Chapter 14 – The Witch’s Plants
Based on Emperor Eckardt’s decision, I was forced to stay in bed at Wolff Castle for a few days, starting from that day.
It was decided that the Emperor, Lutz, and Sigmund would also stay at Wolff Castle during that time, and we would all return to the Imperial Palace once I had recovered.
The discovery of new ancient ruins was apparently a major event, so Emperor Eckardt decided to personally lead the exploration of the ruins while he remained in the Wolf territory.
Or rather, the Emperor wanted to dive into the ancient ruins himself and explore all sorts of things, but everyone strongly opposed the idea of the supreme Emperor risking himself, so his wish was not granted.
Instead, an advance party was formed by an elite unit of the Emperor’s direct troops, and the exploration of the ancient ruins began.
Apparently, the Emperor waits restlessly every day for the exploration team’s activity report.
It’s typical behavior for Emperor Eckardt, who worships the Witch.
Incidentally, as per my hopeful observation, Sigmund kept silent about me being a Witch.
Therefore, I was able to spend my time without attracting attention, treated simply as an injured person who had been hurt by a Witch’s servant in the ancient ruins.
Taking advantage of the lack of attention, I observed the people around me and realized that Emperor Eckardt’s influence was even stronger than I had imagined.
Just his presence changed the atmosphere of the place completely.
Even the former Duke and Duchess, who had spoken rudely to me, were no exception; they became quiet as borrowed cats and turned into yes-men who only said “Yes” or “Correct” to the Emperor’s words.
“I was right to leave the improvement of the relationship between Sigmund and the former Duke and Duchess entirely to His Majesty Eckardt.”
It seems this was Emperor Eckardt’s first visit to the Wolf territory, so the former Duke and Duchess had never seen the Emperor interact with Sigmund before.
Therefore, seeing the Emperor trust and respect Sigmund, the couple seemed to re-evaluate their son.
Thinking, ‘If the great Emperor Eckardt respects him, Sigmund must be a magnificent person.’
The former Duke and Duchess haven’t explicitly acknowledged Sigmund as their biological son, but they are clearly treating him more politely and considerately than before.
Since proving parentage is impossible, this is probably the limit, and Sigmund looks happy, so it’s enough, I thought, impressed by the Emperor’s skill.
Emperor Eckardt never once said there was a problem with the Wolf Lord’s parent-child relationship, nor did he order them to improve it.
He guided it to happen naturally and succeeded, and as a result, not only the former Duke and Duchess but the entire Wolf clan began to respect Sigmund.
The fact that everyone accepted Sigmund because ‘the great Emperor Eckardt respects him’ is precisely because the Emperor had always garnered everyone’s respect and admiration.
He truly is a magnificent ruler.
The citizens of the Zaldein Empire are fortunate to have Emperor Eckardt.
While reaffirming the Emperor’s splendor in this way, the day of departure from the Wolf territory arrived in the blink of an eye.
In a few hours, I’ll be back at the Imperial Palace, enjoying my last moments in the Wolf territory on my bed, when there was a knock, followed by three servants I had never seen before entering the room.
They wore different livery from that of the Wolf Duke’s household, and although there were gender differences, they all had the same face.
Even though it was my first time seeing their faces, I knew who they all were from the magic they emitted.
“…Witch’s servants?”
When I tilted my head and asked, they smiled happily.
“Yes, Lady Witch!”
“That is correct!”
“Thank you for noticing!!”
At that moment, Sigmund happened to enter my room, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the Witch’s servants. Then, he immediately ran to me and stood in front of me protectively.
“Who on earth are you, and where did you come from!? What business do you have with the Princess!!”
Since they are Witch’s servants, they must have originally served the Witch’s clan. Such people came all the way to visit me and called me a Witch.
Regardless of the facts, if they believe I am a Witch, they probably don’t have hostility toward me, and likewise, they won’t have hostility toward Sigmund, who is my companion.
It seems I wasn’t wrong in thinking so, as the Witch’s servants answered Sigmund’s question honestly.
“””We came in from the wall over there.”””
The Witch’s servants pointed to the magnificent high wall that the Wolf territory prided itself on, so Sigmund asked again, shaken.
“Huh? How did you infiltrate? That wall is three times your height, and there are many guards in the garden. Even this room is in the innermost part of the castle, so reaching it should be difficult in itself.”
“A wall like that can be jumped over.”
