The World's Strongest and Most Evil Noble Strives Humbly and Diligently ~ Using Knowledge of the Original Story and Unique Magic to Avoid a Destruction End ~ - Chapter 6: The Witch of Intellectual Desire, Entia

Chapter 6: The Witch of Intellectual Desire, Entia

Hollow von Heisenberg, the villainous noble, and Entia, the Witch of Intellectual Desire, locked eyes in silence.

“Now, shall we begin the Witch’s Trial?”

Entia, extending her six black wings, smiled gracefully. In response, Hollow drew his sword with his right hand, letting it dangle lazily at his side.

“My, my, you’re holding your sword so carelessly,” Entia remarked, shaking her shoulders slightly.

In the next instant, Hollow was right in front of her, mere inches away.

“What!?”

She leapt backward reflexively, narrowly dodging the pitch-black slash that sliced through the air where she had been. Locks of her pink bangs fluttered to the ground, and Entia gulped dryly.

(…That was close…!)

Had her reaction been even a moment slower, her head would have undoubtedly been severed.

“Hmm, I had intended to finish this just now, but you’re surprisingly fast,” Hollow commented.

“…You’re no mere child, are you?” Entia muttered.

“Well, what do you think?” Hollow replied with an unmistakable air of confidence.

(Hollow von Heisenberg… Though born with immense talent, he squandered it on a life of idleness and arrogance—or so the records claimed. But this… What is going on!?)

The information in the forbidden tomes about Hollow was completely at odds with reality. This was unprecedented.

(This boy is no ordinary child. He’s an anomaly… something otherworldly. Against irregularities like this… I’ll crush him with overwhelming force!)

Raising her guard significantly, Entia flapped her black wings and gracefully ascended into the air.

“—.”

From her black wings, a storm of feathers shot forth. Enhanced by magic, the jet-black projectiles could pierce through even thick steel plates with ease.

However—

“Hah.”

Hollow evaded them all with minimal, precise movements, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

(What…? He didn’t even use defensive magic!?)

Entia’s eyes widened in shock. In the time it took her to blink, Hollow’s figure had vanished.

(Where did he go!?)

“Over here,” came a mocking voice from behind.

Entia turned reflexively, crossing her arms to block, but Hollow’s kick carried an unimaginable weight for his small frame.

“—Ugh…! What is this abnormal force…? I can’t fully absorb the impact…!”

Entia was sent flying horizontally, slamming into a massive bookshelf.

“Ka…hah…”

The impact forced the air from her lungs, and she gasped in pain.

(This is bad… I have to escape… the next attack is coming…)

Through sheer will, she suppressed her blurry consciousness and desperately flapped her wings.

The air offered sanctuary—a realm where Hollow, without wings, couldn’t reach her.

(Hah…hah… That boy, he’s not following me… huh?)

Indeed, there was no follow-up attack.

And for good reason.

“Hmm, my swordsmanship and physical combat… I’d say they’re satisfactory,” Hollow muttered, calmly assessing his skills in the midst of battle.

(This brat…!)

Hollow wasn’t taking this seriously at all. His movements were like a child testing each of his tools methodically.

He was using the Witch’s Trial as a stepping stone. What she had created as a diversionary game was being exploited for a mere experiment.

This insult deeply wounded Entia’s pride.

“…Hollow von Heisenberg, you arrogant little noble, I shall bestow upon you the Witch’s Trial.”

The air around Entia shifted ominously. Slowly, she raised her right hand and began chanting.

“—.”

In the next moment, the forbidden library was plunged into a night-like darkness. Amid the black veil, dazzling stars began to appear.

“…Beautiful,” Hollow murmured in awe, just as the stars turned crimson and erupted with light.

In an instant, his entire body was pierced by the intense beams. The shockwave tore through the forbidden library, shaking it violently and raising clouds of debris. Entia gazed down at the scene of utter destruction.

(…Perhaps I went a bit overboard…)

was one of the highest-level spells, converting her magic into light and indiscriminately sweeping through the designated area. Capable of nullifying any defense, its destructive power could easily obliterate an entire city.

Using it against an eleven-year-old boy was excessive by any standard.

(Oh well. He was rather insolent anyway.)

Entia folded her wings and descended gracefully to the ground.

“Now then, where was I?” she murmured, reaching for a book on the desk.

“—What a beautiful spell.”

Emerging from the dust, Hollow stood completely unharmed.

“No… way…”

Entia’s eyes quivered in disbelief. was a spell that pierced through all matter in existence.

(This is impossible… How did he…?)

She hadn’t yet realized it. Hollow von Heisenberg was a monster who ruled over a domain beyond this world—”Void.”

(It’s not ordinary defensive magic… This is undoubtedly a unique, extremely irregular power…)

As Entia desperately tried to analyze him, Hollow’s crimson eyes gleamed maliciously, his lips curling into a wicked smile.

“In exchange for the planetarium show, let me show you something amusing.”

The moment his eerie red eyes shone, Hollow’s face twisted unnaturally.

(Is this an illusion spell? No… Could it be… the calamity Xenon’s unique magic, !?)

But it wasn’t Hollow that was warping—it was Entia, or rather, the entire forbidden library.

(There’s no escaping this… The range is too wide. Defensive magic—no, I can’t cast it in time…!)

