Programmer in Another World

EPISODE 17 - A Cruel World

Hagah raises her index finger and places it near her mouth.

"Shhh. Take a seat down first."

He reluctantly sits down on the old bed.

"You. You were the one who brought us here, didn't you? I remember. What's your reason for bringing us here?"

She grabs a chair and gently sits down.

"Haydel, she was the mother of all the witches. Witches know most of the ancient magic that is born from this world and is also the creator of most of them. But people despised her power, so she was killed, and so were some of her children..."

He wondered, "What is she talking about?"

"You were wondering why I brought you here, no?"

He was surprised by her reaction.

"It is best to explain from the very beginning since I am very well aware that you would ask questions afterward. So listen carefully..." she continues explaining, "the main reason for our mother's decapitation was because of a certain spell, which is known as Perfect Immortality, however, she was only able to present to her children a half-baked formula for Immortality, which prevents us, her children, to die of old age, but we would still keep aging. And so we thought of something to prevent this..."

He gulps anxiously.

"...By hunting the organs of people."

"These people. They are monsters... But... one thing does raise my suspicion," he mulls over.

He clenches his fist to control his conserved rage.

"I'm not agreeing or allowing any of you to do these by any means, but it appears to me that all of you seem to hunt down children instead of adults, why is that? They have more developed bodies than children, right?"

"We tried that you see. It resulted in the deaths of my fellow sisters. So we decided to kill children for the sake of our safety. Besides, we wouldn't want to always fight, since young children would freak out at the sight of this place."

He was dumbfounded. It took him a while before he could utter another word.

"...I have two questions."

"I know it's pointless to ask this first one, but I refuse to believe something so inhumane would happen," he thought.

"Go ahead."

He asks, "First question, what did you people, do to those children you captured?"

"Just to confirm my suspicion," he said to himself.

She raises her eyebrows.

"My, my, I thought it must've been obvious, well now, I wish I didn't have to say it myself, but... we eat them."

Shivers go down his spine.

"The rest of the process requires magic to preserve our insides and our outside appearance. Your friend has white hair, beautifully grown too, and I specifically chose her because I wanted it for myself."

"THIS... MONSTER!" he angrily thought.

He clenches his fist harder than before digging his nails into his own skin.

"No, control your anger. I don't know what her powers are, I have to stay calm," he speculated.

"Now for my second question... Why... did you save me back there? You ARE a witch right? Your intention is to eat us, children. Why is it that I was saved?"

"Now, what a marvelous question, indeed. Tell me, how would a normal 5-year-old kid react in a situation like this?"

He was puzzled, "5 years old, is she indirectly referring to my age?"

"They would freak out and cry for their mommy. But you? You seem to be awfully confident to even try and go upstairs, any 5-year-old would have been dead already. Not only that, to be able to boldly ask a witch out these questions, such courage," she said so with a firm tone to her final words.

"W-What are you implying?"

"I can see your soul directly, child. You are not really 5 years old, are you not? Your soul has lived for around a total of 25 years. Now, where did those 20 extra years come from?"

He begins to sweat nervously.

"I purposely threw you to the disposal room so that I could get a glimpse of you. If it weren't for me. You would've already been dead. For now, let's get back on topic. If I touch a person's skin for a certain amount of time, I can see their lifetime's amount of memories."

"T-There was a thing like that?" he thought.

"And I have gotten quite attracted to you. But something bothers me. Aside from your pathetic life in the other world, from the 5 years you have spent in this world, why are you acting like a 5-year-old? You're supposed to be a 25-year-old, then why aren't you acting like one? Act your age, fool."

Tears are released from his eyes.

"I know. I know these past few years, I've been acting childish. But I don't care. YOU SAW, DIDN'T YOU? I JUST WANTED TO ENJOY THE CHILDHOOD I NEVER HAD! IS SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO CRUEL?!" he furiously shouted.

"You were reincarnated in this world for a reason, SO ACT ON YOUR MISSION! Right now, you are a pathetic wimp but don't worry, I'm sure my sisters would mold you into shape," she says so lightly with a chuckle.

Pallitra's voice is heard outside, "PHIZE! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"PALLITRA?"

"BE QUIET THERE WILL YOU?" Odenna shouts fiercely coming from the same place.

"She's in trouble. I have to save her!" he thought.

He runs towards the door. Hagah raises her right hand and a magic circle forms from her right hand.

She chants, "Open."

He opens the door and runs outside the room.

"Make sure to find the one who reincarnated you. If you manage to get out of here alive that is."

Phize exits the hallway and rushes downstairs. He opens the door through the kitchen.

Before him, he sees Pallitra chained to the table and Odenna holding a butcher knife preparing to chop her up.

"STOP!"

END OF EPISODE 17