Chapter 320: Takatsuki Makoto doesn’t give up (1/2)

“I have Charmed…every living being on this planet.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch Nevia proclaimed this peacefully.

“N-No way!” (Noel)

Queen Noel refused it straight on.

Nevia smiles elegantly.

“Why do you think that?” (Nevia)

“That goes beyond the power of a mortal. If you could do something like that, we would have been defeated a long time ago!” (Noel)

“Fufufu…right. It is far beyond impossible for me alone to achieve this. It would have been impossible for that eminent personage as well.” (Nevia)

“Then, how?” (Makoto)

I asked straight.

Why can she do something that even the Great Demon Lord couldn’t?

The Calamity Witch slowly looks around.

An endless stretching gray world.

Inside this world, everyone will be Charmed.

“This Charmed world is the countermeasure that that personage made using the Grand Barrier of the Holy Maiden Noel-sama as its cornerstone. Your power as a Holy Maiden is to put together the power of everyone. A splendid power that excels in protecting. As expected of the power from the one who even rules the Divine Realm, Althena. Humans are weak individually, but when you put together the power of millions, it can become a massive spear and shield. This barrier couldn’t be broken even by that personage…” (Nevia)

“Even the Great Demon Lord couldn’t break it, huh…” (Makoto)

It is different from 1,000 years ago. In this era, humans are the ones who are prospering the most.

If you put the strength of every human in the world, that becomes a formidable power.

The Calamity Witch continues speaking.

“The duty of this barrier is to ‘protect the peace of the world’. I tweaked the rules of that grand barrier a little bit. ‘Please let it be a peaceful world of equality where no one gets hurt -just as I order’.” (Nevia)

“So that’s how you Charmed the world.” (Makoto)

“That’s impossible! The Charm of Furiae shouldn’t have that much power!” (Noel)

Queen Noel denies it again.

The Calamity Witch directs a pitying look at her.

“You must know it as well, right? The power of Furiae-chan as a Holy Maiden is to ‘bring out latent power’. In other words, an ability targeted to an individual. The Holy Maiden Noel that powers up the many, and the Holy Maiden Furiae who powers up an individual. What a splendid balanced distribution of power. It can clearly be seen that the Goddesses planned for a development where you two joined forces to protect the world… That said, the relationship between the Sun Country and the Moon Country is the worst though.” (Nevia)

“That’s…” (Noel)

It must have poked a part that hurt, Queen Noel couldn’t say anything back.

“You see, Furiae-chan…is a genius Oracle that could use Monarch level Charm Magic, Necromancy, and even Destiny Magic without even training. She was working endlessly because of her standing as the queen though. Do you know her true wish? Her wish was to retire immediately from her position as the queen once the Moon Country was stable, and live a quiet and peaceful life in the countryside. What a boring and ambitionless dream. No wonder Naia didn’t speak to her.” (Nevia)

“Is it okay to call Naia-sama without any honorifics?” (Makoto)

I asked curious.

She showed proper respect towards the Moon Goddess 1,000 years ago.

“It is okay. I am not the Moon Oracle right now. The present Moon Oracle is Furiae-chan. Also, Naia has lost interest in me having lost 1,000 years ago.” (Nevia)

Nevia said as if slightly sad about this.

“We went out of topic there. Anyways, the present Moon Oracle seemed to have almost no interest in becoming strong. I had her use her Holy Maiden ability of bringing out latent power on herself. What do you think happened?” (Nevia)

“Now that you mention it…I have never seen Princess training.” (Makoto)

I remember the times when we traveled together.

She would watch me training the whole day with a baffled expression.

“Right now, Furiae-chan can use Charm Magic in a Quasi-God Rank level. An outstanding ability that heavily surpasses me 1,000 years ago… I am jealous. If I had this much power in the past, the results would have been different… Wait, I lost to you 1,000 years ago, Apostle-sama.” (Nevia)

She sighed with a heavy ‘haah’ and warped her pretty face.

“Why aren’t you getting Charmed? Furiae-chan is cute, right?” (Nevia)

“Princess wouldn’t say that, Nevia-san.” (Makoto)

The Calamity Witch swayed her body as if trying to seduce me.

“I understand how Noel-sama doesn’t get Charmed since she is an equal Holy Maiden, but…why is it that it doesn’t work on you, Apostle-sama? But, speaking of which, I couldn’t Charm Cain-san 1,000 years ago either. Are the Apostles of the Goddess Noah all the same?” (Nevia)

“We are faithful to Noah-sama after all.” (Makoto)

“What a problematic bunch.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch glared lightly at me after I said that.

I take that gaze of hers as I think back on the information until now.

“The Grand Barrier of Queen Noel and the Quasi-God Rank Charm of Princess, coupled with the Calamity Witch who has inherited the power of the Great Demon Lord…” (Makoto)

That’s quite the impressive line-up.

“Do you understand now? It is too late already.” (Nevia)

“N-No way… There’s…no way…” (Noel)

Queen Noel mutters powerlessly at the words of the Calamity Witch.

