Satisfying Lila’s squeezing, venting urges, l plopped down at the dinner table, pulling Lila beside her while Leia sat across from them. No need to say anything more, but from the glimrs that hinted at playfulness, l could observe the optimism Leia regained.
Exposing the cure early seems like the right choice. l smiled to herself.
Lila sensed her friend was distracted. What’s the secret? Even her sister seed happier because of it. It can’t be that... she actually planned to propose, didn’t she?
The Witch of Envy shook off the thought. l must have infected her. How could she fantasize about such vulgarity when they haven’t even held hands?
She slid the bowl to l, scowling. "Eat."
[ Witch of Envy anticipated the ’secret’ proposal! ]
[ Favourability: 29 -> 32 ]
That’s awkward. l’s expression stiffened a little, only noticeable by the observant Leia.
She stirred her stew a little, the silky liquid sending a spiced scent to her nose. Lila’s cooking has always tasted holy, reminding one of her ho-cooking too often.
"I have already eaten breakfast, though." She smirked at Lila, who cut an apple for her sister with a knife.
"Mm. Then don’t eat." Lila pouted, her tentative eyes still focused on placing the pieces of fruit on a plate.
l leaned onto her hand on the table as she stared at Lila. "Mhm. That ans my lips are not occupied now, my friend."
Poof. l could see the blush deepen with a cloud smoking over Lila’s head, her fingers trembling with utter disbelief.
Her friend glared at her with misty eyes, but not before l retracted her gaze and scooped out the stew with the spoon.
"Mm. Very nice. Lila! I suddenly feel like eating breakfast again!"
Hearing her sister’s chuckle, Lila poked at l’s arm, her heart flaring with humiliation and embarrassnt. Worse, she knew a hint of excitent stashed at the heart’s corner, a feeling she won’t acknowledge anyti soon.
Lila glanced at her friend. Even while eating, l’s lips glistened with aty flavours. Her hold over the spoon was tactfully graceful, and her eyes curved slightly every ti she drank from the soup, savoring every taste.
Her heart cald down upon a realisation. She also knew... that this tasting was a re act. No, not an act of fakeness. Lila’s 10 years with l made her realise that at least her smile was always genuine, but even then, l’s every act seems intentional, a carefully crafted facade for soone to watch. For... her to watch.
The Witch of Envy didn’t have ti to contemplate this ’act’ before glancing over to her sister, her thin hand dragging the spoon into her mouth in small sips. Another act. Another stubbornness. Seems her sister lied about having an appetite again.
"Really," Lila muttered, hanging her head. "I’m surrounded by liars."
[ The Witch of Envy feels loved by those around her. ]
[ Favourability: 32 -> 39 ]
Hm? l’s spoon stuttered a little before resuming to eat. Did Lila overthink sothing again? She rely acts normally without a second thought. It also helped that the stew was as fantastic as she rembered. Saria could learn a thing or two from Lila!
"Master."
A neutral, dead tone of voice penetrated her thoughts. l smirked, as she judged by her pet’s habit not to initiate contact unless necessary, that ans...
"I have captured the... Undead rchant. I have yet to take away his . I will take him to a nearby forest. Sending the location now."
Wow. Seeing through him at first glance? Her familiar is terrifying.
"No issue." An image that carried the scent of wood flashed in her mory, as she nodded to herself. "I will be there soon."
For now, however, she peeked at Lila, silently gazing at her bowl while feeding herself a tasty stew. What a waste, the chef had to appreciate her own cooking more.
With a slight smirk, she nudged the housewife. "Co on now. Eat."
Lila rely glanced at l, the golden eyes caring nothing but sincerity. This. This is not an act.
"...mm." Lila smiled in silence.
Leia blinked at the duo, a certain warmth creeping over her frosty, weakened lungs.
She suddenly felt she could stomach another sip or two.
------------
In the end, however, Leia could only take three more sips before she coughed. Sensing this change before it happened, Lila carried Leia back to her bedroom, sending an apologetic gaze over to l.
"No worries. Take care of your sister first!"
Lila’s ti with her friend is always limited. Boiling the dicine takes ti. Gathering the herbs for dicine takes ti. Easing her sickly, stubborn sister to sleep takes ti. l learned not to judge, only compromising by offering to occasionally gather herbs and other food for Lila.
