A Stay in the Witch's Forest
But what could I do about it? The witch had spoken, and no amount of protest from me was going to pry those gates open any faster.
Once our stay was confirmed, Selene took the lead and guided us forward.
"Follow me. There are empty houses everywhere."
The place she brought us to was a modest wooden house on the outskirts of the village—small, but impeccably clean and well-maintained. It would serve as Yvelin's temporary lodging for the time being.
Yvelin stepped inside cautiously and was just about to set down her luggage when—
"Hey."
Selene, leaning lazily against the doorframe, fixed her with a cold, heavy stare and issued a warning.
"This village is a place where ordinary people like you aren't even supposed to set foot. If you want to keep that life of yours intact, don't go wandering around. Stay inside this house as much as possible."
The witch's signature murderous aura, combined with the oppressive weight of this unknown space, made Yvelin's shoulders flinch. Tense and rigid, she gave a small, obedient nod.
"Do as Selene says."
I patted Yvelin's trembling shoulder gently, trying to soothe her.
"It's an unfamiliar place, so rest inside for your own safety. I'll drop by often."
At my words, Yvelin clutched the edge of my clothes and looked up at me. The confident guild master I knew had vanished, replaced by the face of a fragile woman left alone in an unknown forest.
"You... won't forget me, right?"
Her vulnerable expression drew a soft chuckle from me.
"I won't. I'm not going anywhere, so make yourself comfortable."
Leaving Yvelin behind, I stepped back outside with Selene. The door closed, and as we started down the forest path again, Selene—still walking ahead—muttered bluntly.
"Same as ever. There's always a woman by your side."
"Don't say weird stuff."
"No point hiding it. I've watched you pick up women for years."
"Yeah, it's not like I'd hide anything from you... So where's my place to stay?"
"Before we head to your lodging, there's somewhere we need to stop first."
"Where?"
"We brought an outsider into the forest without permission, so we have to make a formal report to the leader."
I nodded. Closed-off groups like this were always strict about procedure.
"Oh, and did I forget to mention? The leader of these witches is my mom."
"...What?"
We'd spent a long time together in the hero's party, yet I was only learning this now. Then again, we had rarely spoken about personal matters.
Selene—the witch and mage who had joined the hero's party.
Among the reclusive witches, she was supposedly the most sociable.
Despite being a witch, her magic was first-rate. Her versatility had let us defeat the Demon King in record time.
In the awkward silence that fell between me and this business partner—who had only joined us for the sake of avenging her people—I quietly followed Selene, taking in the dreamlike scenery of the village with indifferent eyes.
Before long we reached the largest, most ancient tree at the village center and stopped before its massive, tightly shut wooden door.
Selene stepped forward and knocked.
A sticky, languid voice answered from within—thick with sensuality that sank all the way into your bones. Just hearing it made your ears tingle.
"Daughter?"
"Yeah, Mom. Open the door."
At Selene's curt reply, the heavy wooden door swung open by itself.
I followed her inside. The interior was so vast and luxurious it was hard to believe we were inside an ancient tree. My eyes went straight to the enormous bed in the center of the room.
"!!!"
On that bed lay a tall woman with long, midnight-black hair cascading down like a waterfall.
One slender, bare white leg stretched out from beneath the covers in plain view—an elegant, beautiful leg that would capture any man's gaze.
A completely defenseless, decadent pose that perfectly matched the sultry voice from earlier.
So this is the leader of the witches...
- Whoa... she's really tall.
Just as Lia said, even lying down, the length of those legs explained why the bed itself was so massive.
She was slowly sitting up, mouth opening in a wide yawn, when her eyes met mine where I stood behind Selene.
"....."
"....."
The air in the room froze. Her dreamy purple eyes widened until they looked ready to pop out.
"H-Hero?!"
Startled, she frantically waved both hands through the air.
Bang—!!
A burst of sound erupted as thick purple mist swallowed my vision completely. The smokescreen was so dense I couldn't see an inch in front of me.
What is this, an ambush?
I instinctively pulled up my mana, but it was only a simple visual barrier.
"Ahem."
A cough sounded from beyond the mist, and the purple fog slowly began to dissipate.
The woman who had been panicking moments ago had vanished. In her place sat the same figure now wearing an elegant antique black witch's dress, legs gracefully crossed on a luxurious chair.
