In the room filled with ankle-deep water, only the sound of dripping water could be heard from somewhere, along with an eerie stillness.

The witch, submerged in the water with her white hair flowing, was dreaming of the past.

The day of disaster that could be called a natural calamity.

Without warning, black rain fell from the magic circle that unfurled. It was contaminated corpses.

The forest, once only green, was stained black by the corpses of various animals falling from the sky.

The witches’ defenses were pierced in an instant, and they were stunned by the massive corpses enough to cover the green forest.

It was a being considered noble. The highest-ranking being among the animals on earth.

The corpse of a dragon fell.

The dragon’s corpse, cut in half, was contaminated, and its tainted magic power attacked the witches all at once.

It was a one-sided massacre.

The contaminated magic power turned into a curse, taking root, and absorbed all the witches’ magic power and life as if devouring them.

On top of that, they couldn’t come to their senses from the attack magic cast by the wizards outside the forest. Their perfect sanctuary was being destroyed like that.

“Bensi! Hurry. At least you should run away.”

“Granny. What are you saying? I will also protect this place! I said I will fight!”

“That is a corrupted power. The moment it touches us, it absorbs all our power.”

“Still…”

The witches cried out in agony, their skin burnt and melted. That cry pushed the hesitating Bensi’s back.

“Don’t you know?! The barrier we made with blood has been broken! The witch’s bloodline outside has betrayed us!”

“Go! We will hold them off, so hurry and go!”

“Live. At least you survive and fight for our share too.”

Magic couldn’t be used.

Against the strong power emanating from the black corpses, the ominous energy that devoured even light, Bensi could only helplessly traverse the forest on two legs like humans.

Barely escaping the forest after having half of her magic power stolen by the ominous energy taking root between the trees, she couldn’t help but be shocked to the point of fainting.

Golden waves. Even though the forest was being dyed black by the ominous energy, the outside was dyed in splendid gold.

An army armed with golden armor. The blond hair of the man standing in front of them also shone brilliantly in the sunlight. As if he had become something noble.

The man at the pinnacle of humanity. A familiar magic power flowed from the baton he held.

Why, Angela’s magic power… No? Angela couldn’t have betrayed us.

Despite the invisible long distance, it felt like their eyes met with the man’s.

Bensi quickly left that place. Fortunately, they didn’t chase after her. They wouldn’t have cared about a single dying witch.

I don’t know what state of mind I was in to go all the way to the capital.

Even though disaster had befallen us, the humans in every village I passed were so peaceful. However, the capital I arrived at after a long journey was engulfed in an unusual atmosphere.

Looking up at the imperial palace, half-destroyed and collapsed, and seeing the uniformed humans moving about in a disorderly manner.

Something was wrong. That’s how I felt.

“Bensi Hestosinea.”

The man, whose immaculate white hair had turned a muddy gray, had red eyes like witches, which was unusual.

“Dragon?!”

The man spoke with eyes glistening with tears.

“Angela is dead. She used her power for others until the very end and died.”

Only then did I realize. Angela was not a traitor but was used.

I gasped at the story the dragon told me. I collapsed from the pain of my heart being torn out.

“Angela asked me to tell you she’s sorry.”

I blankly looked up at the darkening sky. The magic circle covering the forest had spread beyond the empire to the entire continent.

Distorted by the plan gone awry, it began to reach out in all directions and randomly absorb magic power.

If witches were the target at first, this time, not only wizards but also the magic power of ordinary people was being absorbed into the depths of the imperial palace.

The one who caused this is human. Just a mere human? No, what exactly are we being attacked by? What are we supposed to fight against?

The dragon said that Angela had made it so that the magic power couldn’t be fully absorbed. So don’t worry, he said.

What am I supposed to worry about? I have already lost everything.

“Go back.”

With those words, the dragon disappeared. She returned with staggering footsteps.

The forest was completely dyed black. Even the witches’ corpses were charred black, too gruesome to look at.

In misery, the witch embraced her companions and family members, howling like a beast.

Now I am the queen of witches.

The magic attacking the forest had stopped, but the magic circle spread in all directions was pulling even the magic power in the air.

The witch, who wore the crown alone, began to frantically draw magic circles, squeezing out the remaining magic power just before it was absorbed.

To bring down the imperial family.

No, that vicious bastard coiled around the imperial family! To make that evil bastard vomit out all the magic power of my fellow witches that he devoured.

To take revenge on the bastard who made me sacrifice my child.

“I…”

“I…”

“…wait for the time.”

I waited for the time. The day when the magic circle would be solidly completed with the passage of time and I could take bloody revenge.

I waited, sleeping for a long time.

“I didn’t know it would fail like this.”

Under the slightly opened eyelids, the crimson color was steeped in regret.

Surely, just before Diana regressed, it must have been on the verge of success.

