NOVPUB
Chapter 44: Crossing The Witch (II)
Zayn hadn’t expected to run into her again — the witch.
The first time they met, it had been in the middle of chaos.
He barely had time to focus on her, let alone take in details.
Now, under the dimming afternoon light, the marketplace bustling behind them, he had no choice but to acknowledge her.
She was stunning.
Like others of her kind in this world, her skin was a rich emerald green, smooth and vibrant under the soft glow of the lanterns being lit in the market stalls.
Her golden eyes shimmered like molten metal, reflecting the flickering lights around them.
They were slanted and sharp, like a predator watching its prey, studying his every move with quiet amusement.
Her lips, a darker shade of green, curled into a knowing smirk.
And her figure...
Zayn swallowed, his grip tightening on the bag under his arm.
She was dangerous.
Her body wasn’t just alluring — it was the kind that demanded attention.
Her waist was slender, her hips full, and while her chest wasn’t quite as large as Elisse’s, it was still enough to leave an impression.
She moved like a shadow, effortless and fluid, the loose black robes she wore barely concealing the curves beneath.
Strangely enough, she was barefoot. Her dark-painted nails stood out against the stone pavement, and it made her seem even more in tune with her surroundings.
She stepped forward.
Zayn took a step back.
Her smirk widened, as if she enjoyed watching him react. Like she had been expecting it.
"The little brand I placed on you is gone," she murmured, tilting her head slightly. "Did you do something to it?"
Her voice was smooth, like velvet brushing against bare skin.
It sent an involuntary chill up his spine, not from fear, but from something else entirely — something he refused to acknowledge.
Zayn stiffened.
So that’s why she was here.
He had the System dispel the brand before, he didn’t know the uses of it but someone branding you couldn’t mean anything good.
He tightened his grip on the bag under his arm, keeping his expression neutral. "Don’t know what you’re talking about," he said coolly.
Her smirk didn’t waver, but something in her demeanor shifted.
Before, she had seemed playful — like a cat toying with a mouse. But now... there was something else in her expression.
Something dominant.
Zayn felt an invisible weight press down on him. It wasn’t magic — at least, not directly. It was something more subtle.
The sheer presence she carried, the way she held herself, the way she watched him without blinking, the kind of presence that subconsciously made you uncomfortable.
He took a deep breath and did something she didn’t expect.
He moved.
One second, he was standing in front of her. The next, he was gone.
A blur of motion. A whisper of air.
By the time her eyes flickered upward, he was already halfway down the alleyway, his retreating figure melting into the shadows.
The witch exhaled through her nose, an amused chuckle escaping her lips.
"Interesting," she murmured, golden eyes gleaming in the dim light.
She didn’t chase after him.
Not now.
Zayn kept running.
The alley stretched too long, the walls on either side endless, like something out of a nightmare.
His boots barely made a sound against the cobblestone, but his instincts screamed at him — this wasn’t right.
His breath came steady, but there was a sharp edge to it, tension coiling in his chest like a wound-up spring.
He should have reached the streets by now. Should have been out, blending into the marketplace crowds.
Instead, it felt like he was running in place, the scenery unchanged, stretching beyond what should be possible.
Then —
He skidded to a halt.
A shadow loomed above.
Hovering just ahead, perched effortlessly on a sleek, dark broom, was her.
The Witch Princess.
She floated midair, her long hair catching the dim light as she tilted her head, golden eyes gleaming with amusement.
’Focus, dumbass.’
She smirked, resting her chin against her palm, elbow propped lazily on the handle of her broom.
"You didn’t think you could actually get away, did you?"
Zayn sighed.
Yeah. He was screwed.
The moment the System mentioned her name, he knew he should have avoided this encounter altogether.
In the original novel, this quest was meant for the main party — the Hero of Light and his companions.
They were the ones who got tangled up in the Witch Princess’s problems, the ones who helped her with whatever cryptic mission she had, and in the end, they received the Witch Grimoire — a relic that vastly increased magic power.
It was a game-breaking item.
But only for mages.
Zayn?
Zayn wasn’t one.
Which meant he had zero reasons to be here.
And yet —
Here he was.
Fumbling his way straight into something that shouldn’t even be his problem. 𝙣𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝙤𝙢
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his blond hair. "I’m in some kind of illusion, aren’t I?"
The Witch Princess’s smirk widened, her golden eyes gleaming with wicked amusement.
Without waiting for her response, Zayn dropped the bag he’d been carrying. The armor he just bought. His newly acquired dagger.
Then —
They moved.
His pulse jumped.
The armor twisted unnaturally, its shape warping and contorting, shifting in ways that metal never should.
His dagger did the same, elongating, its edges curling and rippling like a living thing.
Then they slithered.
Two long, dark snakes coiled at his feet where his belongings had been.
Zayn stared, his mind working through the implications.
So that’s why the alley felt off.
Nothing here was real.
The Witch Princess let out a soft chuckle, her voice low and dangerously smooth.
"You’re smart," she murmured, floating closer, her broom hovering just inches from his face. He could feel the heat of her breath, see the slight part of her lips as she teased him with proximity.
"I like that."
Zayn clenched his jaw.
Her presence was overwhelming, her magic pressing against his skin like a slow-burning fire.
Her fingers brushed his cheek — just a whisper of contact — but the power in that single touch sent a shiver down his spine.
He refused to flinch.
She tilted her head, amused. "Are you ready to talk now?"
Zayn exhaled slowly.
Did he even have a choice?
