banquet of the golden witch; chapter 12 (the new witch)

[endlesswitch]

Sun, Oct 5 1986 10:30AM
Rosa returned to the lobby.

It was still her time to rest, but her expression made it look as though she couldn't sleep deeply with all this tension.
"......Take it easy and lie down. It'll get tough later on at this rate."
"Thanks for your concern. I just can't sleep. ......If you just let me take a shower, that will be enough. The next person can rest."
"What about you two, Kyrie-san? Rudolf-san?"
"......What will we do, Rudolf-san? Will we rest?"
"You can rest. I'll stay awake. That's the only manly thing I can do right now."
"Then I'll stay awake. Staying awake with my husband is the only womanly thing I can do right now."
"......*giggle*. You two truly are close."
"You should talk. *giggle*."
"It seems that Eva and Hideyoshi-san are out cold. It appears as though unlike Rosa, they can't fight against their age."
As though in response to those words, the door to the hall clunked open.
Eva and Hideyoshi returned from the guest room.
"That's none of your business. ...Oh, Rosa, are you still alright without sleeping?"
"You should talk, Nee-san. Why not take it easy and rest?"
"............I just can't get to sleep. After taking a shower, my drowsiness faded away. Rudolf, Kyrie-san, you can rest if you want."
"Sure, thanks. Well, I appreciate the sentiment. Why don't you go first, Aniki?"
"How kind of you. But I cannot rest first. That is the most I can do as the oldest brother."
"Do not worry, the two of us will be awake until the very end."
"......*giggle*. .........More importantly, Eva nee-san, are you alright? You look a little pale."
"......Come to think of it, yer right. ......Hmmm? Could it be a bit of a fever?"

Hideyoshi put his hand up against Eva's forehead.
...It seemed that Eva wasn't feeling her best.
"That goes without saying. ...It's because you broke your daily cycle at your age. ......Is it a cold?"
"...Natsuhi. Could you call Doctor Nanjo down?"
"Y, yes."
"...I'm fine, you don't have to make such a big deal out of it. I have some medicine, so I'll be fine. ......I tend to get a fever when I'm tired. Don't worry."
"......Nee-san, take it easy, okay?"
".........Thank you. ...If the siblings were gathered without me around, I get the feeling everyone would start talking behind my back. ...It's a persecution complex from long ago. Sorry, okay?"
"............I won't say anything. To think that I would say something bad about you when you're away, Nee-san."
"........................"
"......What is it? Nee-san, you've been acting strange for a while? Shouldn't you get a little rest now?"

"............You're right. Just thinking

about raising money by March・・・・・・・・・・ makes my headache hurt even worse."
"That isn't good. Rest. ...I'll restrain myself so that your headache doesn't get worse. I've had a bad headache myself for a while now."
".........Thank you. ......Well then, I'll count on what you've said and rest for a while."
"What is it, Eva? Why so angry all of a sudden? ......Sorry, please let us rest a lil' longer. Sorry, sorry..."

After apologizing several times as though praying, Hideyoshi went after Eva, and left the lobby.
"............I don't like this atmosphere. Everything's so strained."
"That's no surprise. ......There was a murder early this morning. And since then, we've been eating canned food and holding guns. ...It's natural that we would start to build up stress."
"I wonder if the kids up there are also building up stress. ......I'm worried about Maria. She tends to get irritable in times like this."
At that time, they heard the sound of wild footsteps from the second floor.
The guesthouse wasn't a cheap building, so they wouldn't normally have heard the sound of footsteps.
It was like the sound of someone stamping their feet in frustration.

And in a flash, in addition to the sound which seemed to be caused by her running around the second floor, they could hear Maria calling uu-uu-uu- over and over again, sounding displeased.
Rosa grabbed her head, her hair flying, and she voicelessly moaned in anguish...

The adults conscientiously turned their backs to her, pretending not to notice.
The noisy clamor came down from the second floor and flew into the lobby.
It was Maria, who was sobbing, along with the other children and Nanjo.
...In other words, they had all come downstairs because of Maria's tantrum.
Rosa couldn't hide her dizziness at this new annoyance her daughter was bringing to everyone...
"S, sorry, Rosa oba-san... We tried to calm her, but she just wouldn't listen..."
"Uu-uu-uu-!! Uu-uu-uu-!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!""...What is it, Maria? Could you be a little more quiet? Everyone's looking."
"It's that rose of hers from the rose garden... She suddenly started saying that she was worried about it."
"......It looks like she's half asleep. She suddenly woke up, and started going on about how worried she was for that rose. .........Maria-chan, calm down. That was just a dream..."
"Uu-uu-uu-uu-!! That was Beatrice's and Maria's ro-se!! So if Maria doesn't take care of it, Beatrice will get ma-d!! It might be broken again! Uu-uu-uu-! Uu-uu-uu-uu-!!"
"......Aaah, ...I'm telling you to quiet down a bit, alright?!?!"
The sudden rise in the tone of Rosa's voice surprised the children.
But Maria's crying just grew louder, and her tantrum just grew fiercer.
"R, ...Rosa-san. You mustn't scold a child unsparingly......In times like this, it is good to give them some warm milk or something."
"......Is there any here?"
"After taking the milk out for breakfast earlier, it is now empty..."
"Doesn't anyone have a sedative to use on kids...? You know, those silver pill things?"
"I have them!! Yes, I'll search for them now and give them to her!!"
Without hiding her displeasure, Rosa grabbed the handbag that had been set on the sofa and fished around for some medicine. ......It seemed that she had brought some child-use sedatives for Maria's tantrums.
She found it and opened the bottle, but it must have been empty.
Irritated, Rosa shook the bottle several times, but that didn't change the fact that nothing was in there.

