[Witch P.O.V]
“Damn it”
The boiling soup made the pot lid clutter, prompting me to rush over before god knows how much of a mess It’d make, one that I have no desire to clean up afterwards whatsoever.
“I’ll never use bell-flower serpent tail ever again”
I sighed, it’s been quite the long day and I couldn’t be bothered to be carefree like usual, just the idea of my free time disintegrating into nothingness makes me rub my temples in a headache.
“Sleeping so soundly… quite the audacity”
I glanced over at the unconscious young girl, now laying on the comfort of my bed and the primary reason why I now have to sleep on the sofa instead.
“Still… a ‘defect’ huh?”
The way she referred to herself as such irks me, perhaps it hit a nerve seeing how much I hated that look in her eyes, those light-less dull ones that desperately clings unto hope, a worthless desire for a miracle that would never come.
Such a dim soul naively looking for change to advocate a turning point in their miserable life irritates me as they reminded me of the nightmares from the past, a past where as you grow older you begin to understand that no such bliss will come, so in the end you have no choice but to give in.
I heaved a sigh, despite the trouble that came with her and the meddlesome matters that I’d have to deal with sooner or later after taking her in, I found that I wasn’t as irritated as usual even with all the problematic affairs.
“Blanca, report”
“Yes mistress, this is from the lab located at the second sector of rafflesia town”
As blanca stretched her arm outward, I couldn’t help but notice the tear in her uniform’s sleeve, her forearm had a few cuts with one brazing over the left side of her neck.
Seeing the sight in front of me made me raise my brow in a frown, the blood was also not clothing so I decided to fix that.
[Minor seal, 12th commandment]
“Labeling you stupid for such a mistake might be uncalled for, but I’ll do so anyways since you were quite the reckless fool”
I huffed irritably as I fixed the ends of her mixture of white and black hair while dispelling the curse that came with it which she failed to notice at all.
“Tell me, what kind of guardian lets herself be so simpleminded? It seems like you’re in need of another long ‘session’ with your elder sister Ada”
“M-my apologies mistress…”
“Tch, I recall reminding you not to get hurt despite it being your human form, be sure to reflect properly, you were lucky they didn’t manage to bind your soul”
“Understood… before I forget mistress, I believe I’m obligated to add my peculiar encounter to my report”
“Speak”
“As you can see, these wounds are the result of a new weapon, in regards to my personal experience, I believe it is necessary to rate it a danger level of 5.7”
“hoh? Even higher than Gunnhildr?”
“I am ashamed to admit the fact, but yes… it seems to be a weapon of the same type but with better performance and modifications”
“Hmm… I particularly remember that child being one of the prominent 13 survivors in the research facility, the primary reason being her high proficiency towards runes, no?”
“Yes mistress, that is correct, aside from the fact that she has high magic inheritance ability, she was the only one who managed to learn runes at the age of 2 and was fully able to grasp it when she turned 4”
“I see, no wonder they kept her alive for so long”
“Pardon?”
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“I don’t know whether to label you slow or just lacking of common sense since you posses superior intellect most of the time when it comes to anything else, but at times like these you really lack the smarts”
“I apologize…”
“The girl specializes in runes correct? Now a pop quiz, what do these weapons run on?”
“That’s! I see… no wonder they were able to develop a far improved version so quickly, it was her work”
“Bravo, the next thing I know you’ll inform me of the world’s spherical shape”
“…”
“Alright, enough of that for now… how much did you find out about the girl?”
“She’s… in all honesty mistress, forgive me for the lack of better words, but she’s practically a functional ‘imitation’, from the circuits on her veins to the modified parts of her body, the only difference is that she doesn’t have the ‘authority’ to ‘influence’.”
“I see… how much of her biology was altered?”
“90% mistress, they even replaced her eyes and the rest of her vital organs, only keeping the brain left untouched”
“...Shit, did they transfer her brain to a homunculi body?”
“Yes… her current body was specifically made to be a ‘vessel’, they must’ve assumed that creating a body catered to handle mana would be able to make a witch”
“Hahhh… they dragged a helpless child into the mix because of their petty obsession, she hadn’t even had the chance to become a proper young lady yet”
“In this time and age, not many get the chance mistress… I believe you’re aware of that better than most”
“I Know, being aware however, does not mean I’ll stand idly by anymore”
“What does mistress plan to do?”
“I’ll directly intervene from now on and take her under my wing, and if they say otherwise, I’ll let them witness firsthand what a ‘witch’ can do”
“Fufu~ finally breaking the ice I see, I must admit that mistress is more charming when she’s honest”
“Enough fooling around, I should be busy planning what comes after, so do me a favor and go to town”
“Do you not need assistance in taking care of her mistress?”
“I’ll raise her on my own for now, having too many people would make it difficult for her to move around”
“Understood… I’ll return by dinner then”
Blanca takes off with a grocery list and basket on hand, closing the door and allowing the silence to dominate the vast emptiness of the house, leaving me alone with the slumbering child with nothing but the sounds of the cackling pot lid to accompany me.
.
.
.
“mhhmm.. urgh…”
“Awake? Perfect, I’d just about enough watching you sleep, it was getting quite boorish”
Setting the book I was reading aside, I hunched over towards her and took off the cold towel placed on her head, setting it aside while I sat by the bed to properly face her.
“Miss witch…?”
“Well then, how long are you planning to deprive me of my own bed?”
“I’m sorry… how long have I been asleep?”
“Long enough for me to switch your left arm and leg”
“...!”
“Fufu~ I merely jest child, relax, you’re being too stiff”
“I see… then, does miss witch need me for something?”
“None at the moment, for now just sit down and eat”
With a snap of my fingers, the newly heated soup prepared on the table levitated towards my hand, allowing me to give the broth to her, to which the foolish girl gulped down joyfully.
“Understood, thanks for the meal”
“No hesitation… one would’ve thought you’d learn your lesson by now, wasn’t the lab enough of an experience for you?”
Caught off guard, the girl looked at me like I was a complete lunatic, her face exclaiming ‘seriously?’ with wide eyes before uttering her response with a deadpan face.
“I’m immune to poison miss witch”
“...”
“Miss Witch doesn’t need to worry too much, I’m quite confident in my judgment”
I sighed, crossing my legs and then laying my chin on my hand as I locked eyes with her intimidatingly.
“That’s something only a fool would say, have you forgotten that witches not only specialize in poison but curses as well?”
“...”
“You’re still far too naive child, impulsiveness will only seal your fate at an early grave, don’t you know that?”
I smirked, no matter how smart she believed herself to be, she’s still 200 years too early to win an argument against me.
“I yield, miss witch clearly knows best”
The girl smiled as she raised her hands in surrender with a serene look on her face, I didn’t understand why at the time, but I knew that she looked so much better when she smiled, the warmth that came with it was indeed something special.
“Back to the topic at hand then, you said you wanted to stay here correct?”
“Yes miss witch, I can’t idle at human settlements for too long, they’ll find me”
“Since you plan to stay firm in your decision, then I will accommodate you, but be warned, you’ll need to learn how to survive in this forest, and the process will be hell”
“Is miss witch underestimating me because I’m a child? Well it doesn’t matter”
The young girl paused, she twirled her long and messy purple hair between her fingers in amusement while making the following claims with a tinge of madness, a smirk escaping her lips as her bright red eyes turned emerald green.
“Since hell is my best friend”