/
For a few days after the incident, I lazed around the house as I read a grimoire that I’ve bought in the past.
Incidentally, I am freezing the food that I had prepared and made by using ice magic, and for thawing, I used my fire magic. I am grateful that my life has become convenient. The stove used in the kitchen also uses fire magic, therefore, my life has become really convenient.
All day long, I laze around sluggishly.
Right now, you can say that this is for sure that the pleasures of life lead to an extravagant lifestyle. During my life as a Corporate Slave (Office Lady), things such as leaving regularly after work was like an urban legend. In addition, even though it’s a rest day, when work comes in the previous day like a batter ram. In the first place, there is too much work, so much that I go back to work on rest days and there is no other way but to delay my day off. Mou, I don’t want to go through that anymore. Anyway, let me just live slowly.
However, even if large amounts of food are refrigerated, they will eventually grow boring.
“Let’s eat out at a restaurant in the village after such a long time”
I left to walk to Furata village. Among the magic I have such as Levitation or teleportation etc, it seems that I am able to move to the village comfortably. However, if i were to be seen, there is a possibility that I could be recognized as a great witch. So I had adopted the method of walking.
Along the way, a slime came out as well. ‘For 300 years, don’t the slimes evolve?’, I thought as I killed them using my fingers. With that alone, the slimes died.
By the way, after some time, killing slimes with a knife became troublesome, therefore using my hands to strike them became my main attack. Recently I have learned how to kill with a poke to the forehead. I guess it’s due after a certain while, my attacks have become strong. However, I think that a witch has considerably high physical attack power.
The slimes could make magic stones with good quality apart from how high the level. I don’t have any other ways to get an income. Money wasn’t a problem, but I didn’t get more than that.
I arrived at the village. The journey became easy since it was downhill. I entered a restaurant named “Saetawashi(clear eagle)”. The omelette here was delicious. They could get fresh eggs since they kept a lot of chicken/poultry.
“Azusa here, It’s been a while.”
“Oh! Isn’t that Mrs./Lady Witch of Plateau!”
I greeted the head chef and sat at my usual seat, and ordered the usual sake from the owner before that. I drink even though my body is 17 years old (TN: Japan minimum age for drinking is 20)
“Here, a strong sake, Lady witch.”
“Thanks. Today I also would like to have an omelette. Also a beef stew please.”
“Okay, Lady Witch.”
I’m glad I found this restaurant/shop. During my OL times I didn’t even have time to dine in. At lunch all the restaurants/shops were always crowded so I couldn’t eat at ease.
At that time my omelette came to my table with side dishes. From the first bite it was sweet. Seriously delicious.
“As I expected, the omelette here is the best in the world”
“Lady Witch, you’ve lived for so long that you’re good with compliments”
I have already been bantering with the owner like this for a long time, over 15 years.
“Oh right, Lady Witch, I have something I’d like to ask”
The owner asked me.
“Yes, what is it?”
“Lady Witch, is it true that your level is 99?”
My eyes became dots.
“Hah? Where, where the heck did you get that baseless rumour?”
There is no choice but to feign ignorance here. Being surprised brings more harm than good. (TN:Japanese idiom,藪蛇. 藪=bushes/thicket, 蛇=snake. “Poke at the bush and the snake will come out” means ”Do something unnecessary, and it will bring bad results to you”)
“I don’t know where the rumours come from, I just happened to hear it. The neighborhood kids were talking about it.”
From where could the kids have heard that. Or rather, It’s already late. There is a high possibility that the rumors have already spread since this wasn’t a big village and I was like the biggest celebrity here to begin with.
And let’s preach Natalie later. Since it’s already happened, let’s make her regret breaking her promise. Well, If I don’t show my magic it’s impossible to verify the high level, so it’s impossible to not misunderstand it.
“Owner, I have only been defeating slimes you know, so i’m not that strong. I’m just a normal witch without an ambition.”
A witch is a different occupation from a mage. A mage uses a lot of magic, in the other hand a witch has a deep understanding in herbs and minerals. So it’s right for me to be making medicines.
“Is that so? Winning over any monsters and adventurers no matter how strong they are, with unbelievable status, that’s what I heard.”
It’s more complicated than I thought. Really Natalie, please spare me from this. Anyways let’s tell her the situation for verification.
After finishing my meal I headed to the guild. As usual natalie was in the reception.
“Natalie, a rumour was spreading you know! About level 99! Even after I asked you, even after I  ask you to not say it!”
“Eh…? I didn’t say anything. I wouldn’t betray the Witch of Plateau,” said natalie with a confused face. That wasn’t a face of a liar so who could’ve said so…… ?
However, her face soon become like she understood something.
“Oh, I right…… It might be that …… ”
“Did you remember something?”
“If I’m not wrong, there was another adventurer inside the guild when we checked Lady Witch’s status.”
“Ah…… ”
The Guild is a public place. So it isn’t usual for this small village guild to have 1 or 2 adventurers around.
“That’s right! Mr. Ernst who was famous for his loose mouth was there! It was absolutely him that spread that rumor!”
If such an adventurer heard that …… It’s only a matter of time before the rumour spreads…… even worst, it had already reached the next village and city !
I held my head. It’s not like I have a headache or something. When I was still a corporate slave, I made sure to take medicine when I had severe migraine, but now I’m fully healthy. I must overwrite it with different information here. I look back to confirm if there wasn’t any other adventurer around.
“Natalie, please spread that the rumour about me being level 99 was wrong.”
“Do you want me to lie about it?”
“That’s right. Please say that I’m just an ordinary herbal medicine witch, and that the stone board displaying the status was broken!”
Since Natalie is a guild employee, she is the most familiar with statuses. If she said it was wrong, many people will believe her.
“To say that Lady Witch is weak is somehow painful…… You are our village’s pride……”
“Even if one knew how strong I am, it won’t bring them happiness. Rather, people with envy would appear. At least it won’t be needed for my peace. Please, help me!”
If I was scorned by the village, being known as level 99 may not be a bad thing. But I already have plenty of respect from the villagers. I have been helping the village for a long time through medicine and medical care. Something like status was already unnecessary.
“Understood…… I don’t want to bother Lady Witch of Plateau……”
It seems Natalie is convinced. Ok with this I can cover it for a while, and for now I’ve done what I could.
“Ah…… according to adventurer rank, you’re definitely S rank among S rank, and became a legend since the kingdom’s beginning…… It’s a shame……”
“A shame indeed but please bear with it”
“Although Furata village’s name would be well known in the kingdom …”
“Even so please bear with it. There exists the term ‘fame tax’, and it will create problems and bring trouble to this quiet village.”(TN:有名税, Japanese term, that there is a price for being famous)
“Uhh, how about informing the headquarters――”
“Absolutely not!”
I crossed my arm and whole heartedly stop natalie’s plea.
So far I have a good relationship with the village, and it will continue. There was no problem. From here on I will take precautions to not show my powers to the villagers. Well, so far I haven’t shown them so I’ll keep acting as a normal witch. Natalie will say that the slate was wrong and people wouldn’t ask about me being level 99.
And so the case was closed. I’m back to beating slimes, making some medicine and keep on living. Or that’s what I thought that day.
Someone is knocking at my door.
Who the heck is it?
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