...As she did that, Maria's crying grew even more intense...
At that time, Eva was lying on the bed, covered by the bedding.

Hideyoshi returned from the washroom, folding a handkerchief soaked in water.
"......My, this is one nasty fever.........I'm sure it's the poisonous air at this family conference that got ya.........For now, ya can forget all 'bout the other relatives. ...Alright?"
As Hideyoshi spoke to her kindly, he set the soaked handkerchief on Eva's burning forehead.

Eva rested her own hand on top of his.
".........Your hand, ...feels pleasantly cool."
"If my hand feels pleasant, yer fever must be pretty bad. Dun' worry, the medicine will start workin' soon. 'n, my hand is a magic hand. If I just put my hand up against yer forehead like this, any fever will melt right away."
"You're right. ......Your hand always makes my fevers fade..."
"Yep. No need for a doctor when ya've got my hand. Dun' worry 'n close yer eyes. ......Because the fever will start fading away thanks to my magic..."
"Yes, I know.........I can feel your magic."

Hideyoshi was about to call that the placebo effect, but he stopped.
......If Eva said that she could feel magic from his hand, then that was alright for now...
"............I wonder if magic really exists."
"Yeah. It does. Only those who believe can understand, though. ...There's actually a lot of magic like that out there in the world."
"...If magic actually exists, ......then I wonder if witches actually exist too."
"Oh? Ya mean that witch of the forest, Beatrice? She probably does exist for those who believe. Just like God. Won't show itself except in front of those who strongly believe."
"............It's the same with me. ...Long ago, I was able to use magic."
"Oh. Really? Then ya were also a witch."
"......You know, I had a dream that I wanted to come true no matter what. After wishing strongly and trying hard, it came true without fail. ......With my magic, my grades were always the best, and I even became the student council president, and worked hard to get into the university I wanted. ......Everything I wished for was granted."
"Thass right. Yer magic was always a thing to be reckoned with... Yer definitely a witch. ...And ya work harder than anyone. ......I know a-ll 'bout it."
"............You know, when I was a kid, the whole time, there was another me inside myself, who always supported me. ...And that other self was a witch.
.........I didn't believe in Beatrice, the witch of the forest. I always believed that if a witch of Rokkenjima did exist, it was the witch inside my heart. .........I was so grateful to that witch inside myself. ...I was always grateful, ......that she let me meet up with you..."
"............Yer always too timid when ya get sick. ...Dun' say anythin' for now. ......I'll stay like this the whole time, until yer fever has gone down."
"......Yes. ......No matter what, ......don't take your hand away. .........Somehow, ......I feel like I'm becoming something that isn't myself, .....and I've been scared for a while now. ...I get the feeling that the witch inside of me, was provoked by Beatrice, and is growing stronger and stronger. ...Somehow, it feels like she's going to swallow me up."
"'s alright. As long as I'm with ya, there's nu-thing to be afraid of! Remember the time we went to that dangerous country 'n the whole bus was robbed? I repelled 'em!"
"...Didn't you just hand over your gold watch and beg them to go away? ......It was pretty lame, ...but it was cool...
............No matter what, ...don't move your hand away.........Not even if I fall asleep. ......And even if something creepy sneaks inside, ...protect me..."
"Yep, leave it to me. ......That's why I'm tellin' ya to stop worryin' 'n get to sleep. Because the medicine 'n my magic will start workin' real soon..."

Eva finally calmed her heart and closed her eyes.
......At that time, there was the sound of a door being opened violently from the direction of the lobby.

It seemed that Maria was having a tantrum, and screams of uu-uu- could be heard, along with Rosa's rebuking yells.
...That probably hurt Eva's ears.
Or maybe she was holding back a headache.
Eva moaned as though in pain, and buried herself in the covers.
It was easy to guess what was happening.
Maria had probably had a tantrum for some reason, gone down to the lobby, and started arguing with Rosa as she scolded her daughter.

...And then, perhaps, that was too pitiful to be shown in front of the other relatives, so Rosa had taken Maria out into the corridor.
......Hideyoshi had no desire to interfere with Rosa and Maria's problem.
...But just for now, since Eva's condition was so bad, he wanted them to take their ruckus somewhere else.
"...Wait just a second. I'll ask 'em to keep it down."
".........C, come back quickly..."
"Dun' worry, I won't leave this room."
Hideyoshi removed the chain, opened the door, and stuck his face out into the corridor. He immediately met Rosa's gaze.
"...Everythin' alright, Rosa-san?"
"I'm sorry, did all this noise wake you up...?"
"Uu-uu-! Uu-uu-uu-uu-!!!"
"...Maria-chan, sorry. Eva oba-san isn't feelin' well, 'n she's tryin' to sleep. Could ya quiet down a bit...?"
Maria's tone didn't change after being asked by Hideyoshi.
She kept crying uu-uu- and repeating 'Maria's rose, Maria's rose'.
Rosa slapped Maria's cheek, lifted her up while covering her mouth, and dragged her towards the entrance, trying to at least put some distance between her and Hideyoshi's room.
...She would still probably be lively for a while, but he had warned Rosa for the time being.
Relying on Rosa's actions as a mother, Hideyoshi closed the door.
".........Is Maria-chan having a tantrum again?"
"Looks like it. ...It's tough for Rosa-san too. ......Come to think of it, our George is almost too good to be true. We should be grateful."
"............You're right. .........Nn, ......hand."
"Oh, sorry, sorry. ......Look, it's the magic hand."

He put his hand on Eva's forehead again.
......Maybe there really was magical power in that hand.
A truly peaceful look rose to Eva's face, and bit by bit, she began to drift off into the land of sleep.

