Chapter 162

We ascended the stairs and went inside .

A spacious room .

I could see a candlestick lamp lighting up the room .

The way it glows……

I guess they’re using magic energy as an energy resource .

In the center of the room is a wooden low table .

The majority of the furniture and furnishings appear to be wood-based .

Their appearance feels like those stylish Nordic antiques .

As for the Witch, she sank deep on her sofa with her staff leaned against the side table beside her .

[Wait a little bit . ]

Waiting for a while, a golem appeared from the back of the room .

It’s holding four chairs in both of his hands .

The golem quickly puts the chairs down at regular intervals .

[By all means . Please sit . ]

She urged us to sit on the chairs .

The Witch held up a silver cup from the table beside her sofa .

[Do you all want something to drink?]

Seras asked with her gaze .

“What should we do?”

I…

[Then, I’ll gratefully accept it . ]

—replied so .

Perhaps, what Seras was worried about was the Witch mixing in sleeping pills and the likes in our drinks .

However, I want to show to them that I trust the Witch .

Of course, if I feel like something’s fishy, I intend to deal with it myself .

The golem arrived again, carrying silver cups on a tray this time .

……These golems could also act as waiters huh .

They’re quite dexterous .

It appears that it served us herb water .

Bringing the cup close to my mouth, I unceremoniously smelled it .

It’s a scent that I know .

It’s the same scent of the herb water that I drank in Monroy .

They must have used the same type of herb huh .

Acting as if I’m gulping down the contents of the cup, I licked a little bit with the tip of my tongue .

At this angle, the Witch on the other side shouldn’t be able to see my mouth .

Therefore, she shouldn’t be able to think that I’m just testing for poison first .

[……………… . ]

There’s no difference in taste from that herb water in Monroy .

It seems that it’s alright .

[I didn’t put any poison in there, you know? Well, but it’s natural for anyone to be wary . ]

Combing her glossy black hair with her hand, the Witch urges us .

[It’s not like I want to offend you, so feel free to drink it . Well, feel free to test that for poison until you’re satisfied . ]

Her gaze was focused on Seras .

[Ah—- Umm… Excuse us for our rudeness……]

Seras shrunk on her chair as she wrapped the cup in between her hands .

It seems she’s also acting suspicious towards the Witch as she tested the cup if it’s poisoned .

On the other hand though, Eve and Liz just directly drank their cups without acting vigilant .

With her chin propped on her hand, the Witch’s gaze sharply shot through Seras .

[You…… You’re Seras Ashrain, right?]

[You know me?]

From the information I’ve been able to gather so far…

The Witch must have been in a life of seclusion from the outside for at least a decade .

Even if she had started secluding herself ten years ago, Seras should be just around 9 years old at that time .

Even if she knew Seras at that time……

How could she look at her grown-up appearance and immediately know that they’re the same person?

[………………… . . ]

I thought of one theory why .

The way the Witch spoke…

It doesn’t feel like she has been isolated from the outside world for a long time .

In short…

[You have some kind of means to know what’s going on outside the Demon Zone?]

I asked a question that sounds vague enough that you wouldn’t know if it’s really just a question or something that I’ve concluded .

The Witch turned her body and crossed her legs .

[That’s right . ]

And she readily admitted it .

The Witch then turned her gaze towards Slei for some reason .

[Well, it’s an ancient power that has been lost for a long time ago—-]

[Like, a familiar?]

One of the Witch’s eyebrows twitched .

[I’m surprised that you know about familiars . ]

[……I’m not entirely sure, but I have some hunch . ]

Or rather, it’s actually just a guess .

It’s just some random thought that popped out of my mind when I thought about those literary works with the fantasy genre .

In the world where I’m from, there are lots of those literary works where those familiars were mentioned……

[…………………]

If I were to add one additional factor, it would be that the Witch looked at Slei just now .

Looking at the monster Slei…

“That smart girl must have learned of an ability to make use of monsters . ”

That’s what I read from her expression .

Snap!

Erika snapped her fingers .

[It’s just as you said, this mistress is making use of familiars to gather information from outside the Demon Zone . I don’t want to get involved with them, but there are some interesting things I could find out there too . Therefore, I’m getting my familiars to gather information on a regular basis . By the way—–]

The Witch’s gaze on my face fell down towards my robe .

[That monster under your robe must be your familiar?]

As I thought, she’s aware of him .

[……He’s my slime partner . I don’t exactly know about familiars, but I don’t know if I could even call him a familiar . ]

[I see…… So, you don’t know their exact definition nor how to use them huh . ]

It seems that she was also trying to gauge how much knowledge I have .

She really is a shrewd Witch .

