While Kalos’s attitude towards the witch, including introducing himself to her, was surprising, what was even more surprising was his next declaration.

“I will take her with me.”

Baron Silas showed a look of difficulty.

“I understand your desire to play with the witch, but this witch has already been reported to the temple. If you take her away, it puts me in an awkward position…”

Kalos silently held out a check. The large seal of House Esper was noticeable, but what caught the baron’s eye was the amount.

Thirty thousand gold.

The temple did give a reward for capturing witches, but it was only three hundred gold at most.

Baron Silas’s eyes widened at the fact that he was being offered an amount a hundred times larger.

A cool voice fell on his head as he couldn’t take his eyes off the check.

“What will you do?”

It was a ridiculous question that didn’t need pondering.

“I’ll prepare right away.”

I’ll just tell the temple it was a false report by the townspeople.

They might complain that we didn’t verify properly, but it didn’t matter.

Thirty thousand gold was more precious than the temple’s nagging.

Baron Silas inwardly smirked as he tucked the check into his inner pocket.

*

How did this happen?

Unable to adapt to the rapidly changing situation, Irene blinked slowly, huddled in the corner of the carriage.

It was fascinating to ride in a carriage for the first time in her life, but there was no time to indulge in appreciation. Being put in a carriage meant she was being taken somewhere.

Didn’t that man say he would take her away?

She didn’t know where he was taking her, but she was certain it wasn’t somewhere good for her.

…Maybe he plans to enjoy himself and then kill me.

Her heart, which had momentarily felt relief at being alive, started pounding again.

‘Should I try to escape now?’

Irene’s gaze fell on the door.

Could I escape if I open that door?

What if I fail? I’d be severely beaten then…

Having experienced it once before, she knew well how painful that would be.

As she hesitated, unable to easily run away, the carriage door opened and Kalos got in.

Having lost her chance to escape, Irene crumpled up her thoughts.

Following him, another man she hadn’t seen before also got into the carriage.

The man, wearing a dark blue outfit matching his hair color and a monocle with a long silver chain, bowed to Irene with his hand on his chest.

“Pleased to meet you, young lady.”

Irene’s cheeks flushed slightly at the unfamiliar, ticklish form of address and polite manner she had never experienced in her life.

“I am Dewey Limmon, a humble servant attending to His Excellency. Please feel free to call me Dewey.”

“I’m Irene.”

Her voice was still small, but it didn’t tremble as much as when she had told Kalos her name.

Dewey wasn’t as scary as Kalos, after all.

Kalos sat across from Irene, and Dewey was about to sit next to her.

“Here.”

No, he was about to sit, but Kalos stopped him.

“Your seat is here.”

Dewey had never once sat in the same seat as Kalos before.

Being told to sit next to him was surprising, but on the other hand, he understood why he was doing this and smiled.

“As you wish.”

After taking his seat, Dewey took out a pen and notebook from his pocket and said to Irene.

“I’m going to ask you some questions now, but if you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer.”

Irene nodded to indicate she understood.

“First, how old are you this year?”

“I’m 20 years old.”

“What?”

Dewey, who was about to take notes, turned to Irene in surprise.

Kalos also seemed surprised, opening his eyes that had been gently closed to look at her.

“Are you really 20 years old?”

“Yes.”

“An adult, right?”

When Irene nodded again, Dewey let out a small laugh.

He had thought she was at most 15 or 16 years old, but to think she was an adult.

“I always found it difficult to gauge humans’ ages, but this is too much…”

“Pardon?”

When Irene questioned, not understanding his words, Dewey replied it was nothing and continued with his questions.

A long series of questions followed about her family relations, likes, hobbies, and so on.

Irene found it strange that they would ask such things to a toy they planned to play with and then kill, but she answered diligently without asking why.

“Have you ever experienced anything strange in your life?”

But this she couldn’t answer right away.

Not because it was uncomfortable to answer, but because the question was too broad.

“What do you mean by strange things?”

“Hmm, well…”

How should I explain this?

As Dewey scratched his head in difficulty, Kalos, who had been silently listening to their conversation, asked.

“Have you ever used magic?”

Magic. Irene shook her head at the fantastic word she had never experienced in her life.

“Have you seen spirits?”

“No.”

“Prophetic dreams? Do you have any strange tattoo-like marks on your body?”

When Irene answered no to all of them, Dewey’s expression became serious.

“Master. This is…”

“It’s definitely her.”

Kalos answered firmly.

What’s definitely what?

Irene didn’t understand Kalos’s words, but Dewey seemed to understand as he smiled in relief.

“Then I’ll end the preliminary investigation here and move to the driver’s seat.”

Dewey going to the driver’s seat meant only Kalos and herself would be left here.

‘I don’t like that.’

Irene hoped Dewey wouldn’t leave, but Dewey, unaware of her feelings, departed completely.