As he had promised, Hideyoshi kept his hand on her forehead......
By the entrance, with her hand still against Maria's mouth, Rosa was at a loss at what to do next.

She hadn't been able to withstand everyone's gazes in the lobby, and had yelled at the children to go upstairs, dashing out of the lobby.
Then she had gone out into the corridor, only to have Hideyoshi say that she was too noisy.

Where should I go now?
......Where should I take this child who's having a tantrum?
She felt as though tears of frustration were about to come out...

As Maria kept struggling in an attempt to scream, Rosa put her mouth up to Maria's ear, and tried to persuade Maria in a properly calm voice.
".........Maria, do you really want to see the rose that much...?"

Maria nodded her head several times, moaning uu-uu-.
"...Why do you want to see the rose that much? I'll listen as your mother, so will you tell me quietly? I'll hit you if you scream."
"............Maria's rose... Beatrice revived it. ......It might have broken again......Maria's worried about that... Can't sleep until she makes sure..."
In any event, it seemed that she was still upset about that marked rose from yesterday.

Rosa felt her headache throbbing again, but she was at least a little relieved that Maria had now stopped her screaming.
"Anyways, everyone is having a hard time right now. So don't bother Mama and everyone else. ......You can worry about that rose all you want tomorrow, when it stops raining. So for now, listen to me...!"
"No. ...No no no no. Maria's Beatrice's rose......uuuu..., uu-uu-. Waaaaaaaaaaahh!!"
Rosa reflexively covered Maria's mouth.
She had spoken a little too harshly, and had gotten her agitated again...

Rosa realized that it was partly her own fault and clicked her tongue in self-hatred.

But Maria thought that was directed at her, and her crying grew even fiercer...
"...I'm begging you, be quiet... What can I do to make you stop crying? What should I do to make you listen to what your Mama says?"
"......"

Suddenly. Maria stopped crying so fast that it seemed unnatural.
......Then she turned around, and muttered.
"............If Maria can see her rose, Maria will be quiet until tomorrow."
"Really?"
"Yes. ...If we go to the rose garden and see Maria's rose, Maria will be obedient."
"..............."
"Really, Mama."
"........................"
If it would keep Maria quiet for the time being, Rosa thought that even going out into this wind and rain would be a small price to pay.
She thought it might be a bit reckless.
............But in the end, no murder or anything of the sort had actually occurred.
All of that clamor since this morning had been a farce set up by Kinzo.
If you carefully thought about that chain of closed rooms, it clearly had to all be an act...
"......Will you really listen if you get to see the rose?"
"Yes. Really, Mama. ......Kihihi."
"........................"
"Ouch."

Rosa didn't overlook that creepy laugh, and lightly hit Maria with her fist.
And she shrugged, as though giving up.
"......Understood. If it's just one look, then I'll agree. Is that alright?"
"Yes, Mama. I promise. ......Kihihihihihihihihihihihihihihi."
Once again, Rosa tested the weight of her gun.

......It's alright. It's only a farce.
There was never a murderer on this island in the first place...
"Damn it, wait, Rosa oba-san...!! Are Rosa oba-san and Maria......, the sacrifices for the second twilight?! Damn it damn it damn it, someone, notice them, tell them to stop!! What are those guys in the living room and us kids doing?!!"
"Hmm. They are being considerate of Rosa's pitiful relationship with her daughter, and are forcibly changing the subject. The group you are in went up to the second floor, and are talking about something else while watching TV."
"You bastards!! Someone, notice them! Who's the closest, is it Hideyoshi oji-san?! Please, notice that those two are leaving through the front door, aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!"
"It won't reach, it won't reach, *cackle*! Don't disturb their precious time together. Fuhahahahahahaha...!"
Hideyoshi kept talking kindly, his hand on Eva's forehead.
He didn't notice that Rosa and Maria were going outside through the front door at all.
In that case, there was no way that the others in the lobby, which was even further away, would notice.
And the cousins' room on the second story was even worse...!
"Why are you so panicked? Didn't you defeat me with that bold move, saying that the culprit died in an accident at the first twilight?
...Doesn't that mean that there is no longer a culprit on this island...? *cackle*cackle*cackle*, what is there to be so worried about...?"
"Shut up, I can see right through you!! Someone stop them, those two'll be killed!! Someone, stop theeeeeeeeeeeeeeem, aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!"
......There was no way that Battler's voiceless scream would reach Rosa or Maria.

The two of them could be seen in the rose garden.
The rain was still awful, but fortunately, the wind had died down a little.

...No, maybe that wasn't fortunate.
Because maybe, if the wind had been a little fiercer, Rosa might have hesitated to go outside...
"......Uu-, uu-, uu-...............Here it is...!"
Maria found her own rose with the gold lace and stared at it lovingly.

Rosa had accepted with the promise that Maria would only have one look at it, but she didn't want Maria to complain that it hadn't been enough later on, so she decided to go along with Maria until she was satisfied.
......She believed that there wasn't a culprit, but on the offchance that she was mistaken, they were now in an extremely dangerous position.

Rosa realized that faintly herself.
If things got bad, she would throw away her umbrella and ready her gun.
...After glancing at Maria's innocent happiness, Rosa gazed warily in all directions.
.................................?
......Were her eyes just tired?

Even though no one should have been there, she thought she saw something glitter in the dark rose garden.
...Gold-colored......?
It had to be her imagination.

Because, to Rosa, it seemed as though gold butterflies were dancing through the rose bushes...
"......Are ya alright, Eva...? ...Take it easy, should I call Doctor Nanjo afta all...?!"
"I......, ......I'm alright.........Don't take your hand away.........I'm begging you, ......don't take your hand away......"

