Afterstory Episode 7: The Former Townsperson A Learns His Wife’s Feelings

The day after we stayed at the Witch of the Forest’s house, we made our way to a small grave tucked away in the woods. Melissa had already headed home, leaving only the three of us here.

The name "Mary" was carved into the meticulously maintained headstone. Her year of death was roughly five hundred years ago.

Wait, five hundred years ago?! That means the Witch of the Forest is—!

"I’ll give it a try."

Ana’s voice cut through my racing thoughts.

"Please do," the Witch replied.

"Yes."

Ana knelt before the headstone and offered a prayer. Then, she began an incantation that sounded as beautiful as a song.

"Ice, embrace the form of days gone by. Snow, bury the thoughts of the past. O, my Holy Ice—by the name of Anastasia Kleiner von Ramslett, I command thee. Release Mary’s soul from its bonds within the Demon Forest and guide her to the Goddess’s side. Holy Ice Funeral!"

As she finished the chant and stood, countless large snowflakes materialized around her. They drifted through the air, sparkling with a brilliant light. Eventually, they were drawn toward the headstone as if by a vacuum, slowly encasing the entire marker in ice.

But Ana’s magic didn’t stop there. The ice spread out from the base of the grave, gradually covering the surrounding ground. Then, in the next instant—

Clatter.

With a sharp crack, Ana’s ice shattered. It vanished without a trace, leaving the area as if the frost had never existed at all.

"Ah..."

Ana staggered, her balance failing as she began to collapse. I rushed over and caught her limp body before she could hit the ground.

"Ana? Are you okay?"

She gave a small, pained nod, gasping for breath.

Thank goodness.

I let out a sigh of relief, but when I looked up, I saw the Witch of the Forest watching us with a sorrowful expression.

"Um... did it work?" I asked tentatively.

"...Unfortunately, it seems your strength is insufficient, Ice Saint."

The Witch looked down and shook her head slowly.

"Guh..." Ana let out a frustrated groan, her face contorting with regret.

"Ana, if you're short on mana, let’s use an Ice Spirit Stone," I suggested. "We can have it processed at the Lulu Store, and if we need a Magic Stone, we can just go hunt a Blizzard Phoenix."

"...Yes. You’re right."

A small smile of relief touched Ana’s lips, but it was quickly clouded over by the Witch's blunt interjection.

"No. If you were to use an Ice Spirit Stone now, you would likely be swallowed by your own spell. Being a Saint isn't something one achieves simply by receiving a Divine Protection."

"Oh..."

"According to legend, the Saints of old were always in service to God. While you possess a fair amount of magic, I am forced to say that your abilities as a Saint are remarkably immature."

Ana fell silent.

"I won't tell you to leave immediately while you're exhausted," the Witch continued. "I’ll let you stay for one more night, but you must leave this forest tomorrow. I must save Mary’s soul at all costs. I simply don't have time to spare."

The Witch's words left us with no retort.

It was true—Ana hadn't spent her life honing her powers as a Saint. She had refused to join the Church, choosing instead to marry me and live as a commoner among the people.

I loved her with all my heart, and I wanted to support her in every way I could. But what if she had to join the Church and leave the secular world behind just to master her powers?

Could I really send her off with a smile if it came to that?

"Allen?"

"Ah..."

I must have let that inner conflict show on my face.

"I-I’m fine," I stammered. "I was just thinking... if it’s a matter of God, then the Church is the place to go, right?"

Ana let out a deep, heavy sigh. "Allen. I am not going to the Church."

"Eh?"

"Honestly, I knew you were thinking something like that. You are the spouse of the new Duchess Ramslett, you know? It’s a bit of a problem if you can't keep your thoughts from leaking onto your face."

"S-Sorry."

"I’ve already decided to walk through this life with you," Ana said firmly. "Even if my power as a Saint is lacking, I have absolutely no intention of joining the Church."

"Ana..."

"I learned it from you, Allen. You taught me that if you have conviction and keep working for it, you can change fate. Didn't you save the people—and more importantly, me—from that terrible crisis?"

"Well, that was—"

"I’m not giving up. I have no intention of slacking off; I won't be an embarrassment to the man who did so much for me."

Exhaustion was plain to see on her face, but her eyes held a fierce, unwavering light.

"Ana..."

"Allen..."

As we stood there gazing into each other's eyes, a pointed "Ahem" broke the silence.

"Oh, sorry," I said, rubbing the back of my head.

"...No. It’s good for a husband and wife to be close," the Witch said. "Come. Let’s head back."

"Right."

And so, having failed to free Mary’s soul, we spent one more night under the Witch’s roof.

The following morning, we returned to the spring where we had first landed to prepare for our departure.

"I haven't given up," Ana declared. "I will find a way to save Mary's soul."

The Witch's expression remained one of weary resignation. "...I shall wait without expectations."

"I am Allen’s wife," Ana countered. "I always keep my promises."

"...Is that so?" the Witch replied, her smile noncommittal.

How was that? If you've been following the light novel version, I hope some of the small details in their conversation gave you a bit of a smirk.

If this peaked your interest, I’d be honored if you took this chance to check out the published books. It seems like orders have been flooding in, and Amazon is currently out of stock. However, they should still be available at Rakuten, Kinokuniya Shoten, Toranoana (with bonus content), and Melon Books (also with bonus content), so please check those out if you can.

The afterstory is set to continue. I hope you'll keep cheering for Allen and Anastasia!