Reborn as a witch in another world [slice of life, isekai] (ch. 96)
Blurb:
What does it take to turn your life around? Death, of course!
I died in this lame ass world of ours and woke up in a completely new one. I had a new name, a new face and a new body. This was my second chance to live a better life than the previous one.
But goddamn it, why did I have to be a witch? Now I don't just have to be on the run from the Inquisition that wants to burn me and my friends. But I also have to earn a living?
Follow Elsa Grimly as she:
- Makes new friends and tries to save them and herself from getting burned
- Finds redemption from the deeds of her previous life
- Tries to get along with a cat who (like most cats) believes she runs the world
- Deals with other slice of life shenanigans.
--
Chapter 96. A Trade
I made it clear to the two dwarves that I wanted the charms ready in a few days. “Which means they should be ready before our taverns are ready to open for business,” I said.
Asmod and Myrtle nodded quickly. Then Asmod raised a hand rather gingerly. “Um, I was curious how you are going to manage to open the taverns for business in a few days. Most of the property we bought for the taverns are still rather dilapidated,” he said.
I smiled. “Don't worry about it, Asmod. I've handled everything,” I said. “Tell me, have you done the thing I asked you to do?”
“Yes, it's all done and ready to be installed. That's why I asked, when will the taverns be ready for business?” he said.
“Did you install it in the New Public House?”
He cocked his head. “I was supposed to?”
“If you haven't then let's go now and you can give me a little demonstration. I came to Orowen today to do these little things anyway,” I said.
The man nodded and hopped off the couch. He went downstairs to his workshop and returned with a square object the size of a small television wrapped in a newspaper. He put on his coat and hat and nodded at Myrtle. “Put on your coat as well. You are coming with us,” he said.
The girl just rose and went to put on one of Asmod's old coats. Even though the coat was old it still looked better than the frayed old dress and apron she was wearing. I didn't say anything at that moment. We left Asmod's place in his carriage and drove over to the Public House that was still empty.
This was Myrtle's first time coming here. So her eyes went wide when we opened the back door and led her in. “This place is really cozy,” she said in a voice that suggested that she was more excited than she wanted to sound.
I gave a small smile. “That is the feeling we are going for,” I said and looked at Asmod. “Right?”
“I mean, I tried.” The man shrugged and put his package wrapped in newspaper on the table. He climbed upon one of the chairs to unwrap it and reveal a stack of something that looked like floor-tiles. But they were thinner than tiles and a sheet of paper still covered each of their faces.
He took one of these tiles at a time and carried them towards the four different walls of the room we were in. He hung each one of them on every wall. Then peeled the sheet off their faces.
The sheets had been hiding…colors. Weirdly soothing colors. My mind suddenly felt at ease and I didn't realize when I felt the need to sit down and relax and maybe…order a drink…
I shook my head. A fog lifted off of my vision. I found myself sitting at the bar. “What the…” I looked at the tiles on the walls. I didn't see any colors anymore. I saw mysterious marks that Asmod was a master of. “It works,” I said.
“You think so?” he said.
“I'm at the bar, waiting for a drink while I knew there was no one to pour me one,” I said. “And it did that to me of all people.” Then my eyes happened upon Myrtle. She was standing quietly next to Asmod, just examining the tiles on the walls. I eavesdropped on her abyss.
I wonder how he does this. I'd seen the greeting cards in his shops. He is unlike any other alchemist I've met. Should I ask him about it? Would I be overstepping a boundary?
“Illusions are something no one can do better than Asmod,” I said to no one in particular. So I was answering her questions without addressing her directly. “These tiles are going to be the bread and butter of this place. A similar mark will be hanging on the wall by the entrance, enticing people in. It will also make them stay longer, drink longer and pay more.” I paused there. Even though I wanted to make Myrtle more comfortable I didn't want to reveal everything to her just yet. She was still on probation with us after all. But if she was good at her job, she would at least make the right guess on her own. I listened to her abyss again.
Maybe Miss Grimly doesn't want to tell me about it but those marks do more than just create a comfortable ambience. I feel the tug of an invisible hand, beckoning me to reveal my secrets. No, this isn't just about ambience. Whoever comes here will be a lot more loose-tongued even before they get drunk.
I grinned slightly. Clever girl. So she was good at her job after all. These taverns were going to be more than just a second income. They were going to be our eyes and ears in every city they opened up. A way to keep up with the local gossip. The rich were already our clients. Now we would also know what the regular classes of society were up to. Who needed crafty spies to dig up information when people revealed their secrets to you themselves?