At a glance, what she says makes sense.

But…

“That’s a lie.” (Makoto)

I said this firmly.

“Eh?” (Noel)

Queen Noel looks at me with a surprised face.

“Oh? Why is it, Apostle-sama? Was there anything strange in my explanation?” (Nevia)

“No, nothing really. With that explanation, I am sure you would be able to Charm the whole world.” (Makoto)

“Then, why are you saying it is a lie?” (Nevia)

“It is because you are going through the trouble of explaining it.” (Makoto)

“…Hoh.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch narrowed her eyes as if finding this interesting.

“If you really Charmed the whole world, there’s no need for you to chase us here. You can just let us be. But you went out of your way to Charm the Great Sage-sama, and added the revived Demon Lords. As if it would be inconvenient for you if we were to leave this place.” (Makoto)

“Fufufu, I knew that ordinary means would be ineffective on you, Apostle-sama.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch sighs charmingly at my words.

“It is as you say. The Planetary Charm is still not complete. But it is only a matter of time, you know? The barrier of the Charmed Gray World is continuously expanding even as we speak. The living beings that get swallowed by this barrier will be hit with the curse of ‘wishing for the peace of this world’. The barrier gets strengthened by that, and the barrier expands even further. It will eventually engulf everything.” (Nevia)

“This barrier sounds like a virus…” (Makoto)

I groan lightly.

It curses the living beings inside the barrier, and that strengthens the barrier and expands it.

“Makoto-sama! The Grand Barrier is activated with the Highland Castle and the Great Church of the Sun Country as its center. If you destroy both constructs…” (Noel)

Queen Noel shouts this as if she had thought of a plan that would turn the tables.

I see, a central point is necessary for the activation of a barrier.

If we destroy that, we can weaken the barrier…

“Of course, I won’t let you do that. I will be using all the forces that have been Charmed into protecting. Would you prefer the two of the Crimson Fangs to be at the forefront? Or maybe the Glacial Hero and the Light Hero-sama would be better?” (Nevia)

““……””

Noel and I look at each other and our faces darken.

We can’t do anything if she brings out the hostages.

All of our acquaintances have been Charmed after all.

“But I don’t want to do something like that. I don’t want to do anything terrible to anyone.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch says this without a single blemish in her expression.

“And yet, you incarcerated Queen Noel in the underground prison.” (Makoto)

When I point this out, the Calamity Witch made a face as if she found that awkward.

“…Cause you know, she is the very picture of the Light Hero-san that sliced me in two, you know? It is scary.” (Nevia)

“…Well, that’s…” (Makoto)

I ended up understanding how she felt.

It certainly would be scary to have a person with the same face as the one that sliced you in two.

“If you are displeased with the treatment of Queen Noel, I can change it. I will move her into a nicer room. How about that?” (Nevia)

“…What in the world is your wish, Calamity Witch?” (Noel)

Queen Noel asked this as if she was finding all of this unnerving.

Nevia-san slowly opened her mouth as if teasing us for the answer and then she said…

“…Create a peaceful world. A world where we are not flailed about by the whims of gods, a world where everyone is equal.” (Nevia)

“It does sound good on paper.” (Makoto)

“So you don’t believe me.” (Nevia)

“I have seen the situation 1,000 years ago after all.” (Makoto)

I know about it.

About how the humans had become the livestock of demons.

About the battered Momo who had no choice but to wait for her inevitable death.

Maybe because she could tell what I was thinking, the Calamity Witch speaks slowly.

“I have been oppressed since the day I was born. ‘Can only use Charm’, ‘Useless trash that only has a good face’, scorn flew my way. I hated it…I hated the Goddess that made this worthless person into an Oracle. But as I grew, my Charm power became stronger and stronger, and I could Charm anyone. I controlled the power of others with my Charm. I couldn’t live without the power of someone else. Why? I actually want to live with my own strength. But I didn’t have it. Why is the world so unfair? Hey, can you answer me?” (Nevia)

“That’s…something decided by the Goddesses.” (Noel)

The one who answered was Queen Noel.

The one who decides the Skills is the Destiny Goddess, so she isn’t exactly wrong.

“Goddesses… Right, the Goddesses. They are the ones making the world unfair.” (Nevia)

This is the first time something similar to hatred is shown in the voice of the Calamity Witch.

But it was only for an instant, and it soon returned to her usual gentle tone.

“Hey, Apostle-sama, I have asked Furiae-chan about you and have investigated your past achievements. You suffered quite a lot when coming to this world, right? You trained in your lonesome at the Water Temple, and yet couldn’t get strong, and continued being an adventurer despite all of this. It was only after all that hardship that you obtained Spirit Magic.” (Nevia)

“Yeah, if I remember correctly, after fighting the Griffon and getting my whole body burned, wandering between the border of life and death, I learned the Spirit User Skill.” (Makoto)

How nostalgic.

