Chapter 123

Witch.

A medieval being who allegedly made pacts with demons, practiced suspicious magic, and harmed people and livestock.

But in reality, this was merely a scheme to target wealthy widows or elderly women to confiscate their property for the church,

And people, swept up in the madness of witch hunts, created countless innocent victims.

To say that such a witch was here now.

"There's a witch in the village?"

"No, I only said that a witch's curse remains. But in a way, it's not unreasonable to say that a witch is in the village."

"What does that mean?"

"The story itself is ordinary. A witch who did bad things in the village was chased out by the villagers to somewhere in the mountains over there. But the witch didn't just stand by and take it."

"What happened?"

"Before leaving, the witch captured villagers and combined them with livestock. That is, beings that were half-animal and half-human were created. Those in-between beings tried to revert back to one side."

Ugh.

"The way to return to one side was...?"

"They had to choose to eat either people or livestock. But people can act collectively and use weapons. So they were forced to start eating livestock. And as their bodies shrank and stretched, they transformed into the animals they had eaten."

"And then? Those people who turned into animals..."

"Went mad. How could they adapt to being animals when they were originally people? So people drove the mad animals into one place and killed them all."

Crazy medieval legend.

If hardcore had grades of high, medium, and low, this would definitely be in the high hardcore zone.

"So was the curse lifted?"

"That's unknown. But they say that after that incident, people stopped raising livestock."

"Why?"

"For fear that the witch's subordinates who might be hiding would come back."

"Really? It's too cruel and strange."

"Well, that's probably why the people of our village don't readily tell this to outsiders. Now it's just an ordinary village, except for not raising chickens and such."

He almost ran away while listening.

There was a reason this story didn't spread to outsiders!

But as he listened, he felt like he was missing something.

"By the way, has anyone raised any livestock recently?"

"About three years ago, someone raised a puppy, but it didn't last more than a few days."

"You mean..."

"Yes, exactly. Though it wasn't as gruesome as your gray horse, still. Even such a small creature seems to count as livestock."

Three years ago. That would have been before he possessed this body.

If this was in the same context as the oral tales of the north,

It meant that Yurik had done something here too.

Fortunately, the people seemed fine.

...Perhaps.

'He might still be laying the groundwork.'

That was also a possibility.

Killing livestock was actually something humans could do too.

Especially someone like Yurik, who was familiar with demonic beasts, could eliminate livestock in the blink of an eye.

At least it was clear that such a system was somehow in place.

Then the actions he should take here were divided into two options.

First, share this information with Leandros and Amelia and help them.

Second, find out as much as he could on his own and let Leandros just place his spoon on the table.

If possible, he'd prefer to choose the first option.

While he was lost in thought, Jen cautiously brought up a new topic.

"So many people believe that the witch really exists. You know how I said earlier that the witch was chased to the mountain? There's a collapsed house over there. And occasionally, some villagers who go to pick wild berries in that area say they heard the cackling voice of a witch..."

"Where is this witch's house?"

"What? Why?"

"I think it would be good to visit."

"That's ridiculous! How could I tell you that! I'm telling you, it's definitely a strange place!"

Jen jumped in protest.

But his mind remained unchanged.

"No one knows yet whether it's strange or not. People only heard a voice, but no one has seen the witch, right? Then I could go and take a look."

"It might be dangerous?"

"I don't care."

Amelia was currently lying down, and Leandros was probably conducting inquiries in the village.

Then it would be much better for him to go and quickly gather information.

Jen rolled his eyes and then hastily said.

"W-well, it's not right to send the young master alone, so I'll go with you."

"No, were you going to send me alone? You should obviously guide the way!"

"You're really acting like a young master! Then wait a moment. I'll make some excuse to my aunt. Let's meet in front of the stable in half an hour."

Jen ran off, carrying the bucket and broom.

After Jen had completely disappeared from view, the snowman, which had been bulging inside his vest, poked its head out.

"Worshipper. Following? Feeling not good. Not recommend."

"But if there's a witch here, and she might have taken Sleigh, how can I just stay still?"

"Wait for human male? Also wait for human female?"

"I don't want to involve those two in this kind of thing if possible. And I'm not going alone. You're coming with me."

"Worshipper, gone crazy. Great Aphoom-Zhah, want to rest. Encountered body temperature today. Encountered a lot of body temperature. Melting. Aphoom-Zhah, want north."

"What are you saying? We're one body even in death. Don't you know the term 'shared fate'?"

"Worshipper. Crazy. Don't like this worshipper. This worshipper, burdensome!"

The snowman was squealing loudly, but it had no chance of persuading him.

