The Stagnant Witch’s Survival Method

is a great power.
You might think how great can a furball floating lazily in the air be, but in reality, it was an incarnation of a demon descended to this world.

Of course, there are limits to the power that the dedicated demon can use, but as a being who had risen to a high rank before falling, it can be seen as an exceptionally outstanding power that supports in various ways across all levels, such as using weak power efficiently or giving advice on the master’s judgments.

Therefore, witches with tend to grow well on their own.
It would be stranger if they couldn’t when a high-ranking being who has risen on its own lays out a growth guide and leads them.

“Isn’t the cat cute?”
“…Hmm.”

But Sharen, not knowing such facts well, just rubbed the cheeks of the cat lounging in her arms.
She seems to have no idea that this is actually a demon’s dedication.
Certainly, it’s understandable. When a cute cat suddenly appears and is tightly bonded to you, would you think that terrifying demon transformed like this?

Moreover, the power is difficult to know well unless you’re a user.
Ranks that contract with demons are extremely rare, and cases where demons send as an incarnation are even rarer.

Not just the witches here, but probably the Witch Society doesn’t know, and witches from other regions wouldn’t know either.

But is there a reason for the demon to send an incarnation to Sharen?
To be honest, she was ordinary.
She doesn’t have any extraordinary talent, doesn’t possess a great spirit, and wasn’t born with special blood.
For such an ordinary girl to have a reason…

“I see.”
“Huh? What are you saying?”

The black cat’s gaze towards me was unusual.
On the surface, it was reacting to Sharen’s excessive affection, but the cat’s red pupils strangely turned towards me.
Ah, it’s not curious about Sharen, but sent an incarnation to observe me because I’m some kind of super mystery existence?
To think such a case would happen.

…Actually, thinking about it, it didn’t seem that strange.
Until just now, I pulled them up to Rank 8 using the most optimized method existing in the world, and even omitted the necessary sacrifices.
It’s natural for demons to be very interested.

“Hmm.”

I don’t know what kind of variables the demons interested in me will create in the future, but it didn’t seem like it would bring only bad things.
Anyway, demons are on the witch’s side until they take over the body.
If it helps, it helps, there shouldn’t be any hindrance.
It will guide Sharen, who’s somewhat lacking in talent, well.

“Anyway, since everyone has risen to Rank 8, shall we head back?”
“Yeah, let’s do that. I’m feeling really tired too.”
“Urgggh, let this go! Commoner!”

Given the time, I released Belladrin with a very benevolent heart.
Though she was fuming a lot, perhaps thanks to being thoroughly defeated by me just now, she didn’t rush at me.

On the way back, I also gave instructions to Silver Wand in passing.

“Ah, you scout the outside for a while.”
“Pardon?”
“If you find anything unusual or strange, report immediately. For example, if there’s a somewhat strange structure or something.”
“Eh?”

I pat his shoulder, telling him to work hard.
I didn’t notice when we were far apart, but putting my hand on his shoulder like this, I can feel quite a height difference.
It’s not that Silver Wand is that tall.
It’s a moment when I suddenly miss my ultra-handsome customized body.

Silver Wand gave an incomprehensible answer twice, but that’s not my concern, he just needs to do as he’s told.
His mission is to be in charge of finding hidden pieces from now on.

There’s no worry that he might take the hidden pieces instead.
Anyway, except for the first hidden piece I got, I couldn’t get them just by putting my hand on them.
It would be a special power that can only be obtained by facing trials, hardships, and adversities and breaking through them.

“So, look carefully, okay?”
“…”
“I’ll inform White Frost about your mission too, so you can report to them.”
“W-Wait a moment.”

Leaving Silver Wand with a somewhat flustered expression behind, we returned to the dormitory.
He looked like he desperately wanted to protest, saying something like ‘Are you telling me to die by wandering around the outside where monsters are overflowing?’, but he didn’t voice it out.

Because we had already left before he could.

-How am I supposed to do that! Aaaaagh!

The sound of despair echoed from behind, but I pretended not to hear.
Well, won’t he be able to do it if he transforms into a werewolf whenever it’s dangerous?
If problems arise, well, that’s unfortunate.

Moreover, even if he tries not to do the job I assigned properly, he won’t be able to.
The White Frost members, who are crazy about loyalty competition, will harass Silver Wand and create results even if there aren’t any.

**

A day passes in the dormitory.
The vacation given for completing the mission was quickly coming to an end.
Actually, it’s called a vacation, but from some point on, it was insanely busy.

“Commoner, I’ll avenge my previous humiliation!”
“Eek.”

Dealing with Belladrin who kept barging in at all times.
Of course, there’s no way she could beat me.
One way or another, her magic filled with anger is blocked by the barrier, and I overwhelmingly outrank her in magic level.

Every time she’s stuck in the air like a scarecrow, receiving punishment for failing her challenge, Sharen came.
Her gaze turned towards Belladrin hanging messily over there, but perhaps because it was such a repeated scene, she pretended not to notice with familiarity.

“What brings you here?”
“What do you mean? Our Noah wanted to come this way.”

Meanwhile, the furball disguised as a demon was nestled in her bosom.
But it is kind of cute.
The small cat that hopped over snuggled in my arms.
Even knowing it’s actually a demon, the demonic charm of cats is irresistible, isn’t it?

“Its name is Noah?”
“Yeah, I was wondering what would be a good name, and it asked to be called that.”
“Noah, Noah, Noah…”

I fell into thought, repeating the name three times in a row.
It seems like I’ve heard it somewhere before.
Some demons are treated importantly even in the game.
I tried to recall demons associated with the name Noah, but couldn’t think of any.

