"E-Eon...?" her eyes were wide open as she looked at the simple diary. It genuinely was just a simple diary and both our eyes told us that. So, this sudden voice in our heads didn't make any sense to her.

But I knew exactly what this sudden voice in our heads from a normal-looking book was...

"It's a natural ego. Something born from a normal, but very personal thing belonging to a strong person.

Just like how a skilled craftsman makes artifacts that sometimes had a personality of their own, an important thing belonging to a strong as well as a significant person sometimes gains a special ego.

This one's the same... this pleasant voice must be something it gained from the one this diary belonged to... fascinating..."

My voice was filled with great curiosity and when she heard it, she knew it was some of the rare things I found too interesting. And the voice from the book was the same too.

[[ "Ohh~? Beauty with brains? A handsome cutie with good wisdom? Fascinating~." ]]

Her voice was cheerful, just like aunt Haze's. It was quite good to hear, too.

Well, it was cool and if we think about it, this book had been here for more than a decade now...

"How did you spend all this time alone in a place like this?" the question suddenly just flowed out of my mouth and though it was offending for the owner of this place standing beside me... she also understood those words were true.

[[ "Well... aren't you a good boy to ask such a question before anything? I see the young witch has met a good partner." ]]

It was as if she was an old grandma, smiling at the children. But she didn't avoid my question.

[[ "It's not that difficult when you have practically been by yourself all your life. Not that I can call myself something alive in the first place, but I definitely did have fun in this place and with this young witch.

She has changed a lot since the last time I saw her and from the looks of it, it is because of you, right, cute stuff?" ]]

"I think so..." I smiled, and she nodded confidently.

She was sure that she had changed in just these past few weeks since we had been together.

[[ "Hohoho. How great to be young and alive-" ]]

"Miss. I don't know what you think being alive means, but I certainly think a bring who can talk like you is very much alive. And you can think, right? Isn't that enough to call yourself alive?" It wasn't me who said this, but Rein. She was probably better at things related to life and death and being alive and dead.

And her words probably comforted her more than she can think...

[[ "You are like an elegant swan, little girl. Saying those sweet words... you might not even know just how moved I'm right now.

Okay then~! You two are good children so I will tell you the things in this diary~.

I believe both of you are interested in the life of an amazing witch, right~?" ]]

Of course we were interested, but she didn't have to describe and narrate everything this the book.

"I don't think it will be needed, good lady~." I cheerfully said and flipped through the pages of the normal-looking old book.

-Flip. Flip. Flip.

"Yup. It's Arsenian. The owner of the book was Sabrina Platinum, wasn't she?"

There was great excitement and anticipation in my voice as I asked that and as Rein looked at me with confusion and astonishment, the diary replied positively.

[[ "It's surprising you know my owner despite her tales already being forgotten with the passing winds of time..." ]]

"Of course I know her! The winds of time may have washed away the blessing like deeds of her, but many in this world could never forget the witch of greens!" my excitement intensified with that agreement.

It was a name that was unconditionally present in the world's history even though it was last mentioned thousands of years ago.

Sabrina Platinum. One of the few great witches the world had ever known.

She was called the witch of greens because of her amazing ability to revitalize barren lands, grow trees, and heal a great number of people.

She was a witch who had, from last speculations, lived for more than three thousand years. And throughout her life, she had helped nature in many ways.

She was born to human parents and her life wasn't that good from the point of view of that time's world. But still, there was a time when she was praised by the folks of the entire continent and even called a saintess.

If I remembered the founders of the greatest institutes in the world, I couldn't not remember a big name like hers.

Having something that belongs to such a great person was a blessing in itself and it definitely was something to be proud of.

Rein didn't know just how great this one book would go for if sold to professional historians. But it would just be foolish to sell such a precious relic.

[[ "Huhuhu, children. You reminded me of some great times.

It's also surprising to see someone who knows a language of such a distant past.

You definitely are no normal boy, child. I'm even more glad to meet you two~." ]]

The voice was more cheerful than before and this time; the voice contained even more depth.

It was genuinely comfortable when an ego knows that the new beings holding them know about their original owners.

The power an ego possesses varies but one thing they have in common, be it a natural ego or a created ego, or even a 'thing' with a will of its own, they all can actually think consciously like intelligent beings.

As she said, they are definitely alive beings. And just that much was enough to want these beings.

Anyway, this book or diary was interesting...

"You can read it now, right?" I asked as I slowly turned the pages and observed the things written in gorgeous handwriting.

"Hmmm... it's mostly readable," she answered while tracing the letters with her beautiful fingers.

'I should arrange a nail polish testing tea party. I think they will like it...'

Anyway... we looked through the book slowly and it was mostly filled with the late life of the owner of this book, the witch of greens.

