Episode 6: The Tale of the Redhaired Witch — Eleven Years as the Professional Scapegoat

"Whoa!!!!—Who is that?!"

"What’s all the screaming about this early, you little brat?!" Monaluna’s voice drifted up from downstairs.

No time to argue with that slacker girl. I flung open my door and thumped down the stairs, colliding with Master Joseph just entering the front door.

"Master, master! What’s going on?" I pointed frantically at my face.

"What’s going on? Is something on your face?" Master Joseph looked utterly confused.

"No! Why? This is my face—but no! This isn’t my face! Ugh… never mind. I don’t even know how to explain. Ah—right! This face shouldn’t be mine right now!" The sudden change left me tongue-tied. Honestly, anyone waking up to find their face reverted to their fourteen-year-old self would panic.

"Oh~ You mean you’ve gotten ten years younger?"

"Don’t act so calm! How did I age backward ten years after one night at your place? Wait—it’s not just my face? My whole body shrank?!"

The Old Mage gaped in shock. "You didn’t know?! It was the Goddess’s arrangement!"

Damn it, of course I didn’t know—I only saw myself in the mirror this morning.

"So I’ve been ten years younger since I transmigrated? Why?!"

"Easy, lad. Calm down. If we’d started you as a baby, this world couldn’t wait decades for you to grow up. But at your original age, you’d have missed the golden years for power growth. Fourteen’s perfect—the age for a boy’s first baptism."

Perfect my ass! Messing with someone’s body without consent? Should I thank the Goddess? I’ll thank her whole family! My lips twitched. Thank goodness I’m in another world. Otherwise, reliving high school, college entrance exams, university boot camps, thesis writing, and job hunting? Just the thought was "thrilling"!

"What’s all the racket this early? Ruining my beauty sleep." Monaluna descended the stairs in pajamas. "Thanks to you, I’ll nap later. Find someone else to babysit this brat."

"Nana, you! Sigh… fine." The Old Mage looked helpless.

"Master, breakfast is ready. Everyone, please come eat." Helle stood silently behind Joseph, having appeared from the dining room.

"I’m skipping it. I’ll eat after my nap." Monaluna turned back upstairs.

"Ignore her. I’ve spoiled her rotten. Come, let’s eat." The Old Mage sighed and headed to the dining room.

"Young Master Mashang, did you sleep well last night?" Helle greeted me flatly.

"Ah, very comfortable. The room was cozy too. Thank you, Helle."

"It’s Helle’s honor to serve. Since Miss refuses to show you around, perhaps you’d join me for errands later? I can introduce you to Crescent Town." Her expression stayed blank, but she seemed tense—eyes darting away, fingers gripping her apron until her knuckles turned white.

I was baffled. Was grocery shopping some sacred ritual? Why so nervous? Could she be emotionless? Such a pretty girl, what a waste.

"Sure! I’d love to walk around with you, Helle."

"Then it’s settled! No backing out!" Helle replied instantly, then spun and hurried into the dining room.

Why rush off like that? Afraid I’d change my mind? What a weird family. I touched my fourteen-year-old face. No wonder the master kept calling me "lad," and that slacker Monaluna—barely eighteen herself—called me "brat." Should I cry or laugh? Whatever. Time to eat. Helle’s cooking was good anyway.

After breakfast, I waved goodbye to the Old Mage and followed Helle out. Crescent Town’s market was on the same street from last night’s dock walk. We reached the entrance in minutes.

We chatted lightly along the way, warming up a bit. But slowly, I noticed odd stares from townsfolk. Since arriving here, my senses felt sharper—I’d even ditched my glasses yesterday. Helle seemed unaffected, so I shrugged it off.

We bought fruits, veggies, and household goods. At the butcher’s stall, Helle stepped in first. As I followed, someone yanked my shirt from behind, dragging me into a side alley. I nearly fought back—then recognized them: loudmouth Cook, shorty Martin, and a few boys from the fishing boat. Why did they all look terrified?

"Klath! What are you doing with the Redhaired Witch? You wanna die?!" Cook boomed.

