Chapter 16
The front of the mine was in chaos. The miners who had barely managed to escape were busy telling the knights what they had witnessed. Some of the miners, affected by the mental magic of the monsters, were not in their right minds. The families of those still trapped inside wailed in grief around the mine.
Cheshion pieced together the miners’ accounts and deduced what had happened.
“It seems the mine was attacked by a Black Mole monster. It’s a high-ranking monster that occasionally torments humans for no reason. Unfortunately, it showed up in our mine. If you fall under its mental magic, you start seeing and hearing things that aren’t there.”
Several knights raised their swords and stood by Cheshion’s side.
“Should we head in now? There are still fifteen miners trapped inside—we’re worried.”
“The mine’s interior is too narrow for swords. I’ll go in alone since I can use magic.”
“But… are you sure? Your Highness could also fall victim to its mental magic. If that happens, who will save you?”
“I’ll have to endure it on my own.”
Just then, the sound of galloping hooves approached the mine. Gremory, who had tamed a random black horse from the stables, leaped off and casually strode into the mine as if she were walking into her own home.
Cheshion panicked and chased after her.
“H-Hey! Mori! There’s a high-ranking mental-type monster in there—!”
“I know. Don’t follow me. I’m simple-minded, so I’m immune to mental magic. You’re not.”
“S-Simple-minded…? Even so, it’s dangerous to go alone.”
Gremory pondered. I do know a bit of mental magic—well, curses. Should I curse this guy so he can’t enter the mine?
‘I’d rather hurry in and feast on the trapped miners’ fear.’
Right then—the mine shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck. The mole monster must have moved. Simultaneously, falling rocks blocked the path between Gremory and Cheshion.
“Damn it, Mori! Wait! I’ll— Hey! I told you not to go in alone!”
Ignoring Cheshion’s shouts through the gaps in the rubble, Gremory simply followed the scent of suffering. Wherever that scent led, the miners would be.
She finally arrived at the miners’ rest area, where three half-mad miners trembled in terror.
“We’re gonna get eaten…!”
“This is hell! We have to run! But where’s the way out?!”
Gremory smirked.
‘Delicious.’
And she devoured their fear and suffering.
Then—
“Oh my god! A-Are you the mage who came to save us?!”
“I feel so brave all of a sudden!”
“Nothing scares me now!”
“Whatever. Just get out. The exit’s blocked, but your lord’s probably working hard to clear it.”
“Yes, ma’am! Hahaha!”
Freed from their fear and pain, the miners bolted toward the exit with newfound courage.
Iris, who had followed, scratched her temple as she watched.
-So this is what you meant by ‘eating’ their fear and pain. I thought you were torturing them to death—I nearly had a heart attack!
“I only eat really bad humans. The worst of the worst—the ones beyond redemption.”
-Any reason why?
“Shut up. Don’t ask.”
-Hmph.
Gremory’s brow twitched as bad memories surfaced.
Lenia, living alone in the mountains. The bandits who had tried to assault her flashed in her mind. They were scum who made a habit of raiding homes.
‘If I’d been just five minutes later that day, Lenia would’ve…’
Ever since then, Gremory had developed a deep hatred for humans who harmed others. The worse the harm, the more she despised them.
She ventured deeper into the mine, finding more miners cowering in corners, and sent them toward the exit.
The knights had said fifteen miners were trapped. She rescued every single one.
Just as Gremory confirmed no survivors remained and turned to leave—she sensed the presence of the massive mole monster behind her.
She turned and locked eyes with the enormous, pitch-black creature. The mole monster bared its sharp claws, threatening her.
SCREEEECH!
Gremory stared back disdainfully before her pupils flooded crimson and narrowed into slits.
“SCREEEEEEEEE—!”
She bared her fangs and elongated claws, hissing like an enraged cat. The mole monster flinched and averted its gaze.
Realizing the witch before it was an opponent it couldn’t defeat, the monster bowed its head. Moreover, it was black—and black animals, especially monsters, knew better than to challenge a witch who commanded them.
Squeak…
The mole monster sluggishly turned and retreated.
Just as Gremory turned to leave after resolving everything—
“…Mori?”
She met Cheshion’s gaze—he had cleared the rocks and chased after her.
Cheshion’s heart pounded. What in the world did I just see? Crimson slitted pupils, cat-like eyes, elongated fangs, and claws that could tear through anything…
That—wasn’t that the form of a witch?
…No. It couldn’t be.
I must’ve been hit by the mental magic of that monster. I was hallucinating. Then why does my head hurt so much?
“Ugh…”
Cheshion clutched his forehead, swaying. Gremory stepped forward and steadied him.
“You okay?”
He looked at Mori’s face again—it was back to its usual adorable self. Ah, so I was just briefly affected by the mole’s mental magic.
‘Right. Witches don’t exist in this world. They can’t. I’m the one who banned witch hunts—if witches actually existed, that’d be a whole other problem.’
As Gremory helped him out of the mine, Cheshion couldn’t stop thinking.
‘But… what if what I saw wasn’t an illusion? The Ducal House wouldn’t survive the fallout. If this got out, our political enemies would tear us apart.’
Bright light flooded his vision as they exited the mine, greeted by cheers.
‘I’ll have to keep an eye on Mori for a while. There’s no way she’s really a witch… but just in case.’
While Cheshion staggered in a daze over what may or may not have been an illusion, people swarmed Gremory. She waved them off irritably.
“Scram. I drove out the mole monster, so go do whatever.”
Despite her threats, they only drew closer. Miners covered in grime approached her, grinning.
“Thank you, Saintess! Thanks to you, we made it out alive.”
“S-Saintess?!”
The witch blinked in disbelief.
“Haha, no need to hide it anymore! Lady Mori, you’re a Saintess traveling incognito, right? We’ve heard there are many like you these days.”
“You purified the mental magic affecting us in an instant. You’re not exactly subtle about it—how could we not know?”
“You even made medicine that cures all illnesses and drove out a high-ranking mental-type monster in one go. We heard you even purified the dark energy in the Ducal residence?”
“If you have a reason for hiding your identity, we’ll keep your secret.”
The witch’s mouth hung open. Meanwhile, the ghost bound to her laughed hard enough to split her sides.
-Ahahaha! A Saintess?! Calling a witch a Saintess! Hahaha!
Gremory’s face burned red. How dare they call a witch a Saintess! To a witch, that’s as bad as calling a woman witch-like as an insult! It’s practically a double curse!
“Shut up! I’m no Saintess! I’m a witch!”
“Yes, yes. Of course.”
“Anyway, thank you for saving my husband today, Saintess.”
“Goodness… I don’t know why you insist on calling yourself a witch, but we’ll keep your Saintess identity a secret.”
“You damn idiots! I’m really a witch!”
“Yes, Saintess. Could you bless this mine before you go? So no monsters ever enter again?”
“Ugh, damn it. Fine, watch this! I’m really a witch!”
Gremory drew a sinister crimson magic circle in the air. To anyone, it was clearly ominous—but the ordinary humans, unfamiliar with magic circles, reacted positively.
“The Saintess has blessed this land!”
“Oho… I’ve heard the stronger a Saintess is, the deeper the color of her holy power. Lady Mori must be incredibly powerful.”
“Who cares about the color? A blessing is a blessing.”
And so, Gremory became the official Saintess of the Edel Duchy.
Poor Mori🤣