Wiping off the emptied bowls with a kitchen towel, she inquired for more information from her familiar. The rchant seed to have co with a couple of guards and adventurers, all knocked out and brainwashed into forgetting her assault.
"You did adjust the brainwash, right? No complete mory wipe?"
She scowled at the air, as if her cautiousness would reach the recipient. As her familiar, Nyxie inherited lower-tier versions of her abilities, including from her , a mory-wiping magic which could cause the target to forget even their closest family.
"Don’t worry, Master. I have been careful."
The Witch sighed in relief, finding irony that she was more scared of her pet than the humans.
"All done." She put aside the cleaned bowls before shouting at the open door.
"I’ll be off, Lila! Take care!"
No ti to waste. One more hour, and Leia would start coughing up blood again.
"Mm. Tell Miss Saria to co over if you can!"
"Will do!"
She waved goodbye to Lila and Leia, the latter harboring a knowing smile, before mouthing with her lips.
"Good luck."
Her steps halted at the door. Contemplate a little. Then her hand raised itself.
For a big, fat thumbs up.
Leaving behind a confused Lila and a chuckling Leia, she left the cottage, her heart beating urgently.
She had a sneaking suspicion that if she didn’t hurry, sothing unexpected might happen.
"That human wannabe rchant will pay for these troubles."
It is not his fault that Leia was poisoned, but thanks to his ’tear-jerking’ quest for love, Leia had to suffer in his stead. He is going to pay even though he’s not even the culprit who poisoned her!
l justified the little ’prank’ she would unleash on the poor soul before turning into an alleyway, the shadows enveloping her figure before she uttered.
"Switch: Witch Form."
Robes stretched into a luxurious dress. A Witch’s hat was woven atop her head. The Witch of Lust closed her eyes in focus. It has been a while since she practiced magic in secret, especially after she started living with the retired Holy Knight Saria.
She had to keep her identity under wraps after all. Her carefulness paid off with no one to know her identity, at the cost of a lack of practice for her Witchcraft.
After casting a barrier, she stretched out her hand. ""
A magic circle was conjured on the ground, before a two-foot-tall golem stood tall before her. The rock was glassy like obsidian, and the tiny blue pupils radiated eagerness to serve. Its chest held a blue core with patterns carved like roots, thrumming with a forgotten, dwarven power.
As the Witch of Lust, l specialised in and magic, followed by Magic that would rival the Witch of Greed’s awakened form.
l tried elents like fire before realising the small fla on her fingertip could only play a ’backburner prank’ on Lila. She adjusted quickly, though, upon learning how well her magic synergised together.
She extended her hand to the Golem. "."
An apprentice-buff magic. From the chant, a tale of a soldier’s desperate last stand for his lord, and the Golem’s soul flared up.
The Golem smashed its fist together and roared. He has always been the convenient ’tool’ for his master, a re speck of dust compared to the all-powerful Nyxia, so to be graced by her Master’s magic for the first ti bore imnse significance.
After being returned to the , he would gather more rockies for his rock babies again! He needed to brag to his wife about this!
[ Gatebearer’s stat doubled! Travel distance increased! ]
l patted the bumbling golem’s head, giggling as a weird sense of pride grew in her. After all, was considered one of the World’s , carrying potent offensive, buffing capability, much and more.
Paired up with her dear summons? A deadly combo was easily ford.
With a wave of her hand, the golem puffed out its chest with pride. Magical particles gathered at the core before forming into a blue, void-like portal. What used to take half a day for travel now takes only a step.
"Nyxia. Still there? No knights nearby?"
Like a certain Saria. She was no flagbearer, but asking won’t hurt the chances.
"None for now, Master. Aside from the wild animals around. Requesting elimination?"
"Please don’t."
A cold sweat dripped from l’s forehead. She knew her familiar was itching for a fight as her race’s instinct demanded, but not when she knew full well even the forest wouldn’t survive her assualt, and a sudden empty clearing was bound to attract attention.
"Now then..." With a nod to acknowledge the golem’s smiley eyes, she glanced over at the portal with a weird sentint, the void from within sucking out any hesitation.
And so with a steady gaze, she stepped forth.
For her best ending.
For her sister-in-law.
For Lila.
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