Chapter 5

The next morning, I smiled at Vyl as if nothing had happened.

"Good morning, Vyl. It's not that bad. Come a bit earlier and help with the serving."

I had finished eating the breakfast that was delivered to my room and was now enjoying a cup of tea after the meal. I had already dismissed the maids.

Vyl looked upset, but he placed his hand on his chest and bowed apologetically. Perhaps he was reflecting on his outburst from yesterday.

Vyl became my servant to gather evidence that I am the 'Evil Witch.' If he were to be fired immediately, it would be meaningless. He seemed to realize that he needed to be more obedient to extract information. Or rather, unless we get a bit closer, I won't show any openings, right?

Today, he wasn't wearing his knight's uniform but a simple shirt and jacket. It wasn't as formal as a tuxedo, but it was a very servant-like outfit. He looked good in anything because of his face and figure. However, the large sword he carried for self-defense was a bit conspicuous.

"We will perform the contract dissolution ceremony at noon and then set off for Cucuruj immediately, so be prepared."

"Immediately?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, but if you need to pack or say goodbye, please do so in the morning."

It takes about five days to reach Cucuruj under normal circumstances. There are various things to consider, and the sooner we leave, the better. Vyl probably has a lot of preparations to make, but I can't wait for him.

"I only need this sword. I've already asked to dispose of all my belongings and said my goodbyes."

"Is that so? Well, it might be better to buy clothes and daily necessities there. Let's go shopping together. I'm looking forward to it."

Vyl, though exasperated, didn't refuse. Instead, he touched the sword at his waist.

"I have one question... Aren't you going to take the Witch Slayer from me?"

The Witch Slayer.

It is a cursed weapon forged with a large amount of witches' blood. In exchange for consuming a vast amount of magical power, it can nullify magic. Moreover, when a witch is cut by the Witch Slayer, smoke rises from the wound. Depending on how it is used, it can even reveal hidden witches.

The Witch Slayer Vyl possesses is a memento from his father, one of the weapons made during the witch-hunting era. It has buried many of his kin and is a detestable weapon to witches. Vyl seems to be puzzled by the fact that I don't take it from him.

"Yes. I don't think you'll feel safe with a regular sword while spending time with me. Besides, I believe it should be effective against magical beasts. It will be a great comfort on the journey home."

"…Did you make me your servant to take this from me?"

"No. I made you my servant because you suit my taste. Your face, voice, and personality are much better than Prince Rain's. I think so."

Vyl seemed taken aback by this unexpected answer.

"Of course, it's also to annoy the princes. It's good for them to realize what they've lost. Vyl was a valuable knight."

In the original "anime," Vyl played a crucial role in many situations. I don't know what will happen next, but without Vyl, Prince Rain and Miss Emeralda might die easily.

Vyl looked confused. "Why do I have such a high evaluation?" "Maybe you plan to attack the prince while I'm distracted?" "No, maybe you're just teasing me and enjoying my reactions?" "What a nasty person... This is why I hate witches..." I could see these thoughts in his eyes. I sighed softly. Vyl, you should try to hide your expressions better.

"You can keep the Witch Slayer. No, I'd rather you keep it. Consider it a sign of my trust. …However,"

I stood up and approached Vyl, then grabbed and took the ribbon that tied his black hair. His hair fell smoothly over his shoulders.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm taking this. It doesn't suit you."

This mint green ribbon, did you get it from Miss Emeralda?

I saw it in the original. When solving a strange case, a child she saved gave Emeralda many ribbons as a thank you. "Will Vyl use one?" she asked, and Vyl chose this color. Emeralda gave it casually, but Vyl cherished it, causing the "author" to suffer.

Vyl's eyes followed the stolen ribbon. He made a truly pitiful face.

"I'll give you a new one. It's not enchanted, so you can rest assured. If you don't trust me, you can have it appraised later. …Now, Vyl, kneel down."

Vyl groaned at the deep red ribbon I offered. He didn't strongly resist and obediently let me tie his hair. Since I allowed him to carry the Witch Slayer, he couldn't refuse this.

"Hehe, it suits you well. Want to see in the mirror?"

"Fine. I understand. I'll use this from now on. …But, please return the other ribbon. It was a gift from someone."

"No. The Witch Slayer is enough, isn't it? This shabby thing is just an eyesore. —[Ignizard]"

"Wha—"

The ribbon burned up due to my incantation, quickly turning to ashes and falling to the floor, the fire extinguishing.

