Chapter 11
The Millennium World’s Shut-in Witch
Part 1
After eating the hotel’s luxurious breakfast, we left the country immediately.
While the town’s upkeep wasn’t bad, and I didn’t think incidents like yesterday’s would happen repeatedly, having witnessed the scene in the square yesterday, we just didn’t want to stay long. Even though we only stayed one night, so much had happened that it felt like a very long day. The hotel bed was incredibly comfortable, and I had slept deeply for a long time, so my head felt clear.
We met up with Ruki-san and Haru-san in front of the carriage, exchanged some small talk, and then parted ways.
Ruki-san seemed to have taken good care of the horse, even brushing it for us, something we hadn’t had much time to do.
To my shame, she even tidied up the luggage compartment… Although we had all our valuables in our backpacks, nothing was stolen. She’s truly a good person… no, a good demon.
Just as we were about to get moving, a line of light appeared before my eyes.
Wondering what it was, I stared at it, and a piece of paper slid out smoothly from the line, like from a fax machine. Noticing something written on it, I picked it up and read it.
‘Regarding the Mana Elixir, I have high expectations.
The meeting time is 10 hours from now. The location can be where you opened the gate.’
“…It’s Lucifer.”
Dia said with an extremely displeased expression. I probably had a similar look on my face. I unconsciously crumpled the paper in my hand. I’m still worried about Haru-san for various reasons, but I decided to stop thinking about it for now.
That’s right, today we’re meeting Dia’s friend. I should just focus on that.
We continued traveling by carriage through the forest for about 30 minutes.
There was nothing distinctive about the surroundings, and this seemed like a place where absolutely no one would pass by.
“This should be fine. I’ll open the gate.”
Saying that, Dia raised a hand in front of her, and I felt a strong flow of magical power in the direction she was facing. A black, mist-like substance began to gather, and as it converged in one spot, a door appeared from within the mist.
“Let’s go.”
Saying that, Dia placed her hand on the doorknob and opened the door.
―――――――――
Beyond the gate was a dimly lit forest.
The atmosphere was completely different from the forest near the ‘Grand Kokuma Empire’ where we had just been.
Looking up, tall trees stretched their branches wide, allowing very little light to filter through. The ground was paved with stones engraved with magic circles I’d never seen before. Looking straight ahead, a path continued on, but it seemed difficult to walk due to tangled tree roots. Because so little light came through, I couldn’t see very far down the path.
“As a measure against intruders, gates opened to this world automatically connect to this point. It might be a bother, but let’s walk a bit further. If we walk for about 20 minutes, we’ll reach Iblius’s house.”
“Understood~”
Even with the tangled roots, the path was straight, so we proceeded smoothly without getting lost. Occasionally, looking from the path into the depths of the forest on either side, I could see many herbivorous animals living within.
According to Dia, Iblius apparently releases animals she brings from the human world here. It seems she prefers docile animals, as there are no carnivores at all. With no predators, the animals here likely have no sense of caution; a deer even crossed the path right in front of us nonchalantly.
As we went deeper, the number of animals increased, and a squirrel climbed onto my shoulder, which lightened the mood a little.
“Dia, I’ve been wondering for a while, what exactly is the ‘Mana Elixir’? It’s not just some ordinary cold medicine, right?”
Since we had time on the way, I asked about something that had been on my mind. I wondered what kind of medicine a powerful angel, capable of healing wounds instantly, would want, but I couldn’t come up with an answer. Besides, if it were just ordinary medicine, it probably wouldn’t be given a grand name like ‘Elixir’.
“Mana Leaves possess magical power and a special property; they can fuse with another’s magical power and enhance it.”
“So, it’s like powering up a spellcaster’s magic?”
“Correct. Therefore, Mana Leaves were initially used to amplify the effects of magic. However, the Mana Elixir is slightly different. Akatsuki, you know what a demon’s soul is made of, right?”
“It’s that thing about the soul and magical power being integrated, right?”
It seems demons and angels have souls with different properties than humans. As long as the soul’s magical power continues to burn, they can live, but conversely, if they lose it, they die. They cannot use more magical power than their soul possesses, and while using magic normally depletes it, resting allows for some recovery. However, over time, the absolute amount gradually decreases, eventually vanishing completely. This appears to be the demon’s lifespan.
