The Shadow of the Witch
After returning to the mansion after school, Sylvia Astra was busy skimming through the letters addressed to her. The Astra family was known for being more thorough than anyone when it came to remembering and repaying debts—both favors and grudges. Perhaps because of that family motto, there were quite a few members of the Astra clan working in the legal profession. However, because of that very fact, Sylvia—who was known to the outside world by the grand title of "Astra’s Successor"—occasionally received letters like the ones she held today, containing gifts and requests to "put in a good word" with those people. To put it bluntly, it was illegal solicitation.
"I’m only a successor in name; I don’t have a shred of real power to interfere in family affairs."
Of course, even if she could influence a verdict, she had no intention of looking favorably upon those who sent such requests. It was a chore for Sylvia to even witness the schemes of people who would commit such shameful acts and then resort to these tactics. "If you’ve committed a crime, you should just be prepared to pay the price." Sylvia chuckled to herself, tore the letters to shreds, and used spirit magic to incinerate the pieces until not a single trace remained.
"My Lady, I shall return all the items that arrived today, just as we have handled the others."
"Please do so. It feels like the number of these letters has increased over the past few days. I would hate for anyone within the family to be caught accepting such things, forcing me to blush for them."
"How could that be? I can assure you, My Lady, there is not a single fool in this house who would act in a way that brings shame to the name of Astra."
Sylvia put on a matching smile and nodded at the attendant who spoke with such confidence. The Astra family had once held the world in the palm of their hands; they were people more obsessed with that honor than anyone else. That was why, just as the attendant said, the name of Astra would never be tarnished. Even if someone were to receive such solicitations, they would never let anyone find out. Furthermore, if such a thing were ever at risk of being exposed to the outside world, the recipient would simply cease to exist overnight—by the hands of their own family, no less.
Sylvia knew well that even if such a thing happened, she would never be the wiser. She handled various tasks as the successor, but she had long ago realized that the truly important decisions were made by the inner circle of the family. But there was no helping it. Within the family, she was merely a symbol meant to reflect on a lost, glorious past, and the title of "successor" was just another name for a figurehead or a puppet.
Feeling a wave of fatigue, Sylvia yawned slightly and stretched. Then, realizing her lapse, she flinched and glanced at the attendant. She worried about what might be said for showing such a disheveled appearance, but the attendant only looked at her with a concerned expression.
"My Lady, you look exhausted. Shall I prepare some tea that is good for fatigue?"
"......Please do. I’ve had so much to deal with lately that I’m feeling a bit worn out."
"Fortunately, you have no particular schedule today, so it would be fine for you to take a rest this evening. I will go to the kitchen to brew the tea, so please wait a moment."
Relieved that she had a day of rest, Sylvia cheered internally and slumped face-first onto the desk where she had been sitting. It was a honey-like break granted to her amidst the physical and mental exhaustion of recent days. As she lay there, feeling limp, she suddenly thought that she shouldn't just waste such precious time.
"Since I finally have the time, I should read a book for once."
It would take a while for the attendant to return with the tea, so Sylvia left her room to head to the mansion’s library to fetch something to read.
The library was located quite far from her room. While passing through a hallway near the conference room on her way there, Sylvia heard the sound of someone talking. The people conversing were one of the elders who effectively held the real power of the family, and her uncle, Sator. It was a rare combination. Feeling curious, Sylvia stopped her steps toward the library and leaned in to listen from a spot where she couldn't be easily seen from the hallway.
Sator was shouting at the elder in a voice loud enough to be heard from quite a distance, sounding deeply aggrieved.
"To stop it now, after all this time? Do you have any idea how much time and resources have been invested in that project! We’ve already gone through the trial and error; next time, we will surely be able to produce a proper result!"
"Let me say this one more time, Sator. The project is terminated. I understand your disappointment, but we have decided not to concern ourselves with that 'result.' Besides, you said it was lost in the fire at the research lab. Consider everything invested so far as a sunk cost and just give it up cleanly."
Conflict. That was the word that came to Sylvia’s mind as she watched them. It was a baffling sight, as she had never once imagined she would associate such a word with those two. What on earth could be so important that Sator—who she thought was always too busy with lab work to involve himself in family affairs—would be in open opposition with an elder, of all people?
