A Cozy Life in the Woods with the White Witch: Volume 1 E-Book

MOJIKAKIYA

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: A Cozy Life in the Woods with the White Witch
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 296

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

After getting fired from his adventuring clan for his lack of combat ability, Tori wanders around and runs into the city’s strongest adventurer—the White Witch! Since he has nowhere else to go, she hires Tori for his exceptional skill in...handling chores?! With his talent for cooking, cleaning, running errands, and other domestic odd jobs, he’s the perfect fit for taking care of the extremely lazy White Witch and the garbage dump she calls her house. Follow Tori as he grapples with his new job as the caretaker of the beautiful White Witch and her three familiars. Perhaps once he has cleaned up the place, he can finally live a cozy life in the woods with his new employer!

Leseprobe

0. The Beginning

The long march of monsters continued on. Many among them were demihumans like orcs and goblins, but four-legged beasts such as wargs were also present. The clangs of crude equipment banging together echoed as the monsters marched.

The largest figure among them was a creature called the ogre, whose size could easily reach twice or thrice that of an adult male human. Its mighty body was clad in armor, its hand gripped a gigantic club, and on its belt was a sword in its scabbard. The club was essentially a massive log, and the sword, if wielded by a human, would be considered a greatsword from its size. It would seem this ogre was leading this army of monsters.

The army was marching across the barren land. The monsters exchanged growls and sounds incomprehensible to human ears, all while lightly brawling with one another. Perhaps they were all excited about the slaughter they were about to commit.

A man was watching this scene from high up while keeping himself out of sight. He shook his head with a resigned expression.

“There’s way too many of them... I’m glad we didn’t try to face them head-on.” He sighed.

“How’d their numbers get so huge?! Damn it, how’re we supposed to pull off our job now?!” complained one of his comrades, a man equipped with a spear.

“What about reinforcements...?” a girl, seemingly a spellcaster, asked timidly.

“I already asked for them. But the message will take a while to reach Azrac, and even if they manage to make it here in time...”

“Gonna be a tough fight even just to slow these guys down.”

“Right. Charging out there without a plan will just get us killed. That ogre’s a real tough one. Just look at it.”

Their quest was an extermination mission. Monsters had been sighted in a wasteland close to the city, so the guild had sent them to hunt the monsters down. However, the creatures’ numbers were much, much larger than had been identified by the scouts, so the party avoided direct confrontation and hid themselves to form another plan. While the monsters were fierce and tenacious, none of them were intelligent enough to perform detailed tasks such as reconnaissance, so the party should be safe as long as they hid and kept their distance.

An archer who was plucking his bowstrings spoke up as if remembering something. “Did you know they were talking about unifying the clans at the Azrac Guild?”

“Yeah. The guild was talking about unifying some of the platinum-rank clans and giving them full support, right?”

“Hmph. Got nothin’ to do with us, then.”

“Yeah, we’d have to be a clan that could put up a fight against that monster army...”

“We adventurers sure have it rough...”

The extermination squad went quiet and stared in resignation at the horde before them.

In this world, there were those who took up weapons like swords or learned spellcasting to induce phenomena using mana, and who used these skills to hunt dangerous monsters or explore dungeons for rare materials and resources. They put their lives on the line, yet they were neither soldiers nor mercenaries. They were commonly known as “adventurers.”

These adventurers were divided by rank based on their skills: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum rank. The ones who reached platinum in particular were the envy of all. Many of these adventurers worked in uncharted territories or lands outside the reach of national authorities, fighting monsters or hunting for treasures to earn a living. It wasn’t unheard of for one to obtain a rare item or artifact on the job and get rich overnight. Some had even managed to earn noble titles that way. As such, there were an endless number of people who took the path of the adventurer—from the second or third sons of families who had no hope of inheriting the family home, to those bored of the monotony of farming, to those who simply sought glory.

It was by no means a stable profession. Adventurers often came face-to-face with danger, and brawn could only get you so far in this line of work. The difficulty went up the higher in rank you went. Those who relied solely on brute force would find it hard to climb the ladder.

The adventurers who’d joined this particular extermination squad were certainly not weak. Even so, monsters hostile to humans still posed a substantial threat. It was dangerous to take them on alone, so forming groups with fellow adventurers was fundamental. These teams formed to fight monsters were called “clans.” Joining a clan was standard practice for any aspiring adventurer.

