Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 15: The Witchʼs Real Charm(18+)

To slaughter a horde, how must one attain such a task? By magic? By stealth? Or perhaps through cunning reflexes and the sleight of hands? Well, for Raven, the answer was clear. To defeat the horde of monsters whoʼd tortured him to death, he needed them all with no room for slip-ups.

”What are you gonna do with that many magic scrolls?” Asked the inscription mage as he packed Ravenʼs order.

Throughout the years that heʼd run the Enchanted Wand, nobody had required so many magic scrolls all at once. It roused concern, especially since the recipient was a man whoʼd just recently risen up from his own death.

”Did you get everything?” Trying to divert from the topic, Raven planted his hands firmly on the counter and smiled.

Holding his gaze, the mage shook his head lightly and sighed. Having been in the business of selling scrolls–even those with nefarious effects, heʼd learned not to ask too many questions when the customer doesnʼt seem to appreciate them.

”Four hellflame scrolls...” As he began listing what heʼd packed, the image of a burning ocean erupting through the ground violently flashed before his eyes. He knew what those scrolls could do, which was exactly why they took so long to make and cost an exorbitant fortune. ”Two scrolls of mass binding, and one scroll of invisibility.”

Pushing the packed case of scrolls forward, the mage took off his tall blue hat and stepped away as a precaution. Slipping his hand inside the hat, he stood ready to cast a spell in case the dark mage tried anything other than putting the gold on the counter.

”Lighten up, Darius,” laying the gold on the counter, Raven pushed it towards the mage.

Still cautious of the dark mage, Darius slowly reached for the gold, and taking it, he stepped away once more. With a sigh, Raven shrugged his shoulders and reached for the scrolls. Grabbing the box, theyʼd been put in off the table, he turned around to leave the place for the herbalist.

”Wait...” Before he took even a step, however, Darius called out, forcing Raven to turn around. Locking his eyes with the dark mage, he reached under the counter. Picking a crystal out of his drawer, he threw it at Raven for him to catch.

A bit surprised, the shiny blue crystal almost slipped out of his hand, but juggling it a little, he managed to clasp it between his hands.

”Whatʼs this?” Asked Raven, bringing the cold crystal closer to his eyes.

Trailing out of the ocean blue shard was a cloud of white, akin to the air drifting through the blizzard.

”In case you need to calm the gates of hell those scrolls might open, it should help cool things down,” his eyes squinted, Darius kept cautiously staring at Raven, but having known the adventurer since he was just a teen, he couldnʼt let him without giving him a failsafe. ”Come back alive this time, alright? I donʼt wanna hear that you died again, and that too because of my scrolls. Itʼll be bad for business.”

For once since Raven had walked in, a flicker of the faintest smile appeared on Dariusʼ face. Heʼd kept up a stonehearted facade so far, but seeing the young adventurer back on dangerous tracks, he just couldnʼt help his excitement. Noticing that flicker of joy in the inscriptionist, Raven flashed a smirk of his own and spoke one last time before being on his way.

”Iʼll let you know when the bastards are dead,” a roar of coarse laughs resounded through the Enchanted Wand, and it only died when Raven finally headed off.

Making his way to the herbalist after being told to wait a bit longer this morning, Raven hoped he wouldnʼt be turned away again since his patience was running thin. Heading straight for the Lifeclover, a strange smell caught his attention as he arrived. Something was burning, but what it was, wasnʼt clear, and yet the hint of it in the air outside the shop was making him slightly nauseous.

ʼIs that the coating she was talking about?ʼ Fire, the best way to bring down a minotaur, and Linkle, the herbalist woman, had offered that advice as well as bottles of flammable herb oil that could make even the thickest monster hide melt into a cinder. All it would need once the coating was done, was a flame strong enough to roast the creature alive.

Masking his face, Raven headed on in. Unlike his last visit the interior was all cleaned up, and the rotting potion bottles were nowhere in sight. The shelves laying completely empty struck him as a bit odd, but assuming she was restocking them soon, Raven didnʼt put it much mind and kept moving inwards.

Walking around the counter, he moved into the room adjacent to the shopfront. There, standing beside a massive cauldron with a brew bubbling inside, was Linkle dazzling in her youthful charm as a young woman.

”What the–”

”Iʼm a witch,” cutting off Ravenʼs words, she brushed her slitted gown to the side and turned her gaze towards him. ”Deception is my lifeblood, but moving on, I donʼt remember inviting you in just yet.”

His eyes entranced by her supple frame, Raven looked her up and down, trying to judge if he was seeing wrong. Dangling between her legs was a slim piece of her gown and the only thing that was covering her lower half. Raising his eyes, Raven gulped at the sight of those wide hips big enough to crush him under her body. Then came those budding breasts pushing against the fabric. And at last, reaching her round face free of all wrinkles from before, she appeared like a pure maiden if not for those dark-painted lips. The hat still covered her hair, but judging from where he stood it was just the way it had been in her other form.

”Oi, Iʼm not done yet, get out,” sticking her leg further out, she stood in a commanding pose with her body leaning to the side.

”Y-yeah...” Astounded enough already, Raven said not a word and left her be for the moment.

But as he went back to the storefront, he still couldnʼt get what heʼd just seen out of his mind. Long smooth legs like a swan, and the bubbly face of an angel turned succubus. But the hardest to get out of his head, were those wide hips half protruding out of her dress.

ʼAnother addition...ʼ Adding her to the list as well, Raven waited for the witch to be done inside.