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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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Having retreated into the room to escape the house-sized wolf, I was lost in thought.
‘A talking wolf?’
In the 21st century, where philosophy had killed God and science had burned away superstition, such a thing was impossible. Wasn’t “witch” just a derogatory term for women who knew a bit about herbal medicine?
The thought that I might not be on Earth anymore lingered in my mind.
Knock, knock
There was a knock at the door. Considering this was a witch’s cabin, I wouldn’t have expected such courtesy, but she was being excessively considerate of her guest.
“…Come in.”
After I gave permission, she entered, her hood pulled low over her face, just like before.
Having seen her face earlier, I felt a pang of regret. It was a beauty that surpassed even the faces of women perfected by makeup and Photoshop back on Earth.
Carrying a bowl full of stew, she smiled awkwardly and placed it on the table.
“…You can eat.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The fact that she was the owner of this cabin, the witch the villagers feared, and the fact that there was a house-sized wolf outside, meant I couldn’t escape.
For these two reasons, I obeyed her. Anyone watching might have questioned my lack of pride, but if I had any, I would have defied the villagers and ended up dead.
Sitting at the table, I started stirring the stew with my spoon. It was a habit I had developed during my time in the village, searching for even a single morsel of something substantial.
But there was no need this time. The stew was brimming with vegetables and meat, every scoop of the spoon revealing more.
“…Thank you for the food.”
It had been so long since I’d had a decent meal. Filled with anticipation, I slowly started to eat.
The stew and its ingredients touched my tongue and teeth, slowly melting in my mouth. The next moment, I was practically inhaling the food, scraping the bottom of the bowl.
The witch stood beside me, watching intently, seemingly curious about my reaction. But I had no time to pay attention to her. The stew was simply too delicious.
‘This is so good…’
Last night, the chief’s family had given me meat soup and fruit. After a month of gruel, it had seemed like a feast.
But after a single bite of this stew, that thought vanished. What I ate yesterday was garbage. Fatty scraps with a sprinkle of salt.
“Is it good?”
“Yes! It’s…amazing!”
“Do you want more?”
“Is that okay?”
The word “no” had been deleted from my vocabulary. I held out my empty bowl, and she went to the kitchen, returning with another heaping serving.
As soon as I received the plate, I buried my face in it and started eating again. After about three refills, I finally reached my limit.
“I…I could eat more…”
“It’s alright. You can leave some.”
She said, pushing the half-empty bowl aside and looking at me intently.
I felt as if her gaze, hidden behind the hood, was piercing through me. It reminded me that the person in front of me was a witch.
“What’s your name?”
“J-Johan. Kim Johan.”
“Kim Johan… That’s an unusual name.”
“And you’re…a witch, right?”
At my question, she shrugged slightly, as if asking if I hadn’t known. Indeed, only a witch could live in a place with such creatures.
Crossing one leg over the other, she said,
“Yes. I’m a witch. A very powerful witch.”
“Oh…”
“…Aren’t you surprised?”
“Should I be?”
She called herself a powerful witch, but honestly, it didn’t feel real. She looked more like a beautiful woman with white hair than a witch, and she hadn’t done anything harmful to me…
While I was lost in thought, trying to figure out why she was called a witch, she chuckled and continued her introduction.
“I’m Evangeline, the witch. Call me Eva.”
“Yes, Eva.”
“Good. You understand your place.”
“…My place?”
The witch, who had introduced herself as Evangeline, tilted her head and pulled a letter from her pocket.
It was the letter I had brought from the village chief. She opened it and began to read a part of it aloud.
“To the witch—Please feel free to use the bearer of this letter as you see fit.”
“…What? What does that mean?”
“Want to read it?”
She handed me the letter. I frowned at the messy handwriting, but I could decipher it.
As she had said, it stated that I was being offered to her as a slave. My hand trembled as I held the letter.
‘…So this really is a human trafficking den.’
I thought of the stew I had just eaten. Was it my last meal? The final food before they harvested my organs?
But I hid my fear and carefully folded the letter, handing it back to her.
“…It’s true.”
“Hmm, yes. So? What are you going to do?”
“Huh?”
“I don’t really need a slave. An assistant, maybe. You can go back if you want.”
Eva said, leaving the decision entirely up to me. I pretended to consider, letting out a thoughtful hum.
If I trusted her and went back, what would happen? First, I would have to get past the talking wolf at the door.
Even if I miraculously got past the monster, the mountain was full of wild animals. The wolf I had encountered earlier, and bears and wild boars, too.
