The journey alone with a superior is always a burden.
Especially if it has not been long since meeting the other person and there is a vast difference in status, it is only natural to feel that way. In this sense, the ‘Great Witch’ was one of the worst companions.
After all, she was one of the only three Masters on the continent.
Of course, I was not in a position to be looked down upon either. Having crushed the plots of the Dark Cult multiple times and fought against the followers of the evil deity was enough to make me a shining star on the continent.
But the woman walking beside me was the ‘Great Witch’.
A hero who had already saved the continent from the brink of destruction.
I couldn’t compare myself to her, who was now just beginning to make a name for herself. Even the Emperor of the Empire was a person of tremendous stature.
Naturally, I couldn’t help but feel anxious and uneasy standing next to her.
Well, it was only to be expected.
“Haah… the sun is warm, so I’m bored. Tell me an interesting story.”
“We’re almost at our destination anyway.”
The Great Witch was stretching her arms while clasping her hands together, and I responded in a calm tone.
Strangely, there was no tension between the two of us.
Perhaps the days spent accompanying the Sword Master had helped me. Or maybe the memories from the future were influencing me as well.
However, I was a bit curious as to why the Great Witch wasn’t particularly taking issue with my demeanor.
At first, it was just a mistake.
I was taken aback and held my breath for shock with the friendly attitude that came out unconsciously. I feared might offend the Great Witch’s mood.
But surprisingly, the Great Witch didn’t show any signs of displeasure.
In fact, she even countered my remarks as if nothing were wrong. Even now, her expression bore nothing but ennui.
Perhaps it was her nature not to assert authority.
Of course, I could never read the Great Witch’s true thoughts. There was no emotion to be felt in the murky pupils of the woman chewing on her pipe.
Even so, how should I say it…
There was a strange feeling conveyed through her gestures and tone.
“Hmph, you brat… ignoring the elder who is speaking.”
“How entertaining can a story from someone so much older than me be? Wouldn’t it be better if you shared a story from someone who has lived for hundreds more years than me? Hah!”
With a sharp sound.
The pipe struck the back of my head and zipped past. The speed was so high that I couldn’t even tell how it hit me given the significant height difference.
The embers still burning in the pipe were hot. I couldn’t help but let out a short scream from the unexpected ambush.
I rubbed the back of my head and swallowed a groan. I shot a glance of protest towards the Great Witch.
Of course, she acted as if she hadn’t noticed at all.
She simply took a puff from the pipe and exhaled a cloud of smoke that resembled a sigh.
“…From now on, talking about age is forbidden.”
“But you didn’t say a word when the Sword Master spoke!”
“That’s my prerogative!”
She was a woman whose inner thoughts were hard to grasp in many ways.
The Sword Master was allowed to speak, but I could not?
I did feel a bit wronged, but what could I do?
I had no choice but to swallow my resentment alone.
However, the fact that I had gotten hit with the pipe wasn’t entirely without merit.
“My story…”
With a lazy breath, the bitter smell of the herb tickled my nose.
Before long, the woman’s yellowish-green eyes were dulled and unfocused. Where were her eyes directed?
At the very least, not at this moment.
The expression on the Great Witch’s face, which scanned through old memories, turned quite bitter.
“…Hahaha, truly nothing but a boring story.”
“But there are plenty of proud tales, aren’t there?”
“Quite the opposite. They’re all with regret.”
Though she said it like it was nothing, I couldn’t help but close my mouth for a moment.
I subtly glanced at the corners of the Great Witch’s lips. There, one could find a faintly bitter crescent moon.
“Self-inflicted wounds… No matter how you put it, the fact remains that it is my fault. In truth, I am not particularly heroic… contrary to what people expect. So, my stories will be dull.”
“I still want to hear them.”
The Great Witch let out a short laugh.
It seemed she thought I was just making a pointless comment. Or perhaps she thought I was trying to offer clumsy comfort.
A gaze that seemed to find me oddly cute was directed towards me. This was one of the rare instances of open favor shown by the Great Witch.
“Pfft! You brat, are you trying to comfort me as a man? Don’t overstep your bounds. I am not someone you need to worry about…”
“I was just like that too.”
Now it was the Great Witch’s turn to close her mouth.
At my candid confession, the woman’s gestures that had been filled with laughter came to a halt. Regardless of her reaction, I continued to speak my mind.
“I’ve killed plenty. Friends, comrades… Was it really necessary?”
