Snow Witch'S Journey
Scratches that save every time

“I don't think a witch like you would have easily fallen. I didn't wrongly call you stupid girl.”

I remember one quote from a book I read. “Someone will not be able to affect others and also cannot be affected.” Whatever that stupid compass is talking about me, I won't be easily influenced.

Anyone would definitely not refuse a pile of sparkling gold without needing to move a lot. That young man named Charley promised me half of the reward he got. That means I get at least 25 gold bars just to be a model for his paintings alone. It has become a common human logic that requires a lot of need to receive money with little work. If anyone rejects wealth in plain sight, I doubt it is not human.

My journey will be very long. Magic can indeed provide protection for me physically, but not with money. At least I need as much money as I can for international travel. No need to be hypocritical. Everything in the world needs money. Residence, clothing, food, even entertainment require so-called money to get it. I have to accept it or live in the woods with nothing or anyone.

As soon as Charley told me about the reward, I immediately accepted it at that moment without exception. He's happy I'm happy too. I am confident I will win this race. All thanks to the beauty I have. Thank the world, thank God, thank you, Mom, and thank me.

“I don't have eyes, but I know now your face must say that no one can beat you, right?” say a compass on the dresser.

“You alone?” I jumped on the bed as soon as I took off my shoes, hat and robe. Having acquaintances here, it turns out to be very useful as well. I came to know which inn was not worth the comfort and which inn was really friendly for a wandering witch girl like me. “Are you not interested in this city? A city where painting is the value of a person. I remember what my mother said about no fitting value to describe a human being.”

“I hate it when you suddenly ask me a strange question. Like there's something wrong with you,” replied the compass.

I spread my hands over the dresser still lying comfortably on my bed. I took my compass and brought it to my face. “Are all compasses basically chatty like you? Just answer what is difficult!” my annoyance.

“Compasses that can talk only I am a.”

“Yes yes, I understand! Now answer my question!”

“Actually you're a chatty.” He muttered as I brought him closer to my face. How could I not hear it. “If you ask me if I am interested or not, my answer is no! Satisfied?”

“Jawab accompanied by the reason!” my firmness.

I heard her breath before answering. “I can't think of anything about the reason. It's just, this town, the painters and the paintings don't make me feel like you're doing magic. This city is unique, colorful, or something. But, if you're talking about attraction, it's not good to force someone to like the same things you like.”

I also took a breath. “But I am not forcing you. I have always wanted to learn to paint. My mom's painting is amazing, you know? It feels strange if a princess does not inherit talent from her mother.”

Either because of our chat topic or I just miss my Mom, I think back to my being with my Mom at the Cliff of Hope. When such a blizzard generally prevented me from playing outside, I could only boredly count the snow seeds falling from the sky through my glass window.

I've been thinking about a lot of things to do today with my mom. Unfortunately, the weather cursed me. Resenting. “Why don't you just change the weather to light?”

“What do you mean, baby? Mother is just a mother. Mother is not a god who can change the weather as good as heart.” A soft voice behind me, saving me who was drifting in boredom. Staring at the snow while listening to my mother's voice is very delicious—like a refreshing sensation that sweeps stress and all its turmoil.

Mother's soft voice forced me to close my eyes while leaning against the window. “Mother strongest witch, right? Mother's Magic Gem alone can create life. It's not impossible for Mom to change the weather.”

“Nature has its own rules. Changing the weather means breaking the rules of nature. And you know what would happen if you broke the rules, right? I know this storm bored you. How about you follow what your mom enjoys at a time like this?”

“Enjoying?” I turned around and saw the most beautiful woman in my life sitting sweetly on a chair with three legs. He smiled gently as his hand held a brush that was dipped onto a paint palette and then smeared on the white canvas in front of him. “Painting? I think it's boring,” I mumbled.

I could see my mother's gaze that seemed to force me gently. “Come.”

At that time I did not understand what my mother meant by teaching me painting. All I know is that he taught me wholeheartedly for about six months.

How many times do I move my hands and brushes on the canvas, my movements are not as beautiful as my mother's hand movements that are like dancing with grace without making the slightest mistake. Want as many colors as I mix into one painting, not make my painting as beautiful and as lively as my mother's painting that looks like a direct reflection of the world. No matter how much canvas paper I scatter, it is still not comparable to the results of one canvas belonging to my mother. How many times I finished my painting and put it next to Mom's painting, then looked at it carefully, it still feels like I immediately know which is a masterpiece and which is garbage. Even so, Mother still continued to teach me every month for six months until she finally stopped.

After finishing the last painting, he looked at me. Smiling wryly but her eyes still emitted a cold beautiful glint. “You suck, Niva. You still don't understand what your mom enjoys.”

If my mother had asked me at the time, I would have asked for answers to the same questions. Regretting it felt like not getting the answer I wanted— was like finding myself trapped in a blizzard for the umpteenth time. I don't care if the storm only lasts a while. However, the storm that raged in my heart this time was not. It's not like a destructive blizzard and it's stockpiling the entire plain with a freezing cold, but a storm that closes all my eyes and purpose. I lost my way until I stopped in the middle of the road.

I don't care if I'm considered excessive. How else would you like? It is all just a complaint experienced by a child who cannot be in accordance with the wishes of parents.

Once it happens and then it becomes the past, maybe I can keep it in my heart and think of it as a memory. Or I can forget about it and keep going. But, for the second time it actually pierced my heart and pulverized my confidence like wet paper. In front of my own painting, I feel very ashamed now.

“You suck, miss. It might be cruel, but you really have no painting talent at all. It would be nice, if the lady does not touch the brush again.” He said it with a flat face while paying attention to the painting of a sky mine.

Before, I didn't expect the words to come out of the mouth of a man who praised me. He did invite me to his house to help him continue his painting. And I volunteered to try my painting skills. I don't know what got into me, I felt challenged when I saw so many paintings of various shapes and colors in the man's house—just like my mother's paintings plastered all over the house. I felt like there was a turmoil in my heart that stirred up my desire to paint after all this time I had left hidden. Of course I can't just stay still when there's a flow of energy called this sense of spirit flowing wildly inside my body. Instantly, I immediately said I wanted to paint on Charley.