Chapter 11
The Millennium World’s Shut-in Witch
Part 3
“I brought some special booze for ya. It was almost gone. You should be thankful.”
Just as the Master had prepared some appetizers, Iblius placed one tokkuri and two ochoko cups before me. As Ibriel held the tokkuri with its mouth facing me, I received an ochoko and let her pour the contents into it. It was a clear, unfiltered sake made from rice, with a sweet and rich aroma.
“Well then, shall we toast to commemorate our reunion?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I clinked my ochoko against the one Ibriel was holding with a light *clink*, then tipped my head back and drank it all in one go. A sweet, rich taste spread across my tongue.
“Do you remember this sake?” Ibriel asked, lightly shaking the tokkuri.
Honestly, I didn’t remember the taste at all. But I could guess what kind of sake this was.
“Is it what you gave me right after I was sealed?”
“Oh? You actually remembered?”
“It was a few months ago. Sometime after I had reunited with the Master.”
“What? That was rather late.”
Ibriel bit into a skewer with a look of exasperation.
It seemed she hadn’t anticipated that I was deliberately avoiding recalling the past events until the very end. If that was the case, she shouldn’t have come when I was in such a state.
“Ibriel, why did you come when my consciousness was hazy? Why didn’t you just tell me directly that the Master was alive?”
I had wanted to hear about the events of that time from her own mouth as well.
Ibriel looked down, seemingly thinking about something.
“Probably because I underestimated that child. I didn’t think the memory transfer was possible.”
Ah, now that you mention it, I think she said something like that in the dream I had back then.
That humans couldn’t be trusted, and that a memory transfer couldn’t happen without a considerable amount of attachment.
“If I had told you once your consciousness started clearing up, you would have immediately broken the seal and gone looking for that child, right? And what if the child had forgotten all about your existence and that so-called contract? Or if, even remembering, they became attracted to other humans, were frightened of you, an immortal demon, and strongly rejected you? I thought that you, who endured the pain of being sealed away out of your feelings for the child, would be terribly hurt and I didn’t know what you might do.”
Honestly, I can’t really argue with that.
Now I’ve calmed down a little, but back then, I was utterly fixated on the Master’s existence. That’s precisely why I could endure the pain of the seal. If I had known that the Master’s soul wasn’t in that great sword and that they were living out in the world, I think I would have been unable to control my emotions and would have searched for them frantically, bloodshot eyes and all.
The Master promised they would definitely come to meet me. I still believe that as a matter of course, but… you’re right, I hadn’t considered the possibility of being forgotten.
There’s a saying that love is blind. I guess I was a perfect example of that.
“So, I wanted you to remember everything slowly, bit by bit, and to act only after you had sorted out your feelings. I was surprised you were really sealed for 1000 years, though. I thought we might never meet again.”
“My apologies for that.”
“Well, it’s fine since we can share a drink like this again.”
Ibriel poured more sake into my now-empty ochoko.
We continued chatting for a while, gratefully eating the snacks the Master had made.
She told me various things about the demon world and the human world during the time I was sealed. Even though Ibriel is supposed to be shut away in this world, she somehow knows a lot of information about the outside world. Like how there’s a large-scale human auction being held in the demon world right about now… Whether it was when I got sealed or this, just how does she manage to gather information so quickly?
“Sorry to interrupt while you’re busy, but I’m going to start preparing dinner.”
Just as we had finished more than half of the appetizers, the Master came over carrying a large pot. Inside the pot were a semi-transparent brown broth and various added vegetables and meats. They were just cut and added, not cooked yet, but it seemed dinner was going to be a hot pot.
“Since we have the chance, I’d like to try using the sunken hearth. Is that okay?”
“Hmm, fine by me.”
As soon as Ibriel said that, the charcoal arranged in the center of the hearth suddenly burst into flames.
The Master set the pot in place and closed the lid. Soon, the sound of the pot beginning to boil vigorously could be heard from within, and steam and the smell of miso began to waft from the gaps in the lid.
It seems the Master traveled alone for a long time before meeting me too.
