- 47:16~ lao's narration about his meeting with deicy
Lao: My first meeting with that child was a long, long time ago.
Quiet, antisocial, impossibly difficult to figure out — overall, an impertinent brat.
That was my first impression of them.
Witches follow many traditions.
One of them is to take an apprentice when the time is right, and raise them into a great witch.
A dreadful tradition, but one as old as time. There's just no escaping it.
I too once had a mentor of my own. No doubt I was even more of an impertinent brat than that child was.
Those who live alongside this forest experience time in a different way from humans. Put simply, they live long lives. But time does still pass, and their bodies do still age. Stored magic will steadily be depleted. Because unlike energy, magic isn't restored just by resting.
It's a pain, really.
So despite their magic, witches tend to lead simple lives.
Using powerful spells will consume a large amount of magic.
And when a witch has expended all their magic,
Only death awaits.
Even witches value their lives, you know
So to restore their depleted magic, witches will regularly consume a special meal.
It's not quite a tradition, I think. Eat, or die. You could call it a witch's instinct.
- 50:45~
Lao: Just wondering, but
Don't you want to become a full-fledged witch?
Deicy: You.
Lao: Greeting your mentor with "you"? You're as sweet as ever, my apprentice.
Deicy: I thought you weren't going to interfere during the test period.
Lao: Normally, I wouldn't. But you don't seem to be getting a~nywhere on your own.
What're you dragging your feet for?
There're two human children, right within your reach! Just grab and eat them already!
Deicy: The final test is to lure a child into the candy house, and then eat the child, yes?
Lao: Yeah, so I'm saying you should just eat already.
Deicy: In that case, the criteria of "luring a child into the candy house" is unfulfilled.
Lao: Ahh, well, yes.
Deicy: When the candy house is complete, then the time will come for me to—
Lao: Eat them? Really? Can you?
You're a fantastic apprentice, you know. Your spells are precise, your poison apples are flawless, and most of all, you're so gloomy.
If you could only just become self-sufficient, you'll make a splendid witch.
Deicy: Self-sufficient.
Lao: There's only so much magic you can store at once. Every few decades or so... No, at least once every few years, you do have to consume the special meal.
Be careful, okay? It's all over the moment you overestimate how much magic you have left.
One mistake, and you're dead.
Deicy: I know.
Lao: Oh, you don't. You don't know anything.
But that's fine.
You're still an apprentice, so it's only natural that you don't know.
But
Someday, soon, you will understand.
That when your hunger reaches its peak, you'll lose all sense of reason, and even yourself.
Deicy: I—
Lao: You think you'll be any different? How naive — don't kid yourself.
A thirst a hundred times worse than what you're feeling now will wrack your body and engulf your heart.
And you'll act on it.
Even if you don't wish to.
You'll grab those brothers by their thin necks, and squeeze. You'll find it's always over too soon.
Deicy: Stop it.
Lao: Maybe you'll be so hungry, you'll take a bite before they're fully dead! Ahaha! Now that's really fresh food!
What will you eat first? They say the stomach is the tastiest, but starting with the head is nice too.
Deicy: Stop it.
Lao: Hey, do you eat your favourite foods first? Or—
Deicy: Stop it!!
Lao: Oh, I'm glad you've still got some strength left in you.
Deicy: What.
Lao: Before you lose your sense of reason,
Make sure to eat.
Deicy: You are...
Lao: Huh?
Deicy: You are in no position to say that.
Lao: That's true.
I'm sorry.
Well then. Good luck~
Deicy: ... Huh?
The thirst has been quenched somewhat.
This... is exactly what I hate about you.
- 1:05:02~ witch talk with patty
Lao: The ultimate candy house, huh? I'm looking forward to seeing the final result~
Patty: I don't really care that they're trying to surpass you,
But this is seriously a tough order to fulfill.
What exactly do they mean by 'ultimate', anyway?
Lao: It's really just a decoy to lure children in, and yet...
Patty: Honestly, why do you guys bother with this at all? You're dealing with kids, you can just grab 'em.
Lao: Well, my mentor was a gourmet.
They would lure children into the candy house and let the children eat their fill of candy so they wouldn't be all scrawny—
Hey, I didn't come here to reminisce about the past.
Patty: Then what are you here for?
Lao: I want my sweet apprentice to achieve independence as a witch.
But...
Patty: But what?
Lao: We're running out of time.
Patty: Time?
Lao: Yeah — their lifespan.
Patty: Their... Deicy's lifespan?
Lao: They still haven't ever eaten a child.
Patty: That's 'cause you've never let them, isn't it?
I'm not a witch, so I dunno the details,
But your mentor fed you some before your final test, didn't they?
