Chapter 26

“Umm….”

The sound of rustling leaves.

The chirping of mountain birds.

The sound of water flowing in the valley.

It was a harmonious blend, but to Mirabel, it felt like nothing more than an alarm forcing her to wake up.

She tried desperately to block her ears and not get up, but the sunlight streaming through the window struck her eyes directly.

“Ugh.”

Mirabel frowned, letting out a strange sound. Even though she tried to pull the blankets over herself and get some more sleep, it was already too late. After squirming around, she finally got up.

Dazed eyes.

Her hair was messy and tousled.

With a slow blink, Mirabel rubbed her eyes and got down from the bed, putting on her shoes.

She had learned that when she put on her shoes and went back to bed, Carami would scream strangely and cough up blood.

This had become a new habit for Mirabel, so she quietly took off her shoes and lay back down in bed.

Rubbing her eyes, Mirabel stepped out of the bedroom. The living room and kitchen, which were integrated, were filled with the familiar smell of stew. It was the same as always.

“Yawn… Did you sleep well?”

“Oh my, our daughter is awake?”

“Yes….”

“Look at you, waking up by yourself. Our daughter has grown up. Go wash your face and wake up. Breakfast is ready.”

These were also words she heard every day.

It was a lie she heard every day.

Whenever she was told breakfast was ready, there was nothing on the table. When she asked what had been prepared, she was scolded for coming too early and for setting the dishes.

‘Then, isn’t it true that nothing is prepared…?’

That curiosity naturally arose, but she didn’t voice it. After all, she had seen Harold being scolded by Naredi for saying, “You cook your own food!”

The girl knew well who held the real power in the household.

Mirabel created water with her magic to wash her face. The wash water didn’t drop but floated in the air, and she flicked it outside.

‘Huh…?’

Mirabel felt something was strange at that moment.

Normally, Carami would have murmured, “Such a precious thing…,” but now there was nothing.

Mirabel looked around the house. There was no sign of Carami anywhere.

“Mom, where did Master go?”

“Hmm? Maybe he’s out for a walk?”

Naredi said this without even looking at Mirabel. Mirabel thought it was strange that such a vague reply was just left hanging, but she dismissed it.

“I’ll go look for him.”

“Why? He’ll come back in on his own if you wait.”

“If Master gets attacked by a bear, it’d be a big deal.”

She was someone who felt uneasy being left alone.

Of course, if it was Carami, maybe she could convince even a bear. Imagining Carami talking to a bear, Mirabel let out a giggle.

Holding the celestial vow, Mirabel prepared to cast magic. Finding Carami wasn’t that difficult for her, unlike for others.

After all, they were bound by the shackles of souls. Even if she were on the other side of the world…

“Uh?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh, huh? The, the shackles? The shackles…?”

Mirabel flustered as she inspected her own soul. The shackles that had been wound around her soul had disappeared overnight.

“Uh, mom! The shackles are gone!”

“Oh my, isn’t that a good thing? Now you’re not a slave anymore.”

Naredi spoke in a dull tone, but to Mirabel, it didn’t sound entirely good.

Shackles of the soul.

Carami’s magic had an unusually strong binding force. When Colton suggested unbinding the shackles, she had tried to see if it would work, but it didn’t budge at all.

This was also true after Carami had awakened as a witch. Mirabel had concluded that unless it was Carami who placed the shackles, they could never be undone.

Thus, Mirabel felt reassured. It meant that no matter what happened, she would still be connected to Carami.

And now, those shackles had disappeared.

And Carami was nowhere to be seen.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down from Mirabel’s armpit.

“Mom, I’m going to find Master.”

Right, she just needed to find Carami.

She could just ask her to walk back with her.

“What kind of strange things are you saying? Do you think you’d willingly become a slave?”

“I’m not becoming a slave; I’m already Master’s slave!”

Naredi, who was stirring the stew, froze for a moment.

Naredi bit her lip.

“I was thankful for bringing you back safely, but you’ve turned odd…”

Naredi muttered in a dismayed voice, turning to look at Mirabel. Mirabel was fidgeting as if she might bolt at any moment.

Seeing that scene, Naredi sighed deeply. She tried to hide it, but it seemed she couldn’t.

Naredi decided to tell the truth.

“That person has left.”

“Left? Where to?”

“I don’t know. He said he had no more business here. Maybe he’s gone to take care of other matters?”

“Why, why did he leave me…?”

Naredi approached the confused Mirabel, bending down to meet her gaze.

“You don’t have to think too complicatedly. Mirabel has safely returned to her mother’s arms, and you’re no longer a slave. So this shackles are now—”

Thud!

“Ugh?”

Mirabel roughly brushed aside Naredi’s hand as she tried to remove the shackles around her neck. Stepping back, Mirabel wrapped her arms around the shackles. Her gaze towards Naredi was sharp, filled with wariness.

“What are you doing?”

“M-Mirabel?”

“This was put on me by Master. No one but Master can touch it. Not even you, Mom.”

Left speechless by the shock, Naredi stood still as Mirabel anxiously scanned her soul once more.

The fallen shackles.

There were traces of magic indicating the spell that had been cast, remnants of magical energy remained.

Mirabel hurriedly gathered the magical energy to check it.

‘Too little….’

And it was too weak.

It must have been the passage of time.

