Dorothy's POV:
A thud is heard. I just stop moving, waiting for whatever it was to end. But something is clearly out of place. The sound of a struggle fills the air, accompanied by the thud of earth shifting abruptly.
- …
The sounds suddenly stop. As if my ears have suddenly stopped working.
- Let's run!
Before I can see what's happening, I'm lifted off the ground with dizzying speed. As if the world has reset, I'm bouncing from side to side as a familiar man carries me.
- Sir?
I can't believe what's in front of me. The man I left behind moments ago is now carrying me with one arm as he leaps toward a high branch. With his free arm, he swings on the branch until he jumps and grabs onto it. The sudden movement makes the world spin around me.
- We should be safe now.
With clear relief, he leans back on the branch and settles me into his lap. My world spins as I clumsily try to move.
- Be careful.
He places a hand on my stomach as he pulls me closer to his chest. Gently, he adjusts my position on my right side. His arms support me as he glances down with concern. There, a beast like the one we had hunted a few days ago stares menacingly at us, making a clumsy attempt to reach us with its long mouth. The sounds of the jungle return as the defeated beast turns and leaves.
- I'm glad I arrived in time.
He wipes the sweat from his brow with his sleeve as he looks up at the sky with relief. Silence reigns. A thousand emotions, both happy and sad, swirl in my chest like a hurricane. I was relieved to be alive, but afraid of what the man would say to me. I was happy that he cared about me, but terrified to know what he thought of me. I couldn't help but feel happy about this scorching heat, but at the same time, I hated myself for feeling happy about it.
- Are you okay?
Those small, insignificant words were what broke the hurricane. I looked up to meet his gaze. There was no reproach, no anger, no hatred... only genuine concern.
- Why did you come back?
- ...
- Why didn't you abandon me? You should have let me die down there.
At some point, I gripped his shirt until my palms were white.
- Because Amelia wanted us to come back for dinner.
- Don't make up those lies! There's no way you didn't realize I'm taking advantage of you. You should hate me. You should be afraid of me. You should despise me for the monster I am!
- ...
Before I knew it, heavy tears were streaming down my cheeks. I braced myself for his hatred. I knew this would be the end of my life with them. But even though I knew it, I didn't want to keep taking advantage of such kind people.
"This is for the best."
At this point, I didn't know who I was trying to convince. A heavy sigh filled the air.
- Listen, I'll be completely honest with you. At first, I wasn't keen on you staying in our house.
- ...Huh?
- You fell from a strange cocoon covered in burns. You had a strange aura about you. You were too suspicious. Even though I saved you on impulse, my plan was to ask you to leave immediately as soon as you woke up. Even that strange request you made when you woke up about "not to introduce us" left me completely perplexed. At first, I was genuinely afraid a detachment of knights would come looking for you.
- ...
His words hurt. Although I expected him to disown me, his words leave me speechless. As if my tongue were numb. I can't stop trembling as I wait for his next words.
- But…
Something gently lands on my head. Surprise forces me to look up. There, the man greets me with a warm smile. His hand gently ruffles my hair.
- I don't see you as a stranger anymore. Although I originally allowed you to stay because of Amelia, I truly enjoyed our time together. You helped us fill that void that had always been missing in our lives…
- Void?
- …
As if contemplating the answer for a moment, he looks at me for a few seconds before speaking again.
- Amelia and I can't have children. Although we tried day and night for five long years, it was never possible for Amelia to get pregnant. We tried all sorts of methods, but nothing ever worked. Before you came into our lives, she was devastated by it. But when you arrived, she got back that smile I fell in love with. She looked so adorable as she did her best to teach you to cook without hurting yourself.
- I didn't know anything about that.
- She insisted I not tell you. She didn't want you to feel pressured to fill that gap. My lovely wife is too kind, after all.
- Is it okay if you tell me?
- ...
He remained silent once more. He carefully raised his gaze to the sky where the orange and dark blue of the night blended on the horizon. The silence continued for a few seconds before I began to speak in order to kill the suffocating silence.
- I also want to apologize. For trying to put distance between us and for taking advantage of your kindness.
- ... You don't need to apologize. We also took advantage of you by selfishly treating you as our daughter.
- That's not—
Before I could object, his hand gently stroked my head again. As if he wanted to soothe a child. Thanks to that, my hair was already a complete mess.
- Don't hold back. If you really are a child, then you're free to be more rebellious and selfish. Go ahead and ask me to pamper you until you can't live without it.
.- ..Pff hahahaha
A genuine smile escaped my lips as I tried in vain to suppress my laughter.
- ...Is it okay to be selfish?
- I'll spoil you rotten.
- Then—
I told him everything that had happened up to that point. How I lost my family. What I experienced with my teachers, Mira and Lira. How I met Erick. The time we spent together. The various adventures we had together. That my sister is a plant witch. The man listened in silence. Nodding sometimes, other times horrified by what I was telling him. Slowly, I managed to release all my emotions as I recounted what had happened. A deep feeling of peace filled my chest.