Still, there were those who transcended those fundamentals.

Suddenly, the march of the monster army slowed, and chaos seemed to be erupting within their ranks.

“What’s going on?”

“I-I don’t know! B-But...”

A howl echoed, and it was not from a mere dog or wolf. The sound seemed to originate from the very depths of the earth. Those who heard it would feel chills to their very core. Even the adventurers felt this chill, and they stood alert with their weapons in hand, scanning their surroundings.

A flash of silver ran through the monster army, and their formation fell apart. A gigantic wolf bared its fangs and mercilessly trampled on the fell creatures. Its stature was comparable to the ogre commander; its fangs were as sharp as swords, and they pierced through the monsters’ crude armor with ease.

From above, a blazing orb of fire rained down on the chaotic jumble of monsters. Nay, it was not a blazing orb but rather the fiery wings of a great bird. Its gigantic wings brushed the ground as it scorched the crowd in its path. The smell of burnt flesh reached as far as the adventurers’ hiding place.

The party watched in disbelief as the corpses of dead monsters rose up and started moving. Their soulless husks took up weapons and began attacking the ones that remained alive. This was unmistakably necromancy, and its wielder stood at a distance from the battlefield. They wore a cloak of shadow and coldly gazed at the monsters with pale white eyes. The shadows stretched out like tentacles, invading the corpses and manipulating them as the caster pleased.

“Th-The monsters are fighting themselves?!”

“No, that’s someone’s familiar controlling them.”

“A familiar? But...that’s a phoenix and a fenrir down there... And what’s that shadow?”

“It must be an archlich. A fiend also known as a ‘sage of the underworld.’”

“H-How could anyone make that into a familiar?!”

“It’s her!”

The man with the spear pointed at a figure clad in white—an old lady. Her appearance was otherworldly: she wore an all-white dress and hat, and had a robust, muscular figure like that of a seasoned brawler. Her long hair was also completely white. Those who met her gaze might simply faint from its sheer impact.

“I-It’s the White Witch!”

The witch held her staff before her, and the jewel at its tip began glittering with light. Then a beam of light shot out from the staff, zooming past the horde of confused monsters to blow off the upper body of the ogre at the back, who had been trying to keep order among the ranks. The chaos rose to a fever pitch, and the monsters could no longer rally any semblance of resistance. From here, they were unceremoniously crushed by the witch and her familiars.

It hadn’t even been an hour, and the massive army had been obliterated without a trace. There were no survivors; only the presence of death lingered over the surrounding area. As the animated corpses collapsed one by one, the fenrir let out a howl. The White Witch, her expression unchanged, turned and climbed onto the fenrir’s back. The beast launched itself with all four legs, and the White Witch and her familiars vanished into the distance. They had come and gone in no time at all, as if they had merely stopped by for a quick stroll.

The adventurers all stared at one another.

“...Wow.”

“So that was the strongest adventurer in all of Azrac...”

“...I should just quit right now.”

While almost all adventurers joined clans regardless of rank, there was one lone adventurer who’d never done so and yet had climbed all the way to platinum rank and stood at the pinnacle of all adventurers. She was the strongest in all of Azrac—the White Witch—and she had just made short work of a veritable army of monsters.

***

In a thick forest in the untamed hinterlands, there stood a single house. The house was showing its age, and its surroundings had been left unkempt. Weeds had overrun the area, and thick vines had crept over its walls.

A magic circle glowed in the yard that was barely escaping the encroachment of nature. A girl was standing before it, and suddenly the silhouettes of the fenrir, phoenix, and archlich vanished into it. The girl had long, white hair and wore a white hat and dress. In her hands, she held a staff. In other words, she bore the appearance of the archetypal witch.

“You three are so mean...” the girl grumbled as the glowing circle vanished.

Just as she finished complaining, the front door opened, unleashing a cloud of dust. A mountain of garbage, books, clothes, and other miscellaneous items cast a big, black shadow on her. Creatures seemed to be wriggling and writhing in the crevices of the gigantic pile. Inside the fireplace, a hardened mound of soot had built up; it would seem it had been quite some time since a fire had been lit in it. Unwashed pots and silverware were scattered all across the kitchen. Cobwebs and dust clung to the lighting and other fixtures dangling from the ceiling.

