What is he saying to do with my hand? It can’t be anything decent. Rose inventoried her surroundings and discovered quite a few women had their hand on their man’s elbow as they chatted. She needed a lot of courage to be the one to initiate that kind of intimate touch.
Harij swiped the empty plate and glass from her hands and handed them naturally over to a waiter.
“Your hand.”
“…Yessir.”
Prompted by Harij once again, Rose reluctantly rested her hand on his elbow. She stepped in closer to make it easier to walk—so close she couldn’t bear to look up at him.
Rose grimaced as she walked, trying her best not to notice the red-hot glow emanating from her cheeks. Harij’s stride wasn’t too wide or too short—it perfectly matched hers. He’s probably used to escorting women. Her brain was on the verge of shorting out from a blend of bitterness, embarrassment, and sorrow.
Rose was unaware she was being picked apart by the women’s unfriendly gazes. But she did hear the nasty things they said about her in loud whispers meant for her to hear.
“Lord Harij is letting his arm be sullied by a witch…”
“Oh my heavens, is that thing there really the witch? Isn’t the witch supposed to be over two hundred years old…?”
“Perhaps it’s the work of magic? She can probably do something as petty as reverse her age with magic, no?”
“But I’ve heard rumors that the witches’ secret potions have dropped in quality lately.”
“Who cares about that? The real problem is why is the witch here…being escorted by Lord Harij?”
“Lord Harij already has Prince Yašm.”
“She doesn’t belong here.”
Some of their remarks made no sense, but the women’s gossip ramped up in its viciousness as if they knew no fear. Clearly they had forgotten the very witch they had screamed in terror of was standing in their presence.
A maiden in love could take on even a scary witch. Driven by her one-sided feelings for him, Rose herself had fearlessly ordered Harij to cut out the liver of a fire rat intoxicated from the ultrasonic waves of a muffler bat for her. Love made people do frightening things.
“Then the rumors that Lord Harij is getting married were true…?”
“You don’t think that’s who, right?!”
“No way. Please tell me it’s a lie…”
“She must have caught him with a love potion.”
“Yes, I did,” Rose said, stopping to join in their conversation.
They never expected the witch they were bad-mouthing to actually respond. The women trembled, their eyes wider than those of a deer surrounded by wolves. Rose decided to keep talking anyway since this was the perfect opportunity to straighten things out.
“However, the witches’ secret potions won’t serve their intended purposes if you don’t use the correct dosage or follow the exact directions. Please be sure to inquire with the witch herself over how to use it and what the correct dosage is when you purchase one.”
“Huh?”
The young women made strange faces. Rose drove the point home to make sure the same incident wouldn’t occur again, although she wasn’t sure how effective it would be. At least it was better than saying nothing. Actually, it appeared the Witch’s words had more effect than Rose thought, as some of the women looked away and quickly dispersed.
Those women seemed to know exactly what she was talking about. Perhaps they had a bad past experience purchasing a Witch’s Love Potion for cheap and finding it didn’t work when they used it without following any instructions.
Harij stared down at Rose, who was blandly watching the noblewomen flee, with a wry expression. Sensing his gaze on her, Rose gulped, expecting the worst.
“I-Is something the matter?”
“Didn’t I tell you this before? I fell for you long before I ever took that love potion.”
Their surroundings grew unusually loud. Like the sound of leaves rustling amid a heavy storm, like a dog rushing into a flock of sheep—everyone was making a commotion.
All that was left after the ripple of surprise passed was silence. Everyone widened their eyes in astonishment but then quickly averted them as if they had witnessed something that shouldn’t be seen, and promptly left.
As for Rose, she couldn’t wrap her head around a response after Harij’s unexpected fastball. She opened and closed her mouth rapidly like a fish gasping for air.
“Er…would you mind leaving it at that?”
It was none other than Yašm himself, the host of the ball and the second prince of Marjan, who broke the silence.
Guards in tow, he gallantly walked up to Rose, who had a conspicuous lack of people within a reasonable distance around her. Harij swept into a bow, but Rose held her upright position as she watched Yašm.
“Thank you for coming today, Witch of the Lake—nay, Lady Rose Azm.”
Screams erupted from every direction again. A leery expression crossed Rose’s face.
