In the uncertain space where even his footing felt precarious, Subaru was acutely aware that if he fell, he would surely meet “Death,” yet his focus was entirely on the girl before him—a witch with white hair, white skin, black clothing, and black eyes.

Her overwhelming presence, her intimidating aura, the sheer difference in their beings as transcendent life forms.

All of it was tangling Subaru’s eyes, heart, and soul, playing with him like he was a mere toy.

Faced with true, inescapable “terror,” one could suppress their emotions to such an extent.

He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t feel his heartbeat. Cold sweat didn’t even form, and he couldn’t even blink without her permission. An absolute detachment loomed around him.

“Oops, I might have frightened you too much. I tend to get carried away and say too much when I’m excited. It’s a troublesome trait of us witches,” she reflected, sitting in a chair, acknowledging her own words. Yet, the pressure stemming from the witch before him showed no sign of lessening.

No, the overwhelming pressure that he had previously managed to consciously ignore now settled beside him like a persistent shadow the moment he acknowledged it.

Friendly exchanges were nowhere to be found. Subaru could no longer see the girl before him as a mere girl. To him, she was truly a “Witch.”

“Back in my previous life, this happened more than once. When royalty from various countries came to me seeking my wisdom… They couldn’t help but be cautious at the sight of me.”

Shaking her head as if to say “Good grief,” Echidna regarded Subaru with her black eyes. As Subaru became unsettled at the expressionless reflection staring back at him in her dark irises, she smiled.

“Then, will you enjoy what I have in store for you this time?”

“—Huh!?”

The change came suddenly.

As Echidna smiled and whispered her words, Subaru’s confusion manifested in the furrow of his brows. Her smile melted into shadows, and just as Subaru, breathless, blinked—

“What are you staring at, you?”

“…Huh?”

“Stop staring like that!”

With that, a girl pouted while kicking her legs in front of Subaru.

She had dark green hair cut at shoulder-length and rosy cheeks like an apple. Her brown skin melded perfectly with a white dress-like outfit, giving her a charmingly innocent vibe that radiated throughout the area. Her blue flower hairpin stood out in her hair.

No matter how you looked at it, she was an innocuous, carefree girl—yet now, she was sitting in the place where Echidna had been, staring intently at Subaru.

“Uh, um? W-wait a minute. W-where did Echidna go…?”

“Echidna? She went somewhere, but what about you?”

“Me? My name’s Natsuki Subaru. I’m a lost stranger who was supposed to have some tea and head back… I mean, the host just vanished on me, and now I’m in trouble…”

“Oh, so you’re Subaru!”

While the adorableness of the girl’s demeanor conveyed a hint of cuteness, Subaru, who was struggling to keep up with the situation, introduced himself earnestly. The girl responded with a smile that seemed genuinely delighted, warming Subaru’s chest despite the absurdity of the situation.

Everything was an utter chaos, but now that Echidna had vanished, he felt liberated from the pressure. Considering things calmly, perhaps this girl was like Subaru, another victim pulled into this scenario.

Desperate to cooperate with this girl to escape from here—even though he wasn’t sure how much help she could provide—he raised his face to continue his thoughts.

“Okay, first things first. Let’s come up with some escape plans while the cat’s away. There’s not much space to work with here, but let’s start by getting your name…”

“By the way, are you an Akinin?”

“Wh-what does that mean…?”

As he extended his hand and tried to flash a smile, Subaru’s brows knit together.

The little girl swung her legs that couldn’t quite touch the ground, causing her chair to wobble as she pouted childishly, “I asked if you’re an Akinin or not! So, what’s the deal?”

“Humans, from the moment they are born, must sacrifice something to live. Therefore, we might be sinners from the moment we take our first breath in this world… or something philosophical like that. Do you mean it in that sense?”

“Mmmm, I don’t get it! Whatever, let’s figure it out!”

As Subaru tilted his head in confusion, the girl tilted her head even further.

Saying that, she tightly grasped Subaru’s outstretched hand. Her small hand completely fit within his own, transmitting an unmistakable softness typical of a child. This cemented Subaru’s resolve; he had to get this girl out of here safely, no matter what.

