The three of them wandered leisurely through the trading company’s marketplace.
Short little Chu Yin stood in the middle, naturally holding the hands of the two older sisters. Of course, Spider Sister didn’t mind at all—she’d already tried carrying Chu Yin around on her chest before, so holding hands was nothing.
But when the Snow-Ash Witch felt Chu Yin holding her hand, ripples still stirred within her heart.
She had never been this close to anyone before. Though she had no need for the warmth of huddling together, this feeling was still novel.
What made it even stranger was that she actually didn’t dislike this noisy boy all that much.
After these days of spending time together and observing him, the Snow-Ash Witch knew this child had nothing to do with the Church. There was no conspiracy to be found on him; their meeting had simply been a coincidence.
Whether or not he had ill intent was one thing; whether she could accept someone causing a commotion within her territory was quite another.
The Snow-Ash Witch knew she was reclusive by nature and would never change herself for someone else, let alone be tolerant.
Her energy and interests were wholly devoted to the mysteries of magic; there was no spare room in her heart to tolerate others or drain herself for their sake.
Yet Chu Yin was quite peculiar. This child didn’t need the Snow-Ash Witch to force herself to tolerate him; she could accept him moving about in her presence. Even when he held her hand, no sense of being offended or repulsed arose within her.
“Could it be that, deep down, I’ve already grown interested in studying his fate?”
The Snow-Ash Witch mused to herself.
The spider maid took on the role of shopping guide. With her mistress silent throughout the trip, she efficiently and accurately bought a large pile of potions, completing the shopping mission.
“I’ll pay!”
At checkout, Chu Yin boldly removed the money pouch from his waist. After the staff announced the total, he lined the gold coins up in a row across the counter. Anyone who didn’t know might have thought it was the Gambler of New Lisboa’s card-dealing technique.
“We’ve bought everything we came for. Are you sure you don’t want anything? If not, we’ll be heading back now,” the witch aunt asked.
“Can I get a Toolbox? I need it for repairing the yard and nailing down boards.”
“Go ahead and get one, then.”
The spider maid wanted to remind Chu Yin that fixing the yard could be done with magic; there was no need for hammering away bit by bit. But seeing her mistress nod, she didn’t say more.
Chu Yin ran off to fetch the item with a staff member. The two beautiful women—outstanding in looks, yet unapproachable—stood watching the boy’s actions.
He passed by one luxury counter after another, all filled with status symbols and precious items. Many adults longed for such things, but Chu Yin didn’t spare them a glance. He picked out the Toolbox he wanted, hurried back, and paid up.
With their regular purchases done, the three walked out of the border town, and with a blink, returned to the seldom-trodden depths of the Enchanted Forest.
The aloof witch aunt was no longer as silent as before. She spoke more with Chu Yin and asked,
“There was a dazzling array of goods at the trading company. Don’t you wish for any of them?”
“Adults want those things to make themselves stand out, I guess. But I’m already different enough.”
“In what way? Your luck?”
“Yep! If a stranger heard about my journey across the seas, wouldn’t they think I was a Great Voyager?”
“…That’s a novel way to put it.”
The witch aunt ended the conversation and returned to the cabin to continue reading her magic books.
Spider Sister resumed her semi-humanoid form, standing on spider silk by the cabin window. She asked quietly,
“Master’s talking with the little unlucky one more these days. Have you decided to let him stay?”
“I suppose so. Treat it as a transaction. He’ll be a test subject for potions and a mouse for observing misfortune, and I’ll help smooth over whatever major troubles unexpectedly find him.”
“Understood~”
Spider Sister didn’t ask further, though she understood a little of her mistress’s heart.
What transaction? Clearly, it was just that the mistress didn’t dislike this noisy boy, and, seeing that he had no intention of leaving, found a proper excuse to keep him around.
Yet a trace of worry flashed through Spider Sister’s mind…
Indeed, with a witch at his side, no matter what misfortune befell Chu Yin, she could easily resolve it and keep him alive.
