TWFLLYM Ch 100

Return of the Black Witch (1)

On the way back, Kalart carried her again. Roserikta planned to negotiate for more walking time tomorrow using different tactics. Suddenly, something unexpected happened.

[Crow] "Caw! Greetings!"

[Roserikta] "Oh my!"

The Great Crow's greeting echoed from a distance.

Startled, Roserikta tapped Kalart's shoulder.

[Roserikta] "Put me down, Your Highness. I think The Great Crow is here."

[Kalart] "Must I?"

[Roserikta] "Yes. Absolutely."

I don't want the Forest Clan to catch me being overprotected like this.

Witches live longer and have stronger bodies than humans. They'll think I have no conscience.

[Roserikta] "The Great Crow represents all the birds. I can't greet him while acting so impolitely."

When she mentioned etiquette that humans didn't know, Kalart reluctantly lowered her.

The moment her feet touched the ground, The Great Crow and his clan entered her sight.

[Roserikta] "Over here!"

She waved. The crows landed in the palace garden.

[Roserikta] "It's been a long time. Have you been well?"

[Crow] "We have been safe. Though we are still busy chasing the Black Witch."

[Roserikta] "Do you have new news today?"

[Crow] "Indeed, indeed."

The Great Crow nodded with dignity. The other crows cawed in support. It wasn't scary, but the atmosphere felt heavy.

[Roserikta] "What happened?"

[Crow] "The number of corpses in the southern regions is increasing."

[Roserikta] "What?"

[Crow] "The Forest Clan followed the Black Witch's trail. Strangely, we never see her, but we occasionally find bodies. Bizarre, blackened corpses. Is that a sign of black magic?"

[Roserikta] "I've heard so. I haven't seen it myself, but I read it in a magic book. Humans used for black magic leave marks on their corpses."

But something felt wrong.

[Roserikta] "But the Black Witch doesn't usually leave bodies behind, does she? She turns everything into bones and keeps them in boxes."

[Crow] "Hmm…… then perhaps she is moving? She can't carry all those boxes while traveling."

[Roserikta] "That makes sense. Perhaps we can't find her because she's moving so fast."

Kalart and the guards could only understand half the conversation, but they guessed the mood.

[Roserikta] "The appearance of corpses means the Black Witch is gathering power."

[Crow] "At first, there were only one or two. Now, the speed at which we find bodies is increasing."

[Roserikta] "This is bad. It means she's gaining strength faster."

She gripped her dress and let go, her movements anxious.

[Roserikta] "I must tell Grandmother. She will know what to do."

[Crow] "Wait. Grandmother?"

[Roserikta] "Ah, the second witch of Versaryl was my grandmother. She passed away. The one I'm talking about now is the third witch of Versaryl."

[Crow] "Unbelievable. The third witch of Versaryl?"

The Forest Clan knew the age of the Versaryl family. They were the most famous family in the Witch Kingdom. Many witches held the Versaryl name; it was likely the most common name among witches. However, the second or third witch was a different story.

[Crow] "Goodness. Doesn't that mean she is one of the witches who founded the Witch Kingdom?"

[Roserikta] "Oh, you knew."

The Great Crow had another reason for his shock.

[Crow] "But didn't the witches cut ties with the human world? They acted as if they didn't care about the Black Witch because she was no longer one of them."

[Roserikta] "Grandmother changed her mind."

The Great Crow cried out.

[Crow] "This is wonderful news! Did you say the third witch of Versaryl? If she takes action, the Black Witch is no longer a major problem. My worries have vanished."

[Roserikta] "Yes. Grandmother is in the Witch Kingdom now. She's looking for a spell to find the Black Witch. It won't be easy. The Black Witch has no lunar energy, so it's hard to recognize her by sight."

[Crow] "Dear, dear. Still, if it's the third witch of Versaryl, she will surely find a way."

[Roserikta] "I believe so too. Anyway, I must send her the news quickly. Thank you, everyone. You worked hard."

