Chapter 7

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Becoming a general was a whole new job.

Generals needed the wisdom, dignity and leadership to command soldiers and officers below them.

Problem one: I had none of those things. Problem two: Everyone knew! They look at me like I’m a child trying to play with the big boys!

I was only allowed to become a general because of my strength after all. Yeah, it’s over. I won’t know what to do if enemy forces invade us from the south.

So, during one of the regular meetings where I would sit in the corner, dejected, General Sia gave me a book—probably out of pity.

The cover said ‘Strategies and Tactics for Beginners’. Yay. I was happy to receive it, but I felt sad for some reason.

Also, a name was written on the inside cover, in what seemed like a child’s handwriting. Whose was this?

I opened it up during my break.

Ah yes, I don’t understand anything. I knew what each word meant, but I didn’t understand what they meant when they were all lined up like that. I’ll ask Tina when I get home. She was unexpectedly knowledgable about stuff.

“Hey hey, welcome home!”

A strangely cheerful witch greeted me when I came home so I wanted to cry.

Tina was obviously not this cheerful. She always has that ‘I hate humans’ face too.

So we had a visitor who was also a witch, which could only mean…

“Why are you here, Lucia?”

“I came all the way here to drop by and this is how you treat me? Here, I even got you a present.”

The woman made a plate appear above her hand and there was an appetising, deep-fried sweets on it, however…

“You won’t trick me anymore! What did you put in this time!?”

“A laughing potion.”

I snatched the plate in silence and hurled it out of the window.

The magnificent shatter of the plate must’ve reached the kitchen, as Tina came out with a sour look.

“Don’t just stand around at the front door, you two,” she said, breaking up our strained silence.

I was happy as long as I didn’t get suspicious sweets shoved in my mouth.

Also, I’m not even standing. What, was that a joke, Tina?

“You sure look as plain as last time,” Lucia said.

“Shut up!”

I was hit with sarcasm the moment we moved to the living room! No, not sarcasm, but slander! I’m gonna cry!

A while after I started living with Tina, I met this woman—the second witch among the five in this continent.

Unlike Tina, who was relatively young for a witch, she was a real witch who had been living for God knows how long.

I’ve heard rumours that you’ll die the moment you see a witch, but here I was drinking tea in the same room as two of them. What is going on?

She had visited a few time to see Tina, and every time, she tried to make me eat something with her suspicious potions in it, so I had to keep my guard up.

One time, she made me drink a stupid potion that makes you cry as you confess what you don’t like, so I cried for half a day on the ground, arms wrapped around my knees, announcing my hate for spring onions.

That was the most depressing event in my life, but I was thankful to Tina for pretending like she didn’t hear me. Although she might’ve been ignoring me.

But from the next day onwards, she made sure to put spring onions in every meal… hm? Why should I be thankful to her?

Anyway, this woman was a lot of trouble, in a different way to Tina!

“Why did you come here, Lucia?” I asked

“I didn’t come to see you. I came to give Tina… a potion.”

“You mean poison!?”

“Silence, outsider.”

“…”

I’m the owner of this house though… am I really an outsider?

Lucia left an odd space after Tina’s name because ‘Tina’ was a nickname and not her real name. Same goes for ‘Lucia’.

Witch’s names are seen as cursed things, so I was better off not knowing, they said.

I didn’t care, but a really long name would be hard to remember so I preferred the nicknames.

To me, Tina is just Tina!

Tina showed me the small bottle she received from Lucia.

“This is cold medicine. Normal potions don’t work on me, but her’s are strong so I use them.”

“You get sick?”

“More than you.”

“…”

Why do witches always have comebacks? Even I catch colds sometimes! … I think. I did when I was a child at least.

With these two around, I could never win an argument.

So afterwards, I gave all my attention to eating the deep-fried food Tina made for dinner! I’m not the loser here, okay!?

Once Tina went off to clean the dishes, I asked Lucia something I had been interested in—what kind of potions she makes.

“What kind? I can make almost anything.”

“Wow. Magic potions are amazing.”

As magic was taboo in this country, potions were also banned. I had the chance to use potions during my assassin days, but nowadays I don’t.

“What, you want something?”

“No…”

Nothing came to mind. Besides, I would get caught if I had clearly used a magic potion.

And if people found out I lived with a witch, I would get burnt at the stake with her! Tina, you gotta stop floating in the air.

“Then what about a potion that can cure suspicious behaviour?”

“I have one of those.”

You do!? For what!? For me!? Aw, now I want it!

I can take Miss Dyna out for a proper date next time with one of those!

As if reading my mind from my expression, Lucia grinned like a villain.

You and the violent princess both… beautiful people shouldn’t smile like that! It’s a total waste in a lot of ways!

“You want one?”

“A, a little.”

“Hmm.”

Her ‘hmm’ seemed to stretch on forever. Ugh, I got a bad feeling about this. She might force me to do something in return, like drinking milk from my nose.

I had prepared myself for the worst, but Lucia simply tossed me a small, glass bottle that she pulled from out of nowhere. A light blue liquid was inside.

“It won’t cure it forever, only for an hour after you drink it.”

“That’s plenty, o great witch Lucia.”

“Mm, I like the sound of that. You may call me that from now on.”

I wanted to object, but I couldn’t care less! My life will turn around with this! If you think I’m a failure of a man for relying on potions, please stay silent.

For the rest of the night, even after Lucia left, my mood was sky-high.

I was so happy that when I asked Tina about the strategies book and she said, “You can’t understand something this simple…?” I didn’t get angry! I’m so excited for tomorrow!

The next day, I waited for Miss Dyna in the hallway as I read the beginner strategy book that Tina had written notes on.

Getting someone to write notes for you on a beginner’s book was a little worrying, but I didn’t care.

I looked at the clock, which showed it was five minutes before our arranged meetup, and chugged the potion I got from the witch yesterday.

This was probably the most suspicious thing ever, but no one saw so it was fine.

Miss Dyna arrived perfectly on time.

She’s smiling like the sun today as well. Just looking at her makes me happy! I’m so glad I came to this country!

“Did you wait, Lu?”

“Not at all guja.”

… Hold up.

What was that?

“Guja?” She asked.

“It’s nothing guja.”

What is this? What is this!?

I’m unintentionally adding it to the end of my sentences! The hell does ‘guja’ even mean!?

As I stood in a state of shock, one image popped up in my head—Lucia’s grin. You tricked me!

Lying is the worst thing a person can do! I mean, it’s only something I decided now but it’s definitely mean! Mean mean mean!

“Um, Lu? Was there something you wanted to talk about?”

“That, that’s right guja.”

Ugh, I’ve had enough! I was the fool for trusting a witch! I know I’ll get rejected but I’ll go down honourably!

“I was wondering if you guja, wanted to go out with me guja, on our next guja, holiday guja.”

Okay, that’s way too many gujas! What is this, a secret language that some kid made!?

There was no way she understood what I said. It was like the same as me wearing the mask!

I fell on all fours with my head drooped. My life really is nothing but a toy that humans play with…

“Of course. I would love to go with you.”

She understood! And she even agreed!

Miss Dyna was a goddess. The only good person in this country!

“So please wear your mask next time.”

“… Guja.”

It made me happy, but why did I feel like crying!?

But, but at least she agreed… thank you, Miss Dyna! There were a lot of things that didn’t make sense but I didn’t care!

And Lucia, you better remember this. I’ll scribble on your forehead next time.

Back | Title | Next

Like this:Like Loading...

Related