Whoosh... whoosh... whoosh...

"W-Witch Miss, this is my first time with something like this, so..." Xila couldn't help but close her eyes. She could already picture what would happen next.

The Calamity Witch would surely pin her down, demonstrating again and again with her delicate techniques what it meant to be thoroughly explored.

She herself would end up in a lewd state, toyed with by the Calamity Witch—

Countless poses and scenes flashed through Xila's mind. Her cheeks flushed crimson, her heart pounding wildly.

But... after half a minute, nothing stirred.

"Huh..." Xila opened her eyes. Puzzled, she glanced aside to find Xia Xin crouched in the corner, fiddling with something.

Looking closer, she seemed to be gripping a rat in her left hand.

Eh—

Xila froze.

What was this! Ignoring a cute silver-haired loli to play with a rat!

"Grr!" Xila fumed.

She’d actually felt a flicker of anticipation!

No... wait! She shouldn’t have that mindset!

Xila cleared her thoughts and calmed down.

She realized she’d been tricked.

She’d fallen victim to the Calamity Witch’s evil magic again!

Otherwise, how could such strange thoughts pop into her head!

Yes, that must be it—all the Calamity Witch’s doing!

"Hey, do you know how to roast this rat?" Xia Xin walked over, holding the creature. "I reckon this is our only food now."

Earlier, Xia Xin had heard movement in the corner.

Going over, she found a small animal burrowing—the wall was already breached.

This detention room was pathetic; even a rat could dig through it.

Xia Xin had first thought it might be a high-level magical beast sent to rescue Xila. But one glance revealed its info:

[Treasure-Hoarding Weasel, Level: Lv5]

[Just an ordinary Treasure-Hoarding Weasel... well, definitely not a rat.]

[Danger Level: Trash]

Treasure-Hoarding Weasel? This was clearly a dead rat!

From any angle, it was a rat.

Whatever. Having food was good news.

Though... Xia Xin felt queasy about eating it.

The mighty Calamity Witch, reduced to this? Humiliating.

"The detention room is breached..." Xila’s focus shifted. She raised her hand; a tiny flame flickered in her palm.

Magic was usable now.

But only very weak magic.

Forcing an escape was nearly impossible.

"Sigh..." Within seconds, Xila gave up.

Xia Xin spotted the flame and grabbed Xila’s hand. "Ha! Perfect! This much magic is enough!"

A little fire could roast this dead rat... Treasure-Hoarding Weasel.

Yeah, better call it Treasure-Hoarding Weasel. Easier on the conscience.

"Right! This magic is sufficient!" Xila caught on instantly, smiling.

She understood the Calamity Witch’s intention!

Back when Xila was undercover in a bakery, she’d developed a unique spell during downtime.

It granted inanimate objects or mute creatures sentient thoughts and speech.

Using it on this rat could let them communicate—have it dig out, open the door, or fetch supplies.

A brilliant plan!

But then Xila noticed a problem.

"Calamity Witch... how did she know I could use this magic?"

This doubt surfaced.

"This spell is my original creation. I’ve told no one. How could she..." Xila’s expression darkened. A terrifying thought struck her.

"My power, my magic... everything I know—has the Calamity Witch known it all along!" Xila stared at Xia Xin, stunned.

When? The teleportation magic! That must be when she’d analyzed her body completely!

She’d planned everything from the start.

Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!

Opposing the Calamity Witch was sheer folly!

"Xila... cough!" Xia Xin snapped her out of it, squinting. "Hurry up and cast it."

She was starving.

She didn’t want to eat a raw dead rat... Treasure-Hoarding Weasel.

"Y-yes! Witch Miss!" Xila nodded hastily.

Such a low-level spell—the Calamity Witch could learn it without even looking.

She was making Xila cast it out of laziness.

The Calamity Witch disdained trivial magic.

"Breathe... stay calm. Don’t let her look down on me..." Xila raised her hand, chanting an incantation, and released her magic.

"Squeak! Let me go now, squeak!"

The Treasure-Hoarding Weasel... dead rat spoke human words.

Something felt off, but whatever.

"Eh—" Xia Xin froze.

Her appetite vanished.

Imagine cooked fish suddenly talking, staring with starry eyes...

Not being scared showed Xia Xin’s strong nerves.

"You evil witch! Put me down, squeak!" The rat struggled fiercely.

Xia Xin let go, dropping it.

"Squeak! That hurts, squeak!" The rat cursed. "You evil witch! I, the mighty mouse, am truly angry now!"

With a "poof," it leaped high, lunging at Xia Xin.

"Boom!"

Xila slapped it hard, slamming it into the wall. She wore a "benevolent" smile. "Please calm down first, okay?"

"Squeak... what a scary woman..." The rat trembled, half-dead. "W-what do you want..."

"Well," Xila explained the Calamity Witch’s plan—as she guessed it—then said, "In short, help us escape."

Xia Xin was dumbfounded.

No wonder she was a spy—such quick thinking!

But...

"No way!" The rat shouted. "I never work without payment!"

"Tch... troublesome." Xila asked, "What payment do you want?"

"Squeak, obviously!" Its eyes gleamed. "I, the mighty mouse, love money most of all!"