[Crow] "As always, we are happy to help. Please tell our story to the third witch. If the Witch Kingdom opens its doors again, tell her we will always welcome them as friends."

[Roserikta] "Yes. Thank you."

[Crow] "We will bring more news. May you have a peaceful night under the moon."

[Roserikta] "May the moonlight illuminate your path without rest. Return safely."

The crows soared into the air. They merged with the dark sky and vanished.

Kalart wrapped his arm around Roserikta's shoulder as she watched them leave.

[Kalart] "Has the Black Witch appeared?"

[Roserikta] "Not yet. But people are dying. It seems she is growing her power by absorbing life force."

She looked at the moon, which looked particularly white tonight. Her expression darkened.

[Roserikta] "She will appear again soon."

He nodded gravely.

[Kalart] "We must prepare."

[Roserikta] "Yes."

[Kalart] "……Still, I hope she doesn't show up before our wedding."

She rested her cheek on his shoulder.

[Roserikta] "She'll appear before then. She won't be happy about your marriage news."

[Kalart] "Then I must hurry."

Only one step remained for the marriage: the Emperor's permission.

Kalart had been waiting for an answer since sending a messenger to Shana Castle the previous day.

[Kalart] "I should send another messenger."

The walk ended with words that would have turned Klein's face pale. But there was no need for another messenger.

An answer finally arrived from Shana Castle. It was an answer nobody expected.

---

[Clobell] "Rosie, Rosie! Did you see outside? It's complete chaos!"

Clobellina hadn't taken her eyes off the window since breakfast.

[Clobell] "I can see everything clearly now. Over there!"

She pointed her paw toward the main road beyond the castle gate, directly across from the terrace of the Crown Princess' bedroom.

The wide road, which could easily fit six carriages, was packed today. A massive crowd gathered to watch the return of Emperor Belto I.

[Clobell] "I've lived in the capital for three years, but I've never seen anything like that. That carriage looks like the sun. Everything, down to the wheels, is covered in gold."

Roserikta leaned against the railing next to Clobellina, watching the scene beyond the gate.

[Roserikta] "You're right. It's incredibly flashy. How should I put it? Just when I think the Imperial family is flashy enough, there's always something even flashier."

[Clobell] "It's not just a feeling. I heard the Emperor is useless and only loves luxury. You can tell just by looking at his carriage."

Roserikta opened her eyes wide.

[Roserikta] "Where did you hear that? Even I didn't know."

[Clobell] "I heard it from other cats when I lived on the streets. They've lived in the capital forever. Of course, they know these things."

[Roserikta] "Wow. I see."

The saying goes that birds hear the words of the day and mice hear the words of the night. She had to add one more thing: cats hear both day and night.

[Roserikta] "But why did he suddenly return?"

Kalart stood at the front of the procession to greet the Emperor. The Royal Guard, dressed in full uniform, escorted the procession on all sides.

An Emperor's movement was clearly a massive event. It reminded her of how Kalart used to travel everywhere with only a few guards.

He said two carriages made things complicated, so he rode a horse. I didn't realize it then, but he really could have bragged about that.

[Clobell] "The Emperor? Isn't it because of the wedding? He's the father, so he should see his child's marriage."

[Roserikta] "Ah, is that it?"

Her face suddenly filled with panic.

[Roserikta] "Oh no. You're right. That's natural, but I was stupid and didn't think about it."

[Clobell] "Do you still not realize you're marrying that guy?"

[Roserikta] "Uh…… is that so? ……Yes, I think so. Goodness, this is so strange. Am I really marrying the Crown Prince of the Empire?"

She sounded like she was talking about someone else. Clobellina snorted in disbelief.

[Clobell] "Look at her. She said she'd marry him, and now she's talking nonsense."

[Roserikta] "No, yes, I did…… but I don't know. I must have been out of my mind. Marrying him means……."

She looked out the window again at the strangely busy, noisy, and flashy procession.

[Roserikta] "……It means I have to get used to things like these."

[Clobell] "Are you scared?"

