Witch – Chapter 85 – A Hundred Year Reunion with the Witch (4)

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The witch’s house at the western edge.

A land of paradise, isolated from the world.

Dorothy spent most of her time sitting on the terrace overlooking the sea, leisurely watching the waves.

The salty sea breeze tangled in her curly hair, tickling her face, which was slightly annoying, but it was a discomfort she could tolerate.

On a normal day, the sea would be shrouded in fog, making it impossible to see even a foot ahead. But today, the horizon stretched out clearly, offering a breathtaking view.

The tranquility brought her peace. Dorothy, who had never been fond of noisy environments, found solace in the rhythmic sound of the waves, which filled the void of her long-honed solitude.

Though it wasn’t just the sound of the waves.

Occasionally, her scatterbrained daughter would contact her through the witch’s mirror, surprising Dorothy with unexpected events.

Sometimes she’d call in tears, seeking advice.

Other times, the girl who used to tease her by calling her “aunt” would suddenly refer to her as “mom”.

If she had time to call, why not just visit? What could possibly be so busy? She left saying she had things to do, and now she’s gone and made a daughter.

Even if she’s an adopted daughter, making Dorothy a grandmother without ever bringing her granddaughter to visit—was that any way to treat her mother?

“That wretched girl. Just you wait.”

Dorothy muttered curses under her breath as she reminisced about memories as countless as the grains of sand swept away by the waves.

It was only ten years of memories with Estelle, yet the sound of the waves and the view of the horizon couldn’t hold her attention.

The sun began to set, painting the evening sky in hues of red that stung Dorothy’s eyes.

Dorothy stood up, her body chilled by the sea breeze. She always made it a rule to enjoy the sea view only until sunset.

As she turned to go inside, planning to sip warm tea and ponder how to spend the rest of the evening,

“Guess who?”

A pair of warm hands gently covered Dorothy’s eyes.

The familiar, melodious voice made Dorothy’s lips twitch, threatening to curl into a smile. But this wasn’t the time to be happy—she wanted to be angry.

The strange, giggling laughter,

The soft, squishy sensation she felt from behind,

There was only one person who could appear at the western edge without any warning.

Who else could it be? Surely, she wasn’t being serious.

“You wretched girl.”

“Wrong! It’s Estelle!”

Estelle removed her hands and appeared in front of Dorothy with a bright smile.

Dorothy had seen her a few times through the witch’s mirror, but seeing her in person felt different.

Estelle’s pink hair fluttered in the sea breeze, and her ruby-like red eyes gazed straight at Dorothy.

Trying to hide her embarrassment, Estelle tucked her hands behind her back, but her mischievous smile gave her away.

She looked exactly the same as when she had left Dorothy’s care—no, her presence felt even more pronounced, her chest seemingly fuller than before.

‘You wretched girl… What have you been up to all this time?

Were the medicines I hid in the storage even necessary…?’

“Mom, you don’t look so good. Are you feeling unwell?”

Estelle closed the distance, her voice filled with concern as she looked at Dorothy’s stern expression.

Dorothy struggled to keep her lips from curling into a smile. Hearing “mom” in person made it hard to maintain her composure.

She was supposed to be angry…

But why was she angry again?

Her mind was a mess, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. In fact, it was exhilarating… She barely managed to resist the urge to pull Estelle into a hug and kept her expression neutral.

“You wretched girl. Who’s feeling unwell?”

“I was worried because it’s been so long since I saw you. I missed you.”

Estelle stretched out her arms and hugged Dorothy.

Dorothy’s cold body absorbed Estelle’s warmth, and her slow heartbeat began to quicken.

‘Oh, this is bad.’

Her expression softened, and a happy smile spread across her face. She was glad Estelle was hugging her. If Estelle saw this expression, the mischievous young witch would surely tease her…

“You say you missed me, but you didn’t visit even once after leaving?”

Despite her softened expression, Dorothy voiced her dissatisfaction. It was a kind of protest, as if asking Estelle to understand her feelings.

“Oh, come on. Why do you have to say it like that?”

“Then how should I say it?”

“Just say, ‘I missed you too, Estelle’, and give me a kiss. Like this.”

‘What is she…?’

Before Dorothy could process Estelle’s words, she felt a soft touch on her cold cheek.

The tiny, pink lips that matched Estelle’s hair brushed against her cheek… and the spot where they touched began to flush with color.

“Hehe.”

“…….”

Estelle, who had pulled away after the quick kiss, giggled mischievously.

