After leaving Miss Hazel's place, we were well on our way.
"Those flowers are really nice," Victoria said, pointing to a patch of marigolds.
There were several plants scattered around—from chrysanthemums to what Miss Li Hua said was sage. The area felt like its own independent forest, carefully carved out of the larger one, as though someone had persuaded nature to behave.
The journey back was quiet, guided by the steady sun's indifferent generosity." Miss Li Hua had the crate of origanum floating behind us as we walked, drifting obediently in the air like a well-trained ghost.
Lunch was simple but delicious: bread and jam Miss Hazel had given us.
Halfway through, Miss Li Hua spoke.
"Heiwa and Victoria, witches are not people to be looked down on."
I looked up at her, trying to shape my questions into something polite. Victoria had frozen mid-bite, her mouth slightly open, eyes flicking between her sandwich and Miss Li Hua.
"But she wouldn't have asked you to look after her child if she meant harm," I said.
"Yes," Miss Li Hua replied calmly, taking a pleased sip of milk, "but killing you is not the worst thing she can do."
Victoria swallowed hard.
"Then why accept her hospitality? And even eat her food?" she asked, a little louder than she meant to.
"Because," Miss Li Hua said, nibbling on an apple, "she does not seem to want things to go that way."
"So you're just telling us to be careful," Victoria said, "and not to underestimate people."
Miss Li Hua hummed, her gaze drifting up into the crowns of the trees.
"In that case," I said slowly, "I have some questions, if that's alright."
She nodded.
I glanced at Victoria, who was suddenly listening very intently.
"I don't know much about witches," I said. "So I appreciate the warning. But what did Miss Hazel mean when she said the mana outbreak might be manmade?"
Miss Li Hua thought for a moment.
"If everything in the region had more than a negligible amount of mana," she said, "that would suggest interference. Natural systems rarely overcorrect themselves so neatly."
"But who would do that?" Victoria asked. "And why?"
"I don't know," Miss Li Hua replied. "But we're about to find out."
My steps unconsciously quickened at that.
There were other questions I wanted to ask. About what Miss Hazel meant when she said Miss Li Hua was different. About the strange tension between them. But I let those thoughts drown quietly in the rustle of leaves.
Night fell while we were still in the forest.
We set up camp not long after.
"So… we might have to watch her child someday?" Victoria murmured while helping with dinner. "She's kind of cute though."
After we ate, Victoria and I lay in our tent.
"So," she said after a while, "what exactly is a witch?"
Outside, crickets sang. An owl called somewhere far away.
"What I know," I said, "is that most people use either qi or mana. But witches use neither."
"So they use… nothing?"
"Yes. And no," I added. "They're different even from people like Miss Dōngzhì."
Victoria yawned.
"Witches are really something," she murmured, turning her back to me. "Good night."
"Good night."
Outside, the trees stood like unnerving sentries, their long arms swaying in the breeze, their forms sketched in moonlight.
And from Miss Li Hua's tent came something else.
Music.
So soft it almost felt like a memory.