The boy woke up and lay down on a bed made of rattan. Its top is layered with sheep's wool. He tried to sit but failed due to his weakening state. He looks at his left arm. It seems there is some kind of hose going through it.
"It's salt water. Don't even try to plug it off. You'll die. I was even amazed at how you survived until now. I guess your shining blue hair explains it," the laughing witch said.
There is smoke coming out—not black smoke, but it smells like salt and roasted meat. The boy started sniffing the air, and a bit of drool came out. He wiped it quickly. Seeing the boy's gesture, the witch flicked her right hand, and a bowl and a spoon floated in the air.
"It's chicken soup; try to eat it slowly since it looks like you haven't eaten in a while".
The boy nods and uses the spoon floating beside the bowl to eat the soup.
"Remember, eat it slowly," the laughing witch said while knitting some red wool while sitting on a chair next to the window.
While eating the soup slowly, the boy's eyes start wandering around. The place looks like a small, rundown house, with holes patched everywhere. He tried to look at the floor; the flooring is made of wood, and there are some holes as well as patches of other wood. He didn't imagine that the infamous witch lived in such a place; he was imagining a more proper haunted house, but it looks like it's just a normal but rundown house.
"I like this place; it's the place I earned myself while doing adventure 40 years ago. Btw, what's your name?" she said.
The boy then gulped the last of his soup and made a gesture of writing.
"You want to write it?" The laughing witch then flicked her right hand. A piece of paper, a feather, and a bottle of ink float near the boy.
"Don't spill the ink while writing, boy," the Laughing Witch said.
The boy starts writing, and then he signals to the witch that he has finished. The paper floats to the witch, and she takes a look.
The Laughing Witch said, "It's such a boring name; who gave it to you? Since I'm essentially adopting you now, I'll give you a name. Let's see."
The Laughing Witch grabs a book that contains species of flowers and asks, "Who named you anyway? Ah, this one sounds good with your blue hair, and, my heir, you shall be called Wedgewood. My name is Meyeri. You can call me Mey, not that you can call me, though."
The boy waved his hand and made a hand sign saying "I can!" and then started spelling M, E, and Y with his hand.
Mey said, "Oh, so that's how you will mention me. Who taught you sign language?"
The boy wanted to answer, but his head suddenly started spinning. It's already a miracle that the boy could survive this long without food, and he also drove 12 hours from the village to Mey's house. But it's strange how it feels like only 1 hour, he thinks.
Mey said, "A a a, you need to sleep, young lilac."
All of a sudden, after letting his guard down, the body feels all of it together. The laughing witch's rumor and reality are like night and day. He can feel at ease, and it feels like a new home. Then he entered a deep sleep. Mey looked at the boy, sighed, and then smiled. She mumbled
"If only I had found him earlier."