An Apprentice Witch, but in Ancient Times

The serialized mystery novella "A Meeting of Minds" is currently free to read in my column:

A pseudo-scientific take on ancient times, featuring an exceptionally strong yet gentle heroine and her companions. Welcome, dear readers! Add it to your library and let the chapters pile up~

Blurb:

[Goofy, Poker-Faced Witch of the Night vs. Tsundere, Foolish Beauty]

At the border of a mysterious empire where everyone longs for magic, yet everyone fears it, a bard walked into an ancient oak tavern, propped up his harp, and sang that strange old ballad once more:

Mermaids fish for unlucky souls in an ocean shimmering like crystal beneath the moonlight.

Black elf warriors, experts in weaponry, secretly study shepherds' animal husbandry.

Beside a vast swamp forever shrouded in mist, a witch gathers the black robes she hung out to dry days ago...

Lilith, the last demon on the continent of Garcia, looked at the girl in a strange dress lying on the floor before the magic circle and frantically flipped through her books:

"What do you do if your contractor dies halfway through the ritual?"

"900 Super Useful Phrases for Getting By in Another World?"

*

A new clinic had recently opened in town, and it was doing a roaring trade. It had two strange doctors on duty: one couldn't speak, and the other might as well have been unable to speak.

The one who couldn't speak was a huge black cat. Different species, different languages; that was understandable enough.

But the one who could speak...

"Dr. Li, why do you put these colorful stones and animal fur in the pot when you brew medicine?"

The young apothecary stared at the huge pot before her and screamed.

She said, "It's a family recipe. It works like a charm."

"Dr. Li, why do you have to keep stirring while the medicine brews?"

She said, "Because it'll stick to the bottom if I don't."

"Dr. Li, why do you talk to the pot while the medicine brews?"

She said, "A few words of blessing help the patient recover faster."

(What she actually said was: "Hey, spirit of the pot, do me a favor and put some blessing and healing magic in there. The kind that cures everything as soon as you take it, if possible. I'll give you eight pretty gems and some rare animal fur. We've known each other for years, so don't haggle! I'll come to you again next time I have a good deal like this. A polite demon's whispered plea...")

*

For solving a bizarre case, Lilith was granted in marriage to the prince's son.

Everyone in the bandit stronghold was devastated. Only her familiar showed no reaction at all. If anything, he seemed a little excited???

Hey, I'm getting married to someone else. Why aren't you even a little sad?!

Wait! You just laughed out loud, didn't you?!

To avoid some unnecessary trouble, Lilith decided to go kill that so-called Prince Yan herself.

On the night of the assassination, she saw her familiar again in Prince Yan's room:

"I've already prepared the betrothal gifts and found a matchmaker."

His face flushed red:

"If you agree, I'll come ask for your hand tomorrow!"

#Why is my internship location different from what the teacher taught us?!!!#

#I accidentally saved the world out of nowhere#

#Come on! Having a handsome familiar who can cook is so cool, okay?#

Note:

The heroine is the most beautiful and the strongest.

A lighthearted, goofy ensemble sweet romance, led by chuunibyou-style friendship. The main plot is saving the world (this is not a farming novel). The arranged marriage takes place at the very end.

The heroine has a love interest; it's an everyday, elementary-school-style romance, with no misunderstandings, rivalry between women, obstacles, or melodrama!

The ancient setting is very loosely based on history. The heroine and the antagonists are all from a world of magic, but they respect the local culture and cultivation system. Neither side's civilization dominates the other.

Theme: Even in adversity, keep your heart set on the sea and stars.