"It wasn't lost! I found what I thought had disappeared recently! Elder, you only need to give me your permission! Do you intend to abandon the secret wish of the Astra family?"
"Sator, that is not the Astra family's wish; it is yours alone. Much time has passed, and the situation has changed. The elders who once agreed with your opinion have long since changed their minds. Sator, you should let go of your lingering attachments now. Even if you find it again, it is the will of us all that it be discarded."
Words like "plan" and "Astra's secret wish" were thrown around, but Sylvia couldn't grasp what they were talking about at all. Sator had been carrying out some kind of plan, but was it against the will of the elders? She didn't know what the plan was, but if the elders who held the real power of Astra told him to stop, he would have no choice but to comply. Yet, Sator shouted back.
"I cannot do that!"
"Sator, are you saying you will defy the will of the elders?"
As the elder spoke with a tone of pressure, Sator stared at him without answering. His eyes, which were flickering ominously as he scratched his neck with his white-gloved hand, unsettled her. Seeing those eyes, Sylvia had a gut feeling that if things were left as they were, an accident would surely occur.
"First Elder, Uncle. What is going on here?"
So, she walked toward the hallway, acting as if she had just discovered them. Sylvia did not miss the fact that the elder’s expression was stained with genuine, albeit brief, bewilderment at her appearance. As expected, they were discussing something they couldn't tell her.
"It is nothing, Lady Sylvia. Just something related to work."
The elder spoke calmly, as if nothing had happened, but Sator’s expression remained rigid. As if to reprimand him for it, the elder turned his gaze to Sator and asked.
"Isn't that right, Sator?"
"......Yes, that is correct."
Fortunately, Sator seemed to have calmed down, as if his anger had subsided. Still, it looked like they were on the verge of a fight no matter how she looked at it. It was absurd, but since the atmosphere had settled, she was willing to play along with their act.
"That’s a relief. I was surprised, thinking the two of you were arguing."
When Sylvia smiled brightly, the elder chuckled and said to Sator.
"Haha, how could that be? Sator, I trust you will understand our decision."
It was a way of saying the decision had already been made and he only needed to follow it. She worried that voices might be raised again, but perhaps because she was there, Sator seemed to have no intention of resisting further and slowly nodded in response.
"......Understood."
"That is fortunate. I shall take my leave now. I’m getting old, so I get tired even from moving a little. Hahaha."
As the elder left, Sator looked at Sylvia. Although he had nodded to the elder earlier, he still looked somewhat dissatisfied.
"......Lady Sylvia, are you aware that there was once a position called the 'Family Head' that every member of the Astra family followed?"
Sylvia answered Sator, who had brought up such a sudden topic.
"I’ve only read about it in storybooks. It’s a story from 500 years ago, after all."
It was a story that had come down like a legend. It was said that the Family Head who led the great Astra was chosen directly by the World Tree. However, it was said that the last Family Head of Astra had struck the final blow against the Witch of Wrath who burned the World Tree, and then burned to death along with the witch. Naturally, since the World Tree had burned, the position of Family Head had naturally disappeared from Astra since then.
"Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like in those days, when there was someone worth trusting and following, like the Family Head in those stories. If it were someone like you, Lady Sylvia, I would be able to follow you with all my heart......"
"Uncle, please keep such thoughts to yourself. If they reach the ears of the elders, you will be severely punished."
Sator’s words meant he didn't like the elders currently leading Astra. Since the very act of thinking such things was dangerous, she warned him, and Sator burst into a hearty laugh.
"Haha, it’s a joke, a joke. By the way, Lady Sylvia, where were you heading?"
"I wanted to read for a change, so I was on my way to the library to get a book."
"Reading, a fine hobby. Since I’m already at the mansion, shall I join you for a while?"
It was an unexpected accompaniment, but she had no reason to refuse, so she had no choice but to go to the library with Sator.
Sylvia, who stepped into the library filled with bookshelves packed with books, slowly scanned the shelves and discovered a book with a familiar title. It was [A Collection of Stories for Growing Heroes], a book she had read over and over again when she was young. It was also a book that had greatly influenced her decision to want to attend Aegis Academy. Thinking about it now, there were some stories that seemed a bit scary to read at a young age, but since it was a storybook that had adapted true events for children, perhaps it felt more realistic and made her heart race.
