The demonic beasts are coming.

Swarming demonic beasts.

A hell filled with endless black demonic beasts covering the horizon.

I stained that hell even darker with the soot of the demonic beasts I burned.

But no matter how much I burned, the hell wouldn’t end.

How many more must I burn for this hell to finish?

How many more strokes do I need to end this hell?

Thinking this way, as I numbingly burned the demonic beasts,

I felt the gazes directed this way.

Every time I felt those gazes, I shouted inside.

It’s nothing, so just ignore it and don’t pay attention.

But if I absentmindedly turned my eyes toward where the gazes were coming from,

I would lock eyes with those staring at me, burning alongside the demonic beasts.

Then, I saw another something in human form burning and falling.

No matter how much they were the flesh lumps deprived of will, controlled by the witch of lust,

every time I looked at them in pain, I unconsciously ascribed meaning to their gazes.

It was my doing.

I burned them.

I killed them.

With every gaze I burned, my heart stained black like the soot that dyed this hell.

And still, the remaining demonic beasts were countless.

And among them, the gazes left were also numerous.

So I had to burn the demonic beasts and the gazes once again.

While my heart was gnawing away.

Until this hell ends.

Continuously.

…

I opened my eyes to a strange sense of buoyancy.

As I regained my consciousness, what I felt was the sunlight piercing through the window and the sensation of the blanket covering my body.

After sitting blankly for a moment and surveying my surroundings, I realized that I was in my room in Sylvia’s mansion, and I came to understand that I had been dreaming just moments ago.

Ah, right. Now that I think about it, the witch of lust had escaped.

Maybe it was because the battle that day had been rather tough; it seemed I had a nightmare.

To shake off this uncomfortable feeling, I rose from my bed to open the window and get some fresh air.

“Eek?!”

– Caw!

At that moment, a small bird flew in as if it had been waiting for the opened window and landed on my shoulder.

“What… what is this! Get away!”

– Caw! Squeak!

Startled by the sudden action of the mysterious bird occupying my shoulder, I attempted to shake it off, but it stubbornly clung to me as if it were its rightful place.

A bit dumbfounded, I stared at the creature on my shoulder and finally realized it wasn’t an ordinary bird.

After all, the body I thought was just a bird was made up of blazing flames.

With an appearance that anyone could recognize as a furious demonic beast.

Moreover, its form was like a reduced version of that giant fiery bird that had led the angry demonic beasts to come aid me.

I cautiously asked the bird, “Are you perhaps its baby?”

– Caw!

When I asked if it was a baby because of its small size, it shook its head as if to say, “What do you mean?”

“Oh, you’re not a baby but the real deal…?”

– Pee!

“I see……”

This time, it nodded as if I got it right.

It seems it has the ability to adjust its size at will.

Well, since its body is made of flames, that could definitely be possible.

Anyway, I could only smile at the sight of the one perched on my shoulder.

The gap between its dazzling aura and its now cute appearance was substantial.

Well, it’s cute, so that’s fine.

While I was thinking about that, the door suddenly swung open, and Sylvia entered.

“Miss Scarlet! You’re awake… what’s that bird?”

Having heard my voice, Sylvia entered with a bright expression and a surprised look upon seeing the bird sitting on my shoulder.

It made sense for her to be startled since a bird had suddenly entered the house, I thought, as I replied to her.

“Oh, you remember, right? The giant fiery bird that led the furious demonic beasts to help us. This is it, but it seems it has transformed into a smaller form now.”

– Caw!

At my explanation, the fiery bird spread its wings proudly on my shoulder as if to say, “That’s right!”

Finding that action adorable, I gently stroked its head with my finger, and it seemed happy, rubbing its head against my hand and acting cute.

Seeing this, Sylvia asked, her expression awkward.

“Um… just a moment. So, that means it’s the… Bird of Ending?”

“The Bird of Ending? I’m not sure if that’s its name, but it should be correct.”

“Ah, I see….”

Sylvia mumbled, “Oh my, to see such a fearsome monster acting playfully with someone…” as she was confused.

Then she seemed to realize that what mattered now wasn’t that, and with a relieved expression, she spoke up.

“Anyway, I’m glad you’re conscious again, Miss Scarlet. It’s been several days since the last battle.”

