"Hmm... then, next is the Witch of Greed, Echidna."
The three-person squad moved with astonishing speed.
After taking care of the Witch of Vanity, they quickly set their sights on the next target.
Pandora stared dumbfounded at the Spirit of Origin as she selected one familiar name after another on the holographic interface.
The Witch of Greed, the Witch of Envy, the Witch of Gluttony, the Witch of Sloth...
Information on all the Witches of Sin was displayed clearly before them.
Names, personalities, Authorities, conditions—everything was laid bare.
"You... who exactly are you people?"
"How can you know so much about the Witches?!"
Pandora felt an inexplicable sense of fear.
It was as though the entire world was under their control.
The Witches' information should have been a top secret, accessible to only a few individuals.
"We're merely carrying out a small task for the Commander."
Mio smiled lightly.
"Everything in this world rightfully belongs under the rule of the Starsea Empire and the Commander—no one is exempt."
"Past, present, or future—nothing can escape the Commander's gaze."
"Hiss—"
Pandora said nothing, silently mulling over Mio's words.
Right now, she only wanted to meet this so-called Commander as soon as possible—to see what kind of monster he truly was.
...
The Spirit of Origin took some time to locate the Witch of Greed.
A few minutes later, she confirmed the coordinates.
"Found her. Let's go. She's with the others."
"If we hurry, we might finish this mission within a day."
Whoosh—
Tohru opened a portal, and the four vanished once more into the forest.
...
Somewhere, on an endless grassland.
Vast fields of flowers and fantastical plants stretched as far as the eye could see.
Many of these species were magically created, possessing colors and shapes no natural flora could match.
In a clearing amidst the sea of blossoms stood an elegant European-style table set with golden trim, surrounded by matching chairs and a parasol.
The table was piled with snacks and fruits.
A girl dressed in a black, refined gown, her long hair pure white, sat leisurely sipping tea one slow, elegant sip at a time.
Every so often, she would turn the pages of a book hovering in the air before her.
That book recorded everything about this world's past, present, and future—utterly fascinating to her.
Seated nearby were several other Witches.
A small pink-haired girl, another with green hair, and a tall blonde with sky-blue eyes and a single side ponytail—the latter's sense of justice and presence were overwhelming.
"Donna, is that book really that interesting?" the pink-haired loli asked while munching on a snack.
She craned her neck to peek at its contents, but it was impossible for her to comprehend—the book was tied to the Witch of Greed's Authority.
"Of course, Carmilla."
Echidna didn't even lift her eyes from the text.
"The Book of Wisdom records everything about this world—past, present, and future."
"All knowledge, all events, every evolution—they are contained within."
Her voice carried a trace of regret.
"Unfortunately, I still can't fully decipher its structure. It's frustrating... something born of my own Authority, and yet I can't completely understand it?"
"..."
The Witches of Lust and Pride listened, their expressions blank.
"It records future events? Isn't that basically prophecy?"
"Donna, can you see our future?" Carmilla asked curiously.
"Of course..."
Echidna answered without hesitation.
"Even if the world were reset again and again by death and return, it would all still be recorded within the Book of Wisdom."
"However, our future... tch..."
Her tone grew lower.
"For the sake of the future, we'll have to plan carefully, won't we?"
She had seen the prophecies within the Book—and from them, she had learned the fates of the Witches of Sin.
It wasn't good.
The Witch of Envy had been sealed, and the other Witches would soon meet their own ends.
Burned to death, drowned, or dying of thirst...
Even her own fate was clearly recorded in the book.
Killed by Satella, her soul used by the Three Heroes to reinforce the seal on the Witch of Envy.
Centuries later, a man with the Authority of Return by Death would appear to change everything.
"Hmm... if I want to change my fate, what should I do?"
Echidna pondered deeply.
The Book of Wisdom's records were absolute facts. Even if she interfered with minor events, the final outcome would remain unchanged.
If death was inevitable, then at the very least, she needed to find a way to preserve her soul—to ensure the possibility of revival in the future through careful planning and schemes.
"..."
She turned the pages of the Book of Wisdom one by one, struggling to interpret the cryptic prophecies written within.
—The book did not describe events in chronological detail. Most of its predictions were vague and metaphorical.
Suddenly, her eyes froze on a strange and unfamiliar word.
[Starsea Empire]
Among all the prophecies concerning the future, this mysterious nation appeared repeatedly.
"?"
Echidna was certain—she had read the Book of Wisdom countless times before, yet she had never seen this peculiar name.
She hesitated briefly, then began deciphering the prophecy.
A few minutes later, the Witch of Greed's expression shifted from confusion to sheer shock.
"The future... has changed?!"