“Interacting with Petra and others, I realized I kinda like kids more than I thought. I used to think they were just noisy and hated them…”

“—You will rise to the top from the pain that you endure.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the girl muttered something under her breath quickly.

Unable to decipher it, Subaru raised an eyebrow to look at her, only to feel a mild shock. It felt as if his arm was being tugged lightly, followed by an odd sense of liberation—as if he had let go of a burden.

“What’s happening?” Looking around, Subaru began to turn his head.

Once more, the world bore no changes. All that remained was the small space they were allowed to occupy, just facing each other, without even a breath of wind to feel.

Then, in front of Subaru, who neither sat nor stood, the girl sat in her chair, but in one hand, she was holding what appeared to be a severed male arm—

“—What!?”

“Since it doesn’t hurt, it means you’re not an Akinin, right? That’s a relief!”

Realizing the abnormal situation, Subaru looked at his right arm—where it should have been, the truth of his irregularly severed shoulder revealing a grotesque fracture.

Pain? Bleeding? No, there was no sensation whatsoever. There was merely a glimpse of pink flesh, holding bone and blood vessels peeking through, resembling common meat displayed in butcher shops.

Aside from accepting the unacceptable fact that this was happening to his right shoulder—

“Oh, ahhhh!! My arm… my arm is gone!?”

“It doesn’t hurt, so quit shouting. If you thrash around too much, you might fall, and I can’t help you back up!”

“Y-you! What the hell! You just ripped off a guy’s arm, and now you’re talking like that?! G-give it back! Give it back!”

While shrieking at the sight of the stump of his arm, Subaru lunged at the little girl who snickered. He had to reclaim that arm, reattach it instantly!

Though combining the severed arm with his shoulder wouldn’t magically make it rejoin, that thought didn’t even enter Subaru’s mind at the moment.

But—

“—You will become a sacrifice and should not be allowed to escape.”

As the little girl muttered something again, Subaru’s disposition suddenly faltered. No, to be precise, as he tried to take a step forward, his lower legs shattered like glass.

Having lost his right shoulder and both knees, Subaru’s body toppled forward out of control. The one who caught him was none other than the little girl still sitting in her chair.

Gently cradling the tumbling Subaru, she lovingly patted his shaking form, much like a mother soothing a frightened child.

“Even though you’re not an Akinin, you still think of yourself as a sinner. You’re such a kind child, aren’t you? It must be hard for you, so hard…”

“W-who are you, what are you…?”

He felt no pain from his right arm or his shattered legs. There was no bleeding.

He couldn’t comprehend. The existence before him was something he could not accept. This little girl, whom he had just regarded as a protected target moments earlier, now felt incredibly close yet hopelessly distant.

Tilting her head at Subaru’s question, she replied:

“Typhon is the ‘Witch of Pride.’”

“Wha…!?”

The shocking words froze Subaru’s mind once again.

Feelings of anger or fear had been completely blown away.

Just moments ago, he had been interacting with Echidna, the “Witch of Greed.” How was he suddenly in the presence of the “Witch of Pride”?

The witches, who were supposed to be long dead and gone, made their appearance with such ease—

“—Hah. Is it finally my turn now? Sigh, I can’t deal with this.”

A languid voice descended from above, leaving Subaru in shock as he struggled to vocalize anything.

Again, Subaru merely blinked. In that span, the hues of the world had not altered. His state of having lost an arm and legs remained the same. Yet—

“Sigh, it’s heavy, indeed. Despite being a little lighter without my limbs, this is how it is. Sigh, this is why men… both men and women are just clumps of waste,” the girl with the name Typhon had transformed into another woman.

This time, the woman had long violet hair, giving off a lethargic impression. With a sickly pale complexion and lips, her lowered eyes seemed to lack will to live, giving her an aura of being resigned to fate, seemingly reluctant even to breathe as she spread a dismal atmosphere around her.

She wore a loose black robe, which was dirty and frayed, completely confirming the idea of wearing what one has, illustrating a tattered look.

