「You see… there was never a definite reason why I chose this path and began researching the Three Major Maledictions.」
Why take on such a difficult problem?
Without thinking, I voiced my question. In response, Tinam Sevnturi—the 『Witch of No Return』—began to speak.
「I was born into an unremarkable baronial family. Wealthier than commoners, but the lowest rank among nobility. I was raised in the royal capital under ordinary circumstances. Unlike you, Sui-kun, I didn’t have a turbulent childhood, nor did I experience the misfortune of seeing a loved one suffer from one of the afflictions. But if I were to speak without false modesty, my magic was exceptional, and I wasn’t lacking in intelligence either. Given that I have been granted the title of 『Witch』—the pinnacle of mage—it would be arrogant to call myself ordinary. …I suppose you could say that if nothing else, I had talent.」
He claimed to be ordinary, yet it was not in a self-deprecating way.
He acknowledged his talent, yet without any hint of arrogance.
「That being said, my skill in magic itself is nothing remarkable. I am likely one of the weakest among the current 『Witches』. However… when it comes to academe, I take pride in my ability.」
His tone was calm, as though he were simply assessing himself with objectivity.
「And so, as I came of age, I thought about it—how best to make use of what I was born with, what I excelled at. …But the problem was, I had no dreams or ambitions. I was born into an unremarkable household, raised without any dramatic events in my life—there was nothing I particularly wanted to do, nor anything I felt I ought to do.」
Tinam-san let out a small laugh.
It carried a touch of amusement, yet there was also a quiet resoluteness in his demeanor.
And as he laughed, he spoke.
「So, in the end, I simply thought—why not use my abilities to help others? …That was how I first began making medicine. And before I knew it, my research had come to revolve around the Three Major Maledictions.」
I felt like I understood, if only vaguely, what Tinam-san meant.
Because in many ways, it reminded me of myself back when I was in high school.
Of course, I was never as exceptional in my studies as he was (if I were to exaggerate as much as possible, I might claim to be in the upper-middle tier at best). But the feeling of having neither a clear goal nor a sense of duty was the same. It wasn’t that I had no desire to aspire toward something—I just didn’t know what that something should be.
So, I took the entrance exam for the economics department of a national university, simply because it seemed like a stable career path. It wasn’t out of passion or ambition. It was just that—a choice made for the sake of securing a future where I wouldn’t struggle to find employment. A future where I could provide a stable life for myself and give my father peace of mind.
But even so—
「That is all there is to my life. Are you disappointed?」
「No, not at all.」
Lacking a dramatic reason or a grand motivation does not make one’s life meaningless.
Even if the path was chosen on a whim, as long as one walks it with conviction, it becomes a road worth taking—one to be proud of.
「Having a noble cause, a moving past, or a dream for the future—none of those are necessary for what you’ve accomplished to be meaningful. The greatness of what you have done does not diminish because of it. The truth is, our Mint was saved thanks to you. Not just Mint—I’m sure many others have been saved by your work. …Isn’t that enough?」
「But I wasn’t able to save you. When you were a child suffering from 『God’s Favor』… Even though I was researching that very illness, I was utterly useless. There has never been a moment in my life when I cursed my own emptiness more than I did then.」
Ah, I see.
At last, I understood.
I hadn’t realized it until now.
This was Tinam-san’s confession to me.
And at the same time—
「Sui-kun. I have a favor to ask of you.」
There was a light in his eyes.
A desperate, yearning gaze, as if reaching out to a star in the distant sky.
「Would you be willing to lend your knowledge to my research? I wouldn’t ask you to come to the royal capital. Just on occasion—even that would be enough. I’d like you to review my research reports, to give me feedback. If you notice something from your perspective, I want to hear it. Your knowledge from another world, the magic that cured Attribute Conflict, and your experience in overcoming 『God’s Favor』—if we have those, I’m certain that one day, we can develop a complete cure for Attribute Conflict. And more than that… we might even be able to save children from 『God’s Favor』 itself.」
「Yes, of course. I’d be happy to.」
Behind his glasses, his unwavering gaze met mine, and I nodded.
「The Three Major Maledictions… It seems I have a strange connection to them. The mutation, Attribute Conflict, and even 『God’s Favor』—each of them has stood in my path. So… I will entrust to you, Tinam-san, everything I have gained from those experiences.」
And someday, I hope that no more people, like mother and Karen, will have to suffer.
That children like me, like Grandma’s son, like Four Seasons-san’s children—those who are forced to endure such cruel, senseless misfortune—will no longer exist.
「…Thank you.」
Tinam-san rose to his feet and extended his hand to me.
So I followed suit, pushing myself up from the sofa and reaching across the table to clasp his hand in return.
His grip was firm, rough, and calloused from long exposure to chemicals.
He had called his own life 『empty』—but the hands of someone who lived an empty life could never feel like this.
These were the hands of a man who had carved his own path through relentless study and unwavering determination.
※※※
After finishing our conversation, we all stepped outside into the garden.
「Kyuru…」
「Ah, mother, Sui!」
「Kwaa… bark!」
There was Pochi, lounging comfortably on the ground, with Mint perched on his back. Beside them, Chocola let out a lazy yawn as he stretched.
Karen, their caretaker, approached us.
「Looks like they were relaxing more than playing?」
「Hmm. The sunlight is warm today.」
「Bark!」
Chocola trotted over to me and began licking my hand.
「Sun, feels good! Uncle, Yunia, want sunbathe too?」
Mint patted Pochi’s shell with both hands, one tapping gently while the other waved excitedly in our direction. Tinam-san’s eyes softened as he watched.
「That sounds wonderful. Shall we join in? Your Highness, come on.」
「Yes. Mint-san, may I join you as well?」
「Uuuu! This is Pochi! Part of Mint’s family, he can carry lots of things! This guy is uncle who gave Mint medicine! And oneesan is Noah’s oneesan!」
Mint hopped down from Pochi with a lively bounce, then scampered over to Tinam-san and Yuni-san, tugging eagerly at their sleeves.
「This is Pochi! He can carry lots of stuff! He’s amazing!」
「What a splendid Tarasque. He has such a dignified face.」
「Kyuru…?」
Nodding along to Mint’s enthusiastic introduction, Tinam-san let himself be pulled along toward the garden, his expression gentle and kind.
「There are all sorts of 『Witches』 in this world, aren’t there?」
「Yeah. Tinam-san, and Karsch-san too… I’m really glad I got to meet them.」
Standing beside me, mother gave a faint smile.
As I nodded in agreement, I gazed out at the peaceful scene before me.
Leave a Reply