Chapter 56

Ruler III

So, if you ask what the Great Witch Dang Seo-rin did with the grand spell she painstakingly created over such a long time― well, not much.

"Undertaker, are you good with pain?"

"I’d say I handle it fairly well. Why do you ask?"

"Do you have the generosity to forgive me even if I inflict pain on you?"

"......"

I felt uneasy.

"What are you planning?"

"Just answer the question first. Do you or don’t you?"

"...I suppose I can say I do."

"Good. Undertaker, I’m going to show you something really interesting."

Right after she said that, Dang Seo-rin took out a fountain pen and stabbed it into my right hand.

I screamed like Tom from "Tom and Jerry." What the hell? Is she crazy?

"Wait! Stop! Hold on! I’m doing it too!"

"What?"

Dang Seo-rin promptly stabbed her own left hand. Blood dripped from the pen’s sharp tip. Is she really insane?

As I looked on in bewilderment, Dang Seo-rin did something even crazier. As both of us bled, she began to sing.

And then, something amazing happened.

"Ah-♪"

A blue 'scales' appeared in the air, like a faint hologram.

At the same time, the wound on my right hand healed instantly. Instead, a new wound formed on my left hand.

The exact same thing happened to Dang Seo-rin but in reverse. The wound on her left hand moved to her right hand.

Shortly after, drops of blood balanced on the scales, and then the scales vanished from the air.

I was dumbfounded.

"What is this…?"

"Ah, this is the equivalent exchange."

Dang Seo-rin smiled with an otaku grin.

It was somewhat irritating.

"Your wound and my wound. My pain and your pain have been swapped."

"That’s amazing!"

I was genuinely impressed.

Our hands were still bleeding like faucets, but it was undoubtedly a remarkable spell.

"How does it work?"

"I told you, it’s equivalent exchange. The spell enacts a fair exchange as I see fit."

"Incredible. So, could I potentially transfer my wounds to Ten Legs after getting injured?"

If that were possible, it could revolutionize our strategy against the monsters.

But Dang Seo-rin shook her head and clicked her tongue in her annoying manner.

"Unfortunately, such use is nearly impossible. The spell requires the other party's consent."

"Oh…"

I couldn’t hide my disappointment. That’s why she asked me those strange questions earlier.

"...Wait, then what can this be used for? Exchanging pain for pain or pleasure for pleasure, but the total amount remains the same. Could it perhaps be used to convert energy into another form?"

"Oh— that’s a brilliant idea, but it's impossible too. As I said, consent is required, and you can’t ask energy or materials for consent. They don’t have brains. Oh, and it doesn’t work on plants or animals either since they don’t understand human language…."

"Then it’s a completely useless spell!"

"Magic is never useless!"

Dang Seo-rin’s berserk button was pushed. She was a lunatic who would immediately launch attack spells once triggered.

Naturally, our fight ended in my victory. For Dang Seo-rin to defeat me, she’d have to prepare her song spells at least 30 minutes in advance. That’s the nature of the matchup between a straightforward warrior and a devious sorcerer.

After such a trivial quarrel, time passed.

Of course, I had the [Complete Memory] ability, so instead of saying "some time passed," I could specify it had been exactly 398 days since then. Just a literary expression. Counting every single moment like someone with savant syndrome wouldn’t interest anyone.

So, 398 days, 16 hours, and 38 minutes later, I visited the Samcheon World headquarters after a long while. But Dang Seo-rin wasn’t there.

"Ah, are you looking for the Great Witch? She’s out for today’s trial."

A guild member who recognized me explained. Her silver hair shimmered prettily.

Her name was Yu Ji-won, a talent selected in the 5th cycle and now serving as an executive in the Samcheon World. While she was quite capable, she had some significant personality flaws— a psychopath.

She was also the Latin major.

"Trial day? What’s that? And why is an operations chief manning the counter? Where are your subordinates?"

"Most of the guild members are out at the square. I don’t have much to do there, so I’m guarding the base."

"Hmm. So, what’s trial day?"

"Recently, in Busan, we designated the last day of every month as trial day."

The silver-haired psychopath adjusted her glasses.

"The Great Witch personally presides over trials for those who’ve committed murder or caused serious injuries. The public response has been very positive."

Ah, by the way, ‘Great Witch’ was Dang Seo-rin’s official title. Especially for guild members of the Samcheon World, it was mandatory to use this title.

Similar to how I had to call the old man Swordmaster.

Only in the 5th cycle, when I served as the vice guild leader, did I get to call Dang Seo-rin ‘Guild leader.’ Because that was my condition for joining her.

"She’s probably on the last trial by now. It’ll take about an hour. Would you like to wait in the reception room? I’ll get you a ticket."

"No, it's fine. I’d just waste expensive snacks being here with you guys. Where is the trial held?"