As she picked up the book, thinking she might read this again for the first time in a while, Sator spoke up from the side, looking pleased.
"Ah, is that the book? I read that a lot when I was young, too. It’s been a steady seller for a long time. Doesn't the story of the Astra Family Head appear in there as well?"
Indeed, the story of the last Family Head of Astra, who sacrificed their life to defeat the Witch of Wrath, was also in this book.
"I imagined so much when I saw that book as a child. The appearance of the forest where the elves lived when the World Tree was still intact, or the appearance of the Family Head leading Astra. And I was very angry at the Witch of Wrath, who took all of that away."
She nodded, as it was a story any member of Astra could sympathize with. She, too, had thought the Witch of Wrath was evil when she first read it. Sator smiled slightly at Sylvia, then picked up an old book with a plain cover from a bookshelf in the corner. As he picked it up, dust flew—perhaps because the corner hadn't been cleaned properly—and Sator frowned deeply. Seeing him always wearing white gloves and hating dust so much, she wondered if he had a touch of mysophobia. In any case, the cover of the book he pulled out simply had the word [Wrath] written on it in short, simple letters.
"So, I found this book while looking for stories about the Witch of Wrath. Have you ever seen it?"
When Sylvia shook her head, Sator opened his mouth, gently shaking the book.
"This is a book written directly by a member of the Astra family several hundred years ago. Perhaps because there are only a few copies, people don't really know about its existence. Maybe that's why it contains stories that aren't well known."
He continued as he slowly scanned the book.
"It is known that the Witch of Wrath always carried flames, so no one knows what she looked like, but this book contains her appearance and name from the days when she lived pretending to be a human. It was written based on the testimony of a survivor who barely escaped from the village where she lived, and I felt it was quite plausible. It might be a little different from the truth, though."
Sator said as he handed the book to Sylvia.
"You said you were angry at the Witch of Wrath while reading the great Astra stories, right? Then I recommend you read this book as well. I read this book quite impressively."
"Then I’ll read it today."
When she replied, Sator said to Sylvia with a smile.
"Come to think of it, Lady Sylvia, I happened to see a red-haired female student wearing the same ring as you the other day. She is your friend, isn't she?"
Had he seen Scarlet? As she nodded, Sator slowly scratched his neck, which was reddened as if bitten by a bug, and gave a dark smile.
"I trust that you, Lady Sylvia, will understand my decision."
Sator left the mansion, leaving behind words that made no sense. It was an unpleasant smile, Sylvia thought.
When she brought the book to her room, the servant brought her tea shortly after.
"My Lady, you are still reading such storybooks......"
The servant said that, having seen the storybook placed on the desk. "It’s not a crime to read storybooks for children when you’re older, is it?" Sylvia thought, trying to maintain a blank expression, but she felt a surge of heat seeing the servant’s lips twitch while looking at her.
"I want to rest alone, so could you please leave?"
"As you wish."
Ah, they definitely sneered before leaving. Even if it was a servant who had been by her side for over ten years, wasn't that too much? Feeling a slight sense of rebellion, she took a sip of tea and opened the book titled [Wrath] that Sator had recommended instead of the storybook. And Sylvia closed the book again after just five minutes.
Even just looking at it for a moment, the author’s intense fury toward the Witch of Wrath felt as if it were being transmitted directly to her. "What is this? That book, it’s completely unpleasant." Feeling a bit nauseous, she gulped down her tea. Thinking that her uncle must not be a normal person to have read such a book with such deep impression, Sylvia opened [A Collection of Stories for Growing Heroes] instead of [Wrath].
Hero stories that might have been desperate in reality, but were slightly softened as they were adapted for children. They were full of heart-pounding adventures and fateful encounters. As expected, her taste was for this kind of thing. That night, Sylvia dreamed of a silver-haired elf and a red-haired girl going to defeat a witch.
One day, a girl with black hair and red eyes visited the village. The only thing she knew, appearing as if she knew nothing, was her own name: Evangeline. We didn't know then. That because of that damn witch, our entire village would be burned to the ground.