Chapter 28: A store of resources and raw materials.

Instantly, the noise invaded the cabin. The sound of carts and horse hooves, accompanied by the voices of men and women, hawking their wares, disturbed the atmosphere of a place far from civilization.

A normal person would have been instantly happy, Sascha however could no longer be classified as normal. Automatically, the pathetic image of a tortured human woman about to breathe her last breath filled Sascha's thoughts and her pupils dilated. Wide-eyed she started to back away, cautiously she raised her thin brows and cast a sideways glance at the witch.

"You're not going to cower now, are you?" the old woman challenged her with a cunning smile on her lips. Of course, she found the whole situation hilarious, although the witch couldn't deny how curious she was about the young woman's reaction.

Melida expected Sascha to jump with joy when she realized that she was not as isolated as she seemed. However, and contrary to her expectations, the young woman not only was not happy with her, but she was frightened to the point of backing down. It was the second time that such a thing happened and the old woman could not help wondering why behind such behavior.

Curse! She had done it again! if she wasn't careful, the witch would become suspicious of her. Sascha gritted her teeth as she commanded her features to relax into a calm, disinterested expression. She resolutely stopped backing down to start moving forward, her parallels with her own life not lost on him. Going back was fine since it was better to back down than getting lost on the way, however, cowardice was not allowed and if she wanted to protect the magic bugs growing in her womb, she had better start to harden quickly.

"What would my obligations be?" Sascha asked resolutely as she took another step forward.

Melida paused slightly at the foot of the threshold before casting a sideways glance at the human girl. The witch shrugged before throwing out a couple of whispered words. "I've never had an apprentice, much less a helper, so how am I supposed to know? Let's just go with the flow, for now, we'll figure it out in time. " A sudden thought lit up the old woman's cunning cat eyes. "I know I know." She clapped happily. "Just do the same as you did for the old Ogre."

Sascha stared at the witch from landmark to landmark with manifest disbelief, while she was just snorting as she crossed the threshold. The human had no choice but to follow her in silence.

The inside of the tent was dark and dimly lit by the light from outside. The atmosphere was warm and permeated by the aromatic fragrance of the dozens of fresh and dried herbs in the store.

Breathing in the subtle scent, it wasn't unusual for Sascha to instantly relax.

There was a sudden concentration of power in the atmosphere and five pale purple mana spheres swirled around the witch's palm. The spheres cast an eerie light over the room for a second then floated to the mana sconces on the walls. The instant the store was lit with a soft, subtle off-white light, the door closed behind Sascha. She this she leaped out of her skin and hardened her jaw, working through her tumultuous feelings.

Good. What was there to fear? She had the cloak to hide her presence, a bracelet that would protect her from any magical attack, and had the protection of a witch. Not to mention that no one had any idea what happened other than the only witness, who was none other than the father of her children. Monsters and humans did not link and therefore Sascha rightly doubted the wolf would give her away. With this kind of reasoning spinning in her mind, Sascha was able to find some peace of mind.

She happily followed the wayward witch on a tour of her new workplace. For the next hour, the witch let Sascha familiarize herself with the store and her wares. The store occupied the first floor of a small two-story building on the west end of the Crimson Business District. It was divided into two spaces, the first was occupied by the store while the second, smaller and quieter, was clear of everything except for a sturdy sofa at the back.

"Do you only sell the raw materials?" Sascha asked the witch at one point. Her pair of eyes sparkled in obvious disbelief.

"Hmp. Didn't I mention it before? " The witch nodded without giving too much importance and without giving Sascha time to open her mouth, she continued. "My store is the only store in all of Crimson with a constant stream of resources and materials from the Forest."

"I thought it was the Guild that was taking care of this," Sascha told him, mentioning the largest and most versatile organization in the Kingdom, which a decade ago had claimed the rights to exploit and explore the Forest.

"I want to see who will be brave enough to forbid me to do something." Melida proclaimed what she thought, she had a disdainful smile on her old face. "Merchants, apothecaries, and alchemist come from all the regions of the region to buy my products. Even the city's armed garrison supplies its resources from my shop. "

And Sascha had no choice but to trust her words. No one knew who the master behind the Guild was, only that he was infinitely powerful and superior thinking. However, Sascha was betting her money on the witch.

As it was Sascha's first time in the store, Melida didn't push the issue too hard and after one last exploration, they both returned to the cabin. They shared an early dinner, in amiable silence.

During this time, Sascha's eyelids began to droop wearily. Having lived for so long, Melida instantly perceived the young woman's tiredness, which she of course accused of the change of environment and life. For this reason, she dismissed the young woman early.

Grateful, Sascha didn't resist at all, rather she jumped with open hands at the sudden opportunity.