The Witch’s Disciple 2
And just like that, I was shown into the living room.
As always, it was cluttered with all sorts of things, making me feel strangely nostalgic.
Mountains of books and scrolls overflowed from the bookshelves.
Piles and boxes of suspicious tools whose purpose I couldn’t fathom.
Ah, the Crescent Vessel was here too.
Numerous staffs and metal rods spilled out from the staff holder, rolling on the floor.
Huh, that staff… It looks like the one Ms. Pachira has. The gem color is different, though.
Expensive-looking paintings, pots, statues, and taxidermy littered the floor. That pot… I saw one like it in Arifa-san’s shop.
Monster materials like horns were placed about haphazardly. There’s even a Thunder Bull horn.
And countless accessories like necklaces, bracelets, and rings were scattered around.
The only things barely untouched were the comfy red sofa and the space around the table in front of me.
The Witch went to change.
That was only natural. If she’d stayed like that, I might have died.
Still, she was panicking so much, red right up to the tips of her large fox ears.
She was covering her chest and lower body with her arms, her eyes welling up with tears.
It’s good, good that even a Witch like her has a proper sense of shame. Uh-huh.
But then, why was she completely naked?
Could the Witch possibly be a nudist? Being a Witch, that might actually be possible.
“Should I ask why she was naked, or is that a bad idea?”
I agonized over it. This was a tough one.
“…Hmm. Hmmm. Hrmm. Hrmmmm.”
I averted my gaze from the fancy-looking white porcelain cup that had been hastily placed before me.
It was the Witch’s usual herbal tea. Placed there while she was still mostly naked and trying to hide.
“……”
This time, it was ruby-colored. For a moment, I thought it might be black tea.
If our eyes hadn’t met, I might have picked it up and drunk it elegantly.
“……”
There was an eye in the tea.
Floating in the ruby liquid, a single eye stared intently at me.
When I glanced at it, I could tell it had eyeliner and mascara.
It was a woman’s eye. So what, you idiot?!
“……”
I could feel its gaze. It was clearly sta~ring right at me.
It’s times like these I hate my past life’s memories.
What’s this about ‘When you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you’?!
The abyss isn’t supposed to gaze back physically! Also, God is dead!
“S-S-Sor-Sorry to keep you waiting, you know.”
The Witch arrived. She wore a black cape with a dark pattern and a black dress accented with red.
As always, she looked very much like a Witch.
And, as expected, the neckline plunged daringly, and her skirt was short.
Her three fluffy, bushy tails popped out conspicuously.
If she bent over even slightly, you could probably see under her skirt—no, you definitely could.
“Ah, uh, it’s been a while, Witch.”
“Y-Y-Yes, it has, hasn’t it? It’s been a while, you know.”
It had actually only been a little over a week, so I guess you could call it a while.
The Witch’s face was slightly flushed, and she kept glancing my way.
An awkward atmosphere lingered because of the earlier naked incident.
No, staying silent here isn’t good.
“Actually, um, I wanted to talk to you, Witch—”
“Actually, actually, I’m really sorry, you know!”
The Witch suddenly bowed her head and apologized. Eh, why?
“Why are you apologizing?”
“It’s, it’s about Ax and Mineha, you know.”
“Ah, so that was your doing after all, Witch.”
“Um, um, you’re not angry, are you?”
The Witch seemed troubled by my bland reaction.
She must have been prepared for me to be angry.
“If you ask if I’m not angry—well, at first, I did wonder what you were thinking.”
“Mhm. Mhm. I’m sorry, you know…”
“I’m not angry anymore. A lot happened, but Ax-san seems to have written and sent a letter to resolve the conflict with his mother. He’s interacting normally with Mineha-san too.”
“R-R-Really? That’s, that’s fortunate, you know.”
The Witch looked surprised. And relieved.
She sat down on the black sofa opposite me, sighing in relief.
It seemed even the Witch thought she had gone too far this time.
Alright. This is it. This timing, this pause. Now!
“Actually, Witch. I also need to apologize to—”
“Uh-huh, uh-huh! Just as I thought, Wof boy, you’re Kon’s pride and joy disciple, you know!”