“The guards in the garden were full of openings, so infiltrating was easy.”
“Reaching Lady Witch isn’t difficult at all.”
Sigmund looked at the Witch’s servants with a face like he had chewed a bitter bug. Then, seeing him look at me while letting out a frustrated voice, it seems he remembered the conversation we had when he first saw Wolff Castle.
‘That looks like a difficult castle to attack.’
‘Difficult to attack? Don’t be ridiculous! This castle has been passed down through the Wolf clan for generations. It is impregnable! You should correct yourself: “It’s impossible to attack”!’
Sigmund scowled, apparently regretting his past remarks.
Everyone makes mistakes, so I won’t say, ‘See, I told you it was difficult but possible to infiltrate.’
I kept my mouth firmly shut, but Sigmund seemed to read my feelings from my expression and apologized for his past remarks with a frustrated look.
“…You were right, Princess. I was wrong. The Wolff Castle I was so proud of was not impregnable at all.”
“There is no doubt that Wolff Castle is a magnificent castle. Um, look, the Wolf clan is physically superior, right? So, in line with the characteristics of the race, the castle is also specialized for physical defense. Wouldn’t simply adding a magic barrier increase the defense power significantly?”
I tried to give advice casually so as not to be pushy, but for some reason, Sigmund hung his head in dejection.
“Is that so. You already had an improvement plan, Princess. I am ashamed of myself.”
“Eh, no, since you can’t use magic, Sigmund, it’s difficult to think from a magic perspective.”
“Thank you for your consolation. By the way, the servants with the same face here called you ‘Lady Witch.’ That means they are Witch’s servants, right?”
I thought Sigmund had relaxed his guard after exchanging words with the Witch’s servants, but apparently, he realized they were Witch’s servants from the content of the conversation.
“Yes, I think so.”
When I agreed with Sigmund, he made an indescribable expression.
“I see. I didn’t know Witch’s servants could take human form, so I was late in noticing. But you must have realized who they were at a glance, Princess. You aren’t panicked at all.”
“Ah, Sigmund…”
This is a problem. Sigmund is pouting and making a boyish expression. Is he perhaps sulking?
While I was searching for words to improve Sigmund’s mood, the Witch’s servants spoke bluntly.
“This wolf is spoiled by Lady Witch.”
“She is everyone’s Lady Witch, but he intends to monopolize her.”
“Pluck even the fur from his tail.”
“Um, you three…”
Seeing Sigmund teary-eyed, I tried to warn them. He’s quite sensitive, so could you be gentle? but the three introduced themselves.
“I am Lala.”
“I am Lili.”
“I am Lolo.”
Lala and Lili are female servants, and Lolo is a male servant.
“Thank you for your politeness. I am Katia Sapphraine.”
I introduced myself too, and asked the three in a gentle tone.
“Lala, Lili, Lolo, thank you for visiting today. Before I ask what your business is, may I ask one favor? Sigmund is my precious companion. Could you be gentle with him?”
“P-Princess.”
Seeing Sigmund deeply moved, the Witch’s servants made a face of dislike, but accepted my words.
“””Yes, understood.”””
Then, Lolo bowed gracefully and held out a stylish birdcage.
“Lady Katia, you forgot something.”
It was the small bird I took to gather gems a few days ago. It had gone missing in the confusion of falling into the ancient ruins, so I was happy they brought it.
“My, thank you. I was worried I might have lost it.”
Not wanting to lose to Lolo, who looked happy to be thanked, Lala and Lili held out the plants they were carrying.
“Lady Katia, we brought this thinking you might need it.”
“Lady Katia, this is Lady Witch’s healing herb.”
“Witch’s healing herb?”
I picked up the plant with leaves of a shape I had never seen before and tilted my head, and Lala and Lili spoke in unison.
“”Since Lady Witch heals from injuries terribly slowly, this is a medicinal herb exclusively for Lady Witch that speeds up healing, even just a little.””
“My, such a thing exists. Wait, are all Witches slow to heal from injuries?”
Ah, wait. Something caught my attention.
Come to think of it, everyone said Witches have a frail constitution. Does that mean it includes slow healing from injuries? I remember that when I was young, I used healing magic to cure my injuries.
That’s right. Healing magic used to work on me too. But ever since I revived from the brink of death at six years old, my constitution changed so that healing magic doesn’t work.
