Majo no Tabitabi - Volume 14 - Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Flowers for Fools

This is a story about something I see often on main streets in the early afternoon.

Do you know what I’m talking about, everyone?

“Oh! Miss Witch! You are a witch, right? Please, won’t you listen to my request?!”

“…………”

That’s right, I’m talking about just this sort of weirdo.

Once, when I was visiting a certain country, I encountered a lone woman. Dressed in flashy clothing and making dramatic gestures, she kneeled down in front of me, rubbed her cheek against my hand, and whispered, “Ah, Miss Witch…Miss Witch…”

Wow, she’s certainly enthusiastic.

If she and I were well acquainted, the way she was abasing herself in front of me would have inspired something of my sadistic side. But alas, she and I were definitely meeting for the first time. I felt a chill as goose bumps covered my whole body.

“Ah…Miss Witch, Miss Witch, Miss Witch…”

“Um… Could you stop that, please? It’s annoying…”

“Miss Witch, Miss Witch, Miss Witch…”

“What is with this lady…?”

People are surprisingly helpless in the face of sudden irrational outbursts. I didn’t have the slightest clue who this woman was, and yet for some reason I couldn’t fathom, she had now involved me in her business.

I was a little taken aback by this abrupt development, but the woman’s behavior wasn’t the only thing I found shocking. It was early in the afternoon, and lots of pedestrians were passing us by, watching the mysterious woman’s bizarre actions. And yet no one made a move to help me.

“Hey…! Isn’t that Marilyn, the really famous actress…?”

“It is! That’s Marilyn…! It looks like she’s in the middle of some kind of skit.”

“Oh, I bet she’s playing an overbearing woman courting a witch. Yeah, that’s gotta be it.”

“She’s so amazing… I can feel how overbearing she is from all the way over here…”

Shockingly, it appeared the woman who had suddenly taken my hand was in the acting profession. Moreover, she seemed quite popular.

“Ah, Miss Witch…! I beseech you, won’t you please grant my wish?!”

That meant her exaggerated behavior might all be part of a performance.

Smoothly, she brought her face up close to my ear, then whispered a question to me. “Um… Miss Witch, I’m terribly embarrassed to be asking you this kind of question right after meeting you, but, Miss Witch, you are a witch, aren’t you…? I mean, one of those people who can send spells whizzing through the air?”

“Uh…”

I was dying to ask her why she seemed more embarrassed about asking me that question than about rubbing her face all over my hand. But for the time being, I just nodded.

“My, my! I thought that might be the case. So if you’re able to send spells whizzing through the air, does that mean you can also manipulate people’s hearts at will?”

“Manipulate people’s hearts at will…?”

“Yes. Specifically, can you stop people from lying, or control their affections, or make them your slaves? Can you use convenient spells like those? Be honest. How about it?”

“What do you think a witch is…?”

“I think a witch is someone who can use spells like those as they please.”

I sighed. “If I could freely use such convenient spells at any time, I’d be using one of them right now.”

“My, my! And what do you plan to do to a famous actress like me?” Marilyn reacted with exaggerated surprise, then quickly caught on. “Oh, I get it! You mean to make me tell you in my own words the reason, the purpose behind why I stopped you, yes? Isn’t that right? You think you can make me tell you everything, without keeping any secrets, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t…”

Actually, I don’t think she caught on at all… It seems she understood nothing. In fact, I’d like her to just tell me—like a normal person—why she came up to me, without making me ask.

“However, if you’re going to make such ardent demands…,” she said, “I suppose I have no choice…”

“But I didn’t demand anything.”

“Very well! I shall endeavor to meet your expectations!”

“But I don’t have any expectations.”

“I will tell you now what I would like to request of you. Open up your ears and listen carefully, Miss Witch. Then you must live up to my expectations, do you hear?”

“Can I go now?”

“Oh! Ohhh, ohhh! Can you? Are you sure? Don’t you know what will happen…if you leave now?”

“What will happen?”

“Heh-heh-heh… Such an honest girl. Now listen up! Hear my story! Yes, it all happened two years ago—”

“Um, so what will happen if I leave?”

“Shush! I’ve just started reminiscing, so be quiet and listen, please! Two years ago… Yes, two years ago, I was a very selfish woman.”

“Well, that hasn’t changed.”

“My, how rude! What could you possibly know about me?”

“Just that you don’t listen to anything anyone else says.”

