Memory, memory, memory.
Is there a word that conveys such a variety of feelings?
Each time I chew on it, the syllable offers a new taste. Sometimes it resonates with a sweet aroma like ripe fruit; other times, it may have the fresh bitterness of earth, and at times the iron taste of blood lingers.
The same goes for the memories of the man.
The night in the Great Forest was cold. The heat from the blazing sun had long passed, but the forest still held residual warmth, while a noticeably cooler breeze provided a refreshing sensation.
Humidity is just as sensitive to low temperatures as it is to high ones.
This was also the reason the residents of the Great Forest mistakenly believed the night was cold.
Under the dim light of the moon, it was the late-night when the sound of sobbing resonated through the quiet forest.
“Ugh, sob… Really, you terrible jerk…”
In the heart of the Great Forest, the center maintaining the barrier that imprisoned the legendary monster.
There lay a small village made up of a few cabins.
It was the residence of the “Great Witch,” known as the National Mage of the Southern Kingdoms and master of all elements.
It was indeed a secluded place.
With only three residents, it was barely worthy of the title “village.” Yet there existed an unchanging fact.
To sustain life, a water source was necessary.
No matter how great the “Great Witch” was, she could not overturn this fundamental premise. Thus, in the heart of the Great Forest, there had to be several springs, among which was a secluded beauty.
Known as the “Mystical Spring.”
The pure water rising from the roots of the World Tree was rich in magical power. Even at night, particles of light floated on the surface of the pond, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
It was a beautiful scene.
Yet, before such a magnificent view, the sound that tickled my ears was nothing more than a weeping sound.
It truly was a lamentable state of affairs.
With a light sigh, I shifted my gaze subtly to my back. There sat a girl with brown hair, notable by her pointed hat, crumpled down.
While constantly wiping her overflowing tears.
I too was a human being made of flesh and blood. It was human nature to feel the desire to wipe away the tears of a beautiful woman when she cried.
Still, the reason I couldn’t just step forward was that the cause of her tears lay with me.
It was a rather unjust reason from my perspective.
“Please stop crying, Apprentice… You might get caught sobbing all alone. Isn’t life just like that?”
Yet, despite my admonishment, the girl only raised her voice in a burst of emotion.
“That’s not the problem! And, I’m not ‘Apprentice’?!”
It was the expected reaction.
It wasn’t surprising at all. Even though she was crying now, she was a woman known for her temper from long ago.
The “Fighting Dog” Elsi Rainelle.
She was my senior from the Academy’s first year, a prodigy who graduated as the second-best in the Magic Department. She was known for her rough words and temperament that didn’t match her doll-like appearance.
How many times had I endured the pain of hearing her notorious reputation throughout my time in the Academy?
Together with “Golden Lion” Delphine Yuridina and “Blind Serpent” Princess Sien, she was one of the three people one should never provoke.
She was a woman I had tried my best to avoid during my school days. Yet here we were, the only two left in this unfamiliar wilderness, attending to the needs of our teacher.
It was truly a twisted fate.
I let out a voice mixed with a sigh.
“Were you really that concerned about what happened today?”
“I, what did I…?”
“You burned the food today. It’s been three years since you became a disciple, and you still can’t manage the heat properly.”
As I pointed out sharply, Elsi senior let out a soft groan.
It seemed I had struck a nerve.
To be fair, she had looked particularly downcast since that moment.
It had been over three years now that we’d been living under the same roof.
No matter how much I didn’t want to see her, she was simply there.
It wasn’t just me.
Surely, Elsi senior must have been able to see through my feelings as well.
That’s why she couldn’t easily deny my words.
Toward the girl who was keeping silent instead of answering, I offered a quiet consolation.
“Your teacher probably didn’t intend to be that angry.”
There was no reply to my echo.
Elsi senior buried her face even deeper. Her dull eyes reflected the faint moonlight.
“Today was about mixing two elements and failing. It could have endangered you, Elsi senior…”
“…I know.”
She said it as if she were throwing it away.
Seeing the girl who was sincerely talking, I kept my mouth sealed.
Now it was my turn to remain silent.
“Do you think I don’t know what that old hag thinks? It’s been three years since I rolled around down here… I’m Elsi Rainelle. The top of the top among prodigies.”
“And yet, you’re crying?”
“I’m angry.”
The tears welling in her eyes were breathtakingly beautiful.
Perhaps the magic of the night had cast a spell on me. Or perhaps, it was this girl.
The woman captivated by the moonlight revealed her true feelings without a hint of shyness.
“I can’t afford to stay still like this… I need to get stronger quickly. So that no one can disregard me…”
“There’s no one disregarding you right now.”
“…What do you know?”
The words that burst forth were not particularly colored with resentment toward me.
They weren’t even heartfelt. Elsi senior’s anger was merely a defense mechanism.
Unlike her appearance, she was an especially fragile girl.