That was my unvarnished truth.
The raw, unprocessed emotion bore a strange weight. Sometimes, fearing the burden, I would throw out jokes to lighten the mood.
But the other person was the sage of the Great Forest.
It wouldn’t be too much for her to bear such a weight.
A sigh, whether it was a sigh of resignation or not, dispersed with the smoke.
“…Have you heard of ‘fate’?”
“Is it similar to destiny?”
“Similar if you want it to be, but if not, then it isn’t. More so, it’s a fluid concept to grasp.”
Saying so, the Great Witch traced a small circle with her index finger. At first glance, it might seem like mere handplay, but the imaginary circle quickly widened in diameter, leaving five points floating in the void.
Fire, water, sprouts, metal, earth.
“In the five elements that make up all things, there exists a harmony. They can nurture each other, but at times they can also conflict with one another… and this is the same with people.”
A point of light was bouncing back and forth between those five extremes, symbolizing ‘humanity.’
“Time, luck, and even the tendencies of each person you encounter affect life. In the Great Forest, this is referred to as ‘fate,’ which can neither be severed nor predicted… the continuous slices of life that connect and touch.”
“It was indeed a more complex concept than I thought.”
“What can I say, it’s merely a difference in worldview… Anyway, the important fact is that in these successive moments of life, no one can calculate the repercussions of their choices. There may be times of regret about the past and pain, but… unless you are a god, you cannot avoid making mistakes.”
“Then, have you ever…”
Even as I spoke, I wondered if I had touched on too sensitive a topic.
I feared I had pried into something a person would want to keep hidden. Anyone would have details they wished to conceal, and I was no exception.
How much more so for someone like the Great Witch, who had lived for centuries?
However, soon it became clear that my worry was unfounded.
“…Hmph, is that even a question?”
The expression on the Great Witch’s face as she replied seemed somewhat forlorn. It was a face worn down by the trials of time, one that had even forgotten the word ‘hope.’
“You’ve seen it too, right? The pain that strikes my body indiscriminately… this is my penance. You must not end up like this.”
Why is it your fault?
Before I could even ask, the Great Witch closed her eyes tightly along with the smoke from her pipe.
I could see her grip on the pipe tighten slightly.
“If only I had resolved myself earlier, earlier…”
The sentiment of regret that emanated from her voice was so pitiful.
I chose to remain silent. Unlike the Great Witch, I was still inexperienced at handling someone’s genuine emotions.
What was I, unable to even sort out my own feelings?
However, it was uncomfortable to say nothing at all, so I cleared my throat and decided to change the topic.
“We’ll be arriving at our destination soon.”
It seemed the Great Witch also didn’t want to express her feelings unnecessarily.
The woman quickly composed herself, her eyes looking around attentively. With a peculiar sound, the Great Witch asked me.
“Brat, what do you think?”
“Pardon?”
At the sudden question, I could only tilt my head in confusion.
What did she mean? Even when I tried to focus and sense it, I found nothing.
In this area, there was no response detected.
A knight who reached the level of High Expert would not miss even the smallest breath.
If I hadn’t sensed anything, it would be safe to say the area was secure.
Just as I was about to speak those words.
The gaze of the Great Witch upon me was strange. It felt like she was looking at a student before an exam.
Then, I suddenly realized.
“…It’s strange.”
“Isn’t it?”
We were in the heart of the forest.
Naturally, all manner of creatures should be living here. Yet beyond the trees or grass, not even a breath could be felt.
It was excessively suspicious.
The Great Witch, wearing a satisfied smile, continued to explain.
“It seems we are unaffected, but stragglers must have turned back before reaching here. A quite secretive barrier has been set… I only realized it after entering as well.”
“Is that really possible?”
It was an astonished response I blurted out.
Just as the Sword Master possessed unparalleled knowledge and skill regarding swords, the Great Witch was adept in magic and barriers. If such a person often failed to notice it, the level of the barrier was definitely considerable.
Yet still, the Great Witch remained calm.
“Don’t panic. Even I have my limits when not in my true form… although it’s true that the level of the barrier is unexpectedly high.”
“Should we stop for now?”
It was a question of whether we needed to call for support.
At that, the Great Witch made a pondering sound as if in deep thought. Of course, her hesitation didn’t last long.
“No, it’s too late… the guests have already arrived.”
A brief declaration.
My hand immediately went to my waist.