The girl tiptoed across the living room. Plates were piled up on the dining table, and atop the same table was a basket of bread. She took one piece and headed into her bedroom, where clothes and empty bottles were scattered all over her huge bed.

“I’m exhausted,” she sighed.

The girl sat and finished eating her bread. She took a drink out of her magical cooling storage box—her “fridge”—and gulped it down. Then she took off her clothes and threw them haphazardly. She plopped down on the bed and sank into the covers, which had lost their fluff from not having been aired out for a long time.

The girl tossed and turned. Each time she did, her eyes landed on discarded bakery bags, candy wrappers, fruit peels, and crumpled pieces of paper scattered all over. Piles of books and clothes, many of which were covered in dust, were strewn all about the floor. Spiders had built webs all over the place, trapping dust and various insects in them.

“Won’t someone please clean this house?” the girl muttered. It seemed that she had no desire to do any of it herself.

“Adventurer great at performing household chores... From the Muddy Four-Horns... His name...” The girl continued mumbling as she closed her eyes. Soon enough, she was fast asleep.

1. Termination Notice

“So these tools are for Jean tomorrow... I have to schedule Andrea’s sword polishing for him, and restock some herbs for Suzanna...”

At the clan hall of the Muddy Four-Horns—a platinum-rank clan—a man was being hounded by a mountain of chores. His tasks included preparing the equipment of the vanguard, arranging tools for the rear guard, and buying other useful items. On top of that, he had to clean the clan hall, prepare meals, manage the accounting, and make schedules, all while carting a load of miscellaneous items here and there.

The name of this unfortunate man was Tori, and he was twenty-five years old. Despite having been in the adventuring business for a decade—long enough to be considered a respectable career—he had never once stood on the front lines. He had set out from his hometown thinking that he’d return with glorious honors under his name, but he had zero talent for fighting or magic. All he could do was support the clan from the back, fetching equipment and performing assistant work. Once the clan had climbed to platinum rank, even his support from the rear guard was no longer needed. He had been relegated to menial tasks such as managing the clan hall, replenishing supplies, and preparing food.

It wasn’t always like this, Tori thought. Back when the clan was still at bronze rank, he still fought alongside his clanmates, but at some point, he became the designated errand boy.

Tori, who had gone out to buy groceries, sighed and shook his head. “This sucks,” he grumbled.

He’d felt some pride in being helpful to his comrades, who were all hailed as heroes and champions, but now he was too busy to even feel that. His workload had increased along with the clan’s rise in rank, and he no longer had any time to rest. Moreover, though he dutifully fulfilled his tasks, said tasks were all accomplished in the background, away from all the action. The sad reality of his accomplishments sitting unnoticed gave Tori a sense that he had lost his identity somewhere along the way. This feeling ate at him.

The Muddy Four-Horns operated in the city of Azrac, a massive city where all manner of trade and commerce converged. It lay close to hostile, undeveloped lands full of rare materials and items that could be harvested. Of course, this undeveloped land was also teeming with monsters. Trade routes extended to the south, east, and west, which made it easy for people to access. New adventurers arrived in the city all the time. This meant that the adventuring trade was quite lively, but also that competition was fierce. It was only natural that an adventurer like Tori with no skills to speak of was doomed to languish in the background. Still, this didn’t mean that he could accept this pathetic fate.

The Muddy Four-Horns, being a platinum-rank clan, was full of promise. Their leader, the swordsman Andrea, was an excellent commander. The twinblade Suzanna was so fast and agile that monsters could not lay a claw on her. The spellcaster Jean was invincible in both offense and defense, and was also a wielder of Great Sorceries. The clan centered around these three, and their skills were perfectly balanced between frontline and rearguard strength.

The clan members who participated in battle could rest their bodies during rest days, but Tori still had to do work—he had to make food, clean the hall, do the laundry, groceries, accounting, and other such menial tasks.

I’m a burden in combat, after all...

It would have been a saving grace if he at least had skill in either swordsmanship or magic, but he couldn’t get far with just his eagerness to learn. The shoddy sword techniques that had carried him while his clan was still in bronze and silver rank could no longer do so once the clan rose to gold, and once they reached platinum rank, he became nothing but a burden.

