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Chapter 34

The day I received the mirror, I was too exhausted and drained to do anything, so I waited until the next day. I asked Noel to go fetch Leonhart.

Leonhart’s most noticeable feature is his eyepatch. I covered my own left eye with my hand and pointed at my face a few times to show Noel, he immediately understood who I meant.

「Do you need Leonhart-san? Should I go call him for you?」

(Yes, please.)

「Understood! I’ll go right away!」

I had also ordered the purple sprout to bring Leonhart just in case, but with Noel going, I knew it would be more reliable. I watched Noel head off and decided to do a bit of remodeling to the house before my guest arrived.

(It won’t look any different on the outside though.)

I touched one of the walls and grew plants along it. The house already had ivy trailing its walls, so I just added different plants on top.

I used parts of the lid that sealed my voice, and also a plant called Silentweed. Both have the property of absorbing vibrations, so by growing plenty of them, the idea was to prevent any sound from leaking outside the house.

But if I overdid it, they’d absorb too much and I wouldn’t be able to hear anything inside either, so it needed careful moderation. I adjusted it a few times.

(This should be about right. Let’s test it just in case.)

I deliberately knocked the heel of my shoe inside the house to make a sound, and confirmed that while it was slightly muffled, it hadn’t disappeared entirely.

Then I stepped outside, shut the door, and manipulated the plants inside to produce noise. Since it was easiest to understand if Lilybell played music, I had it perform a tune. …The order should’ve gone through, but I couldn’t hear anything.

(Yep, completely silent.)

When I opened the door, music resembling a Christmas theme flowed out properly. With this, my home was now soundproof.

「Witch-sama! I brought Leonhart-san! Were you waiting outside this whole time?」

Just then, Noel came rushing back. He looked pleased to have completed his task, so I patted his head in thanks. He wagged his tail happily in response, that’s how he always reacted to praise.

(Hm? …His head seems a bit higher than before.)

Maybe he was in a growth spurt. He could’ve gotten taller from eating properly. It’s good for children to grow. I’ll keep feeding him lots to help him grow even more… I might’ve started sounding like the witch from the candy house, but I don’t intend to eat Noel, I’m not an evil witch.

「Witch-dono, is something the matter?」

Leonhart followed shortly after, carrying the purple sprout on one arm. I needed to talk to him about that sprout.

But I didn’t want anyone else hearing. I tapped Noel’s shoulder and pointed toward the garden to ask him to stay outside for a while.

「…If you’re calling me in the morning, it must be important. Got it, I’ll be working outside!」

(Yes, yes. Noel really has ESP-level intuition.)

Noel trotted off toward the garden. Leonhart still looked a little tense, so I smiled to reassure him and beckoned him inside.

He bent his elbow to make a seat, and the purple sprout posed seductively with its legs crossed on top of it. I picked it up in one swift motion.

(I don’t want even a chance of our voices leaking out, so we should keep it to whispers. But… Leonhart is tall.)

This made it hard for my voice to reach. I went farther into the room, placed the purple sprout on the table, pulled out a chair, and beckoned again. He looked a bit puzzled and asked, 「Should I sit here…?」 I nodded.

Once Leonhart sat down, his head was finally below mine. I placed my right hand gently on his shoulder to keep him still, then cupped his ear with my left hand without letting my face get too close. If I held his ear like this, it wouldn’t look strange, I doubt anyone would suspect I was physically maintaining distance.

「…I have a favor to ask.」

「…!」

「I want you… to tell Ritter… to be more mindful around the purple sprout…」

There’ve already been minor incidents of it sucking people, it’s dangerous. But saying 「Don’t touch it because it’s dangerous「 would be the same as admitting it’s a threat. That’s hard to say. I don’t want to be seen as an evil witch.

My voice trembled as I whispered softly. Even with the surrounding plants that absorb sound, he could still hear me clearly, it showed just how strong his sound-spreading skill was. Still, it probably wouldn’t leak outside.

(I couldn’t convey all this with gestures, and I don’t want to order the sprout to stay away either.)

It had finally succeeded in coming off as harmless. I wanted it to continue interacting safely and appropriately.

Having said what I needed to, I slowly pulled away. But Leonhart suddenly looked down and covered even his uncovered eye.

「…Understood.」

(He seems a little off… but as long as he got the message, it’s fine. The sprout should also be careful not to absorb humans anymore.)

Maybe because it had sucked energy from Ritter, the sprout’s leaves were unusually glossy. It gave a salute while holding a weird pose with its legs crossed. …Clearly, it had been taught all sorts of unnecessary things. Ritter has terrible taste.

「Witch-dono, was that all?」

(Yes. That’s it.)

「…Then if you’ll excuse me.」

(Oh, right, you must be working. Thank you, and sorry for calling you over like this. Here, take some of Noel’s fairy candy jam with you…)

I had planned to serve tea since he came all this way, but it seemed he was still on duty and needed to leave. I felt bad for calling him.

At the very least, I handed him a jar of colorful fairy candy jam as a parting gift and waved lightly. He smiled awkwardly and said, 「If anything comes up, please feel free to call on me again,「 before heading off. The purple sprout followed behind, probably going back to the knights’ lodging.

As I watched their backs disappear, Noel came toddling back from the garden.

「All done talking?」

(Yes. It really was a small matter. I almost feel bad for making him come.)

「…Witch-sama, did you do something to Leonhart-san? He seemed a little… off.」

(I didn’t do anything… I think?)

My voice-based attacks shouldn’t affect him since he’s immune to curses. …Still, if there’s even the slightest risk, maybe I shouldn’t talk to him too much either.

But Leonhart must’ve passed on the message. Because the next day, he came back with Ritter to offer a formal apology.

「Witch-dono, Ritter would like to speak with you. …However, if his presence displeases you, feel free to turn him away.」

(No, no, it’s fine. I’m not angry or anything.)

Leonhart had made him wait at a distance until I gave permission, he must’ve thought I was furious with Ritter.

The moment Ritter was brought before me, he dropped into a deep ninety-degree bow.

「My deepest apologies, Witch-dono. …But I swear, my feelings for Purple-chan aren’t just a fling… I’ll behave with more restraint from now on, so please forgive me…」

I froze, completely unsure what he meant. Inside, I was screaming, 「Wait, WHAT!?」 but none of it showed on my face.

Next to me, Noel tugged gently at my sleeve, looking genuinely concerned.

「Witch-sama… maybe you should cure this man.」

「…It would be a waste of medicine. Honestly, I doubt even Witch-dono could fix this.」

An incurable illness… could it really be a sickness of love? But Ritter’s object of affection is just a mandragora. …Maybe it’s better described as a diseased love.

He swore to avoid any inappropriate contact, but something told me Ritter had already gone past the point of no return.