Does that mean… I started becoming a Witch at that time? Is it because I started becoming a Witch that my body became weak after six years old?
When I fell silent, lost in thought, Sigmund called out worriedly.
“Princess, are you feeling unwell?”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing. Um, I was thinking about where to plant the Witch’s healing herb.”
I hesitated to say something that was only a guess, so I improvised an excuse.
But as a practical matter, when I wondered where to plant this plant, Lala and Lili pointed out the window.
“Over there.”
“Lady Witch’s garden is over there.”
“‘Witch’s Garden’? Ah, I remember hearing there was one at the Imperial Palace. Does that mean I should take the Witch’s healing herb back to the palace and plant it in the ‘Witch’s Garden’? Oh, but the palace isn’t in that direction.”
When I tilted my head, Lala and Lili grabbed my right and left hands respectively.
“We will guide you.”
“There is a Lady Witch’s garden above the ancient ruins in this land too.”
“My, is that so.”
I glanced at Sigmund, and he shook his head vigorously.
It seems he didn’t know there was a Witch’s garden in his own castle either.
Wondering what kind of secret garden even the lord of the castle didn’t know about, I got out of bed excitedly, and Sigmund immediately approached.
“Princess, isn’t it better not to walk yet? Shall I carry you?”
Since finding out I’m a Witch, Sigmund has entered extreme overprotective mode. However, even though Sigmund volunteered to be my escort, is it okay to be carried by a man other than my fiancé? Especially since I’ve recovered enough to walk on my own.
I politely declined Sigmund’s offer and walked out into the Wolff Castle garden on my own two feet.
Lala and Lili lined up on my left and right, and Sigmund and Lolo followed from behind.
We were guided to the back of the castle, a place overrun with weeds.
“Isn’t this more of a ‘Weed Garden’ than a ‘Witch’s Garden’?”
When I voiced my very natural impression, the castle lord Sigmund hung his head in shame.
“I am truly ashamed.”
Even though there were no landmarks, Lala and Lili proceeded through the weeds with unwavering steps and stopped simultaneously.
“Here it is.”
“This is Lady Witch’s garden.”
Lolo, who followed behind us, also nodded greatly, confirming it.
“The soil of Lady Witch’s garden is special. Since it is a place nurtured by generations of Lady Witches, Lady Witch’s plants grow quickly.”
I see, looking around, and found one plant growing among the weeds that caught my attention.
“What is this? I’m strangely curious about it. Could it be a plant related to the Witch?”
Strangely enough, I feel magic similar to mine from that plant.
“Ah, th-that is correct! It seems what the previous Lady Witch planted hundreds of years ago still remains.”
“As expected of Lady Witch’s plant! It’s full of energy.”
I heard that in the ‘Witch’s Garden’ at the Imperial Palace, gardeners carefully manage the Witch’s plants, but in this garden, they grow wild.
Come to think of it, I heard that since the Witch’s plants contain the Witch’s magic, they are used as ingredients for Emperor Eckardt’s meals. Is this one too?
“Hmm, maybe I’ll try cooking with this plant.”
Speaking of cooking ingredients, I also have the pink egg I brought back from the ancient ruins. I wonder if I can make something delicious combining it with this plant.
“No… that’s not right.”
I remembered. This plant is special and has uses other than eating.
I plucked about half a dozen large leaves shaped like palms with a snapping sound.
Seeing this, the Witch’s servants smiled as if understanding what I wanted to do and bowed deeply.
“Lady Katia, we guided you to this garden as a place to plant Lady Witch’s healing herb. However, first we must pull out the weeds in this garden. We cannot trouble Lady Katia, so please give us permission to organize the garden.”
“By the time Lady Katia comes next, we will have cleaned up this garden beautifully and made Lady Witch’s healing herbs grow lush and green.”
“Also, here are the ‘Lady Witch’s healing herbs’ to take back to the Imperial Palace.”
What capable servants.
When I thanked the three with gratitude, the Witch’s servants smiled incredibly happily.
After parting with the Witch’s servants, on the way back to the room with Sigmund, we ran into Emperor Eckardt.
Noticing me, the Emperor approached with large strides and placed one hand on my forehead. Then, he made a difficult face.
“Katia, you still have a fever, you shouldn’t push yourself. …Or was there something you wanted to see before returning to the palace?”
Lutz was behind the Emperor and rolled his eyes playfully, so it seems it wasn’t a chance encounter, but the Emperor was looking for me. Probably worried because I slipped out of bed.
