I Picked Up a Witch from a Novel

Episode 2-b. For Freedom and Adventure.

There is a shadow next to the bright and radiant light.

Where there is beautiful light, there must always be a dark shadow.

And I always wished to be a shadow that could stay by Ain’s side.

I wanted to be someone who would never leave his side.

Even if I were a loathsome ash that could not walk beside him at all.

If that’s the case, I thought it would be better to be a shadow that assists him in the darkness so that his hand, which runs ahead shining brightly, would not get dirty.

For Ain, if I could only be with Ain.

In fact, I did not mind even if I remained in the dark role as long as I could stand by his side.

Still, I held back my true feelings and let him go because that look in his eyes for me was too lovely.

I was afraid that I might never again receive the affection contained in that hand that used to stroke my head.

I love you.

I cherish and long for you.

With a belated realization, I would often exhale a painful breath thinking of him and my fervent love for him.

However, Ain probably does not share the same feelings as I do.

The affectionate gaze and touch he sends my way are completely different emotions from the love and longing I hold.

Maybe it’s the same affection he has for others who support me in the empire.

It’s not sticky or clingy at all, so there’s no sigh of longing escaping my lips.

When I think of him with a sense of nostalgia, my heart flutters, and I find myself twisting my legs in excitement.

What he holds is definitely not that kind of feeling.

Therefore, I must make an effort.

Fortunately, I am quite beautiful, and I have a rather ample bosom that drives men crazy.

If I can manage to control my emotions and ash, I am also quite capable as a magician.

Certainly, while I embark on a journey for Ain, I will also take steps to devour him…

Ain.

Ain.

Ain, Ain, Ain, Ain.

“Ain.”

You must prepare yourself for the fact that I dare to grow close to other women for whatever reason.

“Ah, Asha… Your expression is very scary…?”

“Then shut up and be quiet.”

“…, Yes.”

You will have to experience just how sticky and clingy the ash emotions are.

I thought this as I hurriedly drove the carriage along the forest path.

And I kept wriggling with my legs twisted because it was so ticklish.

As expected, when we reached a place away from the city, where there were no people, my emotions began to leak out slowly.

Perhaps tonight, I will need to release the accumulated emotions.

Night has come.

I took off all my robes, necklace, bracelets, and anklets, and I am now releasing ash in the middle of the forest.

In the path that pierces through the forest, there rarely appeared the Imperna wild beasts, but as we went deeper into the woods, they kept appearing.

So, I swung my hands and wiped out everything that charged at me.

Slowly, bit by bit, my emotions are being released.

Every time the ash bursts forth, the accumulated burdens slide away, and my heavy chest starts to breathe easily.

And.

“Wow~ So cool~”

There was a strange person watching me with a silly grin.

“…, Eileen.”

“Yes?”

“Please go to sleep.”

Surely, this pee-in-my-pants person who used to tremble at such sights now clapped and admired from a distance.

“But it’s safer here than over there. What if I’m attacked while alone?”

“It’s not dangerous.”

Even if I explained that this place where I am scattering ash is much more dangerous than a resting place covered by protective magic, she shook her head.

“Can’t I just watch?”

“…, Do as you wish.”

“Wow~”

In the past, she used to listen to everything I said, but now it seems she’s starting to act like a child, throwing tantrums and being insolent.

It seems right to take advantage of her moment of carelessness, knock her out in one go, and send her to bed.

Smack-

“Eek…!”

So, I hit her with a lump of mana that knocked her out instantly and then tossed her, bound by mana, to where the campfire was blazing.

With a thud sound, I could hear her screaming “Eek!” from afar.

Hearing that, I bit my lip and spent my time scattering ash once more.

I continued to do so until the group of Imperna withered away.

Anyway.

I am now heading to the village where the letters are coming.

The carriage I haven’t ridden in a long time and the stiff coachman’s seat still hurt my butt every time it rattled.

“Asha, Asha. Can I receive a letter too?”

“No.”

Eileen, perhaps wanting to alleviate her boredom, poked my side from the luggage compartment of the swiftly moving carriage with her finger and spoke to me.

“That’s harsh! Please think about it a little!”

“Hm, no. You absolutely cannot receive one. Eileen, even if you died and came back to life, you won’t receive one.”

“So harsh!”

She rambled about the romantic notion of the village where letters come flying in.

“Isn’t it truly romantic? Whether in the past, present, or perhaps from beyond the river of death, letters come flying! How on earth does ancient magic make such a thing possible?”

“And you also said that only selected individuals can receive them, so most don’t get them.”

“But this time, Ain used some trick to send dozens of letters, so maybe I will too!”

She rushed to push her face dangerously close to the coachman’s seat with an expectant expression and spoke hurriedly.

