Chapter 24

"Basically, if we assume that there is magical power in everything in this world and consider that we can manipulate it, I think there's nothing we can't do. The reason why we witches are skilled at manipulating magical power might be due to the difference in our perception. Instead of recognizing it as something vague and hard to understand like space, we see it as something that constitutes magical power."

"It's no good, this one won't stop, I'm going to make her walk."

When Weiss lowered the small body to the ground, Renetta didn't stop. Her eyes were shining brightly, and it was the moment when the king gave up.

Livio and Sophie, who had taken on the part-time job of guarding the princess and her fiancé from the neighboring country, decided to set out from the city the next morning with Weiss and Renetta. The bag that Renetta had enchanted swallowed everything, even the tent that Livio had procured and the blankets brought from home, to the point where Sophie was worried if it could still fit more. "This will even fit matcha," Livio laughed, and his beloved horse, Matcha, stuck its nose in, but it looked like it was about to be sucked in, so it quickly raised its head. A bag that can swallow a horse is practically a ghost.

Thanks to the ghost bag, Matcha, who was now light, couldn't be ridden by Sophie. As she was wondering what to do, Renetta came to her rescue. Though Renetta herself probably wasn't aware of it, she was just talking non-stop.

It all started when Sophie looked at the bag and said, "Amazing! How does it work?!" Renetta started talking in a rush, and Sophie nodded and asked more questions. The conversation wouldn't stop. "Stop it, girl, you've talked enough," Weiss shook her head, but she couldn't ignore Renetta. Besides, Renetta's talk was genuinely enjoyable, so Sophie secretly put her hands together towards Weiss. Sorry.

At the farewell from the townspeople, Renetta stopped talking and waved gracefully, a fitting gesture for a princess. Her dress was as black as a funeral, but her delicate movements were charming. However, the moment they left the city, she resumed, "So, you see."

Even when Weiss lifted her body and put her on the horse, she didn't stop. Even when Weiss rode behind her, she didn't stop. The horse, with Renetta talking endlessly on its back, made a big frown. It was a horse, but it was so obvious. The horse wouldn't move even when Weiss pulled the reins. So, Weiss gave up first.

"It's no good, this one won't stop, I'm going to make her walk."

Sophie smiled wryly at Renetta, who had returned to her side on the ground. This intensity and narrow field of vision, pouring all her energy into magic, was why she could easily perform great magic.

"She'll be quiet when she's tired."

The fiancée is being treated like a crying baby. Well, for Sophie, who can't ride a horse, it's a blessing. Thank you, Renetta, for your non-stop lecture. But, as Weiss said, it won't be like this forever. Eventually, Renetta will ride with Weiss, and then Sophie will have to ride too. She has to ride, and it's a matter of life and death for Sophie, who can't and doesn't want to ride. Fear isn't logical.

While nodding to Renetta, she glanced at Livio. Livio smiled with a troubled look. They couldn't hide it forever, but they had accidentally forgotten this fact and ended up with a bag that had a very powerful spell cast on it. It was a very bad situation.

Sophie, who had never acted on a whim, was sweating inside. "Hi, this is a rare waterfall of cold sweat flowing from various places," she thought. Ahaha, she couldn't laugh.

"That."

After enjoying a half-day of girl talk with occasional breaks, when Livio started preparing lunch, Weiss held his head in his hands, saying, "You've got to be kidding me." There was nothing he could do. Girls, from ancient times to the present, love to talk.

The conversation flowed non-stop. For example, "Speaking of tea, there's this thing that happened yesterday," and the conversation went all over the place. Without a clear beginning, middle, or end, the talk wandered from tea leaves to the minister's mistress, dress designs, composers, and the latest opera, and then back to tea leaves. For Sophie, it was all trivial talk, but she couldn't relax because she heard useful information like the minister's mistress problem and signs of collusion among the nobility. It was a rather painful time.

Compared to the elegant tea party, Renetta's talk lacked charm and sophistication. It was all about magic. However, the way the topic jumped around, the endless chatter, and the enjoyment of Renetta and Sophie made it a genuine girl talk.

Sophie's enjoyable girl talk ended when Renetta blinked and said, "That."

