Chapter 43 (Special Edition) Witch Girl's Diary
After Laroque defeated the immortal king, Lich, there was a sensation of the surrounding barrier breaking apart. Along with that, the ground of the dungeon began to crack, causing a collapse.
Delicate Lina-san helped the injured Carena-sama to her feet, but she seemed to be in pain. [He] quickly rushed over and lifted Carena-sama in his arms, quite literally a princess carry. I can't help but think of such things, but now is not the time for Carena-sama to be blushing.
Thankfully, we managed to move far enough away from the collapsing area to avoid being caught in it. [He] gently sets Carena-sama down; he really is a gentleman.
Carena-sama is still blushing as she tries to "heal" herself, but once we're out of the labyrinth, she will need proper treatment from Valon-san.
It's unlikely that self-healing spells would be very effective for someone so severely injured. However, thanks to Lina-san's "purification" spell, her condition shouldn't worsen due to the undead curse.
Still, we need to get out of the labyrinth quickly.
Once the sealing of the collapsed area is complete, I nervously chant the "return" spell that I just learned.
My heart is pounding partly because I'm holding hands with everyone in the party.
Of course, I've been living among rough soldiers for three years now, so I've gotten used to them. But holding hands with [him] is nerve-wracking. He lacks refinement in his language, occasionally leers, and is far from handsome, but for some reason, my face gets a little flushed when I think of him.
No, no, I need to focus on the chant.
Of course, I've practiced the spell many times by myself before setting out. From my room to outside the mansion or from the training ground back to our base. But transporting the entire party is a live performance, and the more I think about the consequences of failure, the more nervous I become.
Chant complete.
A rainbow-colored light expands from me, enveloping everyone in the party.
Up to this point, it's going as I practiced.
The sensation is like riding on waves, my body swaying gently, and I feel as if something is siphoning power from me... the consumption of MP seems to be quite high.
When I come to my senses, the exit of the cave is far ahead.
I did it!
We crossed the layers and arrived exactly at the marked return point. Thank goodness.
Apparently, the inside of the labyrinth and the outside become separate magical spaces, so we can't teleport all the way to the outskirts of Skutari from inside the dungeon.
However, the magic book stated that the more distance covered, the more MP consumption increases. So, even if I were able to fly right now, I might end up collapsing due to MP depletion.
With the tension eased, my legs are trembling uncontrollably. Whose legs? They are mine, no need to hide. Yes, I should put on the robe. If I do that, not only can I cover my exposed legs, but also hide this embarrassing outfit.
I hurriedly take out a hooded robe from my backpack and wrap myself in it.
"Beth, don't let your guard down. The battle continues until we safely return to the town," Cecily says in a slightly admonishing tone, but I pretend not to hear.
I never wanted to be dressed in such an embarrassing way, but everyone started running, and as someone who is not good with words, I got stuck with this.
I know. Why did both Lady Carenna and Cecily hate it so much?
When I first became a squad leader and shortly after that, Lady Carenna, who had just become a feudal lord, was in dire need of money. She went to Viscount Gents' place with Cecily as her companion to borrow money, and the female officials at the mansion were spreading rumors about how they experienced something too embarrassing to speak of.
In exchange for lending them money, they had to spend a whole day dressed in foreign clothes they had never seen before, or rather, it wasn't even clothes but just small pieces of fabric, some even said. I can't believe that part, but it was definitely a costume that they wouldn't wear unless they wanted to be seen by acquaintances and never get married, like a backstreet prostitute.
Both of them were so embarrassed that they ended up crying along the way, and to shorten the promised time, they were made to perform even more embarrassing "services"... I don't know what exactly happened, but just imagining it makes my whole body feel hot.
But still, I think it's terrible to force something like this onto someone in a weaker position like me.
Lady Carenna is a very charming woman, and Cecily is so tall and cool that even I, as a woman, admire her. So, any outfit would look great on them, but as for me, I'm already 17, and yet I have the body of a toddler that men treat as a child. I'm nothing but an embarrassment.
Even **[him]**, who was staring at me with a look that seemed to say I didn't suit it and was about to burst out laughing, surely thought the same.
Or maybe he felt a little charm in it? If that's the case, it's even more embarrassing.
Filled with such thoughts, I returned to the mansion before I could fully comprehend what was going on.
Today was tough as well.
I never could have imagined that I, who was until recently unable to even fathom battling monsters with my life on the line, would now consider it a daily routine.
That's why, once I get back, I want to read my favorite book!
I head at full speed towards the mansion's bathhouse.
Yes, this town only has one bathhouse. We female soldiers are allowed to live in a corner of the mansion, not in the barracks, and one of the best perks is being allowed to use this bathhouse.
There's only one, and it's reserved for Lady Kalena, the lord of this place, of course. However, when Lady Kalena is not using it, the female officials and us female soldiers can use it.
Before I read my precious books, I want to cleanse my hands and body. I read in a certain book that old books are vulnerable to invisible "germs" that reside on people's bodies, so I've been practicing cleanliness as much as possible.
Besides, soaking in hot water and stretching my limbs feels really good. It's my second favorite thing to do after reading books.
"Beth, you're as fast as ever."
It's Lalouk-san.
Lalouk-san and I, who share the same room, have nothing to hide from each other. She has a slim figure, long legs, a chest not much different from mine, and a beautifully slender waist. No matter how many times I see her, she looks stunning.
"Beth, you're becoming more and more feminine. Is it thanks to that alluring armor that you're attracting the attention of the guys?"
Please stop! That's absolutely not true.
"Well, since we have free time later, how about going to town to grab a meal?"
When Lalouk-san mentions a "meal," it's mostly about alcohol. Most of our earnings go into alcohol, with the rest being used for clothing expenses. Anyway, I rarely have the chance to wear civilian clothes.
