“Oh my, what are you looking so shocked for?” she said. She had shown no remorse when punished for these crimes, betrayed Motoyasu—who had trusted her from the bottom of his heart—tricked Ren, corrupted Itsuki, and finally sided with Takt, making her a coconspirator in the death of her own mother! The criminal who was wanted all across our world! “Darling, you won’t get to have things your way this time. Not while we are here. It would be a mistake for you to think a single thing will go your way,” she purred.

What the hell was she doing here?!

The scene almost seemed removed from reality, as though I was having a bad dream.

“How? Why?” Raphtalia wasn’t taking it well either.

“Since you vanished again, I knew you might pop up anywhere. But I admit—I never expected to see you here,” I told her. Things had definitely taken a turn beyond even my wildest imagination. I’d thought she was still just over there, planning evil stuff in our world!

This witch of a former princess, and witch of a woman!

“What do you say, Hidemasa? Have we impressed you by predicting the cowardly strategy adopted by this Shield Fool and showing you the appropriate steps to take?” she said. I was still stunned. After slipping away at the end of the Takt debacle, here she was, looking at us with an unsettling smile on her face. Witch!

Chapter Ten: A Familiar Face

Chapter Ten: A Familiar Face

“Indeed. The information you provided is why things have gone so smoothly. I am grateful for your cooperation,” Miyaji said and gave his own unsettling smile as he moved over to Witch.

“What are you doing here?! Witch!” I shouted.

“You still dare call me by that silly nickname?! Hidemasa! Do you see now? That’s the kind of person he is! Going around calling people by silly nicknames!” Witch raged.

“Nicknames? What are you talking about? That’s your real name, as approved by your own parents!” I told her. Every single thing that she did, that she said, just infuriated me more!

“Giving people silly nicknames! Is that something a rational person would do?!” she shouted.

“Let me turn your own logic on you—Outsiders, stay out of this!” I retorted.

“What did you say?!” she raged back. As we sniped back and forth at each other . . .

“Mald . . .” Itsuki, brow furrowed, looked at his former underling, a guy in armor who appeared next to Witch. So he had been right when he thought he heard Mald’s voice in the town.

“Don’t you dare say my name, you imposter! The evil that seeks to impede our true justice shall leave the stage here!” Armor said, arrogantly dismissing Itsuki.

I could just about understand what they were saying. With the shield removed, I was barely making it through the conversation. I still had an issue with something though.