[Mihawk x Reader] The strongest swordsman who was raised by a witch

Bad Dream

There wasn't much information about Yidhra's background since she was a mystery by all means, but Mihawk seemed fine with that. He had accepted her offer to be his guardian from their first meeting without much consideration so her past shouldn't bother him in the first place. However, it's natural to be curious about someone's past, is it not? Not to mention Yidhra was his mentor and foster mother, there was nothing wrong if he wanted to know about her further than he already did.

Besides knowing his mentor was a very strong witch and she probably had lived a long time before his birth. Mihawk was told by Yidhra herself that she didn't take the human form at first.

"I had lived a life of a monster before taking this humanoid appearance. I lack human emotions and feelings. Most of the time, I would act on animal instincts." When Yidhra first took him to her land, she had explained her state.

To be honest, Mihawk couldn't help but be afraid, even just for a moment. Who wouldn't if the person who just saved you turned out to be not a human but a monster? He even had a thought that Yidhra's intention of raising him was to eat him when he grew older. He dared to ask her directly.

"Are you... going to eat me?"

The question stopped Yidhra on her steps as she turned to look at the little boy with her emotionless expression. At that time, her red serpentine eyes sent chills down Mihawk's spine since he had yet to get used to them.

"What makes thee have such thoughts?"

Mihawk hesitantly avoided the witch's gaze.

"...I... well, you just told me you're... a monster."

"And?"

"There are no reasons for you to take care of me, a human child." The more he said, the more unease he felt. His hands instinctively gripped his sword tighter while the palms of his hands were all sweated. If this situation turned out badly and the witch truly wanted to eat him, he... he didn't know if he could even put up a fight against her and escape. Especially when he was already on her land, a realm that was completely isolated from the outside world.

Her low chuckles were unexpected as Mihawk looked up at Yidhra with surprise and saw her smile for the first time. The witch's gaze fell on him again but it was softer than before.

"That is indeed true in human perspectives and perhaps in general. Monsters are mindless beasts and cannot communicate with other races or so many believe. It does not make sense when a monster adopts a human child, yes?"

The witch was being reasonable. That was a good sign, wasn't it?

"I understand if thee does not trust me. After all, we art still strangers. However, thou art a smart one, try to think of it. If I wanted to devour thee, I would have done so when we met at the cave. Why would I bother to offer my prey a place to stay?"

She made sense but that was the most confusing part. She was a monster and if she had no intention of hurting or feasting on him, what would she want with him? She had no reason to help him, providing him a place to stay and... teaching him how to fight.

Did she plan on making him owe her a debt and later... control him?

"Then why? Why must you help me?"

"Consider this as a payment for a debt."

Huh? Now Mihawk was even more confused "What... do you mean?"

"Helping thou is a payment I must fulfill as I have a debt of my own."

Wait. So that meant she was helping him because someone asked her to since she owed them?