Chapter 21: Starry Night ④
The witch was drinking.
A bottle with a fancy label sat on the table, and a glass held a crimson liquid—probably wine.
On a small plate lay slices of colorful cheeses.
Outside the viewing room, only the twinkling stars and the dark, gently swaying river surface could be seen.
Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d seen scenery like this in this world.
In my previous life, I saw something similar on the ocean at night.
But back then, the darkness, the nothingness, the shifting waves—all of it was terrifying.
The witch’s cheeks were faintly flushed, her eyes glossy.
One of her fox ears stood upright while the other drooped softly.
Her three tails were tucked beneath her as she sat.
She casually brushed her silvery hair aside with her fingers.
Her sheer black dress still looked like a nightgown.
“Good evening. You couldn’t sleep either?”
I said.
“Mmh mmh. That’s right. But this is because I slept the whole day away.”
She replied with a mischievous smile.
She had been sound asleep all afternoon. She even skipped lunch, only waking up about an hour before the gyoza party—so for her, she had eaten quite a lot today.
She tapped the seat next to her with her hand.
I sat down.
“…The stars are amazing.”
I murmured as I looked out.
I really liked the night sky of this world.
And seeing it with someone else made it feel special.
“Tell me, tell me, Wof boy. How do you like this journey? Are you enjoying it?”
She asked, swirling her wine.
I smiled wryly.
“A lot has happened.”
“Mmh mmh. A whole lot,”
She agreed.
Too much, honestly.
Most of it was basically the behind-the-scenes chaos of that temporary wolf squad reuniting with Agaro and the others.
And something told me this would spill over once we reached Heisen, too.
The sword goddess’s daughter was definitely going to be a handful.
“I’m sure a lot will keep happening.”
“Mmh mmh. Yes yes. Lots and lots.”
The witch took a small sip. Her lips shone red.
I had quietly decided that I wanted to take life slower—little by little, step by step.
Even with memories from a previous life and four relics, I wasn’t anything special.
At least that’s what I still believed.
But my life didn’t seem to want to agree with that.
Not that I hated my life now.
Far from it.
I’d thought I would live most of my life alone.
Sure, when I grew up, I hoped I’d meet someone nice and get married someday.
That felt unlikely, but wanting a normal kind of happiness wasn’t strange.
“Witch… thank you.”
“My my, thanking me so suddenly—what’s this about?”
“I’m really glad I met you.”
I spoke honestly.
She blinked wide-eyed, mouth slightly open, then smiled.
“Well well… mmh. I’m very, very glad I met you too, Wolf boy.”
“You are?”
“Hehe. You see… a lot happened, and I grew to dislike people. That’s why I moved deep into the forest, avoiding others. I only did the occasional job when asked, but mostly I stayed shut inside. It was lonely, but I told myself that was fine. And then—then I met someone who disliked people even more than I did.”
“…Okay, that part might be true.”
I wasn’t exactly fond of people.
But hearing her call herself someone who hated people—
The witch covered her mouth and giggled.
“Now now… I’m very, very happy these days. Mineha, Juicy, Pakira, Liv, Lupinas, Bid, Munieka, Chive, Shiro, Shaldina, Anna-Kreutzen, Arislotte, Maika-Holy, Seisrandira, Port-Drew, Noin-Menea, Anstan-Silou, Akindura, Arifa, Narcissus, Dova, Shesh, Syuu, Sedici, Emi Megadia, Ruriha, Zelena—I’ve built bonds with so many.”
“Uh—those are…”
She listed the names so fast it startled me.
I recognized all of them.
Most of them wore the bracelets I gave them.
“Mmh mmh. They’re all my bath buddies.”
“The bath… ah. That explains why they’re all women.”
Her house, the Tasan estate, and the lab all had connected teleport gates.
My house served as a transfer point.
Still, I hadn’t realized that many people bathed there.
So the witch didn’t really hate people.
She just tried to.
“Those connections made my life so meaningful. That’s why I can go on trips like this now. And that’s why I finally feel like visiting an old acquaintance in Heisen.”
“An acquaintance… right, you mentioned that.”
“Yes yes. Someone from long, long ago. Before meeting you, Wof boy, I never would’ve even thought of wanting to see them again.”
“What kind of person are they?”
“Mmh… what kind… heheh. You’ll have to wait and see. A surprise.”
“I understand. I’ll look forward to it.”
Well, as much as I could.
Someone who personally knew the witch… that could only spell trouble.
I had always suspected something about her.
She must have gone through something that made her want to reject people.
But she was kind—so kind she couldn’t truly hate anyone.
Even if she told herself she did.
I had a feeling she had secretly hoped for an excuse to like people again.
And maybe… I had become that excuse.
“By the way, by the way, Wof boy. Don’t you want to see the starry night even better?”
“Even better?”
Sure, the viewing room only faced forward.
We couldn’t see the full sky.
Maybe she meant going out to the balcony—
The witch raised her arm and snapped her fingers.
The walls and ceiling vanished.
“!?”
They were gone—
No, not gone.
They had turned into transparent glass.
I almost panicked, but then—
“…Whoa…”
I couldn’t help but gasp.
The starry sky exploded into view all at once.
A torrent of glittering light, an ocean of stars stretching to infinity.
And the moon—hidden before—now shone directly above, trailing her daughter-moons behind her like a queen with her court.
“Well well. Quite the sight, isn’t it?”
Even the witch seemed captivated.
“Witch… the stars are beautiful.”
“Yes yes… they really are. They look beautiful when I’m seeing them with you.”
She whispered softly.
“…”
“…”
We sat quietly, staring at the endless night sky.
At some point, the witch gently held my hand and leaned closer.
A faint sweet scent of wine drifted off her, and her skin felt warm.
I didn’t say anything.
I simply intertwined my fingers with hers.
Just quietly.
Just peacefully.
As if, for that moment, we were connected in the same place, under the same sky.