Witches look just like ordinary people.

  They have two arms and two legs, just like anyone else.

  They laugh and usually cry.

  When hurt, they feel pain; they hold affection for those who treat them kindly, and grow fond of those they spend time with.

  They are truly just like ordinary people.

  If they quietly hide among others, no one would suspect them of being witches.

  They can blend into human society sufficiently.

  Her master spoke thus, patting her head.

  But she understood the reality from those words.

  In the very statement that witches can live among humans, she realized that witches are different from ordinary people.

  She knew that the beautiful love Muel sings about would surely never come to her.

  “I am a witch.”

  Forever, forever, she would remain alone until she vanished into dust.

  She would quietly breathe among people and die lonely.

  She cannot love.

  So she decided to hold only feelings of gratitude.

  She wanted to help this man who looked rough and perhaps acted a bit harsh.

  She thought that a small part of her feelings might resemble love, but she pretended not to notice.

  And she held a small selfish desire.

  If she could be of help, perhaps she could stay a little longer by his side.

  Unknowingly, she had nurtured a desire that she should not have.

  At first, she didn’t realize it, but deep inside, that was probably the case.

  Perhaps, yes, it seems she had unknowingly developed feelings for the man who treated her as an ordinary human.

  And that was why she was punished.

  She had dared to desire a relationship despite being a witch.

  “Will you marry me?”

  The moment she heard those words, she panicked before she even understood.

  Her mentor and Tatiana’s ability was to interfere with others' minds and emotions.

  They rummaged through people’s thoughts, implanting strange emotions and memories.

  Perhaps because of such abilities, she had the power to captivate others.

  Even when she was still, doing nothing, she attracted others.

  That was how it was explained.

  It was said that her mentor was the same.

  “No way….”

  Rafa’s side, who gave her a place to stay, was cozy and pleasant.

  Perhaps her desire to stay there had swollen like a monster and infiltrated Rafa.

  Unknowingly, maybe her enchantment overflowed, making her wish that he liked her.

  She thought her abilities didn’t work on him, but maybe the enchantment was different.

  Otherwise, he wouldn’t have blurted out marriage without any sudden or appropriate atmosphere.

  Her mind went blank and her blood froze.

  “What should I do.”

  Her mentor had sealed her enchantment.

  she said it would never be undone in her lifetime.

  Since it was her mentor’s word, she thought it would be fine.

  But it wasn’t.

  Even if it didn’t affect everyone, it had interfered with Rafa.

  From that, she knew she must have lost her mind with feelings she herself didn’t understand.

  She had sinned against Rafa.

  She had repaid kindness with enmity.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Rafa. I’ve ruined your life.”

  She hadn’t learned how to seal the enchantment from her mentor.

  He said it was too dangerous, requiring sufficient experience and a strong mind, so he wouldn’t teach her.

  It was too dangerous even just to know about it.

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  “What should I do.”

  She needed to tell the truth, but it would be useless.

  Instead, she shouldn’t say anything.

  If she did, she might become rough from being rejected or the other person might fall into despair.

  A person enchanted feels intense obsession, madness, or despair with every word and action of the object of their enchantment.

  Therefore, her mentor had cautioned her several times not to reject or agitate the enchanted person carelessly.

  That’s what enchantment is.

  A truly inevitable and evil force that even endangers the witch who caused it.

  “I’m sorry, Rafa. Truly, I’m sorry.”

  The enchantment wouldn’t be undone unless Tatiana died.

  ***

  Tatiana’s face turned pale and bluish, fluctuating back and forth.

  After a moment, when she finally opened her mouth, she repeated that she was a witch.

  No, she knew that already.

  “I am curious about your answer to my proposal.”

  “….”

  At least she didn’t immediately say no, which was a good sign.

  There is hope.

  If I think a bit more optimistically, I wish she would answer “yes,” but maybe she couldn’t speak because she was troubled by the fact that she was a witch.

  She seemed to be struggling even with the idea of living among humans, so it was possible she hesitated to marry for that reason.

  But that shouldn’t be a worry.

  After hearing the first king’s legend from his grandfather, I realized that witches have a nature similar to the woman who bore the first king.

  A nature beloved by spirits.

  She thought witches are probably the type of humans loved by spirits.

  It wasn’t a mere assumption.

  After hearing the first king’s story, I carefully scanned around Tatiana.

  Although there wasn’t a strong sensation like when I met my grandfather, if I focused, there was definitely something around her.

  It was a very faint and sparse aura, but similar to what my grandfather carried.

  ‘That must be a spirit.’

  Thinking that made sense.

  Why does the witch’s curse only materialize when she cries, gets angry, or harbors hatred?

  Honestly, the conditions of the curse are too strange.

  But if the essence of the curse is a spirit, it makes sense.

  The senses of spirits can’t be the same as humans.

  Humans can tell if someone is angry or sad by their tone and expressions, but spirits don’t know that.

  So when a human she loves cries, maybe only then she realizes, “Ah, the person I love is sad. That person has made me sad.”

  She said that curses don’t work between witches, so naturally, curses wouldn’t work on her.

  Because I am a spirit in human form.

  It sounds a bit funny and strange as she speaks, but that’s what she said.

  ‘But….’

  Is that really something to ponder, her face changing color so many times?

  If the witch’s curse was the issue, she could just say she didn’t like it.

