∴ ∵ ∴
“WAIT. Don’t go over there just yet.”
“But there’s only one left—”
“Just wait. They will bring out more.”
“But that’s the last table with the shiny one...”
Rose wrenched her gaze from the dessert on the table to look up at Harij with the eyes of an abandoned kitten left out in the rain. Her face remained expressionless beneath the hood, but her eager plea seemed to have reached Harij. With his brows knit tightly together, he was obviously stumped for words.
A ball was held within the glittering palace around the time the building was encompassed by the star-encrusted night.
The chandeliers above shone so brightly they seemed to be trying to blanket the fancy ceiling with light. The intricately cut glass crystals swayed, reflecting the gleam of the candlelight. Golden thread embroidered the cloth walls, which had not a single speck of dust.
As if forgetting the previous commotion, the royal palace’s ball, which displayed the entire kingdom’s extravagance, continued without a care.
Men and women danced in pairs to the orchestra’s magical performance. But none of the couples in the hall could concentrate on dancing or the music. Everyone’s attention had tuned in to the most conspicuous couple there.
“Sir Harij…please,” Rose earnestly requested. Her slender arm poked out from under the robe.
Even to a ball, she wore her witch’s robe rather than a dress. She did so because Yašm, the host of the ball, permitted her to attend as a witch.
Nonetheless, Rose had grudgingly dressed up for the occasion because Tala talked her ears off about how “You will be meeting the people His Lordship serves alongside daily, so you mustn’t forget your manners.”
Half of her hair had been pulled back and braided so tight it felt like her scalp was being ripped off. She also powdered her face, brushed on blush, and rouged her lips. She put Mona through a lot of heartache because her first attempt at makeup resulted in looking like one of the frightening witches depicted in fairy tales.
The brand-new robe she wore was one of the dowry items Tien had enthusiastically given her. He likely had it tailored precisely for when Rose needed to attend formal events with Harij.
It was nothing like the plain robes she always wore at the hermitage. Bold embroidered designs bloomed on the thick, velvety fabric. Every time the chandelier lights hit it, the material glittered, making the witch look even more mysterious and magical.
The hood was a crucial component in the design, as it should be for any witch. When she wore it, the crystals sewn along the rim of the hood hid her expression every time they shook and reflected the light.
“Won’t you please grant me this one wish…?”
She begged him with an expression more serious than anything else in the world, but all she really wanted was to just dine upon delicious desserts.
Frowning, Harij glanced around them. He seemed to be confirming that the people he wanted her to meet were currently conversing with others. He took another look at Rose and slowly nodded.
“…Only for a short bit, okay?”
“I’ll do my best to eat as fast as I can.”
“You don’t have to rush that much.”
When everyone saw how lenient Harij was with Rose, commotion spread through the hall like ripples on a lake.
“No way.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“Was Sir Azm always so friendly…?”
The women’s whispers went from one ear to another, even reaching Rose.
Rose quickly moved to the table she had set her sights on and placed the dessert in question on her plate with the speed of a cat pouncing on a mouse. Needless to say, Rose was the only woman at the ball who was so engrossed with food.
She had been wholly captivated by a sweet treat that appeared to be layers of marshmallow topped with a shiny, transparent red jelly. The best part was the mint leaf that made it look like someone had turned a beautiful little apple into a shining jewel.
The marshmallow wobbled just from her moving it onto the plate. She carefully cut it with a fork and carried it to her tongue. Cold jelly made contact with her lips. The supple gel encompassing the pillowy white confection guided Rose’s taste buds to heaven.
While savoring that piece of fluffy joy, Rose turned to Harij. “Sir Harij, do you—”
She felt the silent tension radiating off him as she talked with her mouth full, so after swallowing her food, she finished her question.
“…Do you go often? To these kinds of events.”
“Not often. When I attend, it’s usually as a guard. I think I mentioned this before, but I’ve cut off most of my ties to high society since becoming a knight.”
