I Stole the Heroines’ Tragedy Flags

The darkened vision cleared up, and the flow of air shifted.
The place I was moved to by Sharin was a forest filled with dense trees.
'Do not sacrifice yourself...'

I reflected on her warm and concerned advice, which made one side of my chest feel warm. A race that should have hated humans, instead, cared for them and gave them teachings. In a way, she was truly a genuine educator.
'It seems like something I would find difficult to do.'
What exactly is a witch? Most people commonly perceive witches as women cursed by the gods or minions of the Demon Lord. The former perception made people avoid witches, and the latter rumors led to witch hunts happening across the continent. Of course, the latter was complete nonsense, but the feeling of fear, even from a false rumor, was enough to incite people.

Thus, discrimination and massacres against witches continued for hundreds of years. Witches, now alongside dragonkind, had become figures from old tales. For descendants who inherited the blood of witches, it was a truly unjust matter.
'The origin of witches dates back thousands of years...'
The appearance of the original Demon Lord was just over 1,000 years ago. It was far too recent to consider witches to be mere pawns of his. Yet humans, being vile and simple, turned a blind eye to this fact. By now, it was difficult to imagine witches having good feelings toward us.

...
'Ah, there it is.'
As I walked forward, lost in such thoughts, a familiar building came into view. A small hut, entangled with tree trunks, floating in midair—a place where witches had lived, and also the dungeon known as the "Witch’s Hut" in the game.

I paused for a moment, taking in the unusual sight, before heading toward the floating hut, climbing the branches. I stood before the door of the building and opened it.
Squeak—Thud!
'...Compared to other witches, this hut is surprisingly small.'

A space no bigger than four pyeong, it seemed. Since she was likely someone who engaged in frequent external activities, this place probably wasn't intended to be a permanent residence, so it was built small for that reason.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than .net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
As I surveyed the inside of the hut, my gaze naturally fell on the table at the center. On it sat a massive orb, about the size of a face. The crimson orb was surrounded by black mist, emitting a sinister aura.

'So, this is the Witch's Crystal... seeing it in person, it's no joke.'
The Witch's Crystal was almost like a second heart to a witch. Of course, breaking it wouldn't kill them, but it was the source of their power. The moment it shattered, everything a witch had built as a witch would disappear.
'Even if they asked me to break it, it wouldn't be easy.'
If I were caught by a witch, my head would likely be off much faster. This crystal was that special to witches.

"...Hoo."
I approached the table with a trembling heart and placed my hand on the crystal. As my fingers touched the black energy, a chilling sensation enveloped my body.
And then, my hand touched the crystal.

Fwoosh—!
Black light surrounded the hut, and everything began to be engulfed by it.
***

"…"
Everything around me started to fall apart. Like paint being spilled, the original colors vanished and were replaced by black. The feeling was different from the Headmaster's spatial void. A voice pierced through the alien sensation.
"Who are you?"

A deep voice reverberated in my ears. It was a voice I had never heard before, but I had a vague idea of who she was. So, I immediately bowed respectfully.
"I am here to meet Natasha Hillier, the mother of all witches."
"...Hmm, it feels strange to be addressed like that by a human."

At that moment, a vague figure appeared before me. Gradually, the figure became clearer and finally transformed into a fully formed woman. Like Sharin, she had pale white skin that stood out. However, her face, which should have been visible above her neck, was blurry, making it hard to discern her expression.
"How did you get here? Did you come to take the children’s crystal—"
"I came here through the arrangement of Sharin Hillier, the descendant of the great witch. It was all agreed upon, so please don't worry."

"...That doesn't seem like a lie. How is that child? She hasn’t come to visit lately."
"She is still in good health."
"...I see."

Though buried under paperwork, she was still living well under the Headmaster.
"Well, enough of that. So, why is a human child here? Are you trying to make a deal?"
"Yes, I came here to make a deal."

"...Are you serious? If you know about making deals with me, then you must know the cost isn't small?"
"Honestly, this was the only viable option I had."
Who would be able to defy causality and twist the laws that make up the world? If I could pay the price and borrow even a little of that power, that was my most desperate wish. The being before me was worth that much.

The great witch, Natasha Hillier. Thousands of years ago, in order to break the chains of her cursed clan, she reached the "Akashic Records," the world’s repository of all knowledge, and changed her clan's fate.
For the price of that act, the curse all witches carried transferred to her body. She sacrificed her own body and sealed it, saving all witches from their destined fate. Truly, an achievement worthy of being called the mother of all witches.
'...She is a remarkable person.'

She was deserving of respect. In the game, she was just a background character in the setting. But facing the absurdity of the world directly in real life, it was an irresistible force for anyone living in this world.
In some ways, she was a pioneer. The things she did would lead to the same thorny path that I would walk in the future.
"Yes, human child. What is it that you want, coming all the way here?"

"I wish to split the mana within my body in half. Exactly fifty-fifty."
"...If you do that, your lifespan will also be cut in half, you know?"
"I've already made up my mind."

"…"
Mana was the energy that made up all things. For living creatures, it was the vessel that held the soul, and it was deeply connected to their very life.
'Overuse leads to the breaking of that vessel...'

In order to solve Seria and Aria’s problems, I needed mana to replenish their vessels. However, once mana was consumed, it couldn’t be restored. In the end, I would need to borrow someone else's mana to replenish it. But the problem was, even if I wanted to give my own mana, I couldn’t just give it to anyone.
[Take care of the vessel that holds your life.]
It was due to the laws of Iris, the Sun God, who governed the management of life. As a result, no living creature could casually share their mana with others. Not only was sharing mana forbidden, but the law also prevented anyone from handling it.

Even now, I couldn't understand why such a law was created. …Though Iris claimed it was not a law created by her own will.
'In the end, I have no choice but to use a loophole.'
I would use the great witch’s power to bypass the law and split my mana in two. Then, I would use half of it to restore Seria and Aria's vessels. Of course, as long as they continued to serve as saints, the overload would never stop.

This was only a temporary solution.
Eventually, there would come a point where my own mana would no longer be enough to cover it.
My mana was finite.

'But at least until then, I can buy enough time.'
All I had to do was last until the end of the first semester.
"...Hoo. Alright. Human child. Now that I’ve confirmed what you want, I’ll start the deal."

—Shing!
A violet chain connected between her and my chest. At that moment, I felt an energy pass beyond my heart.
Clunk!

"This deal is complete."
"...Thank you."
The deal was completed in the blink of an eye. The process, which was difficult for me to even comprehend, had ended, and our meeting was coming to an end.

The space we were in began to change.
"Be careful, human child. The price you’ll have to pay—"
***

The pitch-black surroundings were sucked into the crystal.
It was as if ink was being washed away, and the hut inside began to return to its original form.
The deal was perfectly completed. And the backlash immediately followed.

"…Ugh!"
Thud.
Suddenly, my head spun, and my heart began to race uncontrollably. Soon, something shot up from my throat.

"Waaah―!"
The substance that came out was none other than blood. Like vomiting, the blood gushed out, forming a puddle and soaking the floor.
"Ugh… Cough… Hah…!"

Finally, as the pain slightly subsided, I wiped the blood from my mouth and assessed my condition.
'…Looks like my lifespan has really been cut in half.'
My body was crying out in pain from all over. My head throbbed, and my vision was dim.

"…Hoo. I can't do this more than three times."
This was the second time. I never wanted to feel this horrible sensation of losing my life force again.