“Maybe... I’m a bit worried about all the loins I don’t know who will be there...”
“But my lady, you spoke to Cecily’s father with no issue, did you not?”
“Well, that was because he was more like a lovable bear mascot than a pair of loins.”
“Bears are dangerous, you realize?”
“He seemed less like a real bear and more like a raccoon bear to me,” Alphonse quipped.
As the others chatted around her, Cecily couldn’t help but think on Cain’s behavior. It had felt as if he was staring daggers at Zeke just now...
Maybe it’s my imagination.
Cain was a kindhearted boy. He wouldn’t glare at someone he had just met for the first time. Cecily chalked it up to simply having misinterpreted his expression.
✧ ✧ ✧
Preparations for the party continued with no major hiccups. The assembly hall wasn’t a building with much pomp to it—it was chiefly used as a place to teach children or for them to have sleepovers and the like.
Cecily had been tasked with decorating the hall. She hung up a cream-colored curtain decorated with artificial flowers, and laid out a similarly colored rug. Next, she set out lace place mats on the tea table, and decorated the vases with beautiful flowers plucked from the flower field. Maria was the lady-in-waiting for the Snowflower Palace and so gave some advice as Cecily decorated in line with her fine sensibilities.
Maria is incredible... The assembly hall looks completely different.
The children were overjoyed about the assembly hall’s bright transformation. Perhaps their preferences were burned into their genes, for almost all witches favored blacks and reds. The assembly hall usually had a usual dark and gloomy atmosphere or perhaps the feeling of a night-house, but now it was full of warmth and cheer.
When evening came, all the doors leading to the garden and balconies would be opened so that people could go in and out as they pleased. Cecily imagined that the room, set aglow by the warmth of candles, would make for a captivating scene.
As Cecily came to the end of her duties, she thought again about Cain.
It’s been ten whole years. I wanted to talk to him a bit more.
She had invited Cain to join her, but he had apologized, saying that he was tired from his long journey.
His parents had remained behind in the large witch village. It seemed like they enjoyed life there because they had decided to stay.
Ten years had been enough training for Cain, and so Greta had brought him home now that he had permission to return. However, his plans from here on out had yet to be decided.
After leaving Cecily, Cain had headed to the Ramps family home. The house had a guest room, and Greta had said that she’d allowed him to use it.
“Without further ado...cheers!”
Cecily came back to herself with a gasp.
“Ch-Cheers!” she said, lifting her glass.
The other witches had quickly finished their drinks and were already going for more. Maybe it was because they often tested their potions on themselves, but most witches loved alcohol.
It was evening already—the party had just begun.
Cecily was sixteen, and so was legally an adult. However, she didn’t really have a taste for alcohol, and sipped her grape juice instead.
The tables were covered in a plethora of delicious-looking dishes. Sewell had whipped up some meals for the occasion too, apparently.
“Cheeeers!”
Cecily felt someone bump into her waist as she heard this voice. She turned around and saw Charlotte, who was walking with unsteady feet.
“Lady Lottie, are you...drunk?”
“Of course...I’m not!” Charlotte said, slurring her words. She certainly didn’t sound sober. “It’s fine—I’m drinking alcohol-free drinks! Cheeeers!”
“Sober people don’t slur their words and say ‘cheers’ every other sentence, my lady,” Alphonse said, snatching the glass from Charlotte’s hand.
“What do you know, stupid Alphonse’s loins!”
“Yes, yes, that’s me—Alphonse’s loins,” Alphonse said, trying to appease her.
Cecily glanced around the assembly hall looking for Zeke. She found him quickly, or rather, she spotted the crowd of middle-aged witches twittering around him first.
A wave of annoyance passed over Cecily. Most witches prized their looks, so Zeke was surrounded by a whole crowd of beautiful women. Cecily had told them not to make any moves on him, but it seemed that Zeke was irrepressibly popular.
But I know what Zeke is like.
Cecily knew Zeke’s personality better than anyone else—he was a kind man. She knew that, just like when he dealt with suspicious people in the capital, if he gave them one sharp glance, he could easily prevent any woman from getting even close to him.
But look how much he’s enjoying their attention!
Cecily started to grumble about how gentlemanly Zeke was in talking to everyone around him. She knew exactly why he was being so polite—Zeke couldn’t let himself be rude to all these women to whom he owed a debt for having taken care of Cecily. She knew that he wasn’t flirting with them, not really; he was merely doing his best to enjoy a conversation with these women who had been a big part of Cecily’s life.
Because of that, Cecily felt it was her duty to give the women around him a stern telling-off.
Zeke’s my man!
Yes, she had every right to say something.
“Excuse m—”
“Hey, Cecily. It’s been a minute.”
It was Cain. He had appeared right in front of her just as she was heading towards Zeke and his crowd. She stopped and spoke to him.
“Hello, Cain. Have you rested up?”
“Yeah. Sewell looked after me,” Cain said, with a gentle smile. In his hand was a glass. The pink liquid inside the glass swayed slightly.
Where did he get this drink?
Cecily hadn’t seen any drink of this color being prepared. For some reason, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from it—it just looked so delicious. Her face, as reflected in the glass, seemed lost in thought.
Noticing that she was interested in his drink, he proffered up the glass to her.
“Here—this is for you, from me. To celebrate our reunion.”
“Thanks,” Cecily said, with a smile. Yes, Cain hadn’t changed. He was as kind as he always was.
As Cecily took the glass, a witch standing nearby couldn’t help but say, “Oh!”
“Hm?”
The witch looked at Cecily, the glass, Cain, and then the glass again.
“It’s nothing,” she said with a chuckle, before leaving them be.
Cecily was curious as to what was going on, for a number of others nearby exchanged glances. However, no one said a thing.
What’s gotten into them?
Perhaps it was due to the experience from his job, but Zeke had picked up that something wasn’t right. He came over, and from elsewhere Alphonse began approaching her too.
Zeke’s expression was stern. However, as soon as Cecily caught a glimpse of the women clamoring around him, a rush of frustration came over her. She turned back to Cain and threw back her drink.
“Cecily, hold on!” Zeke called out. “I’ve got a bad feeling!”
“Huh?”
She heard him, but she’d already lifted the glass. The strangely sweet-smelling liquid flowed down her throat. As soon as she’d finished the drink, the glass slipped from her hand.
“Careful!”
Cain caught the glass before it crashed to the floor. But the glass was the least of Cecily’s worries.
M-My throat’s...on fire!
She placed both hands on her neck. As soon as she had swallowed that sweet drink, her throat started to burn with heat. She felt sweat beading up across her body. Her vision was hazy. She couldn’t stand properly. Zeke rushed over her to grab her shoulders and steady her.
Cecily’s eyes were closed tightly shut in pain as she panted heavily.
“Cecily? What’s wrong?”
She didn’t reply.
“Cecily!”
Cecily pulled away from Zeke without a word or even a look. Her gaze was unfocused, and she seemed a little dazed. And then, before a speechless crowd, she leaned into Cain.