Ch 125 – Scarlet the Witch

"Listen well, because I'm already repeating this for the second time already. The Rune for Fire doesn't simply mean Fire. It can mean vigor, strength, love, and such. Now, you're already thinking 'Runes are useless, I have my bullshit reality warping magic by my side!' aren't you? Well, if you were to train your Rune Magic, you'll increase your fundamental understanding of Order Magic since Rune Magic was derived from it!" Lute slammed his stick to the board behind him.

Sitting in front of him, Sophia was listening attentively while secretly grumbling in her mind. Yet she can't retort, because in the few short days she has studied under Lute Stolas, her magical prowess has increased by a few folds rapidly.

'Ugh, don't you just hate it when your teacher is a genius bastard.' Sophia thought, before looking towards Lute's serious face, and can't help but have her mind wander to form her daydreaming fantasies.

His skin was pristine with no blemishes, like the fields of snow in cold winter. His eyes were wide and had a smug attitude to them, yet when he looks so serious, it only added to his charm. His soft, pink lips were juicy and similar to a plump plum. She softly gulped, her mind was already forming brazen fantasies about her teacher.

'Oh yeah, how old is he anyway?' Sophia thought. But, due to her carelessness, Lute noticed she wasn't listening and slammed his stick to the board once more.

"Hey! Are you listening or what?"

"I'm listening!"

As Lute looks at her face, he can't help but notice some things, 'The same wide eyes, yet they look so different. Same fair white skin, and the same long hair, yet hold completely different attitudes compared to one another. One was chaotic, and the other orderly. Just like their special attributes.'

*** (Flashbacking in Another World as an Archdevil and Tutor of the Demon Lord's Daughter Who is Also a Reincarnate?! – A Few Weeks Earlier)

It was a dark, chilly night. The moon hung high above the night sky, free from the obstruction of any clouds that dare cover its beauty.

Under that celestial body, Lute can be seen sitting near a lake inside the school grounds of the Magic Academy. The lake near him was clear and free from any impurities, perfectly reflecting the circular moon above it, illuminating the entire around him in a soft white glow.

Floating in front of him, dirt can be seen forming a humanoid figure, with an hourglass figure and curves, the figure clearly belonged to that of a woman. Yet the humanoid doll of dirt held no distinct features, there were no eyes, no nose, no ears, it was simply a blank template.

But, as scarlet flames suddenly appear beside him, he didn't even budge an inch in response. The scarlet flames slowly dissipated, and slowly showed the figure of a young lady with fair skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. She wore a pink dress, which gave her an innocent appearance and presence.

"Maria, how can I help a young lady like you on such a pleasant evening?"

Lute asked, his focus mostly retaining on the humanoid puppet, purple light can be seen moving all around the doll's body to give it features belonging to humans. From eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.

Maria stayed silent, and she walked forward until she stopped right beside Lute. She sat down on the grassy ground and silently looked at the reflection of the moon on the lake.

"You don't have to hide it."

"Hide what?"

Lute raised his eyebrow, indicating his confusion at her statement. Yet, Maria turned her head and looked at the masked Lute in the eye. Smiling lightly, scarlet flames covered her body once more, causing Lute to cover his eyes to prevent himself from getting blind by the bright light.

Skin like white jade, eyes made from drops of scarlet blood, hair as white as snow, an outfit of black silk that made her look like a vile witch, she appeared like the beautiful version of a witch one will find in a children's fairytale. Only one word can truly describe her appearance, 'Beautiful'.

"Welp, I didn't expect for you to reveal it so soon. Was it because of the bait I threw out about having the ability to kill all of them?"

"Fufu, it seems like you're not hiding it anymore, huh? Indeed, Lute Stolas, you've successfully caught the fish you've been eyeing since the very beginning. Tell me, since when did you know?"

The atmosphere between the two instantly turned tense, as if a switch has been flipped upon the reveal of Maria's true identity.

"If I were to give an answer… I'd say more than a month ago."

"So, since the very beginning. You truly are a monster, to think the threat you gave me from the first time we met was dismissed by me so nonchalantly. I wonder, are all those you have met simply pawns in your plan?"

"Hey, I'm not as evil as you think I am, okay? I'm just a necessary evil in this world who is trying to bring world peace by dealing with the nine overpowered beings from another world."

"I guess you are right. So, do you finally want to hear my story?"

"Of course! I've been waiting for this reveal already!"

With the atmosphere around them turning friendlier in a quick transaction of words, the witch whose name remained unknown started to speak with a soft voice, as if retelling a story filled with her own emotion.

*** (Story Time)

Before I became the person I am right now, I was simply a girl who lived in a faraway village in the Pendragon Kingdom. I had a normal childhood, with caring parents and a childhood friend.

My appearance can be considered average back then, with black hair and blue eyes. I wasn't anything remotely special, the only thing I can say that was special about me was my smartness.

Yet, everything I had paled in comparison with my childhood friend. His hair was black, his eyes were abysmal, and whenever he looked at me, my heart would flutter with an unknown emotion.