“It’s dangerous, so please put your head back in.”

“Romance! Flying letters! I want to rush over and see! When will we arrive? What will we do when we get there? Surely the letters won’t just come flying in right away, right? What kind of letter would you like to receive, Asha? A letter sent by Ain? I heard that there are plenty piled up even now, so is it an omen?”

Brimming with excitement and unable to hear my words, she even grabbed my clothing and shook me, spewing numerous questions.

Crazy girl.

“Shut up, I said shut up.”

“Romance!! It’s a village of romance! Letters are flying around;… Ump! Uh…! Uuh!!”

So I tossed a lump of mana backward, binding her entire body and gagging her.

Actually, I had just blocked her for about three hours because she was noisy and had released her a moment ago, but it seems I need to bind her again for another three hours.

After all, we’ve been running for quite a while, so we’ll be arriving at that village within today.

It had been said to be a very popular place, as we slowly entered a scene with quite a few carriages coming and going, indicating that we were certainly getting close.

“Ump, Ump! Ump!!”

“…”

But what the heck is so noisy even with her mouth bound?

Even in the tightly bound state, she wriggled and rose, looking at me and forward with sparkling eyes; I couldn’t understand what that was about.

I’m starting to feel a bit scared.

“Uh, Ump!! Ump, Ump…!!”

“Really, can you just stop, Eileen?”

I genuinely feel like I might get scared.

So we continued to run and finally reached the village where the letters arrive.

“Ump, Ump…! Ump, Phew…! Letters are floating in the sky, Asha!”

Upon arrival, I freed her from the mana bindings on her body and mouth, and she immediately grabbed my clothing tightly, shaking it.

“…I can see it too, so please stop shaking me.”

“Quick! Let’s go in, now!”

“We’re standing in line, so how can we just go in?”

“Ah.”

We’re waiting for our turn in a long line.

It seemed that it was a fairly quick-moving line, and we would soon be able to enter.

While I was drinking a beverage, waiting and bemused by Eileen’s excitedly bouncing form, our turn soon approached.

Then.

As the carriage rattled and entered the village,

Flap-

“…, Huh?”

Flap-

“…?”

Two letters flew into our carriage as it made a complete round into the village.

At that sight, everyone around turned to look at our carriage, and I pressed my robe even tighter.

“Two, two letters…! It seems like there’s one for me too!!”

Ah, of course, I only have two letters.

“Why, how…?”

“Hope for what you wish for, Eileen.”

With one hand holding my drink and sipping it, I used the other to move my mana and receive the letters.

Naturally, I opened the first letter and began to read it as it floated in the air.

– To the east.

– He headed toward the east.

– Join the journey after completely resolving the issue of Tevriss that Ain could not.

– Work towards the outcome that you and he desire.

– May you complement each other’s shortcomings.

– …

– And there is something really important.

– To speak plainly.

– You must go and ambush at night.

– Aja Aja, storm sex.

I.

“Phew…!”

As I read the letter, I sprayed all the drink I had in my mouth all over Eileen’s face.

“Asha…?”

“Cough, cough… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…. Cough…!”

The ending of the letter that started as a prophecy seemed incredibly strange, and I read it several times while still choking.

“Phew…!”

“Wait, Asha… Why are you doing this to me?”

“I… really…, cough, it wasn’t intentional….”

No matter how truly I tried to calm down and look again, I only sprayed more drink.

So, I folded it up to look away from it and quickly opened the next letter to read.

– Asha.

– You can surely be happy.

– So don’t doubt it and do what you want to do.

– You can achieve it.

– …

– Ah, and just to let you know, our child’s name is Eleanor.

– Okay.

– Just kidding.

And.

“Phew….”

“A, seriously…”

I could not compose myself and ended up spraying again.

Eileen’s face became sticky and sweet from the drink I sprayed, but I couldn’t even say I was sorry, desperately trying to calm my wildly shaking eyes.

My face is hotter than ever.

My heart is pounding heavily, and the breath I exhale is accompanied with heated moans.

I could not feel anyone’s gaze.

Only the content of the letters fills my head, torturing me.

********

To twist the determined fate.

Those who dare to move forward must face crises and trials.

This may be quite threatening and despairing.

It may bring about frustration and cause one to stumble again.

However.

To those who bravely take the step forward, even after facing the imminent crises and trials, they will undoubtedly receive assistance and support contrary to it.

If someone is working to harm you, another will be working tirelessly to help you.

Trust the clumsy woman who wishes to move forward alongside you.

Trust the man who is forging ahead, clearing a path for you.

Trust the affection of those who are definitely still cheering you on.

It is certainly a journey that began alone.

Asha, you have never been alone for a single moment.

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