She and the Witch

Due to discussion with my parents, I was completely delayed in leaving the estate.

Despite thinking that I was going to depart immediately after having breakfast, I began preparing in a hurry while sulking.

I took out the clothes that I had used when I went into town before from under the bed.

It’s nothing like the dress that displays my status as the Duke’s daughter that I’m wearing now. I wouldn’t be able to walk around in town alone with it. I took off my favorite slender line dress and changed into a simple light brown one piece dress that reached below the knees.

I also undid my hair and collectively tied it once at the base of my neck.

With this, my preparation is complete.

Afterwards I just need to get out without being seen by the servants, so naturally I won’t be using the front door.

Taking out the rope and gloves that were stored away with the clothes and after checking to make sure there was no one under the window, with experienced hands I tied the end of the rope to the window frame and carefully descended.

Within minutes, I successfully reached the ground without a problem.

By the way, this skill was not something cultivated from my previous life. It was simply a method I learned to used to sneak out from an early age.

If you think about the incident with my father earlier, perhaps this might already been found out, but since nothing has been said, it should be fine.

I decided not to think too deeply about it and quickly continued heading out.

◇ ◇ ◇

Exiting the mansion grounds that resided in the royal capital and pa.s.sing through the inner gate, I aimed for the town.

The place where I’m at right now is the area where aristocrats’ estates reside.

If you walk for a while, there is a middle gate, and pa.s.sing through it there will be a castle town.

Because during the day there’s no gatekeeper, I was able to pa.s.s through freely.

Already familiar with the streets, I headed towards my destination.

By doing so, I finally reached the street that felt out of place.

Still feeling strange as ever.

It’s not like I was sensing the magical powers there. It was just intuition.

When I had visited last time, noticing the uncomfortable feeling, I reached out my hands and a hidden path appeared, however it wasn’t necessary today.

Before even reaching out, the path appeared on its own.

“……eh?”

As if telling to me come in, the path shook in place many times. Fl.u.s.tered, I jumped in.

Walking down a fog covered like path for a few minutes, in the most inner part, the door of a shop with a medicine bottle signboard attached can be seen.

With the same cozy appearance as before, I lightly knocked on the familiar door as I relaxed my cheeks.

“Come in”

Immediately there was a reply and I entered without hesitation. The door let an old sounding ‘kii’ sound, and easily opened.

Directly across from the door was a set of stairs that extended to the bas.e.m.e.nt. Because it was s.p.a.cious, you can even peep down from above.

“Delris, good afternoon”

Glancing down stairs and seeing a figure, that was complete covered from the head with a black hood, I greeted her.

Delris, looking up at me from the opening in her hood, beckoned me over.

Following that, I quickly descended the stairs next to me.

The room, which was not any different from when I came before, was filled with the odor of medicinal herbs that I don’t know of.

Reaching the bottom, I approached Delris’s side.

“… It seems you couldn’t escape huh.”

Before I opened my mouth, Delris spoke.

I unintentionally stared at her face without blinking.

“……you knew?”

“I don’t know, but I can strongly smell a magical power that’s not yours.”

Being told something unpleasant, I reflexively sniffed my own arms. But I still didn’t get it.

“Was my medicine not effective?”

Hearing her ask that, I shook my head in confusion.

“That’s not it. It was very helpful. Because as I thought, he didn’t use contraception. I’m very thankful because I didn’t considered the risk of unmarried pregnancy and childbirth.”

“……but, you were still caught in the end?”

She pointed at my chest and right away my right hand pressed at it.

Delris look at me as if she felt sorry for me. I knew she would instinctively find out after all. My shoulders fell dejected.

“……You know the majority of it, don’t you?”

Looking at Delris bitterly, I replied.

“….I roughly knew up until you were marked by the Crown Prince.”

My eyes widened at her frank manner of speaking.

It’s true that’s what happened but, isn’t she being too casual about it?

“Anyways……Thank you very much for the easy to understand explanation. Beyond that, there’s nothing else to add……but for the time being can you hear me out?”

“Even if I listen, I don’t think there’s anything I can do. However if you want to, feel free to speak. I’ll listen to what you have to say.”

Instead of a rejection, I received warm words and I let out a smile.

Taking out a wooden stool to sit down, teacups appeared.

“Drink. The color’s terrible, but it’s good for the body”

Peering in, several green colored herbs I’ve need seen before floated to the top.

