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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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The moment Johan exited the Adventurers’ Guild with Beatrice and Hecaterina, Hecaterina shook off his hand and exclaimed,
“What was that all about!?”
“…There were witches.”
“What? Witches?”
Hecaterina glanced back at the Guild, then tilted her head, looking at Johan.
“I didn’t see anyone who looked like a witch.”
“Don’t make eye contact. It’s better if they don’t notice us.”
“Ha, as if I’d be scared of some witches. We have two witches right here—”
“There were two of them too.”
Hecaterina paused, hearing this. Then, as if embarrassed by her hesitation, she glared at Johan.
“So? Two witches, and we should run? Are you kidding me? Do you know who I am?”
“I know you can handle yourself. But that’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point?”
“If those witches become interested in me, and they somehow end up at our cabin… that would make seven. Seven witches I have to… deal with.”
“…You’re insane.”
Hecaterina chuckled at his serious concern, telling him it would never happen, that Evangeline wouldn’t allow any more witches into the cabin, not with so many already there.
She then dismissed his claim of having even seen witches in the first place.
“Why would there even be witches in a place like this—and how did you spot them when I didn’t?”
“Oh, that? They were pretty. So, witches.”
“…What?”
“Why? It’s surprisingly accurate. Pretty faces usually mean witches.”
Moreover, the two he’d seen were twins. The probability of beautiful twins not being witches was even lower.
Hecaterina, however, began to berate him for using such an absurd method to identify witches.
He felt slightly offended, but escaping this situation was more important than arguing.
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The twin witches, Linna and Lynne, exchanged knowing glances.
“Right?”
“…Mm.”
“A man with two witches… interesting.”
They had met countless people, but even a man with two women was a rare sight.
And these weren’t just women, they were witches. It meant this Johan possessed something special.
A unique quality that captivated even witches.
“Did you… make the sketch?”
“….”
“Answer me.”
“Mm.”
Linna frowned at Lynne, who refused to speak. If she weren’t her twin sister—and if her magic wasn’t essential for suppressing Linna’s curse—she would have abandoned her long ago…
“Well, he came to the Adventurers’ Guild, so he’ll be back. We’ll talk to him then.”
“…Mm.”
The two witches left the Guild, heading off to complete a quest. They needed jobs to blend in with ordinary people.
For witches with no identification, no one to vouch for them, being an adventurer was a convenient profession.
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Two months passed since Johan’s encounter with the witches at the Guild. Winter had arrived. It was time to prepare for the cold months ahead.
The frosty morning air nipped at their skin, and even the monsters were disappearing, seeking shelter for their winter slumber.
“Master, what do witches usually do during winter?”
“Stay inside… research, read… same as everyone else.”
“I thought witches would be different.”
“Why would we be different?”
Evangeline closed her book and smiled at Johan.
“Then shall we do something special this year?”
“Like what?”
“Hmm… now that we have so many witches here, should we have a Witches’ Night celebration? Or perhaps… make this winter eternal—ah, we could also burn down a city to provide firewood for those in need!”
“…Master, let’s just not do anything.”
Evangeline chuckled and returned to her book, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. Johan idly stroked Beatrice’s hair as she napped on his lap.
On Earth, such idle moments were considered wasteful. The world moved at a breakneck pace, and standing still meant falling behind.
But not in this world. Things rarely changed. Yesterday was the same as tomorrow, last year the same as next year.
A stagnant world.
Johan was beginning to understand why the medieval period was called the Dark Ages back on Earth.
“Speaking of which, where’s Fenrir?”
“Why do you ask about Fenrir?”
“Isn’t he cold? It’s winter.”
“He’ll be fine. I cast a warming spell on his territory. Besides, divine beasts like Fenrir aren’t affected by the cold—”
Evangeline paused, looking at Johan with a curious expression. As if she’d just realized something. Johan, seeing her reaction, looked at her, confused.
“Did you… know that?”
“Know what…?”
“Never mind. It’s fine.”
She closed her eyes and muttered something, then sighed and grabbed her robe. Johan stood up to follow her, but she waved him off.
“I’ll be back soon. Stay here.”
“But—”
“I said it’s fine. If you’re worried, make some tea for me.”
She left, and Johan wondered what was so urgent.
But he quickly dismissed the thought. Whatever it was, Master would handle it. He had an unshakeable faith in her abilities.
‘There’s no way Master would be in danger…’
He gently moved Beatrice off his lap and started boiling water for Evangeline’s tea.
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A biting wind, laced with frost, swept through the forest. Evangeline shivered, pulling her robe tighter around her.
“It’s cold… I can’t wait to get back and have some tea. You too, right?”
The Witch of Love said this, looking up at something. A grotesque creature with abnormally long limbs stared back at her, its head twitching.
It resembled a large gibbon.
Evangeline looked past the ape-like creature at her familiar, lying injured on the ground.
“Fenrir.”
[M-Master… I apologize…]
“You were defeated…? Is it that strong?”
[No, I was ambushed—]
— Kizccccc!!
The ape monster, which had defeated Fenrir, charged towards Evangeline, letting out an unearthly shriek.
Evangeline covered her ears and closed her eyes, wincing at the earsplitting screech.
A large mass moved, and a gust of wind blasted her face.
“Ow, my eyes.”
—Cik, Zukueee…?
The ape monster, giggling, suddenly stopped and looked down at Evangeline. It had swung with all its might, but this small human was unharmed.
It then realized that its arm was broken, twisted at an unnatural angle. It roared in pain and frustration.
—G, Kuuuuuueeeee!!
“Quiet.”
Evangeline chopped at the monster with the edge of her hand, and it collapsed, dead.
She brushed off the blood and approached Fenrir, who was bleeding on the ground.
“So, what were you saying?”
[…I was ambushed. There’s more than one. They’re hiding—]
“Ah—you mean these two?”
She turned and smiled at two women standing nearby.
Evangeline levitated and flew towards them.
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Linna and Lynne, the twin witches, had been waiting for Johan for two months. They had learned everything about him: his adventurer rank, his history, his name—everything except…
Where he lived, and when he would return to the Adventurers’ Guild.
They had finally found him in another city and, realizing he had a witch capable of manipulating space, began tracking him.
“So? Where is he now?”
“…Nearby.”
“Nearby, huh?”
They had purchased the monster parts Johan had sold, collecting traces of his mana. They had then created a magical device to track him.
Following the device, they arrived in the wintry forest, a sudden wave of uncertainty washing over them. They didn’t know why they were doing this.
They just wanted to. The wisdom of a long life: doing what you want, when you want.
They found a monster in the forest.
“Wow, what’s that? It’s huge!”
“…Dangerous.”
“I know. Lynne, create a monster.”
“Mm…”
Lynne created an ape-like monster and sent it to attack Fenrir.
While the two monsters fought, Linna took aim with her rifle and fired.
A magic-infused bullet pierced Fenrir’s flank, and the ape monster finished him off.
“Why is something like that living here?”
“Mm…”
Linna stared at the fallen Fenrir, a puzzled expression on her face. Why would anyone live in a forest with such dangerous monsters?
Having eliminated the immediate threat, they resumed tracking Johan.
Or rather, they tried to.
“…What’s that?”
“…Oh.”
Another witch suddenly appeared, effortlessly killed their monster, and then flew towards them.
Linna, terrified, fired her rifle and shouted,
“Run, Lynne!”
“Mm…!”
A winter chase began.
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