Knock, knock, knock.
The Witch of Night Blossom rapped her knuckles against the tightly closed door.
“Who is it?”
After a feeble voice sounded from within, the door opened, and the weary-looking male homeowner gazed, puzzled, at the ever-smiling Witch of Night Blossom and Hilxi, who stood behind her.
“Witch-sama? Is there something you need?”
The Witch of Night Blossom pointed at the moon-shaped brooch on her chest, then spoke:
“I am Yedo, the Witch of Ink, responsible for investigating this outbreak. May I ask, have you experienced any loss of appetite recently?”
“Savior!!” The man’s emotions surged, and all traces of exhaustion vanished.
“Because of this strange illness, I haven’t eaten for an entire day! Without food, I have no strength; I can’t even work, blah blah blah…”
As the man launched into his litany of complaints, Hilxi involuntarily took a few steps back, afraid that his spit would land on her face.
Still, going a whole day without food is pretty pitiful. If I went hungry for a day, I probably wouldn’t even have the strength to talk.
Now that I think about it, this guy is really tough.
“Alright, I understand. When did you first start losing your appetite?” The Witch of Night Blossom interrupted his complaints to ask.
“Probably since this morning.”
“Then that’s all I needed.”
The Witch of Night Blossom cast a Purification Magic on the man.
Then, with a bang, the door closed.
She turned and left, not leaving so much as a cloud behind.
Huh? What’s going on? Did the conversation break down?
Hilxi caught up with the Witch of Night Blossom, asking in confusion:
“Why did we leave so suddenly? Aren’t we investigating?”
“We are, of course. But our investigation is aimed at ‘finding the most recent victim of the illness.'”
“Oh, I see.” Hilxi understood.
Afterwards, they visited several households in the area and successfully found the most recently afflicted patient.
It was a male Magician, who didn’t look any different or particularly exhausted.
He had only been infected for less than two hours. He had suddenly found his snack disgusting and hard to swallow while eating.
“Two hours ago? Looks like we’re very close to the source.”
“…Seems like there’s no need for me at all.”
“Now’s when I need you. Go on, search the house and see if there’s anything suspicious that could be the source of the disease.”
“So I’m just manual labor, huh.”
Hilxi let out a heavy sigh, giving the Witch of Night Blossom a resentful look. The latter only smiled in response.
Such an infuriating smile.
“Make way…”
Waving his hand, the male Magician cleared a path and, after hesitating, said:
“Why don’t I help out too?”
“Great, great, big bro! You’re a real pal!” Hilxi changed her attitude faster than flipping a page, immediately dragging the bewildered Magician inside with a beaming smile.
“Then you two handle the inside. I’ll take care of the outside.”
Leaving those words, the Witch of Night Blossom went to search the surroundings alone.
“Big bro, you take care of the bedroom, the living room, and the kitchen. Leave the rest to me!”
Hilxi patted his shoulder with a grin.
“Huh? That only leaves the bathroom for me?”
“That can’t be helped. You have to think about public safety. Besides, I’m just a weak girl—surely you won’t make me search such a big area, right?”
“…That doesn’t sound quite right.”
“It’s perfectly right.”
She patted the Magician’s shoulder again and began her search.
Originally, Hilxi intended to slack off, using Manipulation Magic to lazily move things around in the bathroom one by one. Who could’ve guessed she’d actually find something.
Sometimes, luck really is mysterious.
“Ugh~ What a disgusting smell. What the heck is this?”
Using magic, she pulled open the white drawer in the corner, and out popped a Black-Green Insect, palm-sized and unidentifiable.
The drawer was filled with sticky black-green fluid, with that thing right in the middle. It looked absolutely revolting.
On closer inspection, she realized it was actually moving!?
Hilxi suffered a severe internal blow. To be honest, she had a slight fear of bugs.
And the thing in front of her was clearly some sort of huge insect!
There was also an indescribable stench that drove her to flee the bathroom.
