Witch Questions and Answers c2 part2

Last half of chapter two! As a side note, I’ve changed the witch’s real name to Liselle due to an upcoming part in the next chapter (as well as the author having a not-very-sensible name sense, but that’s its own discourse).

“It’s certainly been a long time hasn’t it, Liselle?”

– so she said in return, carelessly calling out the witch’s real name.

 

“Master… if I’m not mistaken, when we last met each other, you had the form of a stunning woman in full bloom, with silver hair and ruby eyes. Or so I remembered, but–”

“It certainly was like that, wasn’t itー? I don’t remember it well myself, since I’m frequently changing my appearance.”

While saying that, the girl presented the flower basket held in her hands.

“Here you go, a souvenir!”

The moment she received that, the witch had an idea rapidly flash through her mind.

“… Master, could it possibly be that you’ve been working at a flower shop in this world lately?”

“Yep, since about half a year ago. Y’know, it’s been quite interesting~! I’m only selling flowers, but they say that everyone is making a huge fuss about me. Now I have a little bit of a reputation as the belle of the town. And these are the flowers our shop handles for business. They allowed me to keep these after I said I was going to meet a distant relative!”

The witch felt the strength proceed to escape from her entire body. Oh, okay then, so it was something like that…

 

“Hey, wait a minute! Since your beloved master came to visit her cute apprentice after such a long time, at least take out some tea for me. But anyways, you’re still living in the same dark, gloomy place as usual, huh.”

Cheekily sitting down in a chair without even an offer, she was looking around the cave with a strange sense of admiration. After holding out the tea with her hands sapped of all their strength, the witch sat herself down while letting out a single sigh.

“This is what’s called a witch’s livelihood, isn’t it? The same goes for you, Master, please settle down already. You’re said to have lived for a much, much longer time than me, yet you’re doing something like changing your appearance into that of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl. And what’s more, you’ve been luring unsuspecting young men – exactly what on earth is fun about that?”

“Ooh, so this is about Orélie, isn’t it?”

The girl weakly laughed, unintentionally letting out a giggle. It was a face admitting to just about everything.

Good grief. Because of her actions, I’ve also been behaving stupidly. – The witch looked up at the heavens.

 

Although the girl sitting in front of her eyes seemed pure at first glance, the truth was different. In all actuality, the person called Belliamélie was a grand sorceress who had been living in perpetual youth for over a hundred years.

Along with demonstrating unparalleled magical power, it was once boasted that she possessed political authority strong enough to have the entire country underneath her thumb. However, that was but once upon a time. She erased her presence from the boundaries of this mortal realm, choosing to spend her time in a life of retirement deep within the forest. Yes, inside of this very cave. As for the woman here who had been self-studying magic in great detail until now – her real name was Liselle, and she originally became the grand sorceress Belliamélie’s apprentice just about five years ago. And while Belliamélie was teaching Liselle, she frequently shapeshifted her appearance and sauntered forth into town.

The last time she had returned to this cave was probably about three years ago. From that day, Liselle the apprentice took over the mantle of “The Witch of the Forest” as a stand-in for her vanished master.

 

Wherever and whatever Belliamélie was doing, as well as her reasons for doing them, the apprentice witch didn’t know. However, before she knew it, it looked as though her master had settled in as the belle of the local flower shop. She was spending her time living selfishly, doing nothing with a connection to the “witch” in “witchcraft” at all. Orélie, who happened to see that kind of girl, got his heart s.n.a.t.c.hed away with one single glance.

That’s right. From the beginning, the odds of him winning that wooing contest were close to zero.

It was obvious that a grand sorceress, especially one who’s lived for over a century, would show a complete lack of interest in a boy of very tender years. “What does she think is so bad about me?” Orélie had been making a fuss about it, but he had no way of knowing that his worries were useless. In the first place, the two of them resided in completely different worlds.

 

“You were secretly enjoying yourself while he was showing off for you, weren’t you?”

“One could say that, yeah. Well, it’s not like I planned on dating anyone, but it’s been a long time since a boy’s. .h.i.t on me with that level of enthusiasm. It was a little bit funny, so I vaguely led him on for a while.”

“Orélie was seriously worrying…”

The witch tried to object, but held her tongue in the end. She had understand that it was a futile place for her to speak up in.

“But lately, doesn’t it seem that things are becoming more and more interesting?”

The witch gulped back down a breath.

“Master, is it possible that you’ve served him a potion or something…?”

“How rude, my dear disciple. I haven’t done anything like that. And isn’t that why it’s interesting? That boy’s certainly befitting of his reputation as an unusual child. But in all seriousness, doesn’t it seem as if he’s completely into you? A potion that causes him to fall in love with a grandmother — it’s impossible for me to make something like that quickly and simply. That hot pa.s.sion of his is definitely borne out of his own efforts. Even I was surprised!”

Belliamélie was giggling in response to what truly seemed to be an amusing matter. But to the victim in question, it wasn’t a very funny story at all.

“It’s not so bad, right? Also, this is enough already. You don’t have to guard this cave for me anymore. I probably won’t come back here in the future, so you’re free to leave whenever you like.”

“This life as a witch suits me.”

 

The next day, the incorrigibly persistent Orélie visited the cave again.

“I’ve brought you this kind of gift for today.”

When the witch opened up the bundle, what arose from there was a splendid, gleaming in all seven colors of the rainbow ―― robe.

“Hey, you! You’re telling me to wear this?!”

“Whenever the light hits its surface, the fabric sparkles and glitters. I thought the effect was very lovely, but…”

“I’ve never seen nor heard of a witch wearing this kind of a festive robe! If you’re going to bring this, then a flower bouquet is a hundred times better!”

“Well then, how about this present?”

With the faint tension thickening in the air, Orélie took out a tiny box. After slowly opening it with a delicate hand, inside that box held ――

 

An exquisitely-crafted engagement ring, the inset gem sparkling magnificently.

Again, the witch looked as if she were about to faint.

 

“Will you please accept this?”

“As if I could accept something like that!”

Mother of G.o.d, what is wrong with this man. Just how twisted and strange was his thought process? Seeing that obviously slumping figure, the witch wanted to scream. No matter how you look at it, I’m the one that wants to droop my shoulders!

Good grief. This man somehow manages to keep leaving her dumbfounded. Even the witch wanted to launch a counterattack every once in a while.

Master Belliamélie’s words suddenly flashed into mind.

―― You’re free to leave whenever you like.

 

“By the way, Orélie.”

“What is it?”

“That pretty-looking poster girl working at the flower shop. If it just so happens that she was actually a hundred-year-old witch disguised as a young woman, what would you do?”

“… um, nothing special, really. I’ve already decided to put my thoughts in order regarding everything about Maré.”

“Well then ――this old, cave-dwelling witch residing in the gloomy forest. If it just so happens that she was actually an eighteen-year-old girl transformed into an old woman, what would you do?”

Orélie stiffened.

 

“… eh? Is— is that… really?”

An entire minute had pa.s.sed. Orélie quietly asked this of the witch, unable to conceal his exuberant joy and delight. After seeing the condition he was in, the witch sat there thinking for, once again, a full minute. The wrinkles on her face then abruptly slackened as the corners of her mouth raised into a tiny grin.

“―― I was just kidding. It’s a lie.”

“No way! Argh, you’ve got to be kidding me! Was everything you’ve just said a huge lie?!”

“Yeah, isn’t that why I’m saying that I lied?”

“No, that’s not what I’m talking about!”

As Orélie fell into a panic, the witch merrily laughed alone.

Having heard the two people’s state of affairs from its perch, as if to express its displeasure with the witch, the crow let out a low caw.