is a Japanese light novel series written by Kisetsu Morita and illustrated by Benio. It was serialized online since 2016 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō and, in the following year, it was acquired by SB Creative, who published the first light novel volume in 2017. The light novel has been licensed in North America by Yen Press, who published the first volume in April 2018. It has received a manga adaptation by Yūsuke Shiba in the same year as its debut of the light novel in Square Enix's Gangan Online website, also licensed by Yen Press. An anime television series adaptation by Revoroot aired from April to June 2021. A second season has been announced. The series has also spawned various spin-off novels.
Plot
After living a painful life as an office worker, Azusa ends up dying from overworking. She finds herself reincarnated as an undying, unaging witch in a new world, and now she vows to spend her days as pleasantly and stress-free as possible. She makes a living by hunting slimes, the easiest targets. But after centuries of doing this simple job, she has become extremely powerful and finds that she can no longer maintain her low-key lifestyle.
Characters
A former Japanese office worker reincarnated as an immortal witch, called . Weary of any overwork and excitement following her untimely death in her old life, she strives for an easy tune of existence, but once word gets out of her unprecedented prowess, she finds herself beleaguered by challengers trying to prove themselves on her, or all sorts of people willing to join her. However, she is compassionate and in time becomes very protective of her adopted family—much to the chagrin of anyone who deliberately endangers them.
A roughly 300-year-old shape-shifting red dragon girl. Originally arrogant, she came to Azusa to fight her and prove herself the stronger of them. After getting soundly beaten by Azusa, she joins her as her first apprentice and housekeeper.
An about 50-year-old slime spirit girl, and the elder of twin sisters. Both she and her sister Shalsha are reincarnations of the slime creatures that Azusa killed for a living; but while Shalsha is initially deeply resentful towards Azusa, Falfa adores her and considers her their "mother".
Falfa's younger slime spirit twin sister. Driven by feelings of revenge against Azusa for killing all the slimes, she learned a type of magic which is effective against one specific race only, but in turn is potent enough to counter even Azusa's magic; she is also very learned in magic lore. After being very easily beaten by Laika, Shalsha and Falfa join Azusa's household upon her invitation. She is very inquisitive, and habitually takes notes of anything new she comes across.
A young (about 225-year-old) female elf apothecary woman from Frant Province with very abrupt mood swings and a voluptuous build. She invented an extremely popular, alcohol-based energy drink; but when the demon lord Beelzebub drank from it, she went sick (from overworking after getting addicted to it) and then went after Halkara, whereupon the elf, believing that Beelzebub wanted in fact revenge, fled to Azusa for protection. After being given shelter, and after the misunderstanding with Beelzebub is cleared, Halkara decides to stay with Azusa and restart the production of her energy drink. She is very knowledgable about mushrooms, but scatterbrained and accident-prone.
An about 3,000-year-old high-ranking female demon, the Agriculture Minister of the Demon Realm, and Lord of the Flies. Chasing after Halkara after getting addicted to her energy drink (so that its production could be re-started) she challenges Azusa to a fight, but collapses from exhaustion and is nursed back to health by her and Halkara. After the misunderstanding was cleared, she leaves peacefully but vows to come back to settle her score with Azusa (which she ultimately loses) and get more of Halkara's drink, although she begins to settle in as one of Azusa's "family".
An over 400-year-old blue dragon girl who first meets Azusa and her extended family while she and her flock attempt to disrupt the wedding of Laika's older sister, out of simple jealousy that her blunt demeanor drove away her own fiance. After Azusa single-handedly thrashes the aggressors, and a final act of aggression is stalled by Beelzebub, she is forced to sign a peace treaty between the red and blue dragons. Afterwards, as part of her peace obligations, she also (much to Laika's disgust) joins Azusa's troupe—the only alternative being to commit suicide due to her inbred discipline.