“Oh, I was asleep for that long?”

“Yes. I was so worried.”

To think I had been unconscious for several days; maybe the fatigue that had accumulated since the battle with the gluttonous witch had finally hit me all at once.

Anyway, seeing Sylvia’s eyes getting a bit watery as if she was genuinely worried made me feel unexpectedly apologetic.

With Yoon Si-woo’s situation, it likely felt scarier to see me not waking up.

Still, I did feel certainly refreshed this time thanks to that solid rest.

It seemed I had recovered quite a bit of the power I had consumed during that time.

Maybe receiving strength from the furious demonic beasts helped to some extent.

“By the way, are you hungry since you’ve awakened after several days? I was just about to have a meal, so we can eat together.”

“Uh… is that so?”

While I was checking in with my physical condition, Sylvia brought up that it’s perfect timing to have a meal, as if it was a good idea.

A meal… I hadn’t thought about it specifically, but I didn’t want to refuse Sylvia’s cheerful offer, so I nodded.

As I went to have a meal with Sylvia, a delicious spread was laid out at the dining table.

There was a delightful aroma wafting from each dish, all made by Astra’s skilled chef, making my appetite surge.

“Eat a lot, Miss Scarlet!”

With a bright smile urging me to eat plenty, I grinned at Sylvia.

After enjoying a pleasant meal while randomly chatting with her, Sylvia looked at the dining table with a peculiar expression and asked.

“Um… Miss Scarlet. Just to ask, you didn’t find the food not to your taste, did you?”

Her words made me smile wryly.

Ah, she noticed that I hadn’t eaten much.

Well, it would indeed be strange not to notice when sitting across from someone at a meal.

As I briefly thought about it, I slowly shook my head and opened my mouth.

“No, it’s not that… I just don’t have much of an appetite.”

“Not an appetite? Does that mean there’s something wrong with your body…?”

Did she interpret my lack of appetite as indicating that something might be wrong since I used to eat a lot?

Seeing Sylvia’s expression immediately change to concern, I hastily shook my head and spoke.

“Not at all. I’ve become a witch, you know? Maybe it’s because I don’t particularly need to consume food for energy anymore; ever since I became a witch, my appetite just hasn’t been the same.”

“I can’t say since I’m not a witch, but is it really okay not to eat that much?”

Because she isn’t a witch, Sylvia seemed worried watching me take almost no food.

As I contemplated how to alleviate her concerns, a good idea struck me, and I spoke to her.

“Well, if you’re really worried, I could substitute my meals with something else.”

“Something else?”

“What you know, the round thing we ate together when we returned to the city. Wasn’t it called combat rations?”

“Eek…”

When I mentioned combat rations, Sylvia made a horrified expression as if I were saying something dreadful.

“Are you saying you want to replace your meals with that?”

“Yes. They said one of those could substitute a whole day’s worth of meals.”

“Um, that is true… but the taste…”

“I thought it was edible? Anyway, if you have some left, bring a few. I’ll just have that for my meals for a while.”

At my words, Sylvia made a very reluctant expression and asked.

“Are you serious…?”

“I’m serious.”

“Ugh, fine. If Miss Scarlet is okay with that…”

Sylvia brought me the pouch containing the combat rations with incredulity.

When I took one ration out and swallowed it in one go, Sylvia gasped and murmured.

“How can you eat that like it’s nothing?”

“Why? I’m telling you it’s edible! Here, want to try one?”

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly and, after deciding it was nothing, took out another combat ration from the pouch and held it out to the bird sitting on my shoulder.

– Caw

The bird then lightly tapped my hand away with its wing as if to say it didn’t want it.

Seeing the bird seemingly angry with me, Sylvia chuckled.

“Look, see? It got mad because you offered it something so tasteless.”

“Hmm… is that so? Is it angry because I gave it something tasteless?”

I gazed back at the bird and asked.

In response, it quietly stared at me and let out a soft caw.

It was as if to show its annoyance wasn’t because of that.

And somehow, I could understand the reason why.

After glancing at Sylvia, who was smiling at our antics, I whispered.

“Shh, can you keep it a secret?”

I placed my index finger on my lips and asked softly.

Then the bird looked at me with a displeased expression.

After a moment, it slowly nodded as if reluctantly agreeing.