The Witch and the Witch (1)

The season when the rice stalks began to bow their heads was approaching. The barrier surrounding the house had been blocking out the summer heat, so I hadn't really felt the changing seasons. It was only after watching Joshua and Leo bustle about, chattering that it was almost time to harvest, that I truly realized autumn was upon us.

A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Western setting with a climate and lifestyle almost identical to East Asia—what an absurdly convenient premise. It was a genuine blessing; thanks to it, I'd adapted to life here with surprising speed. If I hadn't added the function that kept the interior of the barrier at a constant temperature... I didn't even want to imagine it, but I might have found myself desperately wishing for autumn to arrive early.

At first the barrier had been created simply to keep out nuisances like bandits or nearby monsters, but now it influenced every aspect of daily life with temperature control, humidity regulation, UV protection, and more. Among everything I'd crafted in my slightly-over-a-century of life, the barrier ranked among my top three masterpieces.

It even repaired itself if intruders destroyed it, so maybe this time I should add a function that would pour water in case of fire?

As I leaned back in the rocking chair in the yard, pondering what new feature to add to the barrier next, I spotted Joshua and Leo heading toward the farmland. Joshua was talking nonstop, her smile never fading, as if she couldn't contain her delight. They were too far away for me to catch their conversation, but it still stung with a touch of jealousy. That spot beside her was supposed to be mine.

'I want to handle this harvest with just Leo and me!'

A stray boulder had rolled in and stolen that place completely.

Every year around this time, I used to head to the fields with Joshua. I'd begin the harvest with magic while she assisted, and we'd finish in no time. After overcoming her curse, Joshua had gained confidence in her magic and would step forward in my place whenever there was spellwork to be done. Seeing her treat this harvest as an extension of that confidence was adorable, but it had left me with nothing to do but lounge in the rocking chair and waste time.

It felt strangely bittersweet, like experiencing an unplanned retirement.

Should I follow them? I considered killing time by watching Joshua command the harvest, but the memory of how emphatically she'd stressed "just the two of us" made me abandon the idea. I had plenty of excuses, but if Joshua got sulky I wasn't confident I could soothe her. A girl in puberty is a delicate creature, after all.

I didn't want to ruin her harvest date.

After that day, Leo had started behaving like an entirely different person. The boy who used to slack off at every chore had become diligent as if those days had never existed. He no longer complained about the side dishes, and he was always right there helping Joshua whenever she worked... I didn't know what magic she'd cast on him, but if a stranger saw him now they would never believe he was a prince. He'd grown completely accustomed to this lifestyle in every way.

What annoyed me most was how he kept watching my reactions, as if trying to score points with his mother-in-law. With a score of negative one million, the sight of him scurrying around trying to earn favor was utterly ridiculous. He wasn't some vagrant with nowhere else to go... If he'd just hurry back to his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠own country or wherever, I might be willing to add a hundred thousand points or so.

Since I'd left the entire matter of Leo to Joshua, issuing an eviction order felt awkward. If I drove him out and Joshua decided to leave home with him, I'd have a real headache on my hands.

Joshua said he felt like a younger brother to her... but in relationships between men and women, the "younger brother" often ends up as the husband while you become "darling." Even if she truly saw him that way, men are creatures who will misunderstand the moment a woman is even slightly kind or smiles at them, convincing themselves she must like them.

Recalling bitter memories from my previous life made my heart ache. The day the boy I thought of as a little brother suddenly confessed... Just imagining it was horrifying. If Joshua realized Leo was looking at her that way, sharing meals would become uncomfortable, wouldn't it? Maybe then she would drive him away herself.

Creak, creak—the rocking chair swayed back and forth with a squeak.

"Wasn't there that thing?"

I remembered the Potion of True Courage I'd shoved into some corner of the storage room and shot to my feet. It was a brew that let someone clumsy at expressing their feelings bravely speak their true heart. I'd expected to save it for a few hundred years later, but the chance had come sooner than anticipated.

"Hehehe."

Strike while the iron is hot, as they say. I laughed at the thought of mixing the potion into tonight's dinner right away. If Joshua offered to help cook, I might miss my window, so I needed to find the potion and prepare the meal quickly.

It took longer than expected to locate the potion, but I still managed to prepare dinner on time.

"We're back."

Right on cue, Joshua's exhausted voice drifted through the front door.

"You've worked hard. Did you wash your hands?"

"Yes~"

They had finished a farmland large enough to sustain us for an entire year in just one day, so both of them were thoroughly drained. No matter how much magic they used, maintaining precise control over such a wide area was grueling work. On top of that, this was the first harvest where Joshua had taken the lead instead of assisting, so the butterfly resting over her right eye looked particularly wilted.