In the end, the snowman, still hiding in his arms, had to accompany him and Jen to the "house where the witch lives."

* * *

The witch's house.

Even if laughter was heard nearby, it was likely to be an auditory hallucination temporarily created by frightened people.

If not, Yurik might have set up something in that area.

Either way, he had to go and confirm with his own eyes.

But.

"Huff, huff."

"What kind of person breathes like they're about to die?"

"You... try... it...!"

"I'm walking with you too."

He hadn't thought the mountain would be this rugged.

Until now, including when crossing over to the north, there had been at least somewhat paved paths when climbing mountains.

Here, there was no path at all.

Jen also only knew the direction because people had gone to pick berries long ago.

So he ended up having to follow behind Jen, relying only on his sense of direction.

He had torn at trees and bushes, climbing an invisible slope.

As a bonus, he had to huff and puff, begging to keep up with Jen, who was darting up the mountain like a wild squirrel.

Damn it.

"Do you perhaps not exercise? I've never seen someone this weak in my life."

As if he would have!

In Korea, when he returned home after overtime, it was already 8 PM!

Here, from the moment he opened his eyes, he was dying and tumbling around, and his body was weakening with each regression, how could he have exercised!

Whether he had time or not, he wouldn't have done it!

Jen looked back at him with pitying eyes from up ahead.

"Just a little further. According to my memory, um, don't die."

"Just, huff, huff, gasp."

He wanted to say please be quiet, please shut up, but the words wouldn't come out.

There was even a sweet taste in his mouth.

The snowman, squirming inside his vest, spoke quietly.

"Worshipper. Going to melt from body temperature at this rate. Great Aphoom-Zhah, melting in worshipper's arms. Reason. Worshipper climbed mountain. Body temperature rose."

"You, too, huff, gasp, shut, huff, up."

Though he was carrying the snowman, his nape and back were already soaked with sweat.

Driven by anger, he tore at all the grass within reach and took one step at a time.

Witch, just wait until I catch you.

You'll really die.

Around the time when he felt like he had washed his face once with sweat, a ground with a gentle slope finally appeared.

Jen, who had arrived first, grabbed his wrist and pulled him up.

"If you hike twice, we'll have to prepare a coffin. Look at all this sweat."

"Never, huff, hiking, huff, again, huff."

He snatched the pouch Jen offered and put his mouth to the opening.

When the cool water went down his throat, he finally felt like he might live.

The water was sweet, so sweet.

"Phew. ...Where is this?"

"Where else? It's the place known as the witch's house."

Jen, holding the leather pouch, nodded toward the interior of the clearing.

Indeed, it was dark and gloomy enough to believe that a witch lived there.

It was probably because the unusually dense trees blocked all the sunlight.

"Poison ivy, belladonna, nightshade, amanita. You can find them all there. They're often used by witches as poisonous herbs."

"Such things would grow better in a damp, sunny spot like that. Let's go in."

Jen led the way inside.

The mountain was certainly part of a mountain range extending from the Dikenter Mountains, but it didn't look anything like the mountain range next to the ducal residence.

Only the sound of rustling grass continued briefly.

Jen, who hadn't been engaging in any particular conversation, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong?"

"Over there."

What's over there?

The moment he craned his neck, he forgot what he was about to say.

The wild undergrowth had been completely trampled.

The trees, wherever the eye could see, were either half-broken or severely damaged on the surface.

The ground had been stirred up somehow, with all the grass flipped over to expose the roots—it was definitely not a normal sight.

"What happened here?"

Jen murmured.

But at that moment, his attention was drawn more to the traces on the ground and trees than to Jen's words.

A horseshoe.

Traces that could only be identified as such were clearly embedded in the muddy ground and the partially broken trees.

The traces appeared to be not too old.

He pushed Jen aside and stepped forward.

The gray horse. The black horse. Sleigh.

The dead horse, the body emptied out, if Sleigh and the gray horse had been dragged here.

Was a witch living in there?

Beyond that, a shabby, collapsing house could be seen.

If there was really something there.

Whether from excessive fear or not, his vision spun wildly once.

"Hey, Jen..."

He turned his head to ask Jen if they could go that far.

-Thud!

At that moment, a dull noise sounded from his head.

The pain arrived a step too late, only after he had fallen to the ground.

Why?

He couldn't grasp the situation.

But his body had already collapsed onto the ground.

Over his body, which couldn't even writhe, Jen's shadow fell.

He muttered.

"This makes thirteen. After the thirteenth ends, finally..."

The pig-people will return.

After these enigmatic words, his body began to be dragged toward the collapsed house.