[1] A Final Letter And...?
Ice was closing in from all sides.
This snowbound prison wouldn't last much longer before it froze him apart completely.
Adrian Blackwood's torso had already turned a bluish purple from the cold, yet there was no trace of pain on his face, if anything, he looked faintly pleased.
"System, set environmental realism to 0%."
After turning pain sensation down to zero, Adrian adjusted another system setting.
It couldn't be helped. If he didn't change it, his fingers, stiffening from the cold inside this icy prison, would never finish writing the letter in his hand.
After writing the final word, Adrian read it through one last time:
"Snowe, by the time you read this letter, I'm probably already dead.
Please don't grieve for me. The blame lies only with me, for hiding the truth from you, for deceiving you.
The Frozen-Time Demon, the evil spirit capable of freezing time itself, was never something that could be sealed simply by offering magic power as a sacrifice.
The Purifying Snow Ritual passed down through generations of the shrine is a lie.
All it does is drain all your magic during the ritual, turning you into yet another sacrifice for the seal.
Silly girl… after all, if the ritual really worked, why would the Snow Shrine need to guard this bitterly cold land for century after century?
The real method is to interrupt the ritual midway, burn down the shrine, release the power of all the snow priestesses who were sacrificed before, and then completely erase that detestable demon.
This is the only way to save you, Snowe, and rid the world of the evil spirit.
But I can't tell you.
'Burning down the shrine that raised you'… that would surely cause you nothing but pain and anguish, wouldn't it?
You always said that once the demon was purified, spring would return to this frozen land; that you wanted to plant a cherry tree at the shrine and live a peaceful, leisurely life.
I'm just an outsider. In your heart, I could never compare to the shrine.
So let me be the villain.
My sudden change in temperament, bullying you again and again, destroying the ritual today, burning down the shrine… all of it was for this reason.
Still, your magic really is impressive, Snowe. You froze me instantly.
Mm. The ice coffin is beautiful. I like it a lot.
Please forgive my deception, Snowe.
I only learned the truth too late. If I'd known earlier, I would've stayed far away from you from the very beginning, then you wouldn't feel any guilt when killing me.
Unfortunately, by the time I learned the truth, we were already far too close.
I'm sorry that, in the end, this crude and despicable method was the only way I could save you.
Still, by now, you must have completely purified the Frozen-Time Demon and become a great shrine maiden.
Spring cherry blossoms, summer fireworks, autumn maple leaves… with winter's curse gone, the four seasons will finally return. Your cherry tree should be able to grow strong and tall.
Yet, at the moment of my death, heavy snow still blankets this land.
They say that lies told on snowy days are forgiven by the gods.
So…
Snowe, please allow me to tell one final lie:
I never liked you at all.
–Adrian Blackwood."
Perfect.
Adrian felt quite satisfied after rereading the letter.
His HP was about to drop to zero. This save file was about to be cleared. Adrian curled his lips into a malicious smile.
Snowe would never learn the truth.
The Purifying Snow Ritual had been fabricated by Adrian from the very beginning.
The real method to destroy the demon was something he had known all along.
As an omniscient player, he deliberately approached Snowe, fell in love with her, and ultimately guided her into killing him with her own hands, all for a single goal:
To inflict overwhelming psychological trauma upon Snowe and force her to become a witch.
Twisted? Absolutely.
But this was the core gameplay of Witch, a genre-defining game.
Adrian could already imagine Snowe's expression when she read the letter.
–It was because I didn't trust him.
–It was me who drove him into a corner.
–It was me… who killed the person I loved most.
Extreme pain and self-reproach were the finest nutrients for the birth of a Witch.
Pure Snowe.
Kind Snowe.
Good-girl Snowe.
What would her witch card look like?
With a trace of anticipation, Adrian's HP dropped to zero.
[Game Over…]
[Save Data Processing…]
A familiar UI appeared.
[Congratulations on completing the Special Ending: "The Witch of Rimewinter"]
[Ending Rating: S+]
[Evaluation: You did not choose simple betrayal. Instead, through misdirection, you led the girl to believe she herself caused her lover's death. This regret will burn eternally, scorching her soul until the end of time.]
[Witch Card Unlocked: "Buried Spring"]
"Buried Spring": When eternal winter fades, what awaits her is another endless cold.
On the card, Snowe's clothing was stained in inky black, like dried blood. An ice flower adorned her hair. Her lips curved faintly upward, yet her eyes were cold enough to chill the soul.
Beautiful.
Adrian was overflowing with satisfaction, this was already his fifth S+ witch card.
Every run, S+.
Removing the VR headset, still in high spirits, Adrian left a review:
"Witch is undoubtedly an excellent game. While romance is its core, the magic system is coherent and well-designed…
The only flaw is false advertising, despite claims of 'deep, heart-pounding interactions,' underwear is part of the base model and can't be removed…
Overall, a solid 10/10."
Sent.
Just as he was about to rest, a new email popped up.
Sender: Witch Development Team.
Curious, Adrian opened it.
[Dear Player:
Thank you for your thoughtful review.
