Chapter 280 – #62_Interlude(2)
#278
1.
What images come to mind when you think of Mexico?
Drugs, gangs, unstable public safety, slums?
These are generally accurate images.
Like most Latin American countries, it has corrupt politicians and cartels with power and military strength exceeding that of the central government.
They have built their own kingdom based on the smuggling industry, bringing in drugs produced in places like Colombia and Venezuela.
They have established a foundation of terror by brutally executing opposing organizations, politicians, journalists, and military police.
Even ordinary people are brutally executed and their bodies left on the streets if they voice criticism.
For example, in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, which is located in the border region with the United States, about 10,000 casualties occur every year due to the drug war, and the annual murder rate is about 200 per 100,000 people due to the worst public safety conditions. The perception that ‘Mexico is dangerous’ originates from this.
However, the story is limited to the border area where the struggles of various cartels and the war on drugs are fierce. If you go down to Mexico City, the largest city in the south, the story changes a bit.
Mexico City, where the federal government and embassies are located, is a region that even cartels are reluctant to touch, so it has achieved considerable stability and prosperity.
Especially if you come to Polanco, the heart of Mexico City, European-style buildings and statues from the 16th century are naturally integrated into the skyscrapers, and it is flourishing so much that you would never think it was the dangerous Mexico.
In the center of the city, there is a stately building that even the worst smog cannot reach.
At the top floor of the hotel ‘St. Regis Mexico City,’ where you can look down at the beautiful night view like a cluster of stars blooming in the darkness, a meeting of witches began.
There were a total of four people participating in the meeting.
Even though it was not a formal meeting but a gathering by personal summons, it was less than half the number of people compared to when the public group ‘Qliphoth’ was at its peak.
Countless public figures lost their lives in the process of invading Gehenna in 1883, so it was inevitable.
“I don’t know how long it’s been since we’ve all gathered like this? Was it 20 years ago?”
‘Bianca Bellili, the Witch of Desire,’ who confirmed that everyone she invited had arrived, twisted her side hair and smiled.
Her abundant ivory white hair flowed elegantly over her shoulders, and her jade-colored eyes did not lose their light even in the dim lighting.
“Why are you in the seat of honor?”
Bianca calmly answered the witch who pointed it out with a sharp voice at the same time.
“You came to my city, and I’m the host, so isn’t it natural that I sit in the seat of honor? ‘Clef Asmode’.”
“I can’t accept that. Either move your chair right now or bring out something more elegant to drink. Who are you trying to put this cheap stuff on the tongue of?”
No one protested except for Clef, who expressed her dissatisfaction with a sharp voice.
It was none other than Bianca who integrated the large cartels of Mexico and the small cartels that had spread throughout the provinces and created one force.
Since she placed her throne on a mountain of tens of thousands of tons of drugs and a hundred times more corpses, it is hard to think that her words are exaggerated.
However, the reason why Clef expressed her dissatisfaction was because the two had a bad relationship.
To be more precise, it was because Clef unilaterally disliked Bianca.
Clef is the owner of a Colombian drug production plant, and in the process of distributing drugs to North America, she is ripped off a huge amount of money by the greedy Bianca, so she cannot have good feelings.
After all, magic research requires a considerable amount of money.
“Are you fighting as soon as we meet after a long time? The little one is always full of energy~”
The witch in nun’s clothing, who had been leaning back leisurely, smiled and spoke languidly.
Although the hem of her dress was a somewhat baggy design, it seemed difficult to hide her voluptuous figure.
“Shut up, you big-titted bitch.”
“That’s too harsh. Who do you think is providing the weapons for your war games?”
Clef immediately picked a fight like a cat that had its tail stepped on.
It was not a friendly atmosphere by any means.
It couldn’t be helped.
The witches gathered here are public enemies belonging to the infamous ‘Qliphoth,’ and among them, they are the great witches with particularly strong power and magic.
They are the worst public enemies who have formed their own forces, despite avoiding the purges of Duke Keter and Duke Tiferet and having countless enemies.
They are forced to cooperate from time to time due to their interests, but basically, they are hostile to each other.
Considering that the witch of Aquarius, who was a member of Qliphoth, was torn apart and disintegrated as soon as her death was confirmed, it is natural that they are wary of each other.
“I want to ask why you called this temporary gathering.”
A dry and calm voice cuts through the noise.
It was a witch with hair as black as if it had been drawn with a brush.
Her cool gray eyes seemed to not want even a second of meaningless time wasted.
“Isn’t it obvious? Everyone must have been watching this situation with their eyes wide open.”
“Your evasiveness is so disgusting.”
Everyone ignores Clef, who is sneering at Bianca, and the conversation naturally progresses.
“The Cowardly Witch?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The Cowardly Witch was a witch who had no connection with Qliphoth.
Unlike the four people gathered here, she did not have a force to shoulder and wandered around alone, and her purpose itself was completely different from the start.
Therefore, there was no need for cooperation or consultation, and there was no need to adjust conflicts or disputes.
Nevertheless, the reason why they were watching the Cowardly Witch was because she played the role of a very good lab rat.
“She caused a disaster with four-digit casualties in one of the world’s leading cities, and conducted a magic experiment in the middle of the city that was bound to cause massive casualties. But Keter didn’t move.”
“It’s as the Whispering Witch said.”
“Since it’s information stolen from the prophecy agency, its credibility was high from the beginning.”
“I don’t like that meddling bitch.”
The witches here have great power and strength, but they have only been operating in the shadows and have not revealed themselves to the world.
If you ask where that restraint came from, there is no need to say it.