"Aren't you hungry? Come sit down quickly."

Leo sat, carefully reading my expression. Maybe it was because I was treating him more warmly than usual, or because I—who hadn't spoken to him first since that day—was initiating conversation, but he seemed extremely wary, his body trembling faintly.

Only after I took the first bite did he relax and begin eating.

"Mom, did something good happen?"

Not long after we started the meal, Joshua set down her spoon and asked.

Of course. Watching Leo wolf down the food without the slightest idea what was in it was incredibly entertaining... but I couldn't say that, so I came up with a suitable excuse.

"Just. Seeing you eat makes me happy, Joshua."

I'd tried to act normal, but the corners of my mouth had apparently risen on their own. The Potion of True Courage wasn't instant, but it was about time for the effects to appear.

I was excited for the surprise Leo would soon deliver, but I absolutely couldn't say so. It was a little unfair to Joshua, but considering what Leo had done, this was practically cute. When she learned the truth later, she would surely understand a mother's heart.

"Leo, you've got something on your cheek."

Joshua noticed the food on Leo's cheek and reached for a handkerchief to wipe it away.

"It's fine. I'll do it myself."

Leo, who would normally have accepted her touch without complaint, refused the gesture.

"Ah, yes..."

Was he not interested in her? Everything he'd shown until now had been the unmistakable behavior of a man with a crush. He helped with heavy loads, listened attentively, spent more time by her side than apart, and even gave her extra carrots because he knew she liked them. Had it all been my misunderstanding? Had my senses dulled because I hadn't dated once in this life? Did men in this world express affection differently?

It hurt to watch Joshua awkwardly pick at her food after having her kindness rejected... No. Actually, this was perfect. Plan B.

If he wouldn't say it, I would make him say it.

"Leo, what do you think of Joshua?"

"Uh, Mom!?"

Why was she getting embarrassed? It was a perfectly reasonable question.

"Come on~ It's something I can ask."

Having drunk the Potion of True Courage, he wouldn't be able to dodge the answer. Whether he liked her or hated her, it would only make Joshua uncomfortable—that was all.

"Joshua is..."

"Joshua is?"

Gulp. The sound of him swallowing was strangely loud.

"Joshua has shown me an excessive amount of mercy. So much that I don't know how to repay it... I only wish for her happiness as Leo—not as a prince, an idiot, or a scoundrel. Even if the beginning of all this misfortune started with me... I've decided to dedicate my life to her happiness. It's sometimes uncomfortable how she treats me like a child... but I want to show her that I can do things on my own."

"......"

Had I given him courage he didn't need? Still, learning his honest feelings about Joshua might count as a harvest.

As he unabashedly poured out these embarrassing words, Joshua's face grew redder and redder. She twisted her body in embarrassment, fidgeting restlessly—the very picture of a girl in love. The way she couldn't meet anyone's eyes, lowering her gaze and panicking, made the pure-love sensor I'd carefully preserved in my heart like a time capsule react strongly.

The atmosphere was becoming serious.

"T-then!! What does Mom think!?"

Desperate to escape the embarrassing mood, she even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠threw her own mother under the bus. I wondered what to do with this fire-attribute filial daughter, but then I suddenly grew curious about what Leo thought of me.

"The witch is..."

There was still a chance to drive him out. If he spoke in a tone that showed he disliked me, I could use it as an excuse to expel him. Then Joshua probably wouldn't run away from home after him.

Come on, say it.

I waited with my arms crossed, but for some reason he blushed and hesitated.

"The witch has large breasts."

Eh?

Neither Joshua nor I could snap out of our mental shock.

"Every time I meet her, I don't know where to put my eyes..."

I could barely register what Leo was saying anymore, and I had no desire to hear more. Since reincarnating into Aria Chronicle, I'd heard countless dirty jokes and far worse things, but... to hear this from Leo of all people.

Well, he was a man too. It was inevitable for his gaze to be drawn to large breasts. Even now, as he honestly confessed his feelings about them while stealing glances, I wanted to pluck those eyes out... but listening to him freely expound his philosophy on large breasts—how as a baby he wouldn't drink milk unless it came from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠large breasts, and so on—left even me gradually blushing.

Should I kick him out? No. Let's kill him.

"Mom... I agree with you."

Joshua, apparently sharing my thoughts, glared at Leo with dead eyes as he continued his passionate speech.

"So what I'm saying is... breasts can't help but be the best!"

This scoundrel hadn't changed at all.

I had no choice but to fill my fist with mana and forcibly shut Leo's endlessly running mouth.