The Devil's Cursed Witch

After Morpheus left, the others continued to observe the witches milling about inside the coven's most important place. Ember was enjoying herself witnessing the people work with such concentration and skill. There was something impressive about people who worked hard, be it their expression or dedication, and the serious atmosphere within the workroom was something impossible to be captured in the written words of a book. Not to mention, these witches had opened up a truly magical world for Ember.

"Lady Cornelia, do you make your potions here as well?" Ember asked after a while.

"I do guide and take part in important research here, but the potions I make by myself, I do that in my residence. I have a personal workroom that I use. Some potions that need a longer time, like a year or maybe more, to create, I especially do them in private."

"Year or more? Isn't it too long?"

Cornelia chuckled. "Miss, even humans ferment some wine for months, even years. Plus, those are not ordinary potions. More time, more energy and more patience are needed to make those precious ones."

"Oh!"

"You yourself should have noticed how effective our potions are. Remember, you were badly injured when you were brought to Agartha, and the severe burns you sustained would normally be permanent injuries if left to heal on its own. After that, you have hurt yourself badly where you lost a lot of blood and gave you a number of wounds with deep scars, but now, you see, you have none of them on your body. Moreover, your weak, starved body recovered to a normal human's in a matter of weeks. You might have not realized it, but when you just arrived in Agartha, you were so thin and small, it's hard not to worry about your health."

Ember never thought of it that way. Now that it was pointed out, even the old scars she earned from living roughly in that dead mountain had disappeared without leaving even a tinge of their existence. Due to the poor living conditions back then, her body was indeed thinner, smaller and weaker than a commoner's child. Recovery from living in such conditions, even if she were lucky enough to be nurtured by a rich merchant or a noble house in Valor,  would have taken her many months instead of just a few days.

"So that was the effect of the potions you have made. Back then, I remember Yula had given them to me continuously after every meal."

"Yes, Miss."

"Thank you so much for giving me your precious potions. I don't know how to pay you back..."

"Your gratitude is enough."

"I will always be thankful."

"It's my duty to take care of any subject of this kingdom when they are in need. Moreover, you are someone His Majesty is personally taking care of."

"Personally taking care of? I won't say that. If only you knew, he stitched my wound with a hot needle without caring for my pain. If such a thing would happen again, I would reject such care."

Cornelia smiled at Ember's grievance. "His Majesty did?"

Ember did a brief recount of what happened, and Cornelia could not help but sympathize.

"Dear spirits, from the sound of it, it must have been tough for you to bear, Miss." Cornelia shook her head. "It seemed like His Majesty had neglected the fact that a human's body is frailer than ours, especially when it came to tolerating pain."

"I bet he did..." Ember could not help but mutter, "or back then, maybe he simply didn't care."

Cornelia could not comment; after all, only Draven himself knew what had been his thoughts back then.

The witch then changed the direction of the conversation. "But the method His Majesty used was right. Using fire as he stitched your wound saved your wound from getting infected and also helped the wound close faster."

"Isn't cleaning with water enough?"

Ember had a look of doubt on her face, so the witch further explained.

"You know our people have been involved in numerous battles, right, Miss? For those warriors in the battlefield who had no access to healers or high-level blood clotting potions, what His Majesty did was their best option to treat their injuries. I heard even human physicians do the same treatment to avoid severe bleeding.

"When severely injured, humans suffer not only from the threat of blood loss, but also the threat of losing their body parts because of deadly infection. His method saved you from getting infected. Bearing with momentary pain, isn't it better than losing your entire leg?"

Ember gulped at the thought of not having her one leg and could only quietly nod.

'So he did help me while acting all cruel, as if my pain and wounds didn't matter to him.' However, it remained a bad memory for her. 'I wonder if he cared for me at that time or was it just for the sake of helping someone in need? Maybe I can ask him when I get a chance.'

"Miss, that's it for this place. I hope you enjoyed looking around the workshop," Cornelia said as they went back towards the large lobby. "If you are not tired, do you wish to see more of the city before sunset?"

"Hmm, let's do that then."

"Please go ahead," Cornelia smiled.  "I will be accompanying you after giving some instructions to my fellow witches."

When Ember and her group stepped out of that building without Cornelia, Ember's eyes searched for Morpheus. He was neither at the lobby, nor anywhere within the garden nearby.

"Where did Morph go?" she wondered out loud. "He couldn't have left us behind, right?"

Aureus looked at the sky. "He's coming down."

Ember followed the direction of the golden eagle's gaze, but she could not see anything other than clouds in the sky. She mumbled with a frown, "Why do you all have such good eyesight? I struggle to  even see the flowers three plots away."

The others only smiled at her adorable grumbling, up until she finally saw the winged man descending from the sky.  Seconds later, Morpheus landed in front of her. "Don't feel bad. You have your own special qualities that none of us have."

"Ugh, you even heard that? Eyesight, hearing, the sharp senses of your kind are enviable." She frowned once more and mumbled, "Meanwhile, there is nothing special about me."

Morpheus' gaze and voice softened. "You are special, only you don't know."

"Really?

"Hmm!"

"What is it?" she asked, expecting to hear something good about herself.

Aureus tried to not look at his uncle, whose expression would make anyone think he would confess his feelings to the woman in front of him. On the other hand, Erlos was clicking his tongue in distaste, wondering if he should intervene or not.

'This sly bird! How dare you take advantage of Sire's absence and flatter Miss? If he was not her friend, no, if Sire had not tacitly allowed him to be around Miss, I would have taken her away right now.'

Ember waited for Morpheus' answer with bated breath, but she could not help but notice that the way he stared at her was a little different than usual. Puzzled, she called his name, "Morph?"

He immediately got back to his senses and cleared his throat. "Oh, are we finally leaving the research workshop?"

"You didn't reply to me," she complained.

"Hmm?"

The Divine Eagle wondered how to answer her. She was special and he could list out so many things about her that he found special but...they were not things he should speak out about given their relationship. What they have was friendship, nothing more. If he were to voice out his honest thoughts, it would clearly show that he looked at her more than just a friend. He decided to divert her attention.

"Yes! Of course, you are special. You have enough ability to burn this entire place to cinders, that's why the witches should do their best not to offend you unless they want their main livelihood gone. None of us can do that but you. Aren't you special?"

Ember had an urge to punch him. "You! I-I thought you would say something good about me."

Morpheus chuckled, seeing her angered expression. "Well, having power and being able to use them, isn't that good?"

She clenched her fists and turned to leave like a little girl throwing a tantrum. "Erlos, let's go. I don't want to talk to this eagle."

Erlos immediately followed her. "That's exactly what I want to say, Miss. He is so annoying."

Morpheus smiled playfully as he watched her walk away. "I didn't know it's fun to tease her like this." He then looked at Aureus. "Isn't she adorable?"

"Not more than Seren," Aureus replied, as he too walked ahead, leaving his uncle behind to follow the human and the elf.

Morpheus guffawed as he matched his nephew's strides. "Say that in front of the King of Megaris. I dare you."

"Only if you dare repeat what you said in front of the King of Agartha."

Morpheus sneered. "Oh, I dare. Should we make a bet? I have said a lot of things to him about her but..."

Aureus glanced at his uncle when his words trailed. "But?"

"...I just worry about her response so I have to step back."

"Same goes for me. Do you think you are the only one brave here?"

"You are my one and only nephew so I won't doubt how brave you can be."

As they walked towards the stables, no one said a word.

After a while, Aureus asked, "How high did you have to fly to calm yourself?"

"As much as you fly when you need to calm yourself."

"I simply stay away."

"That's smart as well."

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