It cannot be denied that it is because of the existence of Duke Keter, whom all witches revere.
“If you look at the Cowardly Witch’s situation, you can see that the prophecy did not go wrong, right? Keter isn’t not moving. She ‘can’t’ move.”
“But to be so sure about that~ isn’t it too dangerous? It’s not like Lilith hasn’t lied and gone around before.”
“She has told the truth before. It is also true that she has provided various help to Qliphoth. I can’t trust her, though.”
“Are you all crazy? You know what kind of bitch she is, right? It’s funny to be talking about trusting her now.”
Clef laughs as if she is dumbfounded.
But putting aside Clef’s openly sarcastic tone, her words themselves were reasonable.
Lilith was by no means a witch who could be trusted.
The Whispering Witch, whose purpose no one knows, yet who goes around causing all sorts of chaos and confusion.
She is someone who cannot be given even the slightest trust to be a partner.
Even her witch name is unknown to anyone.
“If you called me here to blabber on after listening to that bat-like bitch, I’m leaving. It’s not worth listening to. How foolish.”
“Same here~ I still want to watch for a bit?”
“Okay, okay, don’t be like that. Listen to me.”
Bianca claps her hands to organize the chaotic atmosphere as if they are about to leave their seats.
Amidst the concentrated attention, Bianca calmly laid out a provocation.
“Aren’t you all tired of living in fear of Keter? Honestly, it’s funny. There was no concept of public enemy or anything like that in the past. It was natural for a witch to do anything for magic. Are you going to cower forever in fear of her shadow even in this moment when the person who put us in this unfreedom and oppression is silent?”
“That is a repetition of the same words. I still cannot believe the ‘prophecy’.”
“Yes, I know that one case is not enough. That’s why I called you all here.”
Bianca began to get to the point.
“If you still can’t trust the Whispering Witch, I’ll be the second lab rat. I’m going to cross the stepping stone that everyone is afraid of for you.”
“That’s good? I hope you die.”
Clef poured out curses, but she seemed intrigued and sat back down.
“I’ll prove the prophecy again.”
“You can’t just hold out a chalice that might be poisoned, ah~ is that it?”
“Instead, I want you here to guarantee my convenience in exchange for taking the risk.”
That’s right.
Bianca is saying it now.
In exchange for verifying the prophecy that Duke Keter can no longer move, she is asking for various benefits.
The witches gathered here are all directly or indirectly connected to Bianca’s business.
“If you show me a modest favor, I will do my best to produce plausible results.”
“…….”
As soon as they realized Bianca’s intentions, the other witches also began to calculate in their heads.
To public enemies, Keter’s existence is like an anti-tank mine under their feet.
They are currently tiptoeing around on top of it, but it is ultimately a shackle and a wall that could explode at any time.
The prophecy of the ‘prophecy agency’ that the Whispering Witch had delivered is not something to be taken lightly.
It is an agency that has given prophecies that have never been wrong in its history of over a thousand years.
Of course, Lilith is a witch who cannot be trusted at all, but what if she had a whim and delivered the exact truth?
What if they could freely carry out magic experiments and businesses that they had been hesitant to start?
And what if someone else takes on the life-threatening trial and error for them?
It is a tempting offer that they cannot easily refuse, and they are willing to pay a sufficient price.
“I like it~”
“I like it too.”
“If you die, I’ll eat your puppet too.”
“The story is moving fast.”
Everyone accepted Bianca’s offer.
Bianca was satisfied with this, although she could have extracted more if more people had gathered.
After that, things went smoothly.
Bianca asked for something modest compared to the cost of risking her life, and even promised to receive about half of the price after a definite experiment.
It was a negotiation that ended in such a low posture that the other three witches were puzzled.
“Okay, we’re not in a position to face each other and have a friendly chat, so shall we end it here?”
“I don’t want to hear your disgusting voice anymore either?”
“…….”
“Don’t say it like that~ We’ve been seeing each other for quite a long time~”
“Then, let’s meet again next time.”
-Clap!
When Bianca clapped again, the noise subsided.
The lights of the entire hotel, which had been dimly lit, turned on, and the meeting table changed.
“Kkeueuk…keureureureuk…!”
The three witches who had been noisily, quietly, and leisurely occupying the table were no longer there.
Instead, Bianca was sitting calmly in front of three dying humans who were foaming at the mouth and eyes.
The magic of divorce through the collective consciousness.
The other witches besides Bianca did not take a long trip to Mexico City, but were attending this meeting through magic.
Of course, there is no way that an ordinary person can withstand the enormous knowledge and magic power of a witch with their bare body.
The poor sacrifices would die with their brains crushed as soon as the ritual was over, but that was not a particularly important matter.
“Haa…!”
Bianca suddenly lets out a hot sigh.
From a blind spot that was not visible to the witch sitting at the other table, someone who had been crawling between Bianca’s skirt hem was licking her private parts throughout the meeting.
“Hoo, I almost couldn’t stand it. It’s okay now. Come out.”
Someone hesitantly crawls out from between her legs, which had been spread wide open.
Short hair that breaks below the shoulders, a body line like a delicate flower.
Ruby-like eyes, as if stained with blood, look up at Bianca Bellili with fear.
Her delicate face, which is flawless and could not be possessed by anyone but a witch, is covered with sticky fluids and saliva, making her look very vulgar.
“You’ve improved a lot lately? Our Ea.”
“….…”
Bianca’s pet dog, whom she had taken in not long ago, who everyone thought was dead.
The identity of that witch is Ea Sadalmelik.
She was the infamous witch of Aquarius.
AHAHAHAHAHHA