Chapter 5: Rumors of the Evil Witch
The Southern Great Forest, one of the four forbidden zones of the continent.
In a village nearby, a sinister rumor began to spread at some point.
The rumor was that an evil, cannibalistic witch, after years of seclusion, had started to act again.
It was such a sudden and absurd rumor that most villagers scoffed and dismissed it, but for some, it struck deep fear.
The village chief, who knew the old legends, and retired adventurers, well-versed in the Great Forest’s lore.
“So, Chief, you’re saying the rumor is true?”
“I believe it is. The witch’s appearance, as described by the kids, matches the one in our legends perfectly.”
“But they’re just kids! How can you be sure they’re not lying? And did those little ones even really go into the Great Forest?”
A place so brutal that surviving it out of a hundred is a miracle—that’s the Southern Great Forest.
The adventurers, knowing no mere eight-year-olds could return with just scratches, pressed the chief sharply.
“There’s one way to survive unscathed. Our legends say there’s a single method to return from the Great Forest untouched.”
“What? Such a thing exists? Then what about all those who never came back?”
“They were the unfortunate ones who didn’t receive the witch’s favor.”
“What?”
Unfazed by the adventurers’ fiery attitude, the chief continued calmly.
“If my memory serves, if you become the witch’s prey or gain her favor, no creature in the Great Forest will touch you.”
“Meaning?”
“Those kids who returned a few days ago were either her prey or her favored ones. Otherwise, their safe return makes no sense.”
His words were surprisingly convincing.
The adventurers, pondering briefly, let out a groan and asked the chief.
“So, the village is doomed soon?”
“If the legends passed down are true, then yes. Whether they’re prey or favored, the village’s destruction is certain.”
The chief shook his head with a bitter expression.
‘No way out.’
Muttering to himself, he sighed weakly and stared out the window.
He saw a humble, unremarkable village, yet full of happiness and joy.
Gazing blankly at the village for a while, he turned his eyes to the Great Forest, scolding the witch somewhere out there.
‘Must you do this?’
He pleaded, but, as expected, no reply came from the witch.
Only the night breeze mocked him, tickling his shining hair.
“Is there really no other way?”
Staring at the darkness of the Great Forest, swallowing even the shy moonlight, he asked in a sorrowful voice.
From behind, an adventurer quietly answered.
“Though success isn’t guaranteed, there’s one option left.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, could this be the answer?”
As the adventurer pulled a tattered object from his pocket, everyone’s eyes turned to it.
What could possibly counter that horrific witch?
The group eyed his hand suspiciously, but upon seeing the object, they gasped in awe.
“A novice nun’s rosary? How did you get such a thing?”
“Back in my prime, I saved a novice nun’s life once. She gave it to me as a token.”
“…So, this might mean the theocracy could help us.”
The chief, fondling the rosary, sighed in relief.
But he soon frowned and asked the adventurer who offered it.
“Are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
“Using this precious item for our village. Wouldn’t it be easier for you to flee to another town and live comfortably?”
The chief shook his head, trying to return the faded rosary, but the retired adventurer waved it off with a grin.
“Do you think I could live comfortably after letting a village fall?”
“…”
“And I’m a villager too, Chief. Isn’t it natural to protect the place I live in?”
He pressed the faded rosary firmly into the chief’s hand, encouraging him.
“Go deliver this to the priest, Chief. Explain everything and get the theocracy’s support!”
“…Thank you, truly.”
“Thanks? It’s just what I should do.”
Buoyed by the adventurers’ support, the chief gripped the rosary tightly and ran toward the church.
To escape this oppressive unease as quickly as possible.
*
“Is someone talking about me? My ears are suddenly itching.”
Scratching my ear to relieve the itch, the suppressed fatigue of my body surged up.
Time to rest.
Feeling my body grow languid, I stretched deeply and slowly stood up.
“Ugh… somehow survived another day.”
Compared to the first day of possession, it was tame, but today was still thrilling.
I nearly became a pincushion after accidentally trespassing on elf land and being treated like a plague.
I fled from a wyvern while gathering ugly mushrooms.
And I almost ended up as an ogre’s evening snack.
…Looking at it, this feels way off from the original genre.
What the hell is this damn author trying to write?
Why rewrite a perfectly good novel into a survival drift?
Thanks to the author’s survival bent, even my weak personality is starting to shift.
If I lived as I used to, I’d never survive this sh*tty Great Forest.
If the author were here, I’d grab their collar and demand answers.
What grudge did they have to possess me in this remake, and why make it a survival story?
“Sigh, f*ck.”
Chewing on a mushroom from the basket, I thought.
With the novel changed this much, the original characters’ settings must have shifted too.
“I don’t care about much, but it’d be a real problem if the protagonist’s party got weird.”
The protagonist’s party in the original? Well… let’s just say they’re romantic lunatics.
Starting with a hopeless romantic protagonist on a journey to find a wife.
A scientist dwarf who joined to prove dwarven technology’s superiority.
A gourmet orc who stuck around to eat tastier, more diverse food.
And a battle-crazed, muscle-worshipping elf who joined to fight strong foes and spread the gospel of gains.
What kind of gem of a party is that?
Sorry, I can’t answer that.
Just as lunatics can’t understand normal people, normal people can’t understand lunatics.
Anyway, back to the story.
With all these setting changes, the protagonist’s party must be different too.
Since “Beatrice,” who lived peacefully until the party arrived, is now stuck in a survival story, something’s definitely changed.
“I wonder what’s different? Best case, the author tightens their screws a bit…”
Just a slight tweak would make it manageable.
Minus their crazy quirks, they’re decent folks.
But.
“If the author removed their screws entirely, I’d rather just live out a survival story in the Great Forest, original or not.”
If the author completely unhinged them, it’s total chaos.
It’d be better to live anxiously in the Great Forest every day.
In the original, Beatrice, who joined the protagonist’s party, suffered so much.
Getting dragged around by those lunatics until she lost her mind…
“Ugh…”
I shook my head to clear the pointless thoughts.
It’s too early to worry.
The Southern Great Forest arc is mid-to-late in the novel.
It’s still early, so there’s plenty of time before the protagonist’s party arrives.
“For now, stop thinking about it and focus on staying alive. No future if I don’t survive.”
Laughing hollowly, I walked back home, when a sudden question hit me.
Wait, why is Beatrice the only woman in the party?