Thinking it’s probably just an alias the demon made up, I drop the black cat from my arms.

-Meow.

It protested, asking why I was pushing it away, but what can you do about it?
As I pushed the cat rolling on the floor with my foot, Sharen scolded me with a stern expression.

“You shouldn’t bully weak animals carelessly.”
“Weak animal? This guy?”

The listening demon must be dumbfounded.
As I looked at Sharen with such an expression, the cat being kicked by my foot opened its mouth wide as if angry.

Haaak-!

“Oh my, this furball is hissing?”
“See, it’s saying it doesn’t like it.”
“…”

Seeing her hugging the cat and doting on it enthusiastically, I wanted to expose it as a demon right away, but I held back.
There’s no particular advantage in doing so anyway.
When the demon hiding as a familiar mistakenly thinks it’s on top of the witches’ heads, it’s best to use that misconception.

“…Well, it is cute.”

It’s not difficult to go along with such ‘play’.
Thinking that, I put my hand on Noah’s head.
As I closed my eyes, feeling the fluffy fur of the young cat…

Chomp-!

“Aaah!”

I felt a sharp sensation digging into my flesh.
It bit me. This furball bit me!
I looked at my hand with a whimpering expression, with a hole pierced by its fangs.
Wow, this hurts a lot more than I thought?

Sharen looked at me with an expression that said ‘serves you right’.

“Heh, that’s why I said not to bully it.”

Just because she said such things, my anger suddenly flared up.
I’m not the type to hold back.

“Oh yeah, like owner, like cat, right?”
“Grace? Huh? W-Wait a moment?”

As my surroundings turned dark with magical energy, Sharen started to run away with a very flustered expression.
But is that enough?
My advanced magic could easily chase after that much.

[Guided Arrow]

A black arrow imbued with guidance floated in the air.
An arrow that will surely follow and hit her once no matter where she runs.
The arrow shoots out beyond the door.
Soon, I heard the sound of someone tumbling on the floor.
Along with Sharen’s scream of “Kyaaah!”

“Puhehehehe…”

As I was laughing, thinking she surely got hit, Belladrin, who was hanging over there, looked at me with a very contemptuous expression.

“Commoner, bullying the weak is the worst evil hobby.”
“It bit me first, so it has to pay for that crime.”
“To think that someone like you, commoner, is such a great genius. A great misfortune has befallen this world.”
“…Could you not express people that way just for hitting once with weak power?”

Someone watching might think I’m some absolute evil.
While thinking such thoughts, Belladrin quickly broke free from the shadow curse and sat on the bed.
Certainly, her speed has increased.
Having resistance to Rank 7 level magic will be of great help in mastering her magic.

Belladrin had been charging in knowing she would lose, to build resistance to that curse.
But if she just asked me to curse her, I would have done it, but perhaps she was too embarrassed for that and always endured by facing the consequences of failing her challenges.

Anyway, even if she pretends to be noble, a child is still a child.

“Your gaze seems somewhat disrespectful, commoner?”
“It’s nothing.”

As I was saying that, the door opened.
Sharen came here, dangling by her nape in Elender’s grasp.
Huh? Why did she come here?

Elender put Sharen, who had fainted after being hit by my magic, down on the bed.
It surely wasn’t enough power to make her faint, though? Is she just a bit weak?
Meanwhile, Noah sat on her back and lay down on its belly.

“Nice to see you, children.”
“Ah, hello?”
“Lady Elender?”

As we were somewhat surprised by her appearance, we realized that Elender’s expression, after putting down the half-unconscious Sharen, was very heavy.

And I had a slight premonition that something had come.
The unstable situation of the Witch Society, Carmia’s continuing schemes.
It seems a situation has come where the balance has greatly collapsed.

“Elder Isoldia, who was driven to the brink of death, has awakened again. And she has taken Carmia’s side.”
“…”

A deep silence fell over the room.
There was no witch here who didn’t understand the meaning of this.
The resurrection of Elder Isoldia, who was only waiting to die from severe injuries.
This alone was suspicious, but she even took Carmia’s side?

With the Witch Society leader absent now, two out of the three elders who could control the Witch Society had become allies, so it was obvious that the situation would become a mess.

“Therefore, the Witch Society has completely fallen into their hands.”
“How is that possible?”
“But it has become reality.”

Elender sighed deeply again.
Her purple hair seemed to have lost some of its vitality.

“Carmia, who has taken over the Witch Society, has declared a Rank 5 promotion to resolve the isolation of this domain. A grand ritual will soon be prepared.”

She closed her eyes tightly.
Seeing that, I felt some uneasiness.

Rank 5 is a kind of symbolic level.
It can be seen as exactly the middle point in the process of reaching Rank 1 starting from Rank 9.
Beings who reach that realm receive an epithet.
Even the Society leader who has abandoned the Witch Society and disappeared had the epithet of ‘Condemnation’ (指彈), didn’t she?
They don’t give epithets for no reason.

Rank 5 is also an essential existence to protect at least one realm.
Because only Rank 5 and above can break through the outside and reach other realms.
If there’s no Rank 5 from now on, the Witch Society will wither and die in complete isolation.

So it is necessary.

But the problem is how much blood this Rank 5 promotion ritual will be stained with.

If I were to forcibly rise to Rank 5 by sacrificing countless lives right now, it would take tens of thousands of lives.
Of course, there’s no reason to do that, and they would try to minimize sacrifices, but if lives were to be used, it would require an enormous blood price.

But even this is the result of creating maximum efficiency.

What if a witch who doesn’t know this optimized promotion method attempts a promotion ritual to rise to Rank 5?

Hundreds of thousands of deaths.
This land will be dyed in blood.