Chapter 350: The Witch's Trust
Roy wasn't entirely joking.
He had come here using the "Ark" to complete the final foundation of his magecraft. Though this world displayed a variety of unique powers, in Roy's eyes, the most significant among them was undoubtedly the authority of the Witches.
Witches were the core of this world.
But Witches were rarer than endangered species—there were fewer than ten in total. Now that he had finally encountered one right before him, how could Roy possibly let her slip away?
Especially since this Witch wasn't just the most powerful one but also different from the others. Satella didn't even have the concept of being a Witch yet. Compared to the other six infamous Witches of Sin, Satella was undoubtedly far easier to manipulate.
Of course, Roy did feel some sympathy for Satella. A beautiful and kind half-elf girl like her, forced to live in the filthiest depths of this world simply because of her bloodline and uncontrollable Witch powers—it was far too unfair.
So he wanted to take her away, to let this beautiful elf see the wider world.
He's not lying to me...
From Roy's serious expression, his tone, and those strange, unsettling heterochromatic eyes that Satella couldn't bear to look at for too long, she could see his genuine resolve.
A sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl who had never experienced anything like this before felt her heart race in panic. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, all sorts of strange ideas surfacing in her mind.
What does this lord mean by that? He's... he's being too serious. I don't understand...
Is this noble proposing to me? No, no, Satella, you're overthinking it...
Satella, you're just a half-elf. Don't let your imagination run wild...
This lord is a good person. He just wants to take you away out of kindness, to keep others in the slums from getting hurt. Besides, there must be better girls out there for him to like...
Better girls... better girls...
The phrase echoed incessantly in Satella's mind, and then an emotion both familiar and terrifying welled up from the depths of her soul. In that moment, Satella felt her psyche twist as another version of herself seized control of her body. A resentment that sought to claim everything as her own flooded her being—especially the thought of her possessions being taken away, the possibility of Roy finding other girls. It made her 'jealous'!
This wasn't love. Satella wouldn't fall deeply in love after just one meeting. It was merely the spread of a sin called 'jealousy,' a horrifying corruption that terrified her.
"No, this isn't me, this isn't me..."
Satella suddenly snapped back to reality. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead as she staggered backward in fear until her back hit the wall, gasping for breath.
She felt as though she had nearly been consumed by 'jealousy,' turning into a monster filled with nothing but resentment and envy.
"Satella? Satella?"
Roy's gentle, concerned voice shifted from distant to clear. When Satella fully regained her senses, she saw Roy standing not far in front of her, watching her with worry.
Instinctively, Satella shrank back—not out of dislike or fear of Roy, but out of terror that her own dark emotions and power might harm him.
"Your power is acting up again?"
Roy stared at the shadow stretching beneath Satella's slender legs. Under the light he had conjured, the shadow twisted unnaturally, emitting faint wisps of black mist as if it had come alive, moving independently of Satella herself.
'This is the Sin of the Witch!'
The power of 'jealousy' resided within that shadow.
"Esteemed noble—"
"Roy Crowley. That's my name, Satella."
Roy interrupted her, introducing himself.
"Lord Roy, please... don't call me Satella. Just my name is fine. I don't deserve such an honorific."
Hearing Roy say her name, Satella adjusted her own form of address, though she remained timid, like a startled kitten wary of all dangers.
Roy understood her psychological state. Having grown up in the filthiest depths of the slums, her kindness had inevitably shaped her into this kind of personality—or, in another extreme, a defiant woman.
Satella wasn't naturally this skittish. It was her environment that had made her this way. With a change of surroundings and a little guidance, she could bloom into the cheerful person she was meant to be.
"I... I think it's better if I don't leave. As you can see, I can't control this power. It's dangerous."
Satella bit her lip with pearly teeth. Though her amethyst eyes held regret and sorrow, there was more determination than anything else.
She refused to let this dangerous power hurt others...
"It is indeed a dangerous power, but it's also yours. With training, you can master it. And don't worry about harming me—though I may not be exceptional, I am a sufficiently powerful mage. Your power won't hurt me."
Roy certainly wouldn't claim to be a Campione. Satella would never understand that, whereas a mage was an existing profession in this world, so she might grasp the concept somewhat.
Anyone knowledgeable would never believe a mage could resist a Witch's Authority, but deceiving Satella, an inexperienced girl, was more than enough.
"Is it really true?"
Hope flickered in the half-elf girl's amethyst eyes. Roy's words stirred excitement within her—to leave the slums and see the vast world beyond had always been her most cherished dream.
And now, the man standing before her with a gentle smile seemed like an angel descended from the heavens, offering to lead her toward that hope.
"Verbal promises mean nothing. True commitment is proven through action. I bear no ill will toward you, Satella, nor do I intend to do anything to you. To speak boldly—if I truly meant you harm, I could have forced you already, rather than speaking to you like this..."
Roy wasn't lying to Satella. His desire to take her away stemmed not only from his wish to study the Witch's Authority but also from pity for this beautiful, kind-hearted girl. She should have grown like a lone snow lotus upon pristine mountain peaks, not drowned in this filthy mire.
"I believe you, Lord Roy!"
Before Roy could finish his explanation, Satella shook her head vigorously, making the most crucial decision of her life.
...
Achoo—!
In the capital of the Lugunica Kingdom, a strangely dressed and oddly featured man sneezed.
"Master! Are you all right? Are you sick?"
Beside him, a woman with a ponytail asked anxiously.
"Ah, no, no! Just a sudden sneeze. Let's keep gathering intel on that half-elf, Shaula."
The man waved his hand dismissively. Though he was largely responsible for his disciple's eccentric personality, sometimes he couldn't help feeling he'd brought this on himself.
A certain 'Sage,' who often used his disciple's name to swindle others, sighed helplessly.