Volume 4 Chapter 5 Part 2 (1/2)

Volume 4 Chapter 5 Part 2

Translator: Kurehashi Aiko Editor: Queenie

Elizabell disappears into the hut, leaving the boy all on his own. After the boy waited for a while, Elizabell returned with a handful of dried plants which she handed to the confused boy.

「What are those?」

「Medicinal herbs. If eaten in too high of a quantity it can be a potent poison, but if drank in moderation it can be used as a medicine.」

「Ahh! T-thank you… I’m in your debt!」

The boy smiled at Elizabell’s words, but soon enough his face was distorted in pain and he sat on the ground while holding onto his leg. Elizabell’s face turns curious as she comes closer to the boy.

「What is it this time? –––– Oh, this? It seems like you’ve injured your leg.」

Elizabell crouched down at the boy’s side, taking a closer look at his injured leg. She then extends her hands towards his leg and they begin to shine brightly. It was probably thanks to a magic stone emitting light that she kept hidden in her hand. When the light subsided, the boy looked at Elizabell with an expression of relief painted all over his face. Without looking at him, Elizabell got up and cleaned her clothes of the dirt that got all over it.

「Now then, you should be fine with this. But this time around I mean it, go back home.」

「W-wait just a moment!」

When Elizabell tried to get back to her hut, the boy grabbed the hem of her robe, trying to stop her from leaving. Elizabell looked back to see the boy looking straight at her.

「Umm, can I come here sometimes and see you again?」

「Eh?」

Surprised, Elizabell stares at the boy. Then he just gets up, says “Let’s meet sometime in the future!” and runs away without saying anything more, flashing her but a single smile as a farewell. He then gets off the stage.

The woman was left alone on the stage, shining bright like a lonely flower. Even while wearing ragged clothes, her beauty was so strong that it couldn’t be contained. She then rose hear arms and head to the sky, spinning around and started to sing.

「Ah, what a stupid child! But somehow I get a feeling that we are going to see each other again! Ahh, but I’m the stupid one as well! For I expect of this child to actually come and meet me here again!」

I knew it was just an act, but the amount of expectation mixed in with the grief was so real and genuine that I couldn’t perceive it as just an act alone. While the whole audience was enamored by the performance, the lights of the magic stones faded, and the troupe master appeared on the stage once more. He bowed down to the audience and took off his top hat while the curtain was being lowered. He opened his mouth.

「Thus, Elizabell met her fate. Since that time, the boy would often come to her house and visit her regularly. Now, we would like to propose a short break, but do please stay to witness the ending of the story about the Black Witch!」

There was a loud applause from the audience. I was also clapping my hands, unable to comprehend just how a group of actors could have delivered such spectacular performance. I mean, how was that even possible? It was just a performance on stage. But even so, they went and did something completely magnificent with it. Honestly, I was reluctant to leave my seat, as I wanted to know how the story unfolds right away. While I was doing that, suddenly a long and yellow stick appeared right in front of my face.

「Kyah!?」

「Here, big sister. This is for you.」

「Juri-kun? Is this……?」

Juri-kun handed me something that looked exactly like a popsicle, but it was intense yellow in color. I tried to sniff it, but the smell was unlike anything I have ever smelled before. Juri-kun gave a small laugh while he took his own popsicle and put it into his mouth.

「I bought it at one of the stalls. It is a candy made from local specialties. Big sister, you had a somewhat weird expression out there for a moment, so I thought this might make you feel a little bit better.」

「Ah, thank you. I’ll give it a try.」

I put the candy in my mouth as well, thinking it was sweet of him to care about me in such a way. As for the candy itself, it was very sweet and tasted like some kind of southern fruit, a kind of mixture of mango and honey. However, since the entire thing was frozen solid it really felt like a fruit rather than an ice-cream. While I unconsciously smiled with joy, Juri-kun sat right next to me, smiling as well.

「Tasty, isn’t it?」

「Yes, very. Thank you so much, Juri-kun.」

To be perfectly honest, this ice-cream alone wouldn’t be able to completely get rid of those strange feeling that awakened inside of me during the first part of the play, but I was sure that it would be more than enough to get me through the second half of the play no problem.

While I was thinking that to myself, the light lit up on the stage once more, illuminating the troupe master. He bowed down again while taking off his top hat before he eventually spoke up again.

「Now then, everyone! Please excuse us for keeping you waiting! Please listen to the story that we are about to tell you. Elizabell initially rejected the boy as he kept on coming back to visit her. Sometimes she would mock him with cruel words, while on other occasions she would forcefully teleport him outside of the forest’s premise. But even so, the boy kept on coming back. And slowly, Elizabell started to grow fond of his visits. Soon enough, the Witch realized that the boy’s presence and smile began to heal the deep wounds and scars that were covering her heart. Eventually, when the number of boy’s visits could no longer be counted on the fingers of both hands……」

The troupe master raised one hand. It must have been a signal for something. The curtain quietly rose up. On the stage, there was the boy and someone wearing deep hood. It was Elizabell, who was about the same height as the boy. There were some whispers going throughout the audience. Once Elizabell took off her hood, she turned out to be about ten year old girl, with splendidly long dark hair.

「Elizabell!?」

「Yes, it is I.」