Chapter 178: Witch Hunt (2)
After joining up with the Eilza family soldiers, I listened to what had happened here. And sure enough, it was just as I feared.
"Illin suddenly disappeared..." Shane said with a furrowed brow and a troubled expression.
After hearing the full explanation, I let out a deep sigh inwardly.
*Sigh...*
I expected this, but still.
I had hoped that the original story might have changed enough for the butterfly effect to prevent this from happening here, but it seems that's not the case.
*Well, I've only interfered with those Cult bastards so far.*
In a way, it makes sense that things here would follow the original storyline.
More importantly...
*Let me check on Illin's current condition first.*
I don't think she's fallen victim to the Witch yet, but you never know.
I used Map View to thoroughly search the surrounding area.
Then...
"Sigh... how annoying."
Eventually, I found Illin caught in a trap.
Fortunately, she hadn't yet lost her mind to the Witch.
*She seems more composed than I expected.*
Honestly, I thought she would be in extreme danger.
After all, in the original story, didn't she quickly lose her mind to the Witch?
*And then the protagonist taught the traitor a lesson before saving her.*
But contrary to my expectations, she looks quite alright.
As I was wondering what could have changed...
"Ah...!"
A brilliant flash of realization struck me.
*That's right. Come to think of it, the original Illin and this world's Illin are different.*
In the original story, Illin had just awakened to her Sword Force at this point.
However, the current Illin...
*She can freely use Sword Force now, can't she?*
She's become much stronger than in the original story.
That's probably why she's resisting the Witch's Mind Magic better than expected.
And that's not all.
"Cain isn't a half-eunuch who would do such a thing!"
Even the illusion she's seeing is different from the original story.
*Wait, half-eunuch...?*
I felt unfairly accused, but more than that, I was curious about what kind of illusion she was seeing to make her say something like that.
*Well, seeing her like this, she seems to be handling it okay.*
It doesn't seem like I need to worry too much about her.
*Then as planned, let's teach that traitor a lesson first.*
***
Meanwhile, at that moment.
Eilza von Gilt was deep in serious thought.
*Why are those people here?*
Three people had suddenly appeared.
And each one of them was no ordinary person.
Starting with the least threatening one...
*David von Cain.*
He used to be known as an incompetent noble ruffian.
And he was engaged to his younger sister, Illin.
But according to what he'd heard recently...
*They say he's changed dramatically?*
Until this time last year, he was known as a ruffian.
However, now for some reason, his reputation among nobles had changed to that of a quite capable person.
*Well, how strong could he have possibly become?*
So, this guy didn't need much attention.
The second troublesome person.
None other than...
*That red-haired girl...*
He didn't know her exact abilities.
But according to the Eilza family's intelligence, the girl before him was none other than the Saintess of the Goddess Who Loves Battle.
Even though she had only recently awakened as a Saintess, she shouldn't be underestimated.
*In a way, she's probably the only one completely immune to Mind Magic in this dungeon.*
Of course, her abilities would be extraordinary simply because she was a Saintess.
Even if she hadn't fully matured yet.
*And finally...*
Wyntent von Skaya.
In some ways, she was the most dangerous person here.
The family head Shane was also dangerous, but he couldn't display his full abilities due to the Mind Magic used by the Witch with whom Gilt had made a deal.
But...
*Not her.*
That's right.
While both Illin and Shane were struggling with the Mind Magic, unlike them, she seemed completely unaffected by it, having reached the pinnacle of magical ability.
That was the problem.
Moreover...
*Not only is she immune to Mind Magic, but her physical prowess is overwhelming too.*
In terms of pure ability, she was not far behind Illin.
In some ways, she was the most dangerous person here.
*Sigh...*
I should contact the Witch first.
With that thought, he contacted the Witch who had lived since ancient times.
"Witch."
"Why are you calling? I'm busy."
She answered his call with an irritated voice.
He felt a surge of anger but had no time for that now.
"We have a variable."
"...What? A variable?"
"Yes. Three unexpected people have intruded."
At those words, the Witch, who had been making advances on Illin in a separate room, frowned deeply.
"This is different from what we agreed. Child? Our deal was that you would offer that woman Illin to me and prevent any interference, wasn't it? Plus, I would make you the head of your family."
"...Tsk! I didn't know either. I don't know how they found out, but they suddenly appeared."
"Hmm..."
The Witch fell into deep thought at his words.
Then...