The magic was turned back in time just before it succeeded. The magic circle was ruined on the misaligned time axis at the moment the energy exploded.

“Angela, why did you do that?”

The culprit I had been searching for with such fervor turned out to be my niece. The more I examined Diana’s body, the more convinced I became.

Turning back time must have been a wish made through the dragon. Why did you make that child return instead of you?

“Why that child of all people…!”

The witch’s eyes widened at the unpleasant sensation hitting her sensitive nerves.

How dare an intruder enter.

[This is the timeline separator]

No entry. The bear crossed its front paws in an X shape, blocking the massive door.

“Move.”

The bear shook its head, indicating it would be big trouble, and stood like a gatekeeper in front of the door.

[Diana. Hurry up and knock down this beast and let’s go in.]

Diana looked at Levant with an astonished expression.

If she got serious and aimed for vital points, she could take down a bear of that size, but…

‘You’re really talking comfortably.’

[Huh? What do you mean by that?]

‘Nothing. Ancestor, don’t you have any abilities?’

[My abilities, you say? I…]

“Ah, there’s the witch!”

[Eek!]

“Kroong?!”

When Diana pointed to the end of the corridor, not only the bear but even Levant got frightened and cowered in fear.

They hid behind Diana at an unbelievably fast speed.

The bear, boasting a huge size that seemed to reach the ceiling, and the soul invisible to others’ eyes used her as a shield.

It was a comical sight, but she didn’t mind.

While they were distracted, Diana swiftly opened the mahogany door.

Click. The door, which opened easily without a lock, moved smoothly despite its heavy weight.

What could be inside that it’s off-limits?

As she opened the door, the chandelier lights automatically turned on brightly, revealing the interior of the room at a glance.

“……”

It was a cozy baby room with the temperature and humidity adjusted to a warm level.

Above the baby crib, a mobile was moving automatically.

All the furniture, including the desk, seemed to be tailored to the height of a grown child, and toys were overflowing.

As she stepped inside, a small box on the table in the center of the room opened, and a music box started playing.

‘♩~♬~♪’

It was a melody that evoked a feeling of longing rather than an eerie feeling.

Inside the small box, a porcelain doll in the shape of a woman wearing a white dress was dancing to the melody.

As it spun around, moving its arms…

Crash! The heavy mahogany door flew off and fell on Diana.

“Get out right now!”

A furious roar filled the room. Thanks to the bear protectively embracing her, Diana was unharmed.

The door panel, bouncing off the bear’s lower back, smashed the baby crib and fell out.

“Are you okay?”

The bear nodded slightly. Unexpected. I didn’t know it would protect me.

“Who dared to come in here?!”

‘♩~♬~♪’

Amidst the excited witch’s voice, a small melody flowed.

Everyone’s gaze turned to the music box.

Bensi’s enraged eyes widened. It was the only item with Angela’s touch that hadn’t been moving.

No matter how much magic power she poured into it, it wouldn’t budge, but now it was moving.

‘♩~♬~♪~♬’

As the melody approached its end, the porcelain doll placed its hands on its chest as if taking something out and reached out its hands towards Diana.

A dark red light. A small jewel was held in the porcelain doll’s two hands.

As if telling her to touch it quickly, Diana put her fingertips on that intense color. And then it went dark.

“Wait! I’m coming too!”

[Diana!]

In contrast to the noisy situation outside, she opened her eyes in a very warm space.

[This is the timeline separator]

It was a black space. Another dream? She was floating as if in a dream. But there was no fear.

She could tell it had no intention of harming her. It just felt cozy, as if she was embraced in someone’s arms.

[Do you have a wish?]

A woman’s voice was heard, overlapping in two layers.

The woman, hidden by a veil, quietly descended in front of her like a goddess presiding over death.

“Huh?”

It was a familiar silhouette.

[Do you have a wish?]

The question was repeated. A wish. Her wish converged into one thing.

“A complete life. To break the curse on me and my people and live without suffering.”

She and Rodrick. They were supposed to die in the original story. No, in the previous life, everyone had already died.

But they got to live again and wanted to live fully. They wanted to be happy.

There was nothing she wanted more than that right now. Her pink eyes were shining clearly, yearning for life.

The woman smiled beneath the veil.

[Child who desires life.]

The wind blew. From within the fluttering veil, the woman reached out to Diana.

The woman tapped her forehead and covered her eyes with her pale hands. Her whole body felt hot as if she had a fever.

[Yearn and believe. If you wish for it, it will come true. For you have been chosen.]

“Chosen?”

[Find the last remnants and soul left behind by the Beatus Witch. They will help you achieve what you desire.]

“Are you leaving?”

As the woman was about to disappear, Diana grabbed her as if she didn’t want to let go.

The woman smiled brightly, cupped her cheeks as if she found her adorable, and kissed her forehead.