Bon Appétit

Looking at Luana, lost in thought, Gerald sighed a little.

Just as Luana learns about the witch from Gerald, he also learns about Luana. It wasn’t long before he noticed she had a thing for the duke. He couldn’t tell if it was love or friendship, but he didn’t like it either way.

‘Why him from all people!’

He was from the witch-slayer family! He hasn’t killed a witch yet, but look at what his ancestors did. They did what they deserved to be cursed at and did not reflect on themselves. Even that was not enough; they even caught witches and killed them. Gerald can’t believe Luana likes someone from that family. He was displeased in many ways but decided not to talk about it.

Because the little witch would get angry when he denied what they believed. In this part, the older one needed to be considerate. He also planned to hide the wanted sign of Luana from her for the time being. If he told her, it’d only bother Luana. There was something more important than that now.

Gerald talked to Luana as he sorted out his shopping basket. Luana, secretly reaching out to the diary he had put down, looked at him, startled. She looked like a cat who was caught stealing fish. It was cute, so he couldn’t help smiling.

“By the way, there’s something I didn’t tell you.”

“What? What is it?”

“This Witch’s Night is in three days. I’m going to be away for a while. Do you want to come with me?”

“In three days?”

“Yes, it is usually held once every three to five years, and that’s this year.”

“So you say I’ll have to wait three to five years to become a witch next time?”

“Yeah.”

“Argh!”

Luana screamed and put her hands around her cheek. She hasn’t decided yet whether she will remain human or whether she will be a witch, but The Witch’s Night is three days away! If she misses this time, she must wait a few years for the next. She stomped her feet around the living room.

If she’s simply deciding her own future, she’ll be fine with it a little more relaxed. But what Luana was looking, for now, was a way to break the duke’s curse. She confirmed that there was nothing else in the diary except the beginning of the curse. No matter how often she reread it, except for a few daily stories, everything was just a recipe for cooking.

She tried flipping it over to see if there was a hidden password, splashed some water on it, and even put it close to the candle, but there was nothing! So she changed my mind; maybe she’ll have to be a witch to figure out how to lift the curse?

She was going to ask more about Witch’s Night and witches when Gerald returned.

‘But… I didn’t know it would be in three days!’

Now she began to pull her hair with both hands covering her cheeks. Tears welled up in her eyes at the pain she felt on her scalp, but her nervousness subsided a bit. Then, she asked Gerald,

“Gerald!”

“Yes, Luana.”

“Can Gerald also curse others?

“I can.”

“Then, do you know how to break the curse?”

“Isn’t it in Elanya’s diary?”

“There was nothing. I’ve read it, and there was nothing. So can you please tell me how to break the curse? You said if I looked into the diary, I would know, but nothing was written about that! So please tell me if there’s any other way.”

Luana asked, pouting her lips.

After reading the diary, Luana knew that the witch and the duke were enemies, so she did not actively ask. But no matter how much she looked at the diary, there was nothing about lifting the curse; she became frustrated. Now was not the time for her to question that.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know.”

“Gerald is a witch, too!”

“I really don’t know. Each witch casts a curse differently and has a different method to release it. As long as I’m not Elanya, I don’t know how to manage to break the curse.”

Is it different for every witch? Luana was in despair.

“You don’t know, even though you’re friends?”

You’re acting like you were her best friend in the world, yet you don’t know that!

“Luana, do you tell your friends everything? Magic and curses are topics where even friends don’t easily tell each other.”

Gerald kindly replied to Luana. When she thought about it, she realized that no matter how close friends are, they don’t tell everything about each other. It’s not easy for a person to know everything about the other person unless they use telepathy.

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

Luana became sullen and sat down on the chair. She then leaned her head back and looked at the ceiling.

‘Will it be much different if I become a witch? Will the duke look at her the way he used to when she became a witch? No, he thinks now I’m an apprentice witch, right?’

But aren’t apprentice witches and real witches different? Luana had a headache.

“Will I be much different from now if I become a witch?”

