Chapter 20: Restoring Everything to Its Proper Form

In this world, where magic is an everyday reality, several methods exist to enhance magical power.

Consumable items like Magica Weed and Mimic Hearts are known for their effects, while artifacts such as the Heart Crystal of a Magic Dragon provide stored magical power simply by touch.

For this mission, I tasked Istos with collecting materials from magical creatures and Demeter with gathering items derived from plants.

Both are specialists in their respective fields and possess excellent combat skills. While I couldn’t help but feel some anxiety, I trusted they would safely complete their tasks.

Meanwhile, I assigned Hecate to support me in casting the transformation spell.

Among the magical creatures she can summon, some specialize in enhancing a target’s magical capacity.

Given the quantity and quality of creatures Hecate can control, her assistance in augmenting magical power could rival even Istos’s strengthening magic.

With that, my sisters began working tirelessly to fulfill my requests from the very morning we discussed our plan over breakfast.

Though I hadn’t set a strict deadline, we were racing against an unpredictable timer—the looming rebellion of Bronte and the witches.

Time, as always, was fleeting.

As for me, I focused on crafting the magical tools necessary to secure the required magical energy.

The components I needed included:

• • • • Ultra-high-purity crystal,

• • • • Magic Stone Cotton,

• • • • Abyss Mushrooms, and

• • • • Witch’s blood.

Ordinarily, items like Magic Stone Cotton, found on dungeon walls, or Abyss Mushrooms, harvested from deep forests, would be tasks for Istos or Demeter.

However, no matter how limited our time, I couldn’t involve them in this particular task.

These tools would demand my life as the cost for the immense magical power they would provide.

The responsibility was mine alone to bear.

Ultra-high-purity crystal was something I could easily produce with my magic.

Witch’s blood? My own would suffice without issue.

The true challenges were the remaining two items.

Magic Stone Cotton is a fibrous mineral that occasionally forms on dungeon walls in areas dense with magical energy. Its signature indigo glow and ability to store magic make it unique.

Finding this faint indigo light in a dim dungeon is no easy task. Moreover, such magic-rich areas are usually found in the dungeon’s deepest levels, making this material exceedingly rare.

Abyss Mushrooms, on the other hand, are a type of cap mushroom that grow in ominous, isolated forests where not even animals dare tread. Their ability to absorb surrounding fluids, including light, makes them exceptionally rare and difficult to find in the shadows of dense forests.

Neither of these items was something an artisan like me could hope to acquire through normal means.

But I am a witch of transformation.

If I truly put my abilities to the test, I could transmute one or two rare items into existence.

The magical cost would be immense, but there was no alternative.

Fortunately, I managed to gather appropriate base materials for the transformations.

I found ordinary asbestos—a fibrous mineral—and Cremini Mushrooms, a common edible fungus.

These mundane items, though unremarkable, bore enough resemblance to Magic Stone Cotton and Abyss Mushrooms to serve as viable transformation bases.

The only steps left were to cast the spell to transform the asbestos into Magic Stone Cotton and the Cremini Mushrooms into Abyss Mushrooms.

However, casting such high-level magic twice in one day was far beyond my limits. I decided to spread the spells over two days.

First, I would work on the asbestos.

I arranged the asbestos neatly on my desk in my room. As I prepared to cast the spell to transform the asbestos into Magic Stone Cotton, I felt an immense surge of magical energy being drawn from my body into the asbestos.

‘…As expected, the magic consumption is significant. But it’s within my calculations. I can manage this,’ I thought, continuing the spell.

As the process advanced, the asbestos began to emit faint cracking sounds, and its color shifted into a translucent indigo hue.

After consuming about 70% of my magical reserves, the asbestos fully transformed into Magic Stone Cotton.

Tomorrow, I would perform the same process on the Cremini Mushrooms.

After expending so much magic, I took a moment to rest. As I relaxed, the door to my room creaked open.

“Oh, there you are, Onee-chan! I gathered as much Magica Weed as I could for now. Where should I put it?”

“Hmm… Just leave it in the storage room on the first floor for now. I’ll dry it later so we can brew it into a potion.”

“Okay! See you later, Onee-chan!”

As I casually hid the Magic Stone Cotton with my hand, I responded to Demeter. She left quickly, likely still busy with her own tasks.