- And that's how I got here in the cocoon my sister was moving.
- Wow, it's much heavier than I expected.
I looked at the sky for a few seconds. By the time I finished my story, the orange sky had completely disappeared. Now only the stars and a bright, enormous moon watched over us. He pondered for a few moments before letting out a dry laugh.
- Compared to your epic adventure, our escape from the village seems like a simple children's story.
I felt something ignite inside me. The words "Our escape" got my curiosity into the sky. I looked expectantly at the man as he scratched his neck uncomfortably.
- I really don't think you want to hear that boring th-
Before he could finish his sentence, my gaze stopped him short. He looked away as I continued to stare at him expectantly. He couldn't help but sigh before speaking again.
- It's not a big story, so don't be disappointed later.
Without saying a word, I simply nodded so he could begin his tale.
- We both used to live in a small village near here. My wife was the daughter of the village chief. I was just a hunter she met by chance. The moment our eyes met, we knew we were meant for each other.
Looking melancholically at the sky, he lightly stroked my already disheveled hair before continuing.
- Back then, Amelia was quite a proper girl. Although it was clear our feelings were mutual, she stubbornly put her duty as the chief's daughter first. Even though I did my best to see her every day, she continued to avoid me. But this stubborn young man didn't give up on her. He went straight to my father-in-law to ask for her hand in marriage.
- And did he give it to you?
- ...Not really. He seemed skeptical of my proposal. My father-in-law never really liked me. The first time, he even slammed the door in my face. But to prove my determination, I visited his house every day with some animal I had hunted in the early morning as a gift. After a whole month, not even that stubborn old man could ignore me. After about four months of endless talks with the old man, he proposed a final challenge to win Amelia's hand.
- What kind of test?
- I had to hunt and bring back the head of the witch of death.
His words, delivered in a grave tone, resonated like a death sentence. Having had some past encounters with witches during my adventure, I got goosebumps upon hearing the old man's request.
- Did you succeed?
- Of course not.
As if recalling something specific, he stared into space for a few seconds.
- He told me she lived in an old cabin within the alligator territory. I armed myself with my best tools and set out in search of the witch. Before I could leave my house to look for her, Amelia appeared at my door.
- Did she want to stop you?
- Of course she did. The task he had given me bordered on the absurd. The witch of death wasn't just a being who had lived for over 300 years. She was one of the witches who brought about the fall of the old empire. Nothing was known about her except her name.
- So you decided to escape together!
- No, my young and stubborn self insisted on going to complete the test. Although Amelia tried to stop me with tears in her eyes, I was convinced that if I failed the old man's test, I would never be able to truly live with her. Leaving Amelia behind, a bundle of tears, I set off for my objective.
He takes a deep breath. I feel his chest slowly rise against my back. As if he wants to savor the cool air around him, he holds his breath for a few moments before continuing.
- I spent several days watching the witch. I learned how she moved. What she ate. What she did. When she went out. When she slept. Always looking for an opportunity. When I finished analyzing her, I pounced on her while she slept. I took advantage of the moment when she was most deeply asleep to make my move and slip into her room. With a bow in hand, I shot an arrow directly at her forehead. But the arrow never touched her.
- Did you miss?
- …No. The arrow I shot vanished into dark specks before I could reach her. I was terrified to see my plan had failed. When I tried to run, the entire ground beneath me turned into black specks, and I fell straight down to the first floor.
His sober expression clearly showed how horrible the whole experience had been. A slight tremor in his hands betrayed him.
- So you managed to escape?
- No. Since it had all been so sudden, I couldn't react in time and I fell badly. When I hit the ground, I couldn't get up. The sleepy witch watched me as I struggled to get on my feet. Before I could even fight back, she grabbed me by the neck and pulled me up. She looked me straight in the eyes and asked why I was hanging around her.
- So she spared your life?
- That's right. After I explained everything, she simply dropped me to the ground again and hit me on the neck. After that, I don't remember anything else until the next day. Amelia woke me up startled the next morning.
- Amelia?
- Strange, isn't it? Apparently, the witch had gone to town and killed my father-in-law. She threatened everyone present, telling them not to bother her again, and started living in the old mayor's house.
- Huh?
- Actually, the house we live in now is the house that once belonged to the witch of death.
- Huh??
The revelation left me stunned. I couldn't believe what he had told me.
- And you just stayed there?
- The witch herself told Amelia to use the house however she wanted.
- ...
I was speechless. There were so many unanswered questions that I didn't even know where to begin. My mind was a chaotic jumble of confusion.
- It seems the alligators have left. Let's go home; it's time for dinner.
- Huh?... Huh?
- ...
Without waiting for an answer, he carried me in his arms as we crossed the forest.