But while his life could be saved, his lifespan could not.
This cabin in the forest might soon lose its current liveliness.
Well, so be it. Every witch merges with her own Forbidden Magic, making her life nearly eternal. Even as the former Spider Queen, compared to a witch’s lifespan, hers seemed short indeed—no different from Chu Yin’s.
Ever since Chu Yin got a Toolbox, the witch’s cabin had been surrounded by the constant clanging of hammer and tool, day in and day out. Anyone who didn’t know better would think a blacksmith shop had opened here.
That morning, when the Snow-Ash Witch awoke, she realized she hadn’t heard Chu Yin’s hammering.
How odd.
“Why isn’t the little unlucky one making noise?” she asked.
Spider Sister, who was always on standby by the window, replied, “He went to the riverbank to do some… fine polishing work, or something?”
“Go check on him. Make sure he doesn’t fall in the water. It’s time for his potion today.”
“Master, don’t worry. I’ve tied him with spider silk.”
Spider Sister showed the strand of spider silk in her hand—ready to pull him back at any moment. Huh?
Why does the spider silk suddenly feel lighter?
She immediately jumped toward the riverbank, and the Snow-Ash Witch hurried after her, afraid the boy had gotten into trouble without a sound.
Turns out, some Venomous Snake had come from who-knows-where and secreted venom that corroded the spider silk. And as expected, Chu Yin was in trouble—he’d fallen into the river, clutching a Stone for dear life, struggling against the swift current, and trying to claw his way ashore.
Seeing the two arrive, Chu Yin, face ashen, called out for help:
“Help! I got bitten on my little guy by a piranha and now it hurts so much I can’t pull myself up…”
Spider Sister hauled him up into the air. As Chu Yin left the water, a string of piranhas dangled beneath him—the first one biting the “bait,” the second biting the tail of the first.
A truly astonishing sight!
Good thing Chu Yin had recently taken the Physical Reinforcement Potion; otherwise, his well-developed root might have ended up a bloody mess.
Seeing he was unhurt, just weakened by the pain, Spider Sister breathed a sigh of relief—then couldn’t help but laugh:
“Little unlucky one, what were you messing around with by the river for so long? If you’d been swept downstream, Master and I would’ve had a hard time finding you.”
Chu Yin took out a Gem Hairpin and handed it to Spider Sister.
The Gem had been picked up near the cabin; he’d been hammering away these past days, carving Gems.
“Where I was born, noble ladies always use hairpins to fasten their hair—beautiful and practical!”
“Thank you~”
Spider Sister gathered up her loose hair and put on the somewhat rough Gem Hairpin. The two troublesome locks that always covered her chest were finally pinned back.
She was genuinely pleased by Chu Yin’s thoughtful gift. Chu Yin, too, was satisfied—those annoying locks were finally gone!
Next, he presented a Gem Pen Cap to his witch aunt.
The Snow-Ash Witch wasn’t sure what it was for and examined the gift with curiosity:
“What is this for?”
“I tried writing with your Feather Pen, but it felt too thin, so I made a Gem Pen Cap to go with it. That way, it’s more comfortable to use.”
Chu Yin remembered that Aunt Dongnuan in real life had one of her few hobbies—collecting pens, from brushes to Steel Pens and Goose Feather Pens.
Goose Feather Pens were awkward to use—too light and thin, like holding a pen refill. Aunt Dongnuan had custom-ordered Transparent Pen Caps so she could admire the Feather Pen inside and write with it comfortably on occasion.
The Snow-Ash Witch summoned her Feather Pen and slipped it into the Gem Pen Cap, testing how it felt.
This small, cleverly crafted gift turned out to be surprisingly useful.
She’d never imagined, as a witch, that she would one day receive a present.
“…Thank you.” Mimicking the maid’s gesture, she expressionlessly patted Chu Yin on the head.
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