Afterwards, Hilxi called over the Witch of Night Blossom, only to find her polishing her Crystal Ball—slacking off, in other words!
But that wasn’t the point. The point was that they… no, she alone had found what seemed to be the source.
“Hmm, looks like this thing is the Plague Source.” The Witch of Night Blossom murmured after a moment.
“So gross…” Hilxi stood outside the bathroom, poking her head in with a deeply disgusted expression.
“So this is the culprit that made me lose my appetite. Strangely cute, actually,” the Magician said with a smile.
“!?!”
No way, are you sick or something?
Hilxi stared wide-eyed at this fierce guy, utterly shocked.
“Alright, I’ll take this thing back to the Association and figure out how to dispose of it.”
“Hurry up and get rid of it. Just looking at it makes me uncomfortable.”
“Not yet. After all, we don’t know its properties. Acting rashly could cause unforeseen consequences.”
The Witch of Night Blossom shook her head.
Then she looked at the male Magician… No, let me call you a true warrior.
“Before we reach the Association, please carry this for me.”
“Really?”
Why are you so excited?
Hilxi didn’t get it, but she was sure—this fierce guy had left an unforgettable impression on her heart.
In the end, with the fierce man’s gleeful expression, he triumphantly hugged the “beautiful bug,” mounted his Broomstick, and flew off with the Witch of Night Blossom toward the Association.
Just like that, this few-days-long outbreak was finally brought under control.
Ah, what a happy ending, what a happy ending.
When Hilxi returned to the inn, it was already six in the evening; the sun was setting in the west.
“Back already?”
Saya, who was sitting at the registration desk, stretched and asked, “How much did you earn today?”
“Ugh, I earned nothing but loneliness.”
Hilxi looked weary, her eyes under her orange and white-gold hair barely open.
“I’m exhausted. Going to bed.”
“Eh? Don’t go yet! What do you mean, ‘nothing but loneliness’? You didn’t work today?”
“I did, but I was caught by a Witch halfway and tortured for a few hours.”
“Huh? What happened?”
“…It’s exactly as I said.”
Saya scratched her head, completely unable to make sense of Hilxi’s words.
Bang.
Just then, a figure leaped down from the skylight, accompanied by a voice.
“Looks like someone’s been bad-mouthing me behind my back?”
“You again?”
Hilxi said, utterly drained.
The newcomer was, unsurprisingly, the Witch of Night Blossom, wearing the same outfit as during the day, her pale purple hair flowing, that infuriating smile still on her face.
“And you are?” Saya asked.
“Hello, Miss Mage. I’m Yedo, the Witch of Ink.”
“Ah, good evening, Witch-sama.”
Hilxi walked over to Saya, unceremoniously snatched the chair, and sat down:
“So, what is it? Didn’t you already find the Plague Source?”
“Aiya, you really don’t know what respect means.”
“So, what is it, Witch-sama?”
“Such a cold tone. Well, I actually don’t have any urgent business; I just have two pieces of news for you.”
The Witch of Night Blossom held up two fingers.
“When people say that, it’s usually one good news and one bad news.”
Hilxi frowned.
She wasn’t frowning because of the Witch of Night Blossom, but because Saya, upset over losing her chair, actually had the nerve to pinch her?
“You guessed right; that’s exactly it.”
With that, the Witch of Night Blossom took something out and placed it on the table in front of Hilxi.
Suddenly!
Hilxi leaned back sharply, accidentally tipping over with the chair and crashing to the floor.
She hurriedly scrambled up, ignoring the toppled chair.
She glared at the thing on the table, and bit out, word by word:
“What… is the meaning of this… Witch-sama!?”
Lying there was the very source of the disease—a thing that looked like a white bug.
But it wasn’t moving anymore, nor did it stink.
It actually resembled a steamed bun.
Saya picked up the chair, sat down, and watched the scene like a foreign movie without subtitles, utterly lost.
“The good news is—I found a way to destroy this thing.”