Because of that, their cooking skills are fairly decent. Thankfully, during our travels, the Master handles most of the cooking. Their stewed dishes are particularly quite delicious.
Ibriel also sniffed the aroma and allowed a slight smile to touch her expression.
“Speaking of which, you’ve been traveling with the Master for a while now. How do they seem to you?” I asked Ibriel, who was reaching for the last skewer.
“Hmm? Well, they seem to have quite some nerve, but they’re more of an ordinary child than I imagined. Given how devoted you are to them, I thought they’d be more of an eccentric.”
“I suppose, it might seem that way.”
“What’s with that attitude, like you’re the only one who gets to know? Creepy.”
“Don’t let appearances fool you, they’re quite possessive. It sends a shiver down my spine.”
“If you’re going to gush about them any more than that, I’ll throw you out.”
Ibriel, placing the finished skewer back on the plate somewhat roughly, wore a displeased expression. Unfortunately, it seems she wasn’t going to listen to much bragging.
“But you, you’ve been acting a bit different since you came back with the Master. Did something happen?”
Ibriel’s eyes widened slightly for a moment, and she froze.
It seemed something had crossed her mind; she looked into the distance as if pondering something for a while.
“…It’s nothing. Well, let’s just say I got tired of being shut in, and thought new encounters might not be so bad after all.”
She said in a small voice while pouring the last of the sake and taking a sip.
I don’t know what happened, but it seems a slight change has occurred in Ibriel’s heart as well. In that sense too, I was glad I brought the Master to this world.
After that, the Master brought over a tray laden with freshly made side dishes and freshly cooked rice.
When we opened the pot lid, the aroma that had been leaking from the gaps before wafted out and filled the entire room. It seemed well-cooked and ready to eat. The Master skillfully skimmed off the scum with practiced hands and arranged the small dishes.
Ibriel brought additional sake and some tea for the Master, placing them nearby.
The three of us gathered around the sunken hearth and began eating the hot pot. As I ate the delicious food, I vaguely watched my friend and my Master bicker.
Once in a while, a lively meal like this is nice.
The happy meal continued until the Mana Elixir was ready.
―――――――――
“Hmm, it’s dried thoroughly now.”
Around the time we finished eating and the Master and I finished washing the dishes, Ibriel brought over the mold filled with the medicine.
She spread a sheet on the floor, turned the mold over, and pushed on the opposite side of the depressions, causing the Mana Elixir pills to tumble out onto the sheet. Those dark green tablets were exactly the same as the Mana Elixir I had seen ages ago.
“You’ll need a container too, right? Here, a jar I sterilized by boiling. Take it.”
“Ah, thank you very much!”
“Then, I’ll take half.”
Simultaneously as the Master received the jar, Ibriel, with a nonchalant face, scooped up about half of the Mana Elixir and put it into another jar she had.
The Master made a face like a pigeon hit by a pellet gun.
“Neither you nor Diabolos need this stuff, right? One pill is enough for Lucifer.”
“Isn’t that just too stingy!? And besides, you don’t need it either, right, Ibriel?”
“I don’t need it, but there are countless demons who desire this. It might be useful for something. Be thankful, child.”
The Master looked somewhat unconvinced, but since it wasn’t originally for us anyway, they replied, “Well, whatever,” albeit seeming a little displeased. Well, indeed, considering Lucifer’s abilities, in extreme terms, one pill should suffice.
With this, our job was completely finished.
We’d eaten, said all we wanted to say, and the promised time was almost upon us.
It was about time for us to leave.
We gathered our luggage, confirmed the Mana Elixir was securely in the backpack, and opened the front door. Ibriel also came to the entrance to see us off.
I created a gate outside the entrance, connected to the forest near the Grand Kokuma Empire. When arriving in this world, the entrance is fixed within the forest, but when leaving, it can be made anywhere.
“Um, thank you for everything.”
Just before the Master could bow deeply in thanks, Ibriel gave a slight nod.
I also offered a word of thanks and opened the gate.
Since I intended to visit again sometime, I didn’t think there was any need for grand farewells now. Ibriel, looking at my face, narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled.
“Be happy.”
It was a rare, gentle tone of voice.
