"I don't love you."
How she wished the man knew how to lie. Even just a little.
Jemina forced a smile—soft, almost graceful.
Bittersweet.
It was as though some quiet part of her had already known the answer… which made the lack of surprise all the more upsetting.
She had expected too much from the poor chimera.
She had truly believed there was something more between them.
Her fault. Entirely hers.
He had never promised anything. Never pretended.
She was the one who had chosen to believe.
She had deluded herself.
…At least, that was what her mind insisted.
Her heart, however, was far less agreeable.
Her palms tingled, numb and cold, and the air she drew into her lungs felt like frost.
See? What did I tell you?
That familiar voice echoed through her mind.
Not now, she snapped back silently.
Jemina. Listen carefully. I am only going to offer this once.
The world stilled.
Time itself seemed to pause, leaving Noctellis standing before her like a perfectly sculpted statue—untouchable, unmoving, unreal.
I'm listening.
It was, admittedly, a rather convenient moment.
Her gaze drifted over him, searching—quite diligently—for flaws.
She found none.
Even his skin was flawless, as though the world itself had conspired to preserve him. He smelled faintly of cedarwood and fresh citrus.
It made it all the more frustrating—being so close to him, and yet never quite close enough to claim his heart.
No, you are not listening. Your mind is wandering.
Oh, come now. Can you blame me? He's not even moving. It's giving me ideas.
A man has just told you he does not love you, and you are entertaining… ideas?
Guilty as charged.
A long, suffering sigh echoed in her thoughts.
Be serious, Jemina. Is this truly the life you want? What if I could offer you more?
Jemina's answer came without hesitation.
I only want my husband.
You want your husband to love you, the voice corrected smoothly. And I can make that happen.
Oh, please. You've been telling me to leave him for quite some time now.
Yes. And that clearly did not work. So let us try something else.
A pause.
Do something for me… and in exchange, you will have his heart.
Jemina brightened, just a little.
Oh? Are you a witch?
An exasperated inhale.
I am a goddess. A goddess. Really, you could have figured that out by now.
Ah. That explains the floating. And the hair.
My crown.
Yes, that. Does it not get heavy?
Another sigh—this one far more resigned.
Jemina. Are you in, or not?
Jemina's gaze returned to her husband.
Still perfect. Still distant. Still entirely out of reach.
His heart.
Her smile softened—just slightly.
All right, she thought. What do I need to do?
____________________________________________________________________________
"A witch!!! A witch!!! Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!"
Jemina ran with all her might.
Moments after striking her agreement with the so-called goddess in her bedroom, she had been unceremoniously dropped into the most dangerous place in the world—
The Null Forest.
A forest so vast it rivaled entire countries. A place where magic simply did not exist—hence the name. But more than that, it was infamous for the ferocious monsters that roamed within.
No one in their right mind would enter such a place without an army.
…And yet, here she was.
Alone.
Jemina had managed to survive for three days by hiding beneath a tree, too afraid to move, too stubborn to die.
But desperation had its limits.
She was starving. Parched. Miserable.
So she stepped out.
And immediately regretted it.
A small, green rabbit—with disturbingly violet, swirling eyes—lunged at her.
It was tiny.
Absolutely tiny.
Its teeth, however, were not.
And the saliva spraying from its mouth was enough to make even the bravest soul reconsider their life choices.
"Okay! Okay! Focus—feel it in your bones!"
The goddess had said she would be able to feel it.
All Jemina could feel, at the moment, was her bones rattling as she ran.
Calm yourself.
"Oh, now you show up?!"
You cannot keep running. You are slow. I am already slowing the rabbit down.
"Can't you just get rid of it for me?!"
You are here to tame monsters. Not eliminate them.
Jemina glanced back, horrified.
"I'm supposed to tame that? It's ugly."
It will be far uglier once it is done with you.
"…All right! Fine! I'll do it!"
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying—very hard—to feel something.
And then—
There it was.
A strange current, like electricity, coursing through her body.
She gasped, startled, and instinctively tried to push it outward. The energy surged toward the rabbit—
—and snapped right back into her.
Her eyes flew open.
"That was so cool!!!"
Do you understand now?
"Yes!!!"
Good. Now do it properly. I am releasing the rabbit.
"W-wait—WAIT—!"
Too late.
Jemina shrieked and bolted again, her legs already trembling with exhaustion.
She didn't get far.
Her strength gave out, and she stumbled—
—and the world slowed.
The trees swayed gently in the breeze.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, catching on droplets of dew.
And the rabbit—
the horrible, drooling, nightmare of a rabbit—
looked positively delighted as it lunged for her.
Jemina shut her eyes.
And this time—
she felt it.
When she opened them again, the creature before her had changed.
No more snarling. No more lunging.
Just a small, oddly charming rabbit, sitting obediently at her feet.
"It worked…?"
A beat.
Then—
"It worked!!! It worked!!! Hahahahaha—!"
Her laughter rang through the forest as she scooped it up into her arms.
"Oh, hello there. Now that I look at you properly… you're not so ugly after all."
She smiled brightly.
"Hi, adorbs. I am now your new mother."
The rabbit opened its mouth in what seemed like acknowledgment.
It looked… absolutely ghastly.
Jemina blinked.
"…I will call you Ghastly. And please close your mouth."
It obeyed immediately.
She glanced around the vast, dangerous forest, her smile faltering just a little.
"…Now," she murmured, "let us see if I survive long enough to find you a friend."
____________________________________________________________________________
Jemina had always believed that a positive mind could save her from even the most dreadful situations.
It had worked well enough in high society. With that very mindset, she had navigated its treacherous waters—and, quite impressively, managed to marry the hero of the empire.
She had always thought of Noctellis Ellengarde as a gift from the heavens.
"If only he loved me, I wouldn't be here eating grass and drinking muddy water!!!"
One week in the Null Forest had effectively destroyed all that optimism.
Hunger, in particular, had proven to be a ruthless opponent.
"I want pudding… no, éclairs… no, cakes!!! Yes—cakes! Lots of desserts!"
Beside her, the rabbit quietly munched on glowing grass—grass it had graciously decided to share with her.
Jemina, meanwhile, lay sprawled on the ground, kicking her feet in frustration as she stared up at the moon.
She let out a heavy sigh.
"Hello Goddess! This is the perfect time for a conversation! Hello? You there?"
There was no response.
Just as her eyes began to close, a prickle ran down her spine.
She sat up sharply.
Eyes.
Glowing eyes.
All around her.
"Ghastly!!! I trusted you! I thought you found us a safe place!!!"
She scrambled to her feet.
"Okay… okay, calm down. If I can make them my familiars, then everything will be fine. Ooo-kay…"
She took a deep breath, steadying herself.
And then—
A small rabbit emerged from the bushes.
Pink.
Ghastly.
Its teeth were sharper this time—like rows of tiny needles stacked together.
Jemina blinked.
"…Close your mouth, please."
It did not.
Instead, it leapt.
And once again, the world slowed.
The towering silhouettes of trees stretched into the night.
The full moon glowed overhead.
Even the rabbit's saliva seemed to hang suspended in the air.
Jemina did not close her eyes.
Instead, she raised her voice—
bright, decisive, and entirely unreasonable.
"You will be Ghastly number two!!!"