...…Tsk!
What a strange thing.
She had merely swallowed something for the first time in 300 years.
All it had was a surprisingly warm temperature, and a rather soft texture.
Yet strength returned to her body.
Vitality surged into her arms.
Before she even realized it, she'd instinctively pulled on her arm.
"........"
Artanis stared at her right arm in disbelief. No—more accurately, she stared at the barrier tightly wrapped around her right arm.
A crack had formed.
It was so faint, one would have to look very closely to even barely see the hairline fracture.
Of course, the crack soon disappeared thanks to the barrier's self-repairing properties.
"........"
Just one more sip.
She had to confirm it.
Artanis tightened her lips around the straw. Another mouthful of warmth traveled through the straw, into her mouth, down her throat, and into her stomach.
In that moment, Artanis clenched her arm.
Crunch!
"........"
No doubt about it.
Each time she drank the potato soup, strength returned. The sensation she had long forgotten, so long it felt lost forever, returned to her.
"My Lady? Don't tell me...."
Her loyal vassal, Largo, opened his eyes wide. He, too, had clearly noticed the changes occurring in his liege.
"Should I prepare more potato soup?"
—Yes. As much as possible.
".....Understood."
A solemn expression surfaced on Largo's face.
He made a vow.
From now on, every potato they acquired would be turned into soup without leaving a single lump, and offered to his lady.
At that same moment, Artanis also made a vow.
"......"
For now, she would quietly continue to drink the potato soup. She would not reveal its effects to anyone.
In the meantime, she would recover more strength and continue storing power.
'Because… I am still lacking.'
Though she had recovered some vitality, she still could not break the barrier completely. At her current level, she could barely form a tiny crack that lasted a few seconds.
So she needed more power.
Enough to break the barrier in one go.
Enough to become free.
Until then, she would endure.
The Witch of Melody made a vow to herself.
***
A day passed.
The next day, Kim Jangcheol came to her once again, without fail. As usual, he carried a basket of potatoes tucked under his arm—for her and her loyal vassals.
But this time, though he approached her, he did not greet her or speak as he had before.
He simply handed the basket to her restrained right hand through the barrier, silently. Then, just as quietly, he collected the empty basket from the previous day.
And so another day passed. Then another.
Until that day, Kim Jangcheol continued to hand over the full basket without a word and take the empty one in return.
Perhaps it was his noticeably colder attitude that prompted it.
On the fifth day of their silent basket exchange ritual(?), Artanis spoke to him first without realizing it.
—…Wait a moment.
Kim Jangcheol paused.
There was no particular reason.
Just as he was about to return to the farm hut with the empty basket from the previous day, words written with magic appeared before his eyes.
"......"
He looked at Artanis with a sideways glance, saying nothing. His eyes seemed to ask, If you have something to say, go ahead.
Thanks to that look, Artanis couldn't help but let out a wry smile from within the seal artifact.
—About that day… I apologize.
"......."
—The day you gave me the straw that let me eat food again. That's what I mean. So wouldn't it be good for you to let go of your anger now?
A motion of her hand as she wrote in the air.
Even then, Artanis couldn't understand herself.
Why was she extending this hand of reconciliation to this brat?
Why?
Why?
She couldn't think of a reason.
Maybe it was because it would bother her otherwise? That she just wanted to ease the guilt that crept up whenever she faced him?
'........'
Yes. Guilt.
Maybe that was it.
She had come here to kill him. Simply because he had inherited the cursed collateral bound to Moderato's heart. She had come to rip out his heart.
But this man had never once tried to harm her. He had never even shown hostility toward her.
No.
If anything, he had shown only kindness.
'.......'
And so she was uncomfortable. She didn't even know why, but her heart was relentlessly unsettled.
—And… thank you.
"........"
—You don't need to reply. I just wanted to express my feelings. I, Artanis, offer sincere thanks for the kindness and grace you've shown me.
"........"
—That's why I will make one promise.
"......."
—If the day comes when I must take your heart… then I will grant you a swift and painless death. And—
"........"
—Those you cherish, your field and the ones who follow you… I swear not to harm them, not even a little.
"......."
—I swear it upon my name, Artanis.
"......Is that a threat, by chance?"
At last, after five days, Kim Jangcheol opened his mouth again. But what came out wasn't particularly friendly or warm—in fact, depending on how one heard it, it could even be seen as rather rude.
Honestly, from Kim Jangcheol's perspective, it was only natural.
"What kind of person thanks someone… and then promises a painless death as repayment?"
—…Ah, I also swore I wouldn't harm your field or your people...
"Yeah, but what's the point if I'm already dead? Whether you touch them or not wouldn't matter. That's still a threat. Really, the more I get to know you, the scarier you get."
—....
Artanis, caught off guard by Kim Jangcheol's unexpected response, found herself at a loss for words. All she could offer was a flustered retort.
—S-still, a painless death is not such an easy thing. Especially in battles between strong people like us, where things go far beyond mere intensity. Limbs get twisted off, intestines burst out, and it's not uncommon to have your spine ripped out alive.
