I Picked Up a Witch from a Novel

**The Story of Asha**

People often say that bad memories linger in the mind for a long time, but I have always found that only good and happy things stick with me, leaving a vivid impression in my memory.

My first meeting with Ain.

The fuzzy old clothes Ain first offered me.

The sweet candy he first handed over.

Undamaged food, plenty of medicine and bandages.

And.

The hero’s great sword that blocked me with open arms.

The clumsy yet cozy house made of wooden planks.

My first bath in a public restroom and the new clothes Ain gave me.

The first fall festival I attended.

Two colorful marbles and a smile.

The grocery store, my new home.

The time spent working alongside Ain.

I have already accumulated so many memories.

Before I knew it, all the time I spent with Ain remained vividly in my mind, guiding me forward.

And I wished for my feelings to follow that path as well.

Although not all of it was gentle, even my gloomy emotions were yearning for Ain and wanting to protect him.

In other words, everything about me is connected to him.

I live solely for Ain.

Only Ain is the god of my world.

Only Ain is my savior.

“…, Ah, In.”

In the deepening of my feelings, I carved a wound into my forearm.

Now, emotions that once rampaged deep within me began to calm down gradually.

I am still foolish, not even knowing what emotions I feel.

It has become too difficult for my ignorant self since so many feelings are mixed together.

However.

I vow.

Even if I am a beast that cannot suppress my own emotions, I will live a life for Ain.

I swear to Ain, my own god, not to a world’s god that only gives me trials and pain.

If acting out of the pretense that I wish to be together meant blocking his path, I would rather die.

My body is yours.

My soul is yours.

So.

“Travel.”

Ain, I will endure any pain for you.

“It’s okay to go, Ain.”

Though my emotions scream not to say such things.

My body trembles to silence my mouth, and my expression changes to something I can’t even recognize.

Before I knew it, ash began to swirl around, mixing with the snow, and I said.

“Ain, I can wait.”

I gaze directly at him in the landscape where gray eyes fall.

“I’m fine, Ain. I can wait.”

I want to be of help to him.

I don’t want to see him suffer and be sad.

I smile so that Ain will not be uncomfortable.

I nod my head so he can embark on the journey he wishes for.

This is the path I have chosen.

In fact, I faced countless dilemmas.

The battle between emotion and reason drew out for a long time, constantly whispering in my ears.

Instinctively, I wanted to make a choice for myself, not for him.

I wanted to bind him with ropes so that he could not leave my side.

I wanted his starry eyes to only look at me.

I wished for him not to talk to anyone but me.

Such dark and gloomy thoughts have always been inside me.

They are things that cannot change, no matter how hard I try.

And.

The conflict with my emotions continued for a long time.

As the day of departure approached, I became more frantic.

Every time he wore a troubled expression, I wished he would say nothing.

I had to bleed every night.

I know what sadness is.

It is the feeling I have when Ain is in pain.

I know what fear is.

It means being abandoned by Ain.

I have come to understand what sorrow is.

It signifies parting from Ain.

I will learn what loneliness is.

It means eventually separating and being alone again.

Before long, I became more aware of such things.

When I recalled the fact that I would have to part with Ain, I became profoundly sad and sorrowful.

As a result, I had to bleed every night.

My clothes became soaked, and even the sheets on my bed turned red.

Only when the exhaustion pushed me to the floor after it began dripping down did my emotions gradually settle.

I always bled too much and felt dizzy, collapsing on the damp bed.

However, I never recited spells to turn back.

If I did.

I would end up bleeding again until sunrise, repeating the process until I collapsed once more.

As time passed, when my eyes fluttered, and sleep drew near, I would mumble softly.

So.

If you ask how I made such a resolution.

I would say that there was a moment among all those countless memories that allowed me to make that promise.

That day, there was the warmth of the hands we held together.

The bond that carried on since childhood remained warmly connected.

I loved it so much.

I wanted to keep holding hands and be together.

“…, Hehe.”

At some point, I found myself letting out a silly and strange laugh.

Since I didn’t want to show this side to Ain, I quickly fixed my expression and glanced at him.

Then he spoke first.