  Maybe it’s not the witch’s curse but my own face that’s the problem.

  She has no objection to marriage, but maybe she dislikes my too rough-looking face.

  She thought Tatiana didn’t care about such things, but maybe just like other party members or suitors, there are parts of her that are being courted.

  At least she might want her husband to have a normal face, or preferably a handsome one.

  “….”

  No.

  My mood sinks into the ground, going underground.

  A bad thought quietly rose and took root.

  The demon in my heart whispers.

  ‘What if she doesn’t allow it? In this world, everything is achieved by force.’

  I think I can understand the feeling of a mother kidnapping her father and taking him into the forest at this very moment.

  But don’t do it. You shouldn’t do such a thing.

  I composed myself to prevent a rampage and quietly looked into Tatiana’s eyes.

  “Please allow me, become my wife.”

  I gaze at her, full of hope.

  I gaze.

  I keep gazing.

  Tatiana spoke with tears welling in her eyes.

  “Rafa, you need to pull yourself together. Steel your mind! I’m a witch. Witches… witches… don’t get married.”

  “Is it a rule, some kind of commandment that witches don’t get married?”

  “… No, not exactly.”

  “Then, can we?”

  “That, that can’t be. I’m a witch.”

  Tatiana looked distressed, her mouth trembling, and she shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

  It seemed she wanted to say something but couldn’t.

  Seeing her repeatedly muttering apologies, I wondered if she was mistaken about something.

  And suddenly, I realized.

  Perhaps a divine revelation, or a flicker of the heart.

  While staring intently at her face to not miss even the slightest change in her emotions, I spoke.

  “You’ve been saying you can’t because you’re a witch, but you haven’t said you don’t like it.”

  “…Uhh..Um….”

  Tatiana’s eyes widened, and her mouth curved into a small smile.

  She fluttered her mouth like a broken goldfish doll.

  “Good!”

  I thought it was my imagination, but she really didn’t think my proposal was bad.

  I must push forward.

  I can do it.

  ‘It’s a green light.’

  If I don’t strongly act here, this life will end with pity forever.

  I must seize the opportunity when it comes.

  “Please, Tatiana. If you don’t want to run away just by looking at my face, or if you don’t think dying is better than marrying me, then please say yes. I want to marry you.”

  Tatiana became even more distressed.

  She might have been a little scared.

  My serious face was scary, too.

  I relaxed my expression to appear a little less frightening and spoke again.

  “If I don’t hear an answer in three seconds, I’ll take it as a yes.”

  “Uh, um, that…”

  “Three, two, one.”

  I quickly counted to three and took her hand.

  “Alright, we’re getting married.”

  I said, embracing Tatiana tightly.

  “Kwaek!”

  Perhaps my movement was too fast, as an odd scream burst from Tatiana’s mouth.

  “I’m sorry. I was too hasty.”

  This time, I carefully held her like a child in one hand and began running toward the castle wall, leaving the hunting ground.

  People looked at us in surprise, but I didn’t care and kept running.

  “Quickly, quickly, let’s hurry.”

  I need to end this situation before she can gather her thoughts.

  Passing the bewildered gatekeeper, I sprinted straight to the guild, just as Jenny was coming out of the guild office.

  “Rafa?”

  Jenny looked surprised, alternating her gaze between me and Tatiana.

  “Jenny, how do I get married?”

  “Marriage?”

  “Yes, I’d like to report it or get some kind of certificate.”

  As Jenny’s eyes grew twice as big, Tatiana shouted, waving her arms.

  “No! It’s not that!”

  With Tatiana’s reaction, Jenny’s eyes stretched and tore in an odd way.

  “Are you trying to marry without consent? No matter how much I know you, Rafa, that’s difficult.”

  “That, that’s not it, so this is just…Umm…”

  As Tatiana rambled, Jenny’s expression became strange.

  She seemed unable to grasp the situation.

  “I proposed to Tatiana, and she accepted. So, it might be a bit fast… I want to get married before her heart changes.”

  When I finished speaking, Jenny placed her hands to her mouth and nodded, exclaiming.

  “I see. You two have gotten ahead of yourselves…. It seems a bit too fast, but I understand your eagerness, Rafa. Tatiana is truly beautiful.”

  Jenny chuckled softly.

  “You can go to the temple to get a marriage certificate. You can apply at the lord’s office, but the temple is more common.”

  They say you can get a marriage certificate by paying money at the temple.

  A witness is required to prove your status and that you are single, but if you are registered with the guild, it can be replaced with documents.

  “Jenny, can you prepare the documents now?”

  “Of course. Please wait a moment.”

  Jenny smiled with a peculiar face and entered the guild.

  After a short while, she came out with a sheet of paper.

  “This is it. It’s a document that the guild guarantees your identities and that you are single. Hahaha. Congratulations.”

  Tatiana opened her mouth and closed it, waving her arms as if to say that wasn’t it, but couldn’t say anything.

  “Thank you, Jenny.”

  As I started running toward the temple, Jenny laughed loudly and waved her hands.

  “Congratulations to both of you!”

  Tatiana, held in my arms, continued to look distressed, but she didn’t say a word of refusal.

  ‘Good.’

  It may not be mutual love, but at least there is a degree of fondness to build a good relationship.

  I believe it exists.

  Probably.