City of Witches Chapter 197

Around the 16th century, when people firmly believed they could pioneer a new continent and conquer nature with the power of science.

Witches, too, took an interest in combining science and technology with Magic.

They believed that even if it was the humble technology of humans, adding the great Magic of a Witch would yield plausible results.

It was the dawn of the era of Magical Engineering, with Witches proficient in alchemy, as well as those of other lineages, immersing themselves in its possibilities.

Of course, within less than a hundred years, its popularity waned and faded, and now most Witches regard Magical Engineering merely as a tool, but the 'Janissary,' an attack-type Artifact lavishly decorated as if for a Ceremonial Artifact, was also created during that time.

This gun needs neither gunpowder nor lead bullets.

Because it is an Artifact that weaves magic power, synthesizes a bullet through Magic, and discharges it with several times the power.

The Magic Formula engraved on the oak gunstock draws in the magic power.

The magic power, thus sucked in, passes through the flash pan and forms a single bullet.

The moment the trigger is pulled, the special rifling engraved inside the barrel amplifies and compresses its power dozens of times over.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Magic Bullets fired in an instant traced orange trails and blew the Piranhas to pieces.

"Sister!"

"I know!"

The Twins didn't even need to exchange complex signals; they seamlessly covered each other's gaps and cleared out the Piranhas without a hitch.

It was much easier than hitting clay pigeons or flying ducks.

Because the distance to the target, the size of the target, and even their movements were all simple.

The bullets tear through the sleek scales.

They shatter teeth and gouge out the crooked eyes staring this way.

Amidst the thick, dissipating haze of magic smoke instead of acrid gunpowder smoke, the Twins fired their muskets to their hearts' content.

When the Piranhas, which could have numbered in the dozens, perhaps even a hundred, had dwindled enough to be counted by eye, a blue light flashed from behind, and a large surge of magic power was felt.

Siwoo had succeeded in evacuating the citizens outside.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, we finished it well."

"As expected of our Assistant, you're amazing!"

"We'll handle the rest!"

Sweat was dripping down from under Siwoo's chin.

It was the first time he had moved this many people via coordinate teleportation.

Moreover, the magic power flowing here was somehow different from the usual kind.

Should he say it interfered with the activation of Magic, or that it clung stickily?

Because it changed sluggishly, like flowing mud, and interfered with the Computation, he had to forcibly perform calculations twice as complex as usual.

In the process of mentally calculating the complex computations, he felt a throbbing headache and nausea.

"Hoo...."

"Assistant, are you okay?"

"A-Are you alright?"

Perhaps sensing Siwoo's complexion was quite poor, the Twins, who had just finished off the last Piranha cleanly, asked.

He roughly wiped the flowing sweat with his palm and nodded.

"Yes, it's not unbearable."

"Assistant, we have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"While catching those fish just now, I felt something... I think I remember reading about the 'Ceremonial Artifact' causing this phenomenon."

"Huh? R-Right!"

At Odette's words, Odil also cried out as if she had suddenly realized.

The library the Countess had gifted the Twins was filled with all sorts of miscellaneous books, and among them were ones dealing with various Ceremonial Artifacts and Artifacts that had existed throughout history.

"Those monsters aren't Homunculi. They look completely different from Homunculi, and most importantly, they don't have Cores."

Come to think of it, that's true.

All the Homunculi Siwoo had faced so far were animal-type but had bizarre appearances with almost none of their original forms remaining.

In contrast, those Piranhas are in perfectly intact forms, as if fished out of an aquarium and enlarged.

Well, that makes them even more unsettling.

"So, what is it?"

"I think it's probably a Ceremonial Artifact known as 'Dagon's Flute.' It's said to be an item a Witch possessed five hundred years ago... It's a Ceremonial Artifact that transforms the surroundings into an otherworldly realm, turning it into a hunting ground for Familiars..."

"So that means those aren't Homunculi created by the Witch of Creation, but Familiars. Since the medium allowing the Familiars to exist is the Ceremonial Artifact, if it disappears, this chaos should end too."

How many people had died in this chaos?

How many were still alive?

If alive, they were probably hiding everywhere, avoiding the eyes of the monsters.

Rather than finding survivors and sending them out one by one, ending this situation would be the fundamental solution.

"We'll look for the location of the Ceremonial Artifact."

"Can you do that?"

"If it's a type that's constantly active, it shouldn't be difficult."

"Then, the objective is set."

Odil and Odette clasped each other's hands.

A beautiful melody, completely out of place in the department store where a disaster had unfolded, harmonized.

The mystical timbre, distinctly different from human vocalization, was closer to the melody of a string instrument.

The surrounding magic power pulsed, then turned into gentle Wavelengths that began to spread in all directions.

The extrasensory perception through sound waves did not stay nearby.

Even the tiniest gap, if it existed, allowed it to extend deep into any part of the building and begin mapping.

And so, 2-3 minutes passed.

"Found it."

"Found it."

The Twins stopped singing and opened their eyes.

"It's on the rooftop of this building."

"Let's go together, Assistant! We can be helpful now too!"

The Twins, who had only trembled in fear during their clash with Ea before, seemed to have grown a step further because of that incident.

Even though they couldn't possibly be unaware of the numerous corpses and the stench of blood stinging their noses, they suppressed their fear and stepped forward to help Siwoo.

It was both admirable and commendable.

That's precisely why he couldn't take them along.

"That might be difficult."

"Huh?"

At Siwoo's answer, the Twins swiftly looked down at their feet.

The coordinate teleportation circle used to evacuate the citizens was spread beneath their feet.

While the two were diligently searching for the flute, Siwoo had completed the calculations to move them to the officetel.

As the Twins, belatedly grasping the situation, hurriedly moved to step off the Magic Circle.

"Wait! We never talked about this...!"