"By the way, what's happening with Illin now? Didn't you say you were confident you could take her?"
Gilt narrowed his eyes and asked the Witch through the Communication Crystal Orb.
The next moment...
"Sigh... That's exactly what's irritating me right now. Isn't this different from what you told me?"
The Witch sighed deeply and asked with obvious displeasure.
"...What do you mean?"
Gilt tilted his head in confusion and asked back, to which she replied in an irritated voice.
"This woman Illin you mentioned. She's much stronger than you said."
"...What?"
She's stronger than I thought?
He knew better than anyone that Illin was strong.
He had seen her abilities with his own eyes until last year.
Gilt frowned in confusion.
"How strong is she that you say such things?"
"...About twice as strong as you said."
"?!"
Gilt's eyes widened at her words.
Then he asked again.
"Is that true?"
"Yes. She's breaking through my illusions using Sword Force right now."
"Damn it..."
To think she could even use Sword Force.
In just a year of not seeing her, Illin had become stronger than expected.
Was she born with talent on a different level from his own?
Hearing that she was already using Sword Force, ugly jealousy welled up inside him.
"So... you don't think you can take her body?"
"Sigh... That's not it. I'm starting to get the hang of it. It's just that those people you mentioned shouldn't interfere."
"..."
The interference she mentioned was none other than those three people from earlier.
*David von Cain is one thing.*
The problem was the other two.
The Saintess Lisana and Wyntent von Skaya were quite troublesome.
The only fortunate thing was that Lisana had only recently awakened as a Saintess.
But...
*If the Duke's daughter has physical strength similar to Illin's...*
Subduing her by force would be impossible.
From what the Witch said, Illin's strength was already on par with Shane's.
*Mind Magic won't work on her either, so relying on the Witch is out of the question.*
Gilt frowned and let out a deep sigh.
"Sigh... Is stalling for time the best option?"
Or perhaps trapping her like Illin.
Gilt asked the Witch with a sharp gaze.
"How much time do you need?"
"One hour should be enough."
"...Alright. I'll try to stall until then somehow."
With those words, Gilt put the Communication Crystal Orb into his Subspace Ring.
"This is annoying."
The situation wasn't proceeding according to plan.
It was already irritating that his future soldiers were getting injured.
*And now these interfering bastards show up.*
To make matters worse, Illin's strength had grown far beyond what he had anticipated.
*Well, that changes once the Witch takes her body.*
The deal with that creature was simple.
He would offer a talented body as a sacrifice, and in return, she would make him the head of the family.
It was a contract where either party would die if they broke it.
Therefore, when the Witch took Illin's body...
*It's as good as me becoming the family head.*
In reality, Shane probably intended for Illin to be the family head, but the moment she firmly refused, it would be as good as him becoming the head.
After all, once the Witch took her body, she would surely support him.
Therefore...
*If I just finish this properly, I'll become the family head.*
So, he couldn't afford to fail this time.
*If I fail, my life is over.*
With that thought, Gilt headed toward the tent set up by the Eilza family.
*Thud. Thud.*
The next moment, the elite soldiers glanced at him.
*...What's going on?*
Something was strange.
It was natural for the elite soldiers to look at him.
After all, Gilt was none other than a scion of the Eilza family.
But...
*Why are they looking at me like that?*
That's right.
Their eyes seemed to be asking why he was coming out from there.
*What happened while I was gone?*
He approached his faction of elite soldiers with a puzzled face.
Then, he asked one of them.
"Did something happen?"
"...Lord Gilt. How can you be so shameless?"
What?
"Not only did you betray us, but how can you show your face so shamelessly!"
"...?"
He was suddenly being accused.
*What's going on? Has this bastard gone crazy?*
He thought that for a moment, but judging by the reactions around him, that didn't seem to be the case.
Everyone around was looking at him with eyes that had lost all trust.
*What on earth happened while I was gone?*
He asked the subordinate in front of him with a confused face.
"What are you talking about? Betrayal? I would never do such a thing."
"Ha... I can't believe I trusted and followed someone like you."
"...What?"
The man laughed hollowly and wore an expression full of disappointment at Gilt's words.
Not just him, but all the elite soldiers around had the same expression.
As Gilt was trying to understand the situation...
"Huff... huff... Everyone, be careful!"
David von Cain appeared, breathing heavily with a battered body.
Then...
"This guy is the one who put me in this state and trapped Illin!"
...What? Me?