Usually, she would linger to tease me or seek affection, but it was rare to see her so focused.

The rest of the day passed without incident. The following morning, I resumed preparing to secure the necessary magic for the next step.

Three nights after delegating tasks to my sisters, preparations for casting the spell to alter the world’s concept of witches were nearing completion.

The materials my sisters gathered were now stored in our home’s storage room, stacked into an impressive pile of magical enhancement items.

Hecate had already summoned supportive magical creatures like goblin shamans and sirens, ensuring everything was ready.

The only preparation left was mine: crafting the magical artifact.

Two days ago, I transformed the Cremini Mushrooms into Abyss Mushrooms. With that, all materials were accounted for.

Now, it was time to create the core magical artifact.

I opened the Comprehensive Guide to Magical Artifact Crafting, which Hecate and I had purchased during a recent outing, and carefully reviewed the steps as I began.

First, I etched the specified spell into the ultra-high-purity crystal using witch’s blood.

This required cutting my fingertip with a knife and combining the etching process with transformation magic, but it was manageable.

Next, I processed the Magic Stone Cotton and Abyss Mushrooms into a fine powder and applied it to the surface of the crystal.

Normally, this would involve the tedious use of adhesives, but transformation magic allowed me to bind the powder seamlessly to the crystal’s surface.

Finally, I infused magic into the etched blood, causing the once-transparent crystal to glow a vivid purple and gradually transform.

What emerged was a sinister-looking crystal, shining in a deep violet hue.

This was a Soul Amethyst, an artifact capable of converting souls into magical power.

The finished artifact was slightly smaller than the palm of my hand.

With this, I would secure the magic needed to redefine the concept of witches—changing them into “mere humans with high magical power and long lifespans.”

Additionally, I would erase the existence of the witch Woolgear from the world entirely.

This way, witches would no longer face discrimination, and it would be as if I had never existed.

My death would prevent my sisters from mourning me.

Everything would return to its rightful state.

Still, in case the magic proved insufficient to completely erase my existence from the world, I needed to leave behind a letter.

It would explain the plan to my sisters, making it clear that this was entirely my choice.

The letter would also encourage them to live on happily and never abandon their will to thrive.

After writing the letter, I placed it on a shelf in my room and went to bed.

I had already informed my sisters that I would cast the transformation spell tomorrow.

There was no fear of death in my heart.

For now, I would simply rest deeply, gathering my strength for tomorrow.

Final Letter

Woolgear

If you cannot recognize or read the five characters above, or if they appear blank to you, please discard this paper.

If you do not recognize the five characters above, have no recollection of them, or only have vague memories, please also discard this paper.

If you do recognize the five characters above, please read the following message.

If you are reading this letter, it likely means that I have failed.

So first, let me apologize.

I’m sorry, Istos, Demeter, Hecate.

To protect your happy and peaceful daily lives, I have paid the necessary price.

Everything was my decision, and it was due to my own shortcomings.

Therefore… although it may not have been the ideal outcome, I have no regrets.

Even if it was in the past, the three of you are now capable of living splendidly without me.

Istos, you have become a fully-fledged adventurer, strong enough to support your sisters.

They call you the strongest in the city, but to me, you are already the world’s greatest adventurer.

I hope that with that strength, you will overcome every challenge and seize a happy life.

Demeter, you too have become an independent merchant, mature enough to stand on your own.

You may rely on magic a bit too much, but there’s nothing you can’t do now, from procurement negotiations to sales.

I hope that with those abilities, and with the goods and wealth you acquire, you will secure a peaceful life.

Hecate, although I couldn’t witness you become fully independent, in a world without discrimination against witches, your magic is a magnificent power that can support many people.

The magical creatures you command have undoubtedly been a great help to your sisters.

I hope that someday, you will receive a reward befitting your dedication and obtain a life where you can smile from the bottom of your heart.

…And finally, I hope that you will forget about me.

I don’t know how much you remember about me, but I am a bad person.

I am a reincarnated individual with memories of a previous life, originally a man, and I hid that fact while living with all of you—a terrible person.

An outsider, a criminal, someone who should never have existed.

A person who couldn’t meet your expectations and was far from ideal.

So please, live on forgetting about me.

As if Woolgear had never existed from the very beginning.