Early in the morning a few days later... it was finally time for everyone to set out for the Sanctuary. These past days had been delayed only because Frederica needed to make the necessary preparations for the journey, including readying the ground dragon carriage and finding a professional driver familiar with the Sanctuary's complicated routes.
Fortunately, after several days, she did not disappoint them. Frederica had prepared everything in full. As the saying went, everything was ready but the east wind.
"Um, hello everyone... My name is Otto. I'm the temporary driver hired by Miss Frederica. Please take care of me during the trip to the Sanctuary."
Outside the Mathers mansion, a blond young man named Otto, dressed head to toe in bright green, awkwardly scratched the green hat on his head as he introduced himself with a cheerful smile to the Shogun and Emilia. His sunny grin shone brilliantly in the open clearing—though it would have shone even brighter without that outfit.
"Hello, my name is Emilia. This is the Raiden Shogun, my dear friend. We'll be in your care for this journey."
Emilia stepped forward and offered her hand in greeting.
"Got it! Please leave it to me!"
Otto replied brightly.
"Otto was originally a merchant in the royal capital, but he's a bit short on funds at the moment and wanted to earn some extra income."
Frederica explained.
"That's right. After hearing Miss Frederica's request, I felt I could barely manage the job—ah, haha!"
Mainly because the pay was doubled!
That condition was simply too irresistible, so he agreed immediately.
"Then... Frederica, I'll leave the mansion to you."
After checking the time and deciding it was about time to depart, Emilia turned and instructed the maid before her.
"Leave it to me. Lady Emilia and Lady Shogun, please be careful on the road."
Frederica replied.
"Oh, right, and this—"
She took out a dark blue pendant from her pocket and placed it in Emilia's hand.
"What is this?"
Emilia asked in confusion as she accepted it.
"With this, you can pass through the forest barrier and enter the Sanctuary. After that, just follow the route I told you. The ground dragon will guide you there as well."
Frederica patiently explained the procedure.
In other words... this pendant was the key to entering the Sanctuary.
Tap~
Frederica placed her hand over Emilia's, prompting her to grip it tightly, then closed her eyes and spoke gently.
"The 'location' and the 'qualification' are prepared. What remains is resolve and a strong will. Please do your best, everyone."
Whoosh~!
Watching the ground dragon carriage gradually disappear into the distance, she lowered her head and took out a letter from her pocket. Seeing the name of the sender, a rare, complicated expression crossed Frederica's face.
"This way, everything proceeds according to the master's instructions."
She murmured softly, though no one was there to hear it.
"As for how Lady Emilia will overcome the Sanctuary's trial... we can only pray."
...
'I see... So you want to investigate the meaning of the Gospel, and that's why you're going to the Sanctuary to find that Mathers border count...'
At this moment, inside the carriage, Pandora floated beside her like a ghost. Only she could hear Pandora's voice, and the same was true of that phantom-like form. She did not know whether this was Pandora's Authority or something else, but her very existence was extraordinarily strange.
'Mm, that's only my personal goal. Emilia isn't going for that reason... She seems to have something she wants to discuss with him. Besides, the villagers who sought refuge in the Sanctuary still haven't returned. We're worried something may have happened. No matter what, we need to go and take a look.'
She answered in her mind. The other party could hear it regardless.
'Actually, regarding the Gospel... as a witch, I can resolve it for you myself. There's no need to ask Count Mathers, you know?'
Pandora suggested.
'Forget it. We'll talk about it later. Making any moves now would be too conspicuous.'
She replied.
'Fair point...'
Pandora said nothing more, though her body continued drifting about inside the carriage, occasionally floating to the window to observe the dense forest outside.
There were reasons she maintained this form. First, she did not wish to alert others, since she was still a stranger to everyone here. Second, she did not want Emilia to discover her existence. After all, her original self had once clashed with Emilia—even bearing the hatred of killing her mother. She and the other Pandora looked exactly alike. Though Emilia had lost her memories, it was better to prevent any accidents.
In short, staying hidden was safest.
Only when she was alone in a room with the Shogun would she appear openly.
The Shogun rose to her feet and casually glanced around the carriage.
"...?"
She noticed the worried look on Emilia's face.
"...Has something happened?"
She walked over and sat beside her, asking with concern.
"Puck... hasn't responded at all."
