Chapter 13 : The Tyrant's Tranquilizer 

Translated by Tam

Edited by Genie

“You're not supposed to start a fire in the woods, are you? No cooking! It's basic!”

Amelie got angry.

“No, we're just—”

“Don't say anything. 'Cause I've seen the pot and the ladle rolling behind you!'

“I-I'm sorry.”

“I'm sorry.”

“We won't do that again!”

“I have sinned!”

“I will never start a fire from now on!”

The hunters apologized while kneeling and kept their heads down.

“Do you know I almost died today—?”

“Ah, of course, I know. If you weren't a witch, you would have been burned to death.”

“Hah…”

Amelie sighed.

'Do they know that they almost died?'

In the dream, they were dead in front of Amelie's house.

They probably tried to ask the witch for help because they couldn't put out the fire with their power. They didn'tknow that the person in the house is a murderer.

Everyone who had rushed to Amelie's house died, however, people would have noticed only after the fire spread beyond their reach. That's why the fire grew even more in the dream.

“—Next time if this happens, at least one person should go to the village and let them know there's a fire so they can respond in advance.”

“I'm sorry.”

“We'll be careful.”

The hunters had realized their fault and apologized to Amelie. While they did that, she looked around uncomfortably. Unlike usual, today, she was exceptionally distracted.

Meanwhile, a hunter that couldn't hold his curiosity asked.

“……but you're different from the rumors?”

“Rumors?” Amelie asked.

“You're good at speaking— Ugh!”

Another hunter hit his elbow on that side. It was surprising that the young witch, who was known as an idiot suddenly became normal, but it was rude to ask her directly.

“Is it time to ask that?”

The hunter next to him whispered and began to shout out loud with the other hunters. It was an act to cover up the mistake of a tactless friend.

“Witch! Thank you!”

“The witch has been in the woods for generations, so we can sleep relaxed with our legs stretched out!”

“I don't even want to imagine what would have happened without you! Please stay with us forever!”

“The witch is so beautiful!”

It was flattery, but Amelie didn't hate it. Though exaggerated, their grat.i.tude was sincere. Still, to maintain dignityraise awareness, Amelie turned her head coldly.

“Watch out for the fire! Go home quickly. Don't let the night watchmen enter the forest today.”

While on patrol they may run intofor no reason, it was difficult to meet Serwin. The hunters nodded their heads.

“Then I'll get going.”

Amelie turned her broom. She had stopped the fire, so it's time to find the Emperor. She flew toward the house.

“Witch! Thank you!”

“I love you!”

The hunters shouted until they could not see her.

In her dream he was standing in front of her yard. Amelie recalled that and headed home.

'It's about time, isn't it?'

Amelie flew towards the general location of her house and flew around, searching. In preparation for the witch hunt, her house was not visible from above because the grandmother witch cast a spell to hide it from sight.

'It's hard to break her spell with my magic skills.'

How much magic would she have learned if she learned it for only two weeks? The magic that Amelie could use was not beyond the level of a newly awakened witch.

It would be nice and safe to watch from the sky, but she can't help it. She landed a short distance from her house.

'I don't know what's in the house, but I'm going to approach it carefully.'

Amelie walked carefully between the trees. The trees around the house were unusually white, so she couldn't see well. Besides, the forest was dark, and the view became narrower.

'It was still bright even though the sun was setting.'

She looked up at the sky. It is hard to see because it is hidden by the leaves of the tree, but the sky, which can be seen from time to time, is still bright. It wasn't time for the forest to get dark like this. Also, the atmosphere in the forest was different from the usual.

'It's too quiet.'

There was so much silence that she felt uncomfortable. It was like all living things were holding their breath. Amelie squeezed her broomstick with her hands. It was as if something was going to pop out of the tree. There was a sense of tension in the forest.

Wussh. (T/n : How does it sound if the trees are shaking? HAHAHAHA)

The trees in the forest shook, but the wind didn't blow anywhere.

'What the h.e.l.l's going on?'

Amelie swallowed her dry saliva. Should she just go back to the mansion?

But she couldn't go back. At least she had to check what was going on so that she could deal with it later.

As the house got closer, the rotten smell got stronger. It was similar to the smell of sulfur that she smelled one day. Amelie wrinkled her nose. She cleaned up before she left, so there was no reason for it to smell rotten like this. Her steps slowed down a little.

'It's coming from the vacant lot.'

Amelie stopped walking.

“Ah—?”

Between the trees. The vacant lot where her house was supposed to be was submerged in black smoke.  Amelie was stunned. She quickly hid behind a nearby tree. She just peeked and looked at the vacant lot again.

'What's this?'

