studiobondurri Chapter 304: The Witch
Chapter 304: The Witch
Although Bai Shi’s understanding of the Numen was not extensive, he could only use Slude as a point of reference.
However, the person before him matched every characteristic.
Bai Shi checked again and again, becoming ever more certain that the "monster" of flesh and blood he faced was a Numen.
Yet, she was completely different from a normal Numen. Her entire body was a grotesque mass of flesh, like a massive ball of flesh.
He didn’t know what could have caused these tumor-like growths to form, making it difficult for her slender legs to support their crushing weight.
Her eyes were tightly bound by a strip of ragged cloth.
Worn away by countless years, the cloth had molded into the decaying flesh, becoming one with it.
What looked like iron chains were bound to her legs and hands, now inseparably bonded with her flesh as well.
On her head, there was a deep, branded mark.
The brand looked like a mark of her status as a slave.
As Bai Shi looked at this unnervingly shaped Numen, the various scraps of information he had gathered began to piece themselves together in his mind.
Soon, these images pointed to a single truth:
In the records of the Horned people, Marika was also identified as a Witch.
And Bai Shi knew that Marika’s race was Numen.
A Witch... was a Numen? Was that what the Horned people called them?
Bai Shi carefully observed the Numen as she slowly shifted her body.
She had come out of a jar. The abnormal flesh covering her body was clearly the result of unimaginable torment.
Was this flesh from the constant regeneration of wounded tissue?
No, that wasn't right.
Bai Shi suddenly noticed that the flesh was of various colors, with bones jutting out haphazardly.
This was the flesh of other creatures, bonded to the Numen's body for some unknown reason.
Could it be... that all this flesh came from the Horned people?
Bai Shi recalled the words spoken by the Horned Man's spirit.
Clearly, the jar was an exceptionally cruel form of torture for them, something unbearable for both mind and body.
Did that mean the Horned Man prisoners were cut into pieces, thrown into the jars, and then fused with the Numen—with the Witches?
Did the Horned people believe such a method could turn someone into a good and kind person?
A chill ran down Bai Shi’s spine as he looked up at the large jars suspended by iron chains.
He recalled the countless jars he had seen placed casually by the roadside on his way here.
Did... all of them contain a Numen?
They didn't all have to. Even if only one in ten jars held a Numen, the number was still terrifyingly large.
The blindfolded Numen finally steadied herself and lunged at Bai Shi once more.
Over the long years, her mind had been tortured to the brink of collapse.
Only by sealing away her heart, much like her covered eyes, did she find a way to continue living in this world.
Thus, any external stimulus would immediately agitate her already scarred psyche, plunging her into an unconscious frenzy.
It was a defense mechanism to protect what was left of her mind.
Bai Shi dodged her weak attack, trying to think of a way to calm her down.
However, he didn't seem to have any suitable methods that wouldn't harm her.
After a moment's thought, Bai Shi suddenly remembered something he had long forgotten.
He then took out a branch that shimmered with an alluring pink light.
This was the item he had obtained before, a Bewitching Branch that could charm creatures, compelling any affected lifeforms to feel amicable toward him.
Bai Shi infused magic into the Bewitching Branch, unleashing its power.
Instantly, a pink mist billowed out and enveloped the Numen.
After being shrouded in the pink fog, she gradually stopped moving.
A moment later, the Numen had grown quiet.
She silently drew close to Bai Shi, then collapsed weakly to the ground.
Bai Shi's heart lurched as he watched the masses of flesh on her body squirm with her every movement.
The Numen’s limbs twitched from time to time, her hands covering her face as if she were in constant pain.
Bai Shi silently placed a hand on her head.
Naked in this frost-covered underground prison, her body was incredibly cold.
Under the effect of the Bewitching Branch, the Numen was drawn to Bai Shi and finally felt a sense of reliable security in his presence.
For the first time in a long while, she relaxed completely and gradually calmed down.