Emilia touched the emerald crystal at her chest and said anxiously.
"No response?"
"Mm. I've called him many times. I can still feel the bond of our contract, but I just can't summon him."
Emilia sighed, releasing her grip and leaning back, feeling the vibration of the moving carriage.
"Has he come out recently?"
"No... The last time was at the Karsten mansion."
Emilia answered.
"...You're worried something might have happened?"
She asked.
"...I'm not sure. But Puck should be fine, right? He's a Great Spirit, after all. Maybe he just doesn't want to come out."
Emilia shook her head.
"Are you nervous?"
Sensing the slight tension in Emilia's body, she gently placed her hand over hers and asked.
"I suppose... It's my first time entering the Sanctuary. Haa... I've heard there are many demi-humans there. Maybe there will be other half-elves like me."
"I... have never met another half-elf besides myself."
Emilia gave her a faint, self-deprecating smile.
"..."
She remained silent, simply watching her without replying.
'We've arrived~ The Sanctuary...'
Pandora's voice snapped her back to attention. She instinctively turned to look out the rear window.
A dense forest of lush trees—there was nothing visibly 'sacred' about it. To her, it resembled the back mountain of the Mathers domain. Yet Pandora insisted this was the Sanctuary.
"We've entered the Sanctuary's territory."
The next second, Otto leaned back and informed them.
"Eh? We're already here?"
Emilia looked outside in surprise.
"But... it doesn't seem that special..."
'This is merely a construct of the Witch of Greed's barrier... similar to an illusion. It's a defensive measure to prevent outsiders from entering recklessly.'
Pandora floated beside her and explained in a delicate voice.
The Witch of Greed?
Thud!
However, just as she fell into thought, Emilia suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor.
'It seems she has noticed us.'
Pandora glanced at the fallen Emilia and spoke softly.
Buzz~
The dark blue gem at Emilia's neck emitted a dazzling light. When she came back to her senses, the surroundings were no longer the ground dragon carriage. She now stood alone within the dense forest of the Sanctuary.
"Did you do this?"
She instinctively asked Pandora.
'Unfortunately, this was not my doing. It seems she wishes to see you.'
Pandora manifested physically in this place, walking beside her as she surveyed the surroundings.
"Who is she?"
She asked.
"The master of this Sanctuary—the Witch of Greed, Echidna."
Pandora turned her head and answered.
"The Witch of Greed...? Your 'colleague'?"
She teased her lightly.
"In a sense, among the seven witches we could be considered... colleagues. That word is indeed quite fitting. However... 'I' once had a conflict with her. She should dislike me."
Pandora shrugged.
"Do you despise what your other half once did?"
The Shogun more or less understood the implication in Pandora's words.
The two walked through the dense forest, chatting from time to time.
"Mm... Her death was indirectly caused by the former 'me.'"
Though she and the other Pandora now existed as two separate individuals, in a certain sense they were both still the existence known as 'Pandora.' She had never entertained the selfish thought that she herself was innocent. Since she was part of that being, she would shoulder that sin as well—even if she had not committed it personally. Thus, she understood why Echidna hated her.
"...She died?"
The Shogun stopped walking and looked at her in surprise.
"At present, aside from the Witch of Vainglory—Pandora—all of the Witches of Sin have perished. The Witch of Greed—Echidna—died roughly four hundred years ago. What remains in this Sanctuary is merely the fragment of her consciousness."
Pandora stopped as well and explained patiently.
"She died in the Sanctuary?"
"Mm... In a sense, the 'Sanctuary' is her grave. The illusions you saw earlier were measures to prevent outsiders from intruding."
Following the path through the long, winding forest, they eventually parted the branches and were greeted by the sight of a vast ruin standing in the clearing.
The structure was gray-white. Judging from the surface patterns, it was remarkably well preserved. There was no sense of erosion from wind or sun. On the contrary, it looked almost new, its color not yet faded. Even standing outside, one could feel a chill breeze occasionally flowing from within.
"The Witch of Greed established the Sanctuary here and died here. This is the true 'Sanctuary.'"
Pandora continued her explanation as they approached.
Tap... tap...
They ascended the steps toward the great entrance of the ruins.
The cold air created a strangely refreshing atmosphere. With every step she took, the heels of her shoes produced deep echoes. Because she wore high heels, the sound was especially crisp and hollow.
