One week had passed since Anemos officially became the King of the Death Wind.
Anemos wasn't in Hydrangea right now.
He'd gone with Shiro and Ambrosius to meet the King of Water's Death.
Apparently the King of Fire's Death was heading there too.
The round trip would take about three weeks.
The cheat technique called Etranger was still a secret.
But don't worry. I'd given Anemos a device ring too.
A ring? So what?
Anyway, as for where I was — well, the witch's house.
The usual cluttered living room. The usual herbal tea in front of me.
This time's herbal tea was a yellowish color with scorch marks on it.
It faintly smelled of cheese. Was it cheese?
"Oh my, how fascinating. A Relic[Transformation]turning you into a monster, no less."
The witch was sunk deep into a red sofa, the silver key I'd handed her in her hands.
As always, she had a nice body — the kind of outfit where her underwear was practically visible.
And as always, she was an absolute knockout of a woman.
A silver-haired fox-person. She had three tails.
She deftly spun the silver key around in one hand.
This key was the blue light left behind by that big, fat, colossal idiot of an Anomalocaris founder of Pared.
It was a super ultra rare item.
"So a Relic of [Metamorphosis] works like that?"
"Hmm hmm. It's definitely transformation-type, but I've never heard of it turning you into a monster. Honestly, this is the first time I've even heard of this Relic."
"The witch hasn't either?"
"Now now, don't look so surprised, Wof. I'm not exactly a Relic expert, you know."
The witch gave a wry smile and flicked her second tail lightly.
"Right."
"And besides, Relics are deep and complex. There are countless ones I've never seen. But whether a Relic that turns you into a [Monster] can just be filed under 'haven't seen that one either' — now that's worth questioning."
"What do you mean?"
"Hmm hmm. You've met two holders of the [Metamorphosis] Relic, Wof. Each of them turned into a different monster."
"Yes. One was the Caucasus Giant Beetle. The founder was an Anomalocaris."
Both were oddballs. And also not monsters.
Or wait — in this world, maybe they counted as perfectly legitimate monsters.
"If so, if so — then [Metamorphosis] might turn each person into a different monster, depending on the person."
"Well, about that — I did deal with a Phantom Unit before. There was actually an Anomalocaris hiding inside it."
"Oh my, oh my. If that's the case, then perhaps the monster's form depends on the person's soul."
"That might be true."
But even so, an Anomalocaris? That couldn't be right.
Also, it wasn't Pared — it was Pareed, apparently.
Well, whatever.
—A very, very interesting tale. And this key is truly fascinating, too, eh.
—Did you figure something out?
—Well, well. This here is a legendary key, eh.
—A legendary... key?
—Yes, yes. The kind of key you need to open a special door, eh.
—Does that mean Pareed's hideout has a door like that?
—Very likely, very likely. Since this was the key the founder held, Pareed's greatest secret might be hidden behind it, eh.
—Then should I hand this over?
Leold would be the one who needs it most, I think.
The witch handed the key back to me, narrowed her pale green eyes, and lowered her silver fox ears.
—Oh my, oh my. Not interested, eh?
I let out a light sigh at her words.
—I can't say I have zero interest, but I'm not exactly eager about it. Do you want it, Witch?
—Oh my, oh my. Very much so, eh.
—Then the key is yours, Witch.
—Oh no, oh no. That's young Wof's property, eh.
She turned me down gently.
I gave a wry smile.
—Then how about we go together once we find the hideout?
—Mhm, mhm. Of course. Let's go together, eh.
The witch gave me a cheerful smile.
But where could it be? The royal capital is awfully far away, after all.
If I used Etranger, I'd get there in an instant.
Since Narcissus was already using it, I could head to the royal capital whenever I wanted.
The royal capital, huh.
If my uncle hadn't given me a house, I probably would have set out for the royal capital too.
I knew it was the largest city at the very heart of this Folklore Kingdom.
Well, I suppose a once-in-a-lifetime visit wouldn't be so bad.
"Now then, young Wof. Shall we give our bodies a good vigorous workout together for the first time in a while?"
"Wh— vigorous? Oh, uh, sure. Sparring practice?"
That's what this was about. You scared me there.
"Finally, finally. We've gotten the big jobs out of the way and can catch our breath, after all."
"I see. Good work, then."
"So, you see, that's why if we don't keep our bodies moving, we'll get stiff and rusty."
