After finishing breakfast, l headed out to the village’s marketplace.
The street was filled with stalls and villagers, most selling and trading their harvests with each other. A colorful, scentful booth stood out among all the veggies and fruits. Under the counter lie the display drawers of roses, lilies, and so on, the passion of the vendor out in the open.
l approached the flower vendor to greet the yawning aunt. "Hey, Miss Amanda! Hang in there for the early morning!"
"Ah, l! Here for the flowers again?"
Amanda wrapped up a bouquet like usual. Everyone in the village knew Lila’s situation.
Eying the curious glances from other stall vendors, she received the flowers. "Thanks as always! And-"
"Nah nah, like I told you."
Other vendors nodded approvingly before Amanda smirked. "No need to pay. Just reward with your marriage invitation when you finally get with the girl."
The Witch shuddered before the cocky human, and the stares at her which resonated the sa sentint with the flower vendor. Thanks to l’s constant flirting, gossip flowed in the otherwise boring town, and everyone had already started betting on how many years it would take them to get together finally.
Compared to Lila shutting herself in to care for her sister, the villagers’ passion is almost rciful, if not overbearing.
And she loved every second of it.
"We are still only 16, Miss Amanda." The foxy smile curled up again. "But you can prepare in advance. Who knows what will happen right as we hit 18?"
"Oh. Cheeky bastard." Amanda grinned widely. "Send her sister my regard."
"Will do, my first marriage’s guaranteed guest."
"Alright alright. Don’t forget a travelling rchant will co from the capital as well. Do try to afford a nice-old ring from him, won’t you?"
l gripped her fist, her resolve burning bright at the reminder. "Of course. I promise only the best wedding gift."
For the first Witch I will ever save.
For the first childhood friend I have made.
As she was leaving, more vendors offered fruits and veggies to l, all genuinely caring for Leia’s recovery.
With the rules of no rejection, like free rolls for a gacha ga, l picked out so of the fruits before heading to Lila’s ho, rejecting others so that her poor friend wouldn’t be overwheld with ’sudden gifts’ like last ti.
-------------------
Lila’s cottage is small and quaint, less lavishly built than hers, with sturdy stones as a ceiling. The walls were auburn bricks, and the door was of weathered wood.
Creak. Opening inside reveals a cozy, clean interior with no dust, the window fra glittering as if bragging about the owner’s ticulousness. The patient needed the best environnt to heal after all.
"Oh. Preparing for breakfast?"
l exclaid at Lila in the kitchen, her lover-not-lover’s brows knitting together while staring at the boiling pot, with a light-pink apron wrapping over her figure.
"Mm. Welco again, l!" Lila glanced at her regular visitor. "Sit sowhere first and-"
The blue-haired girl stuttered, her eyes squinting at the basket of ’free stuff’ her friends carried.
"Surprise." l put aside the basket on the dining table. "It’s so nice to have kind neighbors, don’t you think?"
"Ugh..." Lila shuddered, the boiling stew mirroring her heart’s stirring turmoil. "Free-of-charge again?"
The Witch of Envy observed the color assortnts of fruits, veggies, and canteens of milk, as a muddy turmoil clouded her mind: both gratitude and jealousy.
Lila herself is insociable, and her ti is most occupied with caring for her sister. But more gifts like these ca after her friend dragged her out, and the villagers’ kindness was always a help to her tight budget.
...if not for her friend’s prideful, unashad look, as if the ti they spent together was only worth so gifts from strangers.
[ Witch of Envy appreciated the gifts! But not the realisation that cos with it! ]
[ Favourability: 35 -> 25 ]
"Nope." Not minding how her friend overthought again, l puffed out her chest. "I paid for them all."
Lila raised a brow. "Don’t you hear what my sister always told you? Liars get no maidens."
"Hic." l wiped an invisible tear. "Since when did my cute Lila beco so rude?"
"Since you told to be straight and honest with you."
The totally-not-jealous Witch gazed back at her stew with carefulness. Enough. Her sister’s illness ca first before her friend. After all, it has been a while since she finally saw her appetite return, until now.
"Oh, look who’s here!"
