Ch. 103 The Witch and the Black Knight (14)
by Afuhfuihgs
Witch – Chapter 103 – The Witch and the Black Knight (14)
After dumping Edel on the sofa, I rolled up my sleeves and entered the kitchen alone.
The clock already showed past 10 AM, and with only a few sliced potatoes prepared, there was a mountain of work left.
Had I continued cooking with Edel, lunch would have been delayed well into the afternoon—if we even ended up with something edible at all.
Given how much trouble he had just slicing… And considering how spaced out he’d been, staring blankly instead of focusing, teaching him potato special as his first lesson had clearly been too ambitious.
No—was the potato special really the problem?
Who would’ve thought I’d have to teach him how to hold a knife from scratch?
“Sigh…”
What was the big deal about teaching knife skills?
But for some reason, while guiding Edel’s hands, an inexplicable tension kept creeping up on me, and a sharp pang throbbing intermittently in my chest.
Am I going crazy?
Pressing up against him like that to teach him…!
My face burned, and I fanned myself to cool down.
Maybe I was the one feeling unwell, not Edel.
I pressed a hand to my chest, but the stinging sensation from earlier was gone.
Could the curse have awakened?
I checked using Ulti, but the curse lay dormant, oblivious to the world like a creature in hibernation… So that wasn’t it.
“Let’s just make breakfast first.”
I pushed aside my tangled thoughts and busied myself preparing a late morning meal.
12:30 PM – Brunch
The table was laden with food as Edel and I took our seats.
“Thank you. I will eat heartily.”
“Leave anything behind, and you’re dead.”
Exchanging our now-familiar mealtime greetings, we picked up our utensils.
Despite seeming unwell earlier, Edel now wore his usual indifferent expression—though what went on behind that blank face was anyone’s guess.
He was sweating buckets not long ago…
Then again, the idea of a Heavenly King falling ill was absurd to begin with.
“Feeling better? You look fine now.”
Still, uncharacteristically, I tossed out a small concern.
“I’ve never been sick in my life. Illness is for the weak.”
Wow. Thanks for the gratitude.
His curt reply made me pout.
“Oh? From where I’m standing, you’re plenty weak. Total amateur.”
“Ghk…!”
His pride stung, Edel’s hand trembled mid-bite.
Why is this so satisfying?
Now I get why Mesugaki1 thrives on mocking others…
I wasn’t usually the type to tease people for fun, but Edel’s reactions were too entertaining to stop at just one.
“Once I master pure love, I’ll challenge you first. Let’s see if you can still say that after losing to me.”
“Pfft. A sloppy amateur like you?~ Not scary at all. You can’t even slice potatoes properly, and you think you’ll master pure love?”
His eyebrow twitched. His fork bent. His sharp teeth gritted as he glared—like a brat throwing a tantrum after losing to an adult. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Forgetting my meal, I swung my legs playfully, savoring his reaction.
“What does sloppy amateur even mean?”
“Huh? You were shaking like a leaf without even knowing what it meant?”
“From context, it seemed like an insult. Was I wrong?”
I had used it mockingly, but explaining it now might mean he’d start calling Kyle a sloppy amateur after defeating him.
In Aria Chronicles, the Black Knight was the coolest boss after the Demon King. The thought of him spouting “sloppy amateur” because of me… No, I couldn’t do that to him.
“Not telling.”
“Suit yourself. I’ll just beat it out of you later.”
Straightening his bent fork, Edel resumed eating.
Had he sensed I wanted to tease him more? His face returned to its usual aloofness, avoiding my gaze.
Boring.
Nibbling my salad, I imagined the day we’d fight again.
If we clash once more…
It wouldn’t be as easy as last time. But I didn’t think I’d lose.
Unlike the dignified, strength-obsessed Black Knight of legend, Edel was… innocent, almost childlike? And incredibly stupid?
No way I’d lose to someone like that. Unless he ascended to protagonist-tier through pure love, of course.
Looks aside…
With two demonic swords, he had potential. If he just grasped the concept of love properly, he could pull off a successful romance.
Who knows? After understanding pure love, Edel might even defeat Kyle—or the Demon King—in the final act.