If it was only leaves I would have turned a blind eye but……how should I say it……even the stem and roots were floating in it.

Perhaps it was mostly tea, but it’s hard to call it green tea…..the liquid was also strangely green.

I unconsciously drew it to my face.

This……was it just a matter of poor coloring?

While thinking something’s off, I stared at the mysterious drink.

……it doesn’t seem like hara.s.sment, probably this was Delris’s goodwill.

To listen to the complainants of a girl you’re not close to and to respond with goodwill, I can’t help but to withdraw.

With a stiff expression, I stared into the tea(?), closed my eyes, and prepared my resolution.

—-Namusan*!

Gripping the teacup, I washed it down in one go. It was a bit hot, but somehow the warmth of the drink really helped.

Feeling the drink go down expressionlessly, I was earnestly brought back.

It wasn’t unexpectedly delicious or anything.

It just tastes as it looked.

No, it may be worse than I imagined.

Anyways it was terrible going down and I started to feel nauseous. The stems that remained in the mouth were unbearable, and the leaves clung on to the back of my tooth. When I looked to Delris in desperation after drinking it, she looked at me in amazement.

(TN: her lack of common sense surprises me even…)

“…… I didn’t expect you to drink all of it”

“Eh……”

Looking at Delris’s hands with teary eyes, I saw her holding something like a tool.

“It’s a medicinal drink to suppress excess magical powers. Normally you drink it slowly while pa.s.sing over the floating things……It’s my first time seeing someone drinking it in one go like you.”

“……Please speak up sooner.”

As if falling flat onto Delris’s words, I grasped my throat.

Somewhat tingling, the leaves were clinging onto the inner parts of my throat.

“Water……please.”

“… …. Somehow, I feel like I understood part of the reason why you couldn’t escape from that man.”

Setting down the water, Delris declared that while sighing.

Why did you reach that kind of conclusion from the tea.

Drinking the water from the cup that was filled to the brim, the irritating feeling in my throat was finally gone.

“Well? Are you able to talk now?”

“……Yes”

I took a deep breath, and then, I began telling Delris everything that has happened until now.

◇ ◇ ◇

“…..And that’s the circ.u.mstances so far”

After explaining everything that’s happened this morning in order, Delris nodded with a ‘after all nee~’.

“After all?”

“I already knew the story of the Crown Prince going to the masquerade ball through using magic. When you said you’d also go. I thought that for sure you’d be caught.”

“Then why?”

“Because it’s something that’s already been decided”

I could not comprehend her words. When she finished talking, Delris got up from her seat and opened a nearby medicine cabinet.

“Here,”

I clumsily caught what she’d casually thrown at me.

Looking at it, it was a bottle that contained a glittering silver powder.

“What is this?”

“Stamina restoring medicine”

“Ehh?”

I t.i.tled my head as I held the bottle, not understanding why I was given such a thing. That’s when Delris dropped a bomb on me.

“The Crown Prince is without a doubt unrivaled right? Use that if your body can’t keep up.”

“WHAT?!!” (TN: rip Lidi)

I wanted to reflexively throw the bottle.

That’s not it, that’s not it right! !

“Wai… …. Delris! Why did you suddenly say that kind of thing!?”

“Suddenly say? Isn’t this what you wanted to talk about?”

“NO!!”

Drawing close to say something, I thought back on whether I needed this or not.

Remembering that moment, that act with him. And the number of times afterwards—-.

“……I will gratefully accept it.”

Let’s keep this for now.

I don’t think I have the physical strength to match Freed.

Looking at me who obediently stored the medicine away, Delris, who looked amused, let out a ‘kukuku’ laugh.

Oh shut it.

“You do need it after all huh?…..so? The thing you want to talk about is the「King’s Flower」, no?”

“……Do you not know about it?”

Delris stared at me with a unexpectedly serious expression.

Naturally, I straightened my back.

“Lidi”

“Yes”

“The「King’s Flower」can not be erased.”

It was the first time she called out my name.

Thinking that, at the same time my heart sank.

“Delris, san?”

“The「King’s Flower」is a secret technique pa.s.sed down only through the royal family. Even I’m not able to touch it.”

Towards Delris, who looked apologetic about it, I noticed that I felt a bit disappointed.

Ahh, my stomach was in a knot. Still, I had somewhat expected it would be like this.

“……I was told that it was once in a lifetime.”

“Yeah, a secret technique that ties you and your partner together. A hijutsu that can only be used once in a lifetime.”