Lately, Tori had been spending more and more time thinking about the direction his life was heading in. However, he had been in the same world for ten years, and staying in the same place for so long made it difficult to imagine any other path. Or rather, he had too many regrets that got in the way of seeing a better future.

As Tori walked down the road carrying a mountain of supplies, a shadow suddenly draped over him. When he looked up, a large figure was looming over him. The gigantic woman before him was over twice his size in both height and width. A large sun hat covered the figure’s messy white hair. Various jewels and accessories dangled off the figure’s robe. In one hand, she was holding a crooked staff, and a large, beaked nose poked out of her wrinkled face. There was no mistaking it—this gigantic old lady was the adventurer known as the White Witch. He could feel her sharp gaze piercing through him from the shadow of her sun hat.

Tori quickly stepped out of her path. “S-Sorry.”

The White Witch continued past without a word.

“What an intimidating aura...” Tori mumbled.

While platinum rank was normally earned while being in a clan, the White Witch had earned that title completely on her own. Azrac was full of exceptional adventurers, and even among them, her skills were truly top-class, perhaps even the strongest of all time. She accepted nothing but the most difficult of bounties directly from the adventurers’ guild, and always fulfilled them perfectly. It was through these feats that she’d become known as the ultimate weapon of Azrac. She was, in all senses of the phrase, on a whole different level from everyone else.

However, her appearance and unknowable motives also made her an object of fear rather than admiration and respect. No one had ever tried making conversation with her, and no one knew where she lived. She only showed herself in the city when she had a request to fulfill.

Yeah, that was no human. That was a monster, Tori thought to himself.

When he returned to the clan hall, Tori could sense that there was something off about the mood in the room. He tilted his head in confusion.

“I’m back... What’s going on?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah...”

Andrea, the clan leader, glanced at Tori. The other clan members also looked at him with sullen or apologetic expressions on their faces.

A man with a huge smile was also looking at him. Tori remembered passing by him earlier on his way out to shop for supplies. He looked nothing like an adventurer.

“What’s with the weird vibes?” Tori asked.

“This is Mr. Arpent, a manager from the guild.” Andrea introduced the man standing next to him.

“Well, good day to you, Tori. I am Arpent,” the man gave a jolly greeting without breaking his smile.

“Good day to you too... Wait, manager?”

“Indeed. We at the Azrac Guild respect all our platinum-ranked clans and adventurers as valuable assets in battle, which is why we have been engaged in lively discussions about how to raise the efficiency of our clan administration. Our solution is to gather a number of existing clans that show huge potential for growth and unify them. Of course, we at the Azrac Guild will provide our full and undivided support to this newly unified clan,” Arpent explained.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Andrea, who had his head cast down, looked at Tori with a grim expression.

“Tori, as of today, the Muddy Four-Horns is disbanding,” he announced.

“...Why?”

Jean, the spellcaster, answered Tori. Due to a spell, his aging had stopped, and despite being one of the older members, he still appeared to be in his early teens. “It’s as Mr. Arpent said. A number of clans are being unified.”

“U-Um... W-We’re going to be working together with other top clans like Clan Eternal and the Crimson Venus...” the twinblade Suzanna added sheepishly.

Tori sighed. “I’m fired, aren’t I?”

“If I may, Mr. Tori,” Arpent interjected. “We have reviewed your capabilities, and we found it quite difficult to believe that your talents match the rank of platinum bestowed upon your clan. It would seem that you have not even seen combat in the past few years. The clans participating in this unification are all first-rate and the cream of the crop. I apologize, but we believe that it would be difficult for you to find a place in such an environment with your skills.”

Tori bit his lip and looked in Andrea’s direction. “I didn’t hear about any of this.”

Andrea averted his gaze. “I’m sorry for not including you in the talks, but it wouldn’t have changed the result.”

“Maybe not. But all this time, I thought I was one of your comrades.”

“You are. But...things have been different ever since you stopped fighting with us.”

“But I’ve been working so hard helping the clan in other ways. I’ve been doing all the jobs the clan gave to me,” Tori protested. He knew he was arguing over a done deal, but he couldn’t stop himself.