And then—

“Ka…hah…!”

Her body shredded and torn, the witch collapsed forward.

“Hmm… I might be a bit too strong,” Hollow remarked.

The King of Void, who had achieved a flawless victory, scratched his cheek absentmindedly.

Entia, the Witch of Curiosity and Keeper of the Forbidden Library, is strong.

The original Hollow at the age of 11 couldn’t possibly have defeated her, no matter how hard he tried.

But that was in the “Arrogance and Sloth Route.”

Now, I’m on the “Humility and Prudence Route,” so I believed I could win…

(As expected of the genius Hollow, to achieve this in just two years…)

Polished swordsmanship, martial arts, and the unique magic that integrates both offense and defense.

I had honed myself beyond my own expectations.

While I was absorbed in my thoughts, Entia’s remains disintegrated into glowing particles, and her body was quickly restored to its healthy state.

“Phew… I’m surprised. To think you can use just like Zeno…”

Entia is immortal.

To be precise, her unique magic grants her a “quasi-immortal state.”

Since I’ve already read the original story, I know her “immortality’s secret,” which allows me to kill her at any time…

But Entia’s death would mean the loss of the Forbidden Library.

That would be such a waste, so this time I limited myself to merely destroying her vessel.

“Hollow von Heisenberg, I acknowledge your valor and shall grant you the wisdom of the witch. Now, speak your wish for knowledge.”

Entia spoke the same lines as in the game.

This kind of moment feels great.

It really makes me feel that I’m living in the world of Ronzorkia.

“My mother, Layla, has been cursed by the Sky Eater and is bedridden. I wish to know how to break the curse placed on her.”

“The knowledge to lift the curse on Layla von Heisenberg… In other words, you seek the magic of dispelling curses?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I have heard your wish.”

When Entia snapped her fingers, a book floated out from the shelves at the back and landed in her right hand.

“This is a grimoire left behind by the great sage Amur. Within it is the magic for dispelling curses that you seek. Someone of your caliber as a magician should be able to master it quickly.”

“I am grateful.”

I received the ancient grimoire,

“Well then, until we meet again.”

I relayed to Entia before leaving the Forbidden Library.

Upon returning to the mansion, I headed for my father’s private room and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

“…What is it?”

“It’s Hollow. I have something to report to you, Father.”

“Come back later; I’m busy right now.”

Although my father curtly dismissed me, I pressed on with determination.

“Pardon my persistence, but I have prepared everything necessary to break Mother’s curse.”

The moment I conveyed my message, the sound of a chair falling echoed, and the door was flung open.

“What!? Explain yourself in detail!”

“I have just overcome the Witch’s Trial and obtained the magic for dispelling curses.”

“You discovered the Forbidden Library and defeated the witch!?”

“To be precise, I found the Forbidden Library and earned Entia’s recognition.”

“Hollow, you…!”

My father trembled and quickly turned his gaze toward my mother.

“You’ve already mastered the magic bestowed by the witch!?”

“Yes, I have.”

“Well done! Begin at once!”

“Understood.”

I stood at my mother’s bedside and focused my magical energy.

“.”

A divine light enveloped her body, dispelling the malevolent curse.

One second, two seconds, three seconds… As the clock’s second hand ticked softly, my mother’s eyes slowly opened, and my father, unable to contain himself, spoke up.

“Layla! It’s me! Do you recognize me?”

“…Daph… Ness…?”

“Layla!”

Tears welled up in my father’s eyes as he took my mother’s hand and began apologizing.

“I’m sorry, truly sorry…! I should have abandoned my foolish work and stayed by your side. Please forgive this foolish man…!”

“I lost to the Sky Eater because I was weak. You did nothing wrong.”

My mother shook her head gently and turned her gaze toward me.

“Hollow, you broke the Sky Eater’s curse, didn’t you?”

“You can tell?”

“Yes, while I was fighting against the curse in the dark, I felt your kind magic. —Thank you. You’ve grown so big and strong. Your magical talent… resembles your father’s, doesn’t it?”

My mother smiled happily as my father placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Hollow, your actions this time were… truly splendid. You are my pride.”

“I am honored.”

As I bowed slightly, my mother suddenly coughed.

“Are you all right, Layla!? Could it be the curse’s lingering effects…?”

“No, no. It’s just that my throat is a bit weak from being bedridden for so long. Could I have something to drink?”

“Oh, of course! My apologies for not noticing!”

Overjoyed, my father dashed into the hallway and, leaning out the door, shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Orvin, bring something warm to drink! Quickly, at once! Layla has awakened!”

“L-Lady Layla has…!?”

What followed was utter chaos.

Not only my father but Orvin and the other servants also rejoiced wholeheartedly at my mother’s recovery.

It was clear how deeply she was loved.

(For now, I can breathe easy.)

Watching the commotion from the sidelines, I quietly left the room.

My father had contacted the Great Demon Order to break the curse placed on my mother by the Sky Eater.

Now that the curse had been lifted, there was no longer any reason for my father to be involved with the cult.

The flag for the “Judgment Guillotine End” had been completely broken.

Having successfully achieved my original goal,

(Next… I should focus on securing the Forbidden Library.)

I set my sights on the next target.