Like Sigmund, Emperor Eckardt is a worrier and might be the type who can’t leave a sick person alone. Thinking this, I nodded firmly.
“Yes, there was something I absolutely wanted to see before returning to the palace.”
After all, this castle also had a ‘Witch’s Garden,’ and plants that weren’t planted in the Imperial Palace were growing there.
“I see. Then, since you seem satisfied after seeing it, there’s no problem returning to the palace now.”
“Eh, right now?”
It was much earlier than scheduled, but Lutz also looked surprised hearing the Emperor’s words, so it seems the Emperor decided on his own.
Probably seeing me moving around despite having a fever, he worried that I would push myself as long as I was in Wolff Castle and decided to return early. Since there are many of the Emperor’s aides in the Imperial Palace who can act as my chaperones.
Reflecting that it was bad to worry him, I agreed, and then Sigmund’s parents arrived.
The two ran desperately, but stopped when they saw me and tapped their shoes indignantly.
“Lady Katia! Please don’t wander around on your own!!”
“His Majesty the Emperor was worried! Thanks to that, the entire clan had to search for you! Please stay quiet in your room without wandering around so as not to trouble us!!”
From behind the former Duke and Duchess, the Wolf clan also swarmed in and voiced their dissatisfaction.
I see, people’s feelings appear in their words and attitudes.
From Emperor Eckardt’s words and actions, his worry for me came through, but from the Wolf clan, only dissatisfaction about having to search for me comes through.
The Wolf clan is always humble to Emperor Eckardt, and recently they were behaving well toward me too, but perhaps because we are finally leaving Wolff Castle, their rude attitude seems to have returned.
While inwardly exasperated, I try to put on a smiling face.
If we are returning to the Imperial Palace now, I thought I should say what needs to be said to the Wolf clan here.
Even though my expression was extremely smiling, for some reason Sigmund looked cautious. Seeing that, I muttered in my heart, My, Sigmund seems to understand me quite well.
I faced the Wolf clan and spoke with a forced smile.
“Everyone was worried about me and searched for me. That must have been very difficult, which is why you wanted to complain. Um, in other words, I should have stayed quiet in the room without ever leaving. For example, I should have stayed lying in bed staring at the pattern on the ceiling the whole time.”
The former Duchess glanced at Emperor Eckardt and denied it in a panic.
“N-No, I didn’t say that much.”
“Oh, really. You spoke so strongly that I shrank back and misunderstood what you said. You see, I am a frail, delicate, and weak human.”
I raised one hand to my cheek and sighed.
“In any case, I wandered around outside when I should have been shut in my room and caused trouble for everyone. Phew, and I accidentally found the ‘Witch’s Garden’.”
“Huh?”
“W-‘Witch’s Garden’!?”
“You’re joking, right??”
Seeing the stunned Wolf clan, I put on a solemn expression.
“It’s not a joke. Moreover, plants grown by the Witch remained in the ‘Witch’s Garden’. The Witch’s plants contain the Witch’s magic, right? I thought I might be able to make a special dish, so I picked a little.”
“…P-Plants grown by the Witch!!”
“Those were found!?”
“And, you picked them??”
The Wolf clan widened their eyes and stared at the leaves I held in my hand in bewilderment.
They stared silently for quite a long time, seemingly confused and unable to process the new information brought one after another.
On the other hand, Emperor Eckardt looked suspicious from the moment I started speaking, but as the story progressed, he narrowed his eyes more and more, and now wore a completely doubtful expression.
Oh my, I am an honest and good-natured fiancée, so I wish you wouldn’t doubt me.
Thinking this, I smile brightly at everyone.
“Or so I thought, but since I have them, maybe I’ll use these plants for something other than cooking.”
The Wolf clan tilted their heads, seemingly unable to understand what I was saying at all, and pricked up their ears so as not to miss my next words.
On the other hand, Sigmund put his hands on his hips thoughtfully and compared the Witch’s plant in my hand with my face repeatedly.
“I stayed at Wolff Castle for many days and received everyone’s hospitality. Not only that, but you spent time and effort searching for me earlier, so I must give you something in return.”
My words were sarcasm toward the Wolf clan who had shown dissatisfaction about searching for me earlier, and I thought anyone would understand that, but Sigmund, the only one who didn’t understand, retorted immediately.