"........"
—I simply meant to spare you from such suffering.
"...."
—Isn't that a pretty decent promise?
"....Wow, thank you so much."
—Really?
"You think so?"
—...….
"So, did you eat the potatoes I gave you?"
—Yes. I ate them.
"You're not lying and only feeding them to your vassals, are you?"
—I, Artanis, do not lie.
"Yeah. That, I believe. That part of your words at least seems trustworthy."
In the end, Kim Jangcheol let out a short laugh.
It was a strange way of expressing things, but at least he could tell what she was trying to say.
So, he spoke up about something he had been considering the past few days.
"Well, since you've gone that far, it's hard for me to stay angry. Anyway, that aside… I was going to bring this up gradually, but… I'm thinking of setting up a temporary roof around you, Lady Artanis."
—What?
Artanis's long lashes trembled.
A temporary roof?
Around me?
What is this now?
Kim Jangcheol continued.
"Because Lady Artanis doesn't lie, I'll be honest with you as well. I have no intention of dying obediently. Of course, I don't want to die at all. That's why I'm doing this."
—So... you're saying you're installing a temporary roof?
"Yes. You get hit by frost every dawn."
—......
It was true.
Though it was.
It hadn't really been painful.
A little cold and numbing, yes, but for someone powerful like her, such trifles as frost weren't a real problem.
"You were thinking getting hit by frost was no big deal, weren't you?"
—.......That's correct.
"Still, it's better not to get hit at all, right?"
—......
"And if this makes you think a little better of me, that's good for me too. It means your desire to kill me might lessen."
—Wouldn't revealing your true intentions so easily backfire?
"Judging by your reaction, Lady Artanis, it seems it won't."
—......
"Anyway, I'll send some farming corps members up soon. Make sure you keep your promise not to harm my subordinates."
—....Of course.
"Then."
With those words, Kim Jangcheol turned and left.
Hearing that, Artanis bit her lower lip inside the seal artifact.
She still couldn't understand.
Why she was exchanging words with this man. Why she was reacting so sensitively to his responses, and why she hadn't gotten angry even when he threw a barb at her.
She didn't know.
Why she didn't find the noisy lower-ranking demons hammering around to build the temporary roof around her even slightly annoying either.
'......'
The roof installation was done quickly.
It was just four posts set up around her with a leather canopy draped over them.
But even that small change made a big difference.
She could now avoid the frost at night.
She didn't have to be under the scorching sun during the day.
Both were things she could endure, but things she now realized were better avoided.
'.......'
Moments like these gave her an odd feeling.
The more strength the daily potato soup returned to her, the more that strange sensation spread again, with a curious nuance.
Filling her heart.
Deep in her chest.
Then, late that night—
"....Tbong?"
Suddenly, a soft, unfamiliar, and young voice rang out from somewhere.
'.......'
What was that sound?
Shaken from her thoughts, she turned in the direction it came from.
And so she saw it.
A chubby, bouncy backside waddling toward her, wiggling cheerfully—a white creature.
'A baby... dragon...?'
At first, she thought she was mistaken.
But on second glance, it was unmistakable.
"Tbong!"
Before she knew it, the baby dragon, Tbong, had toddled all the way to her feet and looked up at her with a bright smile.
And so, Artanis found herself momentarily flustered.
Why was a baby dragon in a place like this? Was its mother nearby? If she had to fight an angry adult dragon while her arm was caught in the barrier, that would be quite the nuisance.
...….Just as she thought that,
Tbong pushed off the ground.
And leapt into Artanis's arms with a bounce.
"Tbong!"
'...!'
Startled, Artanis tried to push Tbong away.
But she couldn't.
Before she could even reflexively resist, Tbong had already buried his small face into her chest.
"Tbong...."
'.....'
Why?
How?
While she was still questioning it, this small creature, without a shred of fear, without the slightest hint of wariness, had already fallen asleep in her arms, as if in a mother's embrace.
"Awoong... Tbong... shhh... shhh..."
'.......'
It was warm.
It was soft.
So it was bewildering.
Then what should she do?
Throw him away? Push him off? Get angry?
She hesitated for a moment.
Then she raised her left hand.
...Tap, pat... pat…
It was the first time in her life that she had ever gently held and patted something so much smaller and more fragile than herself.
So she was clumsy.
But that only made her more careful.
For Tbong, that was more than enough.
"Tbong… Tbong… mumble mumble… squee…"
Touched by the rare warmth, Tbong wiggled happily in her arms. At the soft movement nestled against her, Artanis, for the first time in her life, let slip an unintended warm smile.
The simple roof shielding her from frost,
The kindness of the one who'd arranged it,
The fragile, small creature that approached her without hesitation,
And the soft, squishy feeling that colored her heart—
In the warmth of all these firsts, she spent the entire night unable to sleep as she continued patting Tbong.
And then the thought came to her.
Perhaps… living like this for the rest of her life wouldn't be so bad.
[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]