“Ugh, my body is disgusting…!”

After defeating the Witch of Lust and obtaining a sacred relic, I desperately ran back through the body of the giant centipede.

I had asked the hunting squad to hold on for 30 minutes.

However, the issue was that I had wasted much more time than expected due to the Witch’s powers.

Feeling anxious, I even considered detonating the centipede’s body with flames to escape, but I couldn’t execute that plan as I was unaware of the situation outside.

Even now, as I could feel the centipede’s body shaking violently, it seemed fierce battles were occurring, and I was afraid that innocent people might get caught in the flames.

So, all I could do was hope that the promised 30 minutes hadn’t passed and run for my life.

“An exit…!”

Putting all my strength into my run, I soon caught sight of the entrance I had squeezed through earlier.

The mouth of the centipede was almost blocked, having been crushed, yet it still possessed some strength to barely hold itself closed.

But as I approached the exit, I realized something and couldn’t help but shudder.

“Why… is it so quiet?”

Having nearly reached the outside, there should have been sounds of battle or the hunting squad preventing the centipede from moving, but I heard none of that outside.

My mind was filled with ominous thoughts.

Wait, am I… late?

Could it be that the hunting squad retreated without me because I couldn’t make it back in time?

With the interior of the centipede, which had been writhing violently just a moment ago, now quiet, that possibility seemed quite likely.

What if I’m truly left behind?

I didn’t particularly resent the hunting squad for leaving me.

If I was indeed late, they couldn’t have waited indefinitely for me.

After all, I was the one who caused the time loss by being careless while fighting the Witch of Lust.

But it was still a serious matter.

I felt my face drain of color.

Not seeing any water coming into the centipede’s body usually indicated that it wasn’t submerged, but the fact that the hunting squad had withdrawn hinted that it might happen soon.

The problem was,

“I can’t swim…!”

The problem lay in the fact that I didn’t know how to swim at all.

Due to my circumstances at home, I never had the opportunity to learn anything like swimming.

If someone like me were left alone in the ocean…

What to do? I’ve heard that people float in water, but do witches float too?

Back in the Middle Ages, they used to say that if a witch sank after being thrown into a lake during a witch hunt, she was truly a witch—meaning she wouldn’t float, right?

I don’t know, but I was sure I wouldn’t have the confidence to swim to the surface.

At this rate, I would become a water-affinity witch instead of a fire one…!

“I don’t want this…!!”

Filled with the fear of being left alone in the ocean to drown, I urgently detonated the centipede’s head with flames and escaped outside.

The moment I emerged, the scene before me revealed the darkness of a cave that seemed to have transformed due to whatever had transpired.

“……The answer to that will be given if I make it back safely.”

“……Okay.”

For some reason, Flone and Dwight were clinging behind a massive pillar at the cave’s entrance, creating a strange atmosphere.

Upon seeing their faces, I couldn’t help but murmur.

“……What are you two doing?”

Why did they seem to be in a boy-girl atmosphere, as if they were the only two people left in the world?

In a fluster, I asked them with a blank expression.

“……Huh?”

It seemed they were even more startled than I was, gazing at me with disbelief before quickly shouting.

“Eeek?!!! Scarlet’s out!!”

“What the…! Let’s escape! Scarlet! Don’t just stand there, get out quickly!!”

“Uh? Uh…!”

The strange atmosphere from a moment ago had vanished, replaced by the urgency in their voices.

Seeing Dwight, who I had never seen so anxious before, I instinctively recognized the dire situation and dashed toward the cave’s exit without a second thought.

Just then, I thought Flone and Dwight were following me out when Flone shouted, looking at the pillar she was grasping.

“Wait! This thing is wedged in the ceiling, and if I let go now, the cave might collapse…!”

Hearing that, I realized that what Flone was holding was her weapon, not the pillar.

Its name was probably the “Girl Detector,” right?

A type of weapon that grows larger the more force is applied.

It seemed Flone had been holding it to support the cave’s structure.

At that moment, Dwight shouted at me.

“Scarlet, did you bring the sacred relic?!”

“Uh, it’s here…!”

“If you’ve got the relic, we’re good! It doesn’t matter if the cave collapses, just get out!”

Following Dwight’s words, Flone responded, “Okay!” and released her grip from the weapon, causing it to shrink rapidly.

Simultaneously, we felt an unsettling tremor.

We sensed that this was a signal that the cave was about to collapse, and we panicked as we raced out through the exit, with Dwight shouting toward the Dolos people, who were near the entrance looking bewildered for some reason.

“It’s going to collapse! Run!”

“Ah, understood!”

Upon hearing Dwight’s words, the Dolos people joined our group and rushed to escape the cave.

Then, at that moment,

With a tremendous roar of “Kuuuuuuung!!,” the cave we had just been in collapsed.

Yet, before we even had time to feel relieved about narrowly escaping being buried alive, I shrieked at the sight that met my eyes outside.

“What the heck is that!!!!”

Like a miracle from Moses, the sea that Marin had split in half.

The sea they had split open was now rushing toward us at terrifying speed like a massive tidal wave coming from both sides.

If we got swept away by that, we wouldn’t even be left with our bones!!!

I screamed both outwardly and inwardly, frantically searching for a way to avoid it.

No matter how I looked around, all I could see was the enormous wall of water approaching.

