Chapter 31: A Trickster’s Triumph and a Fleeting Doubt

Dust billowed, clouding everyone’s vision.

A chilling silence settled over the chaotic battlefield, and all wondered what had become of the witch.

Space-time magic was unusable here.

Without a barrier—and even with one—wouldn’t surviving that devastating attack turn you into jerky?

Yet, strangely, everyone except the Master refused to believe the witch was dead.

She was an extraordinary woman who conjured hope in the most hopeless situations.

No way a single blow like that sent her to the underworld.

Sure enough, the silence didn’t last long.

“Wow… that was intense.”

The witch emerged from between the ashen giant’s fingers.

She was in far better shape than anyone expected.

Covered in dust on her clothes and face, but not a scratch on her.

The only thing crumpled was her signature oversized hat, her mascot.

A stark contrast to the elf who’d been knocked out by the giant’s arm earlier.

Still, Carl, worried, rushed to Beatrice to check on her.

“You okay? Any injuries?”

“Nope, I dodged it by a hair.”

“…Dodging that makes no sense.”

“You’ll understand once you see the farce about to unfold.”

Finishing her words, the witch grinned slyly at the flustered Master.

“Thanks for the revival spell. I was alive anyway, but it sure helped me come back unscathed.”

“…Pfft, you’re on borrowed time. You got lucky dodging that, but how far will your luck carry you?”

“Luck?”

The witch burst into laughter, then her face hardened as she unleashed a ferocious surge of mana.

“If I had any fucking luck, I’d be living peacefully here or in the north, not bantering with you.”

“…”

“Don’t spew bullshit. Luck abandoned me long ago. Hearing you say that pisses me off even more.”

Spit.

With a delinquent’s attitude, the witch spat and approached the Master.

The Master hurriedly shouted orders to the ashen giant.

“A-Apostle! Attack again! Turn her to dust, I don’t care if she dies!”

Roar?

The Apostle only expressed confusion, unmoving.

What was happening?

As the Master gnawed her nails in panic, the witch smirked, clapping her hands.

“Oh, right. Forgot to mention—this guy’s not listening to you anymore.”

“W-What?!”

“We made a deal. He’s my slave now.”

The ashen giant looked down at the witch with a “When did I?” expression.

She conjured a massive mana contract in the air, smiling brightly.

“See this palm print? You put it there yourself.”

[…?]

“What, don’t remember? You slammed it down hard just now.”

The giant’s fierce demeanor vanished, replaced by a dumbfounded stare. Then it let out a booming laugh that shook the heavens.

Hahaha!!!

An unexpected twist.

How could she come up with such a wicked idea in a moment of despair?

To the Apostle of the evil god, “evil” was like a drug.

It reveled in the sweetness, but its laughter didn’t last long.

“Why’re you cracking up? Think I’m gonna ask you to do something nice?”

At the witch’s words, the giant’s expression froze.

Come to think of it—

It was the vanguard sent by the evil god Poneriana to ravage this dimension.

But if it couldn’t even handle this tiny speck of land properly…

[“Thought you were useful, but you’re utterly useless.”]

It might be obliterated the moment it returned to Poneriana’s side.

Groan…

What now? Shit.

Realizing the gravity of its situation, the giant clutched its forehead. The witch, watching with a wicked smile, issued a command.

“Hmm, to celebrate becoming my slave, how about a quick self-introduction?”

…A self-introduction? Easy enough.

The giant, with an arrogant air, thumped its chest, ready to declare its sinister name.

But—

“Not like that. A bit shyly. You already get the gist, right?”

[…]

Overwhelmed by a flood of information pouring into its mind, the giant was at a loss for words.

Like this?

Seriously?

It looked at the witch with pleading eyes, begging for reconsideration, but she shook her head firmly.

“You tried to turn your master into jerky. Gotta pay a price. Now, name and age—go.”

Nodding to signal the start, the witch prompted the giant’s humiliating introduction.

[“M-My name is Bus… 3000 years old… I’m… an Apostle of the evil god… ♡”]

“A-Apostle?”

What the hell was this?

The Master of the evil god cult gaped at the unbelievable scene.

Meanwhile, the witch, now close to the Master, smirked and whispered.

“Hey, your Apostle… pretty impressive, huh?”

The Master fainted on the spot.

“…What just happened?”

As I dusted off my clothes during a brief break, Carl approached with a worried look.

Was he checking on me?

Or wary of me for enslaving an evil god’s Apostle?

I answered nonchalantly.

“Just used a trick since sitting still meant we’d all die.”

I hadn’t planned to enslave the Apostle.

The options were defeat it or flee.

But watching the situation, neither seemed possible.

The ashen giant stood strong despite hours of relentless attacks.

Meanwhile, the party was exhausted from going all out.

Extinction was inevitable, so I had to think outside the box.

That led to the scam contract.

The preparation was simple yet tough.

Finish the massive contract before the party was wiped out.

And keep it secret from the Master and the giant.

I relayed the plan to the exhausted dragonian, Rui, who initially questioned it.

“That’ll work?”

Realizing there were no better options, she helped hide the mana.

The completed contract read:

[1. Party B (Ashen Giant) must obey all commands of Party A (Beatrice).]

[2. Party B prioritizes Party A’s commands above all.]

[3. Party B must not harm Party A.]

…

A terrifyingly ironclad slave contract.

Checking it, Rui shook her glossy tail and head.

“…I thought the evil god’s followers were the most wicked, but compared to you, they’re nothing. How do you even think to scam an evil god’s Apostle?”

“Anyone would think of it. If you can’t beat ‘em, detour.”

“Most would think ‘banish,’ not ‘enslave.’”

Rui stared at me, appalled, and I chuckled, gathering mana at my fingertips.

“No barrier?”

“Even a saint-grade barrier would shatter against that thing’s attacks. And—”

To deceive others, you gotta risk your life.

Someone once said there’s no countering someone who deceives with true intent.

It’s hard enough to handle someone who’s just deceiving, but one betting their life?

Gathering all my reserved mana at my fingertips, Rui recoiled in shock.

“You’re insane.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

But in this crazy world, can you survive without going mad?

I fired a menacing mana bolt at the Master, and the giant, struck by it, roared and slammed its palm toward me—

That’s all I remembered.

Honestly, the rest was a blur.

I did something in a trance as the palm came down, and when I snapped out of it, it had narrowly missed.

Looking at the giant, still striking a provocative pose, I told Carl.

“It worked, so it’s fine. If we’re gonna die, might as well try something.”

“You’re right, but…”

Sigh.*

Carl let out a long breath, then smiled brightly.

“No, I need to get stronger fast. Can’t keep letting our witch risk her life.”

“Yeah, get stronger. It’s good for you, good for me.”

Smiling back, I nodded at his words.

If he gets stronger, it’s great for me.

Having a world-class powerhouse by my side for protection?

Feeling secure, I gazed lazily at him.

Then a doubt hit me.

Wait—once this fleeting journey ends, don’t I have to part ways with him?

His getting stronger wouldn’t mean anything to me then.

Why was I so happy about it?

…Could it be?

My grinning face froze.