"So, my prince… how are you?" she asked, her smile carrying a warmth that somehow felt just as dangerous.
I paused, my mind racing. Had I seen her before? Her face didn't match any memory I had—and someone like her, I wouldn't forget.
Still confused, I furrowed my brows and asked, "Yeah… so… who are you?"
She giggled softly, clearly amused by my reaction, then gave a graceful tilt of her head.
"My prince… let me introduce myself again," she said, placing a hand gently over her chest. "My name is Lilith, and most people… well, they call me Witch."
Even after hearing her name, I was still confused. I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yeah… so, beautiful witch lady, what brings you here?"
Hearing such words from the mouth of a six-year-old boy made her chuckle again, her eyes gleaming with amusement. She stepped closer—just enough for the moonlight to catch the shimmer of her dark cloak.
"It's nothing too important," she said with a smile that felt both mischievous and knowing. "I'm just here to fulfill your wish."
"Fulfill… my… wish?" I echoed, still a little lost.
She nodded slowly, her black eyes never leaving mine. "Yes. Fulfill your wish."
I furrowed my brow, confused at first. "So… what wish…?" I asked, my voice trailing off.
But then it hit me. A memory. A whisper. A quiet frustration that had lingered ever since I first learned about mana.
"Giftless… huh?" The words slipped from my mouth before I even realized it.
The witch giggled softly, clearly pleased. "Smart…" she said, her smile widening just a bit.
Hearing her confirmation, a surge of hope bloomed in my chest.
"So… so… how do you make me not giftless?" I asked, stumbling over my words in my excitement. I abandoned my project without a second thought and practically leapt into the nearest chair, eager to hear her answer.
She smiled mysteriously. "Not me… but this."
From seemingly nowhere, she pulled out a pure white apple and placed it gently on the table before me.
I leaned in, curious. "What's that—"
But then I froze. The words caught in my throat as recognition struck.
She giggled at my expression. "Yeah… the forbidden fruit."
The moment I understood, a chill ran down my spine. Cold sweat gathered at my brow, and my face turned pale.
"Isn't this… poison?" I whispered. "The kind people take when they want to die?"
The witch chuckled, her voice smooth and velvety. "No, no, my prince. If you eat the whole thing, sure—you'll be paralyzed... and eventually die. Especially if you're gifted."
She stepped closer, each footfall silent, her dark coat trailing behind her like a whisper of shadow.
"But…" she added, her tone turning playful, almost conspiratorial, "if you take it little by little… that's where the real magic lies."
She placed a single finger on the apple. "Each bite can amplify the mana in your body. Slowly. Gradually. Safely—if you're careful."
Then she leaned in, her breath brushing my ear as she whispered,"So… you know what that means."
A shiver crept down my spine.
"Then why do they call it the forbidden fruit?" I asked, caught between curiosity and unease.
As she stepped back, her tone shifted—almost teasing.
"The church, of course. You know who gives the gifts."
She twirled a strand of her short black hair between her fingers, her eyes never leaving mine.
"But if you eat this," she continued, placing the apple gently on the table, "the gift will be nullified."
Her smile lingered—dangerous and knowing.
I sat there in silence, the witch's words echoing in my mind.
The room was quiet, save for the gentle rustle of wind through the open window. My eyes drifted to the night sky—stars blinking above like distant answers, waiting to be found.
Was I really about to do this?
Minutes slipped by. I wasn't sure how many.
But slowly, the fear began to fade—replaced by a familiar fire I hadn't felt since my other life.
"Yes… it might actually be possible in this world," I thought, the gears in my mind already turning.
A project I'd left unfinished in that other life began to take shape again in my memory.
I looked back down at the apple.
And for the first time that night… I reached out.
"So… how much can I eat per bite?" I asked, lifting the apple from the table with both hands.
The witch tapped her chin, tilting her head in mock thought. "Hmm… I think they once told me that for someone to become completely giftless, you should eat… about 1/24 of it. Every week."
A single drop of cold sweat rolled down my back.
She thinks?
They once told her?
I stared at the apple. My hands were still holding it, but it suddenly felt heavier than before.
Damn… she doesn't even know. Am I just an experiment?
The thought flashed across my mind like lightning.
And yet…
Even so, I had no choice.This was the only way forward.
I looked down at the apple, its pale skin glowing faintly under the moonlight.
"So… this is what it takes," I muttered to myself.
Not with fire in my heart—But with the calm, heavy acceptance of what needed to be done.
"So… how do I measure 1/24 of an apple?" I asked, staring blankly at the fruit in my hand.
The witch smiled lazily, her voice drifting like smoke.
"I don't know. Ask your maid."
She stretched her arms, slow and casual, as if waking from a nap.
"My job was just to deliver it. And now… it's done."
Then, without another word, she turned and walked into the darkness—her cloak fading into the shadows like a vanishing thought.
I sat there, speechless.
The forbidden fruit sat heavy in my palm, cold as moonlight.
But then, without warning, she paused.
With a flick of her wrist, a small pouch landed on the table with a soft thud.
"This is my investment in you," she said, her voice smooth—almost amused.
"I think you'll need it more than I will."
Then, without another word, she stepped into the night.
Gone, as suddenly as she came—leaving behind only the faint scent of magic… and a silent question burning in the air.
Still confused, I reached for the pouch and slowly opened it.
The moment I peeked inside, my breath caught.
A cool, weightless sensation pulsed from within—something impossible for an object so small.
My eyes widened in disbelief.
"A… spatial bag?" I whispered, staring at the pouch like it might vanish any second.
Something this rare… and she just left it?