Vyl's shoulders slumped, and he closed his eyes, trembling. I thought he would get angry, but he was holding back. It seemed his sadness was greater than his hatred towards me.

It's a bit pitiful, but I need to replace the collar. Besides, it's time to move on. In the original and in reality, she will never be yours. As long as I'm here, never.

In the afternoon, we visited the temple for the engagement dissolution ceremony. The country's mages were setting up a magic circle and arranging offerings. They were all extremely expensive, such as rare magical beast fangs and scales. This kind of magic requires a vast amount of magical power, so it can't be helped.

"About ten million wencas in total? Is the treasury okay?"

This will surely make the citizens angry. If it were for a wedding, it would be different, but using tax money for an engagement dissolution could lead to riots. Vyl answered in a hollow voice.

"Most of the offerings were from Prince Rain's personal wealth or funded by chambers of commerce he is close to..."

"Really? That's a good attitude. I'm relieved."

Of course, it makes sense. Prince Rain wouldn't want to further upset the people, and the country can limit his future actions by confiscating his personal wealth.

In any case, it's tough for a human without a core. Three ordinary witches' worth of magical power, which must be bought, is required. However, the spell itself is flawless. It's a highly advanced spell that ordinary witches can't perform.

While waiting for the ceremony to be prepared, the prime minister approached.

"Prime Minister, thank you for inviting me to your beautiful mansion yesterday. I was very comfortable."

"I'm glad to hear that. Lady Sonia... Prince Rain has also arrived. He wants to apologize for what happened yesterday."

"Huh?"

Upon closer inspection, the prime minister was sweating.

"Of course, it's not a request to start over. He just wants to apologize for the harsh words he said. You can refuse if you wish. Normally, seeing the prince today would be painful. But..."

As the prime minister of the country, he wants me to accept the prince's apology.

Hmm, what should I do?

I don't think it will end with just an apology. He won't believe my innocence in just one day. The prince is probably trying to discern the truth by talking to me.

It's troublesome. But I also have questions.

"Alright, I'll see him."

"Really?!"

"Yes. However, only Prince Rain, me, and my servant Vyl."

The prime minister and Vyl both widened their eyes.

"Um, is that..."

"You... What are you thinking?"

"Sixteen years, even if only in name, we were engaged. I want to have a final, informal conversation. But I'm worried about being alone, so Vyl, you come with me."

In a private room at the temple, Prince Rain was already waiting.

He was as beautiful as ever, but the signs of exhaustion were evident. He seemed to have lost weight in just one day.

"Thank you, Miss Sonia. I appreciate your magnanimous response."

But I'm disappointed. From the look in his blue eyes, he hasn't given up yet.

He seems ready to fight.

"Let's skip the preliminaries. We don't have much time before the ceremony, and I have questions too. Please, go ahead with your business."

There were two simple chairs in the room. The prince and I sat facing each other, and Vyl stood behind me. No eye contact between the men, please.

Vyl was in a position to attack my neck from behind. Did I choose the wrong moment to burn the ribbon?

Of course, no one can attack me here.

Even in a private room, there are guards outside the door, and the presence of magic can be detected. We can't do anything rash.

"Then, let me reiterate. Miss Sonia Carnelian, I deeply apologize for my harsh words and actions yesterday. I defamed your and your mother's honor without solid evidence. No amount of words can make up for it. I think I deserve to be killed by you here and now. It's a wonder I'm still alive."

"Please, don't be ridiculous. I won't do anything violent. I have received your apology. As for compensation, I consider the excellent knight you've given me sufficient. In the end, my mother's wish to reveal the truth has been fulfilled. So please, don't worry, and if possible, be happy with that girl."

"…You are truly a magnanimous woman. And incredibly composed. As an elder, I'm ashamed but can only admire you. Not understanding your character was my greatest mistake. If we had talked beforehand, this wouldn't have happened. I misjudged you."

"I also misunderstood you. I thought being a prince of a country would be restrictive and oppressive, but you can break free from such constraints. That's admirable."

The prince and I were talking amicably, but the air in the room was cold.

There was a hidden edge in our polite words.

The prince's words were tinged with sourness, and mine with sarcasm.

Thankfully, we didn't have to get married. We would have been a freezing couple, as evidenced by Vyl's fear.

"Since the apology is over, will you listen to my questions now?"

"Yes, of course."

"Who is that girl, Emeralda? How did you meet her?"

When I appealed that Vyl wouldn't tell me, Prince Rain nodded slightly.

