The Witch's Laughter and Soul Secrets
The warmth from the witch's hearth permeated the room, and at its center, she looked like a living masterpiece.
Her white hair and snow-pale skin exuded a beauty that didn't belong to this world.
It surpassed even the lofty standards I'd set after seeing myself in the mirror and the original novel's leads.
If not for that one remark she made, I might have felt like I'd met the ideal woman straight out of my dreams.
"Why are you just standing there like an idiot? Didn't you hear me? Should I kick you out myself?"
That attitude.
I cleared the mission, so where's my reward?
After all that hardship breaking through the corridor trial, her ridiculous response was the last thing I expected.
Beauty be damned.
Sorry, but I prefer pure and pitiful types. Like our adorable Miss Scarlett.
I glared at her with eyes full of complaint, and she actually raised her hand as if to shoo me away for real.
"No, wait! Didn't you say you'd grant a wish if I passed the corridor trial?"
My desperate shout made her outstretched hand freeze mid-air.
Her eyebrows twitched like she'd heard something unpleasant.
"...How do you know that?"
Her voice carried thick suspicion instead of her earlier arrogance.
What? Isn't that common knowledge?
The duke didn't stumble on some forbidden legend, did he?
"That's not a story made for you people."
"So it was made for non-humans?"
"What are you talking about... You're not human."
Her words made no sense.
The witch scowled deeply, scanning me from head to toe before her gaze fixed on my abdomen.
Ah. No way.
"What are you? Did you make a pact with those filthy things? No, that doesn't fit—the energy's too strong."
She examined my body slowly, then met my eyes.
At the same moment, a burning sensation like swallowing mint swept through me.
Did she just scan my insides with magic?
If misunderstandings piled up like this, who knew what penalties I'd face.
No point hiding it now that I'd come to her for help anyway.
"I'll be straight with you. I ate the magic book. I have no idea what it even is, or what'll happen next, so I came here begging for help to survive."
The room froze at my bombshell confession.
The witch blinked her long lashes, lips half-parted as she stared blankly at me, processing what she'd heard.
"Sorry, did I hear that wrong? What did you do?"
"You heard right. I ate the magic book."
"...Do you even know what that is?"
"Nope. That's why I came. Tasted pretty bad, though."
Three seconds.
Silence fell like the world had stopped.
Only the crackle of logs in the hearth echoed softly.
For a moment, her face twitched, then she bowed her head, shoulders shaking.
"Pfft... Ah, hahahahaha!"
The haughty witch couldn't hold it in anymore. She threw her decorum out the window, leaning back against her chair, clutching her stomach, kicking her legs, and bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
It took a good while before she calmed down, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Ha... How the hell did you even think of that? Are you insane?"
Her purple eyes curved with mirth as they fixed on me.
Mocking, sure—but brimming with genuine interest in me too.
Good enough for a first impression, I guess.
"Who knows. Instinct, I suppose."
Honestly, I couldn't explain why I'd done it either.
The situation was dire, and it was pure gut reaction. If the magic book hadn't messed with my head, I never would've eaten it.
I averted my eyes as I answered, and her face tilted to follow my gaze.
"And yet, after pulling that insane stunt, your brain hasn't been eaten away, and you're still perfectly sane? You're one hell of an interesting human."
She rose lightly from her seat.
The rustle of her black dress brushing the carpet sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet.
Her slender fingers thrust suddenly toward my chest.
"Fine. You don't want to keep that inside, right? Want me to pull it out?"
"Yes."
"Got it. I'll help."
Her fingertips jabbed into my solar plexus, gripped something like she was clutching it, and slowly pulled.
"Gahk!"
"Quit overreacting. Man up and endure it."
Easy for you to say!
Pain like my organs were being crushed followed her hand as black smoke trailed out.
It hurt.
Like hell, it hurt.
I thought you said it wouldn't!
If I weren't so good at holding back screams, I'd have been howling.
What the hell does "man up" even mean?
"Urk... ngh."
"It's really clung on tight. How'd you even hold out? Why'd you take so long to get here?"
"Ah, th—that. Ssp."
You set up those damn annoying traps!
My urge to yell got twisted into groans amid the agony.
I gritted my teeth and endured, and finally the pain enveloping my body peeled away.
The black smoke in her grasp.
She sealed it into a transparent glass vial.
"There. All done. See? Easy."
"...Thought I was gonna die."
"Drama queen."
The witch smirked.
Is that really it?
At least I dodged the mind-corruption ending.
I sighed in relief, but her gaze lingered on my body.
"Hold on. There's still something weird left in you."
"Huh?"
"Energy not from this world. You didn't just eat one thing?"
Still left? I only ate the one magic book.
"Foreign energy lingering in your body is dangerous. Want me to yank that out too?"
"You're kinder than I expected."
"Energy from other worlds is fascinating. Worth studying."
Of course. It's all for her benefit in the end.
"Sure. Pull that out too, please."
"That's how you ask for a favor? Shameless human."
"This one's not even my request, though?"
She rolled her eyes at my brazen attitude and placed her hand on my chest again.
