It's been almost a year since I have come to this world, I had stayed in the forest a bit too long compared to when I had stayed at the meadow. I had been in this forest for a few months now, and now a year had passed without even noticing. If not for my various notes that I had labeled with days, I would not have been able to even know that a year has already had passed.
It's hard to believe it's been almost a year since I came to this world. I stayed in the forest far longer than I had intended—much longer than I stayed in the meadow. Months slipped by as I became engrossed in my surroundings, and before I realized it, a whole year had passed. If not for the notes I carefully labeled with dates, I wouldn't have even noticed how much time had gone by.
During this time, the cave where the dungeon once stood has undergone many changes. Its interior is now cleaner and smoother, showing clear signs of habitation. Mirelle, however, has remained mostly the same since her initial transformation—gaining a humanoid body, the ability to speak, and a fully developed consciousness. She has grown into someone truly alive, no longer a simple golem bound to follow orders.
Her race, too, evolved from "Mud Golem" to "Terrakin." Despite this, most of her original skills carried over with little to no alteration, though she gained a few new abilities as part of her evolution. When I used [Appraisal] on her, much of the information appeared unfamiliar to me, a testament to how far she had progressed. Some things, however, remained unchanged—Mirelle can still morph her body as she wishes, and her invulnerability to physical attacks persists. What has changed is her outer form—her skin has hardened significantly, granting her even greater resilience.
The most critical part of Mirelle, her core, has not only remained intact but has grown immensely. Previously, her core could store around 6,000 MP, but now it has an incredible capacity of 50,000 MP. This transformation alone highlights just how much she has evolved
Mirelle's status had grown to incredible heights, far beyond what it once was. Whenever I used my [Appraisal]—an evolution of my previous [Identify]—to examine her status, I found myself unsure how to react to the titles and skills listed. Despite my lingering uncertainties, it was undeniable that Mirelle and I had both grown significantly over the past year we spent in this forest. We were far from the individuals we once were.
-----.
Name: Mirelle
Age: [0.8], 17
Race: Terrakin
Gender: Female
HP: --/--
MP: 50,834/50,945
Level: 16
Job: Knight
Skills: [Loyalty] lvl.4, [Earth Magic] lvl.6, [Mana Manipulation] lvl.2, [Mana Sense] lvl.4, [Presence Sense] lvl.4, [Martial Arts] lvl.3, [Basic Swordsmanship] lvl.5, [Battle Awareness] lvl.3, [Oath of Devotion] lvl.1 [Physical Reinforcement] lvl.1, .....
Unique Skills: [Blessed Vanguard], [Earthen Shift], [Earthen Resilience]
Title: [Origin Born], [The One Recognized by the Witch], [Witch's Loyal Ally], [Guardian of the Witch], [Unyielding Devotion], [Unyielding Loyalty], [Dungeon Conqueror]
----.
Still, some parts of Mirelle's status left me with questions. One that unsettled me was the [Loyalty] skill. I didn't fully understand what it was or what it did, but its very existence felt wrong to me. Seeing it filled me with a sense of guilt I couldn't shake. It wasn't because the skill itself was harmful—it didn't seem to be—but because of what it might represent.
Then there were Mirelle's titles: [Unyielding Devotion] and [Unyielding Loyalty]. I had no idea how to respond to those. Did she earn them because of her time as a golem, following my orders? The thought made me feel a little lonely. Or did those titles reflect genuine feelings she developed after gaining sentience? When I considered the latter, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. It was an overwhelming mix of emotions I didn't quite know how to process.
Yet, despite my confusion, I couldn't help but feel a small spark of joy. Knowing Mirelle gained titles because of me made me feel connected to her in a unique way. I found myself smiling as I thought about it. Mirelle had come so far, and it made me happy to see her growth.
As for my own status, it had improved as well. While it paled in comparison to Mirelle's incredible progress, it was still a far cry from where I started. A year of constant meditation, practicing mana manipulation and mana sensing, and consuming the nameless fruit every day had helped me grow significantly. My mana reserves were steadily increasing, a testament to my dedication.
