The War of the Witches
"An agreement like that should be made with the words 'at the end,' huh."
Echidna stopped her steps toward Subaru and looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared between her and Minerva, speaking in a lazy tone.
"I am... the Witch of Sloth... Sekhmet. I'm here to maintain the fairness of the contract."
The witch with long crimson-purple hair spoke slowly.
Though she was lying sideways on the ground and didn't even bother to turn her head to look, Echidna understood that the following words were directed at her.
"'At the end,' huh."
Subaru repeated the phrase Sekhmet had added. Sekhmet lazily continued:
"Echidna will definitely fulfill the contract. However, that's all she'll do. As long as that condition is met, she can do whatever she wants, right?"
"That's not completely correct. I answer questions, and though I may withhold information, I never lie. In other words, just like you think, the choice still lies with you."
"...That's right, huh."
"Even if I don't like it, hmph."
Echidna smiled at the two who affirmed her statement and at the thinking Subaru. Having seen Subaru's memories, she clearly understood his thoughts.
—That's right, treat me as a cheat ability just like your Return by Death.
I'm looking forward to seeing whether you'll successfully use me, or be turned into a puppet belonging to me.
Becoming the most important person in your heart wouldn't be bad either. I wonder what kind of face Satella would make seeing us…
"What I sense, what I feel, the future I know, the things I will do, the fruit called 'unknown' that comes from me—I'll have you taste them all."
"That's right—"
Echidna snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.
"That is the price you have to pay. If you want to reach the best possible future, then walking some wrong paths before finding the right one is unavoidable.
Don't tell me you don't have even that level of resolve, Natsuki Subaru."
Echidna looked at the restrained Subaru with a lovely smile.
She knew that the boy in front of her had incomparable courage and the rationality to make the right choices. That's why she was destined to obtain him.
—Should I push harder?
Echidna watched Minerva, who was on the verge of exploding with anger, and felt that Typhon was about to jump in too. She made a decision.
Oh well, I didn't plan to do much this time anyway. I can't afford to lose Subaru's reliance on me right now.
"I—!"
"He's reaching his limit."
Echidna commented as Subaru's face turned pale with pain.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I once said others would vomit when they see me, right?
Actually, there are cases where people have died instantly from the thick miasma of a witch.
Though because of Satella and the tea I gave you, you've built up some resistance... but facing three witches at once really exceeded your limit.
Also, some dangerous ones couldn't resist coming to see you.
So, let's stop here for today.
Since this isn't a tea party, I won't take a price. If you make your decision, come find me again."
With a snap of her fingers, Echidna forcibly ejected Subaru.
Minerva, who had locked Subaru with a joint technique, fell to the ground as he vanished. Slowly getting up, the air around her began to distort.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it......"
The ground trembled wildly from the girl's stomping as she glared at Echidna with furious eyes.
"I've had enough! Get rid of that disgusting fake smile of yours!!!"
BOOM!!!
The ground exploded, and the distance between the two vanished in an instant.
With dust swirling around, Minerva burst forward and swung her full-force punch at Echidna's head.
It broke the sound barrier and split the air with a roar.
"Minerva, you must not interfere in a contract made by mutual consent!"
The speaker was a small girl with dark green short hair and tanned skin. She suddenly appeared in front of Echidna.
The howling punch, powerful enough to shatter a mountain, struck the girl's face.
Though the moment it touched a living being, its power turned into healing thanks to the authority of Wrath, the shockwave and impact sensation were delivered in full.
A blast rang out as Minerva's full-strength blow sent the little girl flying like a bullet. She slammed into an invisible wall across the grassland. But she wasn't the only one hurt.
Crash~~~
At the same time, Minerva's right arm, from the shoulder down, turned into crystalline fragments and shattered on the ground.
This was the result of her attack touching the Witch of Pride and being judged by her authority. The act, deemed evil, was denied and punished.
"Didn't hurt at all——!!"
Minerva roared. As the Witch of Wrath, who felt others' pain deeply, she paid no heed to her own.
"Now—!"
—No more obstacles.
Thinking that, Minerva stomped down, twisted her body, and swung her left arm with full power.
"Haah."
A sigh of resignation. Golden hair fluttered. In the next instant, Minerva was pinned to the ground.
Her entire body was restrained, leaving a human-shaped dent on the grass. The red-faced Minerva looked up at Sekhmet, who was lying face down.
"Don't get in my way—! Sekhmet—!"
"That won't do. I said I'm here as a witness. And honestly, emotionally, I'm on Typhon's side. So, I have no reason not to interfere. You're not giving up, huh? What a pain."
Sekhmet sighed as she looked at Minerva, who had regenerated her right arm with healing punches and was starting to get up.
"That's right, I'm angry! Angry at that child who made the wrong choice! Angry at the world that put him through such awful things! And furious at that schemer who caused it all behind the scenes!!!"
Minerva pointed at Echidna.
If Subaru had seen her at that moment, he would've been shocked—because all traces of humanity had vanished from Echidna's body.
It was as if she had lost all emotion or had stopped pretending to be someone Subaru could feel close to.
"I really can't understand you. Even though you have no chance of winning."
"Tch, even so, I won't allow this! Pain! Conflict! Wounds! I have to do something!!"
With a snap of her fingers, Echidna restored the battlefield-ravaged grassland, then walked up to the furious Minerva.
Though Minerva hadn't given up, her shattered body could no longer move.
"So foolish."
Echidna voiced her opinion, then sealed the incapacitated Minerva with another snap.
"I won't let this go..."
Echidna said nothing more.
Though she couldn't restrain Wrath forever, for now she couldn't interfere.
Having dealt with the biggest obstacle to her contract with Subaru, Echidna sensed Subaru rising in the Sanctuary.
Seeing his slightly irritated expression from not having finalized the contract, Echidna showed a chilling smile.
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