Witch – Chapter 66 – The Two Witches (46)

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Nicks ran and ran. Estelle had said that walking would be enough, but Nicks wanted to run. He wanted to meet Beryl as soon as possible.

Boom! A loud explosion from behind disoriented him. It could have been Beryl and Estelle fighting, or perhaps something else entirely.

Nicks smiled as he thought of the Beryl he had just met—a Beryl who seemed more like an older sister, sharp-eyed and rough-spoken.

As an adventurer, Nicks had met his share of coarse-talking companions. William, the warrior introduced by Emily, was one such example. He often said that adventurers shouldn’t be underestimated.

Though Nicks disliked William’s crude language, Beryl’s rough speech somehow felt endearing, as if she were hiding her true feelings. Maybe it was just the rose-tinted glasses of love.

Estelle and Beryl seemed so close, and Nicks couldn’t help but feel a little envious. Even though the atmosphere had been tense before they left, Nicks couldn’t imagine the two of them actually fighting.

But who was this Beryl? As Nicks ran along the starry night sky, he pondered. The Beryl he knew was more reserved and never called him “cutie”.

Nicks had always been the one talking, never really hearing Beryl’s stories. The only thing he knew was the origin of Beryl’s name.

This time, Nicks wanted to hear Beryl’s adventures. He wanted to know everything about Beryl—her favorite foods, clothes, times of day… He wanted to know Beryl.

Before coming here, Nicks hadn’t dared to look closely into Beryl’s eyes, but now he saw how beautiful they were, like gemstones or the eyes of a siren luring sailors to the sea.

The stars in the sky grew brighter, as if telling him he was almost there. His steps lightened.

“Venetia?”

As Nicks emerged from the forest, the scenery of Venetia greeted him. The stars had formed a beautiful bridge from the sky to one of the buildings in Venetia.

Beryl must be there. Even from a distance, Nicks could tell where the stars were leading. It was a place he could never forget.

The bridge of stars led to Beryl’s potion shop, tucked away in a corner of the marketplace. It was a modest place, without even a proper sign, making it hard to tell it was a shop.

The streets of Venetia were empty. Nicks headed straight for the place where the stars led.

No matter how much he tried to think of what to say, his mind refused to cooperate. All he could think of was Beryl. He wanted to see Beryl—smiling, pouting, angry—any expression would do.

When Nicks reached the door, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. He wasn’t usually this winded from running, but his breathing was unusually erratic.

Knock knock knock.

Just the act of knocking made his heart race in sync with the rhythm.

“Beryl, it’s me.”

“…….”

No answer came. There was no sign of movement, but Nicks knew Beryl was here.

“I’m coming in.”

The door opened easily, as if it had been waiting for him. The creaking sound echoed through the shop.

Nicks ran his fingers over the potions on display, the empty counter, and the old sofa, reminiscing about the first time he had come here.

When his legs had given out and he had crawled on the ground, no one had helped him. His clothes were torn, his elbows bleeding, and the pain in his legs made him bite his lip to keep from crying.

Life in Venetia had been harsh for Nicks, an orphan, and he didn’t want to cry. Crying would only make him feel more pitiful.

All Nicks could do was imagine himself as an adventurer, traveling the world freely.

As the evening glow faded and the cold night sky descended, the pain and hunger made it impossible to move forward. Just a little more, and he would be home… but it felt like he was sinking into an endless swamp.

If he died here… would he be able to see his parents? He had wanted to become an adventurer and live out the stories his father had told him, but that dream seemed out of reach for a seven-year-old Nicks.

As he closed his eyes and tried to recall his father’s stories, someone stepped on him. The touch was cold, but it didn’t seem malicious. If it had been, they would have stepped harder. Instead, it felt like they were shaking him to snap him out of it.

Nicks opened his eyes, now adjusted to the dark, and saw who had stepped on him. It was the potion shopkeeper, cloaked in a hood and robe, someone with a bad reputation in the city.

The rumors were so widespread that even the children knew about her.

Just when Nicks had been ready to give up on life, a small spark of courage ignited within him. If he was going to die, he wanted to say something to the potion shopkeeper.

First, he asked her to move her foot.

‘Could you please move your foot? It hurts.’

‘Eeekk…!!!’

The day Nicks first spoke to Beryl.

From that day on, Nicks’ life changed.

Beryl cheered him on, listened to his boring adventure stories with interest, and always worried about him.

“I’ve only been taking from Beryl.”

Nicks smiled bitterly and stopped his reminiscing.

Beryl’s room inside the shop.

Beryl must be here.

Unlike before, Nicks wasn’t nervous. He felt calm instead.

He had things to say, feelings to convey.

Nicks opened the door without knocking. It opened easily again, as if Beryl had been waiting for him.

In the corner of the room, Beryl was curled up, crying. Her hood was pulled low, hiding her face, and the room was heavy with her sadness.

“Beryl, I’m here. You were waiting, right?”

“Nicks…?”

Beryl turned her back, not wanting to face Nicks.

“How… how did you get here…?”

“Lady Estelle helped me find you.”

