The Witch Who Laughs

And then my friend Darunis was all like...

, Why the hell did you call me out here?

If you don't want any hexes, I'm going home.

I just thought we should get to know each other a little better...

Oh, hey! Look who it is!

God, it's like talking to a tree stump! How pissed off do I need to be before you get the message?!

Why the hurry, Darunis? Is something wrong?

Someone asked the Baruoki Guard to eliminate the witch in the Moonlight Forest. He said she put a hex on him.

A witch in the Moonlight Forest, eh?

Waaait a second...

Just for the record, I didn't hex that guy.

Then who did? You mean there's more than one witch in there?!

The immortal witch who bakes naughty children into pies, of course.

You remember the tales, right? We were all told them as children. But that's all they are, fairy tales.

I guess so...

......

But as soon as I pointed that out, the client ran off to the Moonlight Forest alone.

Alone?

Well we can't just leave him out there! I'll find him and bring him back.

I don't know what I'd do without you, Aldo! You see, I've also been asked to escort this merchant into town, and there's no way I can do both!

My, you sure were hasty to offer your services there. Is guard work really that profitable?

No, not really. It's more about keeping the village safe than making money. If you only help those who can pay, then that's unfair to those who can't afford it.

Ugh, I knew you were a idiot. Money's just about the only thing you can rely upon in this world!

Maybe for you, but not for everybody.

Anyway, let's head off to Moonlight Forest.

"Let's"? Since when was I expected to come with you? Hey, are you even listening to me?!

Whatever. If this client is who I think he is, then there's profit to be made!

It was so stupid of me to come here without a companion! But still...

Excuse me, are you okay?

I'm Aldo, from the Baruoki Guard. I came here to find you.

Took you long enough! What do you think you're...

Eep! Th-The witch!

I told you before, I'm a hexer, not a witch.

That's exactly the kind of thing a witch would say! Lift this curse you put upon me! Now!

I thought you said you weren't behind this, Wen...

Hmph. You trust his word over mine?

I'm not saying that; it's just, come on, look at the circumstances...

Heh... I just love it when you frown like that.

Hey! Don't ignore me!

Oh, NOW you wanna talk to me? What happened to keeping our deal under the table, huh? Thought you didn't want to be associated with a dirty hexer.

Wait, are you saying he ASKED you for a hex?

Yep. He asked me to hex his lover for him.

WHAT?!

If you've gone and gotten yourself cursed, then maybe your late lover's getting even.

Or maybe the guilt's too much for your ant-sized little conscience, and it's making you see things?

But that can't be it, can it? Only a real scumbag could put a deadly curse on their own lover.

She wouldn't let me break up with her! I had no choice but to resort to this! I'm the real victim here, ME!

Wh-What the?!

Oh...

H-H-How are you still alive?

Is this true? Were you trying to kill me?

You blasted witch! You told me the hex would kill her! Unless... Is she a ghost?

Aaah! Help me, witch! Don't you sell amulets or something?

Maybe. But I take my payments upfront.

Then take this ring! Sell it, and you'll be rich, I swear to you! Take it, please!

Yeah, I guess that'll work. Here.

She's gone...

Happy now?

Just remember, I can exorcise a few ghosts, but her grudge will still follow you to the grave.

Now get out of my sight, unless you want to go and meet her again sooner rather than later.

Ugh, what a dirtbag.

Alright, let's break this spell.

Oh great wind, cast away the clouds that veil the truth.

The ghost?

Ghost? Does she look dead to you, thickwit?

I mean, how else could she suddenly appear like that?

Because I gave her an amulet of concealment. It was just easier this way.

Everything you wrote in your letter was true! He wanted to kill me because I was getting in the way of his marriage to a rich aristocrat. If it wasn't for your letter or your amulet, I would have...

No need to thank me. Just let your money and your hatred do the talking. If you wanna hex him right back, I'd happily take you on as a customer.

...Alright. I'll do it. I can't let him get away with this.

