Chapter 33: A Stalemate with Elves and a Sinister Arrival

“Sigh, I don’t know how many times we’ve gone over this.”

“It’s my turn to talk! Can’t you tone down the greed a bit?”

“Hmph, tone down our desires? What a dreadful thing to say. Witch, you’ve just insulted our Yggdrasil clan.”

“Cut the crap. If you’d just compromise a little, this would be settled. Am I wrong?”

The negotiations, as always, were at a deadlock.

The elves insisted on taking at least one top-tier stallion, while the party refused to give up a single member.

With completely opposing goals, it was no surprise the talks weren’t progressing.

I let out a long sigh at this tiresome situation.

“Sigh…”

Talking to a wall would probably feel like this. It was so frustrating I could die.

Sometimes, I wondered if the elves were deliberately trying to provoke my anger—they were that impossible to reason with.

There was nothing more to concede.

I’d even offered to capture another top-tier male in place of the party, and they still wouldn’t budge.

Honestly, blowing up the talks and starting a fight seemed better for my mental health.

“You guys have no shame. Can’t you give one inch?”

“We’ve already compromised as much as we can. We went from three to one, didn’t we?”

“I told you, I’ll get you a comparable male instead of that one. Are you ignoring me?”

“Sorry, witch, but that condition’s unacceptable. Our Yggdrasil clan needs a male we can use now.”

“And it has to be top-tier?”

The same damn script, over and over.

Shaking my head, I stood from the table.

“Let’s talk later. My head’s killing me—I can’t do this.”

“…On that, I agree. Hmph, to think we’d be this incompatible.”

“It’s only incompatible because you won’t budge an inch more.”

“We’re in a rush too! Look at my poor sister over there, trembling from withdrawal!”

Following the lead elf’s gesture, I saw elves in heat, indulging in a “good time.”

“Haa… haa… it’s not enough… it was deeper than this before…!”

“I need something thicker… a man with arms like tree trunks…!”

“Ravishment…♡ Rape…♡ Training…♡”

What the fuck is this?

Barely holding my sanity together in the face of this overwhelming scene, I clutched my forehead, shouting at the elf.

“How is that any different from a drug addict?!”

“The difference? Drugs are all harm, no benefit, but mating is all benefit, no harm. That’s a huge difference, don’t you think?”

“I’m losing my mind…”

If I hadn’t been sitting, I’d have collapsed already.

Closing my eyes tightly against the headache, I took deep breaths to regain my composure.

“Phew…”

These creatures are impossible.

A race that goes mad without mating for a single day? This isn’t some ero manga.

Pausing the negotiations, a question suddenly struck me, and I asked the lead elf.

“I’ve got one thing I’m curious about.”

“?”

“How’d you survive the chase? With withdrawal that bad, I’d think you couldn’t even manage to pursue us.”

With mating addiction that severe, pursuit—let alone long-distance travel—should’ve been impossible.

It seemed miraculous they’d chased us at all, but the elf, true to form, didn’t disappoint.

“Oh, that?”

With a casual expression, she continued.

“Kind souls who sated our desires conveniently appeared. So, we had no trouble pursuing.”

“Where are those guys now?”

“Sent to the Great Forest via warp, of course. No low-tiers among them, so our sisters back home will be thrilled.”

…Poor bastard outlaws.

I knew they’d get caught, but a whole bunch of them?

Wait.

So, the delay in their pursuit wasn’t from fighting—it was from feasting after battles?

Now I’m genuinely scared.

What kind of monsters have I messed with?

Maybe their demand for just one party member wasn’t a lack of compromise but their maximum concession?

“Ugh…”

Nauseated by the elf’s brazen response, I decided to pause the negotiations.

If I kept getting dragged into their insane pace, I might actually sacrifice a party member.

Trying to regain my sanity during a brief break, I was, unfortunately, not so lucky.

“Witch, doesn’t something feel off?”

“What?”

“It’s suddenly too quiet. Like someone’s artificially controlling it.”

“That’s because we’re the only ones making noise. If we shut up, it’s bound to be quiet.”

“That’s not what I mean. Even nature’s sounds are gone. Someone’s set up a barrier.”

The elf’s face hardened as she tossed a green mana bolt, radiating menace, into the air.

It struck an invisible wall, triggering a massive explosion.

Boom!

The transparent barrier shattered, and the scenery changed.

A wilderness empty moments ago was now filled with cult members.

Tilting my head in confusion, I saw someone stride forward confidently.

“Hello, brothers and sisters!”

That all-too-familiar opening line.

And a figure straight out of the original novel’s description.

I knew her identity the moment I saw her.

“Lorian…?”

Why the hell is she here?

The northern arc’s ally and the theocracy’s saint candidate.

Lorian.

She can be summed up in one word:

Crazed.

Crazy Psycho Lesbian… or, in short, a depraved maniac.

In other words, one of the characters I, as Beatrice the witch, had to be most wary of.

Look at her now.

Slurp—

She’s practically drooling over my body.

The biggest reason I avoided the north was the recovering Archlich, a ticking time bomb who could cause trouble at any moment.

How could I live peacefully with that hanging over me?

But if that were the only issue, I might’ve considered the north more seriously.

The west had its own bomb—evil god followers—who, if not handled, would turn places into ghost towns like this.

One key difference.

I weighed my options between a creepy maniac and a battle-crazed idiot.

Which was safer?

If I had to deal with one, which was better?

The decision wasn’t hard.

No matter how I looked at it, the maniac in front of me seemed beyond my ability to handle.

That’s why I chose the west, but…

“Why are you in the west?”

I genuinely don’t get why this woman’s here.

Even if the protagonist party didn’t know, shouldn’t you be in the north, brawling with the Archlich?

Staring with suspicion, Lorian smiled benevolently and answered.

“You act like we’ve met, but do we know each other? You make it sound like I shouldn’t be here.”

“…”

“Hehe, just kidding! Don’t look so scary. I’m only here to see a beloved sister.”

She turned her gaze from me, locking seductive eyes on the priestess, then rushed over and hugged her tightly.

“Alain, my dear! I missed you!”

“Lorian…? How are you here…?”

“Hehe, to bring you back, of course. Let’s go to the theocracy. No need to suffer in a place like this!”

“Uh, what?”

Caught off guard, Alain looked flustered but soon sensed something off and pushed Lorian away.

“Wait, Lorian.”

“Yes?”

“How did you know I was in the west? And why are there so many Inquisitors, who only move to judge sinners, around us?”

“Oh.”

Lorian, briefly startled, explained in a calm voice.

“There was a report you became the witch’s minion in the southern Great Forest, so I came to get you.”

“…A report like that?”

“Yes, and you know…”

Answering Alain’s question, Lorian licked her lips lasciviously and continued.

“From what I see, you are the witch’s minion. Looks like you need some… ‘atonement.’”

“D-Don’t joke! How am I her minion?! I don’t need atonement!”

“Oh? Traveling with a witch and a person of interest designated by the theocracy, and you’re not a minion? Alain… you’ve changed so much in such a short time.”

With a sad expression, Lorian looked to the sky, reciting a prayer.

“Almighty Agathon, guide this foolish lost lamb back to Your embrace.”

“You, you’re really…!”

Cutting off the indignant priestess, Lorian smiled brightly.

“You know, Alain…”

“If you’re not a heretic… we can make* you one.”

There’s no escaping atonement, dear…♡

Like a predator eyeing prey, Lorian licked her lips, gazing not just at Alain but at every woman around.