Prologue – “Account of a Witch’s Dream” (Light Novel 41 addition)
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???: [――Just like you, I'm a complete failure of a girl.]
Thus hearing the Witch's words, spoken with downcast eyes framed by long lashes, Aldebaran became unsure of what to say, merely sinking into silence.
The grassland upon which Aldebaran's trysts with the Witch occurred repeatedly without fail, that place which did not exist anywhere in this world, was an alternate dimension created by the Witch, one which could be called a castle of fantasies.
Even when he did inquire about its nature, she would invariably attempt to deceive him by saying "It's something like a dream when you doze off"; upon that grassland, on this day―― night had fallen, unusually.
Aldebaran: [I guess even unusual things can happen.]
As the star-studded black sky looked down upon him, Aldebaran sighed in wonder.
On a fundamental level, the time of the grassland was fixed at midday. Given that this place was merely a landscape envisioned by its creator, the Witch, it was divorced from notions of true time. Hence, the plains were always bright, and decorated by clear skies.
Albeit the topical person required not any colors aside from black and white, were they truly the possessor of such unexpectedly high spirits that a patch of bright, blue sky would peek out of their heart of hearts, without fail?
Yet despite the matter of him harboring such doubts, he had been surprised by night falling upon the meadow nonetheless. To say nothing of the fact that the Witch in question was dozing off atop the hill.
Witch: [――――]
Her upper body resting upon the white table, the Witch took muted, sleeping breaths.
As Aldebaran was to inquire on the topic of the unfamiliar nighttime scenery, upon realizing her slumber, he bated his breath, fixedly gazing at the Witch's sleeping face.
His initial impression, was that of thinking "the Witch also sleeps, eh".
Obvious though it might have been, that was the extent to which the Witch's manner of life was an enigma. She was a being who could create something like an alternate dimension at will, so if it happened that she did not sleep, he would not have been surprised. In fact, until the present day, not once had he borne witness to her sleeping visage.
Aldebaran: [She's infuriatingly beautiful…]
It was something he had known, but even when asleep, she possessed abnormally prominent beauty.
The almond-shaped eyes housing unparalleled knowledge and curiosity were closed, but her facial features had likely taken God quite a bit of time to tune to perfection, and her long, beautiful white hair and seemingly faded white skin seemed to declare that no other color needed be made known to the world. ――It truly infuriated him.
Aldebaran: [Thinking about it, this is a rare opportunity, I should hurry and grab something to scribble on her face――]
Witch: [――Uh.]
Aldebaran: [――Hk!]
As soon as he thought to do something rude, a faint noise escaped the lips, causing Aldebaran to stiffen.
Despite not having done anything, he felt like a child whose mischief was being reprimanded. However, in the next moment, the tension in Aldebaran's body would break his personal record.
――After all, in the eyes of the dozing Witch, he caught a faint glimpse of a teardrop.
Aldebaran: [Teacher――]
Witch: [――Mph.]
[Image]
Unconsciously, Aldebaran touched the shoulder of the sleeping Witch, and shook her body. With a faint groan at the call and the touch to her shoulder, closed eyelids slowly opened.
As if to ascertain, those black eyes blinked several times, and reflected Aldebaran right before her,
Witch: […Aldebaran?]
Aldebaran: [Ah, yeah, that's right, Teacher. It ain't like yourself to be taking a snooze out here.]
Witch: [――――]
Before Aldebaran as he concealed his discomposure, the Witch silently got up. Placing her slender fingers to her jaw, the awakening Witch contemplated the situation.
And then――,
Witch: [――A dream, was it.]
The fact that it had been so was unfortunate; such was the nuance carried by the mutter.
After muttering, the Witch wiped away the tears in her eyes with her fingers, clearing away the aftertaste of slumber. At that nonchalant gesture, Aldebaran felt a strange sense of loneliness.
Thus, he unconsciously ended up asking about it.
Aldebaran: [To cry while dreaming, you a kid or something? ――What sort of dream, was it?]
So he spoke.
Witch: [――――]
Aldebaran fell silent at the awkwardness, painfully regretting his question.
In all honesty, he had envisioned being bombarded with a great amount of knowledge regarding dreams, or to be poked fun at, teased for expressing interest in the Witch's dream; the usual progression.
But, to Aldebaran's question, the Witch did not respond with the usual progression.
Instead, presented as an answer was the Witch's comment from the beginning.
???: [――Just like you, I'm a complete failure of a girl.]
Aldebaran: [――――]
Ruminating over the Witch's words once more, Aldebaran reached the extremities of confusion amidst the silence.
Just what on earth had she meant? Did she not care about being posed a direct question such as this? Even though she would usually blather on and on without end continuously, what was the reason behind her being so well-mannered right now?
――Even supposing he did enquire it, and ascertain it, would the Witch remain unharmed?
Witch: […Good grief, just which one of us is the child?]
Aldebaran: [Huh…]
Witch: [You said that I'd become so small, that I was just like a kid. Worry not, I am not some cute existence capable of being hurt by you. ――I am a wicked Witch, you know?]
Closing one eye in a wink, the Witch voiced her same old line. Witnessing a glimpse of her characteristic childishness therein, Aldebaran heaved a great sigh.
For some reason, it felt like there was no true lifelike feeling in it.
Aldebaran: [Shit, to be feeling this sorta way because of someone like Teacher…]
Witch: [How peculiar. As far as I know, "Teacher" is supposed to be a title of honor, and yet I cannot sense a shred of reverence. Even though you were just trying to hide your embarrassment at peeping at a maiden's sleeping face.]
Aldebaran: [You go about these things way too maliciously!]
That he was on the verge of being traumatized, was Aldebaran's protest, yet the Witch displayed zero concern regarding his complaints, tapping her finger on the table in good humor.
That instant, cups filled with tea manifested, one of them for Aldebaran.
Witch: [Come on now, cheer up. Should I take the trouble of producing confections as well?]
Aldebaran: [It's fine. Even if I eat here it won't fill my stomach, so when I return to the other side I'd be all jumbled up, feeling like I'm full while my actual body's hungry.]
Witch: [When you say that, I just want you to eat even more.]
Aldebaran: [You're the worst!]
Shouting at the Witch who did not conceal even a shred of her impishness, Aldebaran rested his chin in his palm. Then, stealing a glance at the gleeful Witch, he ascertained that any traces of tears were nowhere to be found.
Aldebaran: [――――]
The teardrops had vanished. And yet, an unfading lump lingered in Aldebaran's chest.
That which the Witch had said was a joke, was likely no such thing, but the truth. ――Even she, beautiful and wise as she was, would have times where she cursed herself, and wanted to cry.
Just who in the world could see the Witch as a failed existence?
Witch: [Hm?]
Aldebaran: [――. It's nothing, sleepyhead Teacher.]
Directing, insults at the Witch tilting her head devoid of malice, Aldebaran brought the cup to his mouth.
Likely, he had missed his opportunity. A chance to question her on that very thing, would it ever come around again? Supposing it did, would Aldebaran wish to know the answer?
If he did wish to know, would the reason be because he sought sympathy or compassion?
Or perhaps――,
Aldebaran: [――Even a fake starry sky's still quite the wonder to behold, yeah?]
Was his wish perhaps to have those black eyes, which albeit bore a jet-black hue selfsame to that of the starry sky, appeared to dazzle even more than the latter, turn towards his own self?
Aldebaran, who was the same as the Witch in being a failed existence, knew not.