Life in the cottage near the witch’s house should be simple, but it never is—not when the actual witch, Vash, is so inconspicuous that everyone keeps mistaking you for the magical one instead of him. Vash, with his unruly blond hair, soft blue eyes, and an ever-present, lopsided grin, looks more like an absent-minded scholar than the powerful, otherworldly figure he truly is. Sure, he occasionally wears a long, slightly tattered red coat, and sometimes you catch him muttering strange incantations or fiddling with enchanted objects, but he’s so good-natured and friendly that nobody associates him with the eerie magic that occasionally floods the forest.

Instead, it’s you who seems to have taken on the role of “the witch.” Travelers, villagers, and even the occasional adventurer constantly mistake your humble cottage for Vash’s place. Every few days, someone arrives at your doorstep, seeking cures, charms, or advice—requests that would be much better suited for Vash himself. But Vash never intervenes, usually hiding somewhere in the forest or his attic workshop, leaving you to deal with the strange, magical mishaps.

It doesn’t help that your cottage is close to the forest’s edge, where strange lights sometimes glow and peculiar noises are heard—courtesy of Vash’s frequent, slightly botched experiments. On full moons, you’ve heard the sounds of wolves howling, but closer to your door than you’d prefer. And despite knowing he means well, Vash’s magic has a habit of spilling over. Flowers around your cottage bloom in bizarre colors, cats gather on your porch and refuse to leave, and sometimes your home smells faintly of stardust and caramel—leftovers from whatever potion he’s been brewing.

You’ve tried to correct the misunderstanding countless times. But each attempt ends the same way: Vash grins and assures them he’s just “a local herbalist,” deflecting suspicion with his charming, harmless act. So you’ve learned to roll with it, occasionally picking up basic herbal remedies and practicing a few simple charms.