Chapter 15 - The Reincarnated Eldest Witch Sister Embraces Self-Sacrifice

Chapter 15: Collapse "Ulgir, sister? That's not true, right, sister? Please, open your eyes. Sister, sister..." "Did you do this to her? How could you leave her like this? Answer me!" As I was distributing food in the orphanage, an emergency drew my attention outside, where chaos had already erupted. Demeter was restraining a man with a ghastly expression, using a gigantic vine plant to bind him. On the other hand, Hecate was beside herself with panic, shaking her sister who had collapsed on the ground. For my part, when I saw my sister lying there, bleeding from the head, my mind went completely blank. Feeling the blood drain from my face, I immediately rushed to my sister's side. "Hecate, what's happened!?" "... Sister protected me, and got hit in the head with a stone. She's been unconscious ever since... If sister stays like this, I—" "Shh, she’s still breathing. It's going to be okay, we'll save her." Having checked my sister's breathing, I assured Hecate as if to calm her down, or perhaps to convince myself as well, while casting a spell to enhance natural healing on my sister. Then I ripped a sleeve off my clothes to fashion a bandage, which I carefully wrapped around her head. This was as much as I could do for first aid for now. Ideally, I should've immediately brought my sister somewhere she could rest quietly and called for a doctor. But there was an issue far more pressing, something that could become irreparable if not dealt with at once. "So, this guy's the culprit?" "Yeah. He's the one who hurt Ulgir sister..." "Good. If that witch is done for, the world might become slightly decent for once—argh!" The man was still speaking when Demeter tightened the vine with magic, constricting his torso with a sickening crunch. I grabbed Demeter's shoulder, stopping her actions. "Demeter, that's enough." "Why stop me? After all we've endured without retaliating no matter what was said about us! Moreover, sister provided wheat at the usual price for everyone and even prepared a warm meal today! And yet, for this scum to do this to her, whatever happens to him doesn't matter, right!?" "Demeter!" For the first time in my life, I yelled at Demeter in pure anger. Her actions betrayed what our sister would have wanted. "I hate the guy who hurt our sister too. I want to make him experience every kind of torment possible before killing him. But that's not what sister wanted, right? Have you forgotten what she always said? That witches and the townsfolk should support each other?" "But—" "We'll turn this guy in for the crime of assault to the guards. I'd love to kill him myself, but it would only worsen the witches' reputation, so we'll let him receive proper punishment. Understood?" "...Yes." Demeter, looking dejected, loosened the vine restraint on the man. Taking a cautionary approach with the somewhat relieved-looking man, I added a stern warning. "I said I won't kill you, but if you insult my sister again, I'll chop off your fingers and limbs one by one, making you wish for death over the pain. If you don't want that, stay quiet and behave." As I spoke with intimidation, the man turned pale and bowed his head in silence. Hopefully, he would stay docile; it's hard to say whether the threat would work on such a fool. "Demeter, keep this man restrained. I'll carry my sister to bed and then go for the doctor and the guards." I informed Demeter, then carefully carried my sister to a bed in the orphanage's guest room. Next, sparing no effort, I cast a body-enhancement spell on myself and ran at full speed to the clinic and the guard post, summoning a doctor and guards to the orphanage. Thanks partially to the gathering for the food distribution, many witnesses provided testimony about the crime. The guards, without hesitation, took the man restrained by Demeter to jail. Had we faced discrimination from the guards too, I'd have been more than angry. I might have barged into their station and roughed up a few. After ensuring the man was taken away, I went back to the guest room to check on my sister. I saw an elderly woman in a white robe tending to my sister on the bed. Demeter and Hecate were already there, watching the scene from a distance. Shortly afterward, the elderly woman, having finished her treatment, began to speak to us. "The first aid was good, so the external injuries should heal quickly. But I can't tell how much the brain has been affected, so it's best not to get your hopes up too high. It may sound cruel, but if she doesn't wake up within a week, there's a high chance she'll remain like this