Witch of the witches

"Ah… My name is Winifred!" Winifred said.

"Ohhh, Winifred, huh? Well then, Winifred, tell me, is this place strange to you?" Elise said.

I don't think hiding from her does me any good. She just saved my life too. She looks kind. This is my chance, and she already knows something. I need to tell her, Winifred thought.

"Yes, ma'am!" Winifred said.

"Ohhh… And don't call me ma'am. I told you my name, right? So call me by my name, okay!" Elise said.

"Okay, ma'am—oh, I mean Elise!" Winifred said.

"So… this is a strange place for you, huh? And that goblin lord, do you know him? I mean, you've never seen a monster like that!" Elise said, sitting on a rock.

"No… no…! I have never seen a monster like him—or any other—in my whole life, actually," Winifred said with a bit of fear and nervousness.

"Tell me, where do you come from? Where is your home?" Elise asked, curious and with a slight smile on her face.

I have to tell her everything. But what if she does something to me when she finds out I came from a different world? Wait… I still don't know if this is a different world or not. Maybe I'm in the same world, just in a different place that was hidden. But if I tell her… darn it, I have no choice. If I want to survive, I have to tell the truth. I know she'll eventually find out, and she uses magic, I guess, so she'll know if I lie to her, Winifred thought to herself.

"Don't think too much. I'm not going to hurt you. And I know you're not from this place… or… you're not from this world!" Elise said.

"Haa…!" Winifred gasped, fear on her face.

"Yes! But is this my world, or am I in a different place? The place where I live has no monsters and no magic!" Winifred said.

"Ah… really!" Elise said, quickly sitting up from the rock.

"So, you really came from another world! Huh… Tell me, do you remember any glowing circles?"

After a bit of thinking, Winifred replied, "Ohhh… yes, I know! How could I forget? Before I came here, there was suddenly a bright light, and somehow I was in the circle! So… I really came from a different world!"

"Ohhh, don't be scared! And yes, you came from a different world," Elise said with a small smile on her face.

"So… you're not going to do anything to me?" Winifred asked with curiosity.

"No! Why should I do anything to you?" Elise said, smiling.

"Because… I'm from a different world," Winifred said with shock on her face.

"No… that changes nothing! I should help you because you are from a different world," Elise said kindly.

"But isn't it strange that I'm from a different world? People in this world must be interested in me, right? Like experimenting on me or capturing me to gain information from me, isn't that right?" Winifred said, a little fear showing on her face.

"Hahaha, no, of course not! I mean, I know that coming from a different world is not a normal thing in this world, but it's just that we're not interested in you or your world—at least not me!" Elise said with a laugh.

"Ohhh… really! So I'm safe," Winifred said with a smile.

"Yes, but not completely! With me, you are safe, but without me… I don't know," Elise said thoughtfully.

So I'm really in a different world, huh… a world with magic and monsters, Winifred thought to herself.

"Miss Elise! Is there a way to go back to my world, where I came from?" Winifred asked curiously.

"Don't call me Miss, just Elise, okay! I'm not saying it's impossible, but it is impossible to go back to your world. The magic circle that brought you here was ancient magic. No one controls that magic circle. That magic circle has its own will. The last time the magic circle was seen by someone was 600 years ago! We called it the Fate Circle. Basically, a Fate Circle teleports people from one world to another with its will," Elise said.

"So… there is no way to go back, huh?" Winifred said, shocked.

"There's always a way to go anywhere and do anything. But it depends on you—whether you are going to find that way or not," Elise said.

"Tell me, do you want to go back to your world?" Elise asked, curiosity on her face.

Do I need to go back to my world? Huh… I mean, Winifred thought, remembering her memories. There's nothing for me to go back to in my old world. I have only a single friend, but yeah… there's nothing else—not my mom, not my dad, neither of them, Winifred thought to herself, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

"I don't have anything in my old world. The only thing I had was one good friend, that's all!" Winifred said, crying a little.

"Don't be sad, Winifred. If you don't have anything to lose, then why become sad!" Elise said suddenly, moving closer to Winifred and placing a comforting hand on her head.

"Ah…!" Winifred said, startled by Elise's sudden closeness, but she understood Elise's kind intentions.

"But I lost my only friend too!" Winifred cried even louder.

Elise stayed close, gently comforting her by rubbing her hand over Winifred's head.