[Knight] "Ahem." An awkward cough echoed through the small, ancient kitchen of Versaryl Pharmacy. The knight, having followed them inside, felt like a clumsy intruder. Before the old but tidy hearth, Kalart and Roserikta stood side by side, brewing tea. Though she could have managed alone, he insisted on helping. When she turned toward the cupboard, he reached up and handed her the honey jar. Whenever she forgot her injured throat and tried to speak, he gently pressed his fin

[Roserikta] "……Ugh!" She jammed her fingers into the gap of the cabinet door with every ounce of her strength. One finger wasn't enough to pry it open. The effort sent a jolting pain through her hand, making her fear her bones might snap. [Eaton] "Soon……" He muttered as he yanked the strap. The tough leather bit deep into her skin. Her breath hitched, and her vision blurred into a hazy gray. Still, she refused to surrender. Crash! Smash! She practically tore the cabinet door

[Roserikta] "......Ah!" The sudden jolt threw her off balance, giving Kalart the perfect excuse to pull her tight against his chest. [Kalart] "Are you all right?" [Roserikta] "......" She was far from all right. Thump-thump, thump-thump. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She already found their proximity overwhelming, but sharing a single cloak felt like hiding under the covers of the same bed. Though they remained fully dressed, the intimacy unsettled her. He is so strang

Everything felt wrong. The entire situation defied logic. Did the love potion's side effects vanish? I thought he was about to fall for the Black Witch! They even held hands! I saw it with my own eyes! Why is this man acting like this? Perhaps he possessed a twisted habit of acting prickly toward those he liked. Roserikta thought back to their first meeting. No, that wasn't it. He had been so polite and gentle it was almost a problem. Maybe he just hates people interrupting h

Roserikta ignored the Black Witch's taunt. Instead, she studied Count Gibero on the bed. The Count would not last three days. Death was a certainty once the Black Witch targeted a soul. The only question was the timing. The man before her looked nothing like the person she saw yesterday. Overnight, his life force vanished, leaving only skin and bone. Over half of his grey hair had fallen out, making his scalp resemble a winter wheat field after a poor harvest. This is too str

Her voice cut through the quiet darkness. [Roserikta] "The Prince sees the Black Witch right now, doesn't he?" [Arad] "Hmm? What makes that so different?" [Roserikta] "The curse is not like the love potion. It doesn't force him to love her. But if he falls for the Black Witch while the curse is active, those feelings remain even after the curse breaks." His mouth hung open, his expression blank. If Lady Elona saw him now, their relationship might face a serious crisis. [Arad]

Arad's face turned even paler than Roserikta's. He had come to the stables alone to follow the Crown Prince's order to return to the capital. However, a suspicious sound from the carriage house stopped him. The soft, whispering voice belonged to the cat maid. He approached, wondering why she was there so late. The words grew clearer. They were words he couldn't ignore. Crown Prince. Curse. Black Witch. Love potion. Eye disease. Obsession. Every word sounded impossible. Not a

[Roserikta] "Thank you so much." She expressed her deep gratitude, unable to hide her admiration. [Roserikta] "I can't believe it. You finished so quickly." [Crow] "A witch of Versaryl praising us makes me feel proud. Though, these small friends did all the hard work." The Great Crow spoke while calmly smoothing the tips of his wings. During their last meeting, he had promised to help her face the black witch. He had taught her a way to call him without using magic. She only

Clobellina carried herself with a heavy sense of importance. She acted as if she were about to reveal a secret of life or death. [Roserikta] "What is it?" [Clobell] "Listen, we have to fight the black witch now. Don't we?" [Roserikta] "Yes. That's right." [Clobell] "Strength is the foundation of any fight. If you only eat greens, your stamina will vanish. So, feed me better...…" Roserikta fought the urge to stare at the cat's bulging belly. [Clobell] "Why are you looking at m

[Roserikta] "Sob, sob" In the dream, Roserikta wept. Tears rolled down her face without stopping. The sight of her own crying self felt pitiful. She was never the type to cry easily, so why were these tears falling? She looked young, perhaps not even ten years old. Even then, she lived with her grandmother. She wore a stiff, fresh witch’s dress with a clean apron tied neatly around her waist. [Grandma] "Rosie." She approached from behind. Grandma...... Even in her sleep, Rose

[Roserikta] "Huh? It opened quite easily." She tilted her head, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. Her performance hit the mark, forcing the guards to exchange puzzled looks. [Guard] "Then what the Captain said was......" [Roserikta] "Oh, the Captain? Is he feeling alright?" She pivoted the conversation instantly. Making Eaton a patient provided the cleanest exit from this mess. She reached out with exaggerated concern, pressing her palms against Eaton’s cheeks and forehea

[Crow] "This is a frightening matter. If a black witch lives here, she will surely bring harm to our forest soon." She asked a question. [Roserikta] "Has anything happened before? Anything that might reveal a black witch?" [Crow] "No. Nothing unusual caught our attention. It is possible, perhaps she only arrived here recently." If a black witch used magic to stay young forever, she had to move constantly to avoid suspicion. [Roserikta] "That makes sense. Tell everyone to be c