The following is told from the Little Witch's POV.
My name was Rufe, and I was a witch.
It had been a full day since I was brought to the Witch's Village, and my mind was consumed by thoughts of Alraune, whom I had left behind in the forest. I hoped she hadn't been defeated by that Dryades woman from the Four Heavenly Kings. I just wanted her to be safe.
Maybe the battle was already over. If it was, she was probably worried sick because I hadn't come back yet. I wanted to escape this village as quickly as possible, if only to let her know I was alright.
However, the mere thought of being recaptured by the Witch Queen the moment I tried to run made my legs turn to lead. The white-haired witch was the very person who had turned me into what I was. My fear of defying her ran so deep it made my very soul tremble.
I was still shivering from the memory of our encounter the day before when Groa, the Witch Queen's Assistant, entered the room with breakfast.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked.
Groa had white hair just like mine, but she seemed much kinder than the Queen. I caught myself wondering if this was what it would have felt like to have an older sister. Since she was the only person I felt comfortable talking to, I decided to ask her the questions I had been too afraid to pose to the Queen.
"Can witches transform into humans?" I asked.
The Witch Queen had appeared before me as a Dwarf man once. I thought that if I could master transformation magic, I might be able to disguise myself and slip away.
"Transforming into a human is incredibly difficult," Groa replied. "Only someone of the Witch Queen's caliber can truly pull it off."
"Then... what about calling down lightning?"
"Other witches can certainly do that. That falls under the school of Storm Magic."
According to Groa, Storm Magic was the art of manipulating the weather. If one mastered it, they could conjure localized storms or create small, crackling thunderclouds on a whim.
"I want to learn how to do that," I said firmly.
Even though I was technically Alraune’s owner, I was always showing her my pathetic side. She was always the one saving me. I didn't want to be a burden to her anymore.
"Can you use Transformation Magic and Levitation Magic, Rufe?" Groa asked.
"I can," I whispered.
"Spells that only witches can cast, like transformation and levitation, are known as Black Magic. They are unique arts that no other race can replicate, but they are notoriously difficult to use in actual combat." Groa paused before continuing. "However, Storm Magic is a favorite among witches when it comes to battle. To ensure you can protect yourself, why don't we start by teaching you that?"
I was overjoyed. With Groa’s help, I could finally learn how to fight. If I grew stronger, I could finally stand by Alraune’s side. I had to give it my all.
Later that morning, the two of us headed to the outskirts of the village to begin my training. Just as I was starting to get the hang of the fundamentals, a massive shape swept across the sky overhead. It moved so fast I couldn't get a clear look, but it appeared to be a dragon with enormous wings.
"Rufe, stay here and keep quiet," Groa commanded before taking flight toward the center of the village.
Despite her warning, I couldn't just sit still. I was worried it might be that fire-breathing dragon that had attacked me before. I shifted into my bird form and stealthily made my way back toward the village.
Soaring through the air, I spotted a single dragon perched in the middle of the village square. It looked like there was a riding saddle strapped to its back. Someone had flown here.
When I thought of dragons, the Demon King's Army was the first thing that came to mind. If the visitor was one of them, they might know something about what was happening in Dryades' Forest. However, there was no sign of the guest outside, nor could I see Groa.
Assuming they were indoors, I remained in my bird form and began peeking through windows. By the time I reached the sixth house, a red-haired man and a man dressed in black gentleman's clothes stepped outside. It felt strange to see men in a place like the Witch's Village.
These two had to be the ones who arrived on the dragon. I landed softly on the roof above them, just close enough to catch snippets of their conversation.
"Glüh-sama, are you sure about this?" the man in the gentleman's clothes asked. "Giving that to the Witch Queen?"
"It is fine," the red-haired man—Glüh—replied. "The Witch Queen’s personal goals have remained unchanged for centuries, and they align closely enough with our own. We shall simply make use of her."
The two mysterious figures mounted their dragon and took to the skies. I looked down from the eaves and saw the Witch Queen and Groa standing right below me; they must have come out to see their guests off.
As she watched the dragon disappear into the horizon, the Witch Queen’s voice took on a sharp, irritated edge. "That Glühschwanz... he actually did it!"
