The Stagnant Witch’s Survival Method

Following that, Elune explained about the methods of ‘The Gathering’.

“They are witches maintaining the third stage of invasion without realizing their minds are gradually wearing down. The more severe the invasion, the more they are consumed by demons, allowing them to use stronger powers and rise to higher ranks more easily, but that’s clearly…”
“A state that makes it easier for demons to take over their bodies, right?”
“Correct. We don’t know how far their gathering has spread within the Witch Society, but there might be witches who have already reached the fourth stage, tempted by strong power. However, unless they reveal it themselves, we can’t even catch them.”

Hmm, looking at it now, the state of the Witch Society was more serious than I thought.
They were in a situation where they didn’t know how far ‘The Gathering’, which was like a kind of bomb, had spread, and couldn’t properly grasp how far the invasion had progressed.
Looking at it now, it seems like it would have collapsed even without the event of high-ranking clerics invading.

So I had a question.

“Why didn’t you kill her?”

Carmia, the leader and frontrunner of The Gathering.
She was certainly a strong Rank 6 witch, but I instinctively knew she couldn’t compare to Elune.
Because Elune was a Rank 6 witch who had lived a longer… much longer life.
No matter how narrow the gap within the same rank, someone who had stayed in that rank for a long time would inevitably be stronger.

If she decided to kill Carmia, she could probably slaughter her herself.
When I expressed this thought, Elune looked at me with a slightly surprised expression.

“I thought you were soft-hearted, but unexpectedly, you have quite a backbone.”
“…?”
“Or perhaps Elder Carmia’s actions have earned your resentment.”

I didn’t quite understand why she said I was soft-hearted.
Did I appear that way because I tried not to kill people unnecessarily?
Anyway, Elune answered about that.

“Because the Witch Society doesn’t have the luxury to do that right now.”
“Luxury as in…”
“The Witch of Condemnation, who would make the decision, is absent. Externally, we’re in a situation where monsters are pouring out. If witches engage in life-and-death battles with each other at a time like this, it would cause irreversible damage. All we can do now is to eagerly wait for the Witch of Condemnation to return.”

I understand the reason.
No matter how much stronger Elune is than Carmia, she can’t just easily crush her.

Moreover, what if Carmia doesn’t just sit back and take it, but gathers her forces to fight?
Then it’s a civil war.
That day would surely mark the collapse of the Witch Society.

Although they want to expel her right away, this situation is being maintained due to various limitations.

While I was lost in these complex thoughts, Elune chuckled and spoke.

“So, child, let me ask you again about what I asked earlier.”
“Yes?”
“How did you see through the ?”

I had already prepared an excuse for this.

“It’s an ability I gained from contracting with a demon. I don’t fall for such deceptions.”
“Oh, how surprising. Contracting with such a remarkable demon grants you such abilities, you might not even envy Demon Eyes.”

Elune nodded as if her question had been answered.
The reason she didn’t particularly doubt it is because the abilities granted vary greatly depending on which demon you contract with.

Besides the three basic abilities given, the demon might give something extra as a bonus.
Some witches focus on utilizing that, and it can become their core ability.

If her questions were over, I had something I was curious about too.
How they would handle the aftermath of this incident, and how they would prevent Carmia’s interference in the future.

“I’m sorry to say this to you, but this mission has been concluded as successfully completed.”
“Won’t she be held responsible?”
“Responsibility, I’m sorry, but we’re not in a situation where we can do that. The most I can do is have the Council of Elders issue a disciplinary action. However, I promise this will never happen again.”

I nodded without saying much.
I didn’t expect much.
If they wanted to hold her responsible, Elune would have gone and slaughtered Carmia herself long ago.

As I stayed silent, Elder Elune said with an extremely apologetic face.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of much help to you, but thanks to your efforts, we were able to prevent innocent witches from dying. You’ve made a great contribution, so I’ll grant you one request.”
“Hmm, a request…”
“Anything within my power.”

I looked into Elune’s mysterious eyes that appeared white and blank.

She showed the will to grant almost anything I asked for.
If that’s the case, I won’t hold back.

“First, I want to be able to freely go out to the city.”
“Well, that’s something I could grant anytime if you just say you need to go out. Ask for something more difficult.”
“I need activity funds. Please allow me to use some of the budget executed in this city.”

Her expression became strange.

“Is it difficult?”
“No, it’s not difficult, I just didn’t expect you to make this kind of request. I thought you’d ask for something like receiving a wand in advance or wanting to be promoted to Rank 8.”
“It’s not impossible, right?”
“Of course, it’s possible. Just use it freely within the limit of not damaging the city’s economy.”

Elune readily agreed and nodded.
In a way, I had obtained the most important and powerful force.
I was satisfied and tried not to be more greedy, but Elune opened her mouth as if something was still lacking.

“I’ll let you move into the Witch Society headquarters.”
“What?”
“It feels insufficient to end it with just that, and if we’re to protect you, it would be better for you to stay safely in the headquarters rather than in this outskirts.”
“Oh, is that okay?”
“There might be some issues of fairness, but seeing your achievements, it’s not wrong to consider you as Rank 8 level. In addition, I’ll allow all the children who carried out the mission with you to enter the headquarters as well.”
“Oh, oh, thank you.”

I was a bit flustered by the sudden great favor, but I wasn’t the type to refuse when offered.
Staying at the headquarters means immersing oneself in the sanctuary of witches.
It would be a different realm compared to this outskirts.
There’s probably a lot of magic there, making it convenient for training too.

Therefore, as it’s an important place, the right of entry and residence is usually given only when one reaches Rank 8, but I received this benefit early.
Along with my friends.

I thought it was good to take it as it is.
It didn’t seem like Elune had any particular ulterior motives towards me anyway.

