TWFLLYM Ch 73

Why the Black Witch Went South

[Roserikta] "Ugh......"

Whish!

The wind sliced past her ears like a blade.

She groaned and gripped her broom tightly.

Only after filling her pockets did she regret picking mushrooms under the moonlight like a crazed witch, but it was too late. Too much time had passed. The morning star would soon rise.

She braced herself for muscle aches and accelerated the broom as much as possible. She had warned Kalart, but he appeared excited instead.

At this rate, he might ask to sit in front later. It's a pity someone with such talent was born human.

Unsurprisingly, his voice drifted forward.

[Kalart] "Shall we swap seats if you're tired?"

Hearing her groan, he asked casually.

[Kalart] "The wind won't hit you as hard if you sit in the back."

That was impossible. Just because he became a witch's lover didn't mean he had become a witch.

[Roserikta] "I think you've forgotten, but humans can't ride brooms."

[Kalart] "I'm riding one right now."

[Roserikta] "That's only because I'm letting you!"

Whoosh!

A strong gust blew. The sensation of the night air brushing against her legs through the hem of her skirt annoyed her, so she swerved the broom to change direction.

Suddenly, the broom stood vertical, appearing as if it were falling downward.

[Kalart] "Ah, ha."

He didn't look startled; instead, he let out a sound that was half-admiration, half-laughter.

[Roserikta] "Don't enjoy this too much! Hold onto the cloak tightly! If it flies away, we have to go back and get it! It's my grandmother's heirloom!"

[Kalart] "I understa......"

Whoomph!

As soon as he spoke, the wind rushed in, inflating the cloak like a balloon. He gripped the fabric firmly, but the wind roared too fiercely.

Rip!

The wind tore the cloak. The invisibility cloak split between the part he held and the larger section, fluttering precariously.

[Kalart] "It's going to tear completely at this rate!"

[Roserikta] "No one can see us!"

She hurried to slow the broom down.

Riiiip!

But she was too late. Except for the fragment in Kalart's hand, the invisibility cloak swept away in the violent wind and vanished into the distance.

[Kalart] "Oh no!"

In his desperation, he reached out to grab the cloak. However, such a move was dangerous while riding a broom.

[Roserikta] "Your Highness!"

Startled, she grabbed hold of Kalart. Meanwhile, the cloak disappeared.

[Roserikta] "Ah......!"

A whirlwind of emotions flooded her in that brief moment. The cloak had vanished, she didn't know where to look for it, and the worry that a human might spot it drove her mad. Most importantly, Kalart had almost fallen while trying to catch it.

Her heart skipped a beat as the realization hit her.

[Kalart] "Are you alright?"

As she froze, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

[Roserikta] "Ah...... yes. It's just...... I was so startled......"

The corners of his eyes lowered.

[Kalart] "I'm sorry. I failed to hold onto it properly."

[Roserikta] "No, it's not your fault. The wind was too strong. I was in too much of a hurry and flew too fast."

Perhaps she had kept increasing the speed because Kalart enjoyed it so much.

I need to reflect. Such a rookie mistake. Grandmother would have scolded me. Safety comes first on a broom.

[Roserikta] "Then, um...... I'm sorry, but I think we should land and walk. It's too dangerous to keep flying. If someone sees us......"

His expression remained dark.

[Kalart] "It was my mistake. I was careless."

[Roserikta] "That's not true. It wasn't just about you losing the cloak."

[Kalart] "I took your efforts to hide your identity too lightly."

[Roserikta] "Oh......"

What did he mean suddenly?

[Kalart] "I mean, I failed to understand the weight of your reality as a witch all at once. Flying through the sky was merely a new pleasure for me. I realize now that it was more than that."

She smiled, signaling him not to blame himself.

[Roserikta] "You aren't a witch, Your Highness. Naturally, you can't know everything at once. More importantly, it will take a long time to walk from here. Will you be alright?"