I'm glad to hear you're not a fool enough to sit back and take this. Love for love, a hex for a hex. Now, lemme give you this cursed doll... It allows you to inflict pain on your target, even from a great distance. One of my finest creations, I'd say.

Gotta admit, I wanted to toy with him a little more, but it's good to quit while you're ahead, I guess.

Wen, I really don't approve of any of this!

I'm sorry, but did I ask for your idiotic opinion? Scumbags who repay love with murder deserve to die.

Or are you trying to say that every life has value, even his? In front of the very woman he just tried to kill?

......

Yeah, I thought not. Now let's get ourselves over to Unigan and go hex that guy. Revenge truly is the sweetest thing. I'm gonna enjoy watching that creep writhe in agony.

I thought we would've caught up with him by now, but apparently not.

Guess we gotta go to his house.

......

Wen, are you really planning to kill him? I know what he did is unforgivable, but still! That doesn't make this right.

Doesn't it, though?

Funny, 'cause I think it's very much "right". Much as I wish people lived in peace and harmony and all...

You can't cure hatred with justice and kindness.

Don't listen to this naive fool. You don't have to forgive those who've hurt you.

If killing them makes you feel better, then I say go for it. And you know I'm on your side here, right?

I...I know. I...I should see this through.

......

Ah...

You know how you said weird things had been happening to you? Have you managed to solve the issue now?

I believe so. The delusional woman sought to plague me even in death. Her spirit was haunting me.

But she's since been exorcised. No harm will come to you now.

Relax, my dear. I will protect you no matter what, for now and forever.

What the...

But...how?

You said you loved me! You said you'd dedicate your life to protecting me! Was that all just a lie?

Would you care to explain what is going on here?

Um...about that...

Hahaha! This is gonna be gooooood!

Wen! Why are you laughing about this?

Because it's FUNNY!

The facade of love has been peeled away, leaving bare the dirty, rotten truth.

Really soothes the soul, don't ya think?

You don't really think that, do you?

Of course I do. Hatred and malice are the only things that can quench my thirst. Love is a disgusting emotion. It must always be destroyed!

I can't accept this, Wen, even if we're supposed to be allies.

You think I give a damn if you accept it or not? You don't get to pass judgement on people just because you've got time traveling powers.

That's not what I'm doing! I'm just saying you shouldn't think like that!

Yeah, yeah. I'm a terrible person. Whatever.

Anyway, don't you have better things to do than lecture me? It's looking pretty heated over there.

Hey! Are you running away from me?

O-Of course not! How could you even think I'd leave you, my darling?

But, um...ah! My being here might put you in danger. So I gotta get away from you...for your sake!

Wait! I'm not done with you yet!

Liar.

Awww, how sad! He's gone and lost everything now. Serves him right!

Now, for the grand finale. Looks like Serena Coast will be our stage.

I've found you!

Keep away from me, foul spirit! Why are you haunting me like this? This is all your fault! If you would have just let me break up with you, I never would have had to hex you!

Hah... After all this, that's all you have to say to me?

My blood is practically boiling from rage!

And yet...

Phew! We made it in time!

He's not dead yet? Shame.

Well, what're you waiting for? Use the doll I gave you.

Break the doll's hand, and his hand will break. Break its neck, and his will snap like a twig.

No...

I can't do it.

Ah, you're worried about getting your hands dirty? Don't be. It's a hex, it's not like you're killing him yourself. There's no crime to be charged with.

It's not that. I just...I don't wanna kill him.

You don't? What's wrong with you? He tried to kill you, remember?

Where's your rage? Your indignation? He disrespected you, don't let it slide!

I can't kill him! No matter how badly he treated me, I still loved him once. I can't do that to him.

Hmph. Guess we're not so similar after all...

You're just like everyone else who wants nothing more than to love and be loved in return.

Wen?

Ugh... What the... Why is my heart pounding?

Wen! What did you do to him?

Me? Not everything's my fault, you know!

Witch! Help me, witch!

Nah, I'm good. You made your bed, now lie in it.

