Ch. 21 The Two Witches (1)
by Afuhfuihgs
Witch – Chapter 21 – The Two Witches (1)
The season when the rice stalks began to bow their heads was approaching.
The barrier surrounding the house had been blocking the summer heat, so I hadn’t felt the change of seasons much. But seeing Josie and Leo bustling around, preparing for the upcoming harvest, I finally realized that autumn was near.
It was convenient that the setting, though Western, mirrored the climate and lifestyle of East Asia. Thanks to that, I had adapted quickly to life here.
If I hadn’t added temperature control to the barrier… I didn’t even want to imagine it. I would have eagerly awaited the early arrival of autumn.
What started as a barrier to keep out bandits and monsters had now evolved into a system that regulated temperature, humidity, and even UV rays, significantly impacting our daily life. The barrier was one of the top three masterpieces I had created in my over 100 years of life.
I had even added a self-repair function in case of intrusion. Maybe this time, I should add a feature that douses the area with water in case of fire?
As I lounged in the rocking chair in the yard, pondering what new features to add to the barrier, I spotted Josie and Leo heading toward the farmland.
Josie was chatting nonstop, her laughter never fading. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about from this distance, but I felt a twinge of jealousy.
That used to be my spot.
‘I want to do this year’s harvest with just Leo and me!’
That foolish prince had taken my place.
Every year around this time, I would head to the farmland with Josie. Using magic, we would finish the harvest quickly, with Josie assisting me.
Since breaking the curse, Josie had gained confidence in her magic and often took the lead in using it instead of me. This harvest seemed to be an extension of that confidence, which was endearing, but it also left me with nothing to do but sit idly in the rocking chair, wasting time. It felt like I was experiencing an unplanned retirement, which was oddly bittersweet.
Should I follow them?
I thought about watching Josie lead the harvest to pass the time, but I remembered how she had emphasized ‘just the two of us’ and decided against it. I had plenty of excuses, but if Josie got upset, I wasn’t sure I could calm her down. Teenage girls were sensitive, after all. I didn’t want to interrupt Josie’s “harvest date”.
Leo had been acting like a completely different person since that day.
The boy who used to slack off at every opportunity had become diligent, and he no longer complained about the food.
He helped Josie with her work, and… I didn’t know what kind of magic Josie had used, but if someone who didn’t know Leo saw him now, they wouldn’t believe he was a prince. He had adapted so well to our everyday life.
What bothered me the most was how he seemed to be trying to score points with his future mother-in-law, constantly checking my reaction. Hmph! It was ridiculous for someone with a negative million points to be running around trying to get on my good side. It wasn’t like he was a homeless man with nowhere else to go… If he were to leave for his kingdom or anywhere else soon, I might give him a plus 100,000 points.
Since I had left Leo’s issues entirely to Josie, it was awkward to kick him out. If I did, Josie decided to leave with him. I wouldn’t even want to imagine that.
Josie said she saw Leo as a younger brother… but relationships between men and women could easily shift from sibling-like to romantic.
Even if she really treated him like a brother, men tend to misinterpret even the smallest kindness or smile from a woman as affection. Remembering painful memories from my past life, my heart ached.
If the boy she thought of as a younger brother suddenly confessed his feelings… just the thought was horrifying. If Josie found out Leo saw her that way, even sharing a meal would be uncomfortable. She might even kick him out herself.
Creak, creak—
The rocking chair swayed back and forth, squeaking.
“Ah, that’s right.”
I remembered the Elixir of True Courage I had stashed away somewhere. It was a potion that, when drunk by someone hesitant to express their feelings, would make them speak their mind with no hesitation. I thought I wouldn’t need it for a few hundred years, but the opportunity had come sooner than expected.
“Hehe.”
As the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot. The thought of slipping the potion into tonight’s dinner made me laugh.
If Josie offered to help with cooking, I might miss the chance to add the potion, so I hurried to find it and prepare the meal.
It took a while to find the potion, but I managed to prepare dinner in time.
“We’re back.”
Right on cue, Josie’s tired voice came from beyond the front door.
“Good job. Did you wash your hands?”
“Yes~”
They had finished harvesting enough crops to sustain us for a year in just one day, so both of them were exhausted.
Even with magic, controlling such a large area with precision was exhausting work. Especially since this was Josie’s first time leading the harvest instead of assisting. The butterfly-like flower on her right eye looked droopy.
