A Witch’s Limitations and New Friendships

“It’s nothing, merely a small trick,” Hecate dismissed, unfazed.

“I’ve recently been practicing teleportation magic.”

She conjured another cup of black tea with a wave of her hand, taking a delicate sip.

“Ah, the short lifespan of mortals. I haven’t researched that much; I’m not very familiar with it.”

Iordera’s heart sank upon hearing this.

“But didn’t you write books…?”

“Yes, I’ve written books, but that only means I know a little more than others,” Hecate said, making a small gesture with her hand. “Just a tiny bit. It doesn’t mean I truly understand it thoroughly.”

“I see.”

“After all, there’s no real use in researching such matters. Occasionally, a small portion of our kin become short-lived, but the beastkin themselves pay it no mind.”

A wave of dismay washed over Iordera.

‘True, Hecate isn’t omniscient or omnipotent; even a witch has her limits. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been imprisoned in Juneburg in the first place.’

“Speaking of which, these matters concerning the beastkin have nothing to do with you,” Hecate said, swirling her teacup. “Or rather, have you made some new friends?”

Iordera flinched slightly, denying it instinctively.

“No, I was just curious…”

“It’s alright, my dear, you’re just that kind of person,” Hecate chuckled. “You’d even rescue a witch you barely knew.”

This remark immediately displeased Iordera.

“That time in Juneburg, it wasn’t specifically to rescue you.”

“It was simply that, on the path to eradicating evil, certain conditions for a witch’s escape were coincidentally met.”

“Whatever you say,” Hecate replied, gazing at her with fond indulgence. “Is there anything else?”

“No, there isn’t.”

The witch then rose, lifting the black teacup in her hand. The cup promptly floated back to the rooftop.

“In that case, I shall take my leave. Remember my words,” she said, winking at Iordera. “If you need anything, simply come find me.”

****

Alone once more in a secluded corner of the third-floor library, Iordera let out a silent sigh.

Hecate, it seemed, had been entirely correct. Iordera truly couldn’t shake the thought of those few beast-eared lolis, despite having only known them for a single day.

They reminded Iordera of herself: both created by others, both for a specific purpose. The difference lay in her own lack of inherent flaws, and the kindness of someone like Mrs. Sanders, who had offered her unwavering support.

Awang and the others, however, possessed nothing and no one.

****

That evening, Iordera, having foregone any new quests, returned to Sharp’s Workshop. This time, however, she had come prepared, having purchased a selection of small toys beforehand.

There were wooden dolls, meticulously stitched cloth puppets, and a collection of other peculiar trinkets. They were all quite inexpensive, bought on a whim.

“Duo Duo, Little Pa, Awang, I’m here! Look what I’ve brought for you!”

The three beast-eared lolis had always lived in the cellar, rarely having the chance to breathe fresh air above ground. Their activity was confined to the night, and they had never once ventured outside.

As a solitary old woman, Grandma Sharp found it inconvenient to procure such items, so the toys Iordera brought were a source of immense wonder for them.

“Sister, this little person’s knees can’t move, just like mine,” Little Pa said, holding up a wooden doll. “Is it also born this way, like me?”

“Yes, it was born that way, because it’s made of wood.”

“Oh, how pathetic,” Little Pa murmured, looking at the doll in her hands with a touch of pity.

Duo Duo, unable to see, touched a toy. She had no idea what it was.

Awang glanced over, her small face flushing crimson in an instant. She rushed over and snatched the item away. “Duo Duo, this isn’t suitable for you to play with.”

Iordera, utterly aghast, wondered how she had managed to buy such a wand-like contraption.

‘Unsuitable for lolis!’

“Unsuitable, quite unsuitable,” she quickly said, grabbing a cloth puppet and pressing it into Duo Duo’s hands. “Play with this one, this is much better.”

“Thank you, Sister,” Duo Duo said softly. “But what was that other thing, and why isn’t it suitable for me?”

“That wasn’t… that wasn’t a magical girl’s wand,” Iordera blurted out. “You’re not a magical girl, so it wouldn’t suit you.”

“Really?”

Meeting the sightless gaze of the little rabbit loli, Iordera replied earnestly. “Truly. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

‘A white lie isn’t really a lie, is it?’

“Then are you a magical girl, Sister?”

“No, I am a combat girl.”

“A combat girl?”

“Precisely. To be specific, just like you, I’m not entirely human.” Iordera demonstrated on the spot, rotating her head a full 360 degrees. “See? I can perform combat techniques like this.”

This head-spinning feat, worthy of a grand circus act, brought immense surprise to the beast-eared lolis.

Little cat loli Awang, in particular, rolled her eyes so far back she nearly fainted.

The little cat loli had a weak heart and couldn’t handle too much excitement. Thankfully, Iordera was quick to react, steadying her.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine now, just a little dizzy.”

“Don’t get too excited. I won’t perform any more combat techniques. Let’s talk about something gentler.”

Little Pa interjected, “Like a magical girl’s wand?”

“No.”

…

In the underground chamber, a joyful atmosphere enveloped the lolis. Above ground, Grandma Sharp was passionately engaging with customers.

Anyone who dared to haggle would be scolded so fiercely they wouldn’t recognize their own mothers.

More often than not, of course, Grandma Sharp was busy with her actual work. She would be bustling about, making clothes with her chattering helpers, earning the meager living expenses for the little mouths in the cellar.

Curiously enough, life simply continued in this fashion.

By day, Iordera would go to the academy, coasting along to collect her salary. In the evenings, she would visit the workshop’s cellar to see the lolis.

Though the little ones treated her as a peer, even an older sister, Iordera felt that, by actual age, she should be considered a senior elder.

‘If not a senior elder, at least a mother, right?’

Occasionally, she would make a round at the tavern, inquiring with Cat Head about suitable quests.

Unfortunately, whether due to bad luck or simply circumstance, the commissions during this period were all of the same undesirable type: gang feuds, illegal smuggling, murder, and arson.

These were not the type of quests she favored.

Sometimes, when she arrived early, before the lolis had even woken up, Iordera would go behind the counter. There, she would chat with Grandma Sharp about matters of safety.

“I do have some savings, actually, but they’re useless,” Grandma Sharp explained. “I can’t take them through the city’s security checkpoints. Neither the city gates nor the teleportation circles are an option.”

“Moving to a larger, more sparsely populated dwelling would cost too much, and more importantly, I don’t have the connections to arrange it.”

In a large city like Saroyan, even a simple villa was considered a luxury, unattainable without the right connections.

“In fact, I’ve prepared a safe house on the outskirts of the city,” Grandma Sharp continued with a sigh. “I’ve hidden some dry rations there. If anything were to happen, we could hide there for ten days, perhaps even half a month.”

“But the food will run out, and if we hide for too long, we’ll be discovered. It’s not a long-term solution.”

Iordera could only concede with a helpless sigh, “Then all we can do is be extra careful.”