If you wanna live, get running.

Please help him! I'm begging you.

Tch.

Fine, but you'd better pay up later, or I'll put a hex on you, too.

Are you okay?

Yeah...

Um...

Hey, you keep away from me!

There's no proof you didn't do this!

Ugh, I really shoulda killed this guy.

Well if it wasn't you, then who else would do this to me?

To be honest, there's so many possibilities, it's hard to narrow it down to just one. I mean...

No way a scumbag like you doesn't have A LOT of enemies.

So what're you gonna do? Be a saint and forgive him? Or give yourself over to the tragedy?

......

I will never forgive you. And I never want to see your face again.

But I did truly love you once.

What are you...

Farewell.

Wait! Let me escort you back to Unigan. It's a dangerous route to travel alone.

Lucky for you, she has a kind soul. If it were up to me, I would've killed you in a heartbeat.

Now don't forget, you can come to me anytime to stock up on those amulets.

You're gonna be needing a lifetime supply, after all.

Thank you for escorting me back to town. And Miss Witch, here. I guess I should return this doll to you now.

Thanks.

Hey, um...are you okay?

I don't know if I'd go that far, but I'll manage.

Guess you can switch off your feelings pretty easily, huh?

Unfortunately not. I'm still feeling angry and sad and confused. But...

There was someone else, who felt even angrier at my situation than I did.

Knowing there was somebody who had my back, I felt like maybe this world wasn't so bad after all.

So, thank you. Thank you for being angry for me.

I'm the hexer of Moonlight Forest. Do you get what that means? It means I'm a bad person, and I don't appreciate being accused otherwise. I just hate betrayal, that's all. I didn't do this for you; I only...

"The Moonlight Witch does not accept work until payment has been made in full."

But you sent me an amulet free of charge to protect me from that hex. I'm only alive now because of you.

Hmph. That was just a trial I was running for new customers. But I don't even want you as a customer. You never paid up, and you canceled the job halfway.

I have no further use for you, so just leave. I hope we never meet again.

Very well. I'll do my best to live a peaceful life, in spite of what happened.

Hey, Wen... I'm sorry for doubting you before.

Don't be. I'm so used to being doubted at this point that I'd feel weird if you actually trusted me.

Besides, it was pretty funny to watch you act all arrogant and self-righteous back there.

We're gonna have to do something about that sadistic side of yours.

Still, I wonder who actually cursed that guy.

Ah, that would be his betrothed.

WHAT?! Wait, are you sure you should be revealing your customer's secrets so readily?

Well, so long as you keep your mouth shut, we don't have a problem.

Or are you gonna sell me out?

Not that I care either way. A hypocrite is still more trustworthy than an odious goody-goody.

Look, I'm not gonna talk, okay? But why would she put a curse on him anyway?

WHY? Can you really not figure that one out? Have you no heart?

That's rich, coming from you.

Who would wanna marry a guy who tried to kill his previous lover just 'cause she was getting in his way? You'd always be wondering if you were gonna be next. If you can't trust them, how can you marry them?

Yeah, I guess you have a point.

Still, things turned out pretty well, if you ask me.

He's gonna spend the rest of his life terrified that someone's trying to kill him.

You seem pretty happy about that.

I AM happy! I do so love a bit of karma! Curses return upon the heads that curse; that's what they say.

And what's more, he's probably gonna buy a LOT of amulets from me. I'm gonna milk that scumbag dry!

Just try not to go overboard, okay? You know better than most what happens when someone begrudges you.

My, my, are you worried about me, Aldo? I thought I was too unforgivable for any of that.

I may not agree with, well, anything you say, but of course I worry about you.

You're my friend, Wen, and I don't want you getting hurt.

Ugh. I'm leaving now.

You know, I really don't like you.

Hey! Wen!

Sigh... This isn't going to be easy.

I'm his "friend"? ME? What a fool. I may call myself a hexer now, and I may have changed the way I speak... But I'm still Wenefica through and through.

Someday, he will betray me. Just like she did.