*

Not long after Kalos left with Irene, a priest sent by the temple arrived at Silas’s territory.

Baron Silas greeted the priest with an apologetic manner.

“I’m sorry you came all this way, but that woman wasn’t a witch. It was a misunderstanding by the townspeople.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. This is truly regrettable, you came such a long way. This matter…!”

Before Baron Silas could finish speaking, a sword pierced his chest.

The baron, whose heart was instantly pierced, collapsed without even letting out a scream.

The priest discarded the sword covered in hot, sticky blood on the floor and rummaged through the baron’s pockets.

Soon, discovering a check for the enormous sum of thirty thousand gold, the priest’s eyes narrowed.

“You’ve already made your move, huh.”

Usually slow, but quick when it comes to this.

Well, it’s a matter of life and death, so of course you’d be quick.

The priest flicked his finger with a smirk, and purple flames ignited on the check.

“You lied, so you must be punished.”

The priest gently placed the burning check on the cold corpse and left the reception room.

A moment later.

“Fire!”

“There’s a fire at the lord’s mansion!”

A fire much more powerful than when the witch appeared quickly engulfed Baron Silas’s mansion.

*

The carriage that had been running through the forest draped in greenery finally entered Montro.

It was the closest city to the territory where Irene lived, and also the entrance city to the Northern Realm.

When they arrived at the pre-booked luxury inn, Dewey got down from the driver’s seat and knocked on the carriage door.

“Excuse me, Master.”

When he opened the door, he saw Irene sleeping uncomfortably leaning against the carriage wall, and Kalos staring at her intently.

His purple eyes gazing at her were filled with a complex mixture of emotions – longing, urgency, anxiety, and more.

“Master.”

When Dewey called again, Kalos finally turned to look at him.

His eyes, now dry, showed no emotion.

“We’ve arrived at the inn.”

“I see.”

“It seems we should wake the young lady. Shall I do it?”

Kalos thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“No, I’ll do it.”

Dewey thought Kalos would surely shake her awake when he reached out towards Irene.

But that thought was beautifully mistaken.

Kalos wrapped his arm around her shoulders and slipped his hand between her knees, lifting her up.

The so-called ‘princess carry’.

Kalos carefully lifted Irene out of the carriage as if handling fragile glass.

Dewey’s eyes widened in surprise at his master’s unexpected action, but soon understanding his behavior, he smiled bitterly.

“I hope you will protect her for certain this time.”

At the sincere advice, Kalos, who was entering the inn, stopped abruptly.

His gaze poured over Irene’s peacefully sleeping face.

“…I must protect her.”

His hands holding her tightened.

“I will definitely protect her.”

As if he would never let go.

*

It was late evening, with the moon slightly tilted, when Irene woke up, having fallen into such a deep sleep that she didn’t even notice being carried and moved by Kalos.

Irene, opening her eyes groggily, stared blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling.

‘Where is this?’

And why am I here?

As the remnants of sleep faded away, the events she had momentarily forgotten came flooding back.

Everything from meeting Kalos at Baron Silas’s mansion to leaving the territory with him.

The last thing she remembered was Dewey getting out of the carriage and her watching Kalos nervously in the awkward atmosphere.

Then she must have fallen asleep.

She hadn’t slept properly since being imprisoned as a witch, but to fall asleep in front of a frightening beast.

“Ha.”

Finding it absurd, Irene let out a small laugh as she got out of bed.

She lit the candle on the bedside table and looked around the brightened surroundings.

A bed, a plush-looking single sofa and table, a high-quality carpet with a good texture, and so on.

Every item was too good for ordinary commoners to use. The room was also larger than Baron Silas’s reception room.

Irene felt uneasy being left alone in such a nice room.

That man wouldn’t do this for no reason…

Irene opened the door slightly and checked outside. There was no one visible in the corridor shrouded in darkness. It was the same no matter how many times she checked.

Realizing she was completely alone, Irene moistened her dry lips.

If it’s now, I could escape without being caught.

“Where… should I go?”

She had nowhere to go, having lost both family and home.

It was impossible to return to the territory where she was born and raised.

Not only did she not know how to get back, but even if she did return, she would surely be branded a witch and put on the stake again, so she could never go back.

Then where should she go?

After pondering, Irene set her jaw and left the room.

Thinking that getting out of that man’s grasp was the priority, no matter where she ended up.

She took off her shoes and walked on tiptoe to avoid making any sound.

She didn’t bring the candle for fear of being caught, but it was a wrong choice.

Facing a staircase with no visible end in the darkness, Irene sat down in great despair.

“How can I go down?”

It would be terrible if she fell while going down recklessly.

As she was considering whether to go back and get the candle.

“Want to borrow one?”

Along with a low, husky voice that matched well with the darkness, a bright light stretched out from behind her.