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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: The Great Witch
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The Great Witch exuded a tremendous presence, like an ancient tree that had lived for ages, or perhaps a colossal tree that had existed since the very moment the world was created.
She was the spiritual pillar of the witches.
Forty years ago, during the Krepatna War, she was the hero who led the witches into battle.
"If it weren't for her, so many people would have died. The witches' medicines and healing techniques are that incredible."
"Muniel and I received tremendous help from her too."
Muniel and Ardores shared the favors they had received from the Great Witch back during the war.
Everyone gazed at the Great Witch, filled with reverence.
Everyone except Nibelria.
"Hello!"
She gave a spirited greeting, just as she had learned in kindergarten.
The Great Witch welcomed her with a pleased smile and slowly rummaged through the pouch at her waist.
When she pulled her hand out again, it held a clump of sawdust.
"Come to think of it, I haven't even offered seats to my esteemed guests. When you get old, you miss these little things."
The Great Witch scattered the sawdust onto the ground.
As the sawdust hit the earth, roots intertwined and merged, swiftly forming a large table and chairs.
"Wow!"
Solles let out a clear exclamation of awe at the incredible sight.
Kaleo couldn't close his mouth, and Seletrina even covered hers with both hands.
"Oh dear? Is Arep okay?"
"……."
"Arep? Arep!"
Arep fainted while standing. It took Nibelria waving her hand in front of his face a few times for him to finally come to.
"Isn't that a bit much right from the start?"
Muniel shot her a teasing smile.
The Great Witch chuckled heartily and rose with Azel's support.
"How could I half-heartedly host such guests?"
Unlike her kindly crinkled smile, her golden eyes gleamed sharply.
"This is our witches' chance to step back into the sunlight at last."
"You should have seized the opportunity I gave you forty years ago."
"I wasn't the Great Witch back then. That old hag is probably still clinging to life in hell, cursing me out."
"I'll have to pay a visit when I die someday."
Muniel replied innocently, as if she were looking forward to it.
Before diving into full business preparations.
"I'm getting on in years now, and it's hard for me to focus on complicated talks for long. So this child will represent me and the witches."
The Great Witch introduced her proxy.
It was a witch who was also a lawyer.
She wore a dark cloak symbolic of witches, but underneath was the suit lawyers favored.
"Uh...?"
The secretary's eyes went wide upon seeing her.
The lawyer witch greeted her with a friendly smile.
"Hello, Secretary Visere Tos. We met once before over that one issue, right?"
The startled secretary forgot her manners and pointed at the lawyer witch.
"Y-You were a witch?"
Realizing her rudeness, she quickly lowered her hand.
"But why a lawyer...?"
"Not all witches spend their lives foraging herbs in the woods. Some, like me, hide our witch nature and live among people."
Even her own parents still didn't know their daughter was a witch.
"Witches are just like mages. It's about talent manifesting, not bloodline. But the moment you realize your true identity, you know you can never go back."
That realization was why she had gotten her lawyer certification.
So that if a day came when she could help hidden witches, she would have the qualifications to step forward herself.
And that day had finally arrived.
The lawyer witch smiled brightly at Nibelria and the children.
"My name is Radia. It's an honor to meet you, and thank you so much for giving us this incredible opportunity."
"Yeah!"
Nibelria nodded as if it were only natural.
While the adults engaged in serious discussions, the children stepped out of the tent and wandered around the forest nearby.
Nibelria spoke to Dether, who was putting her hat back on for her.
"This place is like the Magic Tower, but kinda different."
"How is it different?"
"The Magic Tower has lots of trees too, but here there are even more. And it's cleaner. The ground feels sturdy too."
Solles and Arep agreed.
"I think the air here is clearer too."
"The grass and trees look healthier."
"More than last time, right?"
"Yeah."
Is that so?
Dether, who had been quietly listening to the children's chatter, looked around the forest again.
'Maybe it's because of that...'
The crisp air, the moist earth, the trees stretching high into the sky.
The forest, formed by each element coming together, quietly revealed an overwhelming majesty.
"It's because the witches gather here."
A witch who had approached explained.
"Land where witches dwell becomes exceptionally healthy compared to other places. With so many witches here, the forest will be even healthier."
"That's amazing. And a little scary."
"Afraid we'll curse you?"
"No. What scares me is how I never knew about such great power before."
Dether finally understood why people had persecuted and feared witches.
How could ordinary folk comprehend their power?
