Home/The Reason I Was Reincarnated as a Witch in a Novel/ch 13

Chapter 013

If you asked Lindsay when the busiest time was for a shopkeeper, she would answer "mornings"—at least, before she met Lionel.

After meeting Lionel, Lindsay, who had acquired a large-capacity mana charger, used magic to finish all the manual labor she had previously done to conserve mana.

The results were remarkable. The cleaning time that used to take sweeping and wiping the interior was reduced to one minute, and the time spent checking the items displayed on the shelves was cut in half.

Humming a tune, Lindsay removed the signboard hanging outside her shop.

Setting the signboard on the counter, she pulled a dry cloth from the drawer. The dust that had settled on the signboard was wiped away.

[That's clean enough. Hang it back up now, meow.]

The cat, curled up in a basket, let out a long mewl.

"I need to polish it until it shines—since you carved it yourself."

Contrary to Lionel's guess, the shop signboard had been painstakingly carved stroke by stroke by the cat.

[Meow—.]

"...?"

A puzzled jade-green gaze turned to the cat.

[What is it, meow?]

"Nothing..."

If I said he just made a real cat sound, he'd be mortified. Nero has too much pride.

Catching herself in time, Lindsay stepped outside to hang the freshly polished signboard. As soon as she came out, she glanced sideways at the noisy neighboring shop.

Lindsay frowned at the crowd swarming like clouds around Ohara Magic Potion Shop. It wasn't entirely because of her capable neighbor that her own shop had no customers. Yuri Ohara, who had opened an identical shop right next to her potion store, certainly lacked business ethics. But the root cause was ultimately whether or not one had the Magic Tower's certification—so Lindsay had no reason to hate Ohara.

...Then why did she feel so vexed and jealous?

"Line up, please! Form a line!"

"Hey, no cutting in front!"

With three times the usual number of customers, the shop owner, Yuri Ohara, finally came outside to organize the bustling crowd.

As Yuri lined up the customers, she caught sight of Lindsay holding her signboard and strode over.

"Oh my! Honey, you're still in business?"

Lindsay's fingertips dug into the signboard made of boxwood—famous for its hardness.

So this was why I felt so bothered. It's human nature to feel envious even when a cousin buys land—and when that cousin also rubs it in your face...

Lindsay calmly withdrew her fingers from the signboard.

She took a deep breath to keep from blowing away the smirking Yuri. They say three 'patience's can save a person...

"What kind of money do you have to keep running this place? Or are you—are you luring men into your house with that pretty face?"

You're done for.

Lindsay's fresh jade-green eyes blazed with fury. Until now, no matter how annoying Yuri Ohara had been, Lindsay had refrained from reacting to her sharp rudeness, since they were neighbors.

But Yuri Ohara had crossed the line—and would now pay the corresponding price.

She wouldn't cast a life-threatening spell or curse. She wouldn't beat Yuri Ohara to a pulp with physical force.

She would simply make her life a little harder.

"Miss Ohara. You should find a hobby for your nights."

Because you won't be sleeping well from now on.

With that, Lindsay turned away. Ignoring the sputtering sounds behind her, she lifted the signboard—and suddenly the woman went quiet. That's not like her.

Before she could resolve the question, another shadow stretched long over her own.

Lindsay flinched at the unnatural sound of wind and the rustle of fabric near her ear. A warm presence at her back, and the faint scent of sun-dried paper brushed against her nose. A delicate but broad-boned hand wrapped over Lindsay's hand holding the signboard.

As the signboard found its place, Lindsay blankly watched the corner of a green cloak brushing against her cheek.

"Lindsay doesn't have any other men besides me... So don't say strange things."

At the cool voice above her, Lindsay turned her face. As if waiting for her to look back, she immediately met a pair of lavender eyes.

"Right, Lindsay?"

Lindsay looked at Lionel's gently curving eyes and found herself speechless. She was busy trying to calm her irregularly beating heart.

Lionel shielded the dazed Lindsay with his cloak. Then he turned his head and glared at the stunned-faced woman.

The moment he arrived at the shop with a fluttering heart, he had seen Yuri Ohara hurling insults at Lindsay. Yuri Ohara was the owner of the last shop he had visited in his search for the witch.

"M-Master Tow—Mmpph!"

"Your ears might tear, so please keep your mouth shut."

"Mmph!"

Yuri Ohara groped at her sealed mouth, tears welling in her eyes. Even those tears were utterly loathsome—but what mattered now was the wounded Lindsay.

Lionel checked Lindsay's complexion within his embrace and asked cautiously:

"Are you alright?"

"About what?"

At her calm, flat reply, Lionel felt relieved. And he began planning his revenge against the woman who had spoken so rudely to Lindsay.

He could only be satisfied by repaying kindness twofold and grudges tenfold. He would take everything the woman had, and make her words come true.

Lionel's lavender eyes, now holding a cruel glint, fixed on the trembling woman. Startled, she knelt and pressed her palms together in prayer.

Seeing the customers behind her whispering among themselves, Lionel reaffirmed his resolve for revenge—because she had humiliated Lindsay in front of so many people.

"Don't mind those vulgar words. I'll—"

"It's fine. I already did something."

"Really? What did you do?"

Lionel's eyes went wide as he examined Yuri Ohara. Now that Lindsay mentioned it, he could faintly sense a curse lingering over her body.

"Let's talk inside."

"Alright. I came early this morning—is there no reward?"

"Have you eaten?"

Lionel found it amusing how Lindsay always asked about meals whenever they met.

"No. Lindsay, do you always ask if I've eaten?"

"That's our way of greeting."

"Ah. Is it 'that side's' way of greeting?"

"No. The other side."

What does that mean? Lionel smiled brightly and, before closing the shop door, released the silence spell on the kneeling Yuri Ohara, mouthing silently.

This is just the beginning.

Despite the chaos, Yuri Ohara somehow managed to read Lionel's lips—and despaired. Watching her expression with pleasure, Lionel noticed a black cat slipping out through the door.

The cat's tail was bristling, as if enraged. Lionel had a faint suspicion that his own turn might come soon.

"So what did you do to that woman? A death curse?"

"What? What do you take me for?"

Lindsay looked at Lionel, whose eyes sparkled with curiosity, with an incredulous expression. She was baffled that Lionel's image of her was consistently so extreme.

Who kills someone over a few mocking words?

"Judging by the residue, it's a curse-type spell..."

Yes, she had indeed used a curse spell.

Tired of Lionel accurately identifying the type of magic from the residual mana, Lindsay shook her head and told him the answer. The spell she had cast on Yuri Ohara was an intermediate curse that caused vicious nightmares.

Given Yuri's level, she wouldn't even realize she was under a curse—she'd only sense something wrong and belatedly seek out a skilled mage or a temple.

Until then, she would have no choice but to dream nightly of being chased by something she hated, waking again and again. But Lionel didn't seem satisfied with that.

"That's too weak, don't you think? If you felt pressured because people were watching, I could have handled it discreetly for you."

"What are you going to handle discreetly? Handle this instead."

Lindsay shoved a sandwich into Lionel's mouth as he uttered ominous words, then took a bite of her own.

This morning's menu was a simple yet filling ham-and-cheese sandwich—perfect for busy small business owners. She was glad she had prepared enough for Lionel's portion as well.

Chewing her sandwich while looking around the shop, Lindsay noticed that the cat, who was always sprawled in the same spot, had vanished.

Must have gone chasing after some bird.

Lindsay dismissed the cat's absence without much thought.

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