Although there was an exception like Ozma, whom we met last month in ‘Miscar Town,’ this is why lifespan serves as a measure of a demon’s strength.
“Could it be… this fusion with the Mana Elixir’s magical power… is related to that?”
“Yes. The Mana Elixir fuses with that demonic soul’s magical power and can slightly extend their lifespan. It’s said that consuming too much can cause the Mana Leaf’s magic to surpass the soul’s magic, leading to mental disorders, but for a weak demon, extending their life by about three years has no significant impact. The probable reason Mana Leaves went extinct was because of this elixir. While I had no need for it, nearly all demons desired it back then.”
Huh, so such an amazing medicine existed in the ancient demon world.
Certainly, I can understand wanting something that, just by drinking it, allows you to live even a little longer.
But, there’s one thing that feels odd.
“If Dia is immortal, then wouldn’t the stronger Haru-san be too…”
“I haven’t asked him directly, but he is undoubtedly immortal. Lucifer is a special existence, deeply involved in the creation of all matter, abilities, phenomena, and concepts in this world, different even from me and Iblius. He is said to have been born simultaneously with the world. I can’t imagine such an existence dying merely from the passage of time.”
“Haru-san is that kind of incredible existence…”
And I went and called him a mummy and made comments about his white hair…
It’s a good thing Haru-san isn’t the type with a low boiling point for anger.
“The Mana Elixir… Is it for Ruki-san, perhaps…?”
“Probably.”
“Sigh… Well, if that’s the case, I guess I’ll put in a bit of effort.”
Even though I’m not too fond of Haru-san, if it’s for the sake of his friend, I felt I could try a little harder. Ruki-san has helped us in many ways, and thinking of this as a final gift from me to her didn’t seem like a bad idea.
―――――――――
While talking and thinking about such things, light began to appear at the end of the path that had been dark until now.
We continued onward, and upon exiting the path, a large, flat garden spread out before us. The tall trees that had stretched high now grew in a circle surrounding this garden, and light poured down from above only on this area. A gentle stream flowed, cutting across the path, and beyond a bridge that crossed it, a large wooden house was visible.
Many animals seemed to be coming and going in the garden, creating a lively atmosphere.
When we reached the front of the house and were about to knock, the door suddenly swung open.
My eyes met the person… no, the demon who emerged.
It was a woman with long white hair and large horns like a goat. Her skin was black like a moonless night, and her pure white eyelashes seemed to float against it.
“It has been too long, Diabolos. Has it been 1000 years?”
“Yeah, it’s been a while, Iblius.”
Seeing Dia’s expression soften naturally, I thought it was a rare sight.
“Is that child with you the Master you mentioned?”
“Ch-child…?”
I’m almost 20, you know…
I’d heard she lived longer than Dia, but I never thought I’d be called a child at this age.
“Ah, let me introduce you. This is my Master, Akatsuki.”
“Ah, I’m Akatsuki! Nice to meet you!”
“Hmm, my name is Iblius. No need to be so formal. I wanted to meet the human that Diabolos is so devoted to. Well, it’s nothing much, but please make yourselves at home.”
Saying this, Iblius-san let us into the house.
It was a slightly old-fashioned wooden house. The living room had zabuton cushions placed on tatami mats, and a sunken hearth (irori) in the center gave it an exotic feel. The shelves and weaving mat in the house seemed handmade, tasteful furniture that utilized the irregular curves of plant branches.
Among them, polished golden crowns and luxurious necklaces were also displayed. They were impressive, but felt somewhat unbalanced.
As I was looking around curiously at everything, Iblius-san, who had been making tea, looked over at me.
“Those are things I received as rewards for granting requests from demons. If you’re a thief, I’ll have to throw you out.”
“No, I was just a bit mesmerized… Haha…”
From what I gathered, Iblius-san basically stays secluded in this world, but apparently she gets bored easily, so she occasionally goes to the demon world and takes on odd jobs. It seems she doesn’t appear in any fixed place, so she’s treated as quite a rare figure.
