CHAPTER 499: A TRAITOR AMONG US (1/2)

In recent times, Witches have gained independence as an occupation, no longer serving their Devil patrons or believing in them. Because of that, most Witches can no longer be considered Demonesses. While they might have lost the abilities granted by Devil worship, they have also gained an equal degree of freedom.

Strictly speaking, Witches that have broken free from their Devil patrons do not necessarily have to be a threat to humanity. A recently trending small-scale healing potion and mana recovery potions are both products of Witches.

—– The Modern Witch and Understanding Them

The situation was dire, but not in the way most would imagine. The opinions of the villagers weren’t even on my mind right now. Instead, what truly concerned me was how Nicole viewed this mess.

The moment Umbra uttered those fateful words, she immediately threw me a look. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking when she did that, but in order to avoid any misunderstandings, I started explaining myself to her with utmost trepidation. “Back then they were trying to rob me and also… Well, I won’t go into the details of what else they wanted… That’s why I killed them in a fit of anger. I’ll admit I did place parasitic spiders inside Leeder and those other bandits, but I’ve already removed them last night. In other words, they aren’t even under my control now…”

Hearing that, her expression softened a little. Her brows were still knitted together but she remained silent for the most part.

Does this mean she believes me then? Even with all those holes in my story?

“Ah…”

Just as I was mulling over how to regain Nicole’s trust, I heard several pained cries from the direction of the villagers. Those were soon followed by panicked screaming…

“Leeder… what’s going on with you all…”

“Arsen! Are you all right, Arsen…”

“Stop scaring me, Dolan!”

I hurriedly turned to look in their direction, only to witness a sight that drained the blood from my face.

I had clearly removed the spiders from their bodies, and any talk of spider eggs within them was all fake. Yet what was happening right now could be said to be the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back for the villagers.

With barely any life left in him, Leeder managed to get the closest to me, seeing as he was a Four-star unlike the rest. With his dying breath he tried to reach for me and said, “Sirs… why… we didn’t even…”

And just like that, he expanded the last bit of his life without ever expressing the regret and anger in himself. His eyes were wide open as they admonished me even in death, his body no longer able to enunciate the maelstrom of emotions they stored up at that single moment.

By now, not only Leeder had died, the remaining seven of them all died in a similar fashion to him -reduced to a dried up corpse.

Impossible… I know I removed the spiders from their bodies… and those spiders don’t kill their host by draining their blood…

Not long after they died, countless finger-thick, blackish-red worms started crawling out of their orifices in a horrifically disgusting display.

“Master… those are Vampiric Leeches…” Jezsere was quick to say. While she might have been timid, she was still a well-read Mage. From the moment the first leech crawled out of Leeder’s body, she had already recognised it. “They are a common tactic amongst Witches… but they have a troublesome stipulation that their eggs have to be ingested orally…”

Orally? So they just ate something bad then?! And what’s a Witch? Crap, now’s not the time for explanations as well… those villagers are starting to act up…