The Reincarnated Eldest Witch Sister Embraces Self-Sacrifice - Chapter 7: For All Witches

The day after Ephnol visited our home, I went to the Defelos Trading Company to sell the products I had made. On my way back, a stranger approached me from behind.

“Excuse me, are you by any chance Ulgiar?” “…Yes, that’s me. Do you need something?” “Yes, I have a matter to discuss with you.”

Turning around, I saw a tall figure cloaked in a black hood. The face was hidden, but judging from the voice and build, it was likely a woman. I hoped it wasn’t trouble, but I wondered what she wanted.

“I am an old witch who despises this irrational world. I’m seeking comrades to change it into a better place for witches… Would you like to hear my proposition? It might be appealing, especially for someone like you with witch sisters.”

“How do you know about us?” “You four sisters are quite famous in this city. I’ve forgotten where I first heard your names.”

Indeed, we were well-known in the Polis commercial city. In a world where witches were rare, four witch sisters stood out. Our fame had grown significantly, with my sister Istos becoming the city’s strongest adventurer.

“…I don’t mind listening to what you say.” “Great. Let’s not talk here on the street. How about we go into that tavern and discuss it?”

So, I accepted the mysterious person’s proposal, and we entered a nearby tavern. My reasons were twofold: curiosity about her “better world for witches” and a desire to gather information on other witches.

We ordered drinks at the tavern and started our conversation.

“Could you remove your hood? It’s hard to talk to someone whose face I can’t see.” “Oh, sorry about that. Wearing a hood has become a habit for me.”

She removed her hood, revealing a woman with a world-weary look, blond hair dulled with age, and a scar on her cheek. Witches don’t age, but her demeanor suggested she was an old witch.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Bronte. Ever heard of the Thunder Witch?” “No.” “I see. It’s been a long time since I was called that. Let’s get back to the point. I’m working to give witches political power in the Vasilio Kingdom. Specifically, I want to elevate powerful witches to nobility so they can advocate for witches in the kingdom’s parliament.”

Witch-led politics for witches. These were tempting words, but I needed to be more naive to jump at them without more information.

“What exactly do you plan to do to become nobility?” “We’ll demonstrate our power. Hunt monsters, punish criminals, participate in wars, and show that witches are worthy of nobility. If that doesn’t earn us titles, we might have to take more drastic measures.” “Like what?” “Rebellion. Take over a city by force and make the kingdom accept our demands. Witches have that power. You know that, don’t you?”

Hearing Bronte’s words, I was shocked. Her ideals were noble, but a violent uprising would harm many and damage the social credit of witches, accelerating discrimination.

I spoke up, hoping to change her mind.

“…Can’t we earn titles through continued achievements without resorting to rebellion?” “It’s impossible. I fought for the kingdom a hundred years ago in a war against the empire. I contributed more than anyone but was never granted nobility. Later, I discovered that there have never been witch nobles in Vasilio. No matter the achievement, the king doesn’t want witches in nobility.”As Bronte spoke with evident frustration, it became clear that her beliefs were deeply rooted and strong, more than I had initially imagined.

“I used to be feared as the Thunder Witch, but in the end, I was just used as a regular soldier with meager pay. Even if your sister Istos, renowned as an adventurer, saves the city from a powerful monster attack, she likely won’t be granted a title. Don’t you want to change such a world? Don’t you want to create a better world for your sisters?”

Bronte passionately appealed to me. Mentioning my sister did stir my emotions, but still—

“Sorry, but I can’t join you. While I wish to change the world, I’m also content with my peaceful life. I can’t participate in something as dangerous as a rebellion, nor can I involve my sisters.”

“That’s a pity. When I heard about a witch who slaughtered attackers for her sister’s sake, I thought you’d be an excellent ally.”

As Bronte said this, our drinks arrived. I had ordered coffee, and Bronte had tea.

We took a moment to sip our drinks before resuming our conversation.

“Sure, it’s a relatively good era for witches now. It’s understandable for a young witch like you to prefer the status quo. But it’ll be too late if we wait until witch discrimination starts in earnest again. We need to act now while witches still have the strength. It’ll be too late once they’ve been worn down by repeated discrimination.”

“You might be right. But there should be more peaceful ways to act. Changing the world doesn’t only mean rebellion.”

Bronte’s demeanor had shifted to unhappiness, perhaps reflecting some past tragedy. Still, it didn’t change my stance.

“Can’t reconcile our views, huh? That’s unfortunate. I appreciate you listening, though. Further persuasion would be futile, so I’ll take my leave. Please, use this for the drinks.”

After finishing our talk, Bronte left money on the table and prepared to leave the tavern. I had one last question for her.

“One last thing… Were you the one who destroyed the Theos Cult’s hideout?” “Theos Cult? I don’t recall the name, but I recently took down a cult harming witches.” “I see. Thank you.”

Bronte then left the tavern without further delay. Watching her go, I finished my coffee, paid the bill, and exited the tavern.