Most of her requests involve bestowing magic or creating potions. Rather than a demon, isn’t she more of a witch?
“So, what business do you have with me? You haven’t come just for tea, have you?”
Iblius-san broached the topic while sipping the tea she had just made.
We sat around the sunken hearth, and as we nibbled on the tea and sweets prepared by Iblius-san, we decided to explain the matter Haru-san had requested.
“Lucifer asked us to bring him the Mana Elixir. I thought you might have some, so I had you come here.”
“That man? There’s no way he would need it, no matter how you think about it.”
“I think there’s probably someone he wants to give it to. He was very desperate.”
“Hah, so that man had such emotions. I thought he was an emotionless bug or something.”
The harsh description made me feel a little sorry for him. I thought Haru-san probably puts on a fake smile, but he still seems to be smiling… but since defending him would be bothersome, I kept quiet.
“I don’t have the Mana Elixir, but I do have Mana Leaves. If you’re willing, I can share some leaves and teach you the manufacturing method.”
“That would be a great help.”
“For the sake of our friendship, I ask for no payment. However, I will only teach you; the making is up to you. It’s tiring, you see. Well, do your best.”
Iblius-san said this while refilling the teapot with more tea.
That’s good. It seems like we’ll be able to complete Haru-san’s request successfully.
After finishing our break with tea and sweets, we immediately set about making the Mana Elixir.
Following her lead, we went outside and walked to the back of the house, where several vinyl greenhouses were lined up. Entering one of them, I saw many plants cultivated there, a deep green color and about knee-length.
The leaves were about the size of a palm and had a faint, refreshing, mint-like scent. And I could tell they held a slight magical power.
“These are Mana Leaves. Managing the humidity is a hassle, but if animals eat them, it’s a problem, so I keep them in these greenhouses.”
Moving to the edge of the greenhouse, there were Mana Leaves that had been picked and dried, placed on bamboo trays. It seemed necessary to remove excess moisture to turn them into powder. While Mana Leaves are often used for that life-extending medicine, they can also be used for ordinary cold medicines and pain relievers. She was drying them like this for materials to make medicine for the animals.
Knowing it’s a precious plant, using it for cold and pain medicine feels wasteful. If a demon who desperately wants it found out, they’d probably get angry.
“Well, this should be enough.”
She collected one of the several trays, and we left the greenhouse.
Sitting down on the house’s engawa (veranda), we immediately began the work.
Iblius-san brought a stone mortar from the back of the house, carrying it in both arms, and set it down on the engawa with a goton sound. Even though it was a fairly large stone mortar, she could lift it so easily… Demons really are stronger than humans.
Iblius-san put the dried Mana Leaves into the hole at the top of the mortar.
“Physical labor is men’s work. Here, child, turn it.”
“I’m pretty sure Iblius-san is stronger…”
Muttering my complaint under my breath, but since we were told beforehand that making it was our job, I took the handle and slowly started turning it round and round.
After a while, fine powder began to spill out from between the upper and lower parts of the mortar, scattering around it in a patter. It was my first time grinding something into powder, and I found it surprisingly fun, so I kept turning the mortar, gori-gori.
“This is unexpectedly tiring…”
“What a feeble child… Diabolos, you take over.”
I passed the baton to Dia, and Dia gripped the handle and began turning the mortar.
After turning it a bit, she stopped and looked at Iblius-san.
“…Can I turn this using manipulation magic?”
“No, you cannot. Mana Leaves have the property of fusing with magical power. If you use magic during production, the effect weakens.”
“…What a pain.”
“Once in a while, making something without using magic isn’t so bad.”
Dia, whose suggestion was flatly rejected, let out a sigh (‘Haa…’) and, without saying anything more, continued grinding the powder. Unlike me, Dia didn’t take breaks partway through; she kept turning the mortar at a steady rhythm. I found myself staring absently at the powder trickling down.
“Child, the medicine’s ingredients aren’t just that. While Diabolos is grinding, let’s go get the next thing.”
“Uh, yes.”
Iblius-san grabbed my arm and pulled me up as I stood.