[Roserikta] "It's not that. It just doesn't suit me at all……. Ah, I guess that's what it means. I just wanted to be a good pharmacist. The Crown Princess. It's too sudden."

[Clobell] "No need to be scared. You think like that because you're in the human world. Think about living in the Witch Kingdom. Our grandmother is the queen there. If you go there, that Crown Prince is just a tiny, unimportant person."

[Roserikta] "No, Clobell. I told you many times, I was adopted."

[Clobell] "What does it matter? Storks bring witch babies anyway. Hardly any witches actually give birth themselves."

[Roserikta] "Ah……. Now that I think about it, you're right. But well, Grandmother is the queen, not me. The Witch Kingdom isn't a hereditary system."

[Clobell] "Having a powerful background is what matters."

Roserikta felt impressed once again. Sometimes Clobellina seemed to understand human affairs perfectly.

[Roserikta] "Clobell. I think you're getting smarter."

[Clobell] "I have no choice. To survive in this hellish palace full of schemes, I have to know human affairs."

Well, while she might disagree that the Trifolium Palace was "hell," it was encouraging to see a cat getting wiser every day.

[Roserikta] "Anyway, I should prepare myself. We'll definitely talk about the marriage separately, right?"

[Clobell] "He came for the wedding, so of course. He might call you separately and insult you. Don't be scared then, and say everything you want to say. Tell him the Crown Prince is such a flawed human that Grandmother Mazi opposed it from the start, but we barely agreed just to save a life."

[Roserikta] "Hmm……. That sounds like an invitation to fight."

[Clobell] "Better to fight than to be bullied."

Roserikta didn't think that was quite right, but she appreciated the support.

[Roserikta] "Okay, Clobell. I can't take back the marriage now. If the Emperor opposes it, I'll do as much as His Highness did."

[Clobell] "I told you to fight."

[Roserikta] "I can't. I think I'll lose. He's the Emperor."

[Clobell] "You can just ask the Crown Prince to take your side."

[Roserikta] "Ah, that would work."

Still, I shouldn't fight.

Roserikta made up her mind and stepped away from the terrace.

As if on cue, Elona rushed in like she was flying, making a fuss about choosing clothes to meet the Emperor.

However, the reason the Emperor returned to Trifolium was not because of the Crown Prince's wedding.

---

[Belto I] "And that is why my wedding has become more urgent, my son."

[Kalart] "……"

Kalart gritted his teeth, hiding his annoyance as best as he could.

At Shana Castle, the Emperor met a new lover. He said she was a baron's widow, and he realized at first sight that she was destined to replace the late Empress.

Kalart was about to get a very young stepmother at twenty-eight. He didn't want to criticize it; if he searched the history books of royal families across the continent, he could find plenty of examples. The problem was the timing.

[Kalart] "Delay it."

[Belto I] "……Hmm?"

The father and son shared a few similarities. Belto I gave Kalart only his silver hair and black eyes. Kalart's features belonged entirely to the late Empress.

Sitting on the throne he had left empty for months, his father looked like he suited a hot spring better than the Imperial seat.

[Belto I] "My ears must be getting old. What did you say, my son?"

[Kalart] "I told you to delay your remarriage. Mine is more urgent."

[Belto I] "No, what could be urgent at your age? You aren't even thirty."

Kalart decided not to mention how his father had babbled about marriage and Imperial heirs every time they met.

[Kalart] "There is a baby."

[Belto I] "Aha?"

[Kalart] "If the child is born before the marriage, the procedure becomes complicated."

He had no intention of backing down. He didn't care about the Emperor's wedding.

[Belto I] "Dear. What should we do? I made a firm promise to hold the wedding ceremony as soon as I returned to the palace."

Kalart didn't care who his future stepmother was. After the wedding or whatever, if they just went back to Shana Castle, it wouldn't bother him.

[Kalart] "Delay it. Or at least sign the marriage vow for us."

[Belto I] "Ah, I suppose that could work."

It was the moment Belto I said those words.

[Voice] "I refuse, Your Majesty."

A soft, enchanting voice struck their ears.