I could only nod at Delris’s explanation.

“I was fooled but…”

“I think even for your partner, it was something like a gamble. If you weren’t a virgin, than that man would surely have his current position as the Crown Prince s.n.a.t.c.hed from him.”

“Ahh”

That being said, I do remember hearing something like that.

“I’m not able to do it, but if there was ever a way to erase the 「King’s Flower」, then it would become an awfully terrible matter.”

Delris informed me in order to warn me.

“If the「King’s Flower」is to be erased, then the royalty that had their flower erased would not be able to take on another wife and even exiled from the throne……if dealt with poorly you might even die.” (TN: I think wife in terms of legal wife vs concubines, it’s a status thing)

“Die?”

Suddenly, I couldn’t comprehend what I was being told.

“…It means that there is such a possibility, do you still think you want to erase it?

“No, I don’t think…”

I answered before I could think about it.

Can Freed really be exiled from the royal family? Hmm, indeed if he, the Crown Prince, were to be exiled from the throne, then dying is a possibility.

…….No way.

“You are the power source. (TN: あんたは中和能力者だ tbh I have no idea what this means in context; literal translation would be person that centralizes the power). If I’m not mistaken, the「King’s Flower」begin to take influence inside the body. I guess it’ll be difficult since it seems that the condition for the ability to activate is by ‘touch’. (TN: Again I have no idea what this means in context I’m a.s.suming it r18)

It seems Delris was saying something, but I was no longer listening.

—-This is not alright, not alright.

“Delris”

“What is it?”

I came to a conclusion within myself.

“For the time being, it’s fine to leave the「King’s Flower」as it is. I’m going to think about more productive things.”

I don’t think I want to erase it only to bring someone misfortune.

That being said, Delris pointed at my hands with satisfaction.

“That’s why I gave you the recovery medicine, see?”

“……ah”

Instinctively my eyes became distance. ‘I see’ I thought as I nodded in the process.

In the end, antic.i.p.ating that I would reach this conclusion, the medicine was prepared……it was that sort of thing.

“Are you not convinced?”

“It’s not like that, but once again I feel like my stomach is in a knot.”

Somewhere I felt the part of me, that thought there was probably an escape, was crushed. On the contrary, it may be refres.h.i.+ng. If there is only one path, then I will just push my way through.

Feeling somewhat unwounded, I let out a heavy breath.

“As expected it was a good thing to come to Delris’s place. I feel somewhat clearer.”

“……In the past I’ve been called things such as the demon and stubborn person, but it’s the first time to have been told that it was a good thing meeting me. I knew you were a strange child.”

Winking, Delris pulled out another bottle from her bosom.

“……I also want you to have this”

“What is it? …..this time it’s not an aphrodisiac, is it?”

Even though I was wary of it, I made an unexpected expression.

“Do you want it? It’s fine if you take it, but such a thing isn’t really needed… it’s the medicine the Crown Prince was looking for.”

“Freed was looking for?”

At the nodding Delris, I was reminded of something.

When I had talked about meeting with Delris, he was awfully surprised.

Was that because he was also looking for Delris?

“Was it because, even though he was looking for you, you didn’t want to meet him?”

“Not to boast, but it’s been many years since any customers came before you……. it’s troublesome to be that easily found.”

Anyways, it appears that this store is considerably difficult find.

Nodding, I looked at the bottle.

“So, what kind of medicine is it?”

“Perhaps it may not be necessary anymore, but it is the reason why the Crown Prince was going to the masquerade ball. If the opportunity to inquire about it ever arises, try asking.”

“Haa?”

Looking into the bottle, the pink-colored b.a.l.l.s were densely packed.

“If you ever use it, take one tablet at a time. It’s different from the previous medicine and more or less have some side effects, but if it’s that man, then there shouldn’t be any problem. Come again once you run out……I’ll give you tea even more wonderful than this time’s.”

“Uehhh”

Recalling the taste of the tea just now, my face twisted.

Delris smiled as if she saw something interesting.

“I don’t need payment. Instead, just come by here occasionally and let me hear your stories.”

There was no reason to refuse.

More or less I think Delris is her drug dealer now….I’ve also completely forgotten the plot point of her remembering her past life because it has served barely any purpose to this story thus far. Especially given that she still lacks common sense.

The next two chapters are much shorter than this one so I think I’ll be able to get through them tomorrow.