I Supported My Fiancé for 10 Years After He Said, 'Let's Get Married When I Succeed,' but When He Finally Did, He Dumped Me. By the Way, I'm a Witch and Turning 30 Next Year!! - Episode 17
“Actually, this is the last set.”
“I see. I didn’t expect it to start today. I’m glad I made it in time.”
The idea for the Witch’s Special Lunch came from Ie, so I had always hoped he would try it one day. I never imagined it would happen on the very first day.
“Have you eaten lunch Iet?”
“No, not yet.”
“Then why don’t we split it and eat together?”
“It’s fine! If I gather everything, there should be enough for two. Just wait a moment.”
Wanting some company, I brought the dryad back to the counter.
“Oh? Did a beautiful lady arrive?”
“No, it’s just Ie.”
“I have no interest in men.”
“Don’t say that!”
When Ie greeted him politely, saying, “How are you, elder tree spirit?”, the dryad didn’t seem too displeased and replied, “Not bad.”
Even though the dryad adored beautiful women and disliked men, he didn’t seem to mind Ie’s gentle demeanor.
I was curious to listen to their conversation, but now wasn’t the time for that—I had to hurry and prepare lunch.
I decided to prepare a special dessert for Ie. It wouldn’t be anything fancy, but still…
When I went to the pantry, I found Merv Maple hanging from the ceiling by its vines, sound asleep.
I could hear its peaceful breathing.
As I approached, it suddenly woke up with a blink.
“Oh, sorry, did I wake you?”
“It’s fine. I was about to wake up anyway.”
“Glad to hear that.”
When I told it what I needed, Merv Maple extended its vine and retrieved the items for me, as if it already knew where everything was.
“Thank you.”
“Anything else you need help with?”
“No, that’s all.”
“Understood.”
With that, Merv Maple seemed ready to go back to sleep.
“I’ll leave some honey water on the counter. Feel free to drink it anytime.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
After preparing the honey water for Merv Maple, I made a simple dessert—syrup-soaked peaches topped with crushed, lightly toasted walnuts and hazelnuts, finished with fresh mint.
Since Ie had a big appetite, I cut extra bread for him.
“Sorry for the wait!”
When I returned to the shop, I was surprised to hear the dryad laughing.
“Huh…? I’ve never seen you laugh before.”
“This man is quite amusing.”
“Oh… is that so?”
I was curious about what they were talking about, but at the same time, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
It was a conversation between men—probably best not to dig too deep.
I told the dryad to drink some water and rest, and within seconds, he was fast asleep.
Maybe the warm sunlight made plant-based creatures sleepy.
“Ie, let’s eat.”
“Yes, let’s.”
After saying a short prayer, Ie smiled and said, “This looks delicious,” before taking a bite.
The moment he tasted the soup, he covered his mouth, startling me.
“Oh no, is it not good?”
“No, it’s so delicious I’m overwhelmed.”
“That’s a relief.”
I thought he was exaggerating, but at the same time, it made me happy.
“If I knew you’d enjoy it this much, I would have cooked for you sooner. Rymer never says anything when I prepare food, so it wasn’t very rewarding.”
“What?! He ate such delicious meals without saying a word?”
Ie’s reaction instantly lifted my mood. He had a way of making things feel lighthearted.
He kept saying, “It’s so good, so good,” as he quickly finished his meal.
“I don’t plan to serve lunch every day, but I’d love it if you came again.”
“I’d love to!”
But commuting all the way from the Holy Ministry must be difficult.
“Maybe I should start selling lunchboxes by reservation?”
“That sounds great! But I’m sure the food tastes even better when eaten while looking at the shopkeeper’s face.”
I couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious, but either way, it made me happy.
“Today, I also served lunch to the innkeeper and the saint. They all said it was delicious.”
I realized that I could make people happy with more than just potions. That gave me a great deal of confidence.
“Ie, thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“No, you showed me a new path.”
From now on, I wanted to work hard not just as a witch but also in running my lunch service.
Today was a big step forward, and I was truly grateful to Ie.