“Oh, no… don’t come!”

As Nicks tried to approach, an invisible wall stopped her.

“Please… don’t come closer. Nicks, it hurts too much to see you. So, please… don’t hurt me anymore. Leave my consciousness.”

At Beryl’s desperate plea, Nicks clenched his fists. He didn’t want to see Beryl in pain because of herself. Maybe it would be better to leave…

All the words he had prepared seemed to crumple and lose their meaning.

‘Men need courage.’

Just as Nicks was about to turn and leave, Estelle’s words came to mind.

He couldn’t face Estelle, who had worked so hard to bring her here, or the other Beryl who had willingly opened the path.

More than that, Nicks hadn’t even properly conveyed his feelings to Beryl. Even if a crumpled piece of paper couldn’t return to its original state, the words written on it remained the same.

Nicks turned back and pounded on the invisible wall, shouting.

“Are you really going to make me leave?”

“…….”

“You were waiting for me, weren’t you? Be honest.”

“What are you…”

If Beryl really hadn’t wanted him to come, she would have locked the shop door and hidden herself. Leaving just an invisible wall felt more like an invitation.

“Even if I leave, I’m taking you with me.”

“I said don’t come!”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Nicks punched the wall with all his strength. Did Beryl really think a mere wall could stop him? No way.

“What’s going to change if I leave!? I’m a witch… I’m over 500 years old! Our lifespans are different, and even if I go back, I might be consumed by the curse and threaten you at any moment…!!”

“I don’t care. So what if you’re a witch?”

Nicks was happy just to hear Beryl open up about herself.

“I crushed Emily, I destroyed your adventurer guild…! And, and I tried to devour you…!! I meant it all. Everything I did was real.”

The more Beryl made excuses, the more reasons Nicks had to break down the wall. His punches seemed to be working, as small cracks began to form and grow.

“Is that all?”

“More…? I, I don’t want to dance with someone like you…! A clueless kid like you, a kid like you…”

Beryl trailed off.

She couldn’t even lie properly.

With one final punch, the wall shattered into a shimmering mirage and disappeared. Blood dripped from Nicks’ fingers, but he didn’t care.

“Y-your hand is bleeding…!?”

As the wall crumbled, Beryl cautiously turned her head and gasped at the sight of Nicks’ bloodied hand.

“That’s why I told you not to come…”

Beryl sniffled as she approached Nicks, examining his bloodied hand. Tears fell from beneath her hood onto Nicks’ hand.

“Didn’t you say it hurt to see me?”

“Is that important right now?! Wait here. I’ll get a potion!”

As Beryl hurried to the display to fetch a potion, Nicks grabbed her hand. He didn’t want to let Beryl go.

“Don’t go. This little wound is nothing compared to how much you mean to me.”

“W-what are you…?”

While Beryl was flustered, Nicks carefully pulled down her hood. Beneath it was the Beryl she knew, teary-eyed and shy.

Beryl had said she didn’t want to see Nicks, but the heartbeat they felt through their hands made it hard to tell whose heart was racing.

“You really didn’t want to see me?.”

“…I wanted to see you.”

Finally, Beryl was being honest.

A smile spread across Nicks’ lips.

“I love you.”

“Huh…?”

Nicks didn’t try to dress up his feelings with pretty words or metaphors. He simply crashed into Beryl. Whatever happened at the ball didn’t matter anymore.

“I’m really, really clingy…”

“It’s okay. I’ll be strong.”

“I have multiple personalities, and they switch all the time…”

“That sounds even more fun.”

“I’m obsessive. If I see you with another girl, I’ll make your life hell…”

“I’d be jealous too if I saw you with another man. We’re the same.”

Beryl was annoyed that no matter what she said, Nicks just agreed. But why was her face turning red?

What did it mean to love a witch…?

Adventurers, villages, friends… they could all leave Nicks’ side. Logically, this love would end in tragedy one way or another.

But, but…

Beryl didn’t want to let Nicks go.

“Then… prove it.”

Beryl approached Nicks. She bent down to meet Nicks’ eye level and shyly closed her eyes.

Nicks knew what Beryl was asking for, and there was no one to interrupt their proof.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes…”

Slowly, gently…

As their lips met,

a flood of intense sensations and memories of Beryl overwhelmed Nicks’ mind.

Beryl’s memories, everything that had happened over 500 years, began to fill Nicks’ head. In the searing pain, Nicks held onto his consciousness.

Beryl, too, was flooded with everything about Nicks.

In less than a second, there was no room for misunderstandings, lies, or even words between them.

As they pulled away, their gazes locked.

Of course. Just by looking into each other’s eyes, they now knew exactly what the other wanted.

Nicks wanted Beryl,

and Beryl wanted Nicks.

“One more time…?”

“Yes…”

Without hesitation, their second kiss didn’t end with just their lips. Their tongues intertwined, reaffirming their feelings.

The purple energy emanating from the magic stone on Beryl’s thigh quietly faded, turning to dust and crumbling away.

Their love, which felt like it had promised eternity, was far from over. It had only just ignited.