“A return gift is out of the question! The fact that you stayed at my castle, Princess, is the greatest reward!!”
Lutz, one of the ‘Eight Holy Ducal Houses’ equal to Sigmund, stared at Sigmund with a face saying ‘Are you sane!?’.
The Wolf clan’s faces twitched, and Emperor Eckardt maintained an expressionless face.
I lifted the leaves I held to eye level and waved them.
“These are the plants I found in the Witch’s Garden. They look like human palms, so they are called ‘Witch’s Divination Leaves’.”
I don’t know how it works, but knowledge about the plant flowed out of my mouth smoothly.
Truly strange. It’s the first time I’ve seen this plant, so why is information coming out of my head one after another?
“Isn’t it an interesting name? This plant is edible, but it seems it was often used for another purpose. What is that, you ask…”
Even though I paused meaningfully, Emperor Eckardt answered simply.
“Parentage testing. That was written in the secret documents about the Witch.”
I thought, Oh, surprised.
Since Emperor Eckardt intervened, does that mean he intends to be my accomplice?
Glancing at him, the Emperor looked back with a straight face, so it seems he really intends to be on my side.
My, declaring to be on my side even though he doesn’t know what I’ll do next, what decisiveness. In that case, I’ll make use of the Emperor’s influence, smiling as I continued the conversation to involve Emperor Eckardt.
“As expected of Your Majesty, correct! Do you perhaps know how to use it?”
I thought if he read the secret documents, he might know a little about how to use it.
Sigmund previously said changelings are sometimes born in the Wolf clan.
The only way to save changelings suffering from not being biological children is to prove the parent-child relationship. And the fact that a plant enabling that was conveniently growing in the garden of Wolff Castle is probably no coincidence.
Probably, this plant with a very special use was cultivated by ancient Witches to save changelings.
…Truly, the Witch is a merciful clan.
While I was admiring this, the Emperor glanced at my hand. Then, confirming I had many leaves, he called Sigmund’s cousin and her parents nearby.
Furthermore, the Emperor called Sigmund, handed each of the four a leaf, and ordered them to drip their own blood onto each leaf.
Seeing this, I was impressed, It seems the Emperor really understands how to use the ‘Witch’s Divination Leaf’.
Since the Emperor mentioned earlier that ‘It was written in the secret documents about the Witch,’ there is no doubt that some documents about the Witch are stored in the Imperial Palace. So the Emperor must have read those documents, but if he can practice it just by reading, that’s impressive.
Looking at the four, they injured their fingertips with their long nails and dripped a few drops of blood onto the leaves.
Checking the situation, the Emperor instructed them to tear the leaves the four held in two.
“First is proof when there is a parent-child relationship.”
Saying so, he gave instructions to Sigmund’s cousin and her parents.
Her parents each layered their own leaf and their daughter’s leaf, wrapped them in both hands, and counted ten seconds.
Then, when they fearfully opened their hands, both leaves in the father’s hand had turned blue, and both leaves in the mother’s hand had turned yellow.
“Just as the documents said. If there is a parent-child relationship, when the leaves of parent and child are layered and given time, they change to the same color.”
Hearing the Emperor’s words, the father who participated in the demonstration experiment asked timidly.
“Conversely, if there is no parent-child relationship, does it mean the leaf colors change to different colors?”
“That is correct.”
The Emperor nodded, then made Sigmund and the cousin’s parents repeat the same thing.
Then, the leaves in the father’s hand changed to blue and silver, and the leaves in the mother’s hand changed to yellow and silver, each to different colors.
“Ah, it’s true! This time the two leaves didn’t become the same color!!”
“My word, parentage can be proven with the Witch’s plant!!”
Seeing the series of verification results, the Wolf clan raised their voices in astonishment.
As intended, the credibility of the appraisal results seems to have increased because the Emperor conducted the demonstration experiment in front of everyone.
Emperor Eckardt looked at the excited Wolf clan, then shifted his gaze to Sigmund.
“Sigmund, what will you do? You don’t necessarily have to try it.”
“I’ll do it!”
Seeing Sigmund answer immediately, I felt indescribable, thinking He would say that.
Since Sigmund is honest, he must have thought that as the head of the Wolf clan, he must clarify his own parentage.
The Emperor nodded as if accepting Sigmund’s decision, then looked at him and said firmly.