"Right in the square ahead, Great Witch."

I walked to the indicated location.

Finding the way wasn’t difficult. It was the same square where Dang Seo-rin held her 'monster dissection shows,' commonly known as the execution square.

Despite the apocalypse, the well-maintained square was already bustling with the trial. It was grand. At a glance, about 600 citizens were sitting here and there, watching the trial.

"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!"

"Quiet! Please be quiet!"

A Samcheon guild member’s voice boomed.

It was probably amplified with a 'Voice Amplification' spell. Since no singing was heard, a 'Silence' spell must have been cast too.

'Considering the spell has a basic repeating magic function, it must be at least three chants. Dang Seo-rin seems to have put a lot of effort into this.'

I turned my gaze.

In the center of the square, a man who appeared to be the defendant stood with his head bowed. And Dang Seo-rin, the judge, was leisurely leaning her chin on her hand at the table.

'I’ve never seen a sight like this before.'

In my regression life, Dang Seo-rin holding public trials and passing judgments in front of citizens was unprecedented.

I watched the trial from a distance with interest. As the square quieted down, the guild member raised their voice.

"Please be quiet! I’ll repeat! The defendant is a witch who joined Samcheon World six months ago and was assigned to the combat squad. However, during last week’s expedition against the monsters, the defendant fled first, collapsing the front lines. This did not result in fatalities but caused two injuries, putting the combat squad in significant danger."

"Booooo!"

"You coward!"

Some citizens threw stones, but they couldn’t reach the trial table, likely due to a protective barrier, and bounced off.

"Quiet, everyone! Now, the Great Witch Dang Seo-rin will pass judgment!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Silence fell over the area.

The hundreds of citizens, who had been boisterous as if at a festival, fell silent.

If the measure of an artist is how many people they can entertain, then the measure of a ruler is how many they can silence. This scene showed the status of Dang Seo-rin as the guild leader in Busan.

"This defendant is a deserter."

Dang Seo-rin’s voice flowed through the amplification spell. It was a stunningly beautiful voice.

Gentle and slow, yet the words flowed quickly, each complex term and sentence striking the listeners' ears.

Her voice wasn’t just speech but rather a breath, filling the square’s atmosphere.

The Samcheon World guild members looked at her with a dreamy reverence.

Well, it was somewhat cringe-inducing, but I understood their feelings as someone who had once been Dang Seo-rin’s right hand. That voice was somewhat of a cheat.

"Deserters are usually dealt with by immediate execution. But in this case, there were no fatalities, and the deserter turned themselves in the next day. These factors should be considered."

"......"

"Deserter. Do you regret fleeing, putting your comrades at risk?"

"Yes, I’m sorry…."

"Can you promise never to make the same mistake again?"

"Of course, Great Witch. Absolutely…."

At that moment, blue 'scales' appeared above Dang Seo-rin’s head.

The blue light wasn’t like a neon sign but more like the bluish light of the stars scattered across the night sky, tracing the outline of the scales.

"Then, you can be forgiven. Neither I nor the witches of the Samcheon World, nor your comrades who had to cover for you, will hold [your desertion last week] against you."

Silently.

From Dang Seo-rin and the guild members' chests, and from the direction of the Samcheon World headquarters, black smoke―thin as thread, moving like snakes, crawled out.

The black threads gathered on the left side of the scales. With a clatter, the scales tipped heavily to one side.

"In return."

Dang Seo-rin waved her finger.

"From now on, [you cannot retreat from any battlefield first. Even if you must retreat, you can only do so after ensuring all your comrades have retreated]."

"Ah…"

"Not just your comrades. Citizens are included too. You can’t withdraw until their safety is secured. In other words, [you will always be the last to retreat]."

"......"

"Do you agree?"

The defendant’s face turned pale.

Battles with monsters were never safe. Jumping off a cliff with a wingsuit had better survival odds.

But for some reason?

The defendant's expression showed not only paleness but also a hint of relief, as if finally at peace.

"...Yes, Great Witch. I agree."

"Good."

Silently.

A white thread-like snake emerged from the defendant’s body. It resembled a breath in the winter air. Not just from the mouth, but an exhale from the whole body.

The defendant looked up blankly at the white snake leaving his body. It coiled on the right side of the scales.

With a clatter, the scales balanced.

"The balance is achieved."

"Thank you… Thank you…."

"Now, fight for your comrades, and more importantly, for the citizens."

Ohh, some spectators let out a sound. Hundreds of citizens responded with applause.

"......"

The scene was a shock to me. The equivalent exchange, a seemingly useless grand spell, was now functioning as Busan’s court.

This was why, even in future cycles, Busan rejected AI judges, unlike other cities.

It was because of Dang Seo-rin's 'witch trials.'

Footnotes:

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