"No! We want to fight with the Assistant too...!"

A bluish light flashed, and the Twins' clamorous voices vanished.

"Hoo...."

The magic power being sucked from the Brand in his left eye.

This time, having set the distance much farther, moving just two people was quite a strain.Perhaps it was because he had just evacuated ten citizens.

“I’ll apologize later.”

Siwoo muttered an apology that likely wouldn’t be heard.

He was grateful for the twins’ willingness to join forces and help him.

But leaving them here was still dangerous.

If they had just focused on hunting the small fry and helping people, the risk wouldn’t have been that great.

The Piranha Siwoo faced was so weak it was almost embarrassing to call it a Homunculus, and the twins’ musket rifles were more than enough combat power to defeat it.

But if someone had intentionally caused this hell using a ‘Ceremonial Artifact’ called Dagon’s Flute, that person was likely a public enemy.

Naturally, the closer one got to the Ceremonial Artifact, the tighter the defenses would be, and thus the danger level would rise.

It’s not that Siwoo isn’t afraid of facing a public enemy.

Soon, Witches who have grasped the situation will come rushing.

In other words, Siwoo doesn’t have to do anything.

But...

Siwoo looked around.

A horrific scene reminiscent of a massacre.

Looking at it, he felt anger bubbling up in his chest.

Even though he never considered himself a righteous person, he couldn’t just stand by and watch.

They were just ordinary people living their daily lives.

Innocent citizens who didn’t even know about the existence of Magic, let alone Witches.

Even at this very moment, they must be dying all over the building.

He didn’t want to turn a blind eye to save his own skin.

He intends to move forward so that even one more survivor can be saved, so that no more victims are created.

“Let’s see the face of whatever crazy bitch this is.”

Siwoo once again enveloped his body in shadow and gripped a sword in each hand.

He flipped his helmet over his head and dashed out into the darkness where blood flowed like a river valley.

“I hope I misheard...?”

Witch Point Seoul Gwanghwamun Branch.

Sua, who was sitting in the branch manager’s office leisurely enjoying afternoon green tea, widened her eyes.

It was because of the report from a Witch who had come running in breathlessly.

“You’re saying Dagon’s Flute was activated in the heart of Gangnam?”

“That’s correct.”

It was a major incident, enough to make even a Witch who had seen and heard countless casualties from Homunculi or public enemies turn pale.

Dagon’s Flute is one of the Ceremonial Artifacts used by the ‘Witch of the Abyss,’ who was killed by Duke Keter.

In fact, the artifact itself isn’t particularly dangerous to Witches.

Even if it transforms an area into another realm and releases Familiars, the weak monsters are no threat to Witches.

The essence of Dagon’s Flute is tailored for massacring humans.

The life force of humans hunted by monsters in the otherworld summoned by the flute is converted into vast magic power and stored within the flute.

In other words, it’s an item whose purpose is to collect magic power, rather than being a Ceremonial Artifact for combat.

Sua shook her head.

There’s no need to think complicatedly about something that hasn’t even happened yet.

What’s important now is that a demonic realm has opened in the heart of Gangnam.

And that she, as a human, has a duty to stop it.

“Please immediately summon all Witches on our contact network.”

“Yes!”

As Sua prepared to move to the location of the flute, she also contacted Tiferet.

“Can you hear me, esteemed one?”

The earring Sua wore around her neck buzzed and vibrated.

Inside a Hidden Boundary, communication using radio waves becomes impossible.

This earring was a magical tool created to allow communication even within such Hidden Boundaries.

[I hear you. I’m almost there.]

“The main cause of the disturbance is Dagon’s Flute. The owner and purpose are unknown. I will leave the rescue of survivors and damage control to myself and the other Witches. Could I ask you, esteemed one, to secure the root cause?”

[What about Duke Keter?]

“...There has been no movement.”

[Understood.]

The communication, having exchanged only the essentials, ended.

A Witch used Magic to massacre civilians, possibly numbering in the hundreds, maybe even thousands.

Yet Duke Keter did not move.

Even though she must undoubtedly already know.

An incident of this scale would be enough for her to take direct action.

Yet again, she did not move.

“What on earth is she thinking...”

A person whose thoughts are unknowable.

Sua muttered.

Eloa was running with all her might towards COEX, where the incident had occurred.

Pushing off building exteriors, she leaped from rooftop to rooftop of tall buildings.

In the distance, she could see a building enveloped by a massive spherical barrier.

The sharp sound of sirens and evacuation orders could be heard even from beyond the river.

While Seoul’s air is generally poor due to smog, that particular area was stained an especially deep, moldy-looking blue-green.

It was proof that otherworld transformation was progressing.

If the erosion had reached that level, it would be impossible to cover it with a Hidden Boundary.

There hadn’t been an accident this large in modern times.

“I have to get there quickly and save the people...”

Eloa, who had been muttering out of habit, realized.

To her surprise, no emotions arose.

The righteous indignation that should have surged in her chest, the mourning for the victims who must have perished inside and their families...

They merely swept through her heart as if it were hollow and then vanished.

The current Eloa, in a void where all her strength seemed spent, was merely performing what she had defined as her duty and atonement.

“.......”

She had no purpose in life.

No reason either.

Only an empty duty remained.

Revenge.

The moment that driving force disappeared, all the hypocrisy was stripped away. How laughable.

With an indifferent expression, Eloa bit her lip and yet flew towards the accident site.

Author’s Note (Afterword)

A bit late

I’ll try to write something by 12 o’clock~

Oh, and by the way, I recently found an interesting novel.

It’s called ‘Taming an Obedient Girlfriend into a Slave’ by Popopephe. If you liked ‘The Sadistic Teacher,’ I think it might suit your taste.

Personally, I’d love to see more and more high-quality training novels.