After taking a few glances at Medea, Milaris nodded to herself. The strict expression on her face softened a little.

"I understand that since it's your wedding day, you wish to be at your most beautiful. In fact, you already warned me about your possible changes, and we did the additional changes in advance. Though from what I am seeing, it seems like you still underestimated the extent of what could happen."

Medea winced at her pointed words. "I am sorry. I knew I would change somewhat. But the additional power boost I received made me miscalculate."

"Hum…" Arachne nodded and clapped once. The door behind her swung open, and a group composed of ten headless dolls clad in white robes appeared one after another.

They filled the room and chased away the witches, leaving only Milaris and Medea in the room. While leaving, Kali waved goodbye at Medea, and Freya gave her a nod of encouragement. Ambrosia patted Medea's shoulder gently, and Persephone sent her blessing of success on her grand day.

In the end, only La Bella was left behind. She gave one look at Medea, her eyes hiding deeply complicated feelings.

"I used to hate you, you know?" Her voice was calm as she delivered those not-so-calm words. "In fact, many witches hated you and many still do to this day. Your actions and decisions caused great damage to witches as a whole. Irreparable damage to our reputation that lasted centuries. All because of a pathetic love story where you got manipulated from start to finish."

"..."

"Nothing to say, huh."

"There is nothing I can say. Words alone can never convey how sorry I am, nor can they bring back all the people we lost."

"Indeed. The past can never be changed. But what we can do is live in the present and change the future. That is the only reason why I decided to give this moment a chance. But not because of you. I am doing this because I believe in the man you chose this time. For all his… scandalous flaws, he is a good man, and you are a very lucky woman to have met someone like him and earned his favour."

"I know."

Watching her back, Medea asked despite herself.

"Are you part of the witches that still hate me?"

"What a strange question. I might be the witch who hates you the most in this world. I simply love witches more than I hate you, and I recognize that your happiness will bring happiness and prosperity to our race as well. That is why I will make sure your wedding will become a success."

Her eyes held no malice as she confronted Medea head-on, and in a way, this was all the more frightening. A pure, unbiased, unblemished form of hatred, all held in bay through absolute rationality alone.

"Well. I am going to stop here. After all, this day should be a good day, shouldn't it?" La Bella smiled and cupped her hands together. "I, La Befana, current president of the Council of Witches, wish you an eternity of love, joy, and happiness. May you walk hand in hand with your beloved forever, and may your wedding open the gate of Salem to an eternity of prosperity."

She bowed and languidly inched out of the room.

* * *

Once outside, Befana closed the door behind her and immediately used a soundproof spell.

Her cold eyes scanned the other witches before settling on Kali.

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"I guess it's time for us to move?"

"Heh…" Kali snickered derisively at those words. Her maid attire transformed into her witch combat uniform. A witch hat with a mocking laugh etched on the border was placed on her head.

Her eyes shone like the crimson hues of blood. Gone was the usual laid-back witch who enjoyed sharing strange jokes with Sol.

Here was Kali, the Witch of Destruction.

Also, the de facto leader of the witch-hunting squad.

"Befana, remember this. We are only capturing them. Sol made it clear. No blood shall be shed today here." Kali gave a clear order.

"... Metaphorically or literally?"

"Well… I am sure he will forgive us if we simply beat those stupid witches within an inch of their lives."

"I see. I guess that will have to do for now."

The two of them exchanged nods with Ambrosia and Persephone and left the premises.

Befana had been truthful with Medea.

Many witches hated Medea. Befana included. That was the simple, undeniable truth.

The only difference was that not all witches were as rational as Befana, and some of them were ready to cause disturbance to the wedding that was set to change the very destiny of all witches.

To those witches, La Befana, once part of the hunting and execution squad under the command of Kali, only had one thing to say…

If they so vehemently wished to court death, then she shall gladly deliver it to them on a silver platter gleaming in razor-sharp intent.

* * *

Back in the room, Medea gave a bitter smile as she felt Milaris and her dolls work on her.

She was the Witch of Time. One who was at the very brink of becoming a demigod. How could Befana's spell actually stop her from listening if she wished to listen in on their conversation?

They all knew about it, of course. However, the spell was a clear signal alluding to what was ahead. One that said Medea should not worry about a thing and simply focus on her wedding.

"Erase that frown from that beautiful face of yours." Milaris finished adjusting the robe to Medea's new form. "You are surrounded by people who wish to see your happiness. So you need to pay in kind."

"I did nothing to be worthy of such happiness."

"Perhaps you are right. Then what will you do? You can still end this. With your mastery of time, you could escape this place without even getting noticed. What is stopping you? A sense of responsibility? Duty to the witches? Love?"

"..."

Milaris stood up.

"Once I fell in love with a man. A man who did not love me back. A man who loved another and thus could never reciprocate. Some might say it's a sad story. But I do not see it that way. He never lied to me. Never led me on. Loving him was my own freedom. Simply spending time with him brought me joy. Watching him from afar was delightful, and seeing him happy made me happy as well."

"When he died, I felt like a part of me had died alongside him that day. A part I will never get back, no matter what happens. Yet, even to this day, I do not regret loving him, and I will never regret those emotions. Though I realize that it's time for me to let go of my lingering feelings that are long due to be discarded. I also need to move forward without looking back, lingering in the past."

She touched the wedding dress, a wistful expression on her face.

"The two of us have very different circumstances. I do not presume knowing or understanding you. In fact, I even envy you a little, and I wish to live viscerally through yours and Sol's wedding. So let me ask two things. One. Do you love Sol?"

"I do. More than anything."

"Two. Why then do you hesitate?"

"Because I am someone who has only brought suffering to my loved ones. Because I am a shameless woman chasing after my own happiness while others drown in misery. Because…"

"All I am hearing are excuses." Arachne Milaris cut her off with a sharp counter. "So I will ask again. Why do you hesitate?"

Medea sighed, and finally, the true answer hidden in her heart spilled out.

"I am scared. Scared that I am being used again. Scared that I will be left at the aisle. Scared that this wedding will only end in tragedy. Yet, deep down, I know my fears are groundless. I know Sol would never do such a thing. So I can only feel self-loathing at my ignorant, pathetic self. I hate the self that cannot help but doubt the man who would bring even the moon to me in a heartbeat if I just asked."

Her eyes reddened ever so slightly, but she desperately fought, struggling with all her might to keep her tears in.

"It's normal to be scared, you know?" Milaris laughed. "There is no woman in this world who would not feel fear and doubt on her wedding day."

"Really?"

Milaris grinned. Her eyes curving with delight at her fidgeting, almost innocent sight. "You fear because you love. You hesitate because you do not want to lose. There is nothing to be ashamed of. All you need to understand is this— today is your day. Go and grab your happiness even if you need to fight in the mud for it."

Silence fell as Medea digested Milaris' words. She would have never imagined that the one who would comfort her in this moment would be someone she was not particularly close to.

But in a way, perhaps that was only normal. It was exactly because Milaris was a stranger that her words actually managed to reach Medea so quickly and powerfully.

Realizing that notion, she felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders.

"Thank you, Milaris."

"The greatest thanks you can give is to show my marvelous dress to the world."

"I will."

Medea stood up and took the bouquet of white lilies.

In the language of flowers, they were a symbol of purity, good luck, and a new beginning.

I am certainly not pure anymore, but this will truly be a new beginning.

The Cursed Witch was finally ready to move ahead.

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