Ch. 89 A Hundred Year Reunion with the Witch (8)
by Afuhfuihgs
Witch – Chapter 89 – A Hundred Year Reunion with the Witch (8)
“Do you know when Josie first called me ‘Mom’? My heart fluttered so much I thought it would burst… We don’t share blood, but something deeper connected us. I can’t describe how happy that made me.”
Dorothy closed her eyes, listening to Estelle’s endless chatter.
“If I hadn’t taken Josie’s hand that day, I might never have known this feeling. She taught me so much.”
“Mhm. Of course.”
Dorothy nodded in agreement.
Just as a child grows under their mother’s care, a mother grows through her child. Whether it was maternal instinct or the purity of the child’s love… Dorothy was no exception, and neither was Estelle.
For Dorothy, who would have lived in solitude until the world’s end, Estelle had taught her many things.
The joy of becoming someone’s shelter,
The frustration when that someone didn’t understand her heart,
The sorrow when her daughter left her embrace…
Now, raising Stella together, each day passed in such happiness she could hardly keep track.
She wasn’t sure if joy and sorrow should be measured as growth…
But one thing was certain—meeting Estelle all the way back then had been a stroke of immense luck.
What if she had lived as an ordinary woman instead of a witch?
Estelle, who had turned dreams into reality, was nothing short of a blessing.
A happiness the witches of the South, North, and East could only dream of—Estelle had brought it to her.
“And then… when Josie met Leo, I was so worried! I’d told her holding hands would get her pregnant, and later she came back red-faced saying she was expecting twenty twins! I nearly killed Leo on the spot!”
“You wretched girl. That was your fault.”
“Josie was fifteen! Would you be happy if your daughter came home pregnant?! You should sympathize with me! Mom, you’re on my side, right?”
Estelle huffed at Dorothy’s remark, spouting some nonsense.
Shouldn’t girls settle down with a partner after their first period? Though times had changed, she supposed customs might have too.
She didn’t quite understand, but one thing was clear—Estelle adored Josie beyond reason.
“Anyway, Josie—”
Estelle’s love for Josie knew no bounds.
Whether bathing together, sharing meals, or tucking her in at night—Josie was all she talked about.
Even as the promised five nights stretched into seven…
“When Josie wore that dress, she looked like a fairy straight out of a storybook! You should’ve seen her, Mom.”
It was true that children gave parents purpose,
But Estelle never spoke of her life before becoming a mother.
Even as Stella took her first steps, Estelle’s tales of Josie showed no signs of stopping.
“Enough. That’s plenty.”
“Eh? But I’ve barely started!”
‘Three whole days of this, and she’s barely started?’
What kind of doting mother was she?
It wasn’t that Dorothy disliked hearing about her granddaughter—she just wanted to hear about her daughter for once.
Still, seeing Estelle’s eyes light up as she rambled about Josie was… endearing.
She had patiently listened for three days.
Now, it was time for Estelle to share her story.
The heart behind those ruby-like eyes.
“You’ve talked enough about Josie. Won’t you tell me about yourself now?”
“Me?”
To Dorothy, Estelle was both near and far. Though they shared a mother-daughter bond, she knew so little about who Estelle was.
That regret lingered.
Looking back, maybe her rage at Stella’s “gift” had stemmed from feeling left out—like a wall had gone up between them.
She wanted to know.
Even the smallest things would do.
What Estelle liked. What she hated. Her hobbies. Which foods made her happy. Which colors soothed her, which irritated her.
They could take their time opening up fully.
Dorothy had her own secrets, after all—and she knew Estelle did too.
Whatever Estelle had done these past 100 years, Dorothy was ready to hear it.
“Um… I’m not sure… what to say.”
Estelle scratched her cheek, avoiding eye contact.
Apart from Josie, her memories felt… hazy. As if her mind had deemed them unimportant, they slipped further away the harder she grasped.
She had done things before meeting Josie… but those decades paled next to their twelve years together.
“You said you had something you had to do. Did you finish it?”
“No. I haven’t even started.”
That thing she had to do.
Witnessing the pure love foretold in the Aria Chronicle with her own eyes.
‘You remembered.’
Before becoming a witch, Estelle had hugged a grieving Dorothy and made that promise.