Eva was breathing wildly.
Beads of sweat were appearing on her forehead.
It certainly was true that she had stayed up all night last night, and that things had been rough since early this morning. It wasn't odd that her body wasn't keeping up.

......Even though he understood that, Hideyoshi suspected that this sudden fever was the sign of some serious illness.
Several times, Hideyoshi decided to call Doctor Nanjo, but Eva resisted firmly, ...pleading with him and saying that it was even more important that he didn't take his hand away...
"I understand... But ya must have Doctor Nanjo look at ya by lunchtime. If ya can promise me that, I'll stay here the whole time, grippin' yer hand. Tightly, like this."
"......Thank you.........I'm fine... The magic of your hand will definitely make this fever subside......"

Even as she said that, Eva's harsh breathing didn't improve in the slightest.
"......Haah, ......haah, ......haahh.........Don't let go, ...don't let go......, haah, ......haahh, ............aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!"
"Wh, ............who is it...?!"
She saw an umbrella moving from beyond the rose bush.
Rosa threw away her umbrella and wildly lifted her gun...

When she did, the shadow of a person beyond the bush, ......showed itself.
".........Uu-? ......Eva oba-san.....................?"
"...You scared me. It's you, Nee-san? ............Do you have some business? ...Do you want to continue our earlier discussion?"
"...........................Yes, that's right. Our discussion about Father's gold."
"......Please, restrain yourself in front of Maria. I will keep my promise, alright? I won't get in the way of your conspiracy."
"............Conspiracy? What's that?"
".........Whatever you're thinking, that's up to you. I have no desire to get in the way. So please, not in front of Maria. As long as I get my share, that will be enough."
"Your share? Fufufufufufufu, ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha."
Eva started laughing in a creepy voice...
Rosa was startled, but Maria stared blankly.
.........Then Maria said just one thing.
".........Uu-......? ............Oba-san, ............who are you...?"
"Hahahahahaha, ahhahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! Your share?! Who would give that to you...?! All of that is mine! It all belongs to me, the Golden Witch, Beatrice...!!!"
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-...!""Eva! Are ya alright, Eva! Eva! Eva!!"
"Hold on...!! Don't let go!! It's like I'm being taken away by someone who isn't me...!! Hold on to my hand... Don't let goooooooooooooo...!!!"
"When did you ever work hard?! You never worked hard for anything! You were always hiding in our shadows! You always escaped from shadow to shadow without fighting, and yet, you really think yourself qualified to ask me for the Ushiromiya family gold...?!
All of that is mine! It's all only mine, as the head of the Ushiromiya family and the new Golden Witch, successor to the name of Beatrice!!"
".........Beatrice. ............It's Beatrice!! Mama, Beatrice!"

Maria jumped at her mother in ecstasy.
...Rosa treated Maria coldheartedly and raised her gun high.
"......Hey, you're Nee-san, right......? ......You are Nee-san, right......?"
"That's wrong. ...I am no longer the one who was your sister."
"Then who are you?!! Are you going to say that you're Beatrice?! That's impossible! You died 19 years ago!!!
Yes, you were definitely dead, after all, I clearly saw that your head was smashed. I can remember your insides flowing out like it was yesterday! How could you be alive and right here noooooooooow?!?!"
"The concept of death does not exist to a Golden Witch. The Golden Witch and the name of Beatrice will be handed down for all eternity.
Maybe the Beatrice you knew met with death, but that name is mine now...! Because it is eternal! The concept of death does not exist for Beatrice!!"
".........All I see is that you've gone mad because of that gold. ......How pitiful, Nee-san...!"
"You know I'm not your sister anymore. ......Well then, as the new Beatrice, I have been tasked with my own resurrection ceremony.
.........Ronove! What should I do?!"
"That is up to you. Beatrice-sama already has the power to make whatever she thinks reality. You should grow used to it if you use it a little."
"......You worthless former sister. You should consider it an honor to have been selected as the first sacrifice I offer as a witch. At the second twilight, I'll tear the two who are close apart with my own hands...!!"
The first thing the new Beatrice wished, ......no, the first magic she tried to use, was to surpass the limitations given to humans.

...In particular, gravity.

She wanted to become fully aware of her transformation into a witch by being released from those shackles.
As the witch and Rosa stayed as they were...

......The ground retreated all by itself, into the distance below them.
By now, their feet were no longer attached to the ground.
Rosa finally realized that the ground wasn't retreating into the distance below them, but that she and the witch were being sucked up into the rainy sky.
"............huh...? ...............Eeeek...?!"
"Wh, .........whoooooooooaaaa...... Awesome......!"
For a human shackled to the ground by gravity, there is nothing more unnerving that having their feet stop sticking to the ground.

......However, to Beatrice, who knew the joy of being released from gravity as the new witch, it was enough to cause her whole body to shake with delight.
"......Hey, Rosa. Do you remember, long ago, when we were small, when we used to talk about what it'd be like to become witches and fly around the sky? ......That dream has been granted, right? I became a real witch and granted it for you."
"S, ............stop it, .........wake me from this dream......"
"You said it. You said that you flew through the sky in your dream. And you also said that you hadn't wanted to wake up. You were even mad at me since I had woken you up, right? ......Don't worry. This time, you won't wake up, alright? Fuffufufufufufufufufufufufufufu!!"
Come, dance with me in the vast, rainy sky.

Didn't we both wish we could fly like seagulls in the sky, and escape the narrow and boring island of Rokkenjima...?
Now, I'll make that dream a reality for you.