Andrea opened his eyes and looked straight at Tori. “I’m saying...those services are no longer needed.”

“Even so...aren’t we comrades who’ve gone through thick and thin...?”

“We’ve been putting our lives on the line. You know you haven’t been doing the same, don’t you?”

Tori was taken aback. Shocked, he stared at Andrea, who met his gaze directly.

Finally, Tori sighed and put down the supplies he was carrying. “Fine, I got the message,” he said.

“Sorry. I crossed a line,” Andrea apologized.

“It’s fine. It’s weird that a man like me who can only fight small fry is in a platinum-ranked clan like this in the first place. I should have left long ago.”

“That’s not— Hey, are you all fine with this?!” Suzanna protested.

Andrea turned to her. “Suzanna, we have our reasons for climbing as high as we can, remember?”

“Ugh...” Suzanna went quiet.

Tori gathered his belongings: a pack of clothes and a sword he’d not swung in a long time. His belongings were scant and very light.

“Here’s your separation pay. Tori, I’m truly thankful for all your help. I’m sorry things had to end this way,” Jean said as he handed Tori a small bag of coins. Tori hesitated for a moment, but he took the money.

“Jean, I hope you manage to fulfill our master’s dying words.”

“Tori...”

Tori then turned to Andrea and Suzanna.

“Andrea, I’m sorry I couldn’t help you exact your revenge.”

Andrea stayed quiet.

“Suzanna, I hope your little brother gets better. I’m praying for him.”

“Tori... I’m so sorry,” Suzanna sobbed.

Tori took a final look at his apologetic former clanmates. He forced a smile as he turned his back and waved goodbye.

“Be seeing you all,” he muttered, and departed the clan hall.

Tori felt as if a huge hole had opened in his heart. His jobs had been difficult, and he had even thought of quitting many times, but now that he had been kicked out, he felt an immense sadness. He’d already known he was useless to the clan, but the truth being shoved into his face like this still hurt.

What am I supposed to do now?

Tori walked along the road while holding back his tears. He had nowhere to go. Even walking now felt too much of an effort, so he plopped down on a stack of wooden crates by the roadside.

The streets remained busy as people went on with their daily lives.

I suppose nobody really cares about my circumstances, Tori thought. That’s just how it is. But it makes me realize just how small my existence is.

His thoughts were only getting gloomier and gloomier. If this kept on going, he would eventually succumb to despair. Me? An adventurer? What a joke.

Tori no longer had the will to do anything. He could only stare at the people passing him by.

It was then that a shadow blocked his view. Surprised, he looked up and saw the gigantic White Witch looking down at him. Her face was as terrifying as ever. Tori froze for a moment, but perhaps due to being in the pit of despair, he managed to glare right back without flinching.

“What do you want from me?” he hissed.

“Thou art Tori of the Muddy Four-Horns?” the White Witch bellowed. Tori would have flinched if it weren’t for hearing the name of his former clan, which irritated him.

“I just left that place. Permanently. Actually, the entire clan no longer exists.” Tori let out a derisive laugh. What is wrong with everyone today?

“I am aware.”

“Huh?”

Apparently, rumors of the platinum-ranked clans being unified and fully sponsored by the guild had already been going around for a while. She must have heard the news from one of the guild employees, including the termination of clan members deemed worthless.

Tori gritted his teeth, then let out another laugh. “Yeah... Yeah, that’s right. So, what do you want from me? Did you come all the way here to laugh at me? Must be nice having all that free time on your hands, being a platinum-ranked adventurer and all.”

“Nay... Tori, hast thou a place to turn to?”

“Of course not! I was stuck doing odd jobs all year round... Not even acknowledged as one of their comrades just because I couldn’t fight... Damn it all!”

Tori’s pent-up emotions burst out all at once. He couldn’t stop himself, despite knowing full well that it was all self-serving drivel. He kept going, not caring that he was ranting to no one. “You all had no right to scatter your things around just because I was there to clean up! I always tried to serve you warm and fresh meals! I went to so many stores just so I could get our supplies cheaper whenever I shopped! I sat through all your rants and complaints late at night even though I was sleepy! What time did you all think I woke up, huh?! Just who do you think was keeping all your daily lives in order?!”

“Precisely.”

“What?”