Now, seeing herself reflected in Dorothy’s eyes, she understood.
Just as Josie’s grown-up face still carried traces of her childhood, Dorothy remembered every word she had said.
A mother’s heart is always the same.
She finally knew what Dorothy wanted to hear.
It was her turn to speak, just as Josie had for her.
“Mom… I like the color pink.”
“Like your hair?”
“Yes. And love stories as beautiful as the color pink itself.”
“Oh? What kind of stories?”
“Well…”
Small, simple confessions began to fill the witch’s home.
She preferred vegetarian dishes. The smell of alcohol alone could make her tipsy. Among insects, she liked butterflies best.
Then came bigger things—meeting Beryl and becoming friends, traveling the world, meeting all sorts of people…
Estelle barely stopped talking except to sleep.
Even as five days passed and Stella grew to look five years old, her stories continued.
“I found the Holy Sword in the dungeon’s depths. So I just grabbed it and ran.”
“The Holy Sword? What use is that glorified stick?”
“It’s only a ‘stick’ to someone like you! Holy swords are invaluable!”
Only a primordial witch like Dorothy could scoff at a holy sword. To lesser witches or demons, it was a lethal weapon.
Pouting, Estelle puffed her cheeks. Dorothy chuckled.
“Big sis, what’s a Holy Sword?”
Stella, curled in Dorothy’s lap, twisted her long hair around her fingers.
“It’s a super powerful weapon.”
“What’s a weapon?”
“Something that protects people.”
The way she played with her hair when emotional—so like Dorothy—was adorable. Despite being Estelle’s clone, being raised differently, she felt like a wholly separate person.
“I want a Holy Sword too! I’ll protect Mom and big sis with it!”
“Estelle. What are you waiting for? Give her one.”
“Isn’t it too early for weapons? She’s already attuned to mana—she’ll pick up magic quickly anyway.”
Even as she said this, Estelle pulled a Holy Sword from her inventory and placed it in Stella’s hands.
Aegis, the Holy Sword.
An unedged blade, forged solely for protection—perfect for Stella. No risk of accidental cuts.
The two women watched fondly as Stella wriggled free and swung the sword around.
Still… seeing her play alone tugged at their hearts.
“Shouldn’t we make her some friends? Three, maybe? Golems, or cats… How about a scarecrow doll?”
“True. A second daughter shouldn’t grow up lonely.”
Remembering the three trials she’d faced to reach Dorothy, Estelle suggested. Dorothy nodded.
“So… when are you leaving?”
Dorothy met her eyes.
“Do you want me to go soon?”
“No. I was thinking the opposite—come back soon. You haven’t even started what you have to do.”
That thing.
With 200 years left before the protagonist’s love story, there was little she could do now…
But she hadn’t seen the whole world yet. There were preparations to make for witnessing that pure love.
Most importantly—she needed safeguards for herself…
“It’ll take another 200 years. Is that okay?”
“200 years is nothing. And with Stella here, I won’t be bored.”
Hearing her name, Stella dropped the sword and climbed onto Dorothy’s lap. Stroking her hair, Dorothy smiled.
“Stella. Big sis is leaving soon. Say goodbye.”
“Leaving? Where? When’s she coming back? I wanna go too!”
Tugging Estelle’s sleeve with tiny hands, Stella protested. Kneeling to meet her eyes, Estelle took her hands.
“If you come, Mom will be all alone. She’ll be so sad. Can you stay with her for me?”
“Okay… But you have to come back!”
“Of course. Pinky promise?”
Hooking her pinky around Stella’s, Estelle smiled.
How can someone be this adorable?
Estelle almost considered staying longer but, sensing Dorothy’s impatience, she began preparing her teleportation spell.
“Visit often. Bring Josie next time. That son-in-law too.”
“I will.”
What chaos would Leo bring?
Estelle smiled wryly at the thought. Josie and Leo would handle it. Watching from the sidelines might be fun.
“Oh! Stella won’t age past nineteen. With a steady supply of mana, she could live forever. If she learns magic, she might even sustain herself.”
With those final instructions—long overdue—Estelle activated her teleportation.
Just as the spell took effect—
“My daughter, Estelle. I love you.”
“Huh?”
Dorothy’s silent farewell marked the end of their hundred year reunion.
Lucent
0 Comments