Living as an Unemployed in Another World

132 – 5. Witch Moon (8)

5. Witch’s Moon – Faded Memories (1)

In my dream, I was alone with the witch. It was always her room where I was, and it was always there when I learned about magic. I was sitting across a luxurious table and she was sitting on the bed in a languid position. Said the witch.

“Magic is a rule. Jin.”

“Yes.”

“Yes. I think you already know, but…… It seems that the ‘concept’ of magic, which I take for granted, does not exist in your world at all. But that doesn’t mean it’s a contradiction. It’s only in your position that magic is ‘not natural’, right?”

I nodded. Certainly, in the original world, it was a mass of incomprehensible contradictions that had not been proven even once. However, in this world, like many unfavorable laws, magic is just one ‘law’ that makes up the world.

“If you release the apple from your hand, it will fall down. However, there will be places where it is not. The world you came across and this world. There are many dimensions beyond the well…… And it continues to cycle in different laws.”

I was honestly surprised when I listened to the witch’s story. The words she used were different, but anyway, what she was saying was precisely pointing to the thesis of multi-dimensional analysis, which is now obsolete.

“In other words, things that are natural to you may not be natural here. You must deny your life from now on and accept the new law from me. Can you do it?”

“Yes.”

“No, you won’t be able to.”

I inadvertently opened her mouth at her sudden denial, and the witch slightly curved the corner of her mouth and added,

“There is no way I can do it. You’ve already spent too much time there. Besides, the hair is good. Probably because I have too much faith in the knowledge of the existing world, I can’t afford to accept magic anymore.”

“Leisure…… You mean?”

“Yes. Spare. Ready to accept all the strange things in this world. You are too strong on your ego. So now you can’t learn magic just by learning those things verbally from me.”

Then why did he say that he would accept me as a disciple so easily? I looked straight at her with a hint of her resentment——and immediately lowered her head. Because the witch was laughing at me.

“There is no need to be impatient. After all, there is plenty of time.”

“Then… ….”

“Time will solve everything. Honestly, I think your brain will learn something in twenty, no, dozens of years, even if I don’t tell you anything…… Isn’t that what you want?”

I nodded. Do you mean that you can barely get a sense of it until you are over 30 years old? It’s like a childish joke. Then she opened her mouth again.

“So, let’s try to unpack and explain everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes, everything.”

The witch twirled her fingers. It was just that, and from the tips of her fingernails, purple flashes twirled and shone like a neon sign. I was blinded by the bright light.

“As I said, magic is a concept. To borrow your knowledge, just like things in your world, it is the fruit of research that mortals have accumulated over a long period of time.”

“… ….”

“Just as if you tell me all the recipes of the dishes you’ve made so far, I can’t imitate them equally, so magic isn’t a concept that can be established only by theory. Everything is an experience The experience of putting your finger on the string of unknown energy that exists in this universe and this dimension, wrapping it around and kneading it into the desired shape.”

She referred to the work as ‘making an order’. Words that feel like a fairy tale to me. However, the glowing fireflies in front of my eyes were a clear reality transmitted to my brain through my vision.

“But now you will not be able to observe or notice that energy. As I said, in order for you, a stranger, to get used to this world, it will take a long time at least equal to the life you have lived so far.”

“… ….”

“But…… If you ‘know’ everything, the process could be shortened somewhat, right? That’s what I mean.”

Soon, many thick books fell in front of me. I was taken aback by her thickness and her volume, but then I realized that she was right in front of my nose and she involuntarily raised her head. Red eyes looked at me, enchanted.

“Fortunately, you are smart. Better than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s so good that I don’t have to explain what I said once.”

I averted my gaze at the unfamiliar compliment that flowed from the witch’s mouth. But she bent her back and came closer and closer to me.

“It’s just a theory, but if it’s you, it might be possible to catch up with my ideas that no one else has been able to reach so far.”

“…… Something like that…… No, so, did you accept me as your disciple?”

“Yes.”

The witch replied coolly.

“I don’t expect anything from people without talent. Before, I’ve taught a lot of teeth. But in the end, no one was able to live up to my expectations.”

“… ….”

“But you are different.”

The witch looked amused and breathed rather heavily, she said. Her complexion turns to her red lips.

“If you are from another world, if you are not bound by conventional conventions and all sorts of useless concepts, you might be the only one who can catch up with me. Maybe you can understand me So I took him as a disciple.”

“… ….”

To be honest, I saw an emotion in her eyes. The colossal madness of those expectations was not something I could fully accept at the time…… I couldn’t have had a choice.

“You are the first. Jin.”

“Yes?”

“Because you are the first person I will call a disciple.”

I still wanted to understand this world.

I wanted to learn magic.

About the witch…… Because I hoped to get closer.

Her mind was already drifting in one direction, and I told her just to get her reassurance.

“I…… Can I?”

“I have to.”

She said firmly. Suddenly, I shuddered at the cold voice that rang in my ears like frost.

“That’s what being a witch’s apprentice means.”

At that point, I no longer had a choice.

After that day, exactly 100 days since I lived in the mansion. I began to absorb all of her concepts like a sponge.

It was, so to speak, like teaching humans in a world without gravity how to move an apple, or teaching life in a universe without the sun about photosynthesis, but…… Her high-level teaching and my brain made them amazingly possible.

Moments that are deeper and denser than any other moment in my life are still lingering in my mind, and even now, they occasionally come to the surface and distort my expression.

But the ending is always the same.

That face that smiled at me.

Curved corners of the eyes, corners of the mouth. Brightly shining eyes.

The end of a dream never changes.

I still live in nightmares.

※

The next day, I woke up to the sound of a flat knock. Sleeping curled up on the bed without a blanket, I greeted the guest with a terrible look, and when I barely opened my cloudy eyes, a shiny figure was standing in front of the door.

“Jin.”

It was Grace. With some of her arms disarmed in her full plate state, she looked down at me in a black and silver outfit, her gray hair hanging down. She asked in a voice that worried her a little.

“Did I get in the way?”

“No, no. …… What is it?”

Until now, it was up to Celine or Mira to bring me meals or wake me up. As I stared at her with her puzzled expression openly, Grace spoke up in a slightly embarrassed voice.

“Well, a letter has arrived for Jin. I was going to tell you about it, but everyone said to come down and see it for yourself.”

“Everyone?”

“My colleagues. Ms. Mira and Ms. Alphonse.”

I thought for a moment after hearing her words. That’s why I came here on behalf of the two of them. It must have arrived from the guild. But for what? I don’t intend to be an adventurer anymore. Talking about it, if you ask me to go farther like the last time, it’s a no-brainer. Perhaps reading my thoughts from my expression, Grace uncharacteristically extended her words.

“That…… If you don’t look particularly ill, I’ve been told to bring it in anyway.”

“What?”

“…… Excuse me.”

She shyly turned her head away, but her stride came towards me across her room. I feel like I’m being treated worse these days.

“Wait a minute. I’ll go myself.”

“No.”

With those words, she lightly hugged me. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve done this, but she moves me slightly with both arms as if lifting her dumbbells, then stares down at me.

“…… It’s lighter than it looks. As expected, it was true that I was thinner than before.”

Anyway, he must be heavier than himself. Eventually I left the room with that ridiculous look.

While going down the stairs, she slightly trembled her arms, contrary to what she said.

Because I understood the meaning of that trembling, I also did not resist.