“Hey, hey you. . . those wings. . .”
“Ah!?”
This is bad!
The dragon wings were seen by Corona.
I can’t stay in the village anymore!
I hurriedly turned on my heel.
“Wait, wait! Tell me the story! I won’t tell anyone!”
“. . . Huh?”
Confused, I stopped.
I turn around and look at her face.
“. . .W-won’t you catch me and shove me into the kingdom?”
“. . .Why?”
“That’s because it’s me! I have wings, don’t I?! I have black hair and black eyes. . . Aren’t you going to say I’m a witch?”
Corona was listening to my words with a dull expression.
She folded her arms and let out a big sigh.
“I know you’re not a witch. . .No, you might actually be a witch.”
“No, I’m not! I’m not a witch!”
“That’s why, I know!”
I don’t understand what she means.
What is she thinking.
“Well, then why. . .?”
“. . . Because you see. You’re a weak-willed person.”
“. . . Heh, I’m weak-willed!?”
It seems to be said harshly.
And it seems like she’s staring at me.
Well, even though I was used by Corona for many days, I didn’t go against it, but it’s too much to call me a weak-willed person!
(but. . . .)
But she’s willing to listen to me. . .
I feel a little relieved.
I tried to open my mouth.
Then-
“Hey! Not yet? It’s already the afternoon. . . work. . . is starting. . .”
The villagers came in.
It’s three men.
As soon as they entered the hut, their eyes blinked when they saw me with my wings still out.
“. . . um. . . a witch. . . that’s. . .”
“After all. . . you were a witch after all!?”
The men made a fuss.
One of them screams and runs away.
“Hyaaa!? Ah, help me!”
“Oh. . . wait! This is different!”
The men who remained in the room were also making a fuss.
The outside of the hut became noisy.
The man who just ran away might be spreading the commotion.
“What should I do. . . What should I do. . .?”
I’m flustered.
But it can’t be helped!
Never in my life have I been asked to make such an urgent decision.
“You witch! You must have deceived us!”
“Hey, what are you aiming for! Don’t think it will go as planned!”
The men are verbally abusive.
I was so upset that I forgot to run away and stood still.
-Don!
When I was stunned, my back was pushed.
When I turned around with a slow movement, Corona was staring at me with a tough expression.
Will she say something cruel to me?
“What are you spacing out for! Hurry up! Run away!”
“. . . Huh?”
“It’s not ‘Huh?’! Are you stupid! I’m telling you to go! Do you want to be caught and thrust into the kingdom!?”
Ah, that’s right. . .
I have to run away.
My head is finally working.
“Look! Hurry up!”
“Yeah. . . . .”
I nod and leave the hut.
The house was already surrounded by a number of villagers.
“So, it came out!”
“Oh, really!? It’s got wings!”
“A witch. . . It’s a witch!”
I let them scream and soar high into the sky.
When I desperately flew away, the village disappeared in the blink of an eye.
I fled into the forest, put my wings away and landed on the ground.
As soon as I lost strength, my legs collapsed.
I fall down on all fours with my hands on the damp ground.
I remember the faces of the villagers earlier.
We had been engaged in the same farm work for a while, and we knew each other.
They cursed me with frightened expressions.
I can’t get their faces out of my head, their voices.
“Somehow. . . I’m tired. . .”
I muttered involuntarily.
“I just want to sleep for a while. . .”
I look up.
When I looked around, there was a hollow around the roots of a big tree, just big enough for a human to fit in.
I stand up and slowly head to the space.
I put my body in to hide.
“Mom. . . Eri-chan. . .”
I think about my mother and sister who live in Japan.
How are they doing.
Will they look for me when I’m gone?
“. . . I want to go home. . .hu. . .”
I leak a small voice and then close my eyes.
As I felt the drops running down my cheeks, I lost consciousness as if I was falling.
Poor Asahi. Even though she just got back she had to run away. But I agree with Corona’s assessment. It should be obvious from Asahi’s personality that she isn’t an evil witch.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for reading!
