Celia watched everything unfolding with cold eyes.
The sacrifices for the black magic ritual had all been consumed, but the powerful forbidden power that had coalesced was still struggling to withstand the holy light.
The blinding white light slowly enveloped the area, and the cultists began to scream in agony as the searing holy light caused their bodies to dissolve, eventually turning them into pools of crimson blood.
Only their immediate area—the space around the magic circle—still maintained a flicker of darkness, but it seemed to be only a matter of time before the light triumphed over the dark.
"Ansu, come with me!"
Ansu looked at Celia, wondering if she was just going to ignore her teacher.
But in the next moment, he saw Samantha hurriedly activating a teleportation circle and vanishing into thin air.
A teleportation circle was a demanding magical ritual to cast; for Samantha to escape so quickly, she must have planned this long ago by siphoning some of the magical power from the blood sacrifice ritual.
Ansu couldn't help but mutter, "And here I thought she was going to die for the cause—she certainly slipped away fast..."
What had she been doing until now? Was that whole performance just for the benefit of her subordinates?
However, looking back at the plot involving this former leader of the cult, she was indeed that kind of person. Samantha's level of underhandedness as a magic caster was secondary only to her acting skills.
"Don't worry about her, she won't die!" Celia said, her eyes fixed on the movement of the holy light.
The moment Samantha disappeared, the light completely engulfed everything.
Both of them simultaneously felt a searing, stinging pain; the sensation of being melted by light was even more agonizing than being burned by fire.
Ansu thought this simulation was going to end here.
Enduring the pain, he turned his nearly blind eyes toward Celia, who was protecting him, wanting to say something final, but his words came out as little more than a harsh, guttural growl.
Yet Celia still didn't give up.
As Ansu's consciousness gradually blurred, he felt Celia holding him tightly, struggling painfully as she rushed toward the exit of the auditorium...
...
An unknown amount of time passed before Ansu heard someone calling his name through a daze.
He tried to open his eyes and immediately felt a burning, stinging pain all over his body, as if countless needles were stabbing into him.
"Ansu... Ansu..."
"Ansu! Wake up!"
"You can't fall asleep, or you'll die!!"
Ansu finally managed to force his eyes open. Even though his vision was a blurry mess, he knew it was Celia.
"Celia... you..."
You actually saved me...
Ansu found it hard to imagine how she had managed to break through the Inquisition of Heresy's encirclement while enduring the Church's God-Descent to get him out. It was nothing short of a miracle.
Ansu didn't even know what to say.
Was he shocked, or perhaps a little grateful?
Warm blood kept dripping onto his cheek; Celia's injuries must be severe. Before reaching this place, she had likely been hunted by the Church the entire way.
"You... why?"
"Why what?" Celia said as she gently bandaged Ansu's wounded body. "If it hurts, don't talk. Stay conscious. Once I get you to a safe place, you'll recover soon."
"Thank you..."
Ansu struggled to get the words out anyway.
Celia let out a soft laugh. "So you're asking why I risked my life to save you?"
"Yeah..."
"There's no particular reason. I wanted to save you, so I did~"
It was an answer that perfectly fit Celia's personality.
Ansu tried to see Celia's expression, but his vision was failing, becoming even blurrier than before.
"Alright, stop dwelling on it." After finishing the bandages, Celia couldn't help but look at Ansu, who was wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon, and the corners of her mouth curled into a rare smile.
"Didn't I promise you? Since you're already mine, I won't let you die so easily. Hmph! No one can kill you in front of me—even if you want to die yourself, you need my permission first!"
"Besides~" Celia giggled as she propped Ansu up, trying to give him some water. "I might never find an interesting toy like you again for the rest of my life. If you died, I'd be so bored~"
Hearing the witch's overbearing and vile words, Ansu laughed helplessly.
This caused his wounds to flare with pain, making him wince and spit out the water.
"Hey! What are you doing? Didn't I tell you not to move? Why are you so disobedient?"
"I have to..." Ansu spoke with difficulty, his voice raspy and harsh. "If I don't say it now, I won't be able to say it next time."
"Won't be able to say it?" Celia asked in confusion. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"I want to say..." Ansu said slowly, putting in all his effort. "I want to help you once. I'll assist you and clear a path through the thorns of your future, leading you toward a different ending that was once out of reach in your fate..."
"Assist me?" Celia became even more confused. "Weren't you already assisting me?"
After all, 'loyalty' wasn't just something to be said. She had tested Ansu more than once or twice, even 'reinforcing' it as if she were nailing a window shut.
Of course, she couldn't let Ansu know how she had reinforced it...
"And a different ending in fate?" Celia furrowed her beautiful brows. "What is that supposed to mean? Ansu, are you starting to talk nonsense?"
She gently touched Ansu's forehead, her gaze turning worried.
"This is bad! You have a fever; it's so hot even through the gauze..."
"You have no idea what's standing in your way..." Ansu felt his consciousness fading, so he could only force out one last breath. "But only I can help you."
Changing his own destined death was already this troublesome; changing the turning point that led to Celia darkening into the 【World Ending Witch】 would likely be even more arduous...
That was right. Ansu didn't want to run away from her for the time being. The scene of her risking her life to save him just now made him suddenly feel that his 'reverse conquest plan' seemed to be yielding some results...
Even though he had always had his grievances with this vile witch and had constantly wanted to escape her control, he couldn't help but feel moved...
Trying to escape her now would likely yield no good results despite his best efforts. It was better to go with the flow. After all, his current situation was indeed getting better and better.
This seemed to be the way to maximize his gains.
Yes, he would win.
So, I'll go out of my way to... help you once!
Just this once.
"Ansu... Ansu!!" Celia supported Ansu anxiously. His sudden burst of words felt like a deathbed rally, and she had to do something!
Ansu simply watched the blurry figure before him in silence.
He smiled, slowly waiting for the darkness to completely swallow him.
See you next time...
Miss Witch.
Rate on N.U.
