The Villains I Taught Became Heroes

33 – Witch of Silence – 1

‘Today is the day to have a proper conversation with people!’ The girl thought as she walked with all her might. Of course, to others, her gait may have seemed slightly out of the ordinary, with a stiff stride. “Oh? Come on in~. What did you come to buy today? Or did you come to sell?” The plump-faced lady greeted cheerfully. Surprised by this, the girl hesitated before finally reaching out the basket she held in her hand. “Did you gather herbs and mushrooms again today? Well, with this much, it should be 2 silver coins. Thank you for always bringing good things.” The girl only pursed her lips at the lady’s cheerful words. She should say thank you. “Ah. Uhm. Well. Uh… She couldn’t find the words and ended up just bowing her head and offering a greeting. Turning her body as if fleeing, the girl left the store and tightly held her face while looking at the two silver coins in her hand. ‘Ah. I failed again.’ Today, she really wanted to greet properly. But she didn’t know what to do next after saying thank you. What should she do if the ensuing conversation goes wrong and the other person gets mad? What should she do if she brings up a boring topic and the atmosphere becomes tense? With so many thoughts overlapping, she couldn’t bring herself to speak. “Wow~. Wow~!” “Come with me!” “Try and catch me! Na-na-na-na! Stupid~!” “You’re dead!!”

At that moment, children passing by brushed past her.

They seemed like girls her age, yet unlike her, they exuded only vivacity.

“I’ll live like this forever…”

Unable to blend in with others, incapable of engaging in proper conversations, not even in adulthood, destined to live a solitary life.

Tears welled up.

Why am I like this?

Feeling pitiful for being unable to converse normally, the girl sniffled and turned, rushing back home.

Her home lay a bit away from the village, nestled in the woods.

An aged cabin stood amidst the trees.

Though lonely and desolate, there was nothing to fear in that place the girl walked toward, her steps heavier than usual.

“Sigh… How long will I be like this?”

She had hoped today she could talk properly with the villagers.

She had rehearsed so much yesterday, yet all that came out were incomprehensible words.

Marching with a gloomy face, she pondered.

Tomorrow, she vowed, tomorrow she’d surely talk properly.

-Thud!

“Gah, aaaaah?!”

Was it because she was too focused? She hadn’t noticed something in her path and tripped, landing hard on the ground.

“What in… Oh, huh?”

She was startled.

Underneath her lay someone she had tumbled over.

“…Hungry…”

A seemingly able-bodied adult man.

The girl handed him a piece of bread.

As she watched him hurriedly devour the bread bought with money from selling herbs and mushrooms, she wondered.

“Is he an adventurer?”

His attire, towering height subtly concealed, the thick muscles hinted beneath the clothes.

He seemed like an adventurer one might occasionally encounter in the village. Those individuals who explore dangerous places in search of treasure.

But what the girl envied most about adventurers was that they were generally good at talking to others and easily mingled with ordinary people.

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Accepting requests, carrying them out, completing tasks, and reporting back.

All things that required interaction with people.

People who could effortlessly handle such things.

For the current girl, adventurers who could handle such matters effortlessly seemed like beings from a heavenly realm.

“Phew! That was a good meal!”

The man, who devoured two pieces of bread in the blink of an eye, gulped down the water from the bottle the girl offered as if it were nothing.

A person who ate with such gusto.

“This is a lifesaver! Thanks to you, I didn’t have to starve to death.”

“Uh, well, uh, that…”

“…..?”

What should she say?

It’s not that big of a deal?

But wouldn’t that be too arrogant?

Should she ask why he was starving to death here when the village wasn’t far away?

But wouldn’t that lead to labeling him as a beggar?

Then what should she say?

Among the dozens of words floating in her mind, she couldn’t decide which one to choose.

So, in the end, she chose one thing.

“……….”

Silence.

‘How foolish!’

She ran away again.

The girl lowered her head deeply, and the man spoke to her with a gentle voice.

“Shall we start with introductions? I’m Lee Hyun.”

“Um, well. Uh, that.”

“You seem thoughtful. Take your time and answer slowly. It’s okay.”

His words surprised the girl. It was the first time someone had noticed her state without her saying anything.

Always lost in thought, she was slow to respond.

That’s why the other person always awkwardly smiled, turned their head away, and couldn’t engage in a conversation.