“I have sought thee out to keep my daily life in order,” the White Witch elaborated.

“Your life in order?” Tori repeated. The White Witch nodded. Tori snorted. How shameless of her. Keep her life in order? The adventurer who climbed solo all the way up to platinum rank? She’s asking that of me, Clan Muddy Four-Horns’ designated errand guy, right after I got fired? She has to be making fun of me.

In that case, I have ideas of my own.

“Uh, yeah, well, sure. You can hire me. But you should know that I’m really expensive. You’ll have to pay me about ten thousand a day—”

“I accept thy terms.”

“Huh? Wh—?”

The White Witch placed her hand on Tori’s head, and a magical light began to shine from her palm. The next moment, both she and Tori were floating in the air.

“Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh—?!”

“Let us depart. Hold on to me tightly.”

Tori felt a sensation akin to being yanked upward. He then realized they were flying in the air. The scenery beneath him vanished rapidly into the horizon behind. He had no idea where they were headed.

“Wh-Whoooooaaa?!”

The two of them flew past the wastelands before gradually descending over a dark forest. Once inside, they landed in an open space where a small, quiet house stood. A battered wooden fence surrounded the house’s yard. There was a well with a pump nearby, along with a plot of land for growing vegetables and herbs, though it was currently overrun with weeds. There also stood an empty henhouse and an abandoned shed covered with grass and vines.

“We have arrived,” the White Witch announced.

Tori, dumbfounded, fell back onto his butt.

“Wh-Where are we?”

“This is my house, and from now on, thy new workplace,” the White Witch declared.

Tori scrambled back and looked up at the White Witch. “W-Wait, I haven’t agreed to being employed yet—”

“Didst thou not say ten thousand a day?” the White Witch calmly echoed Tori’s price. Tori was at a loss for words—she seemed to have taken the ridiculous amount he’d stated completely seriously. Take care of this monstrous woman? Can’t she already take care of everything on her own? She already seems all-powerful!

Tori hurriedly prostrated himself before the White Witch. “I-I-I-I’m so sorry! I was just kidding! I could never serve the great and honorable White Witch—”

“Euphemia.”

A clear, soothing voice rang out. Tori lifted his head in surprise. The gigantic witch’s figure became obscured in a cloud of haze, and when it cleared, there stood a young lady with smooth, brilliant-white hair and pearlescent skin. She appeared to be about eighteen years of age. She had a pretty face, and her droopy eyes even looked a bit cute.

Tori’s mouth opened and closed out of shock.

“Huh? Eh? Y-You’re— Who...?”

“I’m Euphemia, your new employer. Everyone calls me the White Witch, though,” said the girl, and she let out a big yawn.

2. A New Workplace

“S-So, th-that old lady form is something you put on with magic?” Tori stammered.

“Indeed... My mother told me I wouldn’t be taken seriously if I looked frail and dainty,” answered the White Witch. Apparently, her voice and way of speaking also altered whenever she transformed into that form.

While Tori was dumbfounded and shocked by the truth behind “Euphemia the White Witch,” he somehow managed to regain his composure and absorb the current situation. On one hand, he was relieved that he didn’t have to be a caretaker for that monstrous old lady. On the other hand, it felt wrong to accept the offer now that he knew he’d be working for a beautiful young woman, even though he wasn’t doing anything to feel guilty about.

“Uh, but all I can do are chores and errands...” Tori started.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I want you for,” Euphemia replied.

“B-But we’re very far from the nearest town. I can’t travel all the way here every day.”

“You can live here. I will allow you to take residence in my home.”

“Nngh... B-But a bachelor and a young lady living under the same roof...”

“I don’t mind.”

“B-But...!”

“Do you hate the idea of working for me that much?” Euphemia looked so frail and fleeting as she said these words with such a sad tone. Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes.

Tori panicked and flailed his hands. “O-O-Okay! Fine! I accept your offer!”

Euphemia’s face brightened upon hearing this. While the change in her expression wasn’t that drastic, Tori could easily tell that she was happy.

Euphemia turned around and opened the door to her home. “Come in,” she beckoned.

“O-Okay. I’m coming i— Huh?!”

