Chapter 314: Stuff before leaving
The breakfast table settled into a comfortable rhythm after that as Jax continued to eat at an unhurried pace, his posture relaxed in a way only rare mornings allowed.
One elbow rested loosely near the table while he casually took another bite of the fruit salad, the combination of sweet mana-fruit and crisp crystal citrus refreshing in a way that was almost absurdly fitting for the Witch Dimension.
As he was eating, a soft rustling sound came from the bed. The laughter of the nearby Witches faded almost instantly as everyone noticed.
Tiny movement beneath the blanket as they all looked, hearing a small yawn. Then a sleepy purple-haired head slowly lifted from the pillows.
Seraphina blinked several times, still visibly caught between sleep and waking. Her eyes moved slowly across the treehouse, looking at the breakfast table, the witches, and finally Jax.
Her face brightened immediately as she saw him, "Jax..."
Her voice was small and warm with sleep.
Then, a moment later, she sat upright with surprising speed, "...You’re here."
Jax looked over at her, "Yeah."
Seraphina rubbed one eye with the back of her hand, the blanket slipping slightly around her shoulders as she carefully pushed herself more awake.
The witches around the table all turned toward her with smiling expressions.
"Good morning," one of them said softly.
Seraphina blinked. Then smiled shyly in return as she looked at all of them, "Morning..."
Her gaze moved to the breakfast table, and the moment she saw all the food still laid out, her face lit up again.
"...Breakfast."
One witch immediately laughed under her breath, "She’s awake now for sure,"
Seraphina slid out of the nest-bed with care, the plush creature briefly tucked against her chest before she set it aside.
Then she padded toward the table eagerly. Jax watched her approach with a faint smirk, "Good morning."
She looked up at him with immediate trust in her eyes, "Did you eat already?"
"Yeah," Her cheeks puffed slightly, "...You started without me?"
Jax looked at her flatly, "You were asleep."
"That’s not fair."
"It’s extremely fair."
Seraphina crossed her arms with all the seriousness a child of her age could manage. The witches watched the exchange with amused smiles.
One of them leaned toward another and whispered something that made both of them quietly laugh.
Jax heard it anyway.
Something about "already acting like family." but he ignored it.
Seraphina, meanwhile, finally sat down carefully at the table and looked over the spread with fresh excitement.
"...Can I really have more?"
Jax leaned back slightly in his chair.
"You can eat as much as you want."
Her eyes widened.
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
Seraphina didn’t ask anymore questions and began to eat hurriedly. The witches, naturally, kept the mood light.
One asked Seraphina what her favorite fruit was so far. Another suggested she should try the honey pastries.
A third told her the green crystal fruit that they had only plucked that morning, and Seraphina definitely tried that one, enjoying it.
Jax, who had just taken another sip of tea, had to pause briefly to keep from smiling too openly.
Eventually, after a bit, Seraphina slowed again. Not from hunger this time, but from sleepiness. The warmth of the treehouse, the steady morning sun, the gentle voices around her, all of it made her eyelids droop just a little between bites.
Jax noticed it immediately, his eyes lingered on her for a moment before he finally spoke, "You’re getting sleepy again."
Seraphina blinked up at him slowly.
"...No, I’m not."
Jax raised an eyebrow.
"Your face says otherwise."
"I’m just resting my eyes."
One of the witches nearly snorted into her tea.
Jax’s expression remained flat.
"You should probably finish what you want, then we can head back."
That got her attention immediately.
"Already?"
"We still have things to do."
Seraphina looked mildly disappointed at first, then immediately tried to hide it.
"...Oh."
The witches exchanged knowing glances.
One smiled kindly.
"You can always come back again."
Seraphina looked toward her.
"...Really?"
"Of course."
Another witch nodded.
"The flowers aren’t going anywhere."
Jax looked briefly amused at that. The little Princess seemed to think about it, then returned to her bowl with renewed enthusiasm.
If she had to leave soon, she was going to make the most of what time remained.
Jax let her.
He finished his tea while the witches continued their soft conversation around them. One of them asked him about the dimensional repairs he’d made.
Another wanted to know how he’d managed to pinpoint the hidden anchors.
Jax answered some of their questions and passed on some others with deliberate vagueness, and the Witches were more than intelligent enough to not force anything.
Eventually Seraphina finished her breakfast too. She set her spoon down carefully and leaned back in her chair with a soft, satisfied sigh.
"...Full."
Jax glanced at her.
"Good."
She nodded sleepily.
Then, after a brief pause, looked up at him.
"...So we’re leaving?"
"Soon." Jax responded.
Hearing that response, Seraphina looked around the treehouse again at the witches, the glowing fruit, the sunlight through the branches, the soft blankets, the peaceful morning.
"...I like it here."
Jax’s gaze softened slightly.
"Yeah?"
She nodded.
"One day, I want to see it again."
That got a few smiles from the witches nearby. One of them reached over and gently tapped her nose with one finger.
"Then you absolutely should."
Seraphina smiled.
Jax stood after that, the chair scraping softly against the wooden floor. He looked toward the others with a calm, measured expression.
"Thanks for keeping her entertained."
The witches immediately waved it off.
"She was the entertaining one."
"We barely did anything."
Jax smiled, "Well thanks anyway,"
Then one of the Witches rose and approached Seraphina gently, offering a small pouch. Inside were several neatly packed sweets and fruit slices, wrapped carefully in enchanted cloth.
"For later."
Seraphina’s eyes widened, "...For me?"
The witch smiled softly.
"Mm-hmm. A little breakfast pack."
Seraphina looked at Jax immediately, as if asking permission without saying it.
He nodded once.
"Take it."
She accepted it with visible delight.
"Thank you."
Another witch approached with a small woven bracelet made of pale silver thread and tiny star charms.
"For luck."
Seraphina held out her wrist instinctively, and the witch gently slipped it on.
The little Princess stared at it with huge eyes.
"...Pretty."
The witch smiled warmly.
"It suits you."
Jax watched the exchange silently, but there was something faintly amused in his expression. Seraphina was glowing with happiness, the little girl looked up at him then.
"Well where are we going now?" Seraphina asked.
"To meet Willow and pick up Serika before we leave,"