Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina (魔女の旅々)

This is a story about love.

The princess of a certain country fell in love.

The person she fell in love with was the castle cook.

Theirs was a love between people of different social classes.

This is off topic, but why do we say " fall in love"?

Is it because one falls into it unexpectedly and suddenly, like a pitfall trap?

Not that I would know.

The two of them nurtured their love secretly,

and in time, the princess became pregnant.

Yes, it was the fruit of their love, so to speak.

The Princess Without Subjects

This place is in ruins...

I wonder if there was a war or something.

I didn't hear anything about that, though.

There isn't a single person here...

Still, this is a problem...

Even if I head to another town now,

I probably won't get there until the middle of the night...

I'll freeze...

This is the only place that looks like it's still standing...

It looks like no one's home.

I am very reluctant to do this,

but I have to do what I have to do.

Please excuse the intrusion.

Who are you?

I feel alive again.

It was cold outside, wasn't it?

Yes.

At any rate, I didn't think anyone lived here.

I didn't think anyone would come here, either.

Where did you come from?

From a faraway, distant land.

I'm a traveler.

May I ask your name?

I'm Elaina.

My name is Mirarosé.

Nice to meet you.

Mirarosé, what happened to this town?

I don't know...

You don't?

I don't know what happened to this town, or why I'm here.

When I woke up, I found myself in this country that was already in ruins.

Do you have amnesia?

Most likely.

But you remember your name?

"You who are reading this are the princess, Mirarosé."

You're a princess?

You're living in a room like this in the castle,

so I guess it makes sense.

Oh, okay.

"Why are you here? Why is the country in ruins?

Why have you lost your memory?

I will explain a little.

If you do not want to die, then read this."

Whoever wrote this seems pretty self-important.

It looks like the sun has set.

Right...

"By the way, is it night where you are?

If so, then I'd like you to look out the window."

Out the window?

What is that?

Continue reading.

"That monster is the demon that destroyed the country

and the cause of your amnesia.

The monster's name is Javalier."

Is that... Javalier?

The next part of the letter says,

"Awakening as the sun sets, destroying the country until the sunrise.

Javalier's goal is to annihilate everyone in this country.

It is going wild looking for the last person--

in other words, you."

Javalier is trying to kill me.

Then, why don't you leave this country and go somewhere else?

"This castle is safe.

Javalier cannot enter this castle."

Why...?

Who knows?

Besides--

"Javalier is after you, she who has become a princess without subjects.

If you leave this country, then Javalier will chase you," it says.

And then finally, it says, "I'd like to ask you a favor.

I want you to kill Javalier.

As a witch, you should have enough power to easily defeat Javalier.

Please, for our sake, in order for you to live,

and for the sake of those unfortunate enough to be killed."

That's how it is.

Huh.

So you're a witch, Mirarosé?

So you're a witch, too, Elaina?

That should've been obvious by my appearance.

I have my brooch on, too.

I'm just kidding.

But that letter leaves a lot of questions.

Why did Javalier appear?

Why were you the only one to survive and lose your memory?

It doesn't say anything about that.

You're right.

But I'm the princess, and this country was destroyed by that monster.

So, I have a duty to defeat that.

Don't you agree?

How many days have you seen that monster?

It's the seventh day.

Have you ever fought it?

Not yet.

But, I will fight it tomorrow night.

Do you have any chance of winning?

Of course I do.

You seem very confident.

It's been one week since I woke up,

and I finally remembered how to use magic.

It's possible that before I lost my memory, I was pretty good.

Moreover, my magic has been recharged.

Do your best.

I will be cheering you on from a safe distance.