Chapter 48: CHAPTER 48 COVERT WITCH (Bonus Chapter)

“Domi,” I call to the young blonde lass who is using her witch hat in hitting Fanzell. “Can you please bring us to the Witches’ forest?”

Dominante immediately falls silent and stops chasing Fanzell.

Of course, convincing Dominante won’t be easy. It is to our luck that we even made contact with a witch. I was planning on relying on trial and error using the information I had, but having a witch’s assistance will be much easier.

I crouch to match Dominante’s eye level, and with a smile, I negotiate with her. “Are you afraid of the Witch Queen? If you want to, I can help you escape this place.”

The Grand Magic Zone is a very dangerous place, so if a witch wants to leave the Witches Forest, they should be strong enough to the point that the Grand Magic Zone cannot threaten them anymore. That’s why I find my suggestion to Dominante most reasonable.

Dominante starts shaking in fear. “I don’t want to. If I leave, the queen will be angry at me.”

Fanzell bravely walks forward. “Domina, don’t be. You have me…”

It was moving, but it is no use. Dominante apologetically smiles at Fanzell. “I am sorry, but I really can’t. I don’t want to leave the queen. She cared for us, she loved us. I cannot just leave.”

Seeing Dominante’s devotion, I feel sad for her. Among the people here, it was only me who is aware of the Witch Queen’s true nature. “You are mistaken, Domi… Your queen is just a control freak who wanted all of you to be in her palms. The Witch Forest is a cage and not a paradise. You know it, right? So why deny it?”

Dominante’s thoughts run astray to a certain pink-haired girl who is caged by the queen. Living every day in that small cage, isn’t that evidence enough of the queen’s cruel side? “V-anessa…” It was the name of a recent friend she made while doing household chores in the queen’s castle.

Rousing her voice, Dominante tells me her wish. “C-can you save Vanessa?”

That is a very demanding wish. Now, it is me who falls silent. “I am sorry, I can’t.”

Dominante’s lips curl down in disappointment.

I feel guilty, yet my conscience is clear. “I cannot because someone else will.” My attempt of wanting to save Acier Silva is already creating divergence. Saving Vanessa Enoteca is definitely within my abilities, but I won’t.

Acier and Vanessa’s cases are very different. For Aicer, I have something in mind for her to do after saving her. Something that will not affect the original story I obsess with.

However, Vanessa’s case is different. I fear that the slightest interaction with her might bring irreversible changes. Her fate-related magic is greatly stressing me.

I console Dominante. “Don’t worry, Domi. Your friend will be saved by a close friend of mine. Not just now, but I promise.”

“Promise?” Dominante’s eyes are glistening. “Pinky promise!” We hold our pinky fingers, and together, we seal our promises.

I confer with my party members. Mereoleon has that disgruntled look, meanwhile, Jack is giving me the stink eye. What is up with this two?

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Jack cannot take it anymore so he tells me off. “Ke~ you disgusting bastard. If you are going to lie, do it properly.”

Mereoleona adds her own piece. “Yes, that’s too much. You are giving that little lass false hope. You promised that your friend will save her friend? Does that even makes sense?”

“Sigh…” Like it or not, what I was saying was the truth. “You plebeian bastards won’t understand my genius. Who said I lied? It is just your puny brains cannot understand the long-decade scheme that was brewing in my mind.”

Because of my too-sincere words, the three of us end up in a scuffle. It is a two versus one, so I am at a great disadvantage. After some time, our part of three concludes our childish fights by shaking hands, a very mature way to end fights.

Shaking hands with Mereoleona and Jack, I sneak a low blow. “As the eldest mentally and most mature, it is brilliant of me to suggest shaking hands.”

The two ignore my antics. That is just so sad, and here I was hoping there was a round two to show my greatness.

We formally convene our meeting. Of course, my Ki sensing is still watching over the playing Dominante and Fanzell. I cannot have them getting lost after all.

The plan is simple, “I will escort the two kids to the Diamond Kingdom.”

““WHAT!?”” The two’s surprise is self-explanatory. They must be thinking something along the lines of why not the Clover Kingdom? Or why escort them? Deliberately sending the witch lass off is too much. Dominante after all made it clear she doesn’t want to leave the Witches’ Forest.

“Would you lot please let me finish first?” I scold the two of them and proceed with my explanation. “The plan is simple. Do you see that Witch Hat of Domi? That’s an identification. I want you Mereo to wear that. That’s where you Jack come in.

“Jack will grievously injure Mereoleona. Of course not at the level of near-death, just enough so that Mereo will bleed out and make her fellow witches concerned enough to save her. The reason why I will be escorting Domina and Fanz out of here is so that we do not arouse suspicion. If Domina suddenly returns to the Witches’ Forest without her identification, we’d be dead.”

Mereoleona voices her doubts. “So you are planning to make the witches come to us, huh? A good plan, but won’t they recognize that the hat is Domina’s?”

Hah! Good question. From my bag, I reveal a murky dark potion. “This here is a Dye potion, it can change any item’s color! With this, infiltrating the forest will be a piece of cake.”

Jack realizes that there is a hole in this plan. “Won’t this be too dangerous for Mereoleona? She will be alone in enemy territory. After all of that, what will I do next then?”

I comfort Jack. “Don’t worry, pal, you will have a job as equally dangerous. While Mereo is infiltrating the forest, I want you to hide in this forest. Mereo, you must take active participation in outside errands for the forest. With that, you can make contact with Jack. Update him on every intel you gather.

“This camping sight of ours will be our meeting place. After I escort the kids, I will return here and make contact with Jack. After Jack updates me with the new intel, we will then make preparations as to how we can storm the Witches’ Forest.”

““STORM? SERIOUSLY?”” The two shares the same shock.

This is Operation Covert Witch!