Majo no Shinzou 1

"lollying-shwhippy-wallow-woppin’" → feel free to make up your own nonsense to replace this lame-sounding line.

--------

Teaser
Majo no Shinzou
Artist’s comment:
In March, the girl in this illustration will be serialized in a lollying-shwhippy-wallow-woppin’ fantasy manga.
Please look forward to it ❤

01
I love you. / I love you so much. I adore you.
I want to kill you so no one can snatch you away,
But I can’t bear the thought of you dying.

I don’t care if you hate me, / so long as it means I can love you forever.
Chase me.
I’ll run away forever. Forever away as one who will always love you.
Forever away as the one you will crave for all eternity.

Say, // am I selfish?

Tag line: Two girls in the heart of a fire. Is this confession a vow or a pledge?

02
My dear elder sister, / I love you.
I speak no greater truth.

Long, long ago, there were those who worked as witches; wise folks who brewed potions and spoke with the likes of faeries and dragons across the rift.

Long, long ago, there lived witches; those who had lost their hearts, crossing the rift atwixt life and death cradling the empty cavity within their chests – miserable immortals.

03
They came to be shunned by the people. Today their existence has been reduced to mere fairy tales.

Long, long ago…

This sleet sucks. / It would’ve been better if we had stayed in town.
crunch

04
A Newly Serialized Gothic Fantasy!!

All 3 Volumes of “Hoshi no Ko!” On Sale Now!!

05
Long, long ago, there lived witches.
One year after the end of “Hoshi no Ko!”, matoba takes on an epic fantasy unfolding in a magnificent world!
Chapter 1 “The Snow Laden Forest”

06
scf
What shall we do, miss? / Shall we go back?
…Rather than go back, it’d be quicker if we made it through the forest.
Let’s wait for it to lighten up before we move on.

07
fwip
All is calm…

Miss!
Someone’s coming.

…They’ve seen us.
Ouchh, faceplant!
splat

08
Whew!
It’s cold out!

May I join you?

Why of course, dear lady!

09
We even have a special discount! Just for y-
swish
bonk
Ow!
Stop that, Lumiel.

Feel free.
…Thanks.

So, Mr. Lantern, your name is Lumiel?
That’s right!

10
I’m Karen.
What’s your name?
Mika.

11
The sleet’s stopped, but it’s still snowing quite heavily.
We’re stuck.
Siiigh…
I wish I’d just set out early tomorrow.

A light…

This brings the head count up to three.
crunch

12
What a surprise! / I’d never have thought there’d be a church so deep in the forest.

It was built for people travelling through this wood long ago.
Although I’m the only one left now…

On days like this, I look for travelers who might be bogged down by the snow.
That’s so nice of you!

Wow, this place is pretty run down!
Aha.
Behave.

The snow should stop sometime tonight.
You can take shelter here in the meantime.

13
Aaah, this is heaven!!
Warm yourselves by the fire. / We are by no means short of firewood in this forest.

Thank-you, sister. // You’re a lifesaver!

Are you siblings?

Nope. // I’m on my way headin’ back to my hometown. I just finished my apprenticeship today.

14
I’m…travelling.
snap crackle

I also sell my crafted wares along the way. Like this one here.
Wait,

// I’m part of your stock?!
That’s right. / I’ll sell you instantly if you don’t p36stuff it.
Urk-!

But really, you’ve saved us, sister.
snap crackle crackle

I wanted to see my family so bad. It was evening, but I still decided to go through the forest.
/ Though the rumours did make me uneasy…
Rumours?

15
There are rumours of a witch.

A ghostly witch with no heart.

…? / Like the ones from fairy tales?

Sister, have you not heard?

There’s been a rumour going ‘round town these days.

16
A witch who sold her heart to the devil to gain immortal life…
// Wanders the forest every night…
// Hunting travellers for the sake of obtaining a new heart.

Oh my… // But witches are fairy tales at most…
She gave her heart to the devil.

17
It’s the story of a miserable, exceedingly foolish witch…
// Doomed to wander the rift between life and death in an ageless, immortal body…
// For century after century upon centuries.

But it’s true. Countless people who’ve entered forest at night have gone missing.

Just saying, but witches could very well exist. This is coming from a talking lantern.

Oh!

// I’m sorry, did I scare you?
Not at all.

Just a moment.
rummage rummage
I’ll have something nice for you.

There they are!

18
Here. You can have these.
My little brothers love them to bits.

I bought heaps of ‘em to bring home!

Thanks.

Hey, Mika, // why are you travelling?

…I’m searching for my younger sister.

19
You… // lost her?

It’s alright! // I’m sure you’ll find her!

20
My village is just on the other side of this forest.
/ We’d love to have you over at our house tomorrow!
/ You could even tell your stories to my brothers!

Ma’s home cooking is fabulous as well.

…With pleasure.

Good night!

21
k-thnk
Small letters: mnam mnam…
Whattizit, miss? It’s the middle of the night.
Hush.

Can you shine a little less?
Yes’m.

creeak

22
You…

23
Are you the witch? / Sister…

My, my, // what do we have here?

How strange.
I was sure you had your fill of tea earlier.

24
That’s right, little miss.
I took her heart. / She was my prey.

pft

Just kidding! // I lied!

There’s no way witches could exist.
Honestly, I didn’t think there’d be that nasty rumour floating about.
/ I should be more careful of from now on.

25
…Why did you kill her?

Why?!
// Do you even need to ask?
// This is how I make a living!

You’d think she’d be loaded having just ended her apprenticeship, but look at this! Her wallet’s light as a feather!
// It’s god awful when things don’t go your way. Puts a real damper on the party.

But these here…

tug

These blonde locks were sure to fetch a high price!
// It’s a pity I got them soaked in blood.
// Now they’re worth less than trash! Kyahahaha!

26
Whoa, Sister!! // You make one fine money-grubbing penny-filcher!

That’s right, my dear talking lantern.
// You, on the other hand, are quite the rarity. I’m sure you’ll rake in the cash!

I’ll find you a new owner very soon.

Regrettably…
Hm?

I have no intention // of handing this item over to you.

27
I thought as much.

shunk

k-ksh
Ow!

28
chuckle
I hope you meet your sister in heaven.
// She might be waiting for you already.
twist

…How I wish it were so.

What?

…That fairy tale, / is very close to the truth, yet wrong in some respects.

What are y-
The one who made off with the witch’s heart was her younger sister.

The witch is looking not for another heart, // but for her own.

29
You!

That is why she continues to wander, searching for her sister who still holds it.

Oh boy.

Off slips her collar, // giving a glimpse // of a pitch-black // chasm.

This is a tale of more than 400 years.
slide

30
The petals of her ribs curl outwards,
flap

31
And there, lying in place of her heart…

32
clang

swoosh
Was a death forsaken

// void.

A clockwork with no gears,
Monster…
↑↑// A biological system with no organs.

33
An empty cavity // with no heart.
Sigh…

34
scff scff

Good thing we’re at a church. No need to bother looking for a place to bury her.
shunk

shunk shunk

shnk
Hey, miss.

35
Do you feel sorry for her?
// Or maybe you’re feeling jealous?

…Neither. // I feel neither.

It’s unfortunate they were unable to live out the time they were allotted,
// But if that was their fate, // then they were left for dead // in the same way I am left alive.

36
The exact same way.
The search for her sister and her heart, / is the search for the death she yearns for.

Sigh… // You know that, yet you still cry for her. You really are…

An immortal witch wanders the rift. // A death forsaken // miserable girl.
Stuff it.