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

We arrived at the area where herbs and medicinal plants were cultivated.

This section was protected by an insect-repelling spell.

The crops in this area were safeguarded from external threats by amplifying the insect-repelling properties of lemongrass.

Lavender, bay leaves, arugula, and various other herbs grew here. Deeper inside, medicinal herbs used in traditional remedies were also cultivated.

Looking at the scenery, Inori let out an impressed “Ohh.”

“You’ve got some good stuff growing here.”

“I’ve been gradually increasing the variety every year. Some are requests from my master, and others are ingredients I need for my own magic. They grow so fast, after all.”

I bent down to harvest some mint growing deeper inside.

Mint, with its aggressive propagation ability, could spread like wildfire if left unchecked. In the gardening world, it was known as the “mint bomb” or “mint terrorism” due to its explosive growth.

Harvesting it required caution. Once planted alongside other plants, it would inevitably overrun them.

Even though I had weakened its reproductive power with magic, if a single leaf were to fall into another plant’s area, it would be game over.

As I carefully gathered the mint, I found myself reminiscing about the past.

Taking care of the Witch’s Forest was the very first task my master had assigned me when I was a child.

“Listen up, Meg Raspberry. From today, your job is to tend to this forest.”

“No way. I refuse.”

As a child, I flat-out rejected the task.

“No way, huh? Well, tough luck. It’s your responsibility as part of this household. You’re doing it.”

“I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna! I’m busy! You should do it yourself, Master!”

“The only thing you’re busy with is playing! Drawing, watching TV—how about doing something useful for once?!”

“Children are meant to dream, to embody the infinite possibilities of the divine realm!”

“Don’t go calling yourself divine!”

I had known since I was little that I wasn’t my master’s real child.

She had told me so from a young age, over and over again.

Looking back now, perhaps she did that to keep me from dwelling on the past.

Being a witch had become my identity.

If I weren’t one, I might have been lost in uncertainty.

About the death of my parents.

About the fact that I only had one year left to live.

I suppose the only reason I never fell into despair was because my daily life had been relentlessly busy from an early age.

Forced into tending the forest, I began working the soil every day after school.

Back then, the magic in the forest was still unbalanced, and the soil was barren.

There were trees, but it was far from being a proper forest.

My mission was to make it flourish with plant life.

My first formidable opponent in that battle was none other than mint.

With its overwhelming propagation power, once planted, it was impossible to stop.

Unable to control its advance, I had run to my master, wailing.

“Maaaassteeer! The mint… the mint is devouring the entire forest!!”

“I told you to be careful. If left unchecked, mint is nothing but a weed.”

Through countless struggles, the forest finally grew lush, attracting many small animals.

My master turned those animals into familiars.

I continued to manage the forest so that townspeople could approach without danger.

And now, many creatures and plants coexisted in harmony with humans within the Witch’s Forest.

Caring for the soil, maintaining the flow of magic, and learning the proper use of spells—

Everything, I had learned from my master.

“Ahh, what a nice soak.”

After finishing the harvesting, I returned home and used mint oil to wash Inori’s feet in a medicinal bath.

Each time I applied pressure, she let out an exaggerated sigh.

“Fuhihi, lady, your legs are real smooth… heh heh heh.”

“Cut it out.”

Inori exhaled deeply and looked up at the ceiling.

“I wonder how long it’s been since I last relaxed like this. Come to think of it, I’ve been so busy these past few days, I haven’t even bathed.”

“I’ll heat up the bath later, so make sure you get in. No excuses.”

“Nag too much and you’ll go bald.”

“Nag…?”

As I frowned, Inori smirked.

“You’ve got guts, laughing at someone’s face. I like that. When you become independent, how about becoming my assistant?”

“Assistant?”

“A partner for developing medicine. It’s basically an extension of what you’re already doing. I’m short on hands and was just thinking I could use some help.”

“That’s kind of sudden…”

“There isn’t another witch out there who has been trained by two of the Seven Sages, you know? You’d be a promising witch. Might even get on TV.”

“TV…?”

I imagined it.

Appearing on television, gaining recognition for my looks, quickly rising to fame, starring in various shows, moving into dramas, meeting an idol star, falling in love, getting married in a whirlwind romance, and living with two kids in the penthouse of a high-rise apartment.

“Not bad…”

“Well, I’m not saying right away. Just think about it. If you’re up for it, I’ll even put in a word with Faust.”

Inori spoke eagerly, but my feelings were complicated.

There was no way I could tell her.

That I might only have a year left to live.

So this is what death is, I thought.

Losing all the possibilities of the future that could have been.

“How old are you again?”

“Seventeen.”

“So young. You’ve got so much knowledge, it’d be a waste. I was already traveling the world when I was ten, you know?”

“Reminiscing about the past? You’re starting to sound like an old lady.”

“Old lady…”

Come to think of it, I had never considered leaving this town or this house.

The city of Lapis, the home of the witch Faust.

This town, this life, the days spent with my master—

That was my entire world.

“Don’t you have any dreams for the future?”

“Dreams, huh…”

I felt like I had many, but in my current situation, they all seemed like mere fairy tales.

Might as well say something absurd.

After a brief pause, I put on a serious face and declared:

“World domination.”