"Please, sit here, Hero. What brings you to this humble place?"
She gestured with elegant poise, wearing a coy, seductive smile.
Caught up in her refined aura, I sat down across from her without thinking. When our eyes met, she gave a small cough and quickly looked away, tilting her chin toward her daughter standing beside us.
"Well then, Selene. Why don't you explain?"
"Sigh."
Selene let out a heavy breath and began her report.
"I was infiltrating the capital to gather intel and give that insane old fool Garon the Fifth a good smack. Then I heard the hero had caused a huge scene at the banquet hall and was fleeing, so I helped him out and brought him to the forest on the way."
After listening to her daughter's summary, she turned to me with a tender, affectionate gaze.
"I see... Hero, you truly have been through so much. My name is Silverdia. Please call me Berdia."
The welcome was far too warm.
Selene, watching the exchange, frowned deeply in disbelief.
"Mom, when did you two even meet? Weren't you supposed to hate humans?"
"Tsk."
Berdia shot her daughter a sharp glare.
That single terrifying look, heavy with silent pressure, made Selene flinch and clamp her mouth shut. Even here, it seemed the mother was someone to fear.
I bowed my head lightly toward Berdia to ease the awkward tension.
"I'm sorry for the sudden visit, Lady Berdia. I'll be imposing on you for a short while."
At my polite greeting, Berdia offered an elegant, graceful smile.
"Oh my, imposing? Not at all. You are the hero who saved the continent. Simply having you stay in our Witch's Forest is an honor."
Her voice was soft and pleasant. She raised a graceful hand and turned her gaze to her daughter.
"So, Selene. Where did you guide the hero for his lodging?"
"Uh... there's an empty house on the forest outskirts, right? I told him he could use that one, next to the other person who—"
"...What? An empty house on the outskirts? Have you lost your mind?!"
"Ugh, why are you freaking out again?"
"Freaking out?! Putting the hero who saved the continent in some dusty backwater hovel? As leader of the witches, I cannot allow it!"
She scolded Selene fiercely.
"Leave at once! I will handle the hero's reception and lodging myself!"
"What? Mom, no!"
"Now!"
In the end, Selene pouted with a wronged expression and was practically chased from the room.
Slam—.
The door shut with a heavy bang, leaving only me and Berdia alone in the chamber.
"You really didn't have to scold her like that... The outer lodging is perfectly fine for me."
Berdia responded with a benevolent, graceful smile.
"That simply won't do. You have a habit of sleeping curled up on your right side, Hero. The window placement in that outer house is wrong, so the morning sunlight would be terribly harsh on your eyes."
....Huh?
How does this woman know I curl up on my right side when I sleep?
When my expression hardened with unease, Berdia smoothly changed the subject without a flicker of panic.
"Besides, you must not have eaten properly while fleeing the kingdom. If you'd like, shall we share a meal and talk comfortably?"
"...Ah, yes. That would be good."
I nodded and moved to sit at the table she indicated. The uneasy feeling lingered, but for now I decided to watch her actions.
Click.
The moment I sat down, Berdia snapped her fingers lightly. Luxurious wooden candlesticks slid into place across the table and lit themselves, casting a soft, intimate glow.
After a short wait, a magic doll that reached an adult's waist came rolling up, pulling a wheeled cart. Though its joints were wooden, its movements were astonishingly natural.
The doll set thick steaks before us and withdrew.
Berdia rested her chin elegantly on her hand across the table and gazed at me. Her purple eyes curved into graceful arcs, hammering the final nail into my growing suspicion.
"You enjoy your meat medium rare with just a hint of pink, yes? Our magic doll prepared it at the exact juiciness you prefer, Hero."
"....."
I silently picked up the silver knife and fork, then sliced straight through the center of the steak.
Swoosh—.
Between the cleanly cut surfaces, moist fibers of meat glistened with a rosy tint. It was precisely the doneness I liked best.
It was too accurate to be coincidence.
"Lady Berdia."
"Yes, speak freely, Hero."
"How exactly do you know my food preferences and sleeping habits so well?"
I fixed her with a sharp gaze as she answered in that gentle tone.
"We're clearly meeting for the first time today, aren't we?"