“Never mind that. Listen to me reminisce, and I’m sure you’ll learn a little more about me.”

“You’re still not listening, are you?”

At any rate, the pushy woman who had approached me on the street ended up dragging me into her story.

According to Marilyn, it was two years earlier that she began to receive attention from the public as a well-known actress. Her performance on the stage was truly brilliant.

“Oh, he’s wonderful…just wonderful…”

And she had eyes for only one man in the whole world.

“Hi there, Marilyn. Your performance was great again today. Especially your gaze as you looked out over the audience from up on stage. It was just like the sweet look you might give a lover, and it set my heart pounding in spite of myself.”

One man, who always had such saccharine reviews ready for her when she finished on stage.

His name was Vincent, and he had been working as an actor longer than she had.

“Oh, Vincent…”

And Marilyn was head over heels for him. She loved him from the bottom of her heart. When she fell for him, she decided to give it her all. Marilyn’s motto was “If pushing doesn’t work, knock them down.” She started making passes at Vincent all day every day. Even now, as he praised her, she was gazing at him passionately, fluttering her eyelids.

“…………?”

But alas, Vincent was kind of a blockhead. Her desperate approaches were in vain. He asked, “What’s the matter? Do you have something in your eye?” and gently stroked her cheek.

What an annoying personality he had. If he weren’t so handsome, he would have been out of the picture long ago.

“Vincent…”

They say love is blind, but in her case, she had already closed her eyes. In fact, she’d closed her eyes and puckered her lips, and she was leaning in, urging him to kiss her.

“Oh, sorry, I’ve got to get going. See you!”

But it is just at such times that blockheads tend to cause women embarrassment.

“Bye now!” he said, waving a hand as he left. Marilyn, left standing all alone in the chilly autumn wind, watched him go.

“My darling Vincent…”

She stood, clasping her hands in front of her chest, ablaze with unfulfilled passion.

According to Marilyn, she had been pining after him nonstop for about two years with little progress.

“I’ve loved him continuously for two years, but our relationship hasn’t changed one bit… That’s why, Miss Witch—that’s why I want your help!”

“…Now, when you say ‘help’…”

What specifically would I be doing?

“Use a spell to make it so I can’t lie, or… Can’t you come up with some clever way to do it? To bring us together?” she asked.

I see. In other words, you’re leaving all the important bits up to the witch.

“By the way, can I ask one thing?” I said.

“What is it?”

“…What’s so good about this guy?”

“It’s his face.”

“…………”

“His face.”

“Come now, Miss Witch! Cast a spell on me, please! How about starting with something that prevents me from lying?! If I run into him while unable to lie or to evade a question, he’ll surely realize how I feel!”

“Uh…”

Why are you already assuming I’ll do it…?

“Come on, do it now!”

“Uh…”

Why are you already assuming I can do it…? I mean, after all…

“Couldn’t you just confess your feelings to him directly, without any spells?”

“My, my! Did you even listen to what I said?”

“I can’t believe you, of all people, are saying that to me.”

“I’ve tried countless times already! And yet they’ve all hopelessly failed!”

According to Marilyn, she had made dozens of attempts to confess her love to Vincent over the past two years. But unfortunately, the man was a true blockhead, a fact which became quite obvious whenever she tried to tell him her feelings.

For example, one day after a performance, she took him aside in a totally normal way and confessed her love quite plainly. To this, he had responded: “Splendid…! Is that a line from your next play? It’s great! You were awfully convincing!”

He had mistakenly thought she was acting.

I see. Then next time, I’ll make it so that he can’t misunderstand, she thought, and tried writing him a love letter.

“Oh, I get it. This is a prop for your next play, right? That’s great! It really captures the feelings of a girl suffering from unrequited love!”

Once again, he misunderstood her intent.

You’d think that by now, he would have caught on. But turning aside her every confession and assuming she was merely rehearsing for a play appeared to be a facet of his very character.

“Excuse me, but what’s so good about a guy like that?”

“His face.”

As far as I could tell from listening to her, it seemed everything about him besides his face was awful. At any rate, after being evaded at every turn for two whole years, Marilyn had grown tired of waiting.

Looking a little proud, she said, “He’s a really sweet guy, so unless you cast a spell on me so I can’t lie, I’ll never get a clear answer to my feelings. I’ve been on edge continuously for two years, and I’m tired of it.”

“But if he’s been evading you at every turn for two whole years, isn’t that your answer?”