"I appreciate the offer, but I want to go to the library. There's something I want to research."
I politely decline.
"Well, if you're saving money on the lousy meals at the barracks, what are you saving up for?"
When I mention saving money, Sebastian-san will happily label it as "Lord's Savings." In other words, it won't be paid to me as part of my salary. Instead, whenever I need it, they will give me a little with some interest attached.
It's a unique system of our household, designed to reduce immediate expenses.
However, the reason I diligently save even from the meager salary of an ordinary soldier is not out of noble intentions to contribute to the household's finances. It's for a goal I haven't shared with anyone.
Someday, I'll save up money and go to the capital. There, I'll buy precious books that are not available in this region like a proper adult.
In Scutari, the only place that handles books is Manjani-san's shop, who used to be the secretary at the mansion. Moreover, even in Douglas, there isn't a proper bookstore, so it's nearly impossible to find the kind of books I desire.
After leaving the bath, I part ways with Larouque-san, and I feel relieved as I change into my usual clothes that don't reveal my figure.
They've advised me to wear that embarrassing silver outfit tomorrow too, as there's a possibility of encountering undead on the next level. It's really disheartening...
Oh yes, I mustn't forget to stop by the kitchen and sign up for dinner at the mess hall. If I forget this, I'll have to spend a hungry night.
And then, I lock myself in the archives until the last possible moment. It's a blissful time.
Lady Kalena doesn't seem to have much interest in books, but the late Count had quite a collection. Even though I've been serving at this mansion for two years and visit the library almost every day, I haven't read about half of the books.
There was a certain court lady I worked with before who loved books and took good care of the collection, so even the old books are in decent condition.
It's a bit sad to think that I'll have finished reading the mansion's collection by the time I turn twenty, but before that happens, I want to save up enough money and make the trip to the capital.
The reason I've become such a book enthusiast is undoubtedly because of my grandmother's influence.
My grandmother, who lived alone in the forest outside the walls, was a "witch."
In her youth, she was even registered with the Adventurers' Guild in the capital, but she suffered a serious injury and retreated to the countryside. By the time I became aware of things, she was already limping.
However, in this rural area, witches and female magicians were considered as suspicious as monsters, especially in the past. They couldn't live in town and faced a lot of persecution.
My mother, who was her daughter, didn't possess any magical talent, so she hid her identity as a witch and worked in Scutari, eventually marrying a poor traveling merchant.
My father also held prejudices against witches and remained distant from my grandmother. Yet, she managed to make a living mainly by collecting medicinal herbs and creating medicine from them. It's truly unfair.
Yes, I became a magician because my grandmother taught me, of course.
Since I was a little child, my mother took me, and as I grew older, I went alone, under the pretext of visiting my grandmother regularly. In reality, it was to receive medicinal herbs from her.
My grandmother's cabin in the woods was small, old, and surrounded by dimness, making it seem like ghosts could come out at any moment. However, I always looked forward to visiting her; it was an exciting experience.
Inside the cabin, there were magical lights, self-moving gadgets, a "distillation apparatus" consisting of sparkling glass bottles and tubes connected together, and a mixture of scents from various medicinal herbs.
"Perhaps Beth has more of a talent for being an apothecary or alchemist than a magician," my grandmother used to say.
I heard that alchemy was a profession that involved different skills from magic, but regardless, I wanted to become like my grandmother.
With my curiosity about her work, my grandmother took me along to gather medicinal herbs and, when my mother stopped coming, patiently taught me both the theory and practice of magic.
Thanks to her guidance, I was able to use fire magic by the age of twelve.
However, my grandmother warned me not to tell anyone about it, as the power of magic could be dangerous if it became widely known.
When I turned fifteen and received the divine oracle to choose my profession at the temple, I was nervous about what would happen if I became something other than a merchant or a magician. Fortunately, I received the mage's mark on my first try.
My father was visibly disappointed, and my mother seemed like she wanted to say something, but since we still had a little brother, I assumed my father's business would go to him. Besides, we weren't particularly well-off, so it was probably just a matter of not being able to arrange a good marriage for me and sending me to serve a wealthy household.
After that, my parents started arguing frequently.
Not long after, my beloved grandmother passed away from a prevalent illness. She had always been treating people around her, and even when she fell ill, she continued making medicine until the end.
So, with the most courage I had ever mustered in my shy and introverted life, I went to the castle and pleaded to be hired.
At first, despite suggesting things like being on time and hiring children, they wouldn't consider me for the maid position. But when I showed them my fire magic, which could be useful for kitchen and blacksmithing work, Sebastian-sama, who was in charge of the mansion's affairs, happened to pass by and decided to take me under his wing.
I never wanted to become a soldier, and because I was too scared to kill living creatures, my level never improved.
However, just in these few days, it feels like my fate has started to turn dramatically.
Yes, these "glasses" are a part of it too. They make it harder to read books, but they come in handy when searching for books in the library.
Besides, I can now clearly see the faces of people I couldn't see well before.
The first time I saw "him" up close, my heart raced, and I almost fainted. It might be the first time I've ever been so close to a grown man.
Men are supposed to be rough, violent, and eager to engage in indecent acts. Moreover... would he really do something like having a book of nude drawings that I've been secretly hiding?
Is "he" like that too? No, stop, my face is getting hot again.
Even after dinner, as I crawl into bed in the dark room, I can't stop thinking about him more than the books I read today. This is not something that usually happens, really.
Before I knew it, I was imagining "him" taking a bath. Oh, this is not good.
Nosebleed! When I think too much, I often get nosebleeds.
Surely, it's just because he was tense from the tough battle today, and my mind is confused.
Certainly, there must be some explanation. I should go to sleep quickly... Tomorrow will be another early day...