Under Kelly’s head, her entrails floated like snakes as a mist of blood churned around her, with drops of black blood falling to the ground and transforming into vapor that rose again.

"Oh, oh, oh, girl, didn’t your mother ever tell you not to talk to witches?" Kelly didn’t smile, but a cold laugh echoed in Charlotte’s mind.

Kelly hovered on the roof, dragging her entrails, while the intense smell of blood permeated the entire room.

Kelly was in a great mood. She had planned to use the disguise of a six-legged chicken to hide her true identity and trick Charlotte into believing the chicken was the culprit.

Whether Charlotte killed the creature or was killed by it, Kelly would come out unscathed. However, by a stroke of luck, Charlotte had uncovered her true identity and, surprisingly, had come to face her without bringing any of her protective puppets.

She was just a silly girl influenced by too many stories.

What could she possibly do?

A true suicide mission.

By eliminating Charlotte, the puppets without their master couldn’t act on their own. Kelly would not only remain hidden but would also gain a new puppet for her collection.

Besides, Kelly had never tasted noble blood before.

Would blood blessed by the empress taste better?

Charlotte, lying on the ground, pushed away the shelf of medicines she had knocked over when hit. She stood up, shaking off the debris, holding a massive sword pointed directly at Kelly without the slightest tremor.

Her face was smeared with Kelly’s black blood, which, by logic, should have corroded her skin and flesh. However, the blood on Charlotte seemed to evaporate like snow under the sun, disappearing as she remained completely unharmed.

“Flying Head Spell,” Charlotte said, identifying the spell Kelly had cast.

The Flying Head Spell was one of the most common dark spells left from the Age of Darkness, used with the goal of seeking immortality. To learn it, one had to consume the blood of pregnant women.

Before the continent's unification by the Empire, this spell was widely practiced due to its quick execution and the ease of obtaining the necessary materials. Even after nearly a century of persecution, many legacies of this spell still existed.

Although based on a pile of corpses, the Flying Head Spell was considered relatively common among the many existing spells.

In fact, the Witch Hunt War, which led to the continent's unification by the Kingdom of Winze five hundred years ago, was justified by the need to eliminate such practices.

The Witch Hunt was, after all, the Empire's great cause.

Kelly’s red eyes locked onto Charlotte.

She tilted her head, puzzled as to why her black blood had no effect, while her entrails moved incessantly.

“Oh, this is interesting. Why can you resist my blood?”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Because evil will never triumph over justice!” Charlotte raised her massive sword and charged forward, spinning it like a windmill toward Kelly.

Kelly frowned, surprised at how events were unfolding.

She didn’t believe in nonsense like “good triumphing over evil.”

She flew straight toward Charlotte, her entrails twisting into a knot, mixed with blood, and launched them like a flail at Charlotte.

Charlotte defended herself with her sword’s blade. The smile on Kelly’s face stiffened. An ordinary mortal sword could never compete with entrails hardened by sorcery.

However, the moment the blade met the entrails, one of them was severed. This was the natural outcome of contact between a blessed blade and a witch.

Charlotte was a baptized noble. Although she had not yet received the title of knight, she already possessed equivalent abilities.

The Kingdom of Winze had managed to unify the continent during the Witch Hunt War, eliminating tens of thousands of witches and nearly eradicating their bloodlines, thanks not only to the “will of the people” but also to the use of a miraculous material known as “holy oil.”

Holy oil baptism granted nobles knightly abilities—partial immunity to sorcery and high magical resistance.

It was with the first baptized knights that Winze triumphed five hundred years ago. And, to achieve the full effect of holy oil, the baptism had to be maintained for three consecutive generations.

The Eiberg family had never interrupted this ritual over the centuries, and Charlotte, as its heir, had no fear of witches like Kelly.

Moreover, Charlotte’s sword was the eighth in a series forged by blacksmiths using arcane methods. The number eight, a symbol of perfection and sanctity, conferred upon the weapon, when blessed, the title of “Sacred Sword.”

Kelly didn’t know this. She was just a feral witch who had learned from an incomplete spellbook and had never faced a knight. Otherwise, she would have fled at the sight of Charlotte.

“Why?!” After her first defeat in direct combat, Kelly knew continuing would be a mistake.

“It seems you’ve never faced a knight,” Charlotte remarked, finally taking the opportunity to flaunt her hard-earned knowledge.

Kelly ascended to the roof and let out a sharp, piercing scream, a sound capable of rupturing eardrums and tormenting anyone for endless nights. Charlotte, however, merely shook her head and adjusted her stance.

Frustrated, Kelly opened her mouth, revealing four sharp, enormous fangs the size of Charlotte’s finger. Her entrails pulsated, and she spat out a torrent of viscous black blood.

Even with her partial immunity to magic, Charlotte didn’t want to confront that repulsive substance.

The stench was so unbearable it nearly made her vomit.

She quickly dodged. Kelly seized the chance to try to ensnare her legs with her entrails, pulling hard to topple her.

Though small and slender, Charlotte stood firm on the ground, and Kelly couldn’t budge her. On the contrary, she was almost struck by the sword’s blade.

Kelly floated in the air, her tactics unable to affect Charlotte. On the other hand, Charlotte seemed to have no means of reaching the flying witch.

But Charlotte noticed Kelly’s decapitated body on the ground and spun her sword, completely destroying it.

Kelly didn’t seem worried, as that body was not originally hers. However, she feared Caroline might arrive at any moment. Prolonging the fight wasn’t a good idea.

Kelly looked toward the window—small enough for her to escape, just as she had entered to drain blood from her victims before.

Boom!!

A thunderous sound echoed, and the smell of burning filled the air. A lead bullet, fired with incredible force, struck Kelly, throwing her to the ground. Charlotte’s weapon reverted to the form of a black box.

Though the lead bullet didn’t have the purifying power of the Sacred Sword, the explosive force was enough to bring her down.

Charlotte raised her sword and delivered a powerful blow. Kelly dodged, but the blade severed her entrails, which writhed for a few moments before exploding into a black cloud and dissipating into dust.

Screaming in pain, Kelly tried once more to take off and flee from the sword, but Charlotte didn’t give her another chance. The sword split her head in half.

The screams ceased, but Charlotte continued striking, reducing Kelly’s head to pieces. Then she poured fuel oil over the remains and set them ablaze until they were reduced to ashes.

Charlotte didn’t do this out of cruelty but because she had learned that witches’ vitality was resilient, and it was necessary to completely destroy their bodies and souls.

Not forgetting the decapitated body, Charlotte also incinerated it, watching until the flames died out.

Charlotte thought she could have made a friend. She had even invited her for tea.