She blinked her eyes. Looking closer, she saw a shadow that she believed to be her house far away. The vacant lot was full of black smoke. As she got closer to her home, the black smoke became thicker. It was clear that black smoke was coming from the house.

'This is— it's not dark.'

The black smoke was thickly spread, making it look dark. The vacant lot was in a state similar to Serwin's room. Earlier, she could move the smoke with wind magic, but seeing the thick and sticky smoke, it was unknown whether it would work.

'Where's the Emperor? I can't let him see the magic.'

The smoke was so thick that she couldn't see  properly in front of her. Only the vague silhouette of the house appeared. Then something wriggled over the fog. Is it a person? Amelie stepped backward reflexively.

Tok.

Something wet got stuck in her foot. Amelie fell heavily onto her back.

'Ugh. It hurts.'

She landed hard with her hips and tailbone aching. Amelie frowned and looked forward. In front of her was the body of a young deer, whose body she stepped on and fell over.

He was the cub of a family of deer who often visited the yard. He looked healthy on the day she left home, but now he was a rotting corpse and scattered.

Unbelievable scenes continued. Thick black smoke came like a swarm of locusts and landed on the body of a young deer. When the smoke touched, the body quickly rotted in. The smoke that ate the young deer stuck to the tree. Then the tree, which was standing firmly in the sky, quickly dried up.

The black smoke ate the forest creatures one by one.

“Ugh—”

Amelie groaned. It was a really terrible sight. What the h.e.l.l is that black smoke? She bit her lips.

'Was it like this in my dreams?'

She doesn't remember it exactly. This is because she was distracted by the fire that was burning up the forest and the nasty grin on Serwin's face.

'Then what's that black smoke?'

A creature that eats all living things and leads the world to destruction. Perhaps the “disaster” is spreading here now.

'No, that's right. There's nothing but disaster here—'

The desolate forest was the same as what was described in the novel. Amelie tried to use her head desperately to figure out the situation.

'Why? Why is the disaster released already? No way… Is the emperor dead? No, the disaster spread is still too slow. In the novel, it was said that it spread quickly and strongly.'

That means it's a temporary phenomenon.

'Then why? Could the seal weaken? If the seal is weakened, the current situation can be explained—'

Amelie looked at the black smoke. If left as it is, the Fidelia forest will be in danger.

In some cases, it could have hurt the villages near the forest. When she thought of the people in the territory becoming like the deer in front of her, she felt sick.

'Can I magically blow it away as I did in the Emperor's Room?'

There was a risk that using magic would expose herself as a witch to Serwin, but it was not important now. The world is about to collapse and she had to block it first.

Amelie stood up with a broom in her hand. She looked at the vacant lot and began to use magic. The magic itself is simple, it's all about creating a strong wind. She needs a very big gale, a huge gust of wind to shake the forest.

In an instant, there was a strong wind around Amelie. The wind spread in all directions.

Wuuuuuuussh.

The branches shook as if they welcomed the wind of Amelie. Then little by little, the black smoke dissipated. Slowly, her vision brightened. However, it was not enough to get rid of everything at once.

'It's not easy.'

Amelie stopped the wind. It's still dark, but the shape of the house was vaguely revealed. At least it's enough to recognize what's nearby.

“Uh….”

As the vacant lot was revealed, the tragedy caused by black smoke was revealed. There were many bodies scattered in the vacant lot. Adult deer, small birds, wild dogs… The degree of corruption was different, but it was a terrible sight.

Amelie caused another wind. Then, she saw something in the yard. It is shaped like a human being, but black smoke was wrapped from head to toe. In some ways, it looked like a shadow.

“—It's like the place I saw in my dream…. Is it the Emperor?'

Amelie looked carefully at its face. A thick layer of dirt flowed over the round head. She could see a face above it. Then, it turned around and grinned. The lips were torn up to the cheek, and the tail of the eyes and the cheeks had deep layers of wrinkles. It was the same smile she saw in her dream.

“Kyaaaa!”

Amelie was startled and almost fell back. It began to approach Amelia slowly.

[Ahh…]

“S-stay away!”

When Amelie shouted, it really stopped walking.

[So the little witch came to see me in person.]

The 'disaster' spoke softly. At first glance, he looked friendly as if he were dealing with a child. Did the devil always say that he is kind to dazzle people? However, the voice was terrible as if it were scratching iron, and it sounded very vivid as if it were ringing in her head. Amelie rubbed her ears wildly.

“Ah, ugh… Wh-who are you!”

Amelie barely asked out loud. She felt stifled as if she was being suffocated.

It tilted its head sideways. The head was strangely bent, making a sound like it was stuck.

[I am a disaster upon the world. It's exactly what you know.]

Kikikikikikikikikk.

Whether it was the sound of laughter or a buzzing sound, the sound came from the disaster.