Groa nodded beside her. "Indeed, my Queen. I was shocked to learn that Glühschwanz-sama was the one who possessed the item we've spent so many years searching for. But for him to demand Rufe in exchange... it’s almost hard to believe."
"Knowing that Flame Dragon, he’s likely trying to play us. But no matter. This brings me one step closer to my ultimate ambition. I’ll let him use me for now."
"But what about Rufe?" Groa asked. "You were forced to promise that you would never lay a hand on her again."
"It couldn't be helped this time," the Queen said with a dismissive wave. "But don't think for a moment that I've given up on little Rufe-chan."
"You don't mean you'll try to take her back from Alraune?"
"Nyahaha, no, I wouldn't dream of it. That dragon is a vindictive beast when it comes to broken promises. If I killed Alraune and snatched Rufe-chan back, he’d fly over and burn this entire village to ash."
"That would be... problematic."
"Exactly. But," the Queen added with a sly grin, "if Rufe-chan were to find herself all alone and wander back to the Witch's Village on her own two feet, I wouldn't be breaking my promise to the Flame Dragon at all, now would I?"
"Honestly, my Queen... so, what is your plan?"
"The Flame Dragon isn't the only person I know. I have plenty of other friends in the Demon King's Army." The Queen let out a playful, wicked cackle. "It seems our little Crimson Flower Princess managed to defeat a member of the Four Heavenly Kings, but Vergissmeinnicht was just a newcomer in the grand scheme of things. I doubt that little plant girl has any idea what the veteran members are truly capable of."
Groa suddenly blinked. "Oh, that’s right. I need to get back to Rufe."
Panic flared in my chest. If I didn't move now, she'd catch me eavesdropping! I took flight immediately and raced back to the training grounds.
Two days later, the man in the gentleman's clothes returned to the village alone. Groa had briefed me beforehand; apparently, I was being handed over to the Demon King's Army. I was being traded for whatever it was that red-haired man had given the Queen.
The gentleman handed a small box to Groa. The Witch Queen peered inside, her face lighting up with a jubilant smile. "No mistake about it. This is the real thing."
She looked genuinely happy. As she stared into the box with shimmering eyes, the man in the gentleman's clothes gave a pointed cough.
"Now then, as per our agreement, I shall take custody of the young witch."
"I know, I know," the Queen said, waving a hand lazily. "Ta-ta, Rufe-chan."
Groa gave my back a gentle, encouraging pat. "The human settlements are dangerous, so please, be careful."
I was led to the dragon and climbed onto its back behind the man. With a sharp command, the dragon lurched into the air. It was a strange sensation; I had flown many times using my own magic, but this felt entirely different. The sound of the wings was deafeningly loud, making me miss the quiet serenity of a witch's levitation.
As we ascended, the Witch's Village shrank until it was nothing more than a speck below us. I could see the tiny figures of the Queen and Groa watching us go. I never expected my stay in the village to be so short, but now I was terrified of what came next.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"You are going back to the forest," the man replied. "That was the deal I made with Alraune."
"Is Alraune okay?"
"Yes. She seemed quite energetic, all things considered."
It seemed this man in the suit was an acquaintance of hers. I knew she had been friendly with that Apprentice Saint who bought her nectar, but it hurt to think she had made even more friends while I was gone. She was my Alraune.
As I sat there brooding, the man spoke up again, his voice hushed as if sharing a secret. "You know, you seem to be very special to her."
"I am?"
"Indeed. She looked absolutely desperate when she asked for you back."
Alraune... she felt that way about me?
Hearing those words made the heavy knot of anxiety in my chest simply vanish. Just as I had been worrying about her, she had been fighting for me. The realization filled me with a warmth that traveled all the way to my fingertips.
A few moments later, the man added one more thing, almost as an afterthought. "Of course, that also means you might just be Alraune's Achilles' heel."
I was finally going to see her again! My head was so full of excitement that I didn't truly understand the weight of the man's words at the time.
And that concludes the Little Witch's POV. The story now shifts away from the Witch's Village and returns to the Forest Alraune.
Next time: My Family.