Something white was moving, hidden by the trees with white trunks and leaves.

"Wow, there are a lot of white trees."

"You just noticed?"

"It's proof that we're close to Ritzdo. The name Ritzdo comes from the Ritzdo tree, which has white trunks and leaves."

When Livio explained, Renetta nodded. The sun was shining brightly, and it was a warm day. There was no sign of snow, but the scene looked like a snowy landscape, surrounded by white trees. The ground was, of course, green grass and brown earth, making it a very strange sight.

"Wow, there."

"Yeah, they're there."

"They are, aren't they?"

"Huh?"

When Renetta pointed, Weiss and Livio responded casually. Sophie followed Renetta's finger and realized that the white thing visible between the trees was a large beast, and she stiffened.

"It's okay. They haven't noticed us."

"We can't deal with every little thing."

As expected of the strongest party, they weren't fazed by a little thing. Only Sophie was flustered.

"!"

The thing in front of them moved slowly.

It was white, large, and really big. Seriously, too big.

Could it be a giant monster, Sophie wondered, and when she looked at Livio, he opened his eyes wide. His blueberry-colored eyes sparkled.

"Sir Weiss, that's pretty big. It's one of the largest I've ever seen."

"Can't you take it apart?"

"I can, but it's better to eat it at a restaurant."

Of course, Weiss stroked his beard, and Sophie almost fell over. The white, large monster, which seemed to be unaware of them, let out a roar, "Woo."

But, but. It was as tall as the tall Livio and could look down on the trees around it. Is this normal? Are we going to eat it now? Do you want to eat it?

Sophie looked at Renetta, thinking, "No way." Renetta's expression was blank.

"Sophie"

"Huh?"

After spending a night together, Renetta and Sophie had become close enough to call each other by their first names. They still spoke formally out of habit, but Sophie liked being called by her first name by Renetta.

She wasn't surprised to be called by her name.

What surprised her was being pulled by the hand by Renetta, who stood up.

Wait. What. What are you planning, Renetta? Her black eyes were probably shining. It didn't feel good.

"That monster is injured."

"Huh?"

When she pointed, a leg as thick as ten tree trunks was dyed red. The surrounding trees were also stained with blood, creating a rather horrific scene.

"There's no fool who would attack something that size, so it's probably a fight among its kind?"

"Looking closely, it seems a bit different from a Dead Ripper... maybe a territorial dispute?"

The two men were still relaxed. Was it because they were confident they could handle anything that came up, or because they trusted that Renetta could handle anything? Sophie, who couldn't fight, was worried about the fate of her right hand, which was firmly held by Renetta.

"Let's heal it."

There, that's why I had a bad feeling. This genius witch is saying something crazy.

"Renetta?"

"Sophie."

Just to be sure, she asked, and Renetta shook her head. Her black hair swayed cutely, but what she said was anything but cute. Healing a random monster's injury—what kind of pure heroine or saint is this? If there were a girl who loved romance novels, she might have been moved, but Sophie knew. This wasn't about feeling sorry for a bear or something cute.

"I think Sophie can use healing magic. Let's try it."

It was the madness of a mad scientist. Pure curiosity. The scariest kind.

But the ones who move the world and grow the fastest are people like this. And Sophie wanted to change herself.

Just trying a little harder wouldn't make her useful in the strongest party, who had honed themselves over a long period. It would be rude to even think about it.

But she didn't want to be the one who just trembled and said, "Help me," hiding in Livio's shadow.

"Will you teach me?"

"Yes."

When Renetta nodded, Sophie felt a bit relieved.

"I'm not good at teaching."

She couldn't feel relieved at all.

"Sophie-sama"

When she turned to the soft voice, Livio looked at her with worried but straightforward eyes and nodded. He wanted to intervene, but if Sophie wanted to, he didn't want to get in the way.

"Don't worry. I promise not to hurt Sophie-sama even a little."

A blue light enveloped Livio, and a giant sword appeared. Sophie smiled.

If Livio says it's okay, then it's okay.

With Livio's assurance, Sophie wasn't afraid of anything.

...

I couldn't update...! I'm sorry for the late post.

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