Looking down at the silent Subaru, she exhaled in a languid manner:

“Ugh, you’re really unlucky, aren’t you? Getting jerked around by Echidna, then encountering Typhon, and here I am now… Sigh, that’s something only someone like Flugel or that stupid lecher Raid would experience.”

“A-are you also a witch…? What about that girl or Echidna?”

“Sigh, I’m Sekhmet. Ugh, it’s a hassle, but I’m called the ‘Witch of Sloth,’ or so they say, though I never asked to be called that. Ugh, can I just remain quiet since talking is such a pain?”

“Cut me some slack. I feel like I’m losing my mind. If I don’t talk to someone, I’ll start to see my own reality, and it’ll be bad. Please, just tell me what’s happening!”

Grabbing her robe with his functional left hand to keep from falling, Subaru looked up at Sekhmet. She let out a sigh that clearly indicated her annoyance. Then, with her still-dropped eyes, she replied:

“Your right hand is missing from the shoulder and both your legs from the knees down. Sigh, it seems like the handiwork of Typhon, doesn’t it? That girl just has no idea about other people’s pain. Ugh, she’s innocent and merciless, still a child in many ways. Sigh, what a pity, indeed.”

“Will my arm and legs… will they come back?”

“Sigh, I can’t say for sure… Ah, perfect timing, really. I was looking for a good excuse to nap anyway. Sigh, breathing feels like such a chore. Don’t you ever think how it would be nice to just take a billion lungs’ worth of air at once and never have to breathe again? Sigh.”

“If you do that, your lungs would explode and you’d die! More importantly, my circumstances…”

Without breaking her relaxed demeanor, Sekhmet attempted to deflect Subaru’s earnest question with an unexpected remark. Subaru was pleading for her to take him seriously when—

“—Did you just say you want to die in front of me?”

He heard a harsh voice.

In front of him, Subaru found himself unable to react beyond freezing in shock once more.

Yet again, the person before him transformed. The imposing witch with the vast mane of hair vanished, giving way to the sight of:

“…A chest?”

“—Wha-what are you looking at, where are you looking?!”

As he tried to gaze at the owner of the flexible knees supporting him, he was blocked by an enormous chest that hindered his view.

The sensation of being held by those thighs felt distinctly different from Typhon or Sekhmet; it was undeniably softer and curvier, emulating a woman’s figure.

Subaru, overwhelmed by the experience, suddenly found himself lifted by an arm belonging to the voice’s owner—despite having lost his right arm and legs, he remained heavy enough for an adult woman to lift with ease.

“When you talk, you should look the person in the eyes! Look into their eyes! Honestly, it’s unbelievable how guys are like this!”

Fuming, with her wavy golden hair swaying, a stunning girl with blue eyes situated Subaru where she could glare at him, her short skirt complementing her agile appearance.

Despite her small stature, which became evident given that she was sitting down, her ample bosom and womanly curves radiated an almost seductive charm.

The girl, seeing Subaru’s bewilderment, shot him a fierce glance and then swept her bangs aside:

“Right arm missing, both legs missing from just below the knees. No bleeding or pain… That’s Typhon’s penalty! That girl… how could she do something so terrible again!?”

As the girl’s piercing blue eyes filled with intense emotion regarding Subaru’s injury—there was anger in her words, rage in her attitude, and passion in her gestures—yet, faintly behind that facade were hints of tears welling up.

“Are you… crying…?”

“I’m not crying! I’m just angry! Yes, I’m angry! I can’t stand Typhon leaving you with such wounds! This world allowing such terrible things to happen! People fighting and hurting each other… this insanity!!”

With a commanding shout, the girl vehemently declared, shaking her head fervently.

Then, lifting her arms, she unexpectedly hurled Subaru, who she had been holding up, into the air.

“Huh?”

“So I won’t allow it! Pain! Conflict! Wounds! I won’t let things stay like this—!!”

In the next moment, with an explosive force surpassing the ensuing winds, the girl’s punch struck Subaru head-on. The impact hit his cheek with staggering speed and power, sending his body flying like a leaf blown away in a storm.

“Buh—!?”

