Chapter 71

"That must be a witch."

With a blink, the pitch-black eyes made Sophie involuntarily gulp down her tea. It was scalding hot!

On the bed of a small inn in a small town.

The little girl who easily defeated the giant bird monster was very taciturn and expressionless, but when it came to magic, she was incredibly talkative. The flood of information was so overwhelming that Sophie struggled to keep up, but at the same time, she was captivated by the unknown stream of knowledge.

Every time Sophie nodded or asked a question, the onyx-like eyes seemed to sparkle, making the conversation even more enjoyable.

After all, it was a chat with a girl.

A chat free from factions, schemes, and political strategies, something fresh and light. There was no need to rack her brain or read the other person's mood; it was just a simple, pointless chat! How could it not be fun?

Sophie, who had been taught another "fun" thing by the girl she casually called "Renate," learned that Renate was the fiancée of the king of the country of Obdrayel and also a witch.

The witch, Renate, said:

"Sophie's magic is similar to a witch's magic."

While talking about witches and mages, Renate looked at Sophie and said, "By the way,"

"It seems more like the real thing... Did you learn magic from a witch?"

Sophie, who had never deeply considered witches, didn't quite understand, but Renate explained that it was a rare occurrence.

Witches, apparently, are not exactly rare, but they are not the kind of people you can just become an apprentice to. Indeed, this was Sophie's first encounter with a witch.

Renate was very curious about where Sophie had learned her magic, but since there was no interesting story, Sophie was a bit at a loss. She had only read a dusty book in a corner of the enormous royal library out of curiosity and practiced magic in her room.

Originally,

There was no such thing as "magic" in the noble education curriculum for becoming a queen.

Nor was it part of the education she received from her mother to become a lady. It simply didn't exist.

Walking beautifully, giving a perfect speech, opening a fan gracefully, and smiling without showing emotion. That's what was expected of Sophie. It was a life of being neatly packed into a square box. Ha, what a boring story, and of course, it made her a boring person. But in short,

In those days, the book she encountered by chance had slightly lifted her spirits.

It was like a book secretly lent by the queen; for a moment, she could be no one and anyone.

"Did you learn magic by reading a book?"

"Basically, yes... but there was someone who gave me the opportunity to use magic."

What is the definition of a tea party, anyway?

There was no time for such petty remarks in this private tea party. Sitting in a seat and turning around after just a glance at the fiancé, saying "I've fulfilled my duty," was only allowed for the crown prince. If Sophie obediently went home, she would be scolded by her father for being "incapable of entertaining her fiancé."

Such a tea party shouldn't exist, damn it. Of course, Sophie couldn't say that, so she resigned herself to it and, after the tea party, read books in the corner of the library, including the queen's books and the magic books she found.

One day, she met a mysterious man.

"Hey, kid, do you want to be a witch?"

He was all red.

Red long hair, red eyes, red coat, red innerwear, red shoes. Even his nails were red.

The man, who could only be described as red, was suddenly looking down at Sophie.

Who are you? Where did you come from? Before she could even ask these obvious questions, Sophie, who was making a shadow, looked up at the man in surprise, and he pointed to the book.

"You're reading a witch's book, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

Of course, Sophie had never wanted to be a witch.

There was no other path for Sophie except to become a queen. No one who could enter the castle would be unaware of this.

So, was this a trap or a test?

Despite this, the man's eyes were a color Sophie had never seen before. Not just red, but...

"Want a hand?"

Before Sophie could answer, the man with the unreadable eyes tilted his head and said something with a mysterious tone. Sophie stared blankly at the red hair that fell over his shoulder.

"Give me your hand."

"Huh?"

Before she could even joke about lending her hand, her right hand was grabbed without a word.

"!"

A rough, bony hand gripped Sophie's, and the red eyes stared intently at her.

The eyes, like balls of fire, seemed to pierce through her. She heard a growl, and something ran down her spine,

Her lips were touched on her toes.

– Instantly, a sound like a snap echoed in her mind.

"!"

Sophie instinctively closed her eyes and pressed her head, and her other hand was squeezed tightly.

It wouldn't let go, and her left hand, still connected, felt like it was burning. As she gasped, a relaxed voice sang out.

"It's okay. Look, open your eyes. What do you see?"

"What do you see?" she repeated, and opened her eyes as instructed, losing her words.

"...Beautiful..."

The man was glowing red, like sparks dancing.

It was powerful yet fragile, hot yet cold.

