Chapter 76

Episode 76

#76. Haran’s Curse (2)

True to his style as a magitech engineer, Arad’s bag was also a Spatial Case.

Thus, items kept on coming out of that small bag.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a pipe.”

What Arad pulled out of the bag was eleven leather pouches about the size of a fist and a pipe as long as an adult man’s forearm.

“I know that much….”

“Now, put this in your mouth.”

Arad made Isabel bite down on the pipe.

Then he took a pinch of powder from the leather pouch and firmly packed it into the pipe bowl.

“This is called Mana Tobacco.”

The pipe appeared to be handmade by him since there was a Magic Stone embedded beneath the pipe bowl.

After filling it with tobacco,

Pfft

Arad injected mana, and without needing to light it, the tobacco ignited, releasing smoke.

“Take a nice long drag. Unlike regular cigarettes, this Mana Tobacco is actually good for you, so don’t worry.”

Smoke began slowly filling the ceiling before the throne.

Just as Arad explained, the smell was refreshingly crisp, unlike regular cigarettes.

“…….”

Puff puff puff

Hypnotized by Arad’s explanation, Isabel started smoking the pipe.

“It doesn’t refill mana like a potion, but this tobacco will steadily charge your mana over time. Long-term use can even increase your mana capacity.”

“!!”

At that, Ariana suddenly began violently shaking her shoulders.

‘It raises maximum mana capacity!?’

Because it was perfect for rebuilding her magic core, she wanted to ask for some after the plague and witch issues were resolved…

‘Once things settle down… I’ll ask then.’

Though she couldn’t say anything due to the situation, Ariana couldn’t take her eyes off the Mana Tobacco that Isabel had in her mouth.

“Well then, let’s hear what you have to say. Just make sure to maintain the rhythm of inhaling and exhaling mana.”

Even while saying this, Arad continued demanding the truth from Isabel in front of him.

“Hmmm… Alright….”

In a lethargic tone, Isabel slowly began speaking.

“Is this the year 4567 in the Divine Calendar? It’s been 223 years already… Time truly passes quickly…”

The old witch’s eyes gazed far away, reminiscing about the past.

“This is our original sin, the curse of Haran.”

* * *

223 Years Ago.

Divine Year 4344.

When the Age of Barbarism had just begun its twilight.

When human flags were planted across most of Arcadia.

When elves, dwarves, and hybrid beastfolk, excluding orcs, started their major evacuation to the Southern Continent.

When reaching the 6th Circle would earn you the title of Archmage or Great Witch.

And when it would still take another decade before the Duchy of Lenslet would be born.

At the time, at seventeen, I was preparing to leave my mentor’s care and become a full-fledged witch.

“Isabel, I’m sorry.”

“……”

“But there’s nothing we can do. The world is changing. We witches must change too. Just like how mages gather below their towers, we must unite our strength and knowledge and proudly step into the light.”

This was a crucial time for the young witch.

A period filled with importance and meaning.

But back then, I was unfortunate.

“Mentor! Do you really think other witches will respond to this?! You’re just being used!”

“I trust the witches. If we build a Mage Tower like the mages did, and consolidate our power and knowledge, we won’t be persecuted anymore.”

“Mentor!”

As the world changed, my mentor grew increasingly anxious.

Eventually, they became possessed by some certainty.

“Humans will soon become each other’s enemies. Not monsters or non-humans. When that happens… we’ll face even harsher oppression. Maybe even extinction.”

Of course… Even the naive and inexperienced me back then understood that times were changing.

The Age of Barbarism was ending, and humanity’s Golden Age was beginning anew.

I knew this fact intellectually, but emotionally, I couldn’t accept it.

“So far, we’ve been persecuted and ignored because we’ve been divided. Because we’ve been closed off. Isabel, my beloved disciple. This is both a crisis and an opportunity.”

“Mentor!! We can’t be recognized like mages! Witches have elven blood running through us!”

“Isabel, non-human blood flows through more than just us. It runs through the mages of the tower, the knights of the palace, and the priests of the Theocratic Church if you trace far enough back.”

While other witches of my age prepared for independence with hopeful dreams,

My mentor and I constantly argued day after day instead of focusing on independence.

“The Great Witch of Verdure, Haran, has decided. I will disclose all my knowledge and power to the witches.”

“Mentor! Please!”

“Forgive me, Isabel. Instead, you don’t need to take the graduation exam like other witches. From now on, you are a true witch.”

“What’s the point of becoming a witch this way? All the witches will break our spells and knowledge anyway!”

“They won’t. Starting with me, the other witches will gradually unlock their secrets too.”

“Mentor!!”

“As of today, I am no longer your mentor. Call me the Great Witch of Verdure, Haran.”

“……!”

“……I’m sorry.”

My mentor, more progressive and innovative than any other witch.

Back then, I was truly foolish and failed to understand them. I resented them and even felt betrayed.

“The Great Witch of Verdure formed something called the Coven, right?”

“The Coven? What’s that?”

“She’s going to share all her incantations and knowledge there?”

“Are they just copying the mages?”

“Well, what happens to Haran’s disciple, Isabel?”

“Poor thing ended up with a weird mentor….”

The mentor’s decision wasn’t respected by the other witches.

“Well, isn’t it a good thing?”

“We have to give up our own secret incantations and knowledge in exchange for teaching.”

“Isn’t the Great Witch of Verdure, Haran, different from other witches? Are our secrets equal to hers?”

“Hmm, that’s true?”

Of course, the mentor had implemented some safeguards.

But they were clearly disadvantageous to the mentor.

There was plenty of room for exploitation.

