The question was directed at the gray-haired girl standing behind Serati, who was curiously glancing around the busy scene. It was none other than Lapicel, who was traveling as Serati’s apprentice. Unsurprisingly, Alius had initially been against the idea.

—She’s coming to the empire with us? She’s just a child!

It wasn’t an unreasonable objection, and Karnak privately agreed. However, leaving Lapicel behind was not an option, at least not yet. If anything went wrong with the memory seal, someone had to be there to address it. It was still too early to let her out of their sight.

However, they couldn’t exactly explain all that openly, so they opted for a plausible excuse instead.

—Sir Serati has decided to take the child along.

—Ah, I see. If that’s the case, there’s no helping it.

The training of an apprentice was entirely at the discretion of the master. It wasn’t Alius’s place to interfere. Besides, it wasn’t uncommon for knights to bring young squires into the field to expose them to real-world experience early on, as it was believed to make them stronger more quickly.

The imperial gate guards, familiar with such customs, didn’t question the arrangement further and allowed the group to pass. They simply cast sympathetic glances at Lapicel.

"The Baracant Mountains are far too harsh for someone so young..."

"Goodness, the Kingdom of Eustil really puts its apprentices through the wringer."

Swindler Fortress served as both a defensive stronghold and a bustling trade town. Passing through the gates and beyond the towering stone walls, the group soon found themselves in the fortress village.

At its center, a small pond was surrounded by inns, taverns, and general stores catering to travelers. A smattering of residential houses dotted the outer edges of the town.

The group was just making their way toward an inn, guiding their horses along, when a group of soldiers came rushing toward them from the opposite direction.

Hmm?

What’s going on?

Leading the soldiers was a middle-aged knight clad in the standard-issue armor of the Lacania Empire. He approached the group with hurried steps and asked urgently, "Are you Alius, the priest from the Hatoba Order?"

"That is correct."

"I’ve heard you’re a first-class inquisitor. Is that true?"

Alius’s brow furrowed slightly at the knight’s brusque tone. "Yes, that’s correct. What is this about?"

In an imperious voice, the knight introduced himself, "I am Leocolt, of the Brigade of Purification."

Varos and Serati exchanged startled glances.

—The Brigade of Purification?

—That’s like the empire’s version of the King’s Order, isn’t it?

They hadn’t expected to encounter such a figure in a place like this. Alius quickly took in the surroundings. It wasn't just the knight. The others had stiff expressions as well.

Alius carefully asked, "Has something happened?"

"Yes," Leocolt replied curtly, his expression severe. "A witch has appeared."