Free Web NovelLooking at the others growing restless, Vieya added irritably:
“But that doesn’t mean you can just throw your life away. The Forest Witch isn’t some friendly monster. Even if all you did was provoke the weakest goblin, she’d just stand by and quietly watch as the goblin beat you to death one club swing at a time.”
“Sigh, guess I was overthinking again.” Kare scratched under his hat and abandoned the thought he shouldn’t have had in the first place.
Luna nodded. “Thank you for the guidance. This information has never been recorded in the Adventurer’s Guide. When I return, may I report it to the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“Do whatever you want.”
Vieya turned, and after a moment’s hesitation the others followed.
If there truly was a fast and effective way to defeat the Forest Witch, they were eager to try.
But if Vieya failed, they would act immediately and try their own methods.
They only hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
One after another, they sat down, forming a circle on the straw-covered floor.
The witch stood in the middle. At some point she was holding an old wooden box carved with strange, rough patterns. Looking closer, there still seemed to be mottled stains of the last unlucky victim’s blood.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
What truly made Luna’s group shudder was that the rotten-wood-like witch suddenly seemed to breathe like a living person.
At this moment, the Forest Witch looked like a normal witch welcoming guests into her own fortune-telling parlor.
But for the members of Fairy’s Wings, the change was nothing but revolting. A monster was supposed to stay a monster! What was the point of evolving closer and closer to humans?
Watching the witch pull out her divination tools from the box, Vieya almost wanted to mock her. fгeewebnovёl.com
Do all you Forest Witches gather in secret to share tips?
The last time she had met one was years ago. Back then, Flaviel had wanted everyone to enjoy the “game,” so she thoughtfully upgraded that witch’s props: traded a cursed cup and spoon for a dreamcatcher, swapped a skull for a crystal ball, replaced bloody iron lots with tarot cards...
And now, seeing this witch take out the exact same tools as in her memory, Vieya couldn’t help but ask:
“Do you monsters hold private competitions to pick Witch of the Year?”
The witch froze like a puppet, then twisted her head 180° to fix her eerie stitched eyes straight on Vieya.
Beside her, Liufir trembled so hard she couldn’t breathe.
Across the circle, Kare gave Vieya a big thumbs up. He was moved — Ye-sis daring to draw all the aggro herself, that was the real deal!
The witch kept staring at her, black fluid seeping from the stitches that bound her eyes shut. Luna already had a bottle of concentrated holy water in hand, ready to smash it across the room to grab back the aggro.
Vieya ignored them all. Just like with Flaviel’s witch, she spread the thirteen tarot cards out on the ground in a row.
At the same time—
Bang! frёewebηovel.cѳm
Bang!
Bang!
Every window and door in the house slammed shut at once. The whole room shuddered.
The flames on Kare’s makeshift stove jumped, becoming the only source of light.
The fire flared and shrank, threatening to go out at any moment.
Its orange glow flickered across every face.
“...What’s this? Game rules?” Kare blinked, picking up the slip of paper that had suddenly appeared before him.
Then he looked up and saw that everyone had the same thing.
“Preparation: when you count to the twelfth reversed tarot card, the game will automatically begin.”
He read it aloud, then nervously raised his head. Seeing Vieya nod in tacit approval, he continued:
“Each shuffle must be seven and a half turns counterclockwise. After shuffling, draw a card. Remember: for each card you draw, you have two choices. First: carry out the card’s instructions. Second: answer one of my questions. Lying is forbidden.”
“Also. After completing one full round of the game, you will earn the right to ask me one question.
Enjoy the game.
The end.”
The rules were simple: shuffle, draw, play.
...Basically, truth or dare?
But it wasn’t quite the same as last time.
Vieya thought for a moment, then looked at the witch lighting the candle.
So, who would go first?
The witch rolled her crystal ball toward Vieya.
“...”
Vieya smiled faintly. Under everyone’s gaze, she began to shuffle.
“Then I’ll give you all a demonstration.”
“Vieya-sis...” Though Vieya was the one shuffling, Liufir looked even more nervous than her.
Seven and a half turns. Done.
Now draw...
Vieya hesitated, then pulled a card. When she saw the words, her fine brows immediately furrowed.
“The Lovers card: loudly declare the most important person in your heart at this moment. Note: not one of them.”
The most important person.
For most, this would not be a hard question.
But Vieya hesitated. Before she learned she had a daughter, even with her resentment toward Flaviel, she would still have spoken her name without doubt.
Damn it.
Why don’t you just ask me the old question: if your wife and your daughter fall into the water, who do you save?
Vieya clutched the Lovers card, unable to answer.
Seeing her freeze for so long made unease creep into everyone’s hearts.
“Vieya-sis...” Liufir whispered, worry deepening in her eyes.
“Miss Cleric, if it’s too difficult... perhaps let the witch ask you something else instead?” Luna suggested.
At that moment, Vieya sat cross-legged like an old monk, still holding the Lovers card. She said:
“Quiet. I’m thinking.”
...
Dusk faded.
With the sun’s last ray slipping below the horizon, night descended.
St. Catarina Convent.
Jasmine had just eaten dinner alone, but halfway through she lost her appetite. Now she ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) was walking in the back garden with the black cat along the cobblestone path.
It was the second day without her mother. Thirty-one hours, twenty-five minutes, and forty-two seconds had passed since their parting yesterday at noon.
She missed her.
Looking at the silent, empty garden, a wave of loneliness washed over Jasmine.
“Cat-sis, when do you think Mama will come back?”
“Dunno, meow.”
The black cat swished her tail, asking curiously: “You lived alone for so long before, and I never saw you so downcast. You’ve only been apart for such a short time, why won’t you even eat properly?”
“I... I don’t know either.”
Jasmine walked until she grew tired, then sat on a bench beside the path. She gazed up at the silver moon.
“But today, Aunt Lilian also rushed out after hearing about the commission Mama took. She still hasn’t returned.”
“Was Mama’s task that dangerous...? Ugh. If only I could help too.”
She lowered her head, hugging her knees, murmuring in disappointment.
“You’re still small...”
The black cat kneaded her claws, frustrated. The ones responsible for watching the child had all gone off, and she was just a cat — what could she do?
After a moment’s thought, she hopped lightly onto the bench beside Jasmine, gave her a push with her paw, and said:
“Stop thinking about sad stuff. Let’s sneak into the convent kitchen and steal a few fish. Maybe after a good meal and a nap, your mama will be back.”