[Kalart] "That doesn't matter. It only pains me that I failed to recognize the burden you carry every time."

[Roserikta] "Please don't say that, Your Highness. I'm grateful you accepted the fact that I'm a witch so easily. Anyway, let's head down."

[Kalart] "What about the cloak? You have to find it."

[Roserikta] "It's an invisibility cloak. It's hard to find right now. I'll likely need to use magic to locate it."

[Kalart] "......Alright."

He nodded slowly, looking like a man who had suddenly placed a heavy thought on his shoulders.

This man cares about things I never expected. And I'm falling for him even more in ways I never imagined.

Losing the cloak pained Roserikta deeply as well.

It'll be a disaster if someone picks it up. As soon as we return to the castle, I must use Axaca powder to find it. Please, let nothing happen.

While she slowed down and lowered the broom, Kalart gently hugged her shoulders.

The fact that his guilt and worry reached her through such a small gesture must be because they were lovers.

[Kalart] "I can have the Royal Guard search for it."

[Roserikta] "What if even magic can't find it?"

They descended until their feet almost touched the roofs of the village houses. Anxiety prickled her skin in case someone stayed awake late and opened their window.

Just then, a voice called out to her.

[Crow] "The Witch of Versaryl!"

[Roserikta] "Huh......? Who is it?"

She whipped around in surprise, making Kalart tense up as well.

[Crow] "Take this!"

Whish!

Something flew over her head. A familiar texture landed on her shoulders. Although a tear marred one corner, it was her grandmother's invisibility cloak that had covered her until moments ago.

She beamed and shouted.

[Roserikta] "My goodness! Where did you find this?"

The Great Crow dropped the cloak from the sky. A significant number of birds circled Roserikta, as if the entire crow family had gathered.

[Crow] "A nightjar with keen eyes mentioned the Witch of Versaryl visited the forest. I followed you because I have something to say, but I couldn't find you since you wore the cloak. Luckily, the cloak fell, allowing me to track you down. My family here found the cloak for you."

[Roserikta] "Oh my. Thank you so much. I was just grieving over losing it."

If she had remained hidden by the invisibility cloak, she might never have met the Great Crow. It was pure luck.

[Crow] "I want to ask you something. If my eyes don't deceive me, the one with you isn't a witch, is he?"

[Roserikta] "Ah."

She turned slightly to look at Kalart. He remained silent, but his rigid posture suggested he was flustered. The birds were cawing, and she was responding to them.

[Roserikta] "Yes. He isn't a witch, but we are together. The Black Witch cast a curse on him."

[Crow] "Then this man is the Crown Prince of the Empire?"

The crows cawed in unison at Kalart.

Good grief. The Crown Prince? The Crown Prince is with a witch.

What on earth has happened in the human world? Have the humans changed their minds already?

That was the general gist of their cries.

Kalart didn't understand the crow's words, but he noticed their gaze wasn't exactly friendly. He asked softly.

[Kalart] "I think they're saying they want to tear me apart."

[Roserikta] "It's not that bad. Just think of it as them being unfamiliar with humans."

[Kalart] "I'm scared. I've never experienced this before."

Saying so, he hugged her waist tightly.

His claim of being scared was an utter lie. To be precise, Kalart hated being excluded from the conversation between the witch and the crow. He likely disliked the feeling of Roserikta being in a completely different world from his.

[Crow] "Well...... I see you two have a close relationship."

[Roserikta] "Uh, well...... yeah. It turned out that way."

Embarrassed, she tried to push his arm away, but he didn't budge.

[Crow] "I suppose. Since a human had already noticed the Black Witch's existence, it couldn't be kept secret anymore. Furthermore, the Crown Prince received a direct threat. Though that doesn't mean you had to become close with him."

Hearing the stately bird speak like that made her even more embarrassed.

[Roserikta] "Well...... I believe the moon guided us."