But when I lifted my head and looked up,

-■■■■■■■■■■■!!!

“Scarlet-chan!!!!”

There, I saw Ari and Sylvia’s constellation, carrying people swiftly flying toward us.

However, unlike Ari, who had already sensed my energy and was on her way, Sylvia’s constellation looked like it would arrive just a moment too late.

To be precise, they would clearly get swept away by the incoming sea if they descended to our level.

So, I shouted loudly to Sylvia.

“Sylvia!! Don’t come down, go up!!!”

“Eh…! Yes!!”

Sylvia seemed to realize it was dangerous as she quickly altered her course and soared back upward.

The problem was that Ari’s body was a literal ball of fire, so she couldn’t carry anyone else with her other than me.

But it wasn’t as if there was no way to save everyone.

I grasped Ari’s legs, who was flapping her wings above my head as if she had to hurry, and yelled toward Flone.

“Flone! Grab my legs!! Hold on to each other!”

It was to make sure none of us would touch the flames and to hold on tightly.

That was the best plan I could come up with at that moment.

If I lost my grip, it would be genuinely life-threatening, but considering most of our group had incredible strength from the Dolos clan, it was a feasible strategy.

“Dwight! Since Dwight has less strength, hang on to Flone’s back!”

“Ugh, given the situation, I have no choice…! Excuse me, Flone!”

“Hehe, Flone is okay!”

The magician, who comparatively possessed less physical strength than the others, grasped Flone’s back as she supported him.

Thus, we ended up forming a spectacular chain: I held on to Ari’s legs, Flone supported Dwight on her back, and the others held onto each other’s legs.

However, when it came to surviving, what did appearances matter?

“Everyone, hang on tight! Ari, take off!”

-■■■■■■■■!!!

At my shout, Ari surged upward, pulling the human chain attached to her legs.

“Ugh!!”

“Wahhhh!!”

With the speed we gained, the people dangling below were swinging wildly and screaming.

I felt like I would scream too every time they did.

No matter how sturdy a witch’s body was, having seven people hanging onto her legs, swinging around felt like my limbs were stretching like rubber bands.

But the pressure of the massive wall of water closing in from both sides was far more terrifying than any pain.

“Ari!! Up!!! Faster!!”

The sheer magnitude of the wave loomed closer and closer.

Frantically urging Ari to speed up, I realized that there was no way to further increase our already frantic pace.

The wall of water was right next to us.

Everything around turned dark.

The taste of salty seawater began to touch my tongue as the water towered much higher above us.

At that instant, I felt it.

Ah, we’re done for.

We’re getting swept away.

We’re getting swept away.

We’re getting swept away!!!

“Gyaaaaaa!!!”

“Wahhhhh!!!”

“Heeek!!!”

Everyone felt it and screamed,

And with that scream, the ocean engulfed us.

.

.

.

I thought it was the end, but,

“……Huh?”

When I came to my senses, we were already on the surface.

Dazed, I looked downward, and there it was, the ocean had frozen in place, leaving just a tiny gap.

When I turned to my side, I saw Marin, who had arrived slightly earlier, floating on Sylvia’s flight spell.

“……I feel like I’m going to die from exhaustion, please don’t make it too difficult for me.”

The pale-faced Marin was muttering that and then slumped like a deflated doll.

It was Marin who had stopped the water just before it finished swallowing us.

Oh, I trusted you…!

Just as I was filled with gratitude, suddenly,

Whoosh!!

The sea returned to its natural state, and the water rose up from the shock, splashing over us.

“Eww… it’s salty!!!!”

“Ugh, yuck!!!”

In an instant, we became soaked like wet rats and complained about the salty seawater.

-■, ■■■■■■■!!!

-■■■■■■■!!!

But that commotion was nothing compared to the reaction of the enraged demonic beasts.

They were flailing about as if they’d just been slapped, their quaking forms producing silent screams that were quite a sight to see.

Then, suddenly, someone burst into laughter.

“Pffff, ha ha ha!!”

“Ah hahah! Haha, ha…!”

And just like that, everyone began to laugh uncontrollably.

I laughed too.

It was just a spontaneous laugh.

The reason everyone was laughing was probably not only due to the demonic beasts’ reactions but perhaps for the same reason.

As the laughter from the group gradually subsided, I lowered the people who had been clinging to my legs onto Sylvia’s constellation and jumped onto Ari’s back.

Then, raising the sacred relic hanging around my neck, I spoke.

“Everyone, thanks to all your efforts, we successfully retrieved the sacred relic. We also defeated the Witch of Lust. While it’s wonderful to complete our mission, there’s even better news. Sylvia?”

As I gestured toward Sylvia, she nodded and began to speak.

“Yes. During the battle, there were some injuries, and Marin sustained significant internal damage by pushing herself, but…”

As Sylvia said this, Marin, who had been lying with her head on Sylvia’s knee, waved her hand to indicate she was okay.

Seeing that, Sylvia smiled and addressed the group.

“There were no casualties. Thank you all for your hard work.”

Cheers of “Waaah!!” erupted from everywhere at the mention of “no casualties.”

Whenever any incident occurred, we had always resolved it through someone’s sacrifice.

However,

For the operation to subdue the Witch of Lust and retrieve the sacred relic,

Seven were injured.

But none had died.

In this moment, when we could celebrate our success without mourning or sorrow,

I was happier than ever before.