Home/The Reason I Was Reincarnated as a Witch in a Novel/ch 18

 Chapter 018

Lionel was truly a worker sent from the heavens.

"I gave two dressed chickens to the striped tiger and came back. I also cleared away the bones scattered around the tiger enclosure."

Lindsay listened to the report from her worker, who had returned less than ten minutes after being given the task, and marveled. A handsome face and competent work to boot—she couldn't bring herself to dislike him.

"Well done. I forgot to mention clearing the bones, but you handled it perfectly without being told."

"Since I did well, keep the praise coming—and give me a reward too."

What kind of reward? In my day, if you did well, you just got more work piled on and even overtime.

But the words that actually came out of Lindsay's mouth were entirely different.

"...What kind of reward?"

Her cautious question was tangled with complex emotions: guilt for working him so hard, gratitude for his perfect execution, and unease over what he might ask for.

Unless his request was utterly absurd, Lindsay was prepared to grant it. Her heart had grown generous for one simple reason.

Looking back, she realized she had worked Lionel relentlessly all day—she had even fed him only a single bacon sandwich and a glass of milk for lunch.

From rounding up the horned goats and putting them in the barn, to releasing the snow rabbits into the pasture, to digging tunnels beneath the barn to wake the sleeping dream-cows and comb them—Lionel had done so many chores on the farm that listing them all would be tedious. So she figured she ought to accommodate him as much as possible.

At Lindsay's question, Lionel forcibly pulled down the corners of his mouth, which were trying to rise. He had anticipated that the Lady Witch, kind and gentle as she was, would work him without mercy and then feel guilty afterward.

He smiled softly at the tender-hearted witch. Now that she's feeling generous, she won't be able to refuse my proposal.

"Let's have dinner together somewhere cozy."

It wasn't a proposal of eternal vows or an immediate marriage—just a light dinner date invitation, so she would surely agree. Lionel's prediction was spot on.

"Dinner somewhere cozy? Is that all you're going to ask? This isn't an opportunity that comes every day. It's a chance to ask a witch for anything."

Lindsay looked at Lionel as if he were a naive country bumpkin who had just arrived in the capital.

She had sensed it from the moment he finished his work and came running back for more tasks without a hint of cunning—how did he expect to survive in this harsh world with that attitude?

This was no different. Here was a golden opportunity to secure a substantial favor, and he was making innocent talk about dinner. And that was even knowing she was a witch.

"That's enough for me. What I want is simply to spend time with my Lady Witch."

"Here you go again with the embarrassing talk. Anyway, fine. Let me think about it."

At those words—practically a yes—Lionel broke into a beaming smile. Already wondering when he would have dinner with Lindsay, he rattled off a list of restaurants he had reserved. All of them were high-end establishments in the capital that were notoriously difficult to book.

Lindsay listened silently to the list, then asked:

"Does it have to be a restaurant?"

At her question, Lionel shook his head. As long as Lindsay was there, it didn't have to be a restaurant—he'd be happy even grazing on grass in a meadow.

He simply wanted to offer the witch, who seemed to live a frugal life, new culinary experiences.

"No. I'd be happy even just having a sandwich with you at the shop, Lindsay."

"Good. That more or less aligns with my plan. The only thing left is closing up the shop..."

Lindsay brought her hand to her chin and fell into thought. Seeing that, Lionel spoke up with a bright voice.

"If you just tell me the closing procedure, I can pass it on to Rudolf."

"Would you? Closing the shop is simple. There's a spare key under the counter—just lock up with that and leave."

"I'll have him leave the settlement records too."

"Don't bother. I never do that anyway. Just tell Rudolf to lock up properly, and wait here quietly. If you use teleportation magic, you'll be expelled from this place, so don't even think about it."

It should take about thirty minutes.

With those words, Lindsay vanished using teleportation magic. Lionel obediently sat down on the grass as she had instructed and pulled out his communication device.

He pressed the button on the wood-carved device. A sound like rubbing wood came through, followed by Rudolf's voice.

—This is Rudolf, Tower Master.

"Was there anything unusual at the shop?"

His voice, asking about the shop's well-being, was devoid of any emotion—unlike when he was with Lindsay. The other party, seemingly accustomed to his tone, continued the conversation without issue.

—Nothing unusual. Though I must say, customers are indeed scarce. If you'd like, I could look into some promotion.

"No need for promotion. Lock up the shop and return to the Tower."

—Understood. I couldn't find a ledger, so I created a separate sales record—shall I leave it on the counter?

"Yes, do that. You worked hard today. See you at the Tower."

—I shall see you there, Tower Master.

Lionel set down the communication device and looked up at the farm's sky. As if to prove it was artificially created, the sun hung high in the same spot, unmoving.

The large-scale illusion magic and spatial expansion magic cast over the farm inspired awe the more he looked.

He was capable of spells of similar difficulty and scale. But maintaining such large-scale magic without the caster present—like Lindsay's farm—was no easy feat even for him.

To sustain such spells, one would normally need a magic circle to continuously draw ambient mana and a reserve of mana stones for emergencies. But his talented Lady Witch seemed to have found another solution.

From the moment he had arrived at the mountain peak, Lionel had felt goosebumps from the enormous mana churning deep beneath his feet.

After awe and curiosity came a sense of helplessness. Could he possibly restrain a witch who wielded such magic so effortlessly?

And beside her stood a monstrous cat to boot. It felt as though he was standing before an immense wall.

The contract they had signed, with binding as its penalty—could that really hold a mage capable of this level of magic? If the Lady Witch wished to leave, there was nothing he could do.

Before he knew it, Lionel's head had drooped, and a dark shadow fell over his downcast face. He had constantly racked his brain for ways to bind the witch, but none seemed viable.

Then, a myth from his childhood suddenly came to mind—the story of an archangel who fell from grace after falling in love with a creature of the middle realm.

Why had the supreme archangel chosen the path of damnation for a mere mortal?

The answer was not far off. Just as he had imprinted upon Lindsay, he simply had to make Lindsay feel she couldn't live without him. Not through force, but by her own choice, she would choose to stay. She seemed soft toward the weak and pitiful—so he would become pitiable and weak enough to tug at her heart.

The gloom in his eyes gradually gave way to light, restoring their original color. And at that timely moment, Lindsay returned.

"Were you waiting quietly?"

Lionel cast aside the worries and conclusions that had been circling his mind moments ago. He brushed off his trousers, stood up, and faced Lindsay.

There was soot smudged on Lindsay's face from whatever she had been doing.

"Yes. I waited well—do I get praised for that too?"

"As if. Let's go. Time for dinner with a spectacular view."

She dismissed him coolly, yet kept her promises faithfully—and that was endearing. Lionel's lips crept upward.

Lindsay handed Lionel an umbrella and pointed to the sky.

"We'll go up. The activation phrase is <Upward>."

A passage opened above Lindsay's head. An updraft arose, and Lindsay's body, holding the umbrella, floated gently upward.

Lionel, following Lindsay like a dandelion seed being drawn into the passage, murmured the activation phrase.

<Upward>

Upward. He liked that word.

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