“Sigmund, you became the head of the Wolf clan not because you are the son of the former head. It’s because you were the most excellent in the clan. And even now, you remain the most excellent in the Wolf clan.”
Since it’s a sensitive topic, the Emperor didn’t say it clearly, but the Emperor declared that even if there is no parent-child relationship between the former Duke and Duchess and Sigmund, Sigmund remains the head of the Wolf clan.
By speaking in advance, the Emperor clearly showed that Sigmund’s position is guaranteed regardless of the appraisal result, and at the same time, the Emperor takes on all dissatisfaction that may erupt in the future.
Since the Wolf clan values blood relationships, if it becomes clear that Sigmund is not the child of the former Duke and Duchess, someone will surely be dissatisfied.
Understanding that, Emperor Eckardt took it all on.
Truly a manly Emperor. No wonder subordinates like Sigmund swear loyalty to the Emperor. Ah, actually, Sigmund is moved and already teary-eyed.
Unlike the moved Sigmund, the former Duke and Duchess stepped forward with calm expressions. Then, with Sigmund, the three repeated the previous procedure.
The result was—both leaves held by the former Duke turned purple, and both leaves held by the former Duchess turned yellow-green.
“…!”
Sigmund opened his eyes wide and stared at the leaves held high by the former Duke and Duchess.
—At that moment, it was clearly proven in front of the clan that Sigmund was the biological child of the former Duke and Duchess.
“I-Is that really true!? Is Sigmund truly our son?”
Emperor Eckardt nodded firmly to the former Duke, who asked with a skeptical look.
“Yes. These are ‘Witch’s Divination Leaves,’ created by the Witch for parentage testing. There is no mistake.”
The leaves change color. The ‘Witch’s Divination Leaf’ is a remarkably simple plant that proves blood relations through that change.
No matter how many demonstrations were done beforehand, overturning a belief held for years is not easily accepted.
Or so I thought, but the moment the Emperor said, “It’s a method created by the Witch,” the former Duke looked convinced.
My, to be convinced just by hearing the Witch’s name… Witches really are trusted immensely.
Impressed, I added my own words to reinforce the Emperor’s statement.
“I heard that changelings are sometimes born in the Wolf clan. It would be very sad if everyone misunderstood and believed there was no parent-child relationship when there actually was. Perhaps the Witch planted these ‘Divination Leaves’ in the garden of Wolff Castle to solve that very problem.”
Hearing my words, the Wolf clan looked deeply moved.
“Oh, my word! What terrifying benevolence!”
“As expected of the Witch! To think she cared for us so deeply.”
Following them, the former Duchess murmured in a daze.
“It can’t be… Sigmund is really our son…”
Judging from the former Duchess’s demeanor, she must have genuinely believed Sigmund was a changeling. But her attitude changed completely; she blushed and stared at Sigmund, so she must have finally realized, albeit belatedly, that he was her son.
Since a years-long misunderstanding had been cleared up, I expected a touching parent-child reunion, but the former Duke and Duchess only glanced at Sigmund repeatedly out of the corner of their eyes and made no move to approach him.
Sigmund, for his part, stood frozen with a difficult expression, showing no sign of approaching his parents either.
Ah, even though their parentage is proven, maybe the memories of years of discord are getting in the way, making it hard to accept each other as parent and child.
Disappointed, I observed the three of them. Although the former Duke had his usual face on, his gaze seemed drawn to Sigmund, and he glanced at him repeatedly.
The former Duchess, still blushing, looked fidgety and restless, constantly rubbing her hands on her dress.
Sigmund had a difficult expression, but his ears were unnaturally red.
Suspecting something, I observed him closely. Sigmund’s expression looked less ‘difficult’ and more like he was desperately suppressing the urge to laugh or smile.
Noticing this reminded me that Sigmund had said he loved his clan.
That’s right. Sigmund said he loved his clan and wanted to be with them regardless of blood ties.
So, finding out he is actually the child of the former Duke and Duchess… there’s no way he wouldn’t be happy.
Despite that, he isn’t showing joy because he was rejected for so long that he probably doesn’t know how to react.
So, if I told him, “The former Duke and Duchess seem happy to know Sigmund is their real son,” Sigmund would surely be overjoyed and show affection to his parents. But… why should Sigmund be the one to reach out?
Feeling disgruntled, I watched Sigmund and his parents keeping their distance.