We sincerely invite you to become a pioneer tester for Witch Version 1.0.
Please enter the code "9527" in your VR device to begin a brand-new adventure.
Enjoy the game.]
Adrian's drowsiness vanished.
A casual review had earned him beta access.
He had to try it.
Putting the headset back on, he entered the code.
Witch, launching.
When his consciousness cleared again.
Adrian found himself standing on an unfamiliar modern city street.
Skyscrapers towered around him. The moon hung high above.
Under the dim streetlights, he looked down.
He was wearing his real-life pajamas.
"Where's character creation? Did it skip?"
"I didn't skip anything…"
No stats. No class selection. No route preview.
Nothing.
"How am I supposed to find the main quest like this?"
"A modern setting… I don't think I've ever played a modern route…"
Just then, a cold hand silently rested on his shoulder.
"Who's there?" Adrian turned.
A tall woman stood behind him, long hair falling over her shoulders. She wore a mask, revealing only a pair of delicate eyes.
Adrian brushed her hand away. "Do you need something?"
The streetlight flickered as it shone on her.
In the quiet alley, she softly asked:
"…Am I pretty?"
The moment he heard the question, Adrian Blackwood knew something was wrong.
The Slit-Mouthed Woman?
This classic urban legend he’d been hearing about it since childhood. He knew the legend by heart.
She usually appeared at dusk or late at night, randomly stopping passersby to ask whether she was pretty.
Adrian remembered clearly:
If you answered “Not pretty.”
– How can you say a girl is ugly? Die.
If you answered “Pretty.”
She would remove her mask, revealing a grotesque tear stretching from the corners of her mouth to her ears, and ask:
“Then am I still pretty like this?”
If you stubbornly kept saying “Pretty.”
She’d say, “Then I’ll make you just like me,” and kill you anyway.
Saying “Not pretty” again?
Wrong answer every year, and you still don’t learn.. didn’t we just say you can’t call a girl ugly? You’ll die.
What kind of opening was this for a new save file? Straight into nightmare difficulty?
How do you deal with this?
He had no good ideas.
Forget it. He’d just log out and play another day.
This time there wasn’t even a clear objective anyway, he had zero motivation.
While mentally pulling up the game menu, Adrian casually ran his mouth at the Slit-Mouthed Woman:
“Miss, blocking the road in the middle of the night to ask that kind of question is boring, you know.
There’s too much blood on your hands. Even if you asked the entire world, it wouldn’t change how ugly your soul is.”
He even smiled at her.
“You’re ugly, inside and out. Cheap, low-grade ugly.”
As the words fell, he selected [Exit Game].
Worst case, he’d just restart a new save.
He would rather starve and delete his account than deal with this mess!
The alley fell dead silent.
The Slit-Mouthed Woman seemed never to have suffered such blunt humiliation before. She froze for a long moment, her pale face actually flushing red.
She was angry.
This human not only insulted her to her face, he didn’t even run.
What gave him that confidence?
After a long pause, suspicion gave way to rage.
You’re ugly.
Ugly to the core…
Damn you.. I’ll tear you apart!!!
Her eyes sharpened. She suddenly drew a rusty box cutter and lunged straight for Adrian’s mouth!
She wanted to rip that mouth open.
The sudden attack startled Adrian.
“Why are you still here?”
“Didn’t I already exit the game?!”
He barely dodged the slash and tried pulling up the interface again.
“End game! Exit! ALT+F4!”
No response.
Adrian: ?
His heart sank. He tried Ctrl + Alt + Del.
Nothing.
“…Don’t tell me this is that?”
Yeah. That wasn’t funny at all.
If he’d known this was a transmigratiob, why the hell would he provoke her?
No wonder there wasn’t even a stat-allocation phase at the start.
A weak-ass college student thinking he’d get attribute points? Staying alive would already be impressive.
Facing the murderous Slit-Mouthed Woman, Adrian forced himself to stay calm.
He needed to stall for time.
Even if he couldn’t log out, there was still a game interface, maybe he had some items.
“Uh… can we talk this out?” Adrian gave her an awkward smile.
She tugged at her mouth, torn all the way to her ears.
“What do you think?”
“Well, if you look closely, you’re kind of… distinctive?”
He talked nonsense while scanning the interface at lightning speed.
Magic Resistance…
Right. He was a normal human. No magic.
Weapon Slot: Empty.
Item Slot: Empty.
Collection… Wait.. there were several Witch Cards.
Could these be used as bricks?
So basically, he had nothing.
Adrian had no choice but to keep bluffing.
“So, uh… have you heard of Witches?”
The Slit-Mouthed Woman sneered.
“Is that your last words?”
“Ma’am, we live in a harmonious society. Violence isn’t good.”
“Last words?”
“…Actually, I’m the long-lost ‘first love’ of several witches. If you kill me, you might run into… some trouble?”
She laughed like she’d heard a joke.
“Very good. Quite entertaining last words.”
Whoosh!
The blade flashed again.
Adrian dodged desperately, but how could an ordinary human match a true specter?