[Well, listen . I’ll specially teach you…… Familiars are animals or monsters that were binded with a magical contract with its master . Not only do these familiars follow their master’s orders, their master could also borrow their eyes and see the things that the familiars see . It’s also possible to talk to someone in another place through the familiar but…… That’s pretty exhausting for both this mistress and my familiar, to the point that I think that using that ability cuts away our life span . ]

The Witch shrugs .

[Therefore… Well, I don’t want to use something like that as much as I can . I’m so tired after using that ability that I end up sleeping for a few days, you know?]

……Then, Pigimaru can’t be categorized as my familiar huh .

[I didn’t make that magical contract with him . It’s not that he’s my familiar though, it’s just that he’s my very important partner and my precious comrade . ]

From inside my robe…

[Pinyyuuu~♪]

—He happily purred .

[Fuuuunnn…… Then, what about the horse over there with the Intermediary Crystal on it?]

Intermediary Crystal?

Does she mean that thing on the back of her neck……?

[Do you know anything about Slei? We found her egg back in the Mills Ruins, and she hatched out of this egg after we entered the Demon Zone……]

Yes, I was originally planning to ask her about Slei as well .

Since an opportunity to ask appeared, let’s ask her now .

[I don’t know if it’s a Divine Beast or a Magical Beast, but that child is a monster that even this mistress doesn’t know . …… Say, do you mind if I examine her a bit later?]

[……As long as Slei doesn’t mind and she isn’t in danger . ]

With that, the Witch’s mood got a little better .

She crossed her legs again .

[Thank you . ]

……She seems to be in a good mood, but she’s still not smiling .

[Ara?]

The Witch’s gaze turned to the side .

Her gaze shifted towards Liz .

[Ah…… My bad . ]

It was the Witch who apologized .

[Even though you came from the south, all of you still went through the Demon Zone . You must have been tired, both physically and mentally . ]

Liz nervously shrank down her body .

There were some tears blotting out from the corner of her eyes .

I see .

The Witch noticed that Liz is trying to stifle a yawn huh .

[Ah—– U- Umm……]

[You don’t have to apologize, Liz . ]

I interrupted Liz’s words .

[You’re just trying to stifle a yawn after all . You’re not being rude . Also, well…… I guess you’ll have to work on that apologizing hobby of yours too . ]

With her legs completely stretched out, the Witch nodded .

[That’s right . How pitiful…… That child has become so sensitive that she has become more likely to listen to other people . ]

With both of her hands, the Witch lifted her body from the sofa .

[Her self-esteem and self-affirmations are pretty much brought really down…… It’s disgusting to imagine how she must have been treated . ]

[For this reason, I wanted her to take some time in this place and heal herself . ]

With her body still half-rising, the Witch stared at me with her half-closed eyes .

[Somehow, the way you speak makes me feel like you are leading my thoughts without me realizing it……]

[You just feel so, right? Then, it may have been that it’s simply your imagination . ]

The Witch pouted her lips .

[……Do you mind if I ask something? How old are you now?]

As I honestly answered her question, the Witch frowned in response .

Incidentally, she’s still in her half-rising posture until now .

[……Are you kidding me?]

[In that case, how old are you?]

[This mistress has lived multiple times as long as you do . ]

[Then, should I respect you since you’re many times my senior? In that case, if you want me to speak with you with honorifics—–]

[Don’t make me laugh, there’s no need for that at all . Listen here, Touka . Even if someone has lived for a long time, those amount of years you’ve been piling up weren’t that great at all if you had wasted it on pointless things, right?]

That’s what she thinks huh .

“Fuunnn…” I snorted .

[I’m glad to know one of your thoughts . Now then…… From what you said earlier, is it alright for us to assume that you’ve arranged for a place we could sleep in for the time being?]

[It’s as you say… Alright then . All of you should get some rest too . ]

The Witch finally shifts her half-rising posture and sat upright on the sofa .

Then, she called a golem and gave it some instructions .

[Ah, just so you know, this mistress can’t provide a single room for each of the four of you, okay? I only have one guest room . One pair could clean up another room Erika used to rest in and use that room for yourselves . ]

[That’s already enough for us . ]

[After that—-]

The Witch raises her index finger .

[Both of those rooms only have one bed . Therefore, you can decide among yourselves whether you’re sleeping together or one of you wants to sleep on the floor . ]

As expected, it would be better if Eve and Liz were to sleep together .

In that case…

[……………………]

I glanced towards Seras .

Nod, nod

Seras nodded twice towards me .

……I guess I could consider that as an acknowledgement .

[Then, Seras and I will be sharing your old room . ]