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"Hmm…"
The rustling of leaves, the chirping of mountain birds, and the flowing of a stream through the valley.
While it was a rather harmonious symphony, to Mirabelle it felt like nothing more than an alarm forcing her to wake up.
She tried her best to cover her ears and resist getting up, but the sunlight piercing through the window struck her eyes directly.
"Nngh."
Mirabelle frowned, making an odd whimpering sound. Even when she pulled the blanket over her head to try sleeping again, it was already too late. After tossing and turning a bit, she finally got up.
Her eyes were dazed, and her hair was disheveled, sticking out in all directions.
Blinking slowly, Mirabelle gradually came to her senses. She got out of bed and put on her shoes.
She had learned to wear shoes before getting on the bed because Karami would let out a strange scream and cough up blood if she didn't.
This new habit ingrained, Mirabelle took off her shoes before lying on the bed without being told.
Rubbing her eyes, Mirabelle came out of the bedroom. The combined living room and kitchen area was filled with the familiar smell of stew. The same one she always ate.
"Aaahnn… Good morning."
"Oh, are you awake?"
"Yes…"
"Waking up on your own without being called. My daughter has grown up. Now go wash your face and freshen up. I've prepared breakfast."
This too was something she had heard every day.
Every day, the same old lie.
When told that preparations were done and to come eat, there would be nothing on the table. When asked what exactly had been prepared, she'd be scolded to come earlier to set out bowls and utensils.
Then isn't it still not prepared…?
Naturally she was curious, but she never voiced it. Mirabelle had seen Harold get scolded by Naredi with a 'Make your own food!' when he said such things.
The girl was well aware who held the real power in the house.
Mirabelle used magic to create water and washed her face. The water didn't fall but floated in the air, which she then flung outside.
Hm…?
That was when Mirabelle felt something was off.
Normally, Karami would have muttered 'What a waste…' but now there was no sound at all.
She looked around the house. Karami was nowhere to be seen.
"Mom, where did Master go?"
"Hmm? Maybe he's out for a walk somewhere?"
Naredi said this without even looking at Mirabelle. Though Mirabelle found it odd that her statement ended as a question, she didn't think much of it.
"I'll go look for him."
"Why? He'll come back on his own if we wait."
"It would be terrible if Master got mauled by a bear or something."
He was someone you couldn't leave alone without worrying.
Of course, if it were Karami, he might even be able to persuade a bear. Mirabelle giggled as she imagined him talking to a bear.
Holding the Heavenly Covenant, Mirabelle prepared to cast a spell. Finding Karami wouldn't be difficult, unlike with other people.
Because they were connected by soul shackles. Even if he were on the other side of the world…
"Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
"Wh-what? The sh-shackles? The shackles are…?"
Mirabelle frantically examined her soul. Karami's shackles, which had been tightly wound around her soul, had vanished overnight.
"M-Mom! The shackles are gone!"
"My, isn't that a good thing? It means you're no longer a slave."
Though Naredi spoke nonchalantly, it didn't sound entirely pleasant to Mirabelle's ears.
Soul shackles.
Karami's magic with suspiciously strong binding power. When Colton had suggested removing the shackles, they had tried as an experiment, but it hadn't budged an inch.
It was the same even after she awakened as a witch. She had concluded that only Karami, who had placed the shackles, could remove them.
So Mirabelle had felt reassured. It meant that no matter what happened, she would always be connected to Karami.
Now those shackles were gone.
And Karami was nowhere to be seen.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Mirabelle's armpit.
"Mom, I'm going to look for Master."
Right, she just needed to find Karami.
All she had to do was find Karami and beg him to shackle her again.
"What nonsense are you saying? Are you saying you want to voluntarily become a slave?"
"It's not becoming a slave, I already am Master's slave!"
Naredi's hand, which had been stirring the stew, froze.
She bit her lip.
"And here I was, about to be grateful he brought you back safely, but he's gone and messed with your head…!"
Naredi muttered in a lamenting voice before turning to face Mirabelle who was fidgeting, looking ready to dash out at any moment.
Watching this scene, Naredi let out a complicated sigh. She had tried to hide it, but it seemed that wouldn't work.
So Naredi revealed the truth.
"That man has left."
"H-He left? To where?"
"Mom doesn't know either. He said he had no more business here. Maybe he went to take care of other matters?"
"Why… why did he leave me behind…?"
Naredi approached the confused Mirabelle, bending her knees to meet her eye level.
"Don't think about it too much. You've returned safely to your mother's arms, and you're no longer a slave. So these shackles─"
Slap!
"Ugh?"
Mirabelle roughly pushed away Naredi's hand as she tried to remove the collar around her neck. She stepped back, cradling it. Her gaze towards Naredi was sharp, her eyes filled with wariness.
"What are you doing?"
"Mi-Mirabelle?"
"Master put this on me. No one but Master can touch it. Not even you, Mom."
Leaving Naredi speechless with shock, Mirabelle anxiously examined her soul once more.
The detached shackles left only traces of magic, mana residue, which indicated that a spell had been cast.
Mirabelle hastily gathered what she could.