Once the Numen before him had become completely still, Bai Shi finally let out a sigh of relief.
And then, from the depths of his heart, a furious flame erupted.
He was enraged by the actions of the Horned people.
Now he could roughly understand why Marika had slaughtered the Horned people.
If the Horned people had consistently forced the Numen to be a part of their brutal torture, then it was no different from a massacre.
In fact, it was far worse than a simple massacre.
This was not only the genocide of a race but, on top of that, a long and drawn-out torment that had continued for who knows how many ages.
The mere thought of it was suffocating.
Although he still didn't know the full truth, just seeing the scene before him was enough to fill Bai Shi with uncontrollable anger toward the Horned people.
Before understanding this, Bai Shi had been perplexed by Marika's slaughter of the Horned people.
Now, Bai Shi finally understood why Leda said the Horned people weren't innocents, but had simply ended up on the losing side.
Since the Horned people had done such a thing, the reason behind the Holy War was simple and clear.
This was Marika’s revenge against them.
Revenge is a great undertaking that only those involved can participate in; for the wronged, it is an absolutely justified act.
Marika’s kin had suffered cruel abuse. Her revenge was absolutely justified.
The Horned people got what they deserved. But after being slaughtered, it was equally justified for the survivors to seek revenge in turn.
As an outsider, one could coolly judge the rights and wrongs, but for those caught within it, what was there to do?
Only kill.
There was no justice, no right or wrong, only a ceaseless, bitter hatred that would not end until one side was dead.
This hatred would be passed down endlessly until one side was completely annihilated, putting a stop to the cycle.
And in the swirling vortex woven by hatred, only one side could emerge victorious.
For this reason, outsiders have no place to interfere.
And in the end of that war of vengeance, Marika was the victor.
—
The pained gasps of the Numen pulled Bai Shi back from his thoughts.
Looking at the suffering Numen, Bai Shi tried his best to calm himself.
Even if he was angry, Bai Shi would not lash out at the remaining Horned people.
Because this was not his grudge.
To start killing just because he felt displeased and angry was something Bai Shi would do in a game.
But in this reality, Marika had already completed—or nearly completed—her revenge.
Bai Shi felt sympathy for the tragic experience of the Numen and anger toward the Horned people, but he would absolutely not act rashly.
Unless Melina asked him to.
Only if Melina spoke would Bai Shi become connected to this hatred.
And compared to the few remaining Horned people, Bai Shi was now more concerned with how to save these Numen survivors.
And with uncovering the full, cruel truth behind it all.
Bai Shi immediately thought of using the power of the sun to heal the Numen before him. But this wasn't a wound; the flesh fused to her could already be considered a part of her body.
Simple healing probably wouldn't have any effect.
After some thought, Bai Shi decided to try anyway.
A soft, warm sunlight bloomed from Bai Shi's hand, shining upon the Numen before him.
The warm light quickly restored the temperature to her cold body.
This warmth sent her into a daze.
In the haze of her consciousness, she seemed to return to the warm, peaceful home of her past.
From under the blood-soaked cloth covering her eyes, a murky fluid began to seep out.
Bai Shi could feel that her emotions and spirit were improving, so he slightly increased the intensity of the sun's healing.
But gradually, as her body recovered, the flesh that did not belong to her began to writhe violently.
The flesh seemed to be struggling, trying to separate from her.
Her body was wracked with a tearing pain, and the Numen let out another agonizing scream.
Bai Shi quickly reduced the power of the sunlight in his hand.
He maintained it at a level that would only make her feel warm.
Looking at the Numen, Bai Shi furrowed his brow.
Was there any way to heal her?
The flesh was all tightly bound together. Under such conditions, even surgery would be useless.
Even if the flesh were physically cut away and the wounds healed, her body would not be restored.
The long passage of time had changed too much.
Bai Shi thought of Queen Rennala's Rebirth Amber.
