You think you're worthy of saving the world?

The white-clad, long-haired witch flashed her innocent smile again: "Don't say that, my 'wicked' friend! It's rare for us all to come out and have fun together tonight, let's get along well~"

"Hey everyone? Shall we let 'Malice Witch' take this child back?"

The other witches remained silent; some watched from afar, indifferent to what was going on, while others excitedly fanned the flames as if things weren't big enough.

"...Hmph, do as you please."

A wicked smile crept across the heavily made-up witch's lips as she strode into the pitch-black night.

A few seconds later, the other witches also left the scene one after another.

The witch who initially strongly opposed it glared at the "wicked witch" and the "light witch" before disappearing into the night.

"Don't expect me to thank you," the elaborately dressed, red-haired witch said coldly.

"Witches should help each other, right?" The white-clad, long-haired witch narrowed her eyes.

The "wicked witch" showed no mercy, looking down at her and speaking sharply.

"This brat is my property... I'll kill you if you dare lay a finger on him."

"No, no, no!" The "Lantern Witch" quickly waved her hand.

The "wicked witch" snorted, bent down to pick up Yuri's upper and lower body, as well as the "Azure Queen," and quickly left the forest, which had returned to silence.

Finally, the white-clad, long-haired witch transformed into a wisp of night mist and ascended to the heavens under the moonlight.

047 Tia: It hurts! It hurts so much!

In a hazy state, Tia opened her eyes.

"here it is……?"

Looking around, she found herself in a dark and damp dungeon, surrounded by a fence with some kind of strange barrier.

No matter how hard the girl racked her brains, she couldn't remember what she had done before she lost consciousness.

"Tia? Miss Tia! You're awake, Miss Tia!"

“Cynthia… um.”

The blue-haired elf rushed over and hugged her tightly.

"That's wonderful, Lady Tia! I thought you would never wake up again!"

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Cynthia."

The elven girl stroked the back of her sobbing kinsman as she asked, "What happened?"

Tia discovered that both she and Cynthia had chains on their feet that were imbued with some kind of ominous aura. The elven girl felt weak all over after moving even slightly.

"Why are we trapped in a place like this? Is this the dungeon of slave traders?"

Tia looked around: "And where is Yuri, the boy who was with us?"

As Cynthia wiped away her tears, she explained to Tia everything that had happened the night before.

ten minutes later.

"How could this be? Everyone...!?"

The blonde elf girl covered her lips, widened her eyes, and struggled to hold back the tears from the corners of her eyes.

She simply couldn't imagine that such a tragic and inhumane event had occurred while she was unconscious.

Last night, after Tia went to the third carriage, she didn't rest immediately, but spent a lot of time with the children.

After all, they were clearly closer to Yuri during the day, which made the stubborn and strong-willed Tia very unhappy.

Finally, through the elf girl's tireless efforts, she gained the children's trust.

Tia wrote down the names of all six children and promised them that she would invite them to visit Fairy Village in the future.

When the children asked her where Yuri had gone, Tia proudly patted her chest and declared that she was stronger than Yuri and that she would take his place in protecting everyone that night.

result--

So many vibrant lives of minors perished right beside her as she slept, and Tia was unable to protect anything!

An overwhelming sense of remorse left the elven girl dizzy and in agony.

She gritted her teeth, her nails clenching so tightly they almost tore her palms apart: "Then... what about Yuri..."

Cynthia continued to explain the situation.

After the third carriage was destroyed, Yuri did not run away but rushed over.

He fought bravely against the witch's retinue, who were far stronger than him, and finally succeeded in avenging the children's deaths.

"Yuri...he did it...!"

Hearing that the black-haired boy had avenged the children, Tia felt a little relieved.

While feeling gratified, the elf became even more critical of herself.

After all, she and Yuri had made a promise that she would protect the child and he would protect the woman.

Why couldn't I keep my promise...?

"Please don't blame yourself too much, Miss Tia. In that situation, after suffering such injuries... it's already remarkable that you survived."

Cynthia comforted her.

She knew very well how indispensable Tia was to the Kingdom of the Sacred Tree.

"Where is Yuri? Where is he now?"

This is what the elven girl is most concerned about right now.

But her hopeful question was met with a sad shake of the head from Cynthia.

"Yuri...is he dead?"

Finally, Tia could no longer bear it.

"Waaaaaaahh ...

The tears that had been suppressed for so long finally burst forth, and the strong elf girl burst into tears.

Amid Tia's wailing, Cynthia slowly recounted what had happened afterward.

The witches descended like a natural disaster, killing the boy as if it were a game.

Cynthia was also knocked unconscious, and when she woke up, she was in the witches' underground prison.

"It's all my fault, sob... It's all my fault for not listening to Yuri! Waaaaaaahh ...

Her beautiful fingertips drew bloodstains on the rough cement floor; those were the blood and tears of regret that Tia shed.

Yuri's words seemed to echo in my ears—

"Witches and magic exist. Be extra careful tonight, and remember to set up a protective barrier."

"Waaah... Yuri clearly warned me! Magic and witches exist! But I...waaah, I didn't believe him..."

If...if...if I had listened to him more...this wouldn't have happened, sob sob...it wouldn't have happened, waa ...

I want to see him again.

I want to apologize to him.

I'm sorry, I couldn't believe you.

I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you.

sorry……

Tia bit her lip, her jewel-like eyes, brimming with tears, hardened.

"I need to escape from here..."

Tia wiped away her tears and began to consider a plan to escape from prison.

Valpugis Territory... wait, I will definitely get there.

Yuri, I will definitely inform your lord of your heroic death!

I will tell her myself what a remarkable hero her knight is!

……

……

……

"Waaaaah... Lord Yuri... Waaaaahhhhhh...!!!"

Princess Hiltia, the third princess, sniffled and wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

In the Kingdom of the Sacred Tree, the Queen and Princess also witnessed the entire tragedy that night.

After Yuri was dragged away by the "wicked witch," they lost the boy's perspective.

So it seems he really is dead.

The Elf Queen and the princesses empathized with Tia, moved by Yuri's bravery and saddened by the human boy's sacrifice.

"As expected of Lady Rosalia's chosen trial companion... He is truly an extraordinary human boy who maintained his integrity until the very end."

First Princess Elutia murmured, her eyes red-rimmed.

"What a pity, Yuri... If he had survived and continued to grow up, he would surely have become a hero who would be remembered in history."

The Second Princess Grandia's voice was cold and clear: "In the end, all of this was brought upon the human boy himself."

Who told him to run back to find the witch's familiar? If he had obediently run away, he shouldn't have died...

To seek revenge for someone he barely met in the singularity shows he has no awareness of his own weakness.

And Hiltia too, how long are you planning to keep wailing? It's outrageous! Stop crying!

Upon hearing this, the First Princess frowned slightly, turned around and scolded, "Grandia, how could you say that! The boy clearly..."

Elutia covered her mouth, for she had seen her beloved younger sister—

Two tears streamed down the face of the proudest silver-haired princess of the Sacred Tree Kingdom.

“…Stupid human.”