Because I only want to share this joy with you, and no one else...!
"Ahhahaha ahhahahahaha!! It's so fun, Rosa, it's so fun!! Take a look, below you! Look at how small our mansion is. I wonder how much time we spent in a place that small. ...Now I'm especially shocked at how narrow and tiny it is.
So feel. Enjoy. Rejoice...! That power we yearned for, the power to move through the sky at will! Come on, let's dance, Rosa! Through the rain, through the wind! Let's fly around like we're dancing! The lightning will shine on us and bless us!! Ahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
The witch and Rosa were like leaves fluttering around in a whirlwind.
As the rain pounded upon every part of their bodies, as the lightning occasionally shone upon them, they shook with the joy of being released from the ground.

...However, it was only that way for the witch.
Rosa was holding onto her head, voicelessly screaming over and over.
"Stop iiiiiiiiiiiiiitt!! Forgive meeeeee, let me doooooooown!!"
"......You're right, it's more fitting for humans to crawl on the ground. Then why not go back there?"
A slightly displeased expression rose to the witch's face when she realized that her own joy was not being shared.
Then, she decided to listen to her former sister's request.
"............?! .........Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!"

The whirlwind that had been making Rosa dance around grew weaker, then stopped.
In other words, Rosa was once again bound by the restrictions of gravity, as a human.

......Following the laws that were originally correct, Rosa began to descend towards the ground upside-down. No, she began to fall.
"Oops... That's right, if I don't take her down the right way, this is what happens!"

The witch hadn't intended to send Rosa plummeting.
But she still wasn't used to using magic.
After plummeting about 100 meters into a rose bush, as a very, very natural result, Rosa died instantly.
But the witch hadn't intended to kill her.
So she wished that Rosa didn't die.

When she did, gold butterflies coiled about Rosa's body, reviving that life just as the witch had wished.
Rosa's body, which should have been spread out like a carpet of fresh blood, rapidly returned to normal.

The broken and crushed bones returned to normal.
The torn and smashed flesh returned to normal.
......How easy it is to break things in this world, and how difficult it is to fix them...

Anyone can take a life.
But no human can revive a lost life! By surpassing the irreversable, one proves that they have surpassed humans.

......This surely gave her a much, much greater realization that she was a witch than flying through the sky had.
".........Awesome... I can even revive, ......an ended life......!"
"Of course. Beatrice-sama is the Endless Witch. ......To live and to die. To bring to life and to kill, all of it repeated endlessly. Beatrice-sama, the Endless Witch, is the queen who controls the cycle of life and death."
"Ahaha, aha. One time, I dropped a fishbowl. The fragile and beautiful bowl broke, and I couldn't put it back together again. I would never see that cute pop-eyed goldfish swim again after it landed on the floor.
.........No matter how much I cried, the servants shook their heads, saying that broken things and dead things could never be revived.
...At that time, I learned something. You must not break things, you must not kill people. After all, you can't fix them!!"
"So, if you can fix them, ......then you won't get in trouble for breaking them, right...? Haha, ahahahaha, .........awesome... Awesome, awesome, awesome...!! Ahhahahahahahahaahahahahahahaahhahahhahhahhahhaha!!"
For a while, the witch became intoxicated with how terrible and wonderful the power she had succeeded was.

Her laugh was pure, innocent, and also cruel.
".........Uuuuuu, ......au......"

Even though Rosa had been revived, she let out a cry of anguish at the pain from her fall.
At that point, the witch landed and held out her hand.
"Hahahahahahaha, sorry about that, Rosa. I didn't think flying in the sky would be so much fun. Sorry, I'm really sorry.
And I didn't know that humans could die so easily. But I've brought you back to life, so we're even. So get up, okay? Play with me some more, okay? *giggle*giggle*, ufufuaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
What were those dreams you told me about when you were a kid...? Go ahead and tell me about all of them without holding back.

As I am now, I can make anything come true, no matter how absurd...!
Even making you fall into a sea of jelly! Even having you get sucked into a mountain of cake! I can even even make you sprout butterfly wings and let you walk around the garden, okay?!

I'll do them one after another. Let's start with the ocean of jelly, okay...?!
"S, stop it, ............urgg!!"
Rosa was once again thrown high into the rainy sky.
However, the sky wasn't filled with raindrops, but with drops of orange juice.
When she looked down, Rosa had to doubt her eyes.
The rose garden had disappeared, and the ground spread out beneath her was like a pastel-colored jigsaw puzzle.
......It was from the dream she had talked about when she was young, an ocean of jelly.

The black part was coffee jelly. The red was strawberry, the yellow was pineapple, the green was melon.
What was the white part, apple...?
.........Did Rosa even have the time to think something like that?

Rosa fell towards that multi-colored ocean.
......And sunk deep into the purple grape-flavored ocean.
It really was an ocean of jelly. It had no bottom.

As Rosa sank, she was shocked to see a school of transparent fish swimming through the grape jelly ocean.
They were probably made of grape skin.
Then she sunk on and on, deeper and deeper, as deep as the Marianas Trench, ......crushed by the water pressure of the jelly ocean, as her ribs snapped, as her spine snapped.

...In the end, she had become a small, frail meatball.
"Ahhahahahahahahahaha! What a truly wonderful experience, to drown to death in an ocean of jelly...!! It's a dream no one else can imitate!! I have made it come true for you, ahhyahyahyahya!!"
The instant I snapped my fingers, the meatball that had been Rosa was launched up into the sky.
And after being wrapped up in a golden sparkle, she returned to her original form.

It was as simple and easy as returning dried seaweed to its original form, and anyone could do it. If they were a witch!
That absent-minded look on Rosa's face has to be because of the joy from having that dream she had given up on as a child made into reality. Definitely. Probably.
Next is the mountain of cake.
In an instant, the sky was covered, and became black and white in the shape of a chessboard.

That almost transparent white part was her favorite rare cheesecake.
The elegant black part was a slightly bitter Gateau au chocolat.
That became the ceiling, became a mountain, ......several billion cakes were thrown down towards Rosa.