Although it was supposed to be a monumental force flinging him away, reality laid its breath-taking end quite promptly.

In the confined space set by Echidna, the distance Subaru could be propelled to was limited to a mere fraction. The impact against a transparent wall pierced through him, and he floated there, disoriented. At that moment—

“—You won’t get away, you hear me!?”

The girl, attempting to catch up, came leaping toward him and unleashed a flurry of punches against Subaru’s torso, which was caught in the downward fall.

Every punch rained down with blistering speed upon Subaru’s body, crushing it between the invisible wall and her blows. Each impact resonated like thunder, shaking Subaru’s body and conveying the force backward, rocking the very foundation of this world.

As he was buffeted around, he lost all sense of up and down; his consciousness spun to white-out. The only sights landing in his view were the relentless fists crashing down and the girl’s face—a face that had lost all pretense, drenched in tears. While he witnessed the droplets sparkle as they scattered in the air, he attempted to voice his grievances, only to receive a blow that shelved those thoughts further.

An eternal hell of torment—its end abruptly arrived.

“My fists will regenerate this world! My anger will cleanse the world! My wrath, these fists, and my answer—!!”

In the next instant, the world shattered unexpectedly.

The walls that had wrapped around Subaru, binding him to this reality, shattered from the pressure of the torrential storm of the girl’s punches—stricken by Subaru’s essence, it couldn’t withstand the force.

Immediately, Subaru felt liberated from the sensation of being tossed around.

The deluge of punches came to a halt, quickly succeeded by a soft embrace. Before he realized it, Subaru found himself laid on the ground, a grassy field where a tea party had transpired moments before the separation.

He sat up and scanned the surroundings with bewilderment. Just then, the girl landed near him gracefully, brushing her blond hair back, glaring at Subaru.

“Right hand!”

“Eh!? Oh, uh, yes!”

At her call, he reflexively raised his hand and realized—his right arm, which had been severed from the shoulder, had returned fully, complete with fingers!

“Both legs!”

“They’re back too! I can stand, walk, and even moonwalk!”

With the next affirmation, he jumped happily to his feet, demonstrating a quick moonwalk across the vibrant greenery. Seeing Subaru gracefully slide back on the grass made the girl cross her arms, satisfied with a nod. In that moment, Subaru couldn’t help but notice the magnificent sway of her large bosom.

“Thank you for saving me! But given how things are going, don’t tell me you’re also…?!”

“I’m Minerva, the ‘Witch of Wrath’! Not that it’s anything special!”

“Then why are you introducing yourself?!”

“Stop it! I didn’t do anything significant! I just couldn’t stand watching someone getting hurt in front of me! It’s nothing worth recounting for posterity!”

“And here you are, self-assigning your own heroic deeds! You’re the type who doesn’t listen to others—my worst kind of person!”

Stirring his just-recovered arm to express confusion, Minerva turned her back on Subaru dramatically.

“In any case, if your injuries have healed, there’s nothing left for me to do! You’d better not get hurt like you did before! That’s a promise with a witch!”

“I can’t avoid all injuries living in a sterile environment! Don’t just presume things! A witch’s promise… those always come with heavy penalties if broken!”

“Not at all! If that ever happens… I’ll just heal everyone!”

“Don’t say it like you’d just kill everyone—it’s terrifying!”

Regardless, it remained a fact that Subaru’s physical wounds had been healed.

It was a cruel remedy—truly, the very definition of such in this situation. The notion that being beaten to health was bafflingly surreal.

Deciding that somehow slapping things in order felt akin to the treatment given to an old television set,

“—Now then,”

So, the girl who had been poised to walk away whirled around.

Her white hair fluttered behind her, gracefully spreading over her black clothing as Subaru observed her. She tilted her head, gazing over with what appeared to be profound delight.

“I had you meeting the other witches to prove my harmlessness. What do you think? Isn’t it worthwhile to have awakened them from their slumber, if it means softening your perception of me?”

After the dreadful experiences had been laid bare, Subaru let out a deep exhalation, slowly raising his face to declare,

“You’re definitely a witch. …That is not how a human thinks.”