Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Princesses and the Witch (2)
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That night.
I was heading into my room at the orphanage to get some sleep.
Suddenly, the nameplates on the rooms flanking mine caught my eye.
「Leah, Irina, Lydia.」
“Hmm….”
The orphanage clearly didn’t have many rooms.
Yet their rooms were right up against mine, which felt oddly unsettling.
“I’m uneasy.”
*Tonight, I’d better lock the door especially tight.*
With that foreboding feeling, I entered my room and bolted the door.
I didn’t even touch any alcohol, drifting off with as clear a head as possible.
Just in case something happened.
And so midnight arrived.
――――――.
The orphanage lay quiet.
First floor: the children’s dorms.
Second floor: where the imperial princesses and I slept.
Yet among them, not everyone had nodded off.
Creak-.
The door marked with Irina’s name swung open.
Out stepped a silver-haired woman, changed from her nun’s habit into pajamas.
“…”
The Second Imperial Princess emerged into the hall, candle in hand.
She glanced cautiously around the dark corridor.
Confirming it empty, she crept onward in utter silence….
Toward my room.
Creak-.
The old floorboards groaned noisily underfoot.
Irina stifled her breath as best she could.
Soon enough.
She reached the door.
Her gaze fixed on it, unfocused and dazed.
“Yesterday was bad luck…”
Was it the witching hour?
The door seemed to shimmer oddly.
She paid it no mind.
“Tonight’s different, Veil.”
Her hand settled on the wavering knob.
She threw it open boldly and slipped inside.
“…”
A sweet, fragrant aroma filled the room.
Drawn to it like a moth, she drifted slowly toward the bed.
“Veil, asleep?”
Her green eyes gleamed in the dark.
They stared blankly at the black hair spilling across the pillow.
“No drinks tonight…?”
The princess approached the bed without a care.
She whispered in dulcet tones.
“Then you’ll feel it even better than yesterday.”
A sly smile curved her lips.
Gone was the saintly figure tending orphans by day.
Gone the wise ruler securing jobs for men and women alike.
In their place, the succubus lurking beneath the nun’s robes lifted her mouth’s corner.
She’d known Veil before the other princesses.
Kissed him first.
Now she meant to claim the prize.
“…”
Irina eased a leg onto the bed.
Silk nightclothes rode up, baring her full thighs.
“Good boy…”
She gulped as those lips drew near.
Right at the moment they’d meet—
“Umm…”
A weak murmur, too girlish for me.
Her eyes snapped wide.
“Huh…?”
The haze in her gaze sharpened.
The black hair she’d mistaken for mine began to lengthen.
Like a woman’s.
“…!”
Irina realized at once: this wasn’t my room.
But then—
“Hug me…”
A girl’s voice, crystal clear.
The silhouette she’d taken for me stretched out arms to embrace her shoulders.
“That’s an order, Veil…”
Sleep-talking Lydia clung tight, spoiled in her dreams.
She wrapped those slender shoulders.
Pure silver locks tangled with sleek black ones.
Subtle fruit scents mingled, the air growing dreamier still.
Lost in it, perhaps—
Lydia…
Smack…
Pressed damp lips to Irina’s cheek.
“…!!!”
The sensation jolted her awake.
Her mind cleared; goosebumps prickled her skin.
“Hyaah…!! What the hell are you doing…!!”
Irina shrieked.
Her eyes twitched as she shoved Lydia off.
“Ugh…!”
The youngest princess tumbled across the bed.
The shock yanked her from sweet dreams.
“Wh-what…?!”
Her twintails loose, Lydia’s eyes flew open.
She stared up at Irina clutching her cheek in horror.
“Irina? Why are you here?”
Her half-sister fired back, voice thick with outrage.
“You’re the one—why are you here?! This is Veil’s room…!”
The Second Princess couldn’t accept her cheek defiled by the little one.
Arms hugged tight around her chest, she wailed.
“What nonsense. This is my room…! You idiot commoner!!”
Lydia bristled, red eyes flashing.
She shot up, jabbing at her travel bags piled in the bed’s corner.
“Th-that’s true…? But it was definitely…”
Irina clutched her thick hair, mind racing clear.