Furthermore, Carami had always had an exceptionally poor level of magical power. The shackles were just unusually sturdy.

With this, she couldn’t locate Carami. For now, she hastily gathered what remained of Carami’s magic and carefully stored it in one part of her body like a precious treasure.

With a serious expression, Mirabel fell into thought.

‘Why did Master leave me behind?’

Wasn’t she still unfreed?

She was still alive, wasn’t she?

She had said that raising her value would make her feel better when she was finally freed.

Then, if the shackles were removed, did that mean she wasn’t worth freeing?

Did it mean she was worthless and was cast aside?

‘Ah.’

One thought flashed in Mirabel’s mind.

While climbing the mountain, she had said something to Carami. That she wanted to postpone her liberation. That she had developed lingering feelings. That had been an action contrary to Carami’s great intention.

So, Carami had abandoned her. Because she was no longer valuable. Having received all she could, she acted shamelessly.

“Huff, huff.”

Mirabel’s face turned pale.

She gasped for breath, and her racing heartbeat filled her senses.

“I know it’s sad to part with someone dear, but still, isn’t it a good thing? You returned safely to your mother’s side, and you’re no longer a slave. You can be sweet with your mom here…”

Just as Naredi was trying to persuade Mirabel, Mirabel suddenly raised her head sharply and dashed into the room. Soon, she came out dressed in a maid outfit, carrying a small bag.

“What, what are you doing?”

“I have to go find Master. He probably hasn’t gone far.”

After all, he was someone with poor stamina.

Even if he went far, it would just be to a nearby town. It wasn’t too late. If she chased after him, she could catch up.

“What crazy talk is this? Why are you chasing after him?”

“I’m Master’s slave.”

“You’re not a slave anymore, I told you!”

Mirabel vigorously shook her head.

“Once a slave, always a slave.”

Even if it meant dying.

That was the nature of her relationship with Carami.

Seeing her daughter’s dizzying mindset, Naredi pressed her hand to her forehead.

“How did I let you go to such a dangerous place again?”

“Dad said so. I am the one who will create a world where witches don’t have to hide. The one who will bring miracles.”

“He did say that…?”

“To create such a world, I can’t just live in a hut like this.”

Mirabel returned, having matured significantly in the months they hadn’t seen each other. For a moment, Naredi’s eyes moistened with her daughter’s growth. As a parent, she felt an overwhelming mix of emotions that were hard to express in words.

If only she weren’t planning to leave to become a slave. If only that wasn’t the case, it could have been a truly warm scene.

Unaware of her mother’s feelings, her stubborn daughter had already packed her bags and prepared to leave.

“Are you really going? What if something happens to you? How am I supposed to live alone?”

“It’s okay, Mom. I’m a proper witch now. And I have the magic that Master taught me. I won’t fall for anything like before.”

Naredi couldn’t suppress her admiration for her daughter’s confident attitude.

Where did that stubbornness come from?

‘Should I try to stop her by force?’

No, she couldn’t.

If they fought, Naredi would lose.

Even if they were both witches, their levels were different.

This could no longer be stopped.

“Sigh… fine. But wait a moment.”

While rummaging through the hut, Naredi brought out an old book. It was thick with dust, giving away how long it had been since it was last read.

“This was written by my maternal grandmother. So it was written by Mirabel’s great-grandmother, but since I lack the talent for magic, I couldn’t understand it well.”

“And?”

“I thought you might be able to learn from it.”

Naredi flipped through the book.

“Look at it when you’re bored. Got it?”

When you’re bored, study.

What a peculiar thing to say, but for a witch, studying was simply a form of entertainment. Mirabel’s eyes sparkled the moment she received the book.

“Wow… thank you. I’ll enjoy reading it.”

Naredi looked at Mirabel, who held the book in her hands with a mix of emotions swirling in her eyes.

Who would have thought she would pass on that book to Mirabel? It was truly a complicated and wondrous feeling.

“So this is how the knowledge of witches continues.”

Putting the book into her bag, Mirabel stepped outside. Naredi followed her out to see her off.

“Do you really have to wear that? I brought some clothes for you.”

What Mirabel was wearing was a short maid outfit. While it was cute like a little maid, it wasn’t suitable for traveling.

But Mirabel shook her head.

“It’s okay. I like this outfit the most.”

“Live as you wish, then…”

“Yes, I will definitely do that. Hehe.”

With determined steps, Mirabel moved further away. Watching her daughter leave, Naredi began to say the last things she needed to.

“Don’t skip meals. Don’t follow strangers. If you think something is strange, cut off your hands.”

“I got it.”

“If you can’t find that person or if something is hard, feel free to come back anytime. Mom will always be here waiting for you. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, take care.”

Waving her hand as Mirabel faded into the distance, Naredi too waved her hand back.

Mirabel set off on her journey to find her lost master and to become a slave once more.

Accompanied by a death god trailing behind her.

***

“Ugh…”

Somewhere in the thick forest.

In a place where dense trees blocked the sky, casting dark shadows, a forest fairy lay curled up against a large tree like a shrimp.

With a pained expression, the fairy clutched her chest.

Cold sweat poured down like a waterfall, running down her body and soaking the grass, and faint groans escaped between her tightly clenched teeth.

Yet the fairy simply endured.

Without asking for help from anyone.

Pain was something she had grown accustomed to.