"There's no point in hiding it now. I believe you can guess, but she is a 'Witch's Abhorred Child.'"

Indeed, I was relieved that it was as in the original.

A Witch's Abhorred Child.

It refers to someone who has the potential to become a witch but missed the opportunity.

First, let's define what a witch is.

They don't fly on brooms, transform into frilly outfits, or make pacts with demons...

I was surprised by the witches in other "animes." No matter how short their skirts, you can't see their underwear. Do they have a special magical barrier?

Anyway, in this world, a witch is defined as "a woman who possesses both a core and a creation brain—two magical organs—and can freely use magic."

Magic is a miraculous act caused by magical power and a spell.

The core and creation brain are essential for this.

First, the core.

The place where magical power is generated. Its location varies from person to person.

All living beings have magical power, but those with a core can refine much more than ordinary people.

People with cores have superior physical abilities and often become adventurers or mercenaries. I've heard that they can live comfortably by crystallizing and selling their magical power with specialized magical tools.

Next, the creation brain.

A brain injury-like area. It is essential for designing spells.

People with creation brains can invent magical tools and sense the flow of natural magical power. They can also use magic by extracting it from crystals or offerings, though it requires a lot of study.

Becoming a mage ensures a comfortable life. They are highly sought after by countries and chambers of commerce. "In any world, intellectual workers are favored... tch," my previous self used to grumble.

People are born with either a core or a creation brain, but very few have both. And only women can be born with both.

However, even if someone has both a core and a creation brain, they can't be called a true witch without thorough training from a young age.

If the parent is a witch, it's not a problem, but if a girl with the potential to become a witch is born to ordinary people, it's tragic.

They must entrust their daughter to a witch for proper training. The help of a witch is essential for her to develop normally.

If she grows up without training, she might lose control of her magical power and destroy herself. Or she might harm others with uncontrolled abilities.

She must be apprenticed to a witch by the age of six and not return home until she becomes a true witch.

This is the rule in this world.

However, some parents don't want to hand their daughters over to witches.

Some witches demand large sums of money in exchange for taking them. They are despicable, even among witches.

There are also old legends in various regions, such as "The apprentice was eaten by the witch" or "The village was destroyed by the apprentice's dangerous ideology." It's understandable that parents who heard such stories as fairy tales can't trust witches.

Thus, those who end up being raised in human settlements without being taken by witches are called Witch's Abhorred Children.

It's too late to apprentice to a witch once they grow up.

It's like a bomb approaching, and it's a great nuisance to witches.

That's why they are called Witch's Abhorred Children. They are detested not only by witches but also by ordinary people.

After my mother saved the country twenty years ago, the credibility of witches in Mistoria has recovered, and the number of Witch's Abhorred Children has decreased.

Methods to prevent becoming a witch by removing the core have also been established.

Therefore, Miss Emeralda's existence is extremely rare in this era.

"She didn't even know she was a Witch's Abhorred Child until recently. Her precognitive ability was strictly trained to never be revealed to her foster parents. She seems to have tried not to believe in her own power."

"I see. But it's really rare. A Witch's Abhorred Child with precognitive ability..."

Most Witch's Abhorred Children either self-destruct or cause trouble and are eliminated. It's difficult for them to grow up safely.

If a Witch's Abhorred Child's creation brain develops abnormally and they acquire a rare ability, it might be believable. However, Miss Emeralda said she was born with precognitive ability.

No matter how skilled a witch, they can't deliberately acquire such an ability. I can't do it either. It's a matter of talent or luck.

Is this the protagonist's special treatment?

It's extremely frustrating.

"But I'm relieved. The instability of a Witch's Abhorred Child's power is well-known. The credibility of the prediction that I will bring disaster to Mistoria is even lower now."

However, Prince Rain didn't nod.

"I think there is room for debate about the credibility. Vyl and I didn't believe Emeralda's words at first. But we saw it many times. We saw Emeralda's predictions come true. And we saw her take actions to change the predictions, avoiding tragic outcomes by a hair's breadth. I'm sorry to say this again, but I still believe Emeralda."

"…I understand the feeling of wanting to protect someone you care about."

"It's more than that. Absolutely."

In response to the serious Prince Rain, I smiled brightly.

"I have a suspicion. If possible, I want you to answer it."

The prince's tense voice echoed in the cold room.

Hehe, maybe I underestimated the prince a bit?

"Miss Sonia. Could it be that you know the future?"