Lydia grimaced too—she’d kissed the cheek of Irina, the one she shunned.
“No excuses—get out!!”
Their squabbling filled the room.
And…
That spectacle reflected in a crystal orb.
For the witch perched on the orphanage roof, giggling away.
「Hehe… Serves you right---!!!」
Mago cackled at the two princesses’ blunder, their sneaky approach to me foiled.
Witchy to the core, sly as sin.
「Knew it’d happen, so I laid illusion magic in the hall.」
Pride lit her face; blue light flared from her eyes.
Strong even among witches.
And this orphanage? Her turf. Child’s play to rig the board.
「No matter how clever you are, my spells don’t miss-.」
Moonlight gleamed off sharp fangs in her wicked grin.
She watched fondly as Irina stomped huffily back to her room.
「Keep slinking to Veil every night all lewd-. I’ll pair you off every time.」
The princesses settled; Mago chuckled, popping candy in her mouth.
She glared at the orb, set to watch till dawn.
“…”
An hour ticked by.
Even a mighty witch couldn’t dodge sleep forever.
Mago nodded off, orb forgotten in her blank stare.
Then—
“…!”
My room next door.
A golden-haired beauty emerged into the hall.
The hall’s illusion should’ve routed her to Lydia’s or Irina’s.
But.
「Huh…?」
Leah marched straight for my door.
As if she sensed me.
「What…? The illusion hit fine, didn’t it?」
She caressed the orb; purple mana surged.
The hall’s glamour intensified.
But.
「Wh-what…? Why’s she beelining for Veil’s room?!」
Leah faltered once.
Then pressed on, blank-faced, drawn to me.
She stared at my door, hand reaching for the knob.
Pajamas clung to her lush curves.
「No…!!」
Mago dropped the orb.
She scrambled down from the roof.
“Haa… Haa…”
Racing to the hall.
She confronted Leah right as she’d enter my room.
“…!”
The witch’s presence halted even the glamoured princess.
Leah peered at the figure before her.
「Stop—you can’t go in!」
Mago hissed low, lest she wake anyone.
Leah gazed blankly at the diminutive witch.
Black hair like mine or Lydia’s.
Black dress like my uniform, too.
“…”
Stone-faced, Leah advanced slowly.
「Wh-what… Why’s she coming at me now?」
“…”
Leah loomed over Mago.
Her sensual shadow engulfed the witch.
「…!」
Then it hit Mago.
She’d amped the glamour way too strong.
「D-don’t come closer…!」
Hands out, she cried desperately.
But her slim wrist—
“Veil…”
Leah seized it firm.
「Eek!!」
Black-cat hackles up.
A massive predator pounced, toppling her.
Thud!!
“Baron now, huh? Bold enough for informal talk with me.”
The heavy magic left no room for doubt, unlike Irina.
Instinct drove her atop the black-haired girl.
「Sp-spell release…! Release!!」
Mago’s slit eyes flashed at the creamy cleavage.
She hissed, feral cat startled.
“Cute—putting up a fight.”
Useless against Leah’s regal glare.
Instinct gripped Mago’s chin.
Leah’s eyes slitted lewdly for the kiss.
Creak――.
The door they’d craved swung wide.
Light spilled, bathing the hall pair.
Leah astride Mago.
“Princess…? Mago…?”
Drowsy-eyed, I squinted at them.
Anyone’d think they were mid-smooch.
I blinked.
“What’re you two doing…?”
My voice snapped Leah’s blue eyes to focus.
She peered down at her prey.
“What happened…?”
Black hair screamed target.
Yet here I stood, gawking.
“You two… no way, that sort of…”
I wagged a finger between them.
They swapped glances…
“Ah, no—Veil!! Misunderstanding!”
「Yeah…!! Not what you think!!」
I coughed, eyes sliding away.
A peek at Leah alone.
“Didn’t peg you for that taste, Princess. Mago, that why no dating?”
The First Imperial Princess’s eyes twitched.
Impassive in any crisis.
Stoic through werewolf maulings.
Now beet-red.
“Shut it!!”
“Shut up, Veil!!”