My "Job" now displayed the hidden class "Witch" alongside the public class "Mage." Yet, despite this progress, I was still nameless. Oddly enough, that didn't bother me. Mirelle had taken to calling me "Lady Witch" so consistently that the title now appeared in my status as a temporary name. I didn't mind at all—quite the opposite, really. I liked being called that by Mirelle. Having a name for myself had never felt particularly important, and I was content with the way things were. Mirelle's affectionate title for me was more than enough.
Name: --- (Lady Witch)
Age: 15
Race: Human(?)
Gender: Female
HP: 310/310
MP: 8,673/10,354
Job: [Witch], Mage
Lvl. 28
Skills: [Fire Magic] lvl.7, [Water Magic] lvl.4, [Earth Magic] lvl.4, [Wind Magic] lvl.3, [Light Magic] lvl.2, [Dark Magic] lvl.4, [Mana Regeneration] lvl.4, [Scholar] lvl.4, [Item Box] lvl.4, [Identify] lvl.12, [Staff Master] lvl.3, [Mana Manipulation] lvl.6, [Magic Sense] lvl.5, [Presence Sense] lvl.3, [Language Comprehension] lvl.5, [Universal Language Comprehension] lvl.2, [Summoning Magic] lvl.1, [Spirit Summoning] lvl.1, [Magic Tool Creation] lvl.2, [Talisman Creation] lvl.2, [Amulet Creation] lvl.2, [Potion Brewer] lvl.2, [Enchantment] lvl.2...
Unique Skills: [Creation Magic], [All Elemental Affinity], [Spirit Affinity]
Titles: [Reincarnator], [Slime Predator], [Elemental Master], [Bearer of the Crimson Mark], [Dungeon Conqueror]
In just a year, Mirelle's strength had grown beyond recognition, and my own progress, while less physical, was undeniable in the number of skills I had acquired. This year in the forest had been transformative for us both, a time of learning and adaptation.
Living here taught me much about the versatility of the Witch job. Witches weren't inherently overpowered; their strength depended entirely on their choices and dedication. If I wanted, I could become a physical Witch, using magic to enhance my body and engage in close combat. However, my true passion lay in magic itself. I aspired to be a magic-focused Witch, exploring the breadth of spells rather than specializing in a single type.
The versatility of the Witch job now made sense. It was a role designed by the gods to help them manage the world. A Witch could master any number of skills, becoming anything from a peerless spellcaster to a magical artisan. Still, true mastery required time and focus. To become overpowered, a Witch had to specialize and refine their chosen abilities relentlessly—just as a Warrior or Mage might.
Mirelle, too, had grown remarkably during this time. She had become comfortable with things that once seemed awkward—wearing clothes, moving with precision, and even fighting in her humanoid form. She had evolved into a capable companion, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
Now, it was time to move on.
"Mirelle!" I called out, my voice carrying through the forest. "Let's tidy up the place. We're leaving the forest today."
A rustling sound came from the brush, and moments later, a figure emerged. Mirelle's golden-brown twin buns shimmered in the sunlight, her black light-metal armor catching the light. The leather accents and the twin katanas at her waist gave her a striking, battle-ready appearance. A sturdy magical lantern I'd crafted hung from her back, and in her hand, she carried the game she'd hunted earlier.
"Are we going on an adventure, Lady Witch?" Mirelle asked, her voice brimming with excitement as she quickly approached me, setting down her catch.
"Yes, Mirelle," I replied with a soft smile. "We'll be continuing our journey deeper into the forest. Let's pack everything and get moving, shall we?"
"Yes, Lady Witch!" Mirelle's eyes lit up as she cheered, "Yay! An adventure with Lady Witch!" She darted off to tidy the cave and the surrounding area, her enthusiasm infectious.
It was time to leave this place, our home for the past year, and continue our journey.