“Don’t you think we are similar? A witch that can’t do anything aside from Charming; a mage that can’t do anything properly without Spirits.” (Nevia)

By the time I noticed, the Calamity Witch-san was right in front of me.

Her appearance is that of Furiae-san though.

“You could say that.” (Makoto)

“Then, won’t you understand my ideal? A peaceful world where no one is hurt and everyone is equal. There’s no need for the Goddesses, the skills, or magic. I will manage everything. I will make a happy world as if you were having a dream.” (Nevia)

There was something that bothered me in what the Calamity Witch said.

“No need for Goddesses…?” (Makoto)

“That’s right. This world has no need for gods. It is because there’s a bunch at the Divine Realm guiding us with self-satisfied looks that the weak ones suffer. The voices of gods don’t reach this ashen world. There’s no need for that after all.” (Nevia)

“That’s why…the voices of Noah-sama and Ira-sama aren’t reaching, huh…” (Makoto)

1,000 years ago, the voice of Ira-sama didn’t reach me for a certain period of time.

But I could hear her after a while.

However, she is stating firmly that, this time around, the voices of gods won’t reach.

“Fufu, Apostle-sama, you seem to be slightly flustered here.” (Nevia)

“That’s not true.” (Makoto)

I hide the agitation in my heart.

But I feel like she has seen through me.

“I can’t Charm the Apostle-sama, so I have to reduce your allies. The voices of the Goddesses don’t reach, so next, I have to do something about your cute Familiar-san, right?” (Nevia)

I was taken aback by those words and looked at my feet.

“…I am sorry, Master.” (Tsui)

“Tsui…” (Makoto)

The eyes of the black cat were muddied in gold.

He has been Charmed.

“I was bothered by it. By the fact that the cute Familiar-san of the Apostle-sama that Furiae-chan took care of wasn’t around. I judged that it didn’t have much fighting power, but it was a far more intelligent cat than I expected. But that’s as far as you go. It seems like you don’t have a resistance to Charm as your master does.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch brushes the back of the black cat that came to her while she was saying that.

Tsui purrs.

(He has been…completely Charmed, huh.) (Makoto)

I doubt he will be helping me out the next time I get caught.

In other words, this is my only chance to run away.

“Please look at this.” (Nevia)

“Makoto…”

“Takatsuki-kun…”

My body stiffens.

Even Lucy and Sa-san showed up.

“The two of the Crimson Fangs who are now highly famed and are the number one adventurers of the continent, and also the Great Sage-sama who is a master of Teleport. And also the undead Demon Lords that are here. Do you really think you can run away?” (Nevia)

All of those eyes were looking at us.

The ones lined up there are all famous adventurers, warriors, and the members of the Sun Knights.

“Ryosuke-san!” (Noel)

“…No…el?” (Sakurai)

Sakurai-kun was standing by the side of the Calamity Witch.

His eyes were blank. It seems like he is under a stronger Charm than the other people.

But his consciousness seemed like it was going to return for an instant there at the voice of Queen Noel.

“That won’t do.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch quickly takes the hand of Sakurai-kun.

Sakurai-kun fell on his knees the next instant.

“What did you do to Sakurai-kun?!” (Makoto)

“I simply overwrote the Charm. The resistance to abnormal status effects of the Light Hero Skill is truly fearsome. Even though this ashen world should be shutting out the light of the sun… Just by hearing the voice of the Sun Oracle was enough to almost return him to his senses.” (Nevia)

Looks like Sakurai-kun simply has lost consciousness.

It seems as if the stab wound of the black knight Demon Lord has also healed.

“Now, please surrender obediently, Apostle-sama, Noel-sama. I don’t want to be rough here.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch calls to us with a composed voice.

“I…if I obediently let myself be caught, will the world be at peace…?” (Noel)

Queen Noel stood up with unsteady feet in order to answer her.

She hasn’t been Charmed, but it seems like her composure is lacking here.

“Yes, of course! As someone who can’t be affected by Charm, you will end up being imprisoned for the rest of your life, but in exchange, there won’t be wars, won’t be social hierarchies, and no racial discrimination; the ideal world that you so desired will come to be. That’s right, just by you enduring, all the people in the world will be happy!” (Nevia)

“B-By my sacrifice alone…the world will be at peace…” (Noel)

I could feel that Queen Noel could say yes at any moment here.

“There’s something I would like to ask.” (Makoto)

I cut into their conversation.

“What is it, Apostle-sama?” (Nevia)

“In the world that you wish for, there’s no need for Goddesses?” (Makoto)

“Yes, there’s no need for gods. There’s no need for the people of the Mortal Realm to be thrown about by the fighting of the Holy Gods and the Devil Gods. There’s no need to pray to gods.” (Nevia)

“That would be troubling.” (Makoto)

I am the Apostle of the Goddess Noah-sama.

“I understand how you feel. But I would like you to undertake an even more important role as the one Furiae-chan loves, Apostle-sama.” (Nevia)