"That's…"
It was difficult to process.
More than anything, the fact that witches, the very beings he had been raised to hunt, were also the ones maintaining something that kept the world safe, struck him the most.
It didn't sit right.
Of course, there were witches who harmed people. He had seen that firsthand. But now, Lancel had come to realize there were two sides to the same coin.
"…But aren't there other Herschers?" he asked. "Can't they take your place?"
"I wish it were that simple."
Leticia gently swirled the tea in her cup.
"But the truth is, none of us can compare to the First Grand Witch. Not even close. That's why it doesn't just take one of us. At the very least, five Herschers at their peak have to be sacrificed at the same time just to maintain the mantle."
"…."
"Though of course, it's not my turn yet. I'm still just an apprentice witch, after all. But still…"
She met his gaze with a bitter smile.
