The Blue Witch finally caught up with Bertin.

  The witch, who always floated high in the sky, descended close enough to blot out the entire sky with her enormous form.

  Her blue skin stretched across a bloated face with half-lidded eyes and a mouth that split from ear to ear. The way she dangled, her grotesquely elongated fingers – longer than her face – sent chills down Rumi's spine.

  To think that something this terrifying had been pursuing Bertin all this time...

  "Ahaha, looks like I've been caught after all that running,"

  Bertin said with forced cheerfulness from where she lay trapped under the collapsed roof.

  "Quick, at least you two should escape to the village.“

  "What are you talking about?" Rumi couldn't believe Bertin was still trying to hide her fear even now.

  "You said we were almost at the safe place. You told us the Blue Witch couldn't follow once we got there!“

  "Ah, that... that was a lie. You two will be safe, but I was always meant to keep running. Maybe this is for the best. I think I'm tired of running anyway, haha.“

  "Stop talking nonsense and get out of there right now!" Rumi shouted, tugging at Bertin's arm.

  "Rumi, you've always been like this," Bertin said softly. "You're not a bad person at all. You act cold blooded on the outside, but you have the kindest heart of anyone I know.“

  "Are you still going on about that? I really am cold blooded, you know! Should I prove it by leaving you behind?“

  "Please, I'm begging you. Run away quickly. There's no time left – the witch will awaken soon. Ahem, I would have liked to uncover the secrets of Saint angelicus' School together with you myself... but you must discover the secrets in my place and save this world.“

  "Huuuuuung! Bertin... I'm so sorry..." Niel buried her face in Bertin's chest where she lay in the rubble, sobbing helplessly.

  "Niel, stop crying and go with Rumi.“

  Rumi kept looking around desperately for some way out, but when she saw the Blue Witch's fingers hovering directly above Bertin, she realized there truly was no hope.

  "Oh hell...“

  With no other choice, Rumi pulled the weeping Niel away from Bertin.

  "Hey, stop crying and get up. Honestly, this all happened because of you!“

  Just then, eight spider-like fingers plunged deep into Bertin's spine.

  "Ugh...!“

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  "NO!!“

  Niel screamed helplessly as she watched Bertin being impaled.

  "God, this is awful...“

  Rumi winced at Bertin's suffering.

  In that moment, Bertin's monocle flew through the air toward Rumi.

  Using the last of her strength, Bertin had thrown her magical eyepiece to Rumi.

  "Ah... Rumi... take my glasses. Use them to find me again someday!“

  "...!“

  "You all... need to get away from here... and gather all my magical items...“

  "Niel, don't be too sad. And don't blame yourself... Thank you for always being by my side.“

  "Bertin...“

  "And Rumi, remember this. You're kinder than anyone... Goodbye...“

  Bertin's eyes grew dim even as she forced one final smile.

  "Hey! Bertin, don't worry about a thing. I'll solve the school's mysteries in a day and kill every last witch!“

  Rumi said her final farewell to Bertin, then glared up at the Blue Witch's revolting skull-like face.

  "You'd better get ready to lose that head to me!“

  The Blue Witch didn't even spare Rumi a glance.

  CRACK

  Instead, the Blue Witch's long fingers pierced through Bertin's back, spreading her spine apart.

  Then she thrust her building-sized face toward Bertin's impossibly small body, as if trying to possess it.

  Rumi couldn't bear to watch Bertin being subjected to such a grotesque violation.

  Bertin had truly been... one of the most precious people Rumi had ever met in her life...

  "AAAAHHHH! BERTIN!" Niel wailed as if her whole world had collapsed.

  Rumi dragged Niel toward the door and gathered their belongings. With one final look at Bertin's now lifeless form, she left the mansion.

  Outside, the shadow ghost stood waiting as it always had, seeming to guide their way forward.

  "Hnngh..." Niel sobbed.

  "Stop crying and carry your things!" Rumi forced a bag onto Niel's shoulders and thrust the luggage into her hands, practically dragging her along.

  "Eeeeeeeeek... eeeeeeeeek..." As Rumi and Niel ran across the desolate field, they heard an otherworldly sound behind them and stopped to look back.

  The cursed Blue Witch was stretching Bertin's skin, trying to cover her entire body with it.

  "That crazy piece of trash...!“

  "Huuung... Bertin...!" Niel burst into tears again at the sight.

  "KUUUUUEEEEEEK!" The Blue Witch, enraged that the skin was too small, suddenly began opening her mouth as if to swallow the sky itself.

  Then the Blue Witch's massive body began to shrink. Wondering if this might be the witch's awakening, Rumi quickly put on Bertin's magical monocle.

  Through it, she saw countless blue ghosts pouring out from the Witch's mouth like a swarm of locusts. As they emerged, the witch's body grew smaller and smaller.

  The blue ghosts, invisible to the naked eye and each about the size of a forearm, were the same entities that had always tormented Bertin.

  Within moments, they had covered the entire sky in an eerie blue light. It was clear they would soon spread their blue curse in every direction, everywhere.

  This was exactly what Bertin had been running from all this time...

  Rumi felt sick to her stomach.

  She wondered what kind of exorcism techniques they taught at that school that could possibly defeat such a monstrous witch. Part of her was terrified to find out.

  A single blue ghost drifted down from the sky and settled gently on Niel's shoulder.

  Niel, still hanging her head and sobbing, didn't notice the spirit clinging to her at all.

  "Damn it..." Rumi tried to brush away the blue ghost without Niel noticing, but she knew all too well it was futile.

  After all, these blue ghosts were entities that could never be shaken off, no matter what anyone did.

  Finally, Rumi just took off the monocle and continued pulling Niel along.

  After walking for quite some time, they realized their year-long journey was finally coming to an end.

  'Welcome to the Village of Angelicus. Spirits Begone!‘

  They could see the village sign and entrance in the distance.

  At some point, the shadow ghost that had been leading them had vanished.

  Perhaps it was because they'd finally reached their destination, but its absence left an unexpected emptiness in Rumi's heart after having guided them for an entire year.

  At the village entrance, about a dozen people stood waiting for Rumi and Niel, all wearing grave expressions.

  They were the first living people they'd seen in what felt like an eternity.

  This was it – the human village where the exorcism school was located.

  Rumi was determined to uncover every secret this village held, to find out what mysteries had forced Bertin to endure such hardship only to die right at its doorstep.

  And she would have her revenge, destroying every last witch to avenge Bertin's death.