A creak sound of a door opening, and l turned to the tall lady with a broad shoulder, contrasted by the ethereal beauty her face harboured. Alas, that beauty was tainted by a purple scar that was painted over the right side of her face.
l frowned. Compared to last ti, Leia’s scar has grown again, reaching to the bottom of her dry lips.
And unknown to them, this is a product not of illlness, but of a slow poison.
Despite that, she smiled warmly to disguise her worry. "Sister Leia!"
"Hey there, plum face." The sickly beauty patted her head. "Here to visit us again? To be clear, I’m not ready to hand my sister over yet."
l leaned obediently to her future sister-in-law’s touch. "Of course. I haven’t even bought a ring yet for the occasion!"
The Witch of Lust had her plans to buy a matching ring worthy for her, for them. As much as she would like to kneel and propose, she needed more ti to be selective.
At least, not before she captured that rchant for a little, teensy scam.
"Sister. No need to rest more?"
Lila’s concerned gaze peeked over her shoulders. She knew how charming l is, but she only felt conflicted about how the two most important people in her life were interacting without her.
[ The Witch of Envy was left out of the conversation! But how precious, she was more relieved you and her sister were getting along like always, without her! ]
[ Favourability: 25 -> 30 ]
l blinked at the ssage before eting Leia’s playful gaze.
A knowing nod passed between them. The blue bun’s preciousness was agreed upon without a single word.
"...what?" Having only spoken a little, Lila scowled at the duo.
"Nothing. Nothing." Leia coughed a little, clearing her sore throat before mustering her strongest voice. "I am fine mostly. Just gotta keep this l brat in check."
l mused. "Aww. I’m touched you cared so much about ."
"In your dreams." Leia’s finger tapped her forehead.
Lila smiled at the banter, before turning back and scooping the stews into the wooden bowls beside her. She is more than aware she is blushing a little at how blatant her friend’s affection is, but all the more reasons she must hide her embarrassnt before she was teased again.
Leia tapped her chin, her tired eyes sweeping over the ’free’ gifts on the dinner table. "Ah. A fruit basket again? We haven’t even finished the last one yet!"
Her naive sister may be fooled, but Leia knew better. The rascal, cunning l flirted openly with Lila for a reason: to spread the word about her illness to the villagers everywhere, for more gossips to spread sympathy, for more ’free’ gifts.
l noticed the lingering suspicion on Leia’s expression, before her traitmark fox-like smile returned.
Her voice is a husky whisper. "Sister Leia."
The sickly beauty turned to her, sensing a secrecy in l’s voice. The rascal plum face has always been like this to her, always hiding her intent from Lila, like the ’gifts’ trickery for the villagers.
"What is it?"
"Hehe." An excited chuckle escaped l. "In tomorrow, expect to eat properly again."
The Witch admired how Leia’s brows furrowed, before springing up in complete surprise, attempting to hide her shock from Lila.
"You..." Leia’s mind stord. Did l find a cure? Did she no longer have to trouble her sister again? Could she send her sister away to the academy without worries? Worries about... how she wouldn’t last until her graduation?
The scher pulled her index finger over her lips. "Let’s keep this a secret from Lila."
"What secret?"
Setting the stews on the table, Lila glared a little at l. Did her friend tell her sister about what happened last night? She would smack that pink-head with a spoon if her sister knew another dark history about her.
But instead, l only responded with a ’you-can-keep-guessing’ grin. "Not telling."
"..."
[ Favourability: 30 -> 29 ]
Ignoring her sister’s confusion, Lila stretched out her hand to squeeze l’s cheeks, grumbling as her friend laughed at the gesture.
Leia glanced over at the playful duo, smiling to herself. As soone close to ’Saria the Radiant Knight’ and a close friend, she planned to leave her sister to the reliable l if things ca to a head.
They owed l much more than they thought. No need to question. Just one day, and she will wait till then for that rascal’s answers.
As l’s chuckle stuttered under the strengthening squeezes on her cheeks, her familiar’s voice ca to her head via telepathy.
Master. I spotted the target’s carriage coming from the North.
Oh. Very nice.
She answered in her mind. Wait for there after you capture him.
She still had another breakfast to enjoy and a cute, grumbly wife to comfort.
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