The Witch and Her Companion: I'm Just a Normal High School Student, but I Became the Familiar of the Highest-Ranked Witch. Also, It Seems I'm the Only Guy in the Witch Organization I Joined

Chapter 43: The Hong Kong Star and the Spare Key

[Baba Sakurako]

“──Talking about kenzokus doesn’t really have much to do with us, does it…? Don’t we have more important things to discuss?”

Emilia-chan, who had just been talking with us about the relationship between the president and Yaguma-san, suddenly raised her hand as if coming to her senses.

It was an abrupt change of topic, but considering that Emilia-chan had been dispatched specifically to monitor the president and investigate his activities, this was indeed the perfect opportunity.

“Hmm, Emilia-Chan-Frankfurt-Babysitter… It is not as though the topic of kenzokus has no relevance to you all, you know?”

“…You only got my name right up to ‘Emilia,’ though.”

“Is that so? But ‘Chan’ was correct as well, was it not? Even Sakurako calls you Emilia-chan.”

“…No, it’s not like I’m saying it in that over-the-top Hong Kong star way. Everyone else just calls me that normally too…”

It was unclear whether the president was speaking naturally or just messing around, but Emilia-chan puffed out her cheeks in irritation.

“Emi-chii~ Did the president bully you~? Your onee-san will comfort you~”

Emilia-chan didn’t seem genuinely angry, but Karuta-chan hugged her tightly from behind.

If she didn’t have the face of a lecherous old man, it would have been a heartwarming sight.

“──So, what does this whole retainer business have to do with us?”

“Hmm. As long as you are witches—even if only minor ones—you are still targets of the witch hunts.”

“…Witch hunts.”

A secret organization that hunts witches and is responsible for turning humans into monstrous beasts. It makes sense that we would be targeted by them… but I don’t quite see the connection to kenzokus.

“Think about it—why do you suppose mere humans are capable of hunting us witches?”

Now that she mentioned it, it wasn’t easy to imagine humans being able to hunt witches.

According to Rose-san’s old stories, witches originally didn’t even realize they were witches and had no knowledge of how to use magic.

In that state, it would have been possible for humans to capture or even kill them.

But what about now? Ever since the formation of the Ravens organization, the tables had turned, and the witch hunters had become the hunted. Yet, they still managed to continue their activities and even successfully hunted witches.

How were they able to accomplish that…?

“…Could it be that the witch hunters aren’t human?”

At my murmured words, everyone around me stiffened. It seemed they had reached the same conclusion.

“Indeed. It may sound absurd, but listen well… The witch hunters are made up of witches and their kenzokus.”

“…No way… Why…?”

The president’s shocking revelation left all of us speechless. Rose-san had never mentioned anything like this before…

“To put it simply, the witch hunters operate under a hierarchical structure. At the top is the Senate, followed by the Cardinals, Bishops, and then the common followers. Among these, individuals handpicked by the Bishops for their ‘aptitude’ are chosen to become Inquisitors.”

“And this ‘aptitude’ for being an Inquisitor… is essentially the potential to become a kenzoku. In short, Inquisitors are trained as kenzokus by breaking captured witches into submission. They form the core strike force that directly hunts witches.”

It was a difficult story to believe, but if this were true, then the witch hunters were forcibly creating kenzokus out of captured witches and using them to hunt even more witches.

That was no different from the very demonic practices they claimed to be eradicating. It was utterly insane.

“…When you say they are ‘broken into submission’… what exactly do you mean?”

“Well, there are drugs, torture, hostage threats, and more torture… Also, torture. Once they are broken, the witches are referred to as ‘Dolls’ and are paired with an Inquisitor.”

“That’s… that’s absolutely awful…”

“However, things have been different recently. For some reason, the Dolls are no longer resisting—they are cooperating of their own free will. We have no idea how the witch hunters are accomplishing this.”

Vivian-san lowered her gaze in thought.

A captured witch cooperating with the very people who enslaved her? It was too bizarre to be true.

“But like, how do you even know they’re cooperating willingly?”

“You can see it in their eyes when you fight them… The hatred they bear toward other witches is real. And when their paired Inquisitor is killed, most Dolls either go berserk and turn into monsters or take their own lives… As a result, we haven’t been able to gather much information.”

“…So even if we tried to save the Dolls, they would just kill themselves?”

“Precisely. When an Inquisitor dies, the Dolls grieve—sometimes to the point of death, as though they had lost a family member or a lover… It is most disturbing.”

Witches who had been hunted down and used to capture their own kind… mourning the deaths of the very people who enslaved them?

A deep, chilling unease crept up my spine.

“──In any case, the chances of you all encountering witch hunters are not zero. When that happens, remember this: the ones attacking you will not be mere humans. They will be witches and their kenzokus. Never forget that.”

＊　＊　＊

[Todoroki Ryuna]

──I walked along the cracked asphalt, shopping bags hanging from both hands.

Ever since I last brought groceries to Hare’s house, I hadn’t seen him. Back then, I had only managed to bring instant food in a hurry, so by now, he must be craving something that actually tastes like home-cooked meals.

I had wanted to bring him something sooner, but I’d been busy searching day and night with my father, leaving me no time to spare.

──A familiar front door. I unlocked it with my spare key and stepped inside.

“…It’s oddly quiet.”

It was just past ten in the morning… If it were four at dawn, this kind of silence would make sense, but at this hour? It was unnatural.

It felt as if no one was home.

“…Hare? Fuu-chan!? Are you not here!?”

I called out from the empty living room, directing my voice toward the second floor, but no response came.

“…That idiot, where the hell did he go?”

The shock was enough to make me feel dizzy, and I slumped against the table for support.

──At that moment, my fingers brushed against something. A small note.

“…’Just taking a little trip with Fuu. Expect some souvenirs.’ …Excuse me?”

Alone in the empty room, I read the strangely well-written note aloud. My hands, gripping the paper, trembled slightly with anger.

I told him—no, I warned him—not to leave the house. And now he’s off on a trip? With Fuu-chan?

“…If anyone should be going on a trip with him, it should be me…!!”

──No, this isn’t the time for jealousy. The real issue is when they left and where they went.

Why now, of all times?! Where did that idiot even get the money for a trip? There’s no way he just happened to win a prize from the shopping district lottery…

Regardless, I need to find out where they are immediately. After all, there are witch hunters scouring this city, searching for Fuu-chan like madmen.

“…Don’t you dare turn off your phone, you idiot Hare…!!”

I tried calling, but of course, there was no answer. The fact that meticulous Hare didn’t even leave a destination in his note made it clear—he didn’t want me interfering with his little getaway. The nerve of him. And the sheer carelessness.

──Pororon… A notification tone rang through the silent room.

Did Hare finally notice my calls and send me a message? …No.

Because the device that just received the notification wasn’t my personal phone.

It was the one issued to me by the organization a few days ago.

Which meant… This was either a message from headquarters or from another member who had received the same device.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

『Target spotted at a mountain church. Requesting immediate backup.』

The sender was the one with fluffy hair. Attached to the message was a set of coordinates—along with a single image.

“…Why is she… in a wedding dress?”

The photo was of Fuu-chan. Dressed in a wedding gown.