I Would Rather Be a Rogue [BL]
Chapter 63: In Tune With the Moon

Chapter 63: In Tune With the Moon

The days passed quickly, and the moon soon turned into a waning crescent, hinting that the time for Felix’s next visit to the witch’s house had finally arrived. When on their agreed day, Felix returned home, Remi was already gone, and thus, he also didn’t waste his time, and rushed straight to the witch’s house, even though it was still bright outside. He was a bit worried the witch might make him wait until dusk just for the sake of appearances...

But it turned out his worries were unwarranted. As soon as he knocked on the door, it opened on its own, just like the last time, letting Felix into the dark, foggy maze. He stepped in, once again following the movement of the purplish smoke to find his way, as the path was too winding and complex to remember it...

It was quite scary, actually, now that he thought about it. Without any clues, how long would it take for him to find a way out? Could he even leave? Or would he be stuck in the maze forever, if that was the witch’s whim?

...It was no wonder Eden was afraid of the witch. Opponents stronger or faster than you, you could still defeat if you had enough skill or a good tactic, but how were you supposed to counter magic? Unless you were a witch yourself, you couldn’t!

Luckily, the witch didn’t have any nefarious intentions toward Felix, and soon he reached the square room. Except that this time... it seemed much darker than the last? The last time, although dark and smoky, Felix could still see the perfect lines of the witch’s body all too well, yet now he could barely tell where the clothes ended and the pale skin began.

What was the reason behind this choice? Considering the witch’s attention to detail, there was no way the lighting wasn’t deliberate. It was probably to hide something... The question was, what?

"Welcome back," the witch smiled, gesturing with his hand at the empty chair, "Please, make yourself comfortable."

"Could we light a few more candles to make the room brighter, please?" Felix tried, as he took a seat opposite the witch. Even from up close, with his excellent night vision, he still couldn’t see much, just unclear shapes.

The witch shook his head in response. "I apologize, but it isn’t possible."

"May I ask why?"

"As a witch, I am very much in tune with nature. The lighting in this room complements the moon. Thus, the brighter the moon, the darker this room," the witch explained. "I hope you can understand and endure it, even if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Hmm." Felix just hummed lightly under his nose.

It was the witch himself who seemed uncomfortable. Although he tried to appear calm and composed, it was impossible for him to hide the raspiness of his voice, or the barely suppressed strain...

Curiosity was gnawing on Felix’s insides, but he knew better than to ask. If he pushed too far, the witch would probably start hiding from him again, and then he’d have an even harder time trying to figure out anything! Ah, it would be great if he could just grab the fox, and shake all the secrets out of him...

"I have prepared the balm you requested," the witch said, placing a round jar on the table. "However, I cannot guarantee full effectiveness. In order to achieve the best results, I would need to examine you first, to tailor it to your skin and energy..."

"Examine me? How?"

"By touching, of course."

"Ah?" Felix paused, hesitating. Touching? Touching what? Would his hand suffice, or...

"If you could just stand up and lift your shirt, then I would be able to check what enchantments would be most suitable."

Felix’s whole face instantly flushed. So the witch wanted to touch his belly? Under his clothes? Sure, Remi had already cuddled up to him plenty of times before, but that was in his fox form!

’Calm down, Felix,’ he scolded himself internally. ’It’s just like at the doctor. Just some innocent examination...’

"Ah, if that’s too much for you, then..." the witch started, but was interrupted when Felix abruptly stood up from his chair.

"I-if that’s a-alright with you, then please examine me..." he uttered, stumbling on his words a bit, but still determined. Although it felt rather embarrassing, he was still so young. There was nothing wrong with having stretch marks, of course, but if it was possible, then he wanted to keep his skin smooth and nice...

"Oh? Then please excuse me..." The witch leaned over the table and reached his hand toward Felix’s belly.

His fingers were long, slender, and a bit cool, making Felix’s abdomen tremble the moment they touched his skin. They brushed softly over the skin, lingering a bit at some places, especially when there was reaction from the pup... It was hard to tell how long it took, but the moment seemed to last forever. Just the soft touch, in the near complete darkness... It was driving Felix insane, even though it wasn’t meant to be intimate. He bit on his lip, trying to calm down his thumping heart... It was good that there was at least table between them, separating them. Felix tried to focus his attention on it...

"By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask. Does that crystal ball do anything?"

"That depends." The witch pulled his hand back, ending the examination. "On its own, it’s just a crystal ball. However, with an appropriate spell cast on it, it can reveal you a glimpse of the future... You can sit down now."

He nodded at Felix, and unscrewed the lid of the jar. Then, he twirled his fingers over the balm inside, muttering something incomprehensible. A faint, white, glittery light gathered around his hand, slowly descending into the jar, and settling in the cream.

"There you go," he handed the finished product to Felix. "Use it twice a day, and you shall be left with no marks."

"Now... Would you like to see your future?"