‘It would be a miracle to survive.’
And even if I miraculously made it back to the village, would the chief and the villagers welcome me? The best-case scenario was returning to my previous life as a slave.
Whether I became a witch’s slave or had my organs harvested, this cabin, with its delicious food and warm bed, was a hundred, a thousand times better.
“I’ll do anything you ask, Witch!”
“I told you to call me Eva.”
“Eva!”
I quickly knelt and pledged my allegiance to her.
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Evangeline took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
A moment later, a voice came from inside.
—Come in.
Even though it was her own house, Evangeline waited for permission before slowly opening the door. Johan, with a dazed expression, greeted her.
‘Ugh…’
She could feel his gaze fixed on her face. The memory of showing her face earlier surfaced, and a mix of embarrassment and fear welled up inside her.
She was afraid that she had been wrong, that he actually found her repulsive.
Even though being treated like a monster was her everyday reality, it was still something she dreaded. Disgust was an emotion one could never get used to.
Fortunately, his gaze shifted from her face to the bowl in her hand. It was her special stew, made with all sorts of ingredients while he was unconscious.
“…You can eat.”
Only after placing the bowl on the table did she realize how sharp her tone had been.
Her worry proved unfounded as Johan immediately sat down and started devouring the stew.
The full bowl quickly emptied. Watching him eat so ravenously brought a smile to her face.
“Should I get you more?”
“Yes, please!”
Hearing his energetic voice, she immediately headed to the kitchen. She scooped a generous portion from the pot and brought it back to him.
As if he hadn’t just finished a whole bowl, he buried his face in the new serving and inhaled the stew.
After several refills, Johan finally put down his spoon.
Before he could ask for more, Evangeline quickly moved the plate aside and sat down across from him.
“What’s your name?”
“Johan, Kim Johan.”
“That’s an unusual name.”
Having learned his name, Evangeline mentally noted it and repeated it to herself several times.
Johan, Johan—As she memorized his name, Johan asked her a question.
“Um… you’re a witch, right?”
It was a question that made her want to laugh. Did he not know who he was talking to?
A playful smile spread across her face as she whispered,
“Yes, I’m a witch. A very dangerous witch.”
“Oh… I see.”
“…Aren’t you surprised?”
“Should I be?”
Surprisingly, Johan showed no reaction to the fact that she was a witch. He reacted as if he didn’t know what a witch was.
Just as she had suspected—Evangeline was certain that he was the one she had been waiting for. No one in this world would react that way upon hearing the word “witch.”
Evangeline then realized she hadn’t told him her name yet.
“I’m Evangeline, the witch. Call me Eva.”
“Yes, Eva.”
In truth, “Eva” was a nickname she only allowed those closest to her to use. A nickname she had never given to anyone before. Hearing it from a man, she felt a warmth spread through her and let out a small chuckle.
“Good. You understand your place.”
“My place…?”
As he tilted his head in confusion, Evangeline pulled out the letter. The letter from the village chief that had been in his pocket.
It read:
“I offer this man as a slave. Please protect our village…”
It was a request to kill the monster that had appeared in the village in exchange for Johan as a slave. Upon hearing this, Johan looked at her with a blank expression, as if he had never heard of such a thing.
“Do you want to read it?”
Evangeline offered him the letter. She realized a moment too late that most commoners couldn’t read, but to her surprise, Johan began to read.
Impressed, she watched him. After finishing the letter, Johan handed it back to her.
“It really does say that.”
“Right?”
Johan’s expression darkened. Despite her long life, Evangeline had never learned why men made such expressions, and she grew impatient.
And then, she made a crucial mistake.
“I don’t need a slave right now. I’ll send you back to the village if you want.”
Idiot. Idiot, you fool. What did you just say? Why would you throw away this opportunity? What if he accepts?
She broke out in a cold sweat, watching Johan. Please, please stay here. Please break my curse.
As if her prayers had been answered, Johan slowly stood and prostrated himself on the floor.
“I’ll do anything you ask, Witch.”
“…I told you to call me Eva.”
“Eva.”
Yes!
Evangeline gazed down at Johan, prostrate on the floor. She believed that he would fulfill her wish.
“Oh, Eva. I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“The wolf outside…how can it talk?”
“Him? He’s a divine beast. It’s common sense for divine beasts to talk.”
“…Common sense?”
I realized I had fallen into another world where common sense had died.
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Unfortunately for Johan his modern day common sense does not apply in this new fantasy world that he’s found himself spirited away too.