"What the hell is this?"
Gremory placed what Iberia had given her on the garden table and watched. A Fist-sized blue-and-white cube was humming.
Anna held out the envelope of the letter to Gremory.
"Miss, this is it! It's a letter from Her Royal Highness the Princess, who came with a gift."
The letter she opened read:
"Do you remember what I said the other day when I asked you to grant a request for the price of the tea? I hope you will raise this magical creature. The name is 'Ham'. They do not need food and spend most of the day sleeping, so it will not be difficult to raise them. If it shines blue-white, it means that it is awake, and if it is gray, it is asleep."
While Gremory, who was reluctant to do so, puckered her lips. All the members of the Grand Duke's residence jumped out and surrounded 'Ham'. They were curious about the Identity of the gift the Princess had given her.
First, Chession touched 'Ham.'
"What is this? If it were given to you by Iberia, it wouldn't be an ordinary item. Is it a holy relic?"
Anna poked Ham with the tip of her index finger. Then the cube was crushed.
"Doesn't this sound like it's tickling?"
"Tickle it more."
At Isolene's instructions. Anna tickles the Ham with both hands. Then Ham began to shake his head.
Anna, who felt sorry for some reason, stroked Ham. Ham shrank like a gentle puppy being stroked.
"Huh? Your Highness! I think I can hear a voice because I'm touching this."
"What voice?"
"Give it a touch! I can hear something, but I don't know what you're talking about."
Chession followed Anna's words and stroked Ham. Then, like an auditory hallucination, a voice came from somewhere. It was like a woman's scream and a man's sob. The longer it was in contact with Ham, the clearer its voice became.
< It's all because of you. >
"You can really hear it. A woman said, 'It's all because of you ."
"That's amazing. I'll touch it too!"
"Us too!"
After that, Isolene, the abbess, the knights, and Alice asked to touch Ham.
But the others, except Chession, didn't hear much from Ham. Or they can only hear the murmuring. People joked that the prettier and more handsome you are, the better you can hear the sound.
Finally, Gremory put her hand on Ham. People looked at the last runner with little expectation.
Gremory's small, white hand climbed up the blue-white cube, and his voice was clear.
Sounds like someone is arguing. The sound of a middle-aged man crying and the sound of a woman screaming.
< Sorry, Serietti. It's all my fault. >
"...Mori?"
Chession approached Gremory, who had a serious face. She had an expression he had never seen before. She felt angry and wanted to cry.
After that, Gremory fiddled with the cube a few more times. As if she was trying to hear something more. However, the cube no longer made any sounds, and the color of the clear cube gradually turned gray.
"Mori, what the hell did you hear?"
Chession asked cautiously, but Gremory could not answer.
Serietti.
For some reason, it's hard to even put that name in her mouth.
"...He cursed at me."
Gremory fed Ham honey chestnuts. Ham grunted nervously and then turned completely gray.
Gremory, who was very offended, turned around and left. She didn't really want to raise such a disgusting magical creature.
***
Deep night.
As she was walking through the gallery, Iberia stopped in front of the portrait.
There were two people in the portrait. A man with blonde hair and blue eyes, with a sharp impression. And a girl as beautiful as the sun standing next to him.
It was a portrait of the first Emperor. Hamburton de Prilliant and the 6th Princess. When a daughter was born in a family of only five sons, the first Emperor was so beautiful.
Iberia, who stopped there, spoke to the air.
"Do you believe the rumor that when humans suffer extreme pain, their souls will fall and become witches? It is said that the greater the suffering, the stronger the power."
- I believe you know my answer well, so why do you bother asking?
Iris replied nervously, revealing her fangs and red eyes.
In fact, Iris mutated into a real witch due to the pain of being witch-hunted. When she realized that she had become a witch, she burned herself at the stake for fear of harming her brother. She didn't tell anyone because she was sure her brother would be worried, but Iberia already knew everything.
"...It just came to mind."
- So why did you call me? Are you going to tell a sour story that suddenly comes to mind?
"I'm going to ask you to take a good look at Gremory."
- You don't look into it yourself, right? I don't want to do anything like that.
"Why?"
- You watched the tragedy even though you could see the future as a prophet. Until my brother was kicked out of the palace, and I was burned at the stake. So far, you've only been looking at everything, and you're trying to use Gremory with my brother because you need it.
Iris crossed her arms and glared at Iberia.
"I couldn't help it. It was a fate that I couldn't intervene in. I'm sorry."
- And what were you thinking about sending 'Ham' to my house? It's not just an ordinary magical creature.
"Gremory is the key. The key to saving witches and saving the human world. Ham will help Gremory do her job."
- Saving the human world. Is there any problem in the human world?
"Disaster is about to happen. Because of the sins committed by humans 200 years ago."
Iberia looked at the portrait bitterly.
- What crimes did humans commit 200 years ago?
"They did something very stupid. They lost their memory and became demons and were punished by being bound by the demon world."
- So what is that stupidity?
"I can't tell you that. The important thing is that later generations of humans will be punished for the sins committed by their ancestors 200 years ago. I'm trying to stop that."
- It seems that it is still difficult for you to explain in detail in a way that makes us understand.
"As a prophet, I only speak out of my mouth as much as heaven allows. That's all I can tell you."
- That's all I see of you. Don't call me again.
Iris's figure turned her back and moved backward, becoming more and more white. She teleported with the witch's power and returned to the Grand Duke of Ethel.
When Iris arrived at the Grand Duke's residence, she was surprised. Gremory is sitting at her desk until this time, processing paperwork.
'What is it? Why haven't you slept yet? Did you see me teleporting? You didn't find out that I was a witch, did you?'
Iris squatted and spoke to Gremory.
- Miss Mori, what are you doing until this time?
Gremory glared at Iris with wide eyes.
"Where have you gone, and now you're coming? Isolene is bothering me. I won't even sleep until I've taken care of this. Help me with this quickly."
- I suddenly popped up, don't you think it's strange?
"It's your ability, well, you're a witch."
- What? Did you know?
"Yes."
- But why didn't you pretend to know?
"Because I don't know."
- ...Then you keep pretending not to know. If he finds out, he will be worried.
"Yes, so please take a look. How are you going to do this?"
Iris looked at the papers. And snorted.
- Could it be that you couldn't do something so easy, so you just held on to your pen all day long?
"I'm going to die of sleep, so you'll tell me what to write down quickly."
- Oh, yeah. Write this at the bottom, and that's what you do...
Iris burst into anger. Was this stupid and lazy witch really the key to saving the human world? No matter how much she thought about it, Iberia's words didn't make sense.
As soon as Gremory finished processing the paperwork, she crawled into the blanket and rolled over.
"Hmm, that's good."
- Don't you wonder where I've been?
"Not at all. Wouldn't it be cramped if you were confined to your house? I'll come back after walking around a bit like today."
- I met my sister, Iberia.
"..."
- Have you ever wondered? As for how no one found out that you were a witch.
"..."
- It's not that you didn't get caught. Sister Iberia knew that you were a witch. Moreover, you are the key to protecting the human world...
"Rumble."
- ...
Iris flicked her hand to put the chestnut on Gremory's forehead, fearing that her finger would be bitten.
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