“Well, I’ve been here for a while. Rest comfortably, I have to leave as I have business to attend to.”

As Elune picked up her broom, she immediately disappeared from that spot.
Around Rank 6, you can almost teleport as soon as you mount the broom.
Seeing that, it seems like it would be an enormous advantage in battle.

While I was quietly observing this, Elender grabbed my head tightly from behind.
Aaagh- I writhed at the sensation of my head being squeezed tightly.

“Really, you truly audacious thing, there’s no one else but you who can be so bold in front of an Elder.”
“Ehh?”
“Other children would be trembling unable to bear the Elder’s presence, barely able to have a proper conversation, but you’re chatting away perfectly normally.”

Well, that’s true.
Originally, if there’s a big difference in rank, you naturally feel pressure.
Even so, with my Mental Fortitude special ability, I’d be fine even if a Rank 3 demigod was in front of me, let alone a Rank 6 Grand Witch.

Instead, my body might explode though.

**

After meeting with Elder Elune and obtaining some useful things, I decided to move right away.

Elender, who had been tormenting me, let me go and handed me a piece of paper.

“If you give this paper to the mayor, you’ll be able to use a certain budget.”
“Thank you.”
“What thanks, I’ll see you at the headquarters later.”

Elender patted my shoulder and disappeared.

I held the paper and fell into thought.

“I should start preparing for Rank 8 promotion in earnest.”

Even if I overcome the limits of rank in various ways, there was still a huge wall standing.
I might be able to scrape by with Rank 8 somehow, but from Rank 7 onwards, there was no other way but to get beaten up.
Moreover, the gap between Rank 9 and Rank 8 is the narrowest.
Even if I caught a Rank 8 level monster like Turtlehide, it’s not that great.

As you go higher, the gap becomes overwhelmingly different, and even if I rise to Rank 8, I couldn’t guarantee that I could beat a Rank 7.

Especially against a mature Rank 7 witch like Elender.
If I could win, it would be against…

“Kayla, I could beat her.”

Someone who hasn’t been Rank 7 for long, especially those who rushed to that level by borrowing power from demons, tend to be weak.
If I could rise to Rank 8 right away, that would be an appropriate level to overcome.
Thinking this, I mounted my broom.
Once you’ve made a plan, you should put it into action immediately.

First, I met the mayor.
As soon as I barged into the mayor’s office, he recognized at a glance that I was a witch and bowed his waist quite servilely for a politician in a position of ruling over a city.

Thanks to that, I could see his empty crown.
It makes me feel unpleasant for no reason.
I wonder if it’s fortunate that it’s a disease I don’t need to worry about now.

“Oh my, Witch, if you were coming, you should have said something! I’m not at all prepared to receive you.”
“That’s not why I’m here.”

When I handed him the paper, the mayor’s eyes trembled violently, and he started to sweat cold.

“Huh, huuuh.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Take as much as you need! My secretary will guide you!”

Hmm, is he reluctant because of the budget?
I guess administrators have their own hardships, witches suddenly coming to take money, and the budget always being insufficient.

But it’s not my concern.
The city will roll on even if the budget is a bit short.
Following the secretary, I was able to get a heavy money pouch, and I took that money pouch to the merchant guild.

The merchant guild also prostrated themselves as soon as they saw the witch’s outfit.
The witch status is quite troublesome when dealing with the public, but it’s very necessary when you need to exert authority like this.

“I need something. If you find it, please purchase it regardless of the price.”
“Understood!”

The guild master, dressed in luxurious attire from head to toe, came out personally to serve me.
While munching on the cake that was placed on the table for me to eat, I thought.
Hmm, the sweet taste of power.
I should be careful not to get too absorbed in this.
It’s not a world where I can enjoy such luxury.

Still, the cake was delicious.
After requesting them to purchase a shining silver lily and a ghost’s heart, I pointed at the cake plate I had finished and said,

“Do you have more of this cake? It’s quite tasty.”
“We have as much as you want. If we don’t have it, we’ll make it and bring it to you.”
“There’s no need to go that far if you don’t have it.”
“No, it’s fine. We’ll bring you the items you wanted as they are.”

Saying this, they handed me over ten boxes of cake.
…How am I supposed to carry all this?
Sighing deeply, I grudgingly took them and returned to the education center for young witches.

When I returned to the dormitory, I saw Belladrin lying limp with a sense of loss.
I approached her and handed her a box of cake.

“Bella, I thought you might like this, so I brought it.”
“Huh? How did you, a commoner… I thought that stupid barbarian ate it all…”
“Of course, I bought new ones.”
“Th-Thank you.”

I waved goodbye to her as she awkwardly expressed her thanks.
It wasn’t anything special, I just thought of her on the way and gave it to her, but she was bowing her head with a reddened face.
Is receiving a cake gift something to be embarrassed about?

Next, I gave a cake to Sharen as well.
She giggled and immediately opened the cake wrapper.

“Wow, this looks delicious! I didn’t know you had such sense, Grace.”
“What do you mean you didn’t know I had sense?”
“Well, you know? You always eat meat with Ulrisa during meals, and even on a day off like today, you wear your witch outfit. And, well, your way of speaking too.”
“What does that have to do with sense?”

When I asked, she stuck out her tongue saying she didn’t want to tell me and devoured the cake.
To that, I neatly blew away the cake with magic.

“Kyaaah! My cake.”
“It’s not your cake, it’s the cake I gave you as a gift.”

Anyway, after threatening her with magic and asking, I was able to get an extremely long answer: “I didn’t know that someone who looks cute but usually acts like a man would have the sense to buy a cake that perfectly matches a girl’s heart.”

After hearing that long explanation, I fired one more magic spell at Sharen.