Chapter 17: Let’s Walk to the End Together
After shielding Althea from the attack, Tina gave a wry smile in her mind. “If I make a move this time, I’ll probably lose another half of my task time.”
But it didn’t matter. The situation in Kellivir was clear now, and finishing the mission within three months would be a breeze.
“No need for a proxy this time. I’ll handle it myself.”
Using her trump card still cost her lifespan—a privilege few on the continent could afford.
“Let’s do this.”
As soon as she spoke, blood trickled from the corner of her eye once more.
A wave of intense dizziness hit everyone present.
“This trick again? I’ve got your number!” Heather’s laughter grew wilder, her crimson eyes blazing brighter.
Althea reacted quickly, shouting, “Tina, don’t look into her eyes!”
But even as Althea turned away, she felt herself pulled into a strange space.
“Surprise! I lied—you don’t need to look to fall into my illusion!”
Heather summoned several demons. “In my domain, no one but me can use abilities—not even a witch.
I’ll let you experience being devoured bit by bit. When I end the illusion, your minds in reality will be mush, reduced to walking corpses.”
With a wave of her hand, the ravenous demons lunged at Tina.
The girl stood motionless, as if frozen.
“Scared stiff? Feeling helpless without your powers?” Heather hadn’t felt this thrilled since becoming an archbishop.
She’d fantasized countless times about facing the witch, unleashing her painstakingly crafted legendary mind magic to shatter her psyche.
Today, she was about to make it happen.
Bang—
Tina was knocked down by the demons’ impact, their teeth tearing into her with gruesome sounds.
“Tina…” Althea’s heart ached watching, but as Heather said, no magic worked here. She was just a powerless bystander.
“Hahahaha—cough, what’s happening?”
Heather’s mocking was cut short as her limbs began vanishing, bite marks appearing with searing pain.
“Impossible! This is my illusion! What trick are you pulling?!”
Tina stood, brushing off dust, completely unharmed.
Everything—the panic, the despair—was a ruse to toy with Heather’s expectations.
“When did you start thinking your illusion actually worked?”
Tina’s smiling question sent Heather’s elation crashing.
No way… had she been trapped in the witch’s illusion from the start?
“Congratulations, you got it.”
Tina saw through Heather’s thoughts, delivering the final blow. “Enjoy the cage you made for me.”
“Impossible! Impossible!! IMPOSSIBLE—!!!”
The magic Heather had poured her heart into hadn’t even scratched the witch.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t win…
“No! If I die, I’m taking you with me!”
Half-devoured by her own demons, Heather broke free, determined to preserve her last shred of dignity at the cost of her life.
She tore open her chest, ripped out her heart, and forced herself out of the illusion.
“Oh no, this bishop’s insane.” Tina noticed the heart pulsing, ready to explode with centuries’ worth of power.
“Scared now? One drop of my blood, and you’ll all be cursed forever, untreatable!”
Heather hurled the heart into the air, her body collapsing, her final gaze fixed on the blinding white light erupting from it.
“Watch out!”
Tina instinctively shielded Althea.
When the blinding light and ringing in their ears faded, the entire hill and surrounding forest were razed, plunged into dead silence.
Thankfully, everyone Tina had protected seemed unharmed…
But Althea let out a pained gasp.
No way.
Tina’s heart sank as she checked Althea’s body, finding purple-tainted blood on her leg.
The blood, laced with pure hatred and curses, had seeped into her skin, rooting itself at a soul-deep level.
“It hurts…” Althea’s twisted expression held not just pain but guilt.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I was careless.”
Tina hadn’t anticipated a suicide attack strong enough to pierce her defenses.
What now?
As panic set in, the long-silent system spoke in her mind: [This curse is incurable. On ordinary people, it spreads, leading to death in unimaginable agony.]
“You said it spreads on ordinary people… what about me?” Tina caught the implication.
[Even a witch can’t avoid the curse, but on you, it’s suppressed, affecting only the tainted area.]
“So, if it were me, I wouldn’t die—just lose the ability to walk over time?”
[Correct. You have access to a witch-exclusive secret technique to transfer the pain and curse to yourself. The process is…]
“I understand.”
At this point, no more words were needed.
Besides, wasn’t this fine?
Only one bishop remained in the city. The path to restoration was nearly complete, everything was falling into place, and it was time to prepare for her ultimate goal.
Tina held the princess tighter. “Before I got here, I saw that bishop showing you something. You know the truth now, don’t you?”
“Mm…” Althea replied softly.
“Nothing to say? I’m a vile witch, not the clueless noble you thought. Don’t you suspect I have ulterior motives?”
“Whether you’re after power post-restoration or just toying with me, I don’t care. What matters is the you right now—the one who worries for me, who gives everything for me.” Althea’s gaze was so pure, seeing Tina only as her most trusted friend.
“Haha, you’re so naive, Your Highness. A bad woman might eat you up.”
“I don’t care.”
“Is that so—”
Tina leaned down, catching Althea off guard with a kiss.
The sudden warmth of their lips left Althea stunned, her mind blank until Tina slowly pulled away.
“You—why’d you kiss me?! And my leg…”
Seeing the curse gone from her leg and Tina’s furrowed brow, Althea realized what happened.
“You… how could you?! Don’t you care about your life?!”
“Relax, Your Highness. I’m a witch—this is nothing.”
“But I felt that curse’s pain! You think you can fool me?” Althea, face cold, pushed Tina to the ground.
“I said I’m fine, Your Highness.”
“…” Hot tears fell onto Tina’s face.
“Your Highness, you—” Tina knew Althea would react like this but had no excuses to comfort the grieving princess.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll walk to the end together…”
Althea wiped her tear-soaked eyes and, in retaliation, leaned down to kiss Tina, lingering for a long time.