Their bellows drew next-door princesses to the hall.
Eyes flashing—they’d endured the same farce.
“What—you too…?”
Leah twigged: her sisters had suffered likewise.
The trio pinned the prime suspect: Mago.
「Eek…」
The witch quailed under three predators’ stares.
――――――
Next day.
Three women lined up at a long table.
Across sat last night’s culprit: Mago.
Hands clasped demure, shoulders shrunk.
She spied on the savage beasts before her.
“So this one cast yesterday’s illusion?”
Lydia, arms folded solo, grilled with fiery red eyes.
“Yeah—this kid. Potent sorceress.”
Irina vouched; she’d met her early.
“Daring such foul sorcery. Gutsy.”
Leah’s curse scars soured her mood.
Blue eyes iced like Bakal peaks.
「S-sorryyy…」
Mago whimpered.
I slid beside her, apologizing proxy.
“Sorry—she’s a witch, pranks are her thing…”
Face-value plea for mercy.
United, the princesses shooed me off.
“Veil—we’ll handle this private.”
Irina’s grave stare—so pure usually—made me gulp.
*Even I can’t shield her here…*
I eyed the cowering witch.
Fists quivering in terror.
Resolve firmed; I begged them.
“I’ll discipline her later—easy on the punishment, please. Precious friend.”
“Friend, huh…”
My earnest gaze checked out; lips pursed.
Relieved by ‘friend’ alone, seemingly.
“Fine—if you insist…”
Irina spoke for all; I withdrew from Mago.
They were yielding to me now.
“Phew…”
Relief from afar as they talked.
But.
“Hey—witch.”
Lydia’s Eastern-lord chill pinned Mago.
「Y-yes…」
“Pranks fun? Know what you did to me and her?”
“Lydia—not just you got burned.”
2nd/3rd’s lethal lilt quaked Mago’s lids.
Leah resisting her craft? Unthoughtof flub—she gnawed her lip.
“Why though? Spill a reason.”
Lydia paused tussle, queried.
Mago mumbled soft.
“Seemed you’d steal Veil from me…”
“What…?”
Princesses gaped at the plain plea.
Mago piped up, dead serious.
“V-Veil’s next-door was always mine! You barged in…!!”
Aggrieved witch.
Kids shared beds even.
Dreamt marriage then—didn’t want him snatched.
“Whence you tumbleweeds blocking us!!”
Fists balled; princesses blanked.
Then giggles targeted the sprite.
“What—that’s it…?”
“Cute, Miss Mago.”
Lydia/Irina smirked at the quaint crime.
Leah differed.
Curse-bitten, queen-cold: “Hallucinating others over that? Low.”
「Sniff…」
Mago cringed at the murder vibe.
Expected First Princess grill.
「Sorry…」
Eyes clamped, she shuddered.
A hand grazed her shoulder.
Then—
“No more foul spells—compete fair next time.”
Eyes cracked at the unforeseen.
「Huh…?」
“Snaring talent’s the strong’s right. Confident? Take him straight.”
Leah’s brash gaze: unbeatable poise.
“Right, Mago. Fair fight’s welcome.”
“Yeah—not beating me anyway-.”
Irina/Lydia chimed.
Lordly largesse.
「Th-then… forgiveness…?」
Mago batted big eyes at the gracious royals.
Scolded kitten-cute.
“Hmm… maybe…”
Princesses eyed the sprite intrigued.
Sorcery sampled firsthand, they pivoted from probe…
“Share last night’s spell? Might forgive.”
Sage sovereigns: ally, exploit.
「Th-that’s risky for Veil…」
“So fine for us?”
Lydia snarled hegemon fangs.
「Eek…」
“Not misuse, Mago—alliance.”
Irina’s mercy laced with menace smile.
「Still…」
“Curious, no? Veil craving us for real.”
Leah’s sage allure, talent-taming.
「…」
Mago gulped.
Glanced my way, afar.
Lightbulb: unthinkable ploy.
“What—why stare like that…”
Wall-leaned, arms crossed lone.
I cocked head at their uniform gaze.
*Talk’s smoothing fine…*
Spine chilled deeper.