Her arms were thin like tree branches, but very powerful.
After waving lightly to Dia, I was led outside again.
―――――――――
The next place I was taken to was deep in the forest.
Iblius-san advanced steadily and without hesitation through the trees, off the path. I followed desperately, thinking that if I got separated even once, I’d likely get lost.
Iblius-san occasionally petted the animals we passed and chatted idly with them. Of course, the animals couldn’t reply, and they didn’t seem to understand. They just seemed attached to Iblius-san, letting themselves be petted silently or eating nuts she produced from somewhere without any caution.
Iblius-san, surrounded by animals, seemed somewhat happier.
At that moment, a squirrel climbed onto my shoulder.
I also tried talking to the squirrel, saying, ‘I don’t have any food.’ Naturally, there was no reaction. It just groomed itself on my shoulder.
“It seems Risu Ta the 143rd has taken a liking to you, child.”
“What kind of name is that… Were there 142 others before him?”
“There were. All of them lived out their lifespans and died. The 143rd might not look it, but he’s an elder among squirrels. His parting is near.”
Iblius-san murmured, sounding somewhat lonely.
I looked at the squirrel on my shoulder. This adorable animal, tilting its head in a cute gesture, would also die soon. I heard a squirrel’s lifespan is up to 8 years at most. How many animal deaths has she, who is immortal, witnessed until now?
“Child, you seem to be quite enjoyably savoring your unique life. You must have experienced many partings as well?”
“I certainly have experienced partings, but the situation is completely different from yours, so it’s hard to compare. I repeatedly die after 20 years, so I’m always the one leaving first. When my consciousness returns next time, my entire living environment has changed, so I’m too busy adapting to the new one. I’ve had new parents too.”
I’ve repeated life and death many times now, but I always felt largely apologetic for leaving first.
While I have accepted continuing to live in this 20-year cycle for my goal, it’s a different story for my parents and friends from those times. If anything, Iblius-san is in the position of those parents or friends.
“To what extent do you remember your past lives? Is that magic something anyone can use?”
“Honestly, perfect memory inheritance isn’t possible. I made sure to remember Dia because I absolutely didn’t want to forget her, but even then, there are gaps. The magic also utilizes the nature of the soul magic placed on me. This method probably wouldn’t work for others.”
“Hmm… As expected, memory inheritance doesn’t work so easily.”
“Not that I mind too much, though. I’d be troubled if I forgot Dia, but the reborn me lives as a new life with a completely changed environment. I can learn everything from scratch again, and I can just make new friends.”
“‘I can just make new friends,’ huh… You’re surprisingly thick-skinned, aren’t you?”
Iblius-san closed her eyes and thought about something for a few seconds.
She opened her eyes, and while stroking the back of a deer standing nearby, she spoke.
“I was thinking something slightly wicked. I found myself hoping that if this memory transfer could be used by any human, perhaps I could make friends I’d never have to part with. I see, ‘just make new friends,’ is it? At some point, I stopped doing even that. I got tired of repeating goodbyes, and thought it’d be better not to meet anyone at all, which is why I’m here. But in the end, I’ve repeated countless partings with the animals. How foolish…”
As I thought, Iblius-san seems lonely from repeating too many goodbyes.
Honestly, I’ve certainly felt lonely at times about having all the relationships I built over 20 years reset. But somehow, saying ‘I understand exactly how you feel’ to Iblius-san felt wrong.
The deer, having been petted to its satisfaction, wandered off. Iblius-san stared blankly at its retreating figure. But then, another deer came up from the side and sniffed at the palm of Iblius-san’s hand. Maybe the scent of the nuts she had earlier still lingered.
“It’s not too late even now, is it?”
When I said that, she turned towards me silently.
“Even though I’m the one who always leaves saying this, there are all sorts of people and demons in both the human and demon worlds. Dia has also made friends recently and sometimes interacts with them secretly without telling me. There are goodbyes, but new encounters are wonderful too.”
“Is that so? Even that Diabolos… Hmm, I shall think about it.”
I don’t know how much of my feelings got through.
But, Iblius-san smiled slightly, looking deeply moved.