It's too little…
And too weak.
It was because time had passed.
Karami's mana had always been pitifully low. Only the shackles had been unusually strong.
This wasn't enough to find Karami. For now, she desperately scraped together what little of his mana she could find and carefully stored it in a corner of her body, as if it were a precious treasure.
Mirabelle fell into deep thought, her expression grave.
Why did Master abandon her and leave?
When she wasn't liberated yet?
When she was still alive?
He said he'd feel better liberating her when her value was higher.
So did removing the shackles mean she was not worth liberating?
Did he abandon her because she was worthless?
Ah.
A thought flashed through Mirabelle's mind.
While climbing the mountain, she had told Karami she wanted to delay her liberation. That she had developed an attachment. It was an act that went against Karami's grand intentions.
So Karami had abandoned her. Because she no longer had value. Because she still acted shamelessly after all she had received.
"Huff, huff."
Mirabelle's face turned deathly pale. Her breathing became rapid and shallow, and the pounding of her heart filled her ears.
"I understand you're sad about parting with someone you've grown close to, but isn't this for the best? You've returned safely to Mom's side, and you're no longer a slave. You and Mom can live here happily together…"
As Naredi tried to persuade her, Mirabelle suddenly looked up and dashed into the room. She emerged moments later wearing her maid outfit and carrying a small bag.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"I have to go find Master. He can't have gone far."
He was such a physically weak person after all.
He couldn't have gone further than a nearby town. It wasn't too late yet. If she chased after him, she could catch up.
"Sweetie, don't be silly, okay? Why would you chase after that man?"
"Because I'm Master's slave."
"I'm telling you, you're not a slave anymore. Don't you understand?"
Mirabelle shook her head vigorously.
"Once a slave, always a slave."
Even in death.
That was the nature of her relationship with Karami.
Faced with her daughter's dizzying logic, Naredi pressed her hand to her forehead.
"How can you think of going back to that dangerous place after everything it took for us to reunite?"
"Dad said I would create a world where witches don't have to be in hiding. That I would bring miracles."
"He did say that, didn't he…?"
"To create a world like that, I can't just stay in this cabin."
Mirabelle had matured significantly in the months they'd been apart. Naredi's eyes welled up as she observed her daughter's growth. As a parent, she felt an indescribable surge of emotion.
If only she wasn't leaving to become a slave again. If not for that, this would have been such a heartwarming scene.
Her inconsiderate daughter, oblivious to her mother's feelings, had already packed and was ready to leave.
"You're really going? How am I supposed to live with myself if someone happens to you?"
"It's okay, Mom. I'm a proper witch now. And I have the magic Master taught me. I won't be helpless like before."
Naredi couldn't help but marvel at her daughter's confident attitude.
Where did she get that stubborn streak from?
Should I stop her by force?
No, that wouldn't work.
If they fought, Naredi would lose.
Even though they were both witches, they were on different levels.
This couldn't be stopped anymore.
"Haah… I understand. But wait a moment."
Naredi rummaged through the cabin and brought out an old, dusty tome. It was clearly untouched for a long time, covered in a thick layer of dust.
"This was written by Mom's grandmother—Mirabelle's great-grandmother. I never had much talent for magic, so I couldn't make much sense of it.."
"What about it?"
"I think Mirabelle might be able to learn from it."
Naredi flipped through the book.
"Read it when you're bored, okay?"
Study when you're bored.
It might sound utterly preposterous, but for a witch, studying was just another form of entertainment. Mirabelle's eyes sparkled from the moment she received the book.
"Wow… Thank you. I'll have fun reading it."
With a mix of emotions, Naredi looked at Mirabelle holding the book.
To think the day would come when she'd pass this book on to her daughter. It was a truly bittersweet feeling.
"So this is how a witch's knowledge is passed down."
Mirabelle put the book in her bag and stepped outside. Naredi followed to see her off.
"Do you really have to wear that outfit? Mom brought some of your clothes."
What Mirabelle was wearing was a short maid outfit. While it made her look cute like a little maid, it wasn't suitable for traveling.
But Mirabelle shook her head.
"It's okay. I like this outfit the best."
"Ah, alright, go ahead and live as you please…"
"Yes, I will. Hehe."
As Mirabelle walked away with determined steps, Naredi called out her final words.
"Don't skip meals. Don't follow strangers. If anyone tries anything weird, chop off their hand."
"I will."
"If you can't find that person, or if things get tough, come back anytime. Mom will always be here waiting for you. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Alright, take care and stay safe."
Naredi waved back at Mirabelle, who was waving as she walked away.
Mirabelle set off on a journey to find her missing master and become a slave once more.
With a Grim Reaper following quietly behind her.
***
"Nngh…"
Somewhere in the Great Forest.
In a place where towering trees blocked out the sky, casting deep shadows, a forest elf lay curled up like a shrimp.
The elf clutched her chest with a pained expression.
Cold sweat poured down her body like a waterfall, soaking the grass beneath her, and muffled groans escaped through her tightly clenched teeth.
Yet the elf just endured it.
Not asking anyone for help.
Because she was used to the pain.