“Let’s go. Where do you want to go?”

I thought anywhere with Ain would be good.

However.

If I had to choose, the market, where I could see his new side, was the best.

“…, I won’t eat any caterpillars.”

Always speaking so resolutely that he wouldn’t eat them.

“Are you not going to eat?”

When I asked him that several times, his eventual surrender was something I looked forward to.

Despite clearly disliking caterpillars, my heart raced when he closed his eyes and opened his mouth.

“Ain, it’s delicious.”

“…, It’s delicious.”

With a face that clearly shows it’s not tasty, he still answered it was delicious, making my fingertips tremble.

In reality.

This was a desire to see Ain working hard for me.

But it was also a small revenge against him, who was trying to leave my side.

If I held such feelings, I thought at least I ought to bear this much.

I think that way.

So.

After finishing our conversation at the market, we went to a plaza where various colors danced.

At the end of autumn.

The peaceful empire’s plaza held its own ambiance, making me feel unusually elated.

Ain always treated me well, but this rare opportunity to walk together was perhaps one of the reasons my heart soared even higher.

Before I knew it, I was smiling widely, pulling him by the hand.

Fallen leaves.

A pile of fallen leaves.

I suddenly became curious about a pile of leaves that looked incredibly soft.

“This looks cozy.”

Saying that, I dashed and dove into it.

What was the result, you ask?

“Ain…, this is not cozy.”

“….”

Ain looked at me with an expression of disbelief, while I was a complete mess.

This was Ain’s fault for not warning me that the pile of leaves was not cozy.

Moreover, the leaves were annoying to have in my clothes.

“Hehe, it’s itchy. Ain, get the ones that are still inside my clothes out.”

“Just wait a bit…, no. You can’t take off your clothes outside…!”

As I tried to strip impulsively, I ended up getting scolded by Ain.

“Ah!”

“Ain, don’t be mad and get the leaves out.”

“Don’t take it off!”

However.

Thinking back, it was also Ain’s fault for not telling me in advance that it would tickle once I dove into the leaf pile.

Time spent with him was delightful.

Even without the leaves, my heart fluttered continuously.

Even without holding hands, my heart warmed little by little.

As the end of the day drew near,

For some reason, we naturally headed towards an alley and came upon a shabby and clumsy wooden house.

That house is a precious memory to me.

Because it contains the love he crafted with his own hands, even as he banged away in pain.

Because the sound of my heart, pounding in rhythm with that tapping, still echoes in my ears.

I can smile at the now weathered wooden house.

“Are you sad?”

Even as I heard his words, I fiddled with the moldy wooden planks, staring at it blankly.

There is his breath.

There is his affection.

No matter how old and shabby it becomes, his indelible traces remain.

So I answered.

“…, No. I’m fine.”

“Really?”

With a slightly lighter heart, I stood back up.

“Yeah, this isn’t my home anymore.”

“….”

I looked at him and gave a bright smile.

“Ain and Uncle gave me a new house, so it’s okay. This can remain as a memory.”

In other words, I haven’t left behind anything.

I gathered every piece of memory that was left behind.

Even the fragments that remained, I gently gathered them all up.

So I can say it’s okay.

Thus.

I grasped his hand again and took a step forward first.

Ain quietly murmured.

“Asha.”

In that moment, I didn’t understand what it was and tilted my head.

“Your name.”

He said that it was the name given to me.

“Uh…?”

Thump—

And my heart echoed.

Thump—

That one word resonated louder than ever, igniting all sorts of emotions.

Thump—

My face turned red, my fingertips reached toward him.

My eyes began to tremble, and I even forgot the words I was meant to say, leaving my mouth agape.

Thump—

My heart raced relentlessly, never slowing down.

Is this dreamy feeling truly happiness?

Though I still cannot know, I ultimately fell into his embrace with a bright smile.

Thus.

Today, I built new memories again.

My name.

The name he gave me.

Asha.

I am Asha.

So.

I can endure with these in my heart.

I thought I could let him go.

I am hoping.

For him to become happy, for him to achieve what he wishes.

I wished it fervently, more than my own desires and emotions.

I am a good child.

I live my life for Ain.