Let's Subdue the Witch
Let's Subdue the Witch
"I've organized my thoughts."
The next morning.
Renoa-nim's mind, having enjoyed a full night's sleep in Irion's bed, was now chillingly clear.
In contrast, Irion had stayed up all night, and the signs of fatigue were evident under his eyes, but that was just unfortunate for him.
Renoa-nim settled the situation with cold reason, replacing the emotions that had evaporated overnight.
Now that she knew the blood of a witch flowed through her veins, she had to decide what action to take.
The next move was clear.
"I'm going to subdue the witch."
"Are you going to the family estate?"
"Yes."
Subdue the witch.
That was the path Renoa-nim had chosen.
She had considered escaping the witch's grasp with Irion, but that didn't suit Renoa-nim's temperament.
'I did nothing wrong, so why should I be the one to run away?'
She would personally execute the witch who had brought the situation to this point.
As if her agitation had only been for a moment, Renoa-nim shook off her despair and stood up.
The signs of disarray vanished, and that familiar, cold face took its place once again.
Irion felt relieved, yet worried at the same time.
What they were about to do was not something as simple as a rabbit hunt.
"How about hiding under the protection of the Imperial Family for a while? I've already spoken to the Prince Jeonha, so you'll be safe."
In exchange for cooperating in the witch hunt, Irion had reached a deal with Aether.
With the protection of the Imperial Family, the witch wouldn't be able to touch a single hair on Renoa-nim's head.
However.
"What about you?"
"I have to go catch the witch."
"Then I'm going too."
Renoa-nim had no intention of sending Irion alone.
"Agassi. We don't know what the witch might do. Please stay in a safe place."
"How do I know you won't just run away and leave me behind?"
"If I were going to do that, I would have run away a long time ago."
"I don't care. I'm going with you, so just know that. There's no taking it back."
"Ehyu. I understand. If that is your will, Agassi. Just don't regret it later."
He was reluctant, but if his master, Renoa-nim, said she would do it, Irion would simply follow.
"Then when will you return to the Duchy?"
"We should go immediately."
"Immediately, you say?"
"The sooner, the better. They must have noticed the situation to some extent over there as well."
Bibi was the witch's hand and foot.
Regardless of her intentions in feeding Renoa-nim the poison, that fact would never change.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for a mere maid like Bibi to obtain such classified information.
The other side probably knew that Bibi had betrayed them by now.
And also the fact that Renoa-nim could no longer perfectly fulfill the role of a vessel.
"I'm going to strike first before they can prepare their defenses. That way, the odds of winning will be higher."
That was Renoa-nim's plan.
"What about the Academy?"
"I have to leave. I've built a sufficient relationship with the Prince Jeonha, and I never had any intention of graduating from the start."
There was no longer any need to stay at the Academy.
Leading a normal daily life was nice, but this wasn't the time for that.
"Understood. Let's say our goodbyes before we leave."
"Is that necessary?"
"Parting is just as important as meeting. As a noble, you should naturally wrap things up cleanly."
"...Fine."
At Irion's persuasion, Renoa-nim visited the Academy before leaving.
"You're leaving, Gongnye-nim?"
Elody was startled by the news that Renoa-nim was leaving.
"Yes. Since I can no longer use magic, there's no point in staying any longer. I'm going back to the family estate to focus on recovery."
"Heueong. Gongnye-nim. I wanted to spend more time with you...."
Elody clung tightly to Renoa-nim's waist.
Renoa-nim was flustered by the excessively close distance. She struggled to push Elody's shoulders away.
"What's wrong with you? We aren't that close."
"Huh?"
Elody was shocked.
She looked up at Renoa-nim with an expression of profound impact.
"Are we... not friends?"
"Friends?"
"But... I ate with you, Gongnye-nim, took classes with you, and we talked a lot. You even stepped in to help me when I was in trouble."
"That was just a coincidence of our paths crossing, and I was merely showing the minimum amount of aristocratic generosity. Don't go making assumptions on your own."
"Heuk, Gongnye-nim is my first friend.... To think you don't consider me a friend...."
As Elody began to drop large, fat tears, Renoa-nim's unfocused eyes wavered, unable to find a place to rest.
She had spent her life trampling on others and making them cry, but she had never seen someone cry because they were sad to part with her.
No, was this really something to cry about?
It was an emotional line that Renoa-nim could not empathize with at all by her common sense.
Renoa-nim didn't know what to do.
Eventually, she reluctantly lowered her hand, which had been hovering in the air, and patted Elody on the back.
"Stop it. People are looking at us strangely."
"Hic. Will you... be my friend?"
"Haaa. Fine, I will. I'll be your friend, so please."
"Ehehehe. I'm friends with Gongnye-nim."
Elody chuckled and smiled through her sniffling, seemingly delighted by the fact that she was friends with Renoa-nim.
Watching this, Renoa-nim could only feel dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, beside the two of them, Irion and Helena were calmly sharing their farewells.
"So Irion is following the Agassi too?"
"I have to."
"It hasn't been long since we reunited, and now it's another farewell."
"We'll see each other soon. I'll invite you to the Duke's estate once things settle down."
"Got it."
He didn't say much to Aether. They both knew they would meet again soon.
After finishing their greetings, the two left the Academy.
They returned to the mansion and boarded the carriage heading for the Duchy.
"Shall we go then?"
The road to the Duchy was long and arduous.
For Irion, at least.
This was because Irion had to fill the vacancy left by Bibi.