“With the ambience all taken care of, the only things that remain are the construction of new outlets and the employees,” Asmod said and looked at me. “You have someone in mind?”
“Wait, I didn't tell you?”
Asmod just stared at me, puzzled.
--
The man looked at me, agape. Then he looked at me with approval and sighed. We dropped Myrtle back at Asmod's place and drove down a familiar road to a familiar place in the city. “It was only a few weeks ago when you came to this city,” he said with a fond smile, “The first thing you did was kick a cat. And now here you are making your strides in business,” He trailed off in a friendly chuckle.
“I like to believe that things are turning out for the better,” I said.
“They certainly seem like they are.” He nodded and sighed again. “Smokewell used to say you were going to do something she could never dream of doing.”
I was surprised. But the surprise couldn't last long. Because as soon as Asmod spoke those words, I was plunged back into the cold lake of memories.
This time I was looking into the mirror, running a brush through my hair. “I'm going to have to do this…for Lily. For madam. They'll never find out. But if madam comes to know, she'll know that I did it because I was the only one who could.” I picked up my ritual knife and stared at it. Then I lifted the sleeve of my other hand and slowly brought the knife to my skin to–
“Grimly?”
I perked up, my head coming out of the cold lake. “Yes?” I said.
Asmod was out of the carriage, waiting for me to get out as well. We were at the mouth of a familiar alley between two buildings.
I nodded and followed him through the narrow space and past a dark metal door. We went down the stairs. And another door opened. Krec, the lich was waiting for us. We walked up the cobble stone path and through the main entrance of the Skeleton Crew.
Krec led us to Zir'Zulec's office, who was playing checkers with his employees. The large lich looked up at us from the game. “Welcome,” he said. “Asmod told me you had an interesting request and an interesting offer to make. Well, I'm all ears.” He leaned back in his luxurious velvet chair.
“I'll make the offer first,” I said and pulled out a small circular object from my reticule. A red uncut gem. It might've just been me. But I was sure I saw a twinkle in Zir's empty eye sockets. Zir had intrigued me the most since I'd gained my new perception because of corpse blood. Even though I could see everyone's abyss, I couldn't do that for any of the liches. Probably because the abyss was a part of the soul. And liches had to give up theirs to become immortal.
I wasn't aware of the specifics but, the phenomenon that made Zir and his friends immortal was something similar to the Ritual of Ascendance that magic users performed to advance to the immortal realm. It was one of those secrets that only those who had experienced it knew it.
Zir kept watching the gem in my hand. “A bloodstone,” he said.
“Indeed.” I tossed it towards him. He caught it deftly in his skeletal fingers. And held it up to look at it some more. “An old friend of yours gave it to me.”
“An old friend,” Zir muttered.
--
Before Godfrey had escorted me out to the courtyard on his mountain, he had asked me, “You and your friends’ accent, it reminds me of someone I knew. The country you live in. What's it called?”
“Ravenwind,” I'd told him.
“Is that what they call it now?” he had mumbled. Then he looked up at me and said, “Tell me, is there someone in that country who has lived for centuries and runs a restaurant?”
I'd paused. “Wow, I feel like I know exactly who you might be talking about.”
Godfrey laughed. “So he did it,” he said. “He followed through on his word.”
“Are you talking about Zir'Zullec?”
“Is that the name he gave himself?”
“I really don't know what you are talking about,” I said.
Godfrey made a fist and then he opened it. A red gem sat in his palm. He handed it to me. “A ruby?” I said.
“It's a bloodstone,” he said. “Give it to this Zir'Zulec you mentioned. If we are talking about the same person, he will know what to do with it.”
--
“Godfrey,” Zir'Zulec whispered as he kept gazing at the bloodstone. “You really did it. You kept your word.”
“Wait, so you two really knew each other?” I gawked.
“It was a different life. A different world. Back when this country was still the Land of Humans,” Zir said. Then he pocketed the bloodstone and looked at me. “Elsa, you devil. You shouldn't have made such an offer. Now I won't be able to refuse.”
I smiled. “Wonderful,” I said. “But don't worry, I'm not going to ask anything too difficult of you. I just want to learn the Ruler’s Word that liches use in Necromancy.”
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Posted Feb 3, 2026, 6:24 AM UTC