Hehe. How delicious would that be?
Just the thought made my salad taste sweeter.
“Oh, right—Edel. What’s your ideal type?”
“Ideal type?”
Nearly done with his meal, Edel paused to meet my eyes.
Pure love required a partner, after all.
If possible, I wanted to help him find someone who matched his preferences.
A full-service love consultation from the Witch of Love herself.
“Tell me your ideal type, and I’ll help you find someone to experience pure love with.”
“Hmm. Ideal type…? If I recall, it’s someone I’m drawn to. Preferably stronger than me.”
He answered without a hint of hesitation.
Stronger than Edel?
Someone stronger than the Black Knight wasn’t impossible in Aria Chronicles’ world. Several women came to mind.
“Why stronger?”
Not that I had any objections, but I was curious. Most men preferred someone they could protect, someone who triggered their instincts…
Was he into dominant women? Some twisted fetish?
Whatever.
“If they’re stronger, we can spar daily.”
“Classic you… And?”
“Good at cooking.”
Stronger than Edel AND good at cooking…
This guy’s picky.
Most women on his level wouldn’t bother with domestic skills…
Strong. Skilled in cooking.
There were women who fit both criteria. But ideals were just ideals—no guarantee he’d end up with one.
Love was unpredictable, after all.
“What about looks? Tall? Pretty eyes? Nice figure?”
“Hmm…”
Most people led with appearance, but Edel hadn’t mentioned it once.
If looks didn’t matter, finding his ideal would be easier—but compatibility boosted pure love potential.
For the first time, Edel hesitated, stealing glances at me as if weighing his words.
Some weird preference?
Monster fetish? Amputee kink?
The world had all kinds of odd desires—maybe Edel was one of them. As long as it was pure love, I’d support him.
“Don’t worry. It’s your ideal—no need to hold back.”
“I’m not. I’m just bound by rules, so I’m considering how to phrase it.”
Bound by rules?
What rule could possibly restrict describing an ideal type?
I recalled the rules I’d imposed on Edel:
Cease all demon army activities for 100 years.
Do not harm Josie.
Do not reach the western edge.
Do not harm me.
These four basic rules applied to all Heavenly Kings, and none barred discussing preferences.
Additional rules for Edel included… not interrupting during storytime, and—
Ah. Right.
That one.
The way his gaze lingered on my chest made it obvious—I’d been slow to connect the dots.
Chest. Well…
What man doesn’t care about that?
It’s a critical factor.
In my past life—back when I was an immature 19-year-old—I’d even raided Dorothy’s stash for breast-enlarging potions. I understood completely.
But understanding didn’t stop my face from burning.
Then a sudden thought crossed my mind—
What if Edel… prefers smaller chests?
If he liked bigger ones, my secret weapon—Love’s Elixir (Breast Growth)—could solve that. But if he preferred petite, I couldn’t exactly shrink someone’s chest to match.
And it’s not like I could just remove someone’s chest. If Edel’s ideal was small-chested… I’d have to reconsider carefully.
“You… prefer smaller ones? It’s your ideal, so… feel free to say it.”
Talking about this of all things made it hard to meet his eyes.
For the first time, I felt self-conscious about my own chest.
Meanwhile, Edel—utterly shameless—answered with complete seriousness:
“I’d prefer someone who wouldn’t let a baby go hungry. So… larger than the face, ideally.”
He delivered this profound wisdom with the dignity of a saint.
All while cleverly skirting the rules.
At least he doesn’t prefer small…?
Why am I the embarrassed one here?
It wasn’t as direct as last time’s “Give me milk” demand, and I was the one who asked. Getting mad now would be hypocritical.
It’s just his ideal type.
I sighed in relief, thinking “Typical man’, ready to move on, when—
“Someone like you, Estelle, would be ideal.”
“Y-Y-Y-YOU DAMN BASTARD…!!!!”
Why did you have to add that?! WHY?!
I asked for his ideal type, not a harassment confession!!
As I gathered mana to punch him, Edel—as if expecting it—ducked and fled with his half-finished plate.
Laughing in a way that grated on my nerves, he seemed to be getting back at me for teasing him earlier.
Lucent
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