If you piled those cakes up, they would surely be taller than Mount Everest.

So they probably weighed, .........I'm not too sure, but it was probably heavier than all the cakes across Japan put together.
It fell down like a ceiling and swallowed Rosa up, ......so as a very, very natural result, Rosa was crushed to death.

In less than a second, her bones broke throughout her body and her insides were all smashed and forced out, *squish*pop*slop*.
Even so, an even greater number of cakes piled up on top, ...and Rosa ended up as a layer of jam wedged between the cakes.

She became as thick as a single hair, and was probably smashed out into the area of a tennis court.
That world swallowed up by cake was once again absorbed by a gold flash.
Then, as though it had all been a dream, Rosa was revived once again.
......Of course, it definitely wasn't a dream.
She had been revived after dying.

By that point, death, which most humans only have to experience once after they are born, had already been experienced repeatedly by Rosa.

In other words, she gone through that which humans cannot, the precious experience of dying more than once.
"Ahhahahahahahahaha, kyahhahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! Isn't this fun, Rosa, isn't this fun?! Next is the butterflies, look...!!"
"P, please, have mercy......, .........aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!"
"No wa-y! Let's play more, let's play more...!! Kyahihihihahahahahahahahahaha!!"
Laughing innocently, she pointed her gold staff at Rosa as she begged for mercy.
When she did, Rosa glittered gold and rapidly began to shrink.
She shrank down to the size of a real butterfly.
Then, gold wings sprouted from her back..., and she joined her fellow gold butterflies.
However, while a human body could withstand that wind, it was a different matter for a butterfly's body.

The gold butterfly Rosa was invited to dance by each gale of wind, and she spun in circles around the rose garden.
"No, ...nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! .........ah..."

As her dance wore her out, she was caught by a gentle bed.
It was the soft, knit hammock in the shadows beneath the roof of the arbor.
...The owner of that hammock lumbered into view, welcoming its rare guest who had wandered in on the night of the storm...

That owner, which should have been small enough to crush in the palm of your hand, now looked as big as the top of a canopy bed to Rosa.
"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
"Kyahhahahakyahhahahahahaha! What a klutz, you got caught in a spider's web! Ahhahaha, ahhahahahahaha!!
This time, it's a dance with a spider. That takes me back. Remember the times we'd find a spider's web and play around by throwing pebbles at it? I've heard that spiders don't chew their prey, but insert their venom, and when the insides melt into a sticky soup, they suck it out.
......Hey, Rosa, remember? Remember how we'd throw butterflies into the spider's web on purpose, and play around by seeing how the spider would attack?
Kyahhahahahahahaha, you don't remember, do you? This happened before you got into grade school...!! Make sure you watch closely this time, okay? Very closely. Kyahihihahahahahahakya-hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, have mercy, Nee-san, help me, Nee-san!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkgaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhherrrrrrrrrkkkbwaaghahgggggergorblahgehmolgeeaaarg ga, ga..., ga......, gyuuboh!!"
"This girl's not bad. She truly can use magic at will! Hiihyahhahahahahakkuhihiehiehyahyahya!! Interesting interesting, interesting interesting! You feel like laughing too, right, Battleeeeeeer?!"
"Don't fuck with me!!! Stop it alreadyyyyyyyyyy!! What's so fun, you're insane, you're insane!!! What's so fun about doing something like this?!?!"
"Doesn't that just look so fun? What do you expect, magic is fun!! I remember, when I first became able to use magic, I played around a lot! ...Aaah, I understand, I understand, I understand that play from the bottom of my heart!
......Looks like I won't be able to share this joy and passion with you, Battler. Aah, what a shame, what a shame!! If you accept me, I'll teach you magic anytime you want, see?! It's hard to describe the joy you receive in the instant you are freed from the shackles of humanity!
I want to teach you about it, that joy, that passion! I de-finitely would like to see the world of magic you would give birth to, just once! Kihhihihihhihhi, hyahhyahhahahahahahahahahaha!!
Isn't this starting to get fun? You've started wanting to use magic, haven't you?! It's pretty fun to be a witch, isn't it?! Just for you, I'll teach everything! About the joy of flying together in the sky, about the joy of diving together through the sea!
I want to teach you of the passion that starts the instant you surpass the bounds of humans and see how wide your world stretches! Wouldn't that be fun, wahhyahhyahahhahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
There was no malice in Beato's expression.

...It was hard to believe, but she was genuinely enjoying this cruel show.

And she wanted to share that appreciation with Battler.
......Battler was shocked by that hopelessly different measure of value.
"You're insane!! Stop it already, damn iiiiiiiiit!! Virgilia, let me stop this insane farce!! What should I do!!"
".........We exist outside the board. We cannot touch the board itself."

Virgilia shook her head apologetically.
...Her body had already been 'killed'.
Did that mean she couldn't interfere in any way...?
As Beatrice continued to look interested in an insane sort of way, Battler lifted her up by the collar and yelled at her.
"Stop it stop it stop iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!! Quit messing around, you witch!! Are you trying to tell me that's Eva oba-san?! That's impossible!! While the Eva oba-san I know may be a bit mean at times, it's completely impossible that she's the kind of person that would do something this cruel!!
This is all part of your deception!! Don't toy with Rosa oba-san!! Don't toy with Eva oba-san!! Stop this farce right nooooooooooooooooow!!"
"I told you, I'm not the one playing with Rosa anymore. I told you, that's the new Beatrice.
Is it really so cruel that you have to squeal like that? You're also pretty fond of stuff like this, aren't you?! You actually have just a bit of interest in magic and, .........ouch! Wh, what are you doing..."
For the first time, Battler slapped Beato's cheek.
...Beatrice didn't know why he had done something like that to her, and a surprised expression rose to her face.

