Until a Witch Dies – Meg Raspberry’s One Year Left to Live

Dr. Hendy led me to the kitchen.

Three toothbrushes were still in the bathroom.

Mugs and plates were left out in the kitchen.

Traces of Anna’s mother’s presence were scattered throughout the house.

I see.

Time in this house is still frozen.

“…I just can’t bring myself to clean up yet.”

Dr. Hendy gave a small, helpless smile as he set the kettle to boil.

That smile carried a certain weariness.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“You’re a guest, so just sit and relax.”

“If we’re having tea, I might as well do something. Helping people is part of a witch’s way of life. Also, I wouldn’t mind a little tea snack.”

“Haha, well then, in that case, how about mixing up some medicine for me?”

“You got it.”

I reached for the medicinal herbs on the shelf, placing them in a mortar and grinding them together.

In the past, it was common for witches to handle all medicinal preparations.

But in modern times, people typically source their medicine from pharmaceutical companies.

Even among witches, there were few nowadays who still used hand-mixed herbal remedies.

However, combining medicine—whether it’s a drinkable potion or a salve—with magical enhancement could significantly boost its effects.

Both magic and witches had evolved with time, adapting to the changing world.

I blended three types of herbs together and then hovered my hand over them.

As I channeled magic into my palm, a faint glow surrounded it.

“…By my command, reveal your power.”

A thin wisp of smoke rose from the herbs as they began to smolder.

This was a magical reaction.

This process enhanced the potion’s healing properties.

“Whoa, that’s amazing!”

At some point, Anna had returned, her eyes sparkling as she watched my handiwork.

“Is this magic?”

“Yup! Cool, right?”

“Yeah! Can you make anything?”

“That’s a bit much. Casting magic requires knowledge too.”

People tend to think of magic as an omnipotent force capable of performing miracles.

But that’s not how it works.

Magic has different disciplines, and without a solid understanding of the phenomenon or substance involved, you can’t produce the desired effect.

To create fire, you generate frictional heat in the material.

To produce water, you manipulate elemental decomposition and recombination.

Even when dealing with fire, the process differs depending on whether you want to cause an explosion or just make something smolder.

Every mage has strengths and weaknesses.

I study pharmacology and botany, while some magicians focus on science and chemistry.

Without knowledge, magic is useless.

And among all magic, my master’s “Time Magic” exists on a whole other level.

The study of time itself is considered a branch of physics and philosophy.

To wield Time Magic, one must supplement it with vast amounts of knowledge.

On top of that, my master also possesses clairvoyance.

By combining extensive knowledge, time-based magic, human anatomy, and medical science, he is able to perceive the flow of time and even influence the body accordingly.

…That’s way beyond my capabilities!

“Speaking of which, what about the album?”

“Oh, right! I brought it.”

Anna, suddenly remembering, placed the album on the table.

It was quite thick, packed with countless photographs.

At first, it was just Hendy and his wife.

Then, at some point, Anna joined them.

The pictures traced the journey of a family.

“There are a lot of travel photos in here…”

“My wife and I both loved traveling. Before Anna was born, we used to travel the world together.”

“Typical rich people.”

“Lady Faust travels the world often too, doesn’t she?”

“That’s for work. For money.”

Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, South America, Western countries, and even Asia… It really was a world tour.

As I flipped through the album, Hendy peeked over my shoulder and smiled nostalgically.

“Ah, this one—this was when we visited the Far East. An island nation.”

“There are a lot of traditional buildings.”

“Yeah, that place still preserves a lot of its old culture. Come to think of it, we had a strange experience there.”

“A strange experience?”

I tilted my head, and Hendy nodded.

“It was when we visited a temple in the mountains. It started snowing.”

“Snow?”

“Yeah, even though it was warm out. It was pink snow—really beautiful.”

“Eh?! I don’t know about that! No fair! Only Mama and Papa got to see it!”

“We planned to go back one day and show it to Anna too…”

That must have been before Anna’s mother fell ill.

The atmosphere grew somber.

I hated damp, melancholy moods.

I scratched my head and glanced over at the medicinal herbs on the shelf.

Then it hit me.

“Hey, Anna. Is your mother resting nearby?”

“Huh? Yeah, just a little ways from here.”

“Then take me there. Right now.”

I grinned.

“I’ll show you the pink snow—and your mother’s favorite flowers.”