He had to be Renoa-nim's conversation partner inside the carriage, and if a group of bandits or monsters attacked, he had to go out and deal with them.
He also played the role of a royal taster, checking if the food was poisoned or not.
He stayed by her side until she fell asleep, and when morning came, he had to wake up first to wake her.
'Is this right?'
Since Bibi's betrayal, Renoa-nim's selfishness had grown worse by the day.
At this point, he couldn't even tell if he was an attendant or a knight.
After traveling for several days, the carriage finally arrived at the Duchy.
Renoa-nim looked up at the grand mansion she hadn't seen in a while.
She had felt it when she first came to the Duchy, but looking at it now, it felt suffocating.
She didn't know if she was overwhelmed by its grandeur or if this space itself was the problem.
Perhaps it was both.
"You...? Why are you here?"
The women of the family, who were leisurely enjoying tea time in the garden, spotted Renoa-nim.
Duchess Florencia.
The eldest daughter, Idella.
And even the third daughter, Sylvia, who was looking at flowers nearby.
The moment she saw those three, a sigh escaped Renoa-nim's mouth.
"Have you been well?"
"Why are you at the estate? What about the Academy?"
"I quit. It was boring."
"What?"
"I'm sorry, but unlike some people, I don't have the leisure to enjoy a peaceful tea time. I'll be going in first."
Renoa-nim entered the mansion, leaving behind the mother and daughters who were staring blankly.
Soon, she met Duke Pascal, who came running in a hurry.
"Renoa!"
"I greet the Gaju-nim."
Renoa-nim narrowed her eyes as she looked at the Duke.
This, too, matched her impression from the first time she saw him, just like the mansion.
Physiological disgust.
She had thought it was resentment toward the father who had neglected her, but it must have been because of the identity hiding inside him.
"What happened for you to come without any word? I was just thinking about how much I wanted to see you."
"I suddenly wanted to see the Gaju-nim very much."
"Really?"
"Yes. I'm exhausted from the long journey, so would it be alright if we moved to a different spot?"
"O-Of course. Let's go."
They soon arrived at the Gaju-nim's private chambers.
The Duke and Renoa-nim sat facing each other. Irion stood behind Renoa-nim as if guarding her.
"What on earth happened? Your mana core...!"
"I'm not sure. Suddenly, my mana core hardened like a stone. According to the doctor, I won't be able to use magic anymore."
"Stone Scale Flower...!"
The name of that poisonous plant immediately jumped out of the Duke's mouth.
Renoa-nim didn't react and continued speaking with a calm expression.
"I looked into it and found there's an antidote. Was it Silver Thistle? I think I'll be fine as long as I get that. I'm sorry for making you worry."
"Uh, yeah. Silver Thistle. Uh, yes. It's certainly a useful herb when infected with poison. But...."
"Why? Is there some kind of problem?"
"A problem? No, well.... Hmm."
The Duke was clearly flustered. He couldn't speak properly and was restless.
Renoa-nim's gaze as she observed this was cold. Because she knew the reason why he was acting like that.
"Gaju-nim."
"Wh-What should I do? Should I call a priest? But that won't work either. Dark magic? That would destroy the mana core...."
"Gaju-nim?"
"Ye-Yes?"
"I'm tired, so may I go in and rest first?"
"Uh, yeah. You must never let your health suffer. Get some rest. Rest weeeeell!"
"Then, excuse me."
Renoa-nim stood up and left the room. Irion followed behind her.
"What do you think?"
"What is there to think? It's obvious."
Whether he was well-versed in herbalism or not, the Duke had immediately recognized that the Stone Scale Flower was the cause, even though Renoa-nim had only mentioned the symptoms.
That much was possible.
Since it caused such unique symptoms, the cause could be easily identified.
However, when she mentioned the Silver Thistle, the Duke couldn't hide his panic.
Because he knew that it was fatal to a witch.
"Your prediction was right, Irion."
Looking at the Duke's reaction, she was certain.
He is not the Duke. Strictly speaking, he is the witch Sercia, wearing the Duke's skin.
There was no need to see any more.
"What do you think? Your mother, whom you thought was dead, is alive. Aren't you happy to see her?"
"Are you really saying that right now?"
When Renoa-nim glared at him, Irion lightly shrugged his shoulders.
As if it were a joke to ease the tension.
Renoa-nim sighed at his shameless attitude that went beyond the limit.
At the same time, she replayed the meeting with Sercia in her head.
The common perception of a witch is a being that exudes an intellectual, decadent, yet elegant atmosphere.
But what was that?
She couldn't tell if it was an adult or a child. The way she flustered about without any dignity was truly pathetic.
"To think such a stupid woman is my biological mother. It's absurd."
"...Pardon?"
"The person called the Duke, who was defeated by such a woman, must also be a lacking human being."
"Um...."
Otherwise, there was no way he would have been defeated by such a stupid woman.
"I, who was born between those two, can truly be called a miracle of God. Don't you think so?"
A dry and impious sentiment.
Narcissism that appealed to her own excellence by sacrificing her parents.
'This is exactly like dark magic, even if she isn't using magic.'
As Irion stood there, unable to speak from the shock, Renoa-nim stared at him fiercely.
"I'm asking you. Don't you think so?"
"Oh, yes. Of course. Someone like our Agassi is practically a Saintess."
While saying that, Irion secretly thought to himself.
If this woman were a Saintess, the Holy Order would collapse that very day.
'I wonder who the real witch is.'
Irion could guarantee it.
That Renoa-nim was a being far more suited to being a witch than Sercia.