“……………………………………Huh?”

Despair creeped into her expression.

Uh-oh. Did I say something I shouldn’t have?

“Sorry, that was a joke. I’m sure he’s hopelessly in love with you but so dreadfully shy that he simply can’t tell you how he feels.”

“…Do you really think so?”

Her voice was surprisingly cold, and I saw her eyes had turned dark. It seems I’d pointed out something she hadn’t wanted to hear.

All expression vanished from her face, and she said, “As I told you at the beginning, Vincent has been an actor longer than I have. His skills as a performer far exceed my own. When I ask myself if I can believe what he tells me…to be honest, I’m not sure…”

“Uh…”

“He was the one who taught me that actors are always actors. That advice is what helped me grow and develop as an actress… So I don’t know… I can’t tell where the actor ends and the real man begins…”

As I stared at the woman before me, now suddenly dark and brooding, I mused that she was indeed quite the actress, able to play both a cheerful and a gloomy woman with ease.

But it seems I’ve really hit on a sore spot for her.

“He’s always calling me cute and touching me gently. He always brings me snacks and drinks after my plays. He tells me lots of fun stories. He always compliments my appearance, my clothes, my hair, and everything else. He’s even told me several times that he wants to go out with me. But I’m anxious… I can’t help wondering if it’s all an act…”

“I’m sorry, but the more I listen to you talk, the more I wonder what exactly is so good about this guy.”

“His face,” she said, hanging her head. “I mean, your face is the only thing you can’t fake…”

Th-that’s kind of heavy…

“That’s why I want you to cast a truth spell! Please, I beg you, Miss Witch!”

“Um…”

I wasn’t quite sure what to do, but I replied, “From what I’ve heard, it sounds like he’s made a few passes at you, too. Don’t you think he’ll understand if you just confess your feelings to him directly?”

He told you several times that he wanted to go out with you, right? Doesn’t that about settle the matter?

“My, my! Did you listen to a single word I’ve said, Miss Witch?”

“I’ve been listening better than you have, at least…”

“He is an actor first and a man second. I would be an absolute fool to take lip service from a guy like that seriously.”

“So? Can’t you just let yourself be a fool?”

What’s the problem here?

I cocked my head. “People don’t tell lies unless it benefits them somehow, right? Why don’t you just let yourself be a fool and take all his words at face value? What’s the problem with that?”

At the very least, people usually avoid lies that are likely to cause them problems. And if that’s the case, Vincent must not be troubled by her affection. I mean, if he had no interest, he probably would have stopped talking to her long ago. What does she have to gain by dwelling on whether his sweet words might be lies? You might as well become a fool for love.

“Well, if you’re going to insist I cast a spell on you to keep you from lying, I’m ready and willing to give you what you want, but—”

“My, really? Then yes, please! The spell! Cast the spell on me, please!”

“But you will have to pay me for my work. Is that all right?”

“I don’t care! How much is it? You should know, I’m quite rich! I mean, I’m a major actress!”

Marilyn loosened her purse strings and said pleasantly, “Come now, allow me to pay you a handsome fee for a splendid spell.”

After requesting a token fee, I said, “Great. All right then, I’m casting the spell!”

I pulled out my wand.

“Hyah!”

With a shout, I shot a stream of magic toward her.

The next moment, a single flower popped out of the top of Marilyn’s head with a cute little noise, blooming gaily.

“What on earth is this?!” she exclaimed, sounding surprised.

With a smug grin, I said to Marilyn, “That’s what we call a ‘fool’s flower,’ and as long as it’s blooming, you’ll be unable to tell any kind of lie or do any acting. In fact, some people call it the ‘actor killer.’”

In other words, as long as the flower was in bloom, every word she said would be the truth.

I gave her a push and reminded her that now was her big chance to confess her love.

“My, my! How wonderful! Thank you, Miss Witch! I feel like as long as I have this flower, I’m sure to succeed!”

Marilyn took my hand and pumped it vigorously up and down. Then she said, “Best strike while the iron is hot!” and stood up to leave. She was probably off to find Vincent, or whoever.

“Oh my. What a restless person…” Shrugging in exasperation, I put my wand away.

It seemed my extended back-and-forth with Marilyn had caught the eye of many a passerby. Once she left, people who had been watching us came up and started talking to me.

“Wow, that was amazing! So witches can do stuff like that, too, huh…?”