"Got it. I've been feeling like I haven't been moving around much either, so this is perfect timing."
When I stood up, the witch rose silently from the sofa as well.
To the courtyard.
"Now then, let's start with a little warm-up, shall we?"
As I took my stance and measured the distance between us, the witch spoke lightly.
"A little warm—up—!"
The next moment, I was rolling on the ground.
Wait, what? How did that happen?
At some point, the witch had grabbed my arm and was looking down at me.
What on earth just…?
"Whoops, whoops, sorry about that, Wof, my boy. Guess I didn't hold back enough."
She gave a wry little smile as I stared up at her in a daze.
With the witch's help, I got back on my feet.
I saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not a single thing.
I hadn't noticed a thing before being knocked down, and afterward, there was neither impact nor pain.
"Um… Excuse me."
"Mm? What is it?"
"Would it be all right if I attacked you?"
"Go right ahead. Don't hold back—come at me with everything you've got."
"Then here I go for real!"
I charged at the witch with all my strength.
I closed the distance in one step and grabbed her arm.
Immediately, the world flipped upside down.
"Huh?"
Once again, I was sprawled on the ground.
The sky visible through the gaps between the trees was blue.
"Mmm mmm. It's been so long, I seem to have forgotten how to hold back."
"............?"
Wait, why am I lying on the ground?
I was the one who grabbed her arm. I'm pretty sure I did. But the next moment, I was slammed into the ground.
No, not slammed. There was no pain or impact whatsoever.
Before I could even process what happened, I was being flung through the air.
Is that even possible?
"Hey, hey. Young Wof. You okay?"
"Y-yes. I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine."
I got up, still completely bewildered.
"So it really seems Kon can't hold back after all. This isn't going to work as training."
"One more time. I'll attack again. Is that alright?"
"Well, well, I don't mind, but are you sure you're okay, young Wof?"
"Yes. Please."
I charged at her with everything I had.
And then I surrendered to the ground more times than I could count.
It was a strange experience and sensation. I was being thrown without any pain or impact.
So the fatigue was less than usual, all things considered.
Again and again and again and again, I looked up at the blue sky.
With the overwhelming difference in our abilities washing over me and all sorts of emotions swirling inside, I headed toward the witch once more.
Eventually, I started to make out the witch's movements.
But that wasn't because I'd gotten closer to the witch or anything like that.
I realized it almost immediately.
The witch was starting to hold back.
That's why I could see her movements.
Before long, the impact and pain from being thrown began to register fully on my body, and I was reduced to tatters.
"Hah... hah... hah hah... hah... hah..."
Every ragged breath sent a dull ache racing through me.
Why did it seem like the witch holding back actually made the impacts hurt more?
"Hey, hey. Young Wof. You doing okay there?"
"Haaah... hah... haaah hah....... I'm... I'm pretty... tired..."
Somehow, after not having pushed myself like this in a while, drenched in sweat, I was completely exhausted.
I was covered in wounds. Right now, I couldn't move a single finger.
Definitely going to have muscle soreness tomorrow.
Better use an elixir.
In the end, I hadn't won a single match. I couldn't do anything.
And that must be the witch's technique when she's serious, or rather, not holding back.
She'd used almost no strength. It was probably the very essence of her technique. The witch had mastered it.
She really is amazing... As expected of my master.
Just like that, I lost consciousness.
When I opened my eyes, I was on the witch's lap, and I nodded along as she spoke to me with concern.
Her expression was probably one of genuine worry from the bottom of her heart.
But I couldn't see it.
From this angle, I couldn't see the witch's face at all.
Because... there was a wall in the way.
A very vivid, very present wall formed by the witch's breasts.
I couldn't see her face at all, but this was its own kind of visual feast.
They swayed and swayed and swayed and swayed, right up in my face, magnificently large.
"Thank you very much..."
"Mm. Mm. Did you say something, young Wof?"
I didn't answer. I just stared, blankly.
I simply stared.
Eventually, I grew drowsy, and I fell into a quiet sleep, my breathing soft and even.
I came to with a start.
I was in a mysterious space, uniformly white, with fog drifting across the night sky above.
"............"
I was standing alone in that mysterious space.
And evenly spaced throughout it were slender black cylindrical pillars.
So that meant this mysterious space was...
"Huh... at a time like this...?"
I figured it out and grumbled.
Of all the possible times, seriously, it had to be now?