As the sensation of numbness in her head continued, Sophie murmured, and the man blinked.

"That's the first time I've been told that. ...Hmm, not a bad feeling."

He raised the corner of his lips in a grin and released Sophie's hand.

"What do you see?"

"Well, a lot of, red, light particles, like..."

As she tried to describe the floating sparks in front of her eyes, the man nodded and patted her head.

"You have talent. You must observe your surroundings well. You can see magic so clearly. Good, good."

"Magic? This light?"

He nodded, and the man released his hand from her head.

"Try to see different things. There are many ways to see them."

"Do they differ from person to person?"

"Yep. The color and shape of magical power vary from person to person. Whether you have the talent for magic or not, everything has magic power."

"...So, can you see my magic power?"

"Curious?"

The man, who said it casually, left Sophie speechless.

If she said she wasn't curious, it would be a lie.

The world that had only existed in the pages of books was suddenly spread out before her eyes, but she couldn't ask.

She couldn't ask.

Sophie's lips trembled, and the man smiled slightly.

"Next time we meet, I'll tell you."

If you remember me, he said with a mischievous smile, and the next moment, he disappeared.

To vanish in the blink of an eye! It felt like she had been tricked. Was it a dream or an illusion? The only reason she didn't doubt her sanity was because there was a note in the book.

'If you don't forget this feeling, you'll be able to see what's written in the book.'

"I was surprised that someone would write in a book from the royal library."

Thanks to this, Sophie was even more careful not to be seen reading the book. She didn't want to be suspected of scribbling.

Sophie sighed, and Renate nodded.

"That must be a witch."

With a blink, the pitch-black eyes made Sophie involuntarily gulp down her tea. It was scalding hot.

As Sophie choked on the freshly brewed tea, Renate's shoulders shook.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

I almost died, she thought.

Renate hurriedly brought water, and Sophie thanked her and drank it. Cold water is the best, she thought. She could have talked about the importance and value of water at length. Water is essential for life. Perhaps water is life itself. She could even write a hymn. But, it wasn't the right time for that. She wouldn't write a hymn to water, no matter what. It would be a shame.

Renate watched Sophie, who wiped away her tears, intently. Her expression didn't change, but the intense gaze wasn't a love hurricane.

She must be worried, Sophie thought and smiled.

"I'm fine."

"Okay."

Renate's expression didn't change, but she seemed relieved and returned to the topic of "the witch."

"She must have transferred her magic power to Sophie. It's a drastic method but quick. ...However, it requires very delicate magic manipulation. She must have been quite skilled."

Sophie had expected as much, so she wasn't surprised.

But.

"Renate?"

Renate, who had been looking down in thought, looked up and met Sophie's eyes.

"That person is a man... but..."

"Yes?"

"Is he a witch?"

"What does it matter?"

Eh, eh... Sophie frowned.

Is there something wrong with me?

"I thought witches were only women..."

"Oh."

Renate's eyes widened slightly as if she had just realized something, and she nodded. Her long hair fell over her shoulder.

"If you learn witch magic from a witch, you become a witch, so there's no gender difference."

"Ah... Witches are free, then."

Sophie had always been required to be a proper lady.

The strict rules for noblewomen were so strict. The strictness personified in a dress was her mother and the symbol of Sophie as a woman. It was hard to breathe, but there was no time to cry.

She had to keep her head up, back straight, and smile, and the word "freedom" was hidden in the glittering pages of books.

"Witches, by nature, live with nature and dislike being bound."

The idea that such a way of life existed felt like a punch to her rigid mind.

She didn't even envy it.

Sophie chewed on the distant words. Mmm, I can't taste it yet, but...

Renate's eyes were vacant, and Sophie was concerned.

At that moment, Sophie couldn't understand what Renate was thinking. They had only talked a lot and gotten to know each other.

The wall between people was visible, and Sophie didn't know how to break it or climb it. She didn't even know what to do.

All she could do was sip her tea. Ugh, how pathetic.

– Now, thinking back, Renate was also living far from the word "freedom."

A sad glimpse of a witch who couldn't live like a witch.

Sophie's chest tightened at the memory, and the Renate in her memory said, "So," and brushed away her fallen hair.

"Did you continue to study from books?"

"Yes. I couldn't stop seeing things."

Sophie laughed, and Renate nodded slightly. She must have smiled, and Sophie's smile deepened.

"I started to see many things."

Indeed, the encounter with the mysterious red man had completely changed Sophie's view of the world.