How About a Refill? ~The Elegant Tea Party of the Grand Witches~ - Chapter 17

The Person Lost in Time

The land was bordered by a deep valley, and a large forest. It was separated into two parts: the area surrounded in miasma which was unlivable for people, and the purified lands which were under the protection of the Grand Witches. 

The land covered in miasma was known as the ‘Demon Realm’. It was covered in thick overgrowth of strange plants that had transmuted under the influence of the miasma, and animals that had transmuted so much they turned into demonic beasts.  

When the evil dragon had woken up 800 years ago, the whole world, except the current capital of the Avilier kingdom, had become part of the demon realm after being covered in this miasma. However, under the guidance of the Avilier Kingdom, the purification ritual carried out by the witches and priests recovered areas of land where people could live. The people who had come to live in the Avilier Kingdom as refugees were able to return to their own lands and start rebuilding. Although they could only recover sixty percent of what it used to be, they were able to go back to their normal lives. 

Since the Avilier Kingdom bordered both the valley and the forest, it built up a barrier to keep guard over the demonic realm. In other words, it became the front line of defense for mankind. 

The residence of the Witch of the Forest, Valeria was in the middle of the Forest of the Abyss, at the forefront of said front line. 

Valeria was originally from another world, but was summoned to this world 800 years ago by the magic practitioners of that time. She was different from normal people; after drinking the blood of the Holy Dragon she had gained the powers of a Grand Witch.  

Unfamiliar with the class structure of nobles, and the lifestyle of this world, she had chosen to live deep in the forest.  

Although very rare, it wasn’t unusual for a person lost in a warped space and time to show up in the Avilier Kingdom.

These people would face various problems like not being able to understand the language, or not adapting to the life here, so they would first stay under Valeria’s care in the forest. This gave them a chance to think about how to live in this world in the future.

Another person had recently shown up from another world, so, this time too, Valeria was going to look after them; she would teach them the language and about life in this world. 

‘Don’t be scared. My name is Valeria. I’m speaking directly in your head. I will teach you this world’s language from now on. Come, give me your hand.’ 

Valeria extended her hand to the frightened boy.

As expected, he couldn’t speak their language. If he took her hand, she could send a wave of magical power through their linked hands. The flow of the energy could be used to manipulate his memory,  so she could place the knowledge of the language in his head. 

Valeria herself had once been taught the language in a similar manner by Beatrice.

However, the frightened boy would not take her hand.

‘Take my hand, please. There’s nothing to be afraid of.’

The boy shook his head and moved back.

“Ugh! Jeez! Just take my hand!”

Losing her temper, Valeria forgot about using telepathy and tightly grasping the boy’s arm. She waved her wand over it shrouding it with her magic power. A blue light appeared from her wand and seeped into his arm. Then, she slowly removed her hand and looked at the boy. 

“How is it? Can you understand me?”

The boy who had been frightened up to now looked shocked at suddenly being able to understand her. 

“How…? How was I able to understand sister’s words?”

Looks like she could also understand the boy now. Valeria took out a pen and memo so she could ask him about the situation.

“I made you able to understand. So, what’s your name? Your age?”

“My name is Robin Jacob Richardson. I turned seven this year.”

“I’m Valeria. Robin, do you remember how you came to be walking in this forest? Can you tell me?”

‘He’s so young, poor thing…’

She’d thought he must be young, but seven was too little! Her chest hurt when she thought he must have wandered into a time warp while playing. 

“I was sleeping in my room after kissing mama, papa and Carol goodnight.”

“Sleeping? You were just sleeping?”

“Yes. Ever since Carol started primary, she and I share my room. I put a soccer poster on the wall.” 

Perhaps he felt safer after being able to understand her, but Robin was no longer frightened and started speaking freely about himself.

Valeria decided to have him talk more so he could feel at ease.

“That sounds like a great room. Is Carol your little sister?”

“Yeah. She’s five. She finally has a room but she still sleeps on mama and papa’s bed. I sleep alone in the room.”

“Ooh, Robin really is a grown up boy, huh. That’s great!”

“Hehe.” Robin smiled shyly. Valeria gently patted his head. 

It was hard to think of a child getting pulled into a time warp while sleeping in his own bed.

The warp can occur in various places, but she’d never heard of it pulling in a person who wasn’t moving.

‘I might need to take a look at his memories…’

“Hey, Robin, can you hold my hand for a bit? If you do so I’ll be able to understand how you got here.”

Valeria held out her hand again and, this time, Robin grabbed it without hesitation.

Holding the small hand, she gently tapped her wand on his head.

Valeria closed her eyes as the blue light circled Robin.

_ _ There was a cute blonde girl in front of her eyes being held in the arms of an older woman. 

(TN: she’s watching everything from Robin’s point of view but it’s written like she’s experiencing his memory herself)

Perhaps this must be Robin’s mother and sister, Carol. Kissing the two goodnight, she grabbed the hand of a tall man and walked down the corridor.

They opened a door with a plate saying ‘Robin’ hung on it, and entered the room.

It had blue walls, wooden flooring which was covered in a star-patterned rug, and a blue sky painted in the ceiling. There were also action figures of soccer players.

After kissing the gentle looking man a young boy’s voice called out, “Goodnight, papa.”

“Goodnight, Robin. I love you.”

(TN: aww TT)

She watched as the man left after turning off the lights.

Her eyes closed as the boy went to sleep.

It was completely black for a while.

When her eyes opened again, the blue ceiling had disappeared. She was lying on a cold floor with candles placed around her in a circle.

Several people were watching her. They all wore red robes.

‘It’s just a kid… and a boy at that.’

‘What should we do?’

‘It can’t be helped. Just leave him in the forest. With any luck he’ll run into the witch. But even if you give him to a demonic beast no one will know.’ 

‘Make sure to erase this memory.’

‘I understand.’

It was black again.

When her eyes opened she saw a canopy of leaves so thick she couldn’t even see the sky. It was the forest.

‘Where am I? Papa? Mama?’

She saw the boy look around restlessly. The howl of a beast could be heard in the distance.

It was unbearably scary.

She ran and ran and searched for mama, papa and Carol.

No one came even after crying and screaming.

So she stopped and sat down.

‘Where did you come from?’

She turned around at the sudden voice and saw a woman with blue eyes and long blonde hair standing there_ _

After watching everything Valeria hugged Robin tightly.

“You were forcibly brought here. I’m sorry.”

Looking at the blank face of Robin, Valeria hugged him once again. She took out her crystal to report everything to the others.

‘Seriously, it’s sickening… to forcefully summon such a young child and then abandon him in the forest… I won’t forgive them!’

{Yees, what’s going on, Ria?}

Bea’s usual carefree voice coming from the other side of the crystal helped her calm down a little.

“I’ve got important news! I’m heading there now so call Ellie as well.”

{Okaay. Should I also prepare tea?}

“That’s right. Prepare some juice too. And some snacks for kids.”

{I don’t really understand but okaaay}

Valeria turned off the magic crystal, fastened on her black robe and picked up Robin. Then, she pointed her wand on her head and gave it a swirl.

A blue magic circle started glowing from the top and slowly enfolded the two of them.