One man paused to remark, in a curious tone of voice, that magic capable of preventing someone from acting sounded frightening indeed.

That surprised me.

Well, well. Could it be I’ve got the makings of an actress as well?

“I didn’t cast any such spell on her.”

To begin with, the sort of magic that would prevent someone from lying isn’t something I can just whip up on the spot.

All I had done was shoot magical energy from my wand and make a flower bloom atop her head. What she’d really needed wasn’t a spell to keep her from lying, but a little courage to approach that Vincent fellow and the mental preparation to make a fool of herself.

In other words…

“What you just witnessed was a little white lie.”

The following day, I checked out of the inn where I had been staying, had my breakfast at a nearby café, and sat idly reading the newspaper for a little while before deciding it was time to leave the country.

I had been planning to leave all along, of course. I’d already done my sightseeing. And besides, if I stayed on, I might get caught up in some other strange person’s affairs.

“I guess it’s time to get going.”

I looked out the window next to my seat. The city’s roads were bathed in sunshine, and the sky was clear and blue. It was a perfect day for traveling.

I set down my newspaper and took a deep breath.

This country must be starved for news.

The front page of the paper was adorned with coverage of the passionate love affair between a certain pair of actors.

According to the paper, the two of them had started dating after exchanging ardent, zealous declarations of love in the middle of the main avenue. Even the newspaper was celebrating this heady romance between a popular actress—one of the biggest stars in the country—and a very, very handsome actor.

However, considering the article’s effusive language, the photo of the lovers printed large on the front page lacked the same air of celebration. In fact, the pair looked kind of ridiculous.

A flower bloomed atop each of their heads as they faced each other.

I laughed. After all, I could see there, in the newspaper photo, the genuine surprise on their faces.

“Oh, you’re leaving? Thank you very much for visiting us!”

As soon as I made it to the city gates, a guard greeted me with a swift bow.

I bowed back and paid him a compliment of my own. “Oh, no, thank you very much for a lovely few days.”

“How kind! Thank you so much!” The guard took my words at face value and was very pleased. Then he took out a slip of paper and a pen and said, “By the way, Miss Witch, our country is currently asking our visitors to complete surveys. So if you don’t mind, could I ask you to answer a few questions?”

“Huh?”

Well, I’m not in any particular hurry, so I guess I don’t mind.

I nodded.

“Thank you so much!”

He asked me about my impressions of the country before my visit and if those impressions had changed. He asked me if I was treated kindly by the locals, what I thought of their public safety measures, and if I’d had any experiences I thought would stick with me. He asked, too, if I had been hassled by any bad characters—all sorts of stuff.

His questions were very detailed. After answering each one honestly, I followed up with one of my own. “Why are you asking me this stuff anyway?”

Looking a little troubled, the guard explained himself.

Apparently, this had originally been a place where actors could live while they polished up their acting skills. As they did their jobs, they would practice acting, and as they practiced acting, they would do their jobs. That was the kind of place it was.

However, even in a country full of aspiring actors, there weren’t many people with the potential to achieve real greatness in the craft. Eventually, the unsuccessful actors turned to defrauding travelers and merchants in order to turn a profit, he said.

They must have been looking to make some easy money.

But about ten years earlier, their shameless business practices began to cause problems. Steadily, the number of travelers and merchants visiting the country declined, until finally even the sightseers dried up. It was as if their country no longer existed, the man explained.

“We reflected on our former ways. If no tourists came to see us, we had no hope of being scouted. The longer the world ignored us, the farther we strayed from the spotlight…”

“…………”

Eventually, he told me, the country’s people had started putting in real work and polishing their acting skills, even if it meant taking the slower, more roundabout route.

And that was how they’d become the kind of country they were today—a place that valued the opinions of others.

“Miss Witch, how did you like our country?”

In this country, the past still overshadowed people’s lives, and the boundary between lies and truth was still unclear.

I was sure that if I told him my true opinion, he would take my words at face value rather than as simple flattery and understand that I was saying what I really thought.

And so I told him the truth.

“I found your country quite lovely.”

Pop!

The words made a flower bloom on my head.

Several months later, I heard a strange story.

I was dining in a restaurant when I overheard another traveler speaking about a strange land where all the inhabitants had flowers growing on their heads.

The traveler pointed at a map and insisted that, while the story might sound like a lie, the country truly existed. In fact, I had visited that very place several months earlier—the land formerly known as the Country of Stories.