I could feel a strange energy from the book and it was most probably the residual energy of the book's owner.

Just the fact that the traces of the energy were still present in the book showed just how great she must have been.

And I really was looking forward to finding some of her magic or casting methods or at least some data of the past, but... there was nothing like that in this book.

There were just the accounts of her daily life in the middle of the forest with her familiar [Earth dragon lizard] named Pruth and the creatures of nature in the forest.

It was an interesting diary, but there were few mentions of special magic or even some good potion-making recipes.

Potions and poison were witches' specialty, but there was no record of how to make one and just the mentions of some of their uses.

And mostly, they were common potions aside from one named [Nature's blessing] that could actually save a person from a mortal wound as long as they are alive.

It was also just mentioned one time thought the book and as we read and didn't find anything that I was mainly looking for, a subtle sadness crossed my face.

But that brief moment was enough for her to know I didn't get what I was hoping for. Still, she gained a good lot of things.

There was a lot of talk about the old witch traditions and many such things, and even some deep talk over witchcraft.

I already knew those things and was going to teach her in the future, but now that we had found this diary, she can learn them quicker.

If she finds time to train in those things, that is...

"There there. We don't always get everything we wish for. Maybe next time?" she tried to comfort me and patted my back.

And it was good enough to calm me down and smile back at her.

The diary was good, and I had already memorized the contents of the book so I can go over it whenever I have time. Still, it would have been good if there was some talk about the magic she used...

[[ "Oh...? Why is the pretty boy sad? Did you want something like my owner's magic or medicine recipe? Sorry, but... she had special books for that and she used to store them in her special room..." ]]

And that much was enough to reignite the dying flames of my curiosity.

"You think those special books would still be there?"

[[ "I think so. Why...?" ]]

"You know where this secret room is in that house?"

[[ "I do? Owner did write on me while sitting there. It's a beautiful place." ]]

"Good..."

Now, there was a wide smile on my face, close to a grin.

And as soon as she was that smile, a cold shiver ran down her spine...

"Don't tell me we will be going there again..."

"You bet we will. I need those books now. It's practically priceless knowledge, Rein. Priceless."

"No, you bastard! That's the forest of Diva! The home of dark elves! No mortal has returned from there! It's practically an unofficial forbidden zone!"

She was shouting, but the only expression on her face was annoyance.

It was just annoying to go there, do difficult things for survival, and even safely return from there... again.The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0/v3l-B1n.

"It's quite good to say, but Rein, you were a 'lucky' mortal who actually came back from that place."

"I didn't even know that place was that dangerous! It was pure foolishness and luck!"

"That's what I'm saying. You have already done it once, and that was even unknowingly. We can definitely do it again if we are together, no?"

There was a good smirk on my face, and she was speechless right now. She only made angry notices with her lips tightly closed. Even hitting me in the process...

She always does this thing when she can't find any words and expresses her anger and this was one of her cute points.

[[ "Children? You will go there again? But will you even be able to find that small-looking place in that huge forest? I don't know the path you see..." ]]

She was concerned about us, and it was a good sign that meant this diary liked us.

But her concerns weren't needed this time.

"You know about memory tracing magic?" I asked while looking at Rein, who had the same question as the diary. She genuinely had no idea about the path she took or even how she escaped that place... or did she just walk out of it like a walk in the park?

Well, my words made her eyes open wide, and she asked with surprise just after the diary answered negatively.

"You mean THE memory tracing?! Isn't that a specialized ancient magic art that's already gone extinct?!"

I smirked at her again and nodded meaningfully.

"Turns out your darling is quite gifted in mental magic. Haven't you already seen it many times? Our vision sharing hand holding? Hehe..."

"XX bastard! It's a bad place! A bad bad place! Please, no...!"

Now she was showing her anger, but still, it wasn't something needed.

"Calm down, dum dum. We aren't going there anytime soon. Maybe during our second year of school? Yes... we would be strong enough by that time. And maybe we will have more helping hands with us, so don't worry."

"...?"

I was patting her head, and she was calming down with each stroke.

She was also a hothead many times, but unlike Carla, she calmed down pretty quickly.

Well, she was thankfully calm now so...

"Ok. Go back to your work. Let's finish this quickly and cuddle-, I mean play something..."

Her eyes became as big as a cat seeing her favorite fish at my words and a new energy to work overwhelmed her whole being.

"See you, X bastard~!"

She ran back and continued when she had left and I laughed and the diary laughed with me.

[[ "Huhuhu. So good to be young..." ]]

She was back to work and I should go back, too. There were still a few amazing things laying in the corners of this whole mountain of relics.

I had to sort everything and make this place a museum she would want to come every day to.

'Hmm. Yes! Let's go~.'