‘A kiss? Just now…?’

Excluding the last hug before she left, this kiss was the most intense display of affection Estelle had ever shown.

The unexpected attack left Dorothy half-dazed, but her stern expression melted, and the corners of her lips curled up… She had become a mother happily doting on her playful daughter.

“Feeling better now?”

“You. You’re not going around kissing just anyone, are you?”

“Of course not. I’ve only ever kissed you and Josie.”

‘She kissed her granddaughter before me…?’

While Dorothy was momentarily lost in inexplicable jealousy, Estelle grabbed her hand.

“The night air is chilly. Let’s go inside and talk more.”

“Are you staying the night?”

“Of course. If I leave so soon after coming, you’ll get upset, won’t you?”

“…….”

Normally, Dorothy would respond with something like,

‘You wretched girl…!’ or,

‘Get out right now.’

But instead, Dorothy remained silent, and Estelle cautiously gauged her reaction.

“If you don’t want me to get upset, stay for at least five more nights with your mom… D-Daughter…”

Dorothy, twisting her already curly hair with her fingers, replied coyly, as if her earlier worries were unfounded.

Estelle was taken aback by this unfamiliar side of Dorothy, but her face flushed with joy at being called “daughter”.

She’s acknowledging me as her daughter.

Estelle had been secretly worried that she was the only one playing the family game, but Dorothy’s words reassured her.

The way Dorothy said “daughter” felt different from how Josie said it—warmer, more comforting.

“Of course. Should we take a bath together?”

“…A bath? Why would we need to take a bath together?”

‘Oh no, I’ve gone too far?’

“Oh, moms and daughters take baths together, you know. Josie and I do it sometimes, though not often.”

Thinking about the times she bathed with Josie, Estelle’s excuse didn’t seem entirely unreasonable. Though they hadn’t bathed together since Josie was ten…

“R-Really? I guess… moms and daughters can take baths together.”

After leading Dorothy to the dining table, Estelle went into the kitchen and looked around. Over a hundred years had passed since she left, but nothing in the house had changed.

The position of the ladle and pot, the shelf where the tea leaves were stored—everything was the same.

There wasn’t even a speck of dust, as if the house had been preserved exactly as it was before Estelle became a witch. It stirred a sense of nostalgia.

It was as if Dorothy had been waiting for her to return. Her feelings seemed to permeate every corner of the house.

“Where’s the little one? Didn’t she come with you?”

Dorothy’s gentle voice reached Estelle as she prepared the tea.

“Josie? She went on a trip for her 19th birthday.”

“Like mother, like daughter. How am I ever supposed to see my granddaughter’s face?”

‘Was this what it felt like to have a dagger pierce your heart?’.

Dorothy’s words weighed heavily on Estelle, but she pushed her troubled thoughts aside and served the tea.

“Josie will come to greet you when she returns.”

“Sure, sure. It took you over 100 years to come back. Next time, it’ll be over 200.”

‘So she had been holding onto that.’

Estelle had tried her best to make Dorothy feel better, even resorting to acting cute, but expecting a few playful gestures to make up for over a century of absence was wishful thinking…

The only way to soothe Dorothy’s heart was to keep talking.

“Do you really want to be called ‘grandma’ that badly?”

“Are you crazy? I just want to see the face of the granddaughter my daughter raised.”

“You might even be called a great-grandmother soon.”

“Pfft!”

Dorothy spat out her tea. It was like something out of a drama from her past life. Seeing it in real life was a new experience.

“Is the little one pregnant?”

“No, not yet… but it might happen soon.”

A man and a woman traveling together… There’s no way nothing would happen. Especially if they cared deeply for each other.

The way Josie looked at Leo had been growing more intense lately. Estelle could only hope Leo’s patience would last.

“What about the son-in-law? He’s not some strange guy, is he? I trust your judgment, but I’m a little worried.”

“Haha… Well, anyway! I brought you a gift.”

“A gift?”

Estelle quickly changed the subject, fearing that Dorothy might pry into Leo’s background—or worse, his life.

Mentioning the Holy Kingdom could lead to unpredictable reactions from Dorothy, one of the primordial witches.

Fortunately, Dorothy’s eyes lit up at the mention of a gift. Estelle carefully placed the basket containing a sleeping baby on the table.

“Ta-da! Congratulations, Mom. You’ve got a second child now. You won’t feel so lonely without me.”

“…….”

Contrary to Estelle’s expectations, Dorothy silently stared at the baby in the basket.