But he quickly shook his head, abandoning the idea.
The mental states of the other Numen were likely no better than this one's.
After being reborn, they might not be any better off than the magic academy apprentices crawling on the floor.
Besides, rebirth required a Larval Tear.
No matter how many he collected, the number of Numen he could heal would be very limited.
Bai Shi ran a hand through his hair, his heart filled with frustration.
Never mind a method of treatment for now.
He could take them out of here and slowly care for them; a solution would eventually be found.
But the biggest, most immediate problem facing Bai Shi now was how he was going to break this to Melina.
Melina had wanted to find the reason for Queen Marika's slaughter of the Horned people.
Bai Shi had found the reason, but now he didn't know how to tell Melina about this horrifying, cruel act.
Those who suffered this torment were all her kin.
After some thought, Bai Shi decided to temporarily abandon further exploration of this prison.
There was surely more than one Numen like this in the prison.
He would probably encounter others along the way.
The power of the Bewitching Branch was limited; it couldn't control all of them.
But if he didn't control them, their frenzied state where they couldn't distinguish friend from foe would be very troublesome, in every sense of the word.
Bai Shi decided to find Melina first.
Since it was the truth, he shouldn't intentionally hide it.
Bai Shi took the Numen’s hand. Applying both gravity magic and the power of the storm, he made her body float gently alongside his own.
The two of them returned along the path Bai Shi had come, and soon they were out of the prison.
Floating in the air, Bai Shi sensed the direction of Melina and Torrent.
Once he had his bearings, Bai Shi immediately flew quickly in that direction with the Numen.
Soon, Bai Shi appeared outside the church where Melina was.
Bai Shi left the Numen outside and walked in alone.
Melina was currently sitting before the headless statue of Queen Marika, with Torrent lying at her side.
Seeing Bai Shi arrive, Melina stopped stroking Torrent’s fur.
She immediately stood up and walked toward Bai Shi.
Melina opened her mouth, about to ask Bai Shi what he had found.
But when the words were on the tip of her tongue, she saw the complicated expression on Bai Shi's face and realized something.
Bai Shi didn't usually look like this. He must have discovered something.
Suddenly, Melina found it difficult to speak.
Bai Shi sighed, took Melina’s hand directly, and led her out of the church.
Just as they were about to leave, Bai Shi turned back to Melina and said:
“Melina, I’ve found the reason for Queen Marika’s slaughter of the Horned people...”
“Although I can’t fully understand the situation back then, this is very direct evidence.”
“...You need to be mentally prepared.”
Melina bit her lip, then nodded forcefully at Bai Shi.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
—
Melina had thought she was prepared, that she could handle any situation she might face.
But she was wrong.
When she saw the Numen, who no longer even resembled a person, she was utterly unable to regain her composure.
Melina walked forward, took the Numen’s hands in her own, and tears streamed down her face.
Her entire body trembled as she murmured in disbelief:
“How... How could this happen...”
Bai Shi stood by her side, placing a hand on her back.
“The Horned people committed inhuman atrocities against the Numen.”
“They called the Numen ‘Witches’ and believed that this act of fusing criminals with Witches could allow people to be reborn as good and kind.”
“Queen Marika slaughtered the Horned people to avenge the Witches.”
“So... you don't need to feel any guilt about how those beasts treated you.”
“Since they did such things, it is only right that they were annihilated in revenge.”
Bai Shi took a deep breath.
Seeing Melina like this, his heart ached as well.
“As for how to heal her... I’ll find a way.”
Melina looked at the Numen before her and stood up.
She wiped away her tears and summoned a small golden tree beside her.
The phantom of the golden tree emanated a gentle light, enveloping the Numen’s body.
The Numen, who had been tormented in the prison, now felt the peace and serenity of her true home.
Enveloped in this gentle power, the Numen slowly drifted off to sleep.
This was the first time she had slept after an eternity of torment.