Whoosh~
A gust of cold air rushed toward them, lifting both her hair and Pandora's. The two women instinctively raised their hands to smooth it down.
"You said earlier that nearly all the Witches of Sin have perished?"
She wished to learn more about the witches. Since she conveniently had an expert at her side, she seized the opportunity.
"That is correct... Why do you ask?"
Pandora matched her pace and stopped again, turning to look at her.
"When they were alive... were they wicked people? Committing every evil imaginable?"
Nowadays, whenever people mentioned the word 'witch,' they instinctively revealed expressions of disgust, as though it were taboo. In her understanding, perhaps these witches had once brought some irreparable calamity upon the world.
"No..."
Pandora's answer surprised her.
"Each witch possessed a different personality. One cannot judge them as good or evil from a subjective standpoint. Every witch represented a specific Sin. They merely pursued what they cared about. Take the Witch of Greed—the master of this Sanctuary. What she sought was vast knowledge and truth. In pursuing that, there was no necessity for her to commit evil, was there?"
She understood. In other words, a witch's actions depended on what she sought. The differences lay in the Sin each embodied.
"Moreover... the witches once had their own lives, their own histories and stories. People could not help but show a degree of respect toward these legendary 'names.' Some even came to worship them. The organization that worshiped and enshrined them as deities is known as the Witch Cult."
"But as they died one by one—and due to certain circumstances beyond their control—the word 'witch' gradually evolved into a synonym for misfortune, calamity, even death. That child should understand this deeply, shouldn't she?"
The 'child' Pandora referred to was naturally Emilia. After all, her appearance was nearly identical to that of the Witch of Envy. Judging by how others treated her, one could see how ominous that resemblance seemed.
"...Circumstances beyond their control? What do you mean?"
"Let me give you an example... The Witch of Gluttony. You've heard of her, haven't you?"
Pandora asked.
"The one said to have created the White Whale?"
She searched her memory.
"Yes. The Witch of Gluttony—Daphne—once gave birth to the Three Great Mabeasts: the White Whale, the Great Rabbit, and the Black Serpent. Her purpose was simply to provide food for humanity."
Pandora's expression remained as calm as ever.
"Why?"
"It's simple, isn't it? She was the Witch of Gluttony. That was her desire. She was always hungry, and so she believed humans must also be starving. Thus she created those three creatures, intending to provide endless food for mankind. Her intentions were good—but the result was immense disaster."
"You mean... she followed her desire without considering the consequences?"
She continued.
"One could say that. When ordinary people experience overwhelming desire, they too can act beyond reason. How much more so for a witch?"
Pandora shrugged, then shook her head with faint regret.
"..."
She fell silent.
[Desire—such a curious word. Indulging in it can change a person, yet having no desire at all can cause one to stagnate.]
Ei's sudden voice made her body jolt.
'Could you refrain from speaking so abruptly next time?'
She responded speechlessly.
[How rude—rejecting me the moment I appear~! You were chatting so happily with that girl just now.]
The other sounded aggrieved.
"...Is something wrong?"
Noticing her subtle reaction, Pandora tilted her head adorably.
"I was startled by someone."
She answered bluntly.
"Ah... Her Excellency, perhaps?"
Pandora smiled knowingly.
[I've always wanted to ask—why does she call me 'Her Excellency'?]
Ei asked in confusion.
'Perhaps... it's an abbreviated honorific?'
[An abbreviated honorific?]
Ei was taken aback.
'I imagine the original meaning was 'the Shogun's mother,' shortened for convenience.'
[Oh... I see.]
Ei nodded as though half-understanding.
She nearly laughed at the tone. Her mother was as absentminded as ever.
The surroundings were completely swallowed by darkness. The exit lay dozens of meters behind them now. Looking back, she could see only a small point of light. The walls that had once lined the corridor on either side had long since disappeared, as though the path had no end, as though she were standing still.
Only the clear echo of her heels assured her that she was still moving forward.
There—light.
Ahead was a blinding radiance. Black and white met in a single instant.
During that time, Pandora had already transformed into a transparent, soul-like form, drifting beside her. She knew that Echidna had invited the Shogun—not her. And she herself had no wish to meet Echidna face to face, lest it become awkward.