“I sincerely welcome you to the Coven. Witches, I am the Great Witch of Verdure, Haran. And this young witch is Isabel.”

“Hello… I’m Isabel, your assistant. If you have any questions while learning, feel free to… ask me too.”

In the end, I couldn’t leave the mentor. It wasn’t out of love for them but out of fear.

A newly independent witch. Moreover, a witch whose entire magical repertoire was about to be analyzed by most witches on the continent.

Half-willingly, half-forced, I had to become a member of the Coven.

“If you want any kind of magic, please let me know.”

“I want weather control! I want to learn how to handle weather barriers!”

“A high-level barrier using Spirit Arts, correct? Very well.”

“Really!?”

“The price will be which secret incantation you offer in return?”

At first, it seemed like the mentor’s decision was working well.

The mentor created the first Coven and genuinely shared the secrets of an archwitch as promised.

“An archwitch really revealed her secrets!”

“Let’s pack our bags immediately and head to the Coven!”

“This is the perfect chance to elevate our stagnant ranks!”

This sent shockwaves through the closed-off witch society.

Witches from across the continent flocked to the Coven.

Most were mid-to-low-tier witches who were feeling insecure.

Despite offering low-quality secrets in exchange, they engaged in grossly unfair trades for the archwitch’s secrets.

“Thank you so much! Truly, thank you!”

“Thanks to Lady Haran, I’ve managed to reach the 4th Circle!”

Seeing the genuinely happy witches and the growing Coven, the mentor…

“Isabel, I feel so fulfilled and joyful right now.”

They looked happier than ever.

But…

That happiness was short-lived and insignificant.

“Why are the witches’ skills improving so suddenly lately!?”

“You didn’t know? That crazy woman Haran has established something called the Coven and is freely teaching her secrets!”

“What!?”

Other archwitches of similar rank viewed this development unfavorably.

They neither understood nor respected the mentor’s eccentricities.

The sight of low-ranking witches they usually looked down upon suddenly rising to near their level was a significant threat to high-ranking witches.

“You heard about this, right?”

“What about what?”

“Lady Haran of the Coven… She’s supposedly compiling every spell and magic she’s exchanged so far!”

“What does that mean?”

“Our secrets we gave in exchange for teachings! They’re included too!”

“Uh… While compiling everything is one thing, what’s she planning to do with it?”

“They say she’ll use it as the textbook for the Coven!”

“Does that mean Lady Haran is making the Coven’s knowledge public?”

“Yes.”

“And the cost?”

“Huh?”

“The cost for teaching!”

“There’s none. Just join the Coven and swear allegiance to its rules. Anyone, even men, can receive the teachings!”

“!!”

Moreover, the witches taught by the mentor began to change one by one.

Witches are human, and the selfishness and jealousy inherent in humans exist in witches too.

“Does this make sense?! Someone giving up precious secrets to barely obtain magic, only to pass it on for free?!”

“And our secrets are included in this too!”

“This can’t be right! No matter how great Lady Haran is, this can’t be right!”

Even though they had participated in unfair exchanges,

Like the proverb about frogs not caring about tadpoles,

Within three years of its establishment, the Coven began to fragment.

The mentor’s vision was gradually being ignored.

“Recently, the witches have been quite noisy. Isn’t it because of that terrible organization, the Coven, established by that Haran?”

“Mage Towers alone are already dangerous. Adding the Coven could lead to unspeakable blasphemy against divine law.”

“This is the perfect opportunity. Inquisitors, make contact with witches affiliated with the Coven.”

External enemies didn’t miss this chance.

Not only the Theocratic Church but also the mages from the Mage Tower

All salivated as they surrounded the witches and the Coven.

“Archwitch Haran is compiling the witches’ secrets, right?”

“That’s correct! Apparently, this is causing quite a stir within the witch community itself.”

“We must secure that compiled grimoire at all costs!”

“I’ll look into ways to connect with high-ranking witches who dislike Haran.”

Whether they belonged to the Coven or not,

Witches everywhere

“I hereby resign from the Coven!”

“Lady Haran, please do not include the secrets I’ve offered in your compilation.”

were busy blaming and restraining each other.

Fragmentation, mutual restraint, and encirclement.

As time passed, these issues worsened.

“…Were we simply incapable?”

Finally, the Coven—more precisely, the mentor—became completely isolated.

“Mentor…”

“How pitiful indeed.”

It was the first time in her life. My mentor, Haran, looked so disappointed and despairing.

“Mentor! Stop this nonsense and run! The central barrier won’t hold much longer!”

“Isabel, I will finish this even if I die. So… you should run while you can.”

In the heart of the Coven, which could collapse at any moment,

The mentor never ceased writing the grimoire.

It was the last stubbornness of a failed witch. A stubbornness to leave behind this one thing, no matter when death came.

“Mentor!!”

“Calling me ‘mentor’? Shouldn’t you call me Haran? How long has it been since you’ve declared independence?”

I was so anxious and scared I felt like I was going insane.

It felt like the Inquisitors would barge in at any moment.

Like the mages from the Mage Tower would break through the barriers anytime.

And like the high-ranking witches would shower curses upon me and the mentor.

“I haven’t paid attention to outside news while writing the grimoire, but something feels off. Go now. No one will blame you.”

“…But I… I….”

Even though the mentor urged me to leave, I couldn’t bring myself to go. Not out of loyalty, duty, or love. But out of fear and selfishness.

If I ran alone, my future was clear. The stigma of being Haran’s sole disciple would follow me until my death.

I’d be chased by the church and high-ranking witches for the rest of my life.

That’s why I needed a shield to protect me from all the turmoil.

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