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Join the Server“Before asking someone else’s name, shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?”
Perletti took half a step back, creating a bit of distance.
“From an etiquette standpoint… you’re doing a pretty poor job.”
She didn’t dislike lively personalities—but Isabena’s boundary-less, almost intrusive enthusiasm truly made her uncomfortable.
“Hahaha~ Miss Witch, you’re surprisingly serious for someone with such a sweet appearance~”
Isabena laughed it off completely, the interest in her eyes deepening.
“I like that even more.”
She cleared her throat, straightened her posture, and once again performed an exaggerated yet elegant introduction:
“Then it’s not too late for a proper introduction! I am the Witch of Stars, the prophet of the constellations, the leader of witches, a delicate and charming sickly beauty—Isabena, at your service!”
“You’re the Witch of Stars?” Perletti couldn’t hide her surprise. Her gaze instinctively swept over Isabena’s body, wrapped in cloth strips yet moving with ease.
“But I remember… Feiye said your body is so weak you can’t even walk. Then how are you—”
“Mm~ looks like little Feiye already gave you a thorough ‘preview,’” Isabena blinked playfully.
“Then I’ll skip the unnecessary buildup. Now, can you tell me your name, beautiful lady?”
“For something like a name, can’t you just ask Caroline?” Perletti tried to dodge the question. “She’s already back—she must know.”
“Not the same! Completely not the same!”
Isabena wagged her finger, looking unusually serious.
“A name must be spoken by the person themselves to carry its unique ‘meaning’ and warmth! That’s what makes it special—this sense of ritual is very important!”
“…Where did you even get this weird sense of ritual from…”
Perletti felt a wave of exhaustion.
It was like her worldview had just been pried open again.
“Please~? Pretty please~? I’m begging you!”
Suddenly, Isabena leaned in and hugged Perletti’s arm, gently shaking it. Her upturned face was full of earnest pleading, her bright eyes sparkling like a child asking for candy.
The warmth from her arm, combined with the almost coquettish swaying and those expectant eyes—
Perletti’s face began heating up uncontrollably.
She turned her head away, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, trembling with embarrassment:
“Pe… Perletti…”
This girl… she absolutely has the talent to be the face of Elberta’s shop… Perletti grumbled inwardly.
She never expected that someone who had lived for so long could still act cute so naturally—and so shamelessly.
You’re over a thousand years old! Don’t you feel even a little embarrassed acting like this?!
But judging from Isabena’s radiant smile—
She clearly didn’t feel burdened at all.
Live long enough, and you really lose your shame, huh…
“Per—let—ti.”
Isabena repeated it slowly, as if savoring the rhythm of the name, before breaking into a bright smile.
“What a lovely name! Come on, come on—follow me!”
Faced with such overwhelming enthusiasm, Perletti felt completely helpless.
For the first time in three months, she shot Feiye a look that was almost a silent plea for help.
“Let’s go, big sister,” Feiye said calmly. Though her expression remained cold, there was a faint softness in her tone.
“Isabena’s personality is a bit… overly lively. But she’s a good person.”
From fragments of memories in her previous life, among the many witches with distinct personalities, Isabena had always left her with an impression of warmth and reliability.
She might seem carefree and unserious, but when true danger arrived, she was often the one who could steady the situation and support her companions.
“I-I know that…” Perletti replied weakly, the blush still lingering on her face, making her look like she had been thoroughly teased.
Isabena, already ahead of them, turned around and waved energetically.
“Hurry up~! Once we’re back at the Tower, you and little Feiye can have all the time you want to be lovey-dovey~!”
There she goes again!
Perletti mentally condemned this shameless ancient being for the hundredth time—
yet her feet honestly followed along toward the towering structure.
Up close, the Tower’s scale far exceeded her imagination.
From afar, it looked like a pillar reaching the heavens. But as they approached, she realized its base was astonishingly vast—comparable to the central plaza of a town.
Then again, as a place where witches had lived for ages… such a scale made sense.
The heavy wooden doors closed silently behind them, cutting off the gaze of the elven guards outside.
Only then did Perletti let out a small breath.
“Now can you tell me?” she asked.
“Those elves… why are they surrounding the Tower like that?”
“Oh my~”
Isabena deliberately dragged out her tone, a sly glint flashing in her eyes.
“Miss Perletti is quite the heartbreaker, isn’t she? I’ve heard quite a few rumors from Caroline~”
“Not long ago, you captured the heart of an elven princess, and now you’re asking why they’ve come knocking at your door… Such charm—very fitting for a beautiful girl.”
“I-I only met her once! What ‘rumors’ are you talking about?!”
Perletti couldn’t help but flush.
“My~ then Miss Perletti’s charm is truly extraordinary,” Isabena said with exaggerated amazement.
“To even captivate that aloof, otherworldly beauty—”
“Can you be normal for once?!”
Perletti finally snapped in a low voice.
Isabena’s feather-light teasing tone kept brushing against her nerves, making her so embarrassed she felt like she might explode.
Seeing that Perletti was reaching her limit—her face practically steaming—
Isabena finally restrained her teasing smile.
“Let them watch the scenery nearby if they like.”
Her voice returned to calm, even carrying a hint of faint weariness.
“This place originally belonged to the elves. We witches… are merely guests residing here.”
“But that’s basically house arrest!”
Perletti frowned.
“The elves have gone this far… hasn’t any witch thought about resisting?”
Perhaps it was the undeniable seriousness in Perletti’s eyes that affected her.
Isabena fell silent for a moment.
When she spoke again, the usual lively tone had settled into something heavy—something deeply sorrowful.
“First, Perletti, I need to correct a common misunderstanding.”
She spoke slowly.
“The group known as ‘witches’ is far less powerful than the world imagines.”
“We are merely… individuals with similar fates, gathered together, leaning on each other in loneliness.”
“We have never had the strength… nor the ability… to stand against an entire race.”
She paused, her gaze drifting toward the dim corridors within the Tower—as if seeing the silent figures of countless years past.
“And more importantly—”
Her voice grew softer, yet heavier than ever.
“We can no longer afford to lose even a single companion.”
“What if we’re confined? It doesn’t matter. We rarely step into the outside world anyway.”
“All we wish for now… is that the people beside us can live safely.”
“That alone… is enough.”
The excitement doesn't stop here! If you enjoyed this, you’ll adore I Just Wanted An Ordinary Life This Time. Start reading now!
Read : I Just Wanted An Ordinary Life This Time
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