“I am not in a position to be called that yet.”
“Then Future Lady Rose Azm?”
“…I believe you invited me here today as a witch,” Rose said without hiding her ire.
According to Harij, there was a special meaning behind inviting Rose to a royal palace ball as a witch. Partly this was because it was unprecedented for a witch to be invited, but it was even more unheard of for a witch to marry a Royal Knight.
For Yašm to invite Rose as a witch signified that the royal family approved of witches.
Rose didn’t care about such things, but it seemed to be a very important gesture to Harij. Taking Harij’s feelings into consideration, she had no choice but to come for the buffet.
“Have you gotten used to the world of man?”
“Mankind is having a harder time getting used to a witch.”
“Witches are the same as dragons and phoenixes to us. Everyone hesitates to come in contact with them even though we know they exist. Harij has gotten his hands on a good helpmeet.”
“I’ll be Harij’s partner but that doesn’t automatically put me at your beck and call, Prince,” Rose stated in a loud enough voice for the nearby nobles to hear. “If it is potions you seek, then please use your own two legs to come to my lake and purchase them.”
After hearing this superficially polite but intentionally rude reply, Yašm pointed at Rose. “Your wife doesn’t pull any punches, does she?”
“She’s a strong woman who knows how to handle herself. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.”
Harij veiled his barbed remarks because they were in public. They still inflicted their intended harm, as gooseflesh rippled along Yašm’s neck when he saw Harij swelling with pride.
“Why don’t you let him off with that, Sir Harij?” Rose shook her head as she tugged on his sleeve. Harij backed down, though he looked as if he had much more left to say.
Yašm waited to speak to Rose until the gooseflesh that had spread all the way up to his cheeks had settled down. “Then I will have to make my way there soon and try the famous secret potions you make for myself, Lady Witch. You will give me a discount, won’t you? As a friend of your husband.”
“I shall charge you the exact full price, down to the last single digit. Also, you will have to wait your turn like everyone else. A witch shows no favoritism.”
Rose suddenly realized why Yašm had invited her to the royal ball today and why he’d permitted her to attend as a witch. It really was turning out to be an apology for what he did to her the other day. The memory of being imprisoned as a criminal in the tower was still fresh in her mind.
Witches didn’t show favoritism to even the royal family who ruled this kingdom. With that statement and Yašm’s backing, Rose had gained a powerful card to play, should she need it for anything that came up during her time with Harij.
“You drive a hard bargain. I won’t push for a discount if you will dance with me instead. Deal?”
“Come again?”
Rose couldn’t comprehend a word he said—was he speaking a foreign language? Who would be dancing with whom?
Yašm naturally offered her his hand. Rose stared blankly at his palm. Today was the first time she had ever seen someone dancing. She had never even imagined herself doing it with another person.
Everyone watched with bated breath to see what the Witch would do next.
Rose took a step back to flee. Then she put her hands on Harij’s back and pushed him into her spot.
“Then, Sir Harij, if you please.”
“…Rose.”
Rose screamed inwardly as Harij’s icy gaze became subzero. She squirmed under her robe. I love this look on him, too!
“If you will take this bullet for me, then I p-promise to…p-partake in the sp-special vow-making process at the ceremony.”
He immediately realized she was talking about the concessions he’d made when Rose had broken down crying and hugging her knees and had said, “I absolutely can’t kiss during the wedding!” Creases deeper than fault lines formed between his brows.
“You aren’t pulling my chain, are you?”
“A witch never goes back on a promise.”
“Then I will take your word for it.”
I might have just made a deal with the devil. Rose bit her lip. But no matter how miserable this promise might make her later, it was still ten thousand times better than taking the prince’s hand and dancing.
Harij placed his hand on Yašm’s with a demonic look on his face. Yašm’s cheeks twitched as cold sweat dripped down his chin.
“You’re joking, right?”
Rude as it was, Harij didn’t answer him.
Music slowly started to play over the scandalous whispers spreading through the hall. Yašm and Harij both looked heavenward. This music beatified their demise. No doubt neither would ever want to hear this song again.
The subdued whispers changed to cries of glee. In the middle of the hall, Harij danced to the rhythm with Yašm looking sicker than a man who had just been told he only has a few days left to live.