Lao: Oh? What makes you think that?
Patty: What, did you forget? The candy house for your final test was made by Arc and I.
Lao: I asked you two for the standard.
Patty: That you did. And it was a piece of cake!
Along came a child, and with no hesitation at all, you...
Lao: Ate them right up. But of course! I wanted to be a proper witch.
Patty: When I saw you, I thought,
"Oh, they've done this before."
Lao: I see.
Patty: And you, after becoming a proper witch, ran wild with your magic, and ate plenty of children to sustain yourself.
You probably don't know, but that was when the humans started saying this forest is the dwelling of man-eating witches.
Lao: I guess that's what they call the folly of youth~?
Patty: You can call it whatever you want.
But...
That's just what witches are like.
If you asked me how that's different from eating meat or fish,
I wouldn't be able to answer.
So does that mean vegetables or berries would make it fine?
I don't think that either.
I get it.
Lao: You're very wise.
Patty: Hey.
Lao: Hm?
Patty: You just, suddenly stopped eating one day.
... Why?
Lao: ... I guess the taste stopped appealing to me.
Patty: Is that so.
Lao: You know, they say two heads are better than one—
Patty: No way!
Lao: I haven't even said anything yet!
Patty: If you even think about harming them, you'll have to go through me first!
Lao: Wait, hey, over here
Here.
Patty: When did you get here?! You were just—
Lao: No, why'd you turn this way?
Patty: Huh? Huh?
Lao: Here, over here.
Patty: Where'd you go?
Lao: Look, look, I'm here.
Patty: Oh, here.
Lao: I guess you can only see me over here.
Yeah, just keep looking here.
Okay, no, that's not it.
In fact, I mean the opposite of what you're thinking.
I don't want those two to go near Deicy.
Patty: Huh?
Lao: Look, I'm not heartless. I wouldn't expect them to eat a child they've grown attached to.
But listen,
When you're really consumed by hunger, instincts will triumph over reason.
At this rate, things could head in a direction where everyone is left devastated.
So, I wanted to ask if you could take those two and head somewhere far, far away from here.
Patty: Hey, what's wrong?
Lao: ... Fire...
Patty: Huh?
Lao: The forest is on fire!
- 1:10:50~ help me
Lao: STOP IT, DEICY!
You could die.
Deicy: Let go.
Lao: Are you serious?
Deicy: Let go!
Lao: You even put up a barrier...
You really are outstanding, my apprentice.
Hansel: The fire's gone...?
Gretel and Patty: Hansel!!
Hansel: Gretel!
Patty: Don't tell me you were keeping those safe...?
Hansel: They're important to you, right?
Gretel: You dummy!
Hansel: I'm glad you're okay, Gretel.
Deicy-san...?
Were you the one who put the fire out...?
Deicy-san!
Lao: (To Deicy) Do you have any idea how reckless you were?! If only you'd just eat a child and be done with it...
(To Hansel) You must've inhaled smoke, so you should get some rest.
Patty: But with my place like this...
Woah... Thanks.
Lao: Compared to spells that manipulate nature, this is nothing.
... Patty.
Patty: ... I know. When Hansel's recovered, I'll talk to them about it.
Lao: Good. Then if you'll excuse us.
- 1:14:35~ SONG (purely Lao)
♪ Things you cannot bear to let go of ♪
♪ Are kind of like sugar confections, you know ♪
♪ Sweet, delicate, crumbling at a single touch ♪
♪ Melting into a sticky puddle when heated up ♪
♪ Ah... How fleeting, how cruel, they are ♪
- 1:30:31~ the lore behind the legendary fruit
Gretel: Hey, can I ask you something?
The lie about the legendary fruit in the Cliff of Despair... You weren't the one who came up with it, right?
It feels too roundabout to be your idea.
Patty: Man, you have really good intuition.
Yeah, that's right. The legendary fruit from the Cliff of Despair is...
Arc: A lie that I created.
Forgive me, Hansel-kun.
Patty: He was once begged for a way to save a dying witch who had run out of magic, and ended up lying.
Arc: They were so desperate, I couldn't help it.
Patty: Arc and I would never have imagined they'd really find the fruit.
Gretel: Huh?! So the legendary fruit really exists?!
Patty: Nah, it was probably just some raspberries.
I had one, but it was so sour, it was barely edible.
Gretel: So what happened?
Patty: If you can believe it,
Arc: They made a complete recovery.
The witch's magic was replenished.
Patty: In that moment, I thought, "Miracles really do happen."
Gretel: So maybe one'll happen again?
Patty: Nah.
I believed in miracles for a second,
But it was probably nothing special.
Gretel: Huh?