Sigmund hasn’t done a single thing wrong, yet for years he was treated terribly for ‘not being a real son.’ In that case, surely this time his parents should be the ones to make the first move.
I wanted to create a situation where the former Duke and Duchess would want to accept the parent-child relationship, but how…?
After thinking for a moment, I had a flash of inspiration. For the sake of Sigmund, who declared that ‘happiness is being with the clan,’ I decided to lend a hand.
Operation Name: “Praise the Wolf Lord.”
I put a hand to my cheek, put on an apologetic expression, and turned to face the former Duke and Duchess.
“Former Duke, and former Duchess, please allow me to retract my words from the other day. I said, ‘Unless he was swapped, there is no way someone as exceptional as Sigmund could be born into this family,’ but that was a mistake.”
Hearing my words, the Emperor’s shoulders jumped in shock.
His expression said, Why did Katia make a statement that creates enemies the moment I took my eyes off her?
For the Wolf clan, who love their family and believe they are a superior race, my remark was undoubtedly infuriating.
Just as the Emperor instantly thought, I knew that much myself. Conversely, because I knew it, I deliberately made a provocative statement.
Since they are a clan that has treated Sigmund terribly, I felt they all deserved to feel a little unpleasant. Because I, who had never been submissive before, retracted my previous statement and showed a meek attitude, the former Duke and Duchess looked wary.
Conscious of their gazes, I looked at Sigmund with an expression of admiration.
“Sigmund is a magnificent wolf born from the proud Wolf clan! That is why he was able to find the ancient ruins beneath Wolff Castle that no one knew about until now, and why he was able to discover the ‘Witch’s Garden’ with me.”
Hearing my words, the Wolf clan groaned, then immediately latched onto what I said.
“T-That’s right! Duke Sigmund is the pride of our Wolf clan!”
“Honestly, I’ve always thought Duke Sigmund’s features looked exactly like the former Duke’s!!”
“Ah, dirty! I’ve been thinking the same thing for ages, don’t say it first!!”
“As expected of the ducal bloodline! Discovering ancient ruins and the ‘Witch’s Garden’ that no one noticed until now is an incredible feat! Duke Sigmund has rewritten the history of the great Wolf clan!!”
It seems the clan members fell for it faster than the former Duke and Duchess. And judging by their comments, the Wolf clan seems to be full of fair-weather friends.
With the rest of the clan won over, perhaps it became easier for Sigmund’s parents to accept their son. The former Duchess dropped her suspicious expression and spoke dreamily.
“I didn’t know. My son achieving a great feat reflects on my honor as a parent too. Fufufu, a son who inherited my blood found the Witch’s ancient ruins and garden… isn’t that wonderful?”
Similarly, the former Duke started grinning happily.
“Exactly, as expected of my son! It makes me so proud that such a magnificent Sigmund carries my blood!!”
Hmm, for both of them, their desire for honor is showing more than their love for their son.
It’s a pity, but Sigmund’s parents don’t seem to be welcoming their son with pure feelings.
I felt dissatisfied, but the simple-hearted Sigmund looked at them with teary eyes, full of joy.
“Father! Mother! You’re proud of me!!”
His cheeks flushed, he expressed his gratitude in a loud voice.
Ah, seeing Sigmund look so happy makes me happy too.
Since Sigmund is so delighted, maybe it’s okay if his parents are 80% motivated by honor and 20% by love for him.
Besides, Sigmund is such an honest, good boy; if they interact closely, real love will surely well up in his parents’ hearts soon enough.
As I told myself this, the former Duchess approached Sigmund and held out both hands to her son with a smile.
“Welcome home, my cute son. I thought you had been stolen by fairies, but you were by my side all along.”
Next, his father thumped his own chest confidently.
“Yes, you are our magnificent son, with nothing to be ashamed of, and the head of the Wolf clan!”
“F-Father, Mother!!”
Seeing Sigmund so moved, I smiled, thinking this was the right answer.
Thinking that’s good while watching the happy Sigmund, Emperor Eckardt approached and whispered in my ear.
“Katia, you readily admitted your statement was a mistake. You must have said it out of anger at how the Wolf clan treated Sigmund poorly, and you probably didn’t think your statement was wrong at all.”
My, Emperor Eckardt wasn’t even there, yet he guessed the situation back then as if he had seen it. What terrifying deductive power.
I looked up at Emperor Eckardt in surprise. Then, admitting he was right, I acknowledged the correctness of his words.
