Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Witch of Fate’s Great Call - Chapter 40
III.
The house where seven witches and their families live. More specifically, the house where the youngest witch is currently missing.
In one room, children were squealing, jumping up and down on and off the beds. Meanwhile, in the living room, six witches were gathered, creating a serious atmosphere.
“It’s strange that there hasn’t been a single word from her.”
The six witches were all talking with worried expressions about someone. It was about their youngest, Kalynia, who had disappeared after leaving only a brief note a few months ago.
“Could something have happened to her?”
“What if—just what if—she’s already been caught and executed?”
“Hey, don’t say such dreadful things!”
“I only said ‘if’! I think it’s dreadful too.”
As the atmosphere grew heavier, Catherine, the sixth sister, who had been watching her older sisters with her chin propped on her hand, spoke up.
“Judging by the way she usually acts, she should have been caught and executed as a witch ages ago.”
“Catherine!”
Five witches simultaneously shouted her name in shock, all making remarks about how she could say something so frightening. Catherine, unfazed by the scolding, casually picked at her ear.
“If you’re really curious about whether Kalynia got executed in the Snow Kingdom, why don’t you go check it out yourself? Instead of just sitting here worrying.”
It was frustrating to her that there was a simple solution, yet they were just sitting around worrying. Catherine stuck out her tongue, annoyed that her sisters didn’t get it, and raised her hands.
“Don’t be idiots. Use your brains. Like witches should.”
Her dismissive tone and smug expression made her sisters’ eyes narrow. Exchanging glances, they smiled simultaneously without a single word.
“Well then, Cath, how about you go to the Snow Kingdom and check the situation yourself?”
As soon as one of them said it, the other sisters immediately agreed.
“That’s a great idea! Out of all of us, Catherine is the quickest.”
“Yes, and she’s known as the flying witch, after all.”
“She can turn into a crow and fly faster than anyone.”
Suddenly, the conversation had turned to shoving the bothersome task onto her. Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Catherine sprang to her feet.
“No way! Don’t try to dump this troublesome task on me!”
“What if Kalynia is in danger and can’t reach out to us for help?”
“If she’s in danger, we should act immediately. You know Kalynia isn’t even that skilled in magic.”
Catherine scrunched up her face.
“She’s an adult witch now. She can handle herself! If she’s in trouble, it’s her own doing.”
Catherine made it clear. When Kalynia had set off for the Snow Kingdom to steal the mirror, she’d tried to talk her out of it. But Kalynia had ignored her and even snuck out the red shoes from the house.
“It’d be her responsibility if she…!”
“Catherine.”
Emily, the eldest, who had been listening in silence, softly called her sister’s name. Her voice was calm, almost unsettling in its stillness, without the slightest raise in volume.
And yet, Catherine and all the other sisters froze in place. Emily only called her siblings’ names like that when she was truly furious.
The eldest sister, Emily, was usually gentle, but when she was angry, she was terrifying. Her magical abilities and her talent for curses were the strongest among the seven sisters, making it hard to calm her down.
“The reason we’re all still alive is because we’ve always helped each other as family. Neither you nor I would have survived alone.”
“…I know.”
With her spirits dampened, Catherine nodded, and Emily smiled gently.
“Please, Catherine. Just go and check if Kalynia is safe.”
In the end, Catherine obediently left the house. The children in the room ran up to her, clinging to her legs, asking where she was going.
“Aunt Catherine, are you going up to the sky?”
“Me too! Take me with you, Auntie!”
“I’m not going on a trip!”
While shouting at the children clinging to her legs, she carefully peeled them off and spun on the spot. Her body, which had been that of an adult woman, compressed as flat as a ball, then shot up into the sky.
“Wow!”
The children gazed up in awe at the large crow soaring above them.
With a quick glance, Catherine checked to see if any daring niece or nephew had clung to her body. Fortunately, there was no such issue. Feeling reassured, Catherine began flapping her wings.
“That brat, making us worry by not even sending word. Just wait until I find her.”
At first, Catherine had assumed Kalynia had long since fled, given that she hadn’t shown up at the inn. She thought Kalynia had betrayed her by escaping alone.
Angry, she’d returned home, only to find that even months later, Kalynia hadn’t come back. If she was still in the Snow Kingdom, Catherine would be the one who had abandoned her by coming home first.
If that were true…
She had put on a strong front before her sisters, but deep down, Catherine was the most worried about Kalynia.
What if Kalynia was in danger because Catherine had left her behind?
What if she was currently in an irreversible situation?
Hoping desperately that Kalynia was safe, Catherine flew as fast as her wings could carry her.