“It’s going to be different. Luana is not an official witch, so you’re no different. But everything will be different when you become one. You’ll get to know more witches; you’ll use magic. Maybe it will change the way you think a little bit.”

After all, when the environment changes, people change too. Even when she tried to think like that, she could not help but feel a subtle reluctance. She’s been living as a human until now, but if she suddenly becomes a witch, she thought those recipes were very coveted, but it was natural for her to hesitate.

“But Luana, a lot will change when you become a witch, but that doesn’t mean you’ll disappear. Whether you’re a human or a witch, Luana is Luana.”

“Did that happen for Gerald, too?”

“Yes. Now that I think about it, Luana looks a lot like Elanya, but you’re different.”

“How was my mother?”

“As soon as she knew she was a descendant of a witch, she got excited and became a witch immediately. She was a very positive witch.”

“Was there no one around her to stop her?”

“I don’t think so. Elanya was an orphan. She didn’t even know she was a witch’s descendant until she met me. But Elanya was always Elanya. Whether when she was a human or a witch. She was always the same.”

She was the same person, whether a human or a witch. That encouraged Luana a little.

“I made up my mind.”

When she turned her head, Gerald looked at Luana with a gentle smile.

“I, I want to be a witch.”

She decided to think about the present rather than the distant future. Yeah, just because she’s a witch doesn’t mean she changes herself. Luana decided to choose the present.

“All right, let’s go to the Witch’s Night together. I’ll inform them that a young witch candidate is coming with me.”

“Yes!”

Luana, who answered bravely, reached out to the diary again while Gerald was off guard. Of course, Gerald manages to stop her again.

“Take a proper rest and try again later.”

“Ugh.”

Luana still couldn’t beat Gerald.

***

Three days later, Luana was standing in front of an unfamiliar forest. Considering the distance from Gerald’s house to the forest, it makes no sense for her to arrive in three days. But the witch’s magic made it possible.

She was visited by the witch who had made Gerald’s house spacious.

“Keep it connected.”

For the second time in her life, she saw a witch who uttered a spell in a clear voice, and since then, one of the several doors has been connected to another that led her to this forest.

“It’s a forest that people call a magic forest. There are many similar trees, so it is difficult to find the way, and there are wild beasts. So from now on, just follow my lead.”

Of course, Luana followed Gerald’s words. She has worked hard to come this far, but she can’t be ended up as the wild beasts’ feast! Before she knew it, a round moon rose above the dark forest. It was a full moon.

“When the moon is round, it is the most powerful time for magic. That’s why The Witch’s Night always happens at this time.”

Gerald kindly explained and guided the way. Luana followed in his footsteps and suddenly realized at one point. A small light from somewhere stuck to his side. At first, she thought it was a firefly, but soon it wasn’t.

“Fairy!”

Gerald turned and laughed as she shouted in surprise.

“That’s right.”

The little light gradually increased. And when the dense trees were nowhere in sight, a large open space. There were a lot of lights moving like it was dancing, and it was a sight to behold.

“It’s pretty.”

“The fairy light is always beautiful.”

A wind blew from somewhere, and she heard a small song. The singers were other witches who appeared from among the trees. They gathered in the open space, humming high and low. Then, as they gathered to some extent, they began to greet each other.

“Long time no see!”

“Yeah, it’s been five years, isn’t it?”

“How many little witches will there be this time?”

A woman with navy blue hair appeared among them as they chattered. Then the surroundings quickly became quiet.

“It’s the Great Witch!”

At someone’s words, the blue-haired woman smiled and waved her hand. She came here saying hello to every witch she encountered.

“Gerald!”

The Great Witch was a beauty who appeared to be in her late 20s.

‘Are all witches beautiful?’

The witch who cast the space magic was also a beauty. She pondered for a moment but then realized it wasn’t. Gerald said Luana resembled her mother, Elanya, who was a witch.

“Miss Sara.”

Gerald greeted the witch. After greeting, Sarah’s gaze immediately turned to Luana.

“Is it this child?”

“That’s right.”

“You really look like your mom! Hello? My name is Sarah.”

Luana could feel her gaze full of kindness with her friendly smile.