Afraid to expose her weak core, she occasionally pretended to be strong. Thinking that was the only way others wouldn’t look down on her.
It was a useless effort.
“In the true world of nobility, family doesn’t exist. Only competitors and enemies that you must tear down exist… And yet, you say no one disregards me? Nonsense! There are plenty of those who would strive to mock and trample me. You can’t understand my heart, one who lost the only family I had…!”
However, Elsi senior couldn’t finish her words.
She had startled herself, faltering at the end of her sentence. Bewilderment was clearly visible in her eyes as she glanced at me silently.
There was no other way.
I too had lost family.
No, it wasn’t just family. My entire childhood had burned away that day.
How could one imagine the heart of a noble who lost their house and territory?
I had no desire to know.
Realizing her slip of the tongue, Elsi senior hurriedly averted her gaze. A voice tinged with guilt stumbled out through the small crack in her lips.
“I, I’m sorry… That was a mistake. It wasn’t my true feelings…!”
“I understand. We are bound, after all.”
Just before Elsi senior was about to lower her head in agitation.
I said that, and gave a little cough.
Once I said it, it felt strange. Normally, the apprentice would tease me with it without a comeback.
But surprisingly, the girl didn’t flash a wicked smile or anything.
Instead, she merely pressed her lips together and turned her face slightly away.
Her complexion was flushed. Perhaps because the moon was too bright tonight.
I had to exert a lot of effort to prevent the awkward atmosphere from marring the moment.
“So, um… you don’t have to pretend to be so strong. If there’s something you want to cry about in the future, cry in front of me. Isn’t admitting weakness a form of courage? It’s more embarrassing to be caught crying alone, don’t you think? Between us…”
“…What do you mean, between us?”
It was a sudden rebuttal.
But the sound carried a rich aroma of femininity, making me unable to part my lips.
I simply turned my gaze away and pretended not to hear.
Yet, Elsi senior did not seem intent on giving up so easily.
A sweet scent suddenly tickled my nose; the upper half of her body had moved closer to me.
Her gaze held a strong will as if she was determined about something. What that will was directed at, I had no idea.
She asked me again.
“What do you mean, between us?”
“That… well…”
As I stammered, unable to dispel my awkward feelings and turning my head away,
I felt her breath against me. Our breaths whispered to one another, and before I could gauge the distance between our eyes, I felt entranced by her beauty.
How long had we mingled our breaths?
Elsi senior’s eyelids gently dropped. The eyelashes casting moonlight looked particularly enchanting tonight.
Hesitating, wavering.
My hand slowly reached for Elsi senior’s cheek. And then, closing my eyes, I was about to—
“…Tsk, tsk, seems you are having a good time.”
“Gya, gyaah?!”
The first to scream at the clicking sound was Elsi senior.
She fell back as if she had been struck in a fit of panic, fear evident in her eyes. At the end of her gaze hovered curling smoke rising from a cigarette.
Our teacher, the “Great Witch.”
She looked like a girl who could easily be mistaken for Elsi senior, smiling a haunting smile with the pipe clutched in her mouth.
“What do you mean what kind of relationship is this? The bond between a teacher and apprentice is akin to family, making you all like siblings. You dear ones, I’ve said so many times in the past… tsk tsk…”
At first glance, it sounded like a teacher scolding her students.
But Elsi senior and I both understood. That from her discontented tone, a mischievousness surged.
Especially with Elsi senior being hot-tempered.
In her surprise, she quickly lost her composure, raising her voice.
“No, this old hag… has she really lost her mind! We were having a nice moment here, and then what… Gyaaaah!”
Of course, the conclusion was the same as always.
As soon as the Great Witch snapped her fingers, a bolt of lightning struck towards Elsi senior. Poor Elsi senior had no choice but to be taken down by the unprovoked strike.
Her body, which had shuddered violently, fell limp.
The aftereffects of the shock had caused her muscles to become paralyzed.
Even if she hadn’t reached the level of Master, to defeat a mage specializing in electric magic in one fell swoop was no small feat.
I felt a cold sweat trickling down my back.
“…No talking about age.”
With that refreshing declaration, the Great Witch smiled, as if she finally felt relieved. It didn’t take long for Elsi senior to begin to regain her composure.
With a sulky expression, Elsi senior looked as adorable as ever.
Perhaps the Great Witch felt the same, as she even let out a soft chuckle.
“Puhuhu, you look just like a drowned puppy!”
“…Just you wait and see later, Teacher.”
Despite the sound of her grinding teeth, the Great Witch’s laughter only grew louder.
It was the same scene as always.
Finally reassured, I sported a faint smile. Just as I thought it was over and was about to turn away,
“However, it’s not just an empty phrase.”
The Great Witch said as she exhaled a puff of smoke. Leaning back with her hands clasped behind her head, she looked up at the moon, appearing both lonely and satisfied.
