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

Flare Grandma is going to die.

And it won’t be too far in the future.

It’s not certain yet.

But there has never been an exception before.

Everyone shrouded in that black mist has died without fail.

What should I do?

Ever since I left Hendy-san’s house, that question had been running through my mind.

“—Meg, Meg! Meg Raspberry!”

“Huh?”

I snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of my name.

Across the table, my master was looking at me with a stern expression, a plate of spaghetti in front of him.

“Don’t just zone out. Sit up straight. We’re in the middle of a meal.”

“Sorry.”

My master sighed and resumed eating, while I just stared at him.

“…Master.”

“What is it?”

“Is there really no way to save someone marked by the Reaper?”

My master’s hands stopped completely.

“You’ve seen it before, haven’t you? What happens to the people wrapped in that black mist? No matter what you try, you can’t change the outcome.”

His words sent a sharp pain through my chest.

And yet, the ancient witch before me spoke as if she were gently guiding me.

“There is such a thing as fate. The reason they bear the mark of the Reaper is because their time has come. You, more than anyone, should understand that.”

“But… what if I use the Seed of Life—”

“Meg.”

My master’s voice cut in, quiet but firm.

“Fate is not something to be tampered with.”

His expression was strangely earnest.

And those words—

They carried a weight unlike anything else.

Even so, I couldn’t just accept them.

“Master. When I drink the Seed of Life, isn’t that also a way of altering fate?”

“There are fates that can be changed, and fates that must not be changed.”

“And who decides that?!”

Before I realized it, I had slammed my hands on the table and stood up.

My breath was heavy. My voice trembled.

I couldn’t control my emotions.

My sudden outburst startled the familiars around us. They flinched and jumped back.

The once peaceful dinner table was now filled with tension.

“Meg, calm down.”

But my master remained composed, his voice steady.

“We live within the laws of nature, and it is our role to alter them. But forcing someone to live longer through magic when they themselves have not wished for it—that is not our role. That is nothing but arrogance and selfishness. I am not saying that saving lives is wrong. But… does the person you wish to save truly desire it?”

His gaze drifted to the side, his expression unusually sorrowful.

“Don’t look away from the truth. Mistakes… are not meant to be made twice.”

That was not a statement fitting of an ancient witch.

Not making the same mistake twice.

Those words made me realize something—

My master wasn’t just stating a fact.

He must have experienced something painful in the past.

I could sense it.

“…Sorry.”

I sat back down, and my master let out a small sigh.

“When we face those nearing the end, our role is to be with them, so they can pass without regrets. That is our duty.”

“Our… duty.”

“I cannot see the Reaper. But you can. That means there is a reason you were given this ability. Meg Raspberry, there is something only you can do.”

“Something only I can do…”

I idly twirled my fork in my spaghetti.

I had lost my appetite.

Standing up, I took my plate to the sink and dumped the untouched pasta into the trash.

The quiet clattering of dishes echoed in the silent room.

The word “reveal” suddenly crossed my mind.

Telling Flare Grandma about her impending death.

Maybe… that was all I could do right now.

But… I wasn’t ready for that yet.

“I haven’t done anything yet.”

I looked straight at my master.

“Flare Grandma has done so much for me. If there’s even the slightest chance, I don’t want to give up yet. If I can save her, I want to.”

“No matter the outcome, you’ll have to accept it. The more you try… the more it will hurt you.”

“I won’t know that unless I try.”

At that moment, my master’s expression softened into something… gentle yet sorrowful.

I didn’t say anything more.

I simply left the room and walked toward my own.

That’s right. I need to act.

Sitting around worrying isn’t like me.

I’ve always been the type to move before I think.

Even if Flare Grandma doesn’t have much time left—

I want to do everything I can while I still can.

Because there won’t be a second chance.

“You guys, get ready to head out!”

My sudden declaration made my familiars, Carbuncle and Snowy Owl, widen their eyes in shock.

They looked at me as if asking, “What’s going on?”

I stood tall and announced it with confidence.

“Starting today, I’m running away from home!”

The two of them promptly fainted on the spot.