The morning sun bathed Greenfall Village in a warm, golden light as Kazuki sat at the inn's table with the group, eating a modest breakfast. His mind kept drifting back to the girl by the lake—the so-called "witch."
"She can't be that bad," Kazuki mused aloud, his voice casual but laced with curiosity. "I mean, people can be misunderstood, right?"
Lumi raised an eyebrow. "Misunderstood? Kazuki, they called her a witch. Villagers don't do that for no reason."
"Yeah," Sonnet added, stretching with a yawn. "She's probably brewing potions or cursing goats or something."
Andreas chuckled. "Or stealing socks. Witches do that, right?"
Kazuki smirked but said nothing more. He wasn't ready to mention his encounter by the lake just yet. She's not like that at all, he thought. She was quiet, shy… and far too normal to be a wicked sorceress.
As they finished eating, Lumi stood up and gestured toward the door. "Alright, let's head out. We've got to stock up before leaving the village."
The group rose from their seats and made their way to the door. As they passed the front desk, Kazuki's steps slowed. The innkeeper, a portly man with a thick mustache, was chatting with another villager.
"Hey, did you hear? That witch was seen near the river last night again."
"The witch? You mean her? The girl with the green and white hair?"
Kazuki froze.
Those were the exact same words the innkeeper had said yesterday. The same tone. The same pause. The same head shake.
He blinked and glanced around. No one else seemed to notice. The group had already walked outside, oblivious.
Kazuki frowned, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling. Probably just a weird coincidence, he told himself. Or maybe I'm just tired.
He jogged to catch up with the group, brushing off the strange moment. Still, a nagging thought lingered in his mind.
What if it wasn't just a coincidence?
LATER IN THE NEXT MORNING...
The first rays of dawn slipped through the thin curtains of the motel's bedroom, casting a pale golden light across the room. Kazuki stirred awake, rubbing his eyes as the world slowly came into focus. The room was quiet, except for the soft sounds of his companions breathing around him.
He glanced around. Andreas was sprawled across his bed, snoring lightly, while Sonnet had somehow tangled herself in her blankets, her arm hanging off the side of the mattress. Lumi was curled up in a chair, still asleep.
Kazuki chuckled softly to himself at the chaotic sight before quietly getting out of bed. He slipped on his jacket, careful not to wake anyone.
I'll be back soon ,he thought, tightening his boots. His mind wandered back to the girl he had met by the lake yesterday—the so-called witch of Greenfall. He had to know more about her. Something about her calm but distant demeanor intrigued him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her than the villagers' fearful whispers.
He left the motel, the air outside crisp and cool, the village still cloaked in shadows. His footsteps echoed softly as he made his way toward the lake, determined to find her again.