So, when conversations seemed impossible, meeting someone who spoke like this was unexpected.

She cautiously opened her mouth after organizing her thoughts.

“I have to speak. Why were you acting like this here?”

“Why. Uh. Well, here!”

“Idiot!”

She bit her tongue, making a strange sound.

She trembled at her own incompetence.

Not being able to speak properly. How foolish must that person think I am?

She has to speak again, but she’s afraid to bite her tongue again.

What should she say?

How should she say it?

“Why were you doing this here?”

“Uh, uh, uh? Uh-uh-uh?”

“How did you know? It was written all over your face when I saw you!”

Did he sense what she was trying to say?

Is he using some kind of trick?

While the confused girl hesitated, Lee Hyun calmly looked around.

“I was looking for something and got lost. What were you looking for?

What was she looking for?

This forest is abundant with herbs and mushrooms, but they’re nothing special.

Was she wandering through this forest just to find something so trivial?

If she’s looking for something, it seems like he could help.

The girl tried to collect the words swirling in her mind to speak.

“But I think I found it.”

“Oh. Really?!”

“You, who even the church and the information guild couldn’t find. Your talent is indeed remarkable. So, you! Become my disciple!”

A man she’s seeing for the first time.

Moreover, a man who was lying helpless in this forest boldly told her to become his disciple, leaving the girl bewildered.

What should she say?

Who are you?

What kind of person are you?

That I have extraordinary talent.

What kind of talent is extraordinary?

Numerous questions and lines of dialogue surfaced and disappeared in my mind.

I must refuse.

An offer from someone unknown, with a proposal I don’t understand, must be declined.

“…Y-yes…”

‘Uwaaaah! I’m such a fool!!’

But for a girl who finds it difficult even to speak to others, refusing is not an easy task either.

Finally nodding her head, the despairing girl looked up, and the man, Lee Hyun, chuckled as he reached out his hand.

“I will teach you magic. You have a talent for magic.”

“M-Ma, ma, ma, magic?”

Magic, you say.

Is it talking about the magician who occasionally visits the village during festivals?

Creating fire from hands and spewing water?

It’s unbelievable.

To think that she, who simply lives in the forest, has a talent for magic.

No, could it be that the person in front of her can teach magic?

Looking at the sword hanging from his waist and his muscles, he definitely looks more like a swordsman.

“It seems like you’re wondering whether someone who looks like a swordsman can teach magic or not.”

“Eek!”

‘As expected, a bluff! It must be a bluff!!’

“It’s written on your face. Well, if it’s obvious… should I show you lightly?”

Lee Hyun raised his hand lightly. In that moment, a faint flame began to move along his hand.

The girl was surprised by the sight. Creating such a huge fire. Even the magicians who visit during the village festivals couldn’t produce such a fire!

“If you become my disciple, you’ll be able to do things like this without any problem.”

“H-huh, really?”

“Of course. Your talent is so remarkable that you can even call this trivial.”

“Ugh…”

“Of course, you’ll have to put in a lot of effort as well. Obtaining magic isn’t something that comes without considerable hardship.”

“Um…”

“Hmm?”

“I, I’m not really good at, uh, talking with people. I, I can’t, I can’t do it well. Is it… okay?”

Can someone who struggles to articulate themselves like this really achieve something as extraordinary as this?

The girl became fearful.

Lee Hyun claimed he had great talent, but she wasn’t so sure.

What if she couldn’t do it properly and ended up disappointing everyone?

How would she handle being treated like a fool?

Anxiety continued to nestle in her heart.

And, facing her, Lee Hyun chuckled.

“The origin of magic is said to be a secret. Secrets are meant to be kept to oneself. In mastering magic, talent is more important than interacting with others.”

“Um… Is that so?”

Smirking, he raised his finger.

On his fingertip danced flames and ice.

“Once you become strong, you’ll gain confidence in your actions, and the fear of interacting with others will fade away. The crucial thing is what you want to achieve. Don’t worry too much.”

“Hehe…”

That’s a bit comforting.

A faint blush appeared on the girl’s face.

Facing her, Lee Hyun extended his hand once more.

“Oh, come to think of it, I don’t even know your name. What’s your name?”

“Oh… I, uh, I’m Lena.”

“…Lena?”

“…Yes? Yes…”

“The Silent Witch. Lena?”