Arc: It's likely... That they ate a child.
Unable to resist their hunger.
Gretel: Oh...
All they have to do is eat a child, huh?
Patty: That's how it is.
Gretel: But maybe it was actually a miracle.
Patty: Well, I guess. No one actually saw them eat a child.
- 1:38:00~
Deicy: I swear I'll find it. I will!
Lao: You're finally awake.
Deicy: ... How long was I asleep for?
Lao: You were out like a log for three days and nights.
You're almost completely out of magic. There was a chance you wouldn't wake up at all.
Deicy: Spare me the lectures.
Lao: I think I have the right to, though? I'm your mentor, after all.
Deicy: The fire— How is Hansel?
Lao: He's fine, thanks to you.
But... It's your fault that he's now putting himself in danger.
Deicy: ... What?
Lao: The legendary fruit from the Cliff of Despair.
Deicy: Don't tell me—
Lao: My birdies are watching over him, but as you know, he's stubborn and reckless.
Worrying, isn't it?
There's only one thing you can do right now.
Deicy: And that is to eat a child?
Lao: That's right.
Deicy: I want to ask a favour of you, my mentor.
Lao: You, asking for a favour? That's a first.
Deicy: Take me to the Cliff of Despair.
Please.
Lao: Are you sure you'll be able to eat him?
Uh, are you ignoring me?
You really are such a sweet apprentice.
Deicy: Please.
Lao: Don't you dare die and leave your mentor behind.
Deicy: Then you may sever our ties when the time comes.
Lao: Really, you're just as impudent as ever.
Good luck out there.
- 1:43:18~ lao lore
Lao: Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a witch.
Raised by their gourmet mentor, though inexperienced, they became quite the connoisseur.
♪ A special meal consumed to replenish magic ♪
♪ Doubting nothing, suspecting nothing ♪
♪ They ate ♪
Time passed, and they became a full-fledged witch.
Their apprentice was cold and antisocial,
But they raised them with love regardless.
♪ A special meal consumed to replenish magic ♪
♪ One day, the apprentice asks ♪
♪ "Why do you eat children?" ♪
♪ They had never given a thought as to why ♪
♪ Their very first doubt ♪
♪ Their very first... ♪
♪ From that day on, the witch found ♪
♪ They could no longer eat children ♪
Welcome to the hinterlands of the Cliff of Despair.
Deicy: Leave me alone.
Lao: I suppose you won't be becoming a full-fledged witch.
Deicy: I suppose not.
Lao: Ah~ After all my effort in raising you up this nicely.
Deicy: Lao.
Lao: Wow, you rarely use my name.
Deicy: There's one last thing I want to ask you.
Lao: What is it?
Deicy: I knew there was no such thing as a legendary fruit.
It was a kind lie that Arc had created.
But at the time, I wanted to believe in it.
Lao: You did it for your precious mentor, huh? I'm honoured.
Deicy: Because it was my fault that you ran out of magic.
If I hadn't asked you that question,
You wouldn't have doubted or suspected anything—
Lao: I have no idea where you got that idea from.
I just stopped enjoying the taste. That's all.
So? What did you want to ask?
Deicy: The legendary fruit doesn't exist. So why did you recover after eating the fruits I gave you?
Those were just raspberries, weren't they?
Lao: What, that's your question?
Then you already know the answer.
Consuming a special meal will replenish your magic.
I slipped out to town at night, grabbed a child, and—
Deicy: You didn't eat!
I know you didn't.
Lao: ... So what?
Deicy: What saved you?
Lao: A miracle, I suppose.
We owe God our thanks.
Deicy: I see.
Thanks for everything.
Lao: Once upon a time, in a land far away,
There was a witch who had run out of magic.
The witch ate a certain fruit, and made a complete recovery.
Everyone said it was a miracle.
Certainly, it was.
But the witch knew the truth.
That miracle hadn't been brought about by God.
That miracle had been created, by none other than...
- 1:55:00~ FLASHBACK SCENE
Deicy: Why do you eat children?
Lao: Huh?
Deicy: Why?
Lao: ... I've never given it any thought.
Deicy: Why don't you eat a child?
Lao: Now you're asking the opposite?
Deicy: Is it because of me?
I'm sorry.
Lao: Thank you.
Deicy: Why... Did you say thank you...?
- 2:00:37~ song again (only Lao again)
♪ Thinking about it, this world is full of miracles ♪
♪ Like the way your heart flutters in surprise ♪
♪ The way your expression softens in your joy ♪
♪ And the way the grin you're trying to hide is on full display ♪
♪ The candy house that's been built just as you pictured it ♪
♪ You were moved to the brink of tears, weren't you? ♪