"Why?!"
The worldline had been distorted.
Previously, the Book described Satella devouring the world, the deaths of the other Witches, the boy from another world with Return by Death, and the Witch Cult founded by the Witch of Vanity...
But now—all information concerning the future had been rewritten.
The future of this world had changed.
Amid the fragmented prophecies, Echidna discovered that the world's future had fallen entirely under the dominion of a nation known as the Starsea Empire.
When she tried to delve deeper, she found something even more alarming:
All information regarding this empire was blurred and unknowable.
The Book of Wisdom could only tell her that the Re:Zero world had been conquered by the Starsea Empire.
As for their identity, their ruler, or any details—nothing could be found.
No trace existed.
"Donna? What's wrong?..."
Carmilla had never seen the Witch of Greed so frantic. She leaned closer curiously.
"Our future has been rewritten."
Echidna ignored the Witches of Lust, Wrath, and the others nearby, focusing all her efforts on extracting more data from the Book.
"Someone even the Book of Wisdom can't record? How is that possible?..."
For a book that contained all knowledge of the past, present, and future, this was beyond comprehension.
It wasn't just that the records had been altered—the entity behind it was completely invisible.
"Could their Authority surpass yours, Donna?" the Witch of Pride speculated.
"That's terrifying... could someone like that even exist in this world?" Carmilla clutched her head nervously.
The Witches of Sin's Authorities stood at the pinnacle of their respective domains.
Others might defeat them through clever means, but no one could ever overpower their Authorities directly.
"Or perhaps... they're from another world? If that's the case, then it's normal the Book of Wisdom doesn't record them."
"?"
Echidna froze.
"But the book did mention that over four hundred years later, people from another world would arrive... though that record's gone now."
"..."
"Another world? What does that mean?"
As she was lost in thought—
Vmmm—
A dark-colored portal suddenly opened nearby.
The Witches stared in shock as the Spirit of Origin stepped out, followed by two dragon girls—and, trailing behind them, Pandora, their so-called captive, who in truth had come just to watch the show.
"Hmm, perfect. Most of them are here."
Mio nodded in satisfaction.
"???"
"Who... who are you?..."
Echidna was stunned.
"We're from the Starsea Empire. A pleasure to meet you."
Mio greeted them with a smile.
"Witch of Greed, Echidna—I've heard your Authority allows you to foresee the future. Is that true?"
"..."
The Witches were momentarily dazed.
"What?"
"Starsea Empire??! Where did you come from?!"
"—The future."
"Ah???!!!"
...
"So, you're from another world—and you've changed the future of this one."
"Now, you've crossed time and space to invite us to come with you?"
Half an hour later.
Echidna, having finally regained her composure, and the utterly bewildered Carmilla, Typhon, and other Witches finally managed to grasp the situation.
They stared wide-eyed at the uninvited guests who had appeared at their Witch Tea Party.
For them, Mio, Tohru, and Elma had chosen a gentle recruitment approach.
After all, at this point in time, the Witches of Sin were still relatively sane. Carmilla and Typhon, the two lolis, committed their misdeeds mostly out of ignorance of their own powers.
Unlike the Witch of Vanity, these ones could simply be taken back and taught properly.
"Yes, it seems you've already learned a few things, haven't you?"
Mio cast a glance at the Book of Wisdom, immediately understanding most of what had happened.
"Very well. Take me to meet your Commander."
Echidna agreed without hesitation.
The Witch of Greed—driven by pure, endless curiosity. Her very existence was the embodiment of the desire for knowledge.
For her, the pursuit of the unknown was life itself. She could lie, manipulate, or deceive if it meant acquiring new information.
A foreign world, a foreign empire capable of altering the future and rewriting the Book of Wisdom—it was, to her, a boundless treasure trove of knowledge.
There was no reason to refuse.
The other Witches exchanged glances. After thinking it over, they decided that following Echidna to take a look wouldn't hurt, and so they agreed as well.
"Phew—"
"That was easy."
Mio checked off several names on her list and reported the good news to Setsuna.
"..."
"It really seems like you've all been working hard..."
Elma couldn't help sighing.
It was her first time participating in a world conquest. Though she mostly served as backup, with Mio and Tohru handling the main operations, the amount of planning involved was staggering.
Hopping between worlds, recruiting the necessary individuals with precision, and tailoring each approach to their targets' personalities—it was far from simple.
"Eh..."
Tohru shrugged.
"That's what a harem's like. The Commander only needs to pour his whole heart into conquest and expansion—but his shipgirls, Spirits, and dragon girls have to handle all the practical stuff."
"We even have to help him find new members for his harem!"
"Ah?!—"
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