Battler especially couldn't forgive that expression, and he roared.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahh?! This is interesting?! What's wrong with your head?!! Die! Try and slice your head up into pieces and look inside, you'll definitely find that the insides have been completely removed!!! Stop it right now, stop this disgusting farce!! I won't forgive you!! How could you do something so cruel!! I've sometimes thought that you were a bit of a funny person, but I'll never make that mistake again! You're just a monster who's always cruel!!! Don't show yourself in front of me!! Never again!! I won't accept you, I won't talk with you, I don't even want to look at your face!! Did you hear me?!! Don't show yourself in front of me.
DISAPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAARRR!!!"
The instant Battler screamed, the power that resisted the witch became a red wall and knocked Beato back onto her butt.
"......Owowowow......What are you talking about, isn't it an interesting show...?"
She spoke as though making an excuse, but the person those words were directed at, Battler, was no longer there.
His figure had suddenly disappeared into the darkness...

...But Beatrice looked displeased, and continued trying to explain herself.
"......I, it's not like I completely don't see where you're coming from, ...but this is nothing more than an innocent prank, right...? No matter how she kills, that person will be brought back to life in the end, right? ...Aren't humans creatures that are fine with anything as long as it ends well......?!
H, hey, Teacher. It's nothing to get so angry about, is it...?!"
She was hoping for approval, but Virgilia simply faced her with an indifferent expression.
...To Beato, at that moment, even a surprised face would probably have seemed better.
"............I have nothing in particular to say. If you think it is fun, you can keep watching as long as you want. ...Call me when it's finished. I will erase my form until then."
Following Battler's lead, Virgilia hid herself in the darkness...

Beato, who was now completely isolated, didn't have a clue what was going on, feeling that they were making her out to be the bad guy.
"...........................What's wro-ng? Isn't it an interesting show...?! I, it might be a little vulgar, ......but it's fairly interesting, isn't it...?!! He-y, Ronove...?! It's nothing to get so mad about, right...?!
"Pu ku ku ku. ......Something interesting for you, Milady, is not necessarily interesting for Battler-sama."
"Does he really, ...hate me that much? ......Well, certainly, we are enemies and opponents in this competition, ...but is our relationship really so bad that we can't laugh together at this entertainment...?! .........Since I applauded together with Battler, I thought I could at least laugh together with him.........Does he really reject me so much that we can't even do that...?
...He doesn't have to accept that I'm a witch. Because we're challenging each other in this game. But still, saying he won't look at my face, that he won't talk to me, ......he'll probably do all he can to ignore me... Am I really hated that muuuuuch......!"
"Up until this point, you have advanced several moves that would make you hated, Milady. Even a demon such as myself can slightly understand Battler-sama's feelings.
......I wonder if you cannot understand that because you are especially thickheaded, Milady? Pu kukukukuku."
"Sh, shut up shut up shut up shut up!! Why don't you disappear too?!!"
"Yes, certainly. ......Then, if you would excuse me."
Even Ronove hid himself in the darkness, and Beatrice was left alone.

The only one in the rainy rose garden.
A lonely witch who no one would play with.

Because no one would play with her, she was a lonely witch.
"..................What's going on? ...Why won't anyone play with me...? .........Am I really that weird, that cruel...? ............Someone, answer meeeeeeeeee!!"
"Kyahhahahahahahaha, isn't this fun, Rosa, isn't this fun! Hey, how should we play next? Of course, we should play with Maria too, right? Let's all have a friendly walk together, okay? Let's swim in a pot of boiling chocolate, let's have a picnic in a cake-rising oven! Ahahaha, akyakyakyakyakyakya!!"
".........H, hey, new Beatrice."

Behind the witch that was continuing her mad banquet, Beato showed herself.
...That expression was very rare for her.
It was kind of restrained, unreliable, miserable.
"Oh, it's the predecessor Beatrice-sama. Were you watching? The power of magic is truly wonderful! Until now, I had never thought it would be so fun to be reborn as a witch. It's like playtime that never ends...! Come on, let's play together, Predecessor-sama...!!
But first, wait for a second, okay?! The two of them were cooked to death in the oven, so I have to revive them again! They're like bread rising because of yeast! Like cookies expanding in an oven! Kyakkyakkyakkya!!"
"L, listen to what I'm saying.........Umm, well, isn't that enough for the sacrifice of the second twilight? ...Of course, it isn't specified how you kill them, but, umm, ......maybe you shouldn't toy with them any more than that..."
"What are you saying, Predecessor-sama? I heard from Ronove a short while ago. Wasn't your magic much, much more wonderful, cruel, and insane!
That Halloween party where candies poured out of six people's stomachs was truly wonderful! So maybe I'll act out Alice's tea party...! I'll invite everyone to a tea party in celebration of a completely pointless day, and entertain them one by one with my magic!
I wonder if I can do it as wonderfully as you? I wonder if I can be cruel in my own pop, cute style?! Now that I think about it, all fairy tales are cruel, aren't they? Now that I'm a witch inside one of those fairy tales, I finally understand. Kyahhahahahakukyahyafuhyahahahahaha!!"
"............I have also, umm, ...sometimes thought that, in the past, ...I might have gone a little too far. ......Well, I think that as the Golden Witch, it's a good idea to have a little elegance..."
"............??? I don't get what you're saying, Predecessor-sama. But there's one thing I do understand. No matter how hard I try now, I'm no match for how cruel you are. I've gotta try much, much harder. I've gotta become more cruel, and become an excellent Golden Witch...!"
"L, like I said, you've already done enough here...! A, anyways, this is my, your predecessor's order. That's enough for the second twilight. I'll show you how it's done. Stand back and watch..."
"Yes, Predecessor-sama. I can't wait to see what brutal, cruel, and disgusting method of killing you use."
The new witch grasped the sides of her skirt and gave a graceful bow, stepping back as an expectant gaze rose to her face.