It was incredibly rare for Harij, who hated attending any noble gatherings, to be invited as a knighted guest rather than for his work as a Royal Knight on guard duty. Furthermore, it was difficult for everyone who knew Harij to believe he was there escorting a witch who totally had him wrapped around her little finger.
“It’s been a while since I last dressed up like this, too.”
Harij puffed out his chest to show off his outfit to her. Rose squinted at him because it was near impossible for her to look directly at his formal attire without risking going blind.
This man has an amazingly handsome face. It’s better looking than anything else in the world. Combine that face with his dressing for the occasion, and he’s irresistible.
Formal wear with simple cuts and lines were popular in Marjan. Men’s attire was no exception with their refined designs. The man’s family crest, what his territory was known for, and his own design preferences were all considered when weaving and embroidering the fabric to be used. Harij’s clothing today had a large riding spur embroidered on the back. He probably had it designed to show off his status as a knight who rode his own path in life. Rose couldn’t imagine a better fit.
Internally, Rose fist-pumped the air with glee at seeing him dressed this way for the first time. She couldn’t help feeling as if he were emitting a brighter light than the sun beside her, so she couldn’t stare at him for more than three seconds at a time, but she could still bathe in the sun god’s glory again and again.
He had cleanly slicked back the hair he usually let fall naturally around his face. Rose was on the brink of drooling.
I can’t get enough of this. Viva la formal wear! Balls aren’t that bad if they mean getting to see him like this.
Rose swallowed her drool with a bite of marshmallow.
It goes without saying that Rose had been invited to the royal ball together with Harij today.
Apparently, this was an apology for all the trouble she was put through during the Witch’s Love Potion Incident. She couldn’t fathom how being invited to an event like this counted as a mea culpa. Still, Harij seemed as if he wanted her to go, and he said there would be lots of delicious food, so Rose reluctantly—really reluctantly—accepted.
Put another way, Rose essentially came to eat at a buffet. She was determined to devour one of every sweet decorating the various tables. After all, it was her first time seeing so many desserts together in one place.
But she hadn’t expected that big of an uproar merely from entering the hall. She learned firsthand just how deep the fear of witches went.
The Witch’s Love Potion had become a hot topic since the tower incident—and not in a good sense. Scandalous rumors had spread, claiming the Witch’s Love Potions were gimmicks.
Although no one was brave enough to come forward and accuse her, Harij had confirmed such rumors were circulating. Rose could overlook the lousy reputation of witches. While it hurt at times, it also served as armor that protected witches from others. But as a witch who possessed absolute confidence and pride in the secret potions she brewed, Rose could hardly overlook the hearsay devaluing her potions.
And yet she decided to tolerate it—because that was the responsibility of a witch who had taken on an apprentice.
The fact that all six victims drank the Witch’s Love Potion wasn’t made public.
As it was, the so-called victims only experienced the negative side effects for less than a few hours. No one other than the people directly affected should have even noticed there was a problem.
Lulu’s name didn’t come up in the gossip at all, either.
She had withdrawn from the public eye under the pretense she was sick so that she could privately reflect on her actions for a short period of time. Rose planned to teach Lulu the ways of a witch once her soul-searching was up. Teaching her how to brew potions was an obvious aspect of the lessons, but first, Rose needed to ground Lulu in the secrets of the witches. Whether Lulu chose to live as a witch or live concealing that part of her didn’t change the fact that she possessed the body of a witch.
She might have been able to live a lie-free life until now because of her young age, but she was likely to be thrust into more situations where the truth didn’t always work as she grew older. As the elder witch and as her teacher, Rose planned to guide Lulu every step of the way.
Rose snapped out of her pensive thinking when she saw a cart weaving through the sea of people. Eyes gleaming, she tugged on Harij’s sleeve.
“Sir Harij.”
“What is it?”
“New desserts have been delivered to that table over there.”
“…Want to go check them out?”
“Yes.”
Rose brushed right past the arm Harij held out to her.
“Rose.”
“Yes?” Called to a halt, she looked back. Harij stuck out his elbow, face set in a dead-serious expression. “What is it?”
“Place your hand here.”
“Do what?”