[Crow] "If the witch says so. As a friend, I can only offer my blessings."

[Roserikta] "Thank you......"

[Crow] "No need for thanks. I hope the Crown Prince becomes a reliable support."

[Roserikta] "He will be. But what was it you wanted to tell me?"

She subtly changed the subject.

[Crow] "It's nothing major, but I thought you should know."

The Great Crow, in his usual polite manner, shared the Black Witch's movements that the forest folk had discovered.

[Crow] "They say she was heading south. The owls saw her. She reportedly stole a human carriage."

[Roserikta] "A human carriage?"

[Crow] "Indeed. Doesn't that mean she can't use black magic? A Black Witch should be able to teleport."

[Roserikta] "Hmm...... It seems she can't use magic that requires a lot of power, like teleportation. From what I know, a severe injury weakened her."

[Crow] "Is that so?"

[Roserikta] "Yes."

She explained what happened at the Count's mansion recently and the last time she saw the Black Witch. The crows, listening intently, cried out in surprise.

[Crow] "To think that happened. So it was the Imperial Guard that set fire to the Count's castle."

[Roserikta] "I thought the Black Witch would die soon. Since she looked that way, she escaped while I was off guard. I feel foolish even thinking about it now. There's no way she would die that easily."

[Crow] "Don't blame yourself. If it appeared that way to a witch's eyes, there must have been some truth to it."

[Roserikta] "Yeah...... Anyway, heading south...... where on earth is she going?"

[Crow] "Could she be heading to the Witch Kingdom?"

[Roserikta] "No. The location of the Witch Kingdom has nothing to do with direction. Besides, it's the last place she should go. The kingdom exiled her long ago, so if she sets foot there again, she'll face execution the witch way."

[Crow] "Ah, I see. Then we must look further into what lies in the south. It would be wonderful if she just lost her strength and lived quietly as if she were dead."

[Roserikta] "I feel the same. But that won't happen. Not her. Instead, she might try to absorb even more life force to recover from her injuries. That's what worries me most."

[Crow] "We should investigate if more humans are suddenly dying of strange diseases. The forest folk are on high alert, so don't worry too much."

[Roserikta] "Okay. Thank you all so much."

[Crow] "Weren't you the one who severely injured the Black Witch? We are also greatly in your debt."

[Roserikta] "Keep sending news. Tell me if you need anything."

[Crow] "Will do. We'll be off then. Travel safely."

[Roserikta] "Yes. May you have the most peaceful night under the moonlight."

[Crow] "May the human world be as quiet as the forest."

After exchanging farewells, the crows took flight and vanished into the dawn.

[Roserikta] "We can fly again. Honestly, the thought of walking was terrible."

The two were under the cloak once more. Kalart rested one cheek on her shoulder.

[Kalart] "Is there anything a witch can't do?"

[Roserikta] "Where is this coming from suddenly?"

[Kalart] "You talk to crows. You must talk to cats, too."

[Roserikta] "I have to be able to communicate with the forest folk. Witches are part of them, after all."

Whish!

The broom soared into the sky. The speed was smoother and more relaxed than before. Since it was already late, there was no reason to rush.

[Kalart] "It seems there are more things in the world that humans never know in their entire lives. It feels like a loss being born human."

She chuckled.

Is he saying this because he wants to ride the broom?

[Roserikta] "I can't say you're wrong. Most humans believe what they see is everything."

[Kalart] "I can't deny that either. I lived believing the emotions created by the curse were my own, just as they appeared to me."

Those words were a bit sad. However, he wasn't speaking out of sadness.

[Kalart] "That's why I'm so glad. I'm glad I know that what I see isn't everything."

[Roserikta] "Me too. I'm glad you're a person who can think that way. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to fly together like this."

His sigh on her shoulder felt warm. The sensation of the broom carrying the weight of both of them quickly became familiar. She hoped this warmth against her back would remain in her memory for a long time.