The Villainess Wants To Go Home novel Chapter 60

I choked on my milk, feeling the warm liquid block my airway. I slammed my fist on my chest resulting in me coughing.

After a while of coughing and choking, I was able to breath again. 'That took me by surprise'.

Bringing my attention back on the witch, she was staring at me suspiciously. Her owl-like eyes looking straight through me, I tried to avoid the eye contact, but my eyes found it's way back to her.

"What are you trying to say that he was destined to die?" I asked the witch resting my chin on the back of my hand, pretending I had no clue of this because in reality he was destined to die but because of my sudden appearance in this novel world he isn't.

The witch still hadn't avoided eye contact as she took her last bite of the porridge. She staggered up from her seat and picked up her plate and cup, ignoring my question. I watched her waddle her way to the front of the room and put her dishes in a wooden tub.

"There are some witches in the world that are able to foresee the future while others can see people's destiny" The witch spoke in a soft tone then before as if she was intrigued in her own speech.

"And you can foresee someone's fated destiny?" I rose an eyebrow in disbelief as I took the last of the now cool milk.

"I'm witch of course I can" she smiled revealing her crooked yellow stained teeth to me.

"So, what changed the prince's destiny?" I asked even if I knew the answer to it, but I can't let people know I know what's going to happen in the future or was going to happen.

The witch eyed me suspiciously again. "Why are ya so suddenly interested in this matter?".

"Because I'm going to diagnose him" I grabbed my wooden and cup and made way to the wooden tub. The witch cackled a creaky laugh.

"Ya – HAHAH" she pointed her long bony finger at me. "Heal the prince – HAHAHA."

"WHAT IS THIS UGLY OLD HAG LAUGHING AT?" I heard Homura yell from the other side of the room. "Artemis don't listen to her; she's being oblivious to your skills. She just needs a good bite on the leg" he bared his teeth ready to attack her.

I wanted to scoop Homura up and hug him for appreciation but then he would attack me and take back what he said about me.

"Ya woman, Artemis. They won't let a woman near their prince" she said calming down. I tripped on my own stupidity. I had forgotten that women had no rights in the ancient world especially in fantasy worlds.

Woman don't have to right to become or do anything except to become a seamstress or maid at a wealthy household. They aren't allowed to have equal education like the men and only given little such as reading and basic maths, but they can't go any further into academics before they are married off.

Noble women however get to learn more such as art, poetry, language and etc but they are all taught so they can impress the guy and get a decent husband. Mostly everything they learn is to impress a guy, marry them, have kids, and look after the household while their husbands is at work with no freedom of right-handed to them. Women are downright nothing in the eyes of this ancient society and only seen as baby making machines so they can continue the lineage of the husband.

That's just bullshit men belief that needs to be knocked out of their heads by someone. I volunteer to do it if no one is willing to do it.

'Does that mean I have to dress up as a guy to diagnose the prince? That's going to be a pain in the ***'

"Who said I'm going as a woman?" I placed my hands on my hip and grinned. The witch stopped laughing and just stared at me as if I was the dumbest person in the world.

"I have never met such a foolish young lass before"

"Excuse me?" Homura and I said in sync.

"Once ya go in the palace ya will be forced to strip clean so they can do a body search for any weapons on ya." She explained wagging her finger at me like a mother lecturing her daughter. "Those bastards have high security in the palace" the witch mumbled staggering her way to the main door of the old creaky cottage.

'When was that a thing in the ancient world? And how come I never knew about this'

"Is there some sort of potion to change my gender?"

The witch looked at me with a sneer. "No such thing as gender changing potion" she aggressively opened the door and a gust of warm air burst in bringing in the fresh air in the place and shining in more light in the dim room.

She stepped outside and disappeared from my view. "I hope she never comes backs" Homura mumbled. "And what was that all about ignoring me" he looked and sounded offended.

"Sorry Homura but it's best if no one knows about my ability to speak to animals. Saves me the trouble of bringing unwanted attention to myself"

Homura sneered at me and laid his head on his paws mumbling something I couldn't quite catch.

"Aren't ya coming" the witch peeked her head out from the door to look at me. I gave her a baffled expression as I crossed my hands. "Taking shelter here isn't free ya know. I need help with work, this old body can't do itself anymore. Can it?"

'Yet you have been doing perfectly fine since I arrived' 

I sighed in agreement and strolled my way to the door and followed her out. I sheltered my eyes when coming face to face with the sun that blinded my vision. Adjusting my sight, I saw stone stairway leading down covered in little vegetation and garden fire lamps planted on both sides leading the way down. There was gardens of flower beds beside the stair way.

I turned around to get a look at the witch's cottage and my jaw dropped. It was circular instead of square, and it was under a giant tree that grew diagonally down in an arch. Pot plants hung under the windows and a small chimney attached on the roof as the smoke of the fire steamed out.

I had thought the witch would have lived in an ugly small hut in the forest but this, this looks like a fairy would live in it.

"Artemis, I don't have all day we must go quickly and collect some burch wood mushrooms before those scrawny little devils takes them all" she groused, and I heard a faint bone crack.

I turned around to see the witch, but my eyes caught the magnificent greenery of the forest in front of me. It was breathtaking to look at it. Trees growing all around with lushes green leaves yet some grew a purplish shade flowing gently against the slight wind current and there was something attached to the branches. Squinting my eyes to get a better look at what hung down from the trees, there were little flower like houses hung down the tree trunks and branches. It looked like a little fairy village in the trees.

The field of grass was a bright green with flowers growing all around and there seemed to be little sparkling particle hovering around the red mushrooms that grew beside the trees.

I heard a stream coming from beside the house, I approached the edge of the little cliff the house was built on and saw a long river flowing by and mythical looking creatures of all sorts waddled or rested by the rivers banks and little fairies flying by the water.

*My eyes widened in amazement, and I mouthed a wow. 'So, this what a fantasy forest looks like. I wish I had my phone to take a picture of it and show it to...'* I stopped what I was thinking and clenched my fist. 'What am I saying. That traitor is a bastard'.

"Ya never seen fairies before?" the witch appeared beside me startling me out of my thoughts. She looked over at the river like it was a normal thing to wake up to.

I shook my head. "Well then, this part of the forest consist of many. Better get used to it"

I watched her walk away with a basket in her hand which I have no clue when, where and how she got it.

"Come on young lass we have a lot to do today" she put her hand in mid air gesturing me to follow. "Wait" I called out for her. "What is it?" she quickly spoke in a harsh and impatient tone.

"What do I call you?"

She licked her lips and stared at me with the same suspicious stare she did the whole morning.

"Elisaria" she answered. "Elisaria" I echoed back silently. 'What a pretty name'

I bowed "Thank you Elisaria for the kind hospitality, food and for healing me back to health after my injury" I was in her debt for saving me even if she seemed suspicious at first.

"But I must be on my way" Elisaria continued to stare at me, squinting her owl-like eyes she answered with a quick monotone tone. "No"

I stared back dumbfounded at her response. "Excuse me?"

"Is there dirt trapped in ya ears. I said No. Ya not leaving" she glared at me and continued to taste her mouth. "I'm sorry but there is a life on the line that I need to save"

"Ya leave this cottage and step outside this path that boy's life ain't going nowhere but to Debesis" Elisaria pointed her finger at me with mockery in her tone.

'What is Debesis again? I read it in the story, but I can't remember what it was'