The Witch and the Poisonous Apple

Streams of clouds arc across the azure skies.

Summer is at its peak. The forest has become more vibrant—yet, no matter how much greener it turns, the lake stays crisp cold.

Strands of light, crimson, hair drift atop the ripples of the swaying lake's surface. As Roze floats on the water, her chemise spreads, as if blooming on the lake.

For someone who finds bathing troublesome, she has been doing this a lot, lately. Probably because the weather is hot—there is no special reason for it.

Since Tien visited the other day, he probably won't return for some time.

Even if he were to somehow appear and see Rose in such a state, she wouldn't bat an eyelash.

As for Harij, she had told him to return in a month, period.

Suffice to say, she isn't expecting anyone. No one will bother visiting such a place, anyway. Besides, it's noon. Harij never visits the witch's dwelling at daytime.

One month… to me, it feels both short and long…

Unable to meet you, there's this loneliness inside of me.

Wasn't I able to endure this feeling for seven long years?

Yet, why do I find one month unbearable?

Here I thought my memories of him would be able to sustain me for a lifetime.

The thoughts exhaust both Roze's heart and body.

Turns out managing her emotions isn't the same as controlling her feelings—she finds the latter even more difficult.

Nevertheless, when she told Harij a month is needed to process the materials, she was telling the truth.

The reason is because witches cannot lie.

There's a reason why there are some potions that only witches can make.

A witch that relies on falsehood will be banned from using magic—

—in short, when a witch tells a lie, their magic, too, becomes a lie.

Such method can be deemed both heartless and ominous, yes—but it can also be used to determine the truth—or lies.

Because of the existence of said rules, Roze keeps her contact with people to a bare minimum while also keeping attention to both her facial expressions and words.

Her big robe is literally her only way to keep the truth hidden.

She can also omit the truth or just use plain distraction—those don't count as lying.

However, she isn't good at either.

That's why, living in solitude is also her way of surviving.

"Hmm, it might be a good idea to wash my chemise, too…"

Because of the hot weather, after several hours, it'll dry up nicely.

—a freshly washed robe and a dress are hanging on a rope outstretched between the trees