Chereads / Curse of The Witch / Chapter 3 - Village

Chapter 3 - Village

The sun already high at sky, paving a path for a certain young man. Under the shadow of trees, a single man walking. Slowly pulled his cart while experiencing a new feelings that he's never expected to come back, a feeling of joy. He's walking, and sometimes humming a weird song to relieve his boredom.

"It's been a while since the last time I feel this happy,...." thought him.

Until recently, Orion was lost in despair. He didn't know what reason he live, and what reason he is walking all this time. Seeking a reason for his endless journey to end, but, he can't stop walking. As if his reason for living was wandering on the mortal world without reason. He is still vividly remember the despair that he felt back then, but in the end, a certain young girl come to his aid. Thwart his plan to end his endless journey.

"Well, I'm grateful she saved me back then,...."

"Even though I don't want it"

He's chuckled, remembering his live this far after living with her. A daily life full of amusement.

".... I've been wondering, why she's living alone in that deserted village?"

Latina's house was at the peak of a hill, the house backyard was a steep cliff and at the bottom of it area is a vast forest as far as eyes can see. A lone house, standing alone at the peak, but if you goes down a bit there's many vacant houses that already destroyed over time.

"A strange place to make a house,...."

"Is it the fact that she's a witch come to play,....?"

When the first time Orion opened his eyes, Latina introducing herself as a witch in front of him. Twirling ball of light with one hand, showing that she's a genuinely witch. After that, at the pretext of making Orion her disciple, she's allowing him to stay with her until now. Even though Orion was declined her invitation, she's still clinging to that pretext until this day.

Even though the said days was not long has been passed, the slight mention of it make a little smile appeared on his face.

After a while, Orion finally reaches the village. The village are not large but brimming with people. Chatting each other while working, making that small village lively even with it's little population.

Far inside the village, there's a shop standing with a wooden sign hanging.

'Cat's Tail'

Without further ado, Orion stepped inside. Ringing the bell that installed above the door. The inside was vast, there's not many shelf can be seen, the store was displaying a daily necessities from spice to other utensil such as scroll and potion.

From inside the store, a tapping sound can be heard. After that a young girl appeared with her blonde hair and wearing simple folk dress. She has a long hair, with blue eyes, staring Orion that still browse the displayed product.

"Welcome, how can I help you?" Said that girl.

"Ah, yes,..."

"Excuse me, what kind of product that this store sell?"

"This is a general store, so we take all kind of product and sell it," said that girl.

"Do you also take potion or scroll?"

"Yes, since there's only a handful people that can make it, we also take potion and scroll as well,"

"Good, I have some with me, can you take a look at it?"

She said "Sure," with a smile on her face.

In front of her, there's a three bottle of potion and five scroll. Two of it was empty and the rest has a scribble on it. With a nimble movement, she looked at each of them.

"This,..... quite good,"

"Where you find it?" Ask her.

"My housemate make it,"

Hearing that, her eyes widen a little.

"Are your housemate a mage?"

"Ah, no, she said she was witch,"

"Oh, that's quite rare," said her.

Orion titled, he still didn't know anything about detailed information about something like that.

"What do you mean?"

"Witch are a title that bestowed to them when they mastered magic, and there's not many of them,"

"I see,"

Orion went silent, he rummaging his thought. About the information that he got from that conversation. He didn't know that witch is quite prestigious title that only a handful people have. While he thinking, the girl in front of him still continuing her appraisal. But the sentence that come out from her mouth next caught him off guard.

"You're quite lucky that your wife is a witch,"

"Eh?"

His eyes widen, a wary smile can be seen on his face.

"Ah! N-no, you've mistaken, she's not my wife,"

She's stopping her hand, facing him and staring his eyes.

"Then, are you her disciple?"

"No, I'm not her disciple as well,"

"Hmm,...."

Closing her eyes, she seems to pondering something. It seems the fact that Orion was not Latina's disciple or husband bothering him.

"U-um, is there something wrong?"

"Ah, no, it's just weird," said her.

"Weird?"

"Yes, usually, the one that staying together with a witch is either her husband, family, or her disciple,"

"But you're not one of them, right?"

Orion went silent, he think that what the girl that in front of him said was true. With a title like that, it's weird if she living with random people that she's barely know.

"Moreover, witch are a peculiar person."

"hmm?"

With confused look he said, "What do you mean by that?"

"Witch are usually a lone wolf, they prefer living alone and dedicated their lives in solitude,"

"Well, not all witch are like that but most of it are like that," she said.

Now, the reason why Latina's house was in a deserted village like that come to light. But one thing that still bugging him, if Latina is like the other witch. Why when he decided to leave the house and living alone in one of the deserted house, she seems reluctant and as if stopping him to leave the house.

"Ah!"

The girl in front of him seems to realize something, "I see,...." said her.

Seeing her like that, Orion have a strange feeling.

"W-what it is,...?"

"My, my, you,....."

With big smug smile on her face she said, "You're to embarrassed ain't you?"

"Huh?"

"Aaaah, I know, I know, the two of you are a newlywed so saying about your marriage is a bit embarrassing isn't it?"

With a nod she then said, "Yes, yes, this big sis understand your concern, so it's ok,...."

"Huh? N-no you are mi-,"

"No need to explain it, this big sister understand,"

Orion face turned into a wry smile, inside his heart he want to correcting the misunderstanding but with her personality like that he finds it bothersome so he stay silent.

"Well, whatever, so how much can I get from this?"

"Oh yes, here, take it,"

She giving him a small pouch full of coin.

"Considering the quality of potion and the scroll, this is the best that can I give,"

"I'm sure if you take it to bigger town you will got more but it is the best that can I offer," said her.

Without further ado, he take it and head to the door.

"Then, I'll leave with it, thank you,"

"Thank you for your patronage,"

When he reached the hand door, the girl behind the counter calling him, "Hey, It seems we will meet often, my name is Sarah, what's yours?"

"Orion, call me Orion,"

"Then Orion, see you later,"

"Yeah, see you later,"

With a smile on both of them, they're waving to each other.