Chapter 377: Feeding Play
A terrifying aura swept across the land, causing even the Witch's Castle on the plains to tremble violently.
The Witch of Greed, Echidna, was visibly flustered. The alien magic approaching her was neutralized by the mana radiating from her own body.
The Witch of Sloth extended countless 'Unseen Hands' in front of her as a shield. Around the Witch of Gluttony, a mist-like vapor swirled, voraciously devouring the mana Roy had unleashed toward her. The Witch of Wrath, Reid, and Flugel withstood the dreadful, weather-altering pressure with their own bodies.
Satella remained unaffected since Roy hadn't targeted her, standing calm and composed. Even Typhon, nestled in her arms, was spared from the onslaught.
But the Witch of Lust, Carmilla—Roy's primary target—staggered back several steps, her face pale as she pressed herself against the castle wall. The mountain-like weight of his mana nearly crushed her, forcing out a breathy, tantalizing moan from her lips.
Terrified, the Witch of Lust stared at Roy, her voice trembling as she cried, "...I-I'm sorry! Please don't bully me! I didn't do this on my own! It was... it was Echidna who made me do it!"
Without hesitation, she threw the Witch of Greed under the bus.
Roy withdrew his overwhelming mana and aura, and the Witch's Castle returned to tranquility. But this time, the witches' minds were no longer as carefree as before—each wore a grave expression.
Strong. Unmatchably strong.
The Witches of Sin sensed in Roy a sacred, overwhelming power—one that could kill them, like a natural predator.
Their earlier indifference had stemmed from a lack of urgency. Even though Reid and Flugel were formidable, they were no match for the collective might of the Witches of Sin. Thus, the witches had never felt threatened.
A Witch's Authority was fundamentally different from Divine Protections—far more potent. Even if most witches weren't skilled in combat, their Authorities made them untouchable by ordinary warriors.
Yet, in this moment, Roy had displayed an indescribable might—one that even the wielders of such Authorities found terrifying.
"Never again. Do not casually use your Authority in my presence," Roy warned, his voice heavy with lethal intent.
The Witch of Lust, Carmilla's Authority was 'To Be Loved.' When activated, those who gazed upon her would see the visage of their most beloved. Worse, it warped their will, making them oblivious to all else—so horrifyingly potent that it could make humans forget even their own heartbeat and breath, leaving only the Witch of Lust in their eyes.
For Roy, whether it was an attempt to distort his will or to take the form of his most cherished person—both were the gravest insults, the deepest desecration of his emotions.
So just now, Roy was truly furious, even genuinely considering killing the Witch of Lust, Carmilla. With his full power unleashed, none of the witches present could stop him.
Perhaps Satella might have been able to, but she likely wouldn't have stopped him—she might even have helped him.
"I-I'm sorry... I won't dare do it again, really I won't. Please don't hit me, I'm really scared of pain."
The Witch of Lust, Carmilla, whimpered like an injured squirrel, her entire body sliding down the castle wall to crouch on the ground. She buried her plain yet strangely endearing village-girl face into her knees, trembling all over. She had truly been frightened nearly to death by Roy just now.
Though a witch, Carmilla was merely a girl of sixteen or seventeen. Having lived safely with other witches before, this was her first encounter with mortal danger, which finally exposed her fragility.
Roy withdrew his gaze, then turned his cold, sharp eyes toward the Witch of Greed, Echidna.
At this moment, Echidna's face was equally pale. Her already dazzlingly fair skin now appeared lifelessly white. She sipped tea repeatedly from her cup, attempting to mask her panic, but her trembling hands betrayed her inner turmoil.
"Truly worthy of being called witches," Roy mocked.
Echidna had ordered Carmilla to use her witch's authority on him. Though there had been no killing intent, Echidna's actions were saturated with a witch's malice.
As the Witch of Greed, the embodiment of avarice, her desires were exactly as she claimed—knowledge and wisdom, the unknown and mysterious. Roy was clearly one such object of her pursuit. But to Echidna, it mattered not whether Roy acted of his own will or under another's control—so long as it was "him." For the Witch of Greed, she sought only this unknown.
The Witch of Greed simply wanted to obtain Roy—nothing more. So long as the result was correct, the process meant nothing to her.
This was the sin of the Witch of Greed—caring only for results while utterly disregarding the means. Even if everyone perished in the process, she would do it so long as her goal was achieved.
Had the witches' authority not been subordinate to Roy's in priority, he might have truly fallen for it.
"I... I didn't mean any harm. I bear you no ill will, truly. Please believe me," Echidna hastily explained.
Events had spiraled beyond her expectations. The Witch of Wisdom had, in this moment, lost her intellect.
"That's precisely the problem. You bear no ill will toward me, yet your actions are overflowing with malice from the victim's perspective. No wonder you're called a witch," Roy said, narrowing his eyes slightly.
The Witch of Greed didn't consider her actions "evil"—that was the most terrifying part. She was greed incarnate.
"Tsk... You've messed up, Dona-chan~"
At that moment, an extremely weak voice spoke. The "Witch of Gluttony," Daphne, who had remained silent while bound in a straitjacket inside a coffin, suddenly spoke.
The petite witch with short silver-gray hair, confined within an iron maiden, tilted her head slightly. Her blindfolded eyes turned toward Roy with solemn gravity.
Just as Roy was expecting this Witch to utter some profound words, the Witch of Gluttony suddenly deflated, her stomach emitting a "growling" sound as she slumped down and whined, "...So hungry, so hungry, I'm really so hungry!"
In an instant, the tense and solemn atmosphere vanished.
Roy's heart stirred. He picked up a piece of pastry from the table with his fingers and flicked it toward the Witch of Gluttony, Daphne.
At that moment, the coffin where the Witch of Gluttony resided suddenly grew legs, carrying Daphne to the side. With just a turn of her barely mobile neck, Daphne caught the pastry Roy threw with the precision of a puppy.
That coffin was actually a magical beast!
The Witch of Gluttony ate at an astonishing speed, swallowing the pastry in two bites. She licked her lips and said in an expectant voice, "...Echidna's pastries are as delicious as ever. Could you... feed me some more, please?"
This Witch, who had created the White Whale, the Great Rabbit, and the Black Serpent, bringing endless calamity to humanity, now wore a pitiful, puppy-like expression of begging for food.