Back then, I simply had an innocent childhood.

Wake up, eat breakfast my mother cooked me, help with housework, gather some firewood, it's a life you're pretty much familiar with, right, Lute?

The only thing that broke that monotonous cycle was my childhood friend. He was always wielding those two wooden swords, always proclaiming how he would become the strongest to protect me from harm's way, it was the kind of promise you'll say to a childhood friend.

Yet those simple words sparked the bloom of an emotion called love inside me, and he too held those same emotions as mine.

He always trained relentlessly every single day, swinging his two wooden swords whether it was raining or in freezing winter. But, unlike you, he did improve every single day.

By the time he was eight, he could already beat all adults in the village. His swordsmanship also improved by leaps and bounds, one swing from him and he could defeat anyone who fought him. His sword was like a living being on its own, which was clearly related to his special cheats.

I would just watch him from the sides, and see him training his sword relentlessly to grow stronger and protect me. I was a lovestruck child, our vow back then still held strong for years to come. We were basically lovers when we turned 12.

Spring, summer, autumn, winter. My life was colorful and cheery, as if the entire world was dazzling and beautiful. It was simple, a simplicity I continuously yearn for, even now, I yearn for it. To just be a normal girl living inside a village, not a revenge-seeking witch.

Yet, when the people from the Holy Church arrived in our village at the time we turned 16… everything changed. They came in with knights and priests tens in number, at that point, I should have realized something was off. Not only that, even the Pope arrived.

It was revealed that my childhood friend was one of the champions the Goddess Angelica brought into this world. Not only that, but I also learned I was a devil disguised as a human, along with my parents. I was actually a devil, instead of a human. At that point, my mind was already nearing a breaking point.

"I'm sorry."

Those were the words he uttered to me as he beheaded my parents, his eyes held no remorse, instead, it was full of disgust. Later, I finally realized that he was disgusted at the notion of me being a devil. But he should be disgusted at himself, to think I fell in love with a pedophile, it truly is ridiculous. His eyes were devoid of any emotion when he killed my parents, the very people who treated him as their own children for years.

Under such extreme trauma, I finally unlocked my special bloodline. My hair turned white as snow, my eyes became scarlet like the blood flowing from the headless corpse of my parents, and I unlocked my magical abilities. The power and bloodlust overwhelmed my fragile mind at that point, and I finally went to a point of no return.

I massacred everyone that day and killed all those who belonged to the Holy Church to fuel my thirst for revenge. Yet, even under such betrayal, I still let that bastard Kilt live. Even now, I still regret the decision of letting him go.

Now, I've been relentlessly trying to find a way to kill all of them. But now, I have the key to that dream of mine right in front of me.

*** (3rd Person)

"So, you were childhood lovers, then he was actually a grown ass man and a groomer, and he's also racist to devils. Huh, that's unexpected yet also kinda expected."

"I know, I had a ridiculous life."

She smiled, it was peaceful and serene, as if a weight has been lifted off her chest after revealing her secrets to another being. She glanced at the reflection of the moon with a sparkle in her eyes, as if the world was more bearable compared to before.

"Then, I learned that the reincarnates aren't all evil. Like Honda and Imerda, they were just both Lolicon and Shotacon respectively. But it seems like their fetish doesn't transfer to real children."

"But the others are pretty bad. Such as Louis Crawford raping my childhood friend. Or Kilt being a bastard. Pretty much most of them are a true threat to the entire world if they were left unhinged. Good thing that they still care about their reputation."

"Yeah, their reputation."

They stayed silent for a while, before the witch spoke out, "My name is Scarlet."

"Just like your eyes… It's nice meeting you, Scarlet."

"… Why haven't you killed them yet?"

Silence ensued once more, before Lute asked a question, "Do you think an all-powerful God would simply let its champions get killed?"

"Angelica?"

"Though she can't interfere with the mortal plane that much, she still does have a lot of strength."

Scarlet couldn't refute Lute's reasoning. It was true, the existence of Angelica was already proven true due to the existence of Reincarnates.

"Worst case scenario, I kill one of them, she'll bring in new Reincarnates with more overpowered cheats."

"You really do have a lot of caution. I haven't even taken her existence into account all this time. If you were to put it that way, we're actually dealing with a powerful God, who's clearly not as good as the church proclaims her to be if she gave cheats to scumbags like them."

"You're right, you're very much right."

"Scheming against God, that really does put us in a helpless situation, don't you think?"

"Indeed, to fight against God might as well be a helpless venture."

"But, if you're telling me all this… Then you do have a way to deal with her, right? Tell me, what is your goal?"

Grinning lightly, Lute spoke out, causing Scarlet's eyes to widen in shock.

'I-is he insane?!'

*** (Flashback End)

"Oi! Teach! Teacher! Terra to Lute! Are you okay?"

Hearing her soft voice, Lute blinks his eyes and smiled lightly, "Yes, yes, I just remembered something."

AN: This chapter has 2071 words.

Writing is hard; send power stones.

(August 17, 2022 – 266th day of writing)