“Are you hungry? Come sit down.”
Leo sat down, glancing at me warily.
Perhaps because I was being unusually welcoming, or because I had initiated conversation for the first time since that day, he seemed slightly on edge, trembling as he sat.
I took the first bite, and only then did he relax and start eating.
“Mom, did something good happen?”
Not long after we started eating, Josie put down her spoon and asked.
Well, watching Leo eat without knowing what was in the food was pretty amusing… but I couldn’t say that, so I came up with a plausible excuse.
“Just seeing you eat makes me happy.”
I tried to act normal, but my lips curled up on their own.
The Elixir of True Courage wasn’t instant, but its effects would start showing soon.
I couldn’t possibly say I was excited about the surprise Leo was about to reveal.
I felt a little bad for Josie, but considering what Leo had done, this was being lenient. She would understand her mother’s heart when she found out the truth.
“Leo, you’ve got something on your cheek.”
Josie noticed food on Leo’s cheek and reached for a napkin to wipe it off.
“It’s fine. I’ll do it myself.”
Leo, who usually wouldn’t refuse Josie’s touch, declined her offer.
“Oh, okay…”
Was he not interested in Josie?
His behavior up until now had clearly shown he was interested in her.
He helped her carry heavy loads, listened attentively to her conversations, and spent more time with her than apart. He even scooped extra carrots for her, knowing they were her favorite.
Was it all in my head?
Had my lack of romantic experience dulled my senses? Did men here express interest differently?
Seeing Josie awkwardly poke at her food after being rejected made my heart ache… but no. This was actually good.
Plan B.
If he wouldn’t say it, I’d make him say it.
“Leo, what do you think of Josie?”
“Huh, Mom!?”
Why was she getting flustered? It was a normal question to ask. The more awkward it got, the bolder I had to be.
“It’s fine to ask, right?”
Since he had drunk the Elixir of True Courage, he couldn’t avoid answering. Whether he liked her or not, as long as it made Josie uncomfortable, it was fine.
“Josie is…”
“Josie is?”
Gulp.
The sound of him swallowing was unusually loud.
“Josie has shown me undeserved kindness. To the point where I don’t know how to repay her… As Leo, not a prince, a fool, or a troublemaker, I only wish for her happiness. Even if all her misfortune began with me… I’ve decided to dedicate my life to her happiness. Though it’s a bit uncomfortable when she treats me like a child… I want to show her I can stand on my own.”
“…….”
Had I given him too much courage?
Still, at least I got to hear his honest feelings about Josie, so it wasn’t a total loss.
As he spoke without hesitation, Josie’s face grew redder and redder. She squirmed and fidgeted, clearly a girl in love.
She couldn’t even meet his eyes, looking down and flustered, triggering my long-dormant romantic sensors.
The atmosphere was getting intense.
“S-so!! What do you think about Mom!?”
Desperate to escape the awkwardness, Josie even threw me under the bus. I wondered what Leo thought of me.
“Lady Witch…”
I still had the chance to kick Leo out.
If he said he disliked me here and now, I could use that as an excuse to send him away. Then Josie wouldn’t run off with him.
Come on, say it.
I crossed my arms and waited for his answer, but for some reason, he blushed and hesitated.
“Lady Witch… has big breasts.”
Huh?
What on earth was he saying?
Both Josie and I were too stunned to react.
“Every time we meet, I don’t know where to look…”
I couldn’t process what Leo was saying, nor did I want to hear more. In my past life and in Aria Chronicle, I had heard all sorts of vulgar remarks, but to hear this from Leo…
Leo was a man, after all. It was natural for his eyes to be drawn to large breasts. Even now, as he openly expressed his feelings about breasts, his glances made me want to pluck his eyes out… but hearing him passionately expound on his philosophy about large breasts, something about how he wouldn’t drink milk unless it came from big breasts… even I couldn’t help but blush.
Should I kick him out? No, kill him.
“Mom… I agree with you.”
Josie, with dead eyes, was glaring at Leo as he ranted on.
“What I’m saying is… big breasts are the best!”
This fool hadn’t changed at all it seemed.
“Shut up, you idiot!!!!!”
I had no choice but to shut his incessant mouth with a fist full of magic.
Lucent
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