“……”
“The bad news is, it’s going to trouble Hilxi-san~”
“……”
Hilxi clenched her teeth and glared at the Witch of Night Blossom:
“Ah? So, what’s this ‘trouble’?”
“The Association has used Purification Magic, Time Reversal Magic, Ice Magic, and all sorts of other spells on it. It’s been completely purified. In other words, this thing has reverted to its original form. It’s just a White Radish.”
“…?”
Hilxi’s eyes seemed to say, “Do I look that easy to fool?”
“Doesn’t it look familiar to you? This is your own thing, you know.”
Hilxi fell silent, resisting her discomfort to examine the White Radish.
It did seem like a White Radish.
Hiss…
Suddenly, she realized something and understood at once.
No wonder the Witch’s Divination pointed toward her… so it was this thing.
“This… is probably my Black Cuisine? I remember throwing it out, though?”
Hilxi was dumbfounded.
How could an ordinary piece of radish from a pot of soup become the source of an epidemic?
Are people in this world really that fragile?
“This is… food?” Even the Witch of Night Blossom was shocked. She’d thought it was some sort of failed magic potion, but no—
It was actually food?
The Witch of Night Blossom looked at the silent Hilxi with a complicated expression:
“Child, you’re not suited for cooking.”
“I agree!” Saya interjected.
“So… am I going to be convicted? Like, ‘Guilty of causing mass loss of appetite due to terrible cooking’?”
Hilxi felt mentally and physically exhausted.
“That’s not necessary, but you’ll have to pay compensation for emotional damages and the Purification Magic fee. After all, your negligence caused a lot of people to get sick…”
“Just give me a charge instead. That’s easier to accept.”
There was no way she could pay. She was broke to begin with.
“But there’s another way—no charges, no compensation.” The Witch of Night Blossom’s smile grew wider.
Hilxi hesitated, then asked:
“What… way?”
The Witch of Night Blossom pointed at the White Radish on the table:
“Eat it. As the creator, as long as you eat this thing, it will be destroyed and will never mutate again.”
Hilxi was silent for several seconds before speaking:
“Just kill me.”
“Come on, it’s just a White Radish. You can even cook it first.”
“Still, just kill me.” Hilxi gave up struggling.
“If you don’t eat it, just remember to bring ten gold coins to the Association tomorrow. I’ll take my leave.” The Witch of Night Blossom smiled, then turned to go.
One step, two steps…
“Wait…”
A hoarse voice, tinged with tears, called out.
The Witch of Night Blossom turned back, her smile undiminished:
“So, you’ve made up your mind…”
Hilxi reached out a trembling hand, picked up the White Radish on the table.
Her throat bobbed as she slowly brought the White Radish to her lips.
In that moment, she felt all the light in her eyes disappear.
Crunch.
Imagining the White Radish was the hateful Witch of Night Blossom, Hilxi took a fierce bite, her expression savage.
Very quickly, the palm-sized radish was in her stomach.
“Aiya, you ate it so fast. Looks like you actually like radish, huh.”
“……”
“Problem solved. Well, I’ll be going. See you next time~”
“……”
The Witch of Night Blossom rode her Broomstick and left, but her laughter seemed to linger in the air.
Whoosh—
A chilly wind swept by, lifting Hilxi’s orange and white locks, her hair fluttering in the breeze.
“Hilxi…san?”
Saya tentatively called out, sensing a powerful evil aura from Hilxi, one that seemed to be growing by the second.
What happened? Why can’t I understand?
“I’ll never eat radish again in my life.”
Hilxi raised her head slightly, blue eyes completely devoid of light.
Saya had no idea what had happened, but it was clear that Hilxi-san’s mood was very, very bad.
Pat.
Hilxi felt a touch on her shoulder and glanced over.
She saw Saya beaming at her with a pure, cheerful smile, comforting her:
“Then I’ll be like Hilxi-san—I’ll never eat radish again either!”
Hilxi stared in a daze for a moment, then said calmly:
“You really are a dummy when you smile.”
“…I was being serious.”