Rip!
Warm liquid splashed out.
He barely avoided the fatal blow, but a long gash opened along the side of his neck, burning with pain.
“Don’t rush~ I’ll make you… just as pretty as me~”
She giggled madly as she closed in again.
“Psycho,” Adrian cursed inwardly.
There was no escape.
She was too fast.
Was he really going to die here, right after transmigrating?
Fastest-death transmigrator record?
At that critical moment, a tense, girlish shout suddenly rang out behind the Slit-Mouthed Woman:
“Hey! You evil specter in front! Let go of that uncle right now!”
The Slit-Mouthed Woman froze.
Buy one, get one free tonight?
Adrian twitched. Uncle?
I’m eighteen, okay?!
Both human and specter turned toward the voice.
Standing there was a delicate-looking girl in a pink lace dress, wearing an oversized bow and holding a… magic wand?
Magical girl?
Adrian nearly cried with relief.
Finally. The proper forces of the Witch world.
She looked like a newbie… but surely she could handle a Slit-Mouthed Woman, right?
The girl took a deep breath, raised her wand like she was reciting from a textbook, and pointed it at the sky.
Pink light flared. A phantom emblem of gears intertwined with roses flashed briefly.
“By the name of love and justice, descend upon this place with silver judgment!”
Her voice was clear, trying hard to sound imposing.
“–Manifest, Silver Thread Bind!”
The Slit-Mouthed Woman clicked her tongue.
Big gestures. Too bad they were hollow.
Several silver threads shot out, loosely wrapping around her body.
The binding strength didn’t even match low-tier SM rope play.
“Little girl…”
She casually tore the threads apart, mocking.
“Are you performing a comedy routine?”
“Huh? How is that possible…?”
The girl panicked.
“The textbook said it should restrain for at least five seconds…”
Adrian: “……”
A total beginner... might’ve even memorized the spell wrong.
She was doomed.
Should he burn himself out to buy time and let the kind magical girl escape?
Wait…
That emblem earlier, it felt familiar.
Gears and Roses?
Memory flashed.
A silver-haired girl.
Limbs of precision gears. Pale skin. Always in a wheelchair like a fragile porcelain doll.
The Marionette Witch · Loviya.
If it was her...
Then he knew the correct incantation.
“Hey, magical girl, repeat after me!”
The girl blinked. “U-Uncle? You…?”
“I said, repeat after me!”
Adrian took a deep breath. Remembering that cringe-inducing chant, his face heated up.
Damn it.
Why did I design such an embarrassing exclusive spell for Loviya back then?
“Flesh is weak, and only stirs the dust.”
Adrian spoke.
The girl instinctively repeated, “Flesh is weak… and only stirs the dust…”
The moment the words fell,
The world changed.
The moon vanished, replaced by massive bronze gears in the sky.
They turned. They meshed. Even without counterparts, metallic click-clack sounds echoed endlessly.
Adrian hadn’t expected it to be this flashy, but there was no turning back.
“Grant thee a heart of brass… to forge eternal love.”
The magical girl hesitated.
This sounded more like a confession than a spell.
But given the phenomena around them, she continued:
“Grant thee a heart of brass… to forge eternal love.”
Click.
The gears stopped.
The Slit-Mouthed Woman was terrified.
Erasing the moon and replacing it with gears, this level of magic was beyond anything she’d ever seen.
But… nothing seemed to happen?
No damage?
Were they messing with her?
She sneered.
“Hah. Looks like your spell has no attack power either.”
Adrian pressed his lips together, eyes complicated.
“No. I think it’s because she… forgot to erase you.”
“‘She’? You mean this rookie?” The specter laughed.
Adrian shook his head.
“Not her.”
The girl: ?
“Enough talk!”
The Slit-Mouthed Woman screamed, raising her blade again.
“Time to die!”
But...
The instant she tried to move,
She froze.
Her body wouldn’t respond.
“…What’s happening?!”
Panic surged.
Her limbs, her thoughts, were slowing, stiffening.
“Puppetry,” Adrian said quietly.
Her mind screamed but even forming thoughts became impossible.
I’m going to die…
Despair swallowed her whole.
The next second, the light in her eyes went out. She collapsed like a cut puppet.
The magical girl rushed over, thrilled and shaken.
“Uncle! N-No, Senior! You’re amazing! That specter turned into a doll!”
“What spell was that? I’ve never seen magic like it!”
“And it’s so strange, I barely consumed any mana!”
She was practically glowing.
Adrian said nothing.
Compared to her excitement, his pressure skyrocketed.
Damn it.
He forgot, only he and that witch knew this spell.
If he really had entered the game…
Then the girls he betrayed, the witches, should still exist.
Which meant…
What he just did was basically broadcasting Loviya his coordinates.
He was right.
After the Slit-Mouthed Woman died, the phenomena vanished. The moon returned.
But the sound of gears in Adrian’s ears grew faster.
Like… someone’s increasingly erratic breathing.
Then he heard a distant, familiar voice:
“…You finally came back.”
