I Picked Up a Witch from a Novel

Episode 4-b. Ominous, damp, yet pure and innocent.

Inserting Ain’s hair and nails, infusing mana into the ancient words subtly engraved on the device.

– Name, Ain.

– Age, 19 years.

– Current Status, Stable.

– Location, A twisted and intersecting space-time, Verseo.

In interpreting it, the information was roughly like this.

It was a short amount of information that could be considered negligible. However, it was all we could discern after spending a night by the campfire and even consuming the morning until the sun rose.

A sound of someone collapsing heavily was heard.

“Waaaah…, it’s finally over….”

“…, You worked hard.”

That was the sound of me and Eileen, engrossed in our interpretations while scooping cold stew.

By now, the campfire had died down, and the snowflakes that had been pouring were just lying piled on the ground.

The sky was clear.

The once-filled dark clouds had vanished without a trace, leaving only a round and blazing sun above the blue sky.

And.

Eileen, who had been lying down staring at the sky, was now looking at me with a bashful smile.

“Still, it’s not far to the Verseo ruins, Asha-nim…! If we drive the carriage diligently, we can arrive in less than a week, hee hee….”

Although there was a strangely ominous and unsettling mix in her laughter, I too, despite my fatigue, found the corners of my mouth curving up.

It’s only a week.

Compared to the three years that have passed, it would not take long at all to meet Ain.

In other words, the moment when the hardships of the past would finally be rewarded was approaching.

“Fuhihi.”

“Hehe…!”

“Hehehe….”

“Hehe!”

So we exchanged glances before turning our heads back up to the sky, letting out those bizarre and light-hearted laughs.

It seems we laughed silently until Eileen, exhausted, fell asleep.

Of course, I also felt a hint of embarrassment about it later, but there was nothing I could do.

Even after loading the sleeping Eileen into the carriage and sitting on the driver’s seat, I whipped the reins to set off.

“Fuhihi.”

Weird laughter kept leaking out of my mouth.

“Fuh…, hehe.”

Even as the carriage jolted along, my laughter could be heard, which might have been a little frightening when the night fell.

When Eileen woke up and stretched, I still was making those strange and light noises.

“Asha-nim.”

“Fuhihi,… Yes?”

“That…, um. Never mind. You seem to be in a good mood!”

It seemed Eileen was somewhat taken aback by my behavior, but the truth was, after a certain moment, I just couldn’t stop it.

“Fuh….”

To be honest.

If I didn’t release my emotions like this, it would be like ash scattering everywhere uncontrollably.

Intensified emotions are akin to the driving force of ash.

To avoid becoming violent, I had to let it out in these ways.

If this level of emotion started converting into mana and ash began to scatter, it could potentially wipe out the entire forest along the roadside.

Besides, if I just suppressed these overwhelming feelings, they would eventually explode like a bomb at some point.

I thought it better to laugh heartily like this, even if it seemed a little strange.

At first.

I definitely thought that way.

However.

The size of the emotions was so grand that, by the time it was about to conclude, it grew larger, and even when it was calming down, it somehow expanded more.

No matter how much time passed, it never seemed to come to an end.

My light-hearted and bizarre laughter went on for an hour, then two.

It continued past half a day, a full day passed, and into the night.

Even during camping or while continuing to drive the carriage, it didn’t stop.

It didn’t cease even when facing a group of Impeors that jumped out from the forest or encountering bandits suddenly threatening us with swords.

“Fuhihi.”

I was just laughing.

Perhaps because of my demeanor, the bandits fled in terror without even drawing their swords.

Gradually, I was beginning to lose control of my strength.

I could kill Impeors without hesitation, but at this point, it seemed like I wouldn’t just stop at overwhelming the bandits.

“But I’m starting to feel a bit scared, Asha-nim….”

“Hehe….”

“I’m really starting to feel scared….”

What can I do?

I’m scared too.

I don’t even know when this laughter will end.

At first, I thought it might end when I finally faced Ain.

Now, it seems the moment I see Ain’s face, an even larger emotion will burst forth.

Yes.

The emotions that have accumulated over the past three years were like this.

With my eyes gleaming, sparkling, my lips constantly curling up, and my pent-up feelings intensifying and spilling out.

If I held back my laughter, I’d end up making a beastly sound and drooling.

“A, Asha-nim! The ash! The ash is scattering! There’s a carriage coming from the opposite side, so please calm down…!”

Just a little distraction, and the ash began to scatter.

So.

The more I felt myself drawing closer to him, the more my heart raced.

The feelings I had endured, bottling them up somehow in the past, were spilling out uncontrollably.

Everything I worked so hard to be normal was crumbling, and all the ominous and dark thoughts were being vomited out, pouring out chaotically.

Ain.

Ain.

Ain.

Ain, Ain, Ain.

“Asha-nim…!! Please stop! I’m really scared now…!”

I want to see you soon.

I want to be in your arms soon.

I want to cover the traces of other women left on your hands with my own.

It’s mine.

You belong to me.

Ain.

No other woman can be with you.

Absolutely.

I can never allow it.

The prostitute who held your hand in a brothel.

I tried really hard not to tear her apart.

Lucia, who placed her hand on your shoulder.

I endured a lot just by not harming her.

All the women even slightly connected to you.

I bit my lips, trembling, just to not kill them.

Ain.

Ain, Ain.

Ain, Ain, Ain, Ain.

This is all your fault, Ain.

You saved me, made kind words, and took care of me.

You gave me warm clothes when I was trembling, sweet candy when I was dazed, and medicine and bandages when I was injured and festering, brought me food when I was starving.

“Ah….”

You protected me, shielded me, reached out your hand, held my hand, taught me, we embraced, you gently held me, bathed me, cared for me, petted me, smiled at me, fed me, put a robe on me, hung a necklace around my neck, received the bracelet you gave me, went on dates together, created memories, and made long promises.

“Fuh….”

You’ve made me someone who knows nothing but you.

Someone who can only love you.

“Ain.”

And yet.

It’s your fault for leaving my side for three entire years.

“Ain.”

I have no energy to care for Eileen, who is trembling in fear.

I’m at my limit just trying to ensure the ash doesn’t scatter around her.

Just getting all this ash that keeps leaking and revealing my identity pushed away into the forest beside us is already overwhelming.

“Fuhihi…, Ain.”

I even started to feel like I was going crazy, yet I struggled to manage the ash and my body that was slipping from control.

With trembling hands, I barely grasped the reins and had to whip them again to urge the carriage forward.

I needed to take out a handful of Ildrin’s suppressants and pour them into my mouth.

“Fuh…, uhh.”

“Asha-nim, it might be better to just go into the forest and shake it all off….”

Eileen said, clinging to my clothes with a terrified expression yet filled with worry.

However.

“Hehe…, it’s best to keep going. Fuh, even if I shake it off, it will quickly fill back up.”

My feelings for Ain aren’t simple; it surely won’t end just by pouring it all out in the forest.

So, I barely managed to answer that and again whipped the reins.

I made the horses recover with magic if they showed signs of fatigue, and kept pushing forward.

Having done so well until now, I can’t falter right in front of Ain.

So.

I want to see him soon.

I want to go to his side soon.

To hold hands again, hug each other countless times, be petted by his gentle hand, and face him smiling at me.

I want to be ordinary like others.

Please, I want to be ordinary with him.

I too.

“….”

I want to be normal.

I hope that I won’t be in such a bizarre state.

“Fuhhe….”

I don’t want to be swept away by emotions, laughing ominously, trembling while being unable to control myself.

Ain.

Ain.

Ain.

Ain, Ain, Ain, Ain, Ain.

My beloved Ain.

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