......She was expecting an even more cruel magic that surpassed even herself.
"............Well, speaking of that... You're only half a witch if you can only kill with methods like that. ...I shall show you an elegant way to kill, worthy of the Golden Witch..."
When Beato waved her pipe, seven colors of smoke poured out, reviving Rosa and Maria.

......Compared to how the new Beatrice had done it a short while ago, it was slightly gentler.
...It was probably gentler that how Beato had done it herself up until now.
Rosa's consciousness had already grown dim from the pain of so many repeated deaths.
...But even so, she pleaded that her daughter be spared...
"......Please......have mercy.........Even, ......if it's just Maria......have mercy......"
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh, Mama, Mamaaaaaa!!"
".........Sorry. My disciple just, umm, ...acted without restraint for a bit. ...Umm, .........forgive me."
"B, Beatriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice!! Waaaaaaaaaahh, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!!"

When Maria realized it was the real Beatrice, she jumped onto her.
"...You promised, right, Beato?! You promised that you would take Maria to the Golden Land, right?! There, would be friendly with Mama, and everyone would laugh together...! You promised that you would take us there, right?!"
".........A, ...about that. ...I can no longer, ...keep that promise. .........Because someone appeared who could solve the riddle, ......I am no longer the Golden Witch, Beatrice. ......So, sorry. ...I can no longer keep my promise with you......"
"Why...? Why...? Beato promised..."
"......I'm sorry. ...I'm truly sorry............So at least, in apology for not being able to keep my promise..."
............It truly is quiet.
And I'll give you a sleep that will never be troubled again...

Maria was embraced by the loving expression on Beato's face...

Then, .........softly, a red bruise appeared on Maria's neck.
It was a very gentle bruise.
...It's redness grew bit by bit, ...and when it distinctly formed itself into the shape of a hand...

......Maria's neck tilted suddenly.
...Peacefully, as though she had fallen asleep.
"M, Maria.........Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
"......Sorry. ......I won't apologize that you were the sacrifices for the second twilight. That is simply your fate. However, I must apologize for the vulgar way in which you were offered as sacrifices......This is your final sleep. ...Never again will it be disturbed..."
Beato softly, gently lifted her finger, as though touching the empty air in front of her nose.

...When she did, a light breeze lifted up, making Rosa's body dance lightly like a feather.
Then, Rosa's body floated lightly, ......and there was the garden fence, with its spear-shaped prongs.
The spear of the fence pierced Rosa's medulla oblongata.

......Benevolently, without toying with her, in a single blow.
Rosa's life was snapped out.
Compared to the earlier innocent yet cruel events, it seemed to be over much too fast in the end.

...It just looked like a doll shaped like Rosa was leaning against the fence.
...But, she had passed away.
".........W, ...well, something like that."

Beato acted proud, but the new witch wore a blank expression, almost as though this was an anticlimax.
Then, she said it out loud.
"It's kinda plain.........Very different from the Predecessor-sama Ronove told me about."
"...Well, ...you must use magic with dignity, right...? If it's too, umm, ...undignified, that isn't very elegant..."
"..............................Even though you're lucky enough to have the magic to do wonderful things endlessly......Boring."
"Don't complain...! The path of the Golden Witch cannot be completed in a day. You are still incomplete until you finish the tenth twilight... For now, stay quiet and follow my instructions. ...Alright......?!"
"........................"
"W, what happened to your answer? Your answer...!"
".................................Su-re."
"...That is good, that is. ......Well, there is still much to do for the resurrection ceremony. You still have to kill five people... You should do it without toying with them too much, with beauty and dignity, ...and with at least a little restraint, right...? What Ronove told you about how I did it, ......that was a bad example. You mustn't use that as a model. Engrave that into your heart."
"............Yes, Predecessor-sama."
"A good answer. ......Ronove, the Seven Stakes of Purgatory, arise...!"
"......Yes, Milady. I, Ronove, am here."
"Lucifer of Pride, right here."
"...Up until this point, umm, I've done things a little flashy, but, ......umm, ......well, the dignity of the Golden Witch is also important, well, about that..."
As Ronove laughed at Beato's uncharacteristically flustered speech, he summed it up for her.
"Certainly. From now on, we will be careful to perform in a graceful manner, suitable for the name of the Golden Witch. ......Even the Seven Sisters of Purgatory will reform their bad behavior up until now, and we shall espouse to perform our task in the quickest possible manner. ......Would that be acceptable? Milady?"
"H, hmm. That's it, more or less. Everyone, take it to heart! Alright...?!"
"Yes. Certainly."
"That is all I wish to say. ......You may leave now."
"Certainly. If you would excuse me."
"Excuse us."
"........................"
"Well, ...that's all I want to say. So, take care as you continue, alright? Go with dignity, and, ...umm, prudence, alright? ......You should do your best. I will be watching over you."
Acting unsure until the very end, Beato communicated only that, became a group of gold butterflies, and hid her form in the empty air.

She didn't have any business there, so it might be fitting to say that she disappeared in a hurry.
After that, all that remained was Maria's corpse, lying down and pounded by the rain, Rosa's corpse, propped up by the fence and staring up at the sky...
......And the figure of the witch.
"..................Have prudence......, ......you say..."

Her expression looked just a little bored.
There was a popping sound.
...That was probably her clicking her tongue.
".........................................................What a boring person."
Leaving that last sentence behind, she once again hid her form in the empty air......