Ron adjusted the coffin on his back, the thick leather straps creaking softly against his shoulders. He turned, his gaze settling on Elaina standing nearby. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling her silvery-gray hair, and a complex, unreadable emotion lingered on her delicate features.
His gaze didn't linger on her face; instead, it was drawn to the broom hovering beside her. The broom's handle was smooth and polished, its bristles neatly trimmed, and a faint aura of magical power emanated from it. Ron studied the broom with a hint of curiosity, as if evaluating an intriguing object.
Elaina took a deep breath, but the fresh, floral-scented spring air couldn't completely dispel the heaviness in her heart.
She gazed at Ron and the massive coffin behind him, which seemed almost fused to his back. Her mind raced with conflicting thoughts.
The kindness she had intended to offer, finding a peaceful resting place for the old man, now seemed pointless. This strange man had already bid farewell to the deceased in a way she couldn't comprehend.
The ritual had been solemn and dignified, even evoking a bizarre sense of recognition within her.
Yet the words "necromancer" and "collecting corpses" still pricked at her heart like tiny thorns. She shook her head, trying to shake off the unsettling thoughts.
'I'm just a traveler,' Elaina reminded herself. 'Observe, record, and move on. That's all I need to do.'
She extended her right hand and beckoned gently. The broom hovering nearby obediently flew into her grasp. Elaina turned sideways, gracefully swung her leg over the familiar broom handle, and settled into a side-saddle position. The hem of her skirt arced in a small, elegant curve through the air.
"Are you leaving already?" Ron's voice came from behind her, flat and devoid of any discernible emotion.
Elaina paused. Her first instinct was to simply fly away, ignoring this bizarre man whose every word and gesture seemed unsettling. But then she couldn't help but recall the image of him kneeling before the old man, his face focused as he chanted the ancient eulogy, and the faint nod of what seemed like relief from the vanishing phantom. Whatever his motives for collecting corpses, he clearly held a peculiar reverence for death itself.
Elaina hummed softly, a hint of deliberate pride in her voice. She turned her head slightly, answering in her clear, sweet voice, "Of course, I'll continue my journey. I am Witch Elaina, the Ashen Witch, a traveler journeying across the world."
"Oh?" Ron replied, his tone conveying understanding. He watched the witch prepare to leave, a faint trace of wistfulness crossing his face. "A traveler witnessing journeys? That sounds wonderful." His gaze seemed to pierce through Elaina, looking toward some distant, unknown horizon. "It seems you have a clear goal in mind."
Hearing the first part of his statement, Elaina's lips curved into a slight, unconscious smile, a hint of the smugness befitting a genius young beauty. But Ron's next words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing her small moment of pride. "With such a clear goal, you'll undoubtedly become a truly remarkable corpse someday."
The air seemed to freeze. The smile on Elaina's face stiffened.
She whirled around, her long, grey-white hair whipping around her. "Huh?" she blurted out, a short, sharp sound between a gasp and a rebuke, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Her beautiful eyes widened slightly with anger as she glared at Ron. "Who are you calling a corpse?" she demanded, her voice rising with clear irritation.
"You weirdo, dragging a coffin around everywhere!"
"Are you trying to provoke me? Is that what you're doing?" "Saying such things to a beautiful witch like me? You'll never get a girlfriend with that attitude!"
Faced with Elaina's nearly explosive reaction, Ron's face showed genuine confusion. He tilted his head slightly, as if completely baffled by her anger.
"I was just complimenting you," he said, his tone utterly innocent, even a little troubled. "It's really awkward when you talk to me like that." He paused, then added with even greater earnestness, "Besides, what would I even want a girlfriend for? What's so great about warm women anyway?"
Elaina froze, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find words. Her mind seemed to have gone completely blank, overwhelmed by the sheer shock of his words.
"You... do you even realize what you're saying?" The sun shone brightly, birds chirped overhead, and spring was in full bloom. Yet Elaina felt a chill creep up from her toes to the crown of her head, leaving her rooted to the spot as if struck by lightning.
Ron, however, seemed oblivious to the cataclysmic turmoil raging within Elaina. His unconventional thought processes clearly couldn't grasp the offense he had caused. Faced with her bristling reaction, Ron looked genuinely puzzled, convinced he had offered a compliment. "Exceptional lives often make for exceptional corpses. It's the highest praise I can give a stranger."
Elaina's eyes widened, nearly speechless. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, like a fish thrown ashore, momentarily at a loss for words in response to this absurd explanation.
Ron glanced at Elaina's rigid posture, then at the broom hovering beside her. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke in a detached, businesslike tone. "My apologies, I'm new here and unfamiliar with the area. Could you lead me out of here? Just to the nearest town would be fine. I seem to have gotten lost."
Ron's sudden request stung Elaina like a needle, jolting her out of her shock. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm, though her chest still heaved. She glanced at the solemn-faced man before her, who was speaking such strange words while carrying a massive coffin on his back. Without hesitation, she lifted her chin in a proud arc, snorted coldly, and, still simmering with anger, flatly refused. "I'm sorry, but I have no habit of sharing broomsticks with men," she said, adding mentally, 'especially not with weirdos like you!' With that, she resolved to leave this troublesome place immediately, putting as much distance as possible between herself and this man who was muddling her thoughts. Her broom trembled slightly, as if poised to soar into the sky at any moment.
Seeing her reaction, a flicker of disappointment crossed Ron's pale face. "Is that so..." he murmured. Then, as if struck by a sudden idea, he looked back at Elaina, his tone now tinged with pleading. "What if I paid extra? Would you consider selling me a 'hanging ticket'?" "I can't fly, and I can't understand the magical power here well enough to synchronize with it." "Really, you can't give me a ride?" He pointed to himself, then to the coffin on his back, gesturing that he genuinely needed help.