"If I were just a bit more ignorant, I might have feared and persecuted you all too."
"If you could bestow blessings like Saintess Muniel, I'd have given you fifty already."
The witch laughed happily, truly regretful.
"The Great Witch is looking for the children."
The children who had emerged from the forest held bright red berries in their hands.
"It's Arep's eye color! Pretty, right?"
Nibelria generously gifted one berry to the Great Witch.
The child's smiling lips were strikingly red.
The Great Witch toyed with the berry like a precious gem in her rough, wrinkled hand.
"This is a fruit that will give you a stomachache if you eat it raw."
"……."
Nibelria's eyes shook in panic.
The Great Witch chuckled and held out a small basket beside her.
Inside were several round, brownish candies.
"Candy!"
"We call these 'honey clumps.' We pour hot wild honey over these berries to make them. This way, they won't upset your stomach."
The Great Witch handed out honey clumps to the children one by one. Dether and Azel received some too.
Nibelria rolled her honey clump around in her mouth eagerly. Her cheeks puffed out repeatedly.
Watching her fondly, the Great Witch beckoned her closer.
Nibelria swallowed the pooled honey with a gulp and obediently approached.
The Great Witch whispered.
"Nini."
"Yeah."
"I'm so glad to see you again."
Nibelria leaned her head against the Great Witch's arm with gentle bumps.
"Gleba."
She called the Great Witch's name in a cute, babyish voice.
The moment she invoked the name of the one who communed with the earth, every tree and plant in the land rustled their branches and leaves on their own.
The earth acknowledged Nibelria's presence.
Nibelria grinned.
"Nini likes Gleba!"
"This Gleba likes our little kitty very much too."
"Heehee!"
"These can't compare to the Great Witch's honey clumps, but please try them. They're very good for your health."
The witches gave gifts to Nibelria, Arep, and Solles.
They were tokens of gratitude for saving Azel and giving them the chance to reemerge into the world.
The gifts were mostly medicinal herbs, potted plants, and homemade snacks.
They looked modest, but they were handmade and cultivated by the witches themselves.
They possessed efficacy far superior to expensive medicines sold in markets.
'Even roughly calculating in money...'
Dether's heart skipped a beat.
'...Our young lady and the young masters have done something huge.'
This wasn't just about the herbal medicine market.
It would impact fields like medicine and agriculture on a massive scale.
"Nini likes chocolate cookies. Make chocolate cookies next time!"
Oblivious to it all, Nibelria informed the witches of her tastes and ordered her next gift.
The witches chuckled at the four-year-old's boldness, delighted. They didn't promise cookies, though.
"Kids."
At that moment, Seletrina emerged from the large tent.
"Come on in."
"All done?"
Nibelria rubbed her face against Seletrina's hand as she asked.
"Nini is getting bored now."
"Making money is supposed to be boring, dear."
Inside, they saw adults slumped over with pale, exhausted faces.
Kaleo, the secretary, and the lawyer witch Radia were among them.
Nibelria stared intently at Kaleo's haggard face.
"Daddy got ugly..."
"I'm not ugly..."
Kaleo protested in a weak voice.
"Hing, Daddy's gonna get divorced now. 'Cause he's ugly."
"Where did our daughter pick that up?"
"From the witches earlier."
"……."
Kaleo, barely pulling himself together, explained the key decisions to the children.
"Construction starts tomorrow. And the pharmaceutical company will open by winter at the latest."
"That fast?"
Solles asked.
"You're building big structures, right? Company building plus a separate research lab—that can't be done in just a few months..."
Tap tap.
The Great Witch drummed on the table.
Her wrinkled lips twitched.
"Ah..."
Solles blushed.
'The witches are helping with construction too.'
Not to the extent of the Great Witch growing furniture from sawdust, but witches who handled earth could surely build structures in no time.
"So perceptive and cautious."
The Great Witch praised Solles.
"Speed isn't always best. Big projects like this need to proceed slowly and carefully. You understand that well."
Nibelria nodded.
"My big brother is smart!"
"Solles studies hard all the time, and he always explains things I don't know."
Arep chimed in, praising Solles enthusiastically.
"N-No, it's not that much..."
Solles modestly denied it.
But under the table, his legs wagged like a puppy's tail.
The adults shared more details too.
Construction schedules, the witches' accommodations.
Profit sharing, distribution methods, business objectives, and future goals.
Employee hiring and welfare, and so on.
"……."
Nibelria thought with a serious expression.
'What's all this? I want cookies.'
