HAR

opped paying attention to it entir

oor, and stepped in. As I reached back to close it, I

nning lit

tretched out my

an enigmatic smile

" I asked, meeting

id: You brought me in already

eepened, then I lowered myself sli

ou may wait outside... or leave if y

ord, I ruthlessly shut

ook it had given me, a soft chu

ssion froze. But a moment later, it

door and walked toward the massive cauldr

dark, reddish liquid simmering insi

tempt at creating the

ous plants in my garden-and had to be brewed continuously under an undyin

was the

1,30

ingredients despite not ta

the eas

ether, closed my eyes, and murmured a search-and-summon incantation-a spell

ter, it appear

a B

that grew only in

, capable of counteracting

ingredient f

on, I tossed it

as if ready to overflow-yet it didn't. Instead, it fizzed out in an instant,

mbled into

er fa

sion didn

ie. But after thousands of failures, the

ed focusing on mor

process in my mind, search

bound journal: one of many, from the sid

ry, each one a record o

tire

strated?

ither to become a mortal or die

pt having a

that the day I longed

ne kept

aining space with notes. Then I paused, thinki

000th

re, I thought with the same hope I

ND

side, imagining uncovering some of her secrets

was far

entered, a place I instinctively k

small body. When it didn't move an

thought, it

Maybe she would come out befo

tly, crouched down, and stationed

during which I

door still rema

returning steadily, which

nto my human form, and I

ng now fe

I'll be able to fi

ents around this place, so it'll li

t simply ignore a mysterious witch of unkno

a potential threat-un

oor, frustration and i

il a familiar tingling crawled beneath my

me wa

gering look at the closed door, and sprinted tow

she hadn't

tored, I nudged it open and

ready dimmed-da

roblem hit me

y led ou

ut sheer luck. Now, without its enigmatic ow

cked into place and my gaze d

omewhere around

y, the exit m

ep forward,

that I looked properly, I instantly re

. Hemlock.

orst

fsb

on my body bristled

er, the very air here should have been lethal. Y

only one e

cted me, quie

flickered in my chest. Somethin

nt wouldn't

ouldn't risk stepping into

a narrow path that cu

autious as I watched out for any

app

again and circled its perimeter, searc

pty. No exit

ot formed

, my secret might truly be exposed to my

ht

nt swirl of white at th

o

art l

fog that shrouded t

that

ex

ation, I spri