I Don’t Want A Prince In My Life - Chapter 14. I Never Thought This Would Happen

“Witch!”

Albert raised his voice as if to reproach the witch for her frivolous attitude.
But the witch’s attitude didn’t change, even if the prince of a country condemned her.
Rather, as if to make fun of Albert, she grabbed him by the nose as he leaned forward.
Albert, who was suddenly grabbed by the nose, let out a shocking squeal.
I was taken aback by this.
I’ve never seen him so taken advantage of in my life.
Albert managed to pull himself away from the witch’s grasp and rubbed his nose in pain.
I was expecting him to be angry, but contrary to my expectations he said nothing.

“Did you cast a spell on Albert?”

I couldn’t help but to ask because Albert withdrew too quietly.
My words were unexpected, and Albert looked at me as if he had been played.
The witch, who was put on the spot, neither denied nor affirmed, but only smiled happily.

“Well, which do you think it is?”

It’s the kind of question that makes you wonder, just like one a witch in a fairy tale would ask.
It’s a question that confuses you, but never lets you know what she’s really thinking.

“Well, I don’t care either way. It’s none of my business if Albert is attracted to another witch.”

I answered honestly that I didn’t really care anymore.
In the first place, I didn’t like people who ask questions back to me.
As if worried about our interaction, the furball went back and forth between me and the witch, trying to get both of us in a good mood.
The witch, feeling sorry for the furball, stroked it as if she were stroking a cat’s neck.

“Don’t worry. Don’t worry, little spirit.”

The witch’s words were more compassionate than before.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It has been too long since I have been in contact with people, and I have been a bit naughty.”

I was more puzzled by her unexpected reaction than I thought I would.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve spoken like this.” The witch said.

“When you say it’s been a while…are you not usually in the country?” Cecilia asked.

“Hmm. I don’t like the idea of serving in the palace. But when the old child calls me, I couldn’t say that I don’t like it.”

“The old child…?”

“The king of this land, though many generations ago. I came to this country in response to the call of King Theophilus to help his son, who had been misled by a witch.”

I knew then for the first time that the witch was the stuff of legend in the royal house of Theophilus, and that she lived many more times than human beings.

‘Then will I be like her? To live far beyond human life?”

There were many examples of powerful people who had sought to live forever, but to be told that I had these qualities was more annoying than pleasing.
If I have lived a mere nineteen years and was so worn out, why would I want to live beyond the bounds of humanity?
When I asked the witch if she was worried, she laughed and said.

“Don’t worry. Even if you obtain the witch’s art, you won’t have to live as long as I did. But it’s a bit of a problem when someone with the right qualities doesn’t practice witchcraft.”

“Problem?”

“Ah. A witch’s power is powerful because she lives longer than others. If it’s used incorrectly, they can even change the fate of a country…That is why those who have the qualities must learn to control their power. And you have just now awakened to the power of a witch. You can’t pretend that you don’t have it once you have it. The fact that you can now see your guardian spirit is proof of that.”

“Oh, no, you did that of your own accord, didn’t you?”

If I have awakened to my powers, it was definitely at the moment when the witch drew a circle in the air.

“I’m sorry I didn’t check with you beforehand, but you were more on the edge than you think. It’s a good sign that your guardian spirit has shrunk to such an extent. If you had left it alone, the spirit would have disappeared and you would have lost your life. The witch of Percival has probably anticipated this and left you alone.”

Next to her talk of living a long life, she talked about the unsettling possibility that I might have died.
I wasn’t ready to believe everything she said, but I looked at the white ball of fur, which seemed to be in some kind of trouble.
It was staring at me as if the witch was right. It was much smaller than it should be.
I felt unsettled when I was told that the being who had been watching me suffer for so long was on the verge of disappearing.
Even though we had only just met, I felt a strange familiarity with this white ball of fur.

“So you want me to learn how to control its power?”

“That’s what I mean. The girl will take care of you, and if you can use the power of a witch, your life will be more convenient. I don’t think it’s all bad for you.”

I thought about it for a while, but the witch was probably right.
I couldn’t give up the feeling that I didn’t want to have anything more to do with Albert, but I didn’t know where else I could go to learn the witch’s art.
I saw Albert looking at me with a look of great anxiety.
I couldn’t help but felt like he’s been letting his feelings flow since we met again.
It was funny to think that it might be the aftereffects of Angelica’s fascination, but next to Albert, the fur ball was also looking at me anxiously.

“I understand. Thank you very much.”

And so, unexpectedly, I took my first steps as a witch’s apprentice.