Tori was utterly shocked and appalled at the state of the house. The clutter was beyond his wildest expectations. Clothes were scattered everywhere. Books were piled up all over. Balled-up papers were mounded in all corners of the house, almost as if they signaled the presence of waste bins underneath. Paper bags from the bakery, candy wrappers, fruit peels, chicken bones, and various other litter were strewn all over the place.

A pile of books and papers was sitting haphazardly on the desk by the windowsill. Next to the pile was an empty bottle of ink, toppled over. Right next to that was an empty medicine bottle, also on its side.

Cobwebs were hanging from the light fixtures on the ceiling. The webs had caught large clumps of dust, giving them a horrifying appearance. Of course, the room itself was also covered in a thick layer of dust. Each step they took kicked up a small cloud. The fireplace was overflowing with soot; it would be a miracle if it could even light a proper fire. A large cauldron sat inside the fireplace, looking as though it had expanded from its original size with how much charcoal and filth was stuck to it.

Stacks of unwashed dishes were piled up on what seemed to be the dining table. A pot on the table was filled with what appeared to have been stew, or some kind of meal, at least. Flies were hovering right above it, and it emitted a horrible smell.

“This is appalling,” Tori muttered.

“Your first job... Please clean all of this up,” said Euphemia as she walked skillfully around the floor, which did not look like it had any space to walk on. She entered what appeared to be her own room, which, from what little Tori could glimpse of it, seemed to be in a similar state to the rest of the house.

“...I no longer feel bad about charging her such a high fee.”

Tori put on an apron, rolled up his sleeves, and pumped his arm. He put on a bandanna and psyched himself up. Now that he had gotten himself into this, he decided to put his full effort into cleaning up. As long as he chipped away at the mountain of clutter in front of him, he would eventually finish this monumental task.

Tori decided to start by clearing some space to walk around. He’d just started picking up some trash, when something started wriggling around. At first, he thought it was a rat or some insect, but when he looked carefully, a pitch-black slime creature slithered out. It then leaped straight at him.

“Gaaah?!” Tori reflexively threw the trash in his hand at the slime. The creature fell to the floor. It was quivering as it tried to slither toward Tori.

“What the hell is this creature doing here?!”

Tori grabbed the sword from his pack and slashed the attacking slime into two. The monster stopped moving and melted away. Tori was relieved for a moment before seeing more slimes and large rats crawl out of their hiding places. Those same creatures then turned their sights on Tori and attacked him.

“Why do I have to kill monsters before I can clean up?!”

Slimes and rats were really weak, so even someone as weak as Tori could take care of them without breaking a sweat. He managed to eliminate all the monsters in less than an hour. Tori had readied himself for cleaning, but now he was tired from the unexpected battle.

Tori struggled to make his way along the floor until he reached Euphemia’s room. He opened the door and peered in, and saw the horrible clutter inside. Books, clothes, candy wrappers, food bags, and scraps of paper were scattered all over.

A quilt was rolled up in a lump on top of a gigantic bed.

“Um... Miss Euphemia?” Tori called out.

“Mmmngh...”

The quilt squirmed, and a head poked out of the rolled-up bedding. “Whaddis it...?” Euphemia mumbled.

“Were you asleep already...? Never mind that—why are there slimes and giant rats in your house?!”

“I think they showed up while I was doing a magical experiment...”

“What do you mean, ‘they showed up’?! I’m the one who has to clean this all up!”

“Aren’t you an adventurer? I’m sure you can handle a slime or two...”

I have no excuses for that one, Tori thought. “...So, where are the cleaning supplies?”

“In the corner by the front door... I’m going to nap for a while, so I’ll leave everything to you...” Euphemia mumbled before crawling back into her quilt and curling up. Tori immediately heard her sleeping noises once more.

Is this really the same White Witch that everyone in Azrac fears? Tori wondered as he headed back to the entrance to grab the cleaning supplies.

“I won’t be finishing this in a day... I’ll start with the kitchen and fireplace,” Tori concluded. Otherwise, I won’t even be able to cook.

Tori started with opening the windows throughout the house. This kicked up clouds of dust everywhere, which drifted out the windows. Next, he scraped the soot off the fireplace and dumped it all in a space by the garden. He did this again and again until he finally swept up the remaining soot with a broom, completely cleaning out the fireplace. It was now in a state where he could light a proper fire.