“Wh—…?!”
Her broad, carefree smile made me choke on my words. What did she just…?
“Wh-Wh-What’s wrong, you know?”
“What’s wrong…? I… the Witch’s…”
I swallowed the words, ‘Was I your disciple?’ & ‘Or perhaps, I was your disciple?’
It seemed that, in the Witch’s mind, I really had been her disciple.
Since she never actually said I was her disciple, I hadn’t realized at all.
In that case, there was no need to confirm it again.
Thinking back, the reason she seemed overly kind was because I was her disciple. That made sense.
So there was no way I could say, “I didn’t think I was your disciple.”
Besides, I had used the position of ‘disciple’ to my advantage several times.
But… just letting this continue felt somehow… unsettling.
“Hm? Hm? The Witch’s… what is it, you know?”
“Um… I’m sorry. I didn’t think I was the Witch’s disciple.”
“Eh? Eh? Th-That’s, you know. Wh-What do you mean by that…?”
The Witch was agitated. Terribly surprised, and then shocked.
My heart ached a little. I knew this would happen, but seeing her like this was painful.
But I had a major question.
“Um, please calm down and listen.”
“B-B-But, Wof boy wasn’t Kon’s disciple…? You are my disciple, right?”
“I didn’t think I was.”
“Ooh-ah, ooh-ah, Wof boy wasn’t Kon’s disciple, you know…”
“But, listen! Witch!”
“Aaaahhh—, aaaahhh—, Wof boy is Kon’s, Kon’s—”
Eh, no way. Is this Witch really about to burst into tears?
This isn’t working. I can’t get through to her from here. The distance is too great.
I stood up abruptly, approached the Witch who had slumped onto the sofa and turned her back to me, forcefully grabbed her arm, and—whoa! I was pulled forward. Incredible strength?!
“Whoaaah!”
“!? !? W-W-Wof boy?!”
Given the difference in our builds, my feet got tangled, and I tumbled right onto the Witch.
Whoa, boing, it’s so—what is this, it’s too soft… that’s not the point!
I scrambled to get up and met the Witch’s eyes.
Our faces were close. Really close. I gasped.
The Witch’s eyes were filled with tears. Eh, why? Why was she crying?
M-More importantly, I was in a position that looked like I’d pushed the Witch down onto the sofa.
I needed to get away quickly—but the Witch just stared at me, tears streaming down her face.
The Witch was crying.
That Witch was crying.
Seriously, come on!
It’s really not something to cry this hard about!
“Honestly, Witch. Stop crying and listen properly, please.”
“N-N-N-No, K-K-Kon isn’t crying or anything, y-you know!”
“Then stop crying. Besides, listen, okay? Listen carefully. You never once told me I was your disciple!”
“Eh? Eh? Eh? Was that so…?”
The Witch looked blankly at me through her tears.
I sighed.
Still, the Witch… smells nice. Ah, this is the scent of milk soap.
And the arm I’m holding, the faint sweat and texture I can feel, the warmth… it feels good.
Right. Women are like this—wait, what?!
Wof, you’re 13, remember?!
Even with past-life memories, thinking like that is too soon!
Calm down. Calm down. But using [The Silent One] feels wrong here.
A small, deep breath. The Witch is twitching slightly, but if I pay attention, I lose!
Finally, finally composing myself, I spoke.
“…Witch. If you had asked me to become your disciple, I would have accepted readily.”
“!? R-R-Re-Really? Is that really true, Wof… you know…!?”
“Yes. So, Witch. Please say it clearly.”
I looked into the Witch’s eyes. Her tears had stopped.
The Witch smiled, her face beaming with joy.
“Okay. Okay. Wof boy. Please become Kon’s disciple… you know.”
“Yes. I am the Witch’s disciple.”
I stated it clearly. From today onwards, I am the Witch’s disciple.
With this, I finally felt a sense of closure within myself.
Alright. Let’s get to the main topic.
First, I need to do something about this position that would be impossible to explain if anyone saw us.
Eh, wait, Witch. Why are you closing your eyes? Why are you blushing?!
No, that’s not it!