Chapter 4

The cancellation of my marriage to Prince Rain led to utter chaos.

While the guests from other countries seemed to find it amusing, the people of Mistoria were in a state of panic.

There was nothing I could do amidst the turmoil, and I had no idea what would happen next. Bureaucrats and maids were running around with pale faces, crying and trembling. Poor things.

Prince Rain and Miss Emeralda, who were at the center of the commotion, were taken away by the king's close aides. They looked as if they would crumble into ashes if touched.

I wonder what will happen to those two. It's quite exciting.

The prince might be put under house arrest for a while. Despite his popularity, I don't think he will be exiled, but depending on his future attitude, he could lose his right to the throne.

In any case, what they did will be talked about for generations. Serves them right.

As for Miss Emeralda... Will she be able to leave the capital alive?

Not in the sense that she will be executed. The problem lies in her declaration that she has the ability to predict the future.

Probably no one there truly believed her, but they can't just ignore it.

Prophets have the power to shape history.

If Miss Emeralda's power is real, the kingdom will not let her go. Even if her predictions are only half accurate, it would still be a valuable asset. Knowing about disasters, famines, and rebellions in advance is priceless.

Miss Emeralda will likely be subjected to a series of experiments.

If she turns out to be a fraud, her position will worsen, but if she is real, it will be even worse. She probably won't be able to leave the castle until she dies.

But if she shows any signs of escaping, she might be killed. Some might think it's better to hand her over to another country.

Perhaps the castle is safer. If she has the power of foresight, everyone will want her. She will be a target if she goes outside.

...To be honest, I'm troubled.

If Miss Emeralda's power is proven to be real, the suspicions will resurface.

Oh, I wish I could kill her now...

But I won't. I'll be suspected immediately.

Besides, I have other worries.

I glanced at the seat where His Majesty the King had been sitting and sighed secretly.

No, let's not worry about the future.

At least I won't be immediately condemned as an evil witch.

I worked hard, so I should reward myself.

Thanks to the Prime Minister's arrangements, I hurried to a mansion on the outskirts of the capital. Managed by the kingdom, it was a well-maintained and luxurious mansion, hidden deep in the forest with no one around. Perfect for secret meetings.

After becoming the center of such a commotion, I couldn't stay in the castle. I wanted to see the room I would have shared with my husband after the wedding, but I couldn't bear to think about the people who had prepared it. There are those who would protect the prince, and staying in the castle would make me feel very uncomfortable.

I really want to return to Kukurujyu, but there are procedures for the annulment of the engagement.

Unlike ordinary people, it is a promise between the kingdom and a witch. A binding magical contract has been placed on my and Prince Rain's bodies. It will take more than a day to undo it.

I will stay at this mansion tonight.

I changed from my wedding dress into a white dress, removed my heavy makeup, and applied a lighter one. I asked a servant to bring a bucket of hot water to my room. My feet were sore from standing in uncomfortable shoes. I must have been more tense than I thought.

As I sat on the bed and soaked my feet, a gentle knock echoed.

“Come in.”

Vil entered silently and turned his face away. He probably thinks I'm indecent. The Prime Minister said to make myself at home.

I stared at the young man standing in front of the door.

He was tall and had a masculine build. His black hair, which reached his shoulders, was tied up carelessly. His slanted eyes were a mysterious golden color, which strangely made people uneasy.

His lips were tight, and there was a wrinkle between his eyebrows. He might be a bit nervous.

The man who was supposed to be my fierce enemy in the original "anime."

The man who would cause my death and my own death.

It's so amusing that we are now in a master-servant relationship. I can't help but smile.

“Introduce yourself again.”

“...Vil Obsidian. Former Captain of the First Prince's Royal Guard.”

“Former, note that. From today, you are the servant of Sonia Carnelian, the daughter of the witch of Red凛.”

Vil's face twisted in humiliation. So honest.

“I am the daughter of a famous witch, but as you can see, I am not particularly noble. You can call me whatever you like in informal settings, and you don't need to use honorifics. You don't have to risk your life to protect me, but you must never disobey my orders.”

After scrutinizing me, Vil muttered.

“It depends on the order.”

“Such as?”

“...Even without the emblem, I am still a knight of Mistoria. I will not assist in criminal activities.”

“Huh, you don't trust me at all. I am a good witch, you know?”

Vil only frowned.

But so... as long as it doesn't violate the code of chivalry, you will do as I say?

“Vil, dry my feet.”

When I extended my wet feet, he froze.

“What are you doing? You'll catch a cold. The towel is right there.”

He didn't answer but slowly moved. He knelt in front of me and began to dry my feet one by one. He avoided looking at my face and was careful not to touch my skin directly, showing meticulous attention.

“Please be gentler. You're hurting my skin. Don't forget between my toes.”

It must be humiliating for him, to be ordered around by me, a witch.

I can see his irritation building up.

After he cleared away the bucket, I asked him a few more questions. I know most things about Vil, but there might be discrepancies from the original, and it would be unwise to say something I shouldn't and raise suspicion.

He is twenty years old.

He met Prince Rain when he was ten and has been serving as a knight since he was sixteen. He accompanied the prince, who left the castle to investigate the strange incidents that were troubling the kingdom, and has been traveling around for about a year.

“So, when and how did you meet that girl, Emeralda?”

“...”

He had been straightforward until I mentioned her name, but now he fell silent.

“Vil, answer me. It's an order.”

“...What will you do with the information?”

“I won't do anything. But I'm curious, aren't I? You seem to genuinely believe I am an evil witch.”

“If Emeralda says so, then it must be true. She's not the type to lie.”

“I'm not saying she's lying. But, you know, it's possible that she has lost her mind due to her extraordinary foresight."