I don’t regret saying ‘Unless he was swapped, there is no way someone as exceptional as Sigmund could be born into this family’ one bit, nor do I reflect on it.
Seeing Sigmund, who was blameless, being ostracized by everyone in his clan was unbearable.
“You admitted it was a mistake for Sigmund’s sake. The proud Wolf clan would never admit their own mistake themselves. Reconciliation would have taken time if you hadn’t yielded, so you took the fall for Sigmund.”
My, he sees right through me. But I didn’t act purely out of kindness—in fact, I even thought the Wolf clan deserved to suffer a little, so being praised here feels wrong. I gave a vague reply.
“…I just acted on impulse, and this is what happened.”
Hearing my answer, the Emperor widened his eyes in surprise, then laughed amusedly.
“Hahaha, is that your reply! Any beastman would be bragging that it was their own achievement, yet you feign ignorance here. I see, I’ll have to watch your actions carefully from now on. You are most dangerous when you seem quiet.”
“N-No, Your Majesty is busy, so please don’t mind me. As I said before, I am a frail, delicate, and weak human, so I will always be quiet.”
Emperor Eckardt is capable and seems like he wouldn’t miss anything, so being watched would be unbearable. I asked him to leave me alone.
I meant it seriously, but Emperor Eckardt didn’t take it seriously and laughed again.
“Hahaha, you really are interesting. You achieved a rare feat, yet if you say this is your ‘usual,’ then I must constantly pay attention to you. After all, you are quite the strategist.”
“S-Strategist?”
When I frowned and asked back, Emperor Eckardt nodded in a good mood.
“Since you seem to understand Sigmund’s character, you must have predicted that if you pushed him the moment his parentage was revealed, those parents and child would reconcile. But to ensure Sigmund’s victory, you deliberately took the approach of having his parents make the move. You can move people as you wish, like pieces on a board.”
I stared at the Emperor in shock.
“I-I can’t do such a thing! I just…”
I desperately thought about what to say to convince the Emperor.
Being humble probably won’t work. Sometimes saying something slightly self-serving is more persuasive, so maybe I should reply a bit cynically here.
“As Your Majesty says, I’ve come to understand Sigmund. Because of that, I’ve realized he is very useful. So, I just sold him a favor so he would work for me in the future!”
The Emperor smirked.
“Is that so. In that case, your actions will yield the best results. Sigmund will buy a favor at ten times the market price.”
“Eh?”
Ten times?
“Be prepared to be followed around from now on.”
I stared at Emperor Eckardt in shock.
Sigmund is already taking care of me too much, and now you say there will be more?
“Ah, no, actually Sigmund is already treating me well enough, so more isn’t good. Since he seems to have reached an understanding with the Wolf clan this time, his work as a lord will increase, so he should focus on that.”
“It’s too late.”
Emperor Eckardt said it simply, then looked down at me teasingly.
“You don’t know the nature of wolves yet. Because they are proud, they tend to feel a great debt to those who enhanced their pride and value. You found an ancient ruin—of which only two have been found in my Empire—beneath their stronghold. For the Wolf clan, there is no greater honor.”
“T-That is Sigmund’s achievement…”
“This land is Sigmund’s territory. He has spent thousands of days here. Something that didn’t happen during that time occurred the day after you visited. Even if finding the ancient ruins and garden was just a coincidence, everyone knows whose achievement it is without being told.”
Cornered by his logic, I replied falteringly.
“No, um, I…”
Then, the Emperor narrowed his eyes as if in praise.
“Besides, not everything was just a coincidence, was it? Discovering the ancient ruins might have been chance, but finding the Witch’s Garden was due to your knowledge. You likely studied the Witch’s plants beforehand and recognized the ‘Witch’s Divination Leaf’ from its characteristic shape.”
Ah, somehow I’m being made out to be a more magnificent person than I actually am.
But since the fact that I might be a Witch is a secret, I can’t deny it either.
“Katia, you are a kind of human I have never seen before. In a situation where anyone would be leaning back arrogantly claiming credit, you desperately try to pretend your achievements didn’t happen.”
“Ugh…”
Unable to say anything, I fell silent. The Emperor smiled amusedly at me—but unlike before, it wasn’t an unreadable smile. I could believe he truly found it amusing, just as his expression showed.
Because of that, I felt like I had failed at something, or perhaps, succeeded a little too well.
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