The woman wore a simple, unadorned robe. On her feet were a pair of black boots with distinctly upturned toes, and a wide-brimd, pointed hat sat on her head. Jenkins couldn't see her face. Though nothing physically obscured it, her features remained frustratingly indistinct, a blur he couldn't bring into focus.
Her arrival was unnervingly normal. Beyond the mystery of her face, she exuded no palpable aura, causing Jenkins neither ntal strain nor discomfort. Yet he knew, with chilling certainty, that this was the Calamity born of the Second Epoch—the Mythical Witch, a terrifying entity capable of drawing power from the very first stories ever told.
"It's been quite so ti since we last t, hasn't it? Not since you beca a god."
Her first words stunned Jenkins. He had never heard that the Sage was connected to an ancient Beast of Calamity.
"You have violated our agreent. Why enter the material world at a ti like this?"
"First of all, I have not entered the material world. This is rely a Mysterious Realm."
The woman's voice was exceptionally pleasant, much like how the descended Sage appeared as an ordinary young woman. The Mythical Witch on the stage seed, for all her power, like a simple witch from a fairytale.
"Second, since another epoch in the material world has co to an end, it is my duty to collect and compile new myths. And what better way to do that than to participate in their creation firsthand?"
The woman posed the question, but Oviya refused to be drawn into her line of reasoning:
"Open the door and let the Savior continue his journey. You, like I, are bound by the rules. We are not to interfere in the affairs of an Epoch's end."
"Like you, I have not interfered in the affairs of the Epoch's end. I rely used a sliver of my power. Otherwise, do you truly believe he could have summoned you here?"
As she spoke, the woman materialized a book and a quill from thin air. She began to write, reciting the words as they flowed from her pen:
"[The Book's Vow]
——————
A miracle for one who shares a bond with ancient tos.
——————
Allows the slow acquisition of power derived from recorded knowledge.
——————
This, it is said, is the story of the God of Books and the God of Lies."
Upon finishing, she snapped the book shut:
"Is there any better way than to involve myself personally? What is happening right now is the myth itself. Whether the Savior of the Eighteenth Epoch ultimately succeeds or fails, this tale is grand enough to beco a new legend. My duty is to record the sagas and stories of this world, preserving the power of the past for the future."
An inexplicable certainty washed over Jenkins. He knew, without a doubt, that she had just created a completely new ability called [The Book's Vow].
"I..."
Jenkins tried to speak, but the woman had already begun to write once more:
"[False Counsel]
——————
A miracle sought by those who crave the truth.
——————
Grants the ability to receive advice from an unknown entity.
——————
Regarding the God of Lies, one must know two things.
He never lies, and you must never believe a word he says.
——————
Thus, any counsel received is but a hollow comfort."
Once she finished writing, she tore the page from the book and tossed it down from the stage. The sheet of paper drifted languidly through the darkness, and just as it was about to land in Jenkins's hands, Oviya reached out and intercepted it.
"The Beasts of Calamity from the first three epochs were different from those that followed," Oviya explained, her voice low. "They were not simply disasters; they were incarnations of the world's laws, and in a way, they completed the primordial world. The World Tree of the First Epoch expanded the world's breadth, depth, and scope. The Mythical Witch of the Second Epoch endlessly categorized the powers born of the world. And the Land of Endings from the Third Epoch truly solidified the world's rules of life and death.
The one before us now can compile the powers of bygone days under the power system of any era. As it applies to the Enchanter system, she can circumvent all restrictions, crafting entirely new abilities from myth and ensuring that power is passed down through the ages."
Oviya gestured with the page in her hand, the one inscribed with [False Counsel]:
"The mont you take this paper, a divine art exclusive to your followers will genuinely co into existence. She never lays traps within the myths she composes, but you must understand this: if you accept her gifts, she will invariably demand paynt."
"Then never mind."
Jenkins shook his head imdiately. Oviya then let the page go, and it drifted back to the black-robed woman on the stage, who caught it delicately between her fingers:
"I am the compiler of myths. Once I have written sothing into existence, it cannot be unmade. Even if he doesn't touch this page, he will acquire this power on his own, sooner or later."
She tucked the page back into her book. Jenkins then asked:
"So what is it you're really after? I can tell you don't want to kill , and you don't seem particularly interested in stopping . What do you want?"
"I rely wish to observe the greatest anomaly since the world's creation."
She closed her book and pointed to the aisle to the left of the third row of seats:
"You may leave."
A gate of white light materialized. It was, without a doubt, the way out.
Jenkins didn't move. He looked to Oviya at his side, whose gentle smile remained unchanged:
"You should go first. Leave this to . When this is all over, if you still have questions, I will answer them for you. And... this ti, please don't just disappear on ."
"Finney and Louise..."
The smile on Oviya's face deepened:
"They will be fine. In fact, they might even get back before you do."
Jenkins nodded, gathered his things, and walked toward the gate. An unspoken silence filled the space. The Mythical Witch on the stage made no move to stop him, not even as he stepped through the portal.
"So, why have you truly co here?"
Oviya asked the question again, but only after Jenkins had completely departed that world.
"I have already told you. I ca to bear witness—to witness the myth of the Eighteenth Epoch. Oviya, do you rember our first eting? You sought my power to find soone who did not exist. I gave you that power, and all I asked in return was that when this person you sought finally appeared, I could stand with you and witness the myth he would create."
"If you rely wanted to witness the story of the Epoch's end, you had no need to personally intervene in the Eighteenth."
"Oviya, you are no longer that mortal girl. Surely you, having participated in all of this firsthand, know what it is I truly wish to see?"
The Witch scoffed:
"The World Tree was born with the world itself. In theory, a second one should be an absolute impossibility. And yet, a second World Tree has appeared. It may only be a seedling, but it is a genuine, second World Tree. What does this an? Could the Sage who has watched all this, the Sage who wields that very power, truly not understand? You are a personal god, but also a nature god. When you are in the heavens, you are a pure incarnation of cosmic law. But when you walk the earth, you are the mortal girl who sought a man that did not exist.
You understand the significance of his appearance far better than I. After all, besides that cat, yours is the most ancient love of all."
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