Vil's eyes turned deadly. I continued my cheap provocation, enjoying the drop in room temperature.

“She sees me as an obstacle to her love. Perhaps she unconsciously framed me as evil to break off the royal marriage. She must really like the prince.”

In the original, by this point, Emeralda and Prince Rain were already in love, and Vil was struggling to accept it. Judging by his reaction, it seems to be the same. He looks very distressed.

To be in love with another woman in front of me. It seems like a good opportunity to tease him.

“But, the prince and that girl are so foolish. They take things too personally.”

“...Stop insulting them.”

“Why? If you had told me earlier, I would have helped. As a good witch, I wouldn't interfere with true love. I would have happily assisted in the annulment of the engagement.”

I was waiting for them. But they never came.

“What have you been doing? You should have come to talk. Peaceful resolution starts with dialogue, doesn't it?”

I wasn't hiding.

Maybe they thought Kukurujyu was too far?

If they had visited, I would have treated them to my special herbal tea.

...Just kidding. Let's end the play here.

“If you had followed the proper procedures, you wouldn't have been so humiliated, and we could have parted ways with 'minimal sacrifice.'"

“...Are you kidding me!”

Vil's eyes widened. Given that I deliberately stepped on his landmine, he is genuinely angry.

“You said earlier... that Alonia Carnelian planned the attack to minimize the sacrifice.”

“Yes."

“How many people do you think died in that 'minimal sacrifice'? What did my parents go through...!"

In a fit of emotion, Vil revealed his background.

Vil's father, Cross Obsidian, was a young and talented captain of the kingdom's royal guard, known as the strongest in the kingdom.

However, during the capital's attack twenty years ago, he was easily killed by a witch. His beloved wife was taken hostage.

The brutally killed knight was drained of blood, his intestines pulled out, and he was hung upside down at the city gate for three days and three nights. The humiliation of the kingdom's strongest knight served as a warning of the witch's terrifying power.

“Seeing my father's mutilated body, my mother went mad and slit her pregnant belly. That's how I was born, and she died immediately!”

His golden eyes glowed with hatred.

Beautiful.

Like a full moon that drives people mad.

“Dialogue? Are you kidding me! How can I bring the prince and Emeralda near the den of cruel, cunning witches who don't even see humans as humans? I don't know what kind of despicable traps they might set! That's why I waited for you to come to the capital! I was going to expose your true nature and Alonia's, and show the fools who believe in coexistence with witches the truth!”

...I see, so you thought it through.

Behind the grand cathedral, the kingdom's elite guards were on standby for security, and the same was true for the protection of foreign dignitaries. If necessary, there was more than enough force to subdue a single witch.

By the way, the prince chose his words very provocatively. He was deliberately trying to anger me.

Indeed, in the "anime," the witches who caused the strange incidents were all very quick to anger. Especially when their schemes were exposed and they were accused, they would...

I thought it was a cliché, but maybe witches really lack patience? That's the perception?

I don't think I or the witches from the countryside are like that.

By the way, in the original, Emeralda and the others were in a difficult situation until just before the wedding ceremony. In a country that praised Alonia as a savior, it was hard to condemn her daughter. Even when it was revealed that the culprit of the strange incidents was a witch, people didn't feel threatened.

The prince and the others came to today's ceremony with a resolve to die.

Without concrete evidence, they still had to condemn me.

They were that desperate and that much in belief of Emeralda's foresight.

The guests at the wedding ceremony were all people who were friendly towards the witch of Red凛. The guests were chosen to be considerate of me, and those who disliked my mother would have refused to attend.

They must have also considered the impact on public opinion.

...I'm glad I watched the "anime."

Otherwise, I might have been manipulated by my anger like Vil is now.

“I hate witches. I want to kill every last one and tear out their intestines... including you, Sonia Carnelian.”

Vil reached for his sword, the witch killer, and was trembling. He seemed to be fighting the urge to cut me down.

There is only one thing I need to say.

“I'm sorry. I spoke without thinking. I retract my statement. If you wish, I will apologize as a witch for what happened to your parents.”

“Don't mock me... Are you begging for your life? Do you think I'll forgive you—”

“No. If a witch's apology could make up for such hatred, there would be no need for witch killers. I understand that much. Don't misunderstand.”

I looked up at Vil defiantly.

“You don't have to forgive me. If you want to kill me, I'll let you challenge me. But I will still keep you by my side.”

“Why... You know what I'm trying to do.”

The reason Vil became my servant honestly?

Of course, to gather evidence that I am an evil witch and to save the prince and Emeralda, who are in trouble. And to give them a just trial.

If he kills me here, the blame will shift to Prince Rain, delivering the final blow. That's why he can't draw his sword, right?

“I understand. But without evidence, no matter how much you hate me, you can't condemn me. You can't kill someone out of personal grudge. Even if you give up the emblem, you are still a knight of Mistoria.”

Vil, who was breathing heavily, finally released his sword after a few moments.

“You seem very confident...”

“Yes. I am a good witch and a good master.”

“Where's the proof!” Vil spat and stormed out of the room.

...This is good.

Once he has a good vent, it won't happen so easily again.

I won't have to worry about being stabbed in the back for a while.

Besides, I wanted to apologize first.

No matter how much I try to see things from the witches' perspective, Vil's background is pitiful. It wouldn't be fun to feel guilty and hold back from teasing him. It's not fun to be hated for something that happened before I was born, but...

“But Vil... you know, don't you?”

That your father led the witch hunting force.

And the humiliation he suffered after his death was the same as what his fellow victims of witch hunting had endured.

What goes around comes around.

We both need to be prepared, don't we?

I am very surprised and grateful for the many people who have read this.

Thank you.

Next time, I plan to explain the world and some terms.

It will take some time as I have decided to write carefully, but I hope you will wait for it.