"Cook, shut it! You’ll attract the Redhaired Witch!" Martin clamped a hand over Cook’s mouth, whispering urgently.

"What Redhaired Witch? What’s this about?" Were they scheming again? Red hair? Did they mean Helle?

"Don’t shout!" Martin peeked down the alley. Seeing no one, he exhaled. "The mage’s maid! You were just shopping with her. You’ve got guts!"

"Helle? She has red hair, sure—but why ‘witch’?"

"You’re new. We grew up here, under her shadow since childhood." Martin’s voice cracked. The boys nodded grimly; a couple paled, trembling. Serious childhood trauma.

"Really? She’s cold, but not that scary!"

"Ten summers ago, we boys swam in the river. Midway, the water turned icy. We scrambled out—our clothes vanished. Many caught colds, bedridden for weeks."

"Did you see Helle do it?"

"No. But Crescent Town only has one magic-user lineage: the Old Mage. He’d never prank kids. Only his ‘Redhaired Witch’ would."

"Plus the mass food poisoning on the spring outing eight years ago. The haunted house scare five years back. Last year’s pollen allergy outbreak. And years of random beatings, false reports…" Martin clenched his fists, tears of shame welling.

"Helle did all that?" I was stunned. Don’t judge a book by its cover. "Did anyone catch her?"

"No one saw her face—but witnesses spotted flowing red hair." Cook lowered his voice. "Every incident happened right before we’d get close to Miss Monaluna. It’s her!"

"You think Helle loves Monaluna? And sabotages you to keep her all to herself?" Are you serious? My temples throbbed.

"Klath, you’re a hero!" Martin clapped my shoulder. "Facing the Redhaired Witch head-on inspires us. Keep fighting! Help us rescue Miss Monaluna from Inferno!"

"Time’s up. Let’s go before the Redhaired Witch shows!" a shaky voice warned. How scared were they?

The boys paled, legs trembling.

"Hang in there, Klath!"

"Yeah! We’re rooting for you!" They cheered haphazardly, then scattered like leaves in the wind. Unbelievable. Poor guys.

Shaking my head, I turned to leave the alley—only to spot a retreating figure at the entrance. Black-and-white maid uniform, flowing red hair. Helle. She’d overheard everything. I sprinted after her.

She walked fast. I caught up outside the market. "Slow down, Helle. Carrying all that must be heavy. Let me help."

"You! You’re not afraid of me?" Her face barely changed, but for her, that was shock.

"Why would I be?" I sighed. "The ‘Redhaired Witch’ they described isn’t you. It’s Monaluna, right?"

"You! How did you know?!" Helle’s eyes widened, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. I almost laughed. Seeing her usual blank face twist like that was hilarious—and cute.

"Not hard. I haven’t studied magic yet, but I sense it well. Those boys don’t understand magic—they got tricked. I can’t explain why, but Monaluna feels like the Old Mage. Their movements hum with something… different. Today, only those two gave me that vibe. Combined with Martin’s claim that only the Old Mage and the ‘Redhaired Witch’ use magic here? Obviously, that slacker girl’s behind it. She pulled all those nasty pranks to avoid trouble—and clingy suitors. As for red hair? Changing hair color’s easy for mages."

Phew. That speech left my mouth dry. Too bad I forgot my glasses. I’d have loved to strike that "there’s only one truth" pose.

Helle froze for seconds, then stepped close, staring straight into my eyes. So near. My heart pounded. Did I guess wrong? Was she the Redhaired Witch after all, in love with Monaluna—and now furious I slandered her beloved? Ready to punish me?

Helle thrust her bags at me. "Hmph!"

"Huh?"

"You laughed at me earlier. Penalty: you carry my things!"

"Eh? You saw that?" I thought I’d hidden it well. After that brilliant deduction, she noticed such tiny details? But her expression was priceless—I couldn’t help laughing.

"Fine, fine. Hand them all over!" It was rude to let a girl carry everything anyway. I took all the bags. My hands were full.

"One more thing." While my hands were occupied, Helle suddenly hugged me. "Thank you."

Huh? What just happened? I froze completely.