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 19

The forest in Duke Gold’s territory has quite a few monsters.

Before the hunting tournament, it’s impossible to get rid of them all. Instead, we lure them with scents they like and trap them using a special technique.

That technique is Sewing Plant, a type of grass weaving made using the blessing Green Hand.

“GRROOOAARR!!”

A wolf-type monster, a Hellhound, suddenly lunged at me, baring its fangs.

I quickly touched the wild grass growing on the ground and chanted a spell.

“Weave, Sewing Plant!”

The grass stretched out like threads, forming a net. The net wrapped around the Hellhound just as it was about to pounce on me.

The net rooted itself deep into the ground, and the trapped Hellhound could no longer move.

To finish it off, I touched the net and activated my blessing, Sun Hand.

My hand heated up, igniting the grass net, and the Hellhound was soon engulfed in flames.

This fire wouldn’t spread to the forest, so I could safely leave the Hellhound there.

If I had to fight monsters like this all the time, I’d be too exhausted to collect materials.

But if I take one down early as a warning, the others usually stay away. That’s why I put my full strength into the first battle.

“Phew…”

Merv Maple, who had been hiding behind a tree, came over.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Merv Maple is capable of fighting to some extent, but I don’t let them. They are too precious to me.

South of the old herbal witch’s house, there is a cliff. At the top of this cliff is a cave where I can find the mineral I need.

The cliff is too steep to climb normally, so I use Green Hand to enlarge the leaves of nearby plants, creating makeshift stairs.

To prevent accidents, Merv Maple wraps a vine around my waist like a safety rope. They do this every time.

Somehow, I make it to the top. Now, it’s time to explore the cave.

Inside the cave, I search for Soda Stone, an important material for making soap.

Soda Stone is very dangerous. If you touch it, it can burn your skin. If it gets in your eyes, you can go blind. If you inhale it, it can damage your throat.

But when mixed with fat and water, it undergoes saponification and turns into soap. After aging, the soap becomes mild and safe for the skin.

To search for the Soda Stone, I use a special magic stone lamp that glows when it touches the mineral.

There are bat-type, lizard-type, and insect-type monsters in this cave, but they avoid the lamp’s light.

After walking for a while, I see part of the rock wall glowing.

“This is it.”

I put on a hood, a protective mask, and gloves. I also tell Merv Maple to step back.

I place a chisel on the rock and hit it with a hammer. Small chunks of stone fall away, revealing a bright blue mineral.

“I found it!”

This is Soda Stone.

I carefully remove the surrounding rocks and manage to extract a piece larger than my fist.

I continue mining and, in the end, collect about twenty pieces.

“This should be enough.”

Since I’m in a cave, I can’t tell the time, but it’s probably past noon.

I plan to leave, wash my face at the lake, and then eat lunch.

But suddenly, I get a bad feeling. A chill runs down my spine.

“Rei, a monster is coming!”

“I knew it!”

When I turn around, I see a Poison Spider, a giant venomous spider.

“Over there, the web!”

“Oh no, I didn’t notice it!”

It seems I unknowingly wandered into the spider’s territory.

Judging by the small spiders clinging to her belly, she must be a mother protecting her young.

The Poison Spider shoots hardened poison threads like arrows, aiming at me.

“Whoa! Hey!”

There’s no grass in this cave, so I can’t use Sewing Plant.

I also don’t want to use fire magic because it could deplete the air inside.

That means I only have one option—charm magic, which I learned from the Lust Witch.

As I dodge, holding Merv Maple, my foot slips on the damp ground.

“Ahh!”

This is the worst!

But just as I start to fall, Merv Maple quickly produces a large leaf, cushioning my landing.

Not only that, but they use the leaf as a shield to block the poison threads.

I silently thank Merv Maple and begin chanting my spell.

“Captivate their hearts, Charm!”

A soft pink mist surrounds the Poison Spider.

Almost immediately, the spider relaxes.

She fidgets, shyly moving her front legs.

Even the baby spiders seem to calm down.

All hostility is completely gone.

“It worked!”

This was my first time using charm magic on a monster, and I’m surprised by how effective it is.

But I don’t have time to be amazed.

“You all stay here. Once I leave, go back to your nest and behave.”

After giving that command, I rush out of the cave.

The moment I step into the sunlight, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

“If I had been carrying the Soda Stones, I wouldn’t have been able to dodge the poison threads.”

I’m safe, thanks to Merv Maple.

There’s no need to say it—they already know how grateful I am.