Chapter 16 — The Witch of Sloth

The warehouse echoed with terrified cries as Roland's wife instinctively wrapped herself around their daughter.

"N-No..."

"Please..."

The little girl buried her face against her mother's chest.

"M-Mom..."

"I'm scared..."

Black tendrils slowly crawled across the concrete floor. Unlike Greed's violent shadows, Sloth's moved quietly, almost gently, as though they did not wish to frighten anyone.

Sloth herself looked ready to cry.

"...I-I'm..."

"...sorry..."

"...This..."

"...will..."

"...be kinder..."

The tendrils reached the mother first. They carefully wrapped around her wrists, then her shoulders, and finally her waist.

She struggled desperately.

"Roland!"

"Please!"

"Wake up!"

"You promised we'd always be together!"

Sloth flinched.

For just an instant, a strange pain crossed her face.

A warm dinner table.

A little girl laughing.

Someone calling his name...

The fleeting image disappeared before she could understand it.

She placed a trembling hand against her forehead.

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"...Huh...?"

Greed noticed immediately and gently rested a hand on Sloth's shoulder.

"Aww."

"Don't think so hard."

She smiled warmly.

"It only makes your head hurt."

Sloth looked toward her.

"...Y-You're..."

"...right..."

"...Thinking..."

"...is tiring..."

The brief confusion vanished, and her shoulders slumped once more.

The tendrils continued their work. They slowly covered Roland's wife completely as black light flickered around her body.

Her terrified scream echoed through the warehouse.

Then—

Silence.

The shadows slowly receded.

Standing where Roland's wife had been was a life-sized wooden puppet. Its face perfectly resembled hers, its painted eyes staring blankly ahead while polished wooden hinges connected its joints. It stood motionless and expressionless, as though it had always been nothing more than a doll.

Greed clapped excitedly.

"So pretty!"

She happily walked over and tapped the puppet's forehead.

Tock.

"It even makes cute little wooden sounds!"

The little girl stared in horror.

"M-Mom...?"

The puppet didn't answer. It simply remained standing, its empty wooden eyes never blinking.

Tears streamed down the child's face.

"MOM!!"

She struggled against the ropes binding her.

Greed crouched beside her and gently patted the girl's head.

"There, there."

"No crying."

"We're almost finished."

The child looked toward Sloth.

"D-Daddy..."

"Please..."

"Please don't let them take me..."

Sloth's entire body trembled.

The little girl's voice made something inside her chest hurt.

"...W-Why..."

"...does..."

"...my heart..."

"...feel..."

"...heavy...?"

Greed softly hugged Sloth from behind.

"Because you're kind."

She giggled.

"But kindness means helping people stop suffering."

Sloth slowly nodded.

"...Y-Yes..."

"...Hope..."

"...only..."

"...hurts..."

She raised one trembling sleeve, and the black tendrils quietly emerged once more.

The little girl cried harder.

"Daddy!"

"I'll be good!"

"I promise!"

"Please!"

"I don't want to go!"

Sloth closed her eyes.

"...I-I'm..."

"...sorry..."

The tendrils gently wrapped around the little girl. Unlike restraints, they almost resembled a blanket.

The child screamed for her father until the darkness completely covered her.

A soft black glow filled the warehouse.

Several seconds later, the tendrils slowly withdrew.

A second wooden puppet stood beside the first.

It was smaller and made to resemble a young girl, its painted face still carrying the faint outline of fear.

Sloth stared silently at the two puppets as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"...Now..."

"...you..."

"...won't..."

"...have..."

"...to..."

"...be afraid..."

"...anymore..."

Greed happily embraced Sloth again.

"You did amazing!"

"I'm soooo proud of you!"

Sloth gave a weak, embarrassed nod.

"...T-Thank..."

"...you..."

Greed beamed.

"Now we have two adorable puppets!"

She snapped her fingers, and the surrounding goblins immediately marched forward. They carefully untied the strings attached to the puppets' backs and gently positioned them behind the two witches.

Greed proudly placed both hands on her hips.

"See?"

"We're becoming a real family already!"

Sloth looked back at the wooden figures.

She felt nothing.

Only the faint pity she felt toward all humans.

"...I..."

"...hope..."

"...they..."

"...can..."

"...finally..."

"...rest..."

Greed laughed brightly.

"Hehehehehe!"

"Now there are two Witches of Sin!"

She grabbed Sloth's sleeve and began skipping toward the warehouse exit.

"Things are finally going to start moving much faster!"

Sloth stumbled after her.

"...P-Please..."

"...don't..."

"...walk..."

"...so..."

"...fast..."

"...I'm..."

"...already..."

"...tired..."

Greed simply laughed louder.

Moonlight illuminated the two witches as they stepped outside. Greed walked at the front with her usual impossible delighted smile, while beside her shuffled the timid Witch of Sloth, shoulders slumped and eyes filled with quiet exhaustion.

Behind them, two human-sized wooden puppets silently followed.

One resembled Roland's wife.

The other resembled his daughter.

Without a single word, the four disappeared into the darkness.

Several kilometers away, sirens wailed through the city as Endou and military reinforcements sped toward the warehouse, unaware that they were already too late.