Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 783: The Crimson Witch

And here I was getting some much-needed rest for once. But then came the scream that woke me up. Something was going on in the room right next to mine–well, at least this time it wasn’t me who was getting a little surprise in the middle of the night. Getting out of bed with my marionette, somehow still asleep, I made my way outside.

Stepping out, I could taste someone’s blood on my tongue. Fresh and recently squeezed, and from the looks of the gathered crowd outside the neighbour’s room, it seemed that someone had either been killed inside or injured themselves.

”Is there a healer here?!” The voice screamed from inside the room again, but none of the men nor the women standing by the door were moving in for the woman’s aid.

”Well then, I suppose it’s my turn to help.” Unfolding my umbrella, I started walking towards the door. Thankfully, just seeing me getting closer with a massive distraction overhead was enough to move the crowd to a corner so I could peer inside and assess the problem. ”Oh my~ Did she try to kill herself?”

”JUST HELP ME DAMN IT!” Screamed the funny-eared woman.

Her hands were covering the woman’s wounds, but it seemed that somehow the bleeding just didn’t want to stop. And from the looks of the empty potion bottles lying on the floor, it became clear that whatever enchanted weapon was used was stopping any recovery method.

”Fine, I will help you.” Holding the umbrella to the receptionist, I handed it to him before walking inside the room. Kneeling by the injured woman, I glanced her up and down, then turned my attention to the funny-eared woman. ”I have a price, though.”

”Whatever! Just heal her, I’ll pay!”

”It’s not gold, and I won’t be the one collecting payment.”

”What?!”

”You’ll see when it happens. My powers aren’t entirely my own, unfortunately.”

”A warlock? Fine, I’ll handle it. I’m a warlock too...”

”Incorrect, but since you’re going to bear the consequence, there’s no need for me to worry.”

With an agreement met, I moved the woman’s hand off the injury and moved my own over it. Holding the wound tight with one hand, I moved my other hand to the white leather mask that covered half of my face vertically. Unveiling the flower that peeked out of my half-metallic skull, I placed my hand over the flower petals and covered them to channel my power through one hand to the other.

”What is that?” The woman asked, but an explanation would’ve taken too long. And so, ignoring her question, I closed my eyes and reached within to draw the power of the crimson devil.

”I, Erika Redbarron–the daughter of a giant and the red devil, command that this woman be healed.” A blinding crimson light started to bleed from within the woman’s wounds, and slowly but surely I could feel her body getting healed. Pouring more and more of the flower’s strength, I gave the woman what was mine. ”By the Crimson Witch’s command, you are...healed.”

Letting go of the woman’s hand, I quickly closed my eyes and covered my face again. While still letting my mind recover from the spell, I could hear the wounded woman groaning as she was slowly coming back to her senses.

”Hilma! Oh gods, you scared me!” The other woman declared before lunging at the lying lady. I could feel it happening without opening my eyes, but as I opened them, it began–the devil had come to collect its payment.

”It’s raining...” I whispered, but my words were ignored by all, as their minds were occupied by the healed woman.

Getting up from the ground, I quickly turned to the receptionist, the only person I knew whose words even held an ounce of authority here.

”Tell everyone to get inside! A flood’s coming!” For a moment he just stared at me blankly, and so did the others; however, the sound of sudden thunder jolted them awake. ”Go now before everyone drowns!”

And with that he finally rushed off, right before the ceilings began leaking bloody raindrops. The air grew rancid in a moment, and the sounds of thrashing limbs falling from the skies–it was as I had remembered last–the last time I’d been stabbed inside an inn.

”Why does this stuff always happen in an inn?” Bad omen, I supposed, but who can tell? No world is free of trouble.

”She’s still a bit weak.” Hearing the same woman from before speaking lightly now, I turned around to address her.

”It’s going to take a while before she recovers completely, but nothing should hurt her now–at least not for a week.”

”Nothing? What do you–”

Shrugging my shoulders, I cut her off.

”I can’t tell you everything. Believe me, it’s for the best that we don’t talk about me too much. You should focus on that girl instead, and perhaps it’s best for you to move her from this city. We’re about to have a flood of blood and guts for a day or three.”

Furrowing her brows, she stared at me for a while longer. Not saying a word, but it was clear that she was quite confused by everything. Of course, I couldn’t tell her much. Me and my marionette have quite a long trip way home, after all.

”Thank you either way. I’m sorry for screaming at you before.” To my surprise, the sharp look in her eyes quickly melted away. With her head turned to the barely conscious woman, the wolf girl took a deep breath and added. ”If she’d died...gods, I don’t know what I would’ve done. After everything that happened, this would’ve truly broken a lot of us up.”

’Us? Who is she talking about?’ Although she had piqued my curiosity, I decided that it was best not to dwell on it. Some rest is better than none, so it’s time to return to sleep.

”Anyways, I’ll go to sleep now. You should get out of the city while the rain’s going on.” Just as I turned around, however, she called out to me.

”Wait!” Turning around again, I raised both of my eyebrows in question. ”Isn’t there something I can do for you? You don’t know what kind of favor you’ve done here for me.”

”Well, unless you know a man called Razor, I don’t think you can help me.”

”Razor?”

”Yeah, I need his help for something. Buttt, I doubt you’d know him.” Yet again, as I tried to walk away, she called.

”We do know him.” I almost choked on air when I heard her claim; at first I thought she was lying, but that fierce look on her face was enough to prove otherwise. So greeting her with a smile, I walked closer yet again and offered her a handshake and an introduction.

”Erika Redbarron–daughter of the late Duke Redbarron, half daughter of a giant and a child of the red devil, unfortantely–but people in my world just call me the Crimson Witch.”

”That’s a lot of titles,” she said, eyeing my offered hand.

”Yes...yes, they are.” And with that, she took my hand, bringing me one step closer to my next destination.