"Cheeky human."
With that curt remark, her hand tugged at something inside me once more.
Eh?
Unlike before, it felt like a string snapping—and my vision spun as I shot up into the air.
Defying gravity in a floating sensation. And with it, liberation like chains shattering.
Thud.
I looked down at the sound and couldn't hold back my shock.
There I was, collapsed on the carpet.
Like a puppet with cut strings, limbs splayed ugly and limp.
"Huh? What the...?"
Her eyes went wide.
Clearly caught off-guard, the witch alternated glances between me floating in the air and my body on the floor.
Wait! The 'other world's energy' was my soul?!
I wanted to shout, but no words came.
Well, my mouth was down there.
The witch tossed my soul back toward my body like it was trash.
"Gasp!"
Coughs exploded as I returned.
I awkwardly moved my unfamiliar arms, collapsing face-down and hacking away.
"Cough, cough. Gasp, heok."
I'd definitely died.
At least my heart had stopped.
Astral projection was way more terrifying than I'd imagined.
As I clutched my pounding heart, feeling it beat again, the witch let out a hollow laugh.
"What are you?"
Her toe lightly pressed down on my chest where I'd lain.
"You're not a being of this world, are you?"
I barely registered her weight pinning me.
Her words had exposed my secret.
My mind reeled from the shock.
One thought dominated: I'm screwed.
Being a transmigrator was a secret I'd guard for life.
Never thought it'd slip out this easily.
And the witch, who'd been somewhat favorable toward me, now glared down with blatant hostility gleaming in her eyes.
"I've been dealing with repulsive trash lately, and I'm pretty worn out."
Purple magic rose from her like heat haze.
"What the hell are you? A spy from those bastards? Decided to mimic humans now? Explain properly, or I might get a little mad."
Her menace was no bluff.
With everything exposed, staying silent meant instant death.
I forced myself up, resisting her weight, and shouted.
"It's a misunderstanding! I'm... a soul that drifted here from another world. But I'm definitely human!"
Her sharp gaze didn't soften at my frantic excuse.
No surprise—I wouldn't buy it either.
She extended a finger as she eyed me.
"Stay still. Gotta check something."
Her finger touched my forehead as I flinched.
A spark like static crackled from her fingertip.
Then a hammer blow smashed into my skull from inside.
"Ngh...!"
"Ngh?"
She mimicked my grunt.
"That's it?"
I blinked up at her unscathed, and her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Interesting."
Drip.
Nosebleed.
"...Done checking?"
I yelled, wiping under my nose with my hand.
She burst out laughing, not a hint of apology.
"Yeah. Here, wipe with this."
A white handkerchief flew to my lap at her gesture.
I stood, plugging my nose with it and glaring resentfully at her.
"Guess I passed."
"Yep. Calmer already?"
"Thanks to you. Helps me accept the situation."
This woman just didn't have human sensibilities.
Wasn't human to begin with.
Appealing to emotions with a being like her was pointless.
She'd kill me in an instant if I resisted.
Now lounging with her chin propped on her hand, she seemed done threatening.
"So you believe me now."
"I don't buy your words. I trust my experiment results."
She gestured to the sofa.
Sit, huh?
"The test showed me everything."
A teacup floated down as I sat.
At least I'd won some goodwill.
"Why you didn't go mad from that smoke. How you cleared the trial in that state."
Her voice rose with delight.
Interest lit her face as she elegantly crossed her legs.
"To explain it simply: you're immune to mental interference."
For real?
Mental immunity.
That's one hell of a skill.
"That's impressive?"
"Yep."
The witch grinned.
"Very special."
Special, huh.
Didn't sound like top-tier power.
Her gaze made me feel like an intriguing lab rat.
"Downsides too, right?"
"Good, good. Haven't met a non-idiot human in ages."
She sank deeper into her chair with a lazy smile.
"Exactly. Mind's immune. Body's still of this world."
She flicked her finger, and the bloodied handkerchief flew from my hand into the hearth.
"Half-baked, in other words."
No protection against physical stuff.
In a fantasy world crawling with freaky unknowns.
Half was better than nothing.
"Better than zero."
Her eyes widened before she laughed again.
"Hahaha. You are a fun human. Most don't think like that."
"Call me quick to adapt."
Luckily, my mindset clicked with her.
She leaned forward eagerly.
"Your soul's foreign matter from another place. Mental attacks, maybe even soul ones, might not work. Tempted to test, but..."
"Sounds dangerous."
"Yeah, that's why I'm holding back."
Her shameless grin was terrifying.
Steer clear of those experiments.
"Means your body-soul link is weak. Surprised you earlier, right? Soul popped out so easy."
She mimed yanking it out.
"Pluck."
The sound effect from her mouth was kinda cute.
Damn, that face was cheating.
"Anyway. Those things feed on emotions, so mental attacks are their go-to. You're perfect for cleaning up trash like them."
"Who are those things?"
"Invaders. From worlds beyond the sky."
Expected that, but yeah—outer god types.
My romance fantasy was actually a dark fantasy invaded by eldritch horrors?
Shit.