“To the Royal Capital... together with you, Pandia-san?”
“Indeed. I shall be heading there immediately. The city’s defenses are strict, but they are far from infallible. Having you there would be a great comfort, Alraune-san.”
It was an unexpected invitation, to say the least.
Still, I understood where Pandia-san was coming from. If Hecate decided to attack the Royal Capital to reclaim the Witch Queen, the city would be plunged into immediate, absolute chaos. With the power of a Goddess of Darkness at her disposal, destroying the capital entirely was well within the realm of possibility.
I had no desire to see the beautiful city where I was born and raised trampled by a goddess.
“Besides, you were already interested in the Royal Capital, weren't you, Alraune-san? I can see that you have been quite busy beneath the soil.”
An Aura of Light Magic constantly flowed through my body. It seemed Pandia-san had been able to see the light of the roots I was extending toward the capital.
“It is not as if I expect you to act this very moment,” she added. “You have your own methods of travel, no doubt. I will head on ahead; I would be happy enough if you simply followed whenever you are able.”
“In that case... I might consider it.”
Leaving for the Royal Capital so suddenly was a lot to process. Even now, I had things of my own that required my protection. I couldn't just abandon my forest—the Alraune's forest—without a second thought. If I was going, I needed to prepare.
“There is one more thing. This is a piece of advice, given as a friend...” Pandia-san’s expression clouded, her voice hesitant. “Hecate failed to claim Rufe-san’s body as her vessel this time. However, the probability of her attempting Possession again remains high.”
“Do you mean... Rufe’s consciousness might be stolen by Hecate again, just like before?”
“Precisely. As long as Rufe-san remains a Witch, she cannot escape Hecate's Curse.”
That was unsettling news. There was no telling when Hecate might target the Little Witch again. For the foreseeable future, it was best that I didn't let her out of my sight.
“Furthermore, Hecate was not truly exerting herself today. Considering she is running out of time to save the Witch Queen, she is likely to resort to more drastic measures soon.”
“Wait a moment. Are you saying Hecate’s power was... more than what we saw?”
The strength she had used to overwhelm an Angel like Pandia-san had been immense. To think she hadn't even been serious was terrifying.
“By my estimation, she wasn't even using a tenth of her original power.”
“A tenth...”
No wonder I had been able to drive her off so easily. I suppose that was only to be expected of a Goddess. I didn't know the specific reason she was so weakened, but it had certainly worked in our favor.
“We suspect that as long as she lacks a proper vessel, she cannot manifest her true strength. Even so, if it is to save her own daughter, it is entirely possible she will cast all caution aside and turn the Royal Capital into a sea of blood.”
Hecate viewed humans as little more than pests to be eradicated. My head ached just imagining what she might do to the city—the beloved home where I had once lived.
“I can’t just stand by, then.”
There were many people in the capital I had to protect. My family from when I was Iris, my fellow Apprentice Saints, and my juniors. Moreover, the wedding of Lord Manfred and Imperial Princess Freundliche was set to take place there. I couldn't allow anyone to ruin their special day.
“If Hecate does appear in the Royal Capital... do you think we can protect it?”
“We have the Holy Magic Barrier, the Dämonenwand. It should hold against the Demon King's Army, but against the Goddess of Darkness herself? I cannot say with certainty that anyone will be safe.”
That was why Pandia-san was asking me to go. If an Angel was pleading for help, the danger to the capital was likely very real.
“The Demon King's Army may strike at any moment to recover the Witch Queen. I am tasked with intercepting them when that time comes.”
And Hecate would likely appear alongside them. While the army was a concern, my biggest worry remained the Little Witch. If Hecate still intended to use Rufe as a vessel, I had to find a way to stop her. At the very least, keeping her close was the only option.
“Also, Alraune-san, I must apologize for one thing. The fact that Hecate and the Demon King's Army are targeting the Kingdom of Gardenia at all... is our fault.”
“...What do you mean by that?”
“The entire situation was a strategy orchestrated by the Church.”
Capture the Witch Queen and use her to lure the Demon King's Army into the open. That, Pandia-san explained, was the plan formulated by the Kingdom of Myrte Holy Light.
“Because you defeated the Witch Queen, the Church was able to seize the initiative. They intend to use her as bait to draw a portion of the enemy forces directly to the Royal Capital.”
“But if they do that, what happens to the people living there?”
“Sacrifices are considered inevitable. That has always been the case in this long war.”
I could see the frustration etched into Pandia-san’s face. As an Angel, she clearly couldn't stomach the idea of people being treated as collateral damage.
“The plan is to eventually leak information that the Witch Queen is being held in the capital. Until then, the city is safe, but after that... no one knows what will happen.”
It was clear this wasn't Pandia-san's doing. So, who had come up with such a heartless plan? Someone higher than an Angel... the Goddess was said to love humanity, so surely she wouldn't order such a thing. I couldn't imagine her meddling in human squabbles to that degree. The fact that Hecate hadn't officially joined the war until now was proof enough of that.
That left two candidates: the Pope, the public head of the Church, or the Shrine Maiden of the Goddess, the true power behind the scenes. Then again, there might be other powerful figures hidden away, just like Pandia-san.
I couldn't be certain, but I knew I had to be cautious. Someone in the Kingdom of Myrte Holy Light believed that as long as they eliminated the Witch Queen and the Demon King's Army, it didn't matter what happened to the Kingdom of Gardenia. They were perfectly happy to turn my hometown into a battlefield.
I could not forgive that.
“Pandia-san... please keep the fact that I am Iris a secret.”
“Does that mean you will come?”
“Yes. I’ve decided.”
It wasn't an easy decision. Nearly six years had passed since Iris died. It had been three years since I woke up as an Alraune. During that time, I had avoided looking toward the capital as much as possible. It wasn't just my family there; the city was full of people from my time as Saint Iris.
Specifically, the two who had betrayed me.
However, it was time to stop running. If I were the person I had been right after my transformation, I might have stayed hidden in the forest, unable to accept my monstrous form. But I was different now. I had trustworthy companions. I had a family in this forest! I had nothing left to fear.
“I'm going to the Royal Capital.”
Hecate and the Demon King's Army wanted to reclaim the Witch Queen. The Kingdom of Myrte Holy Light and the Selene Church wanted to use the opportunity to cripple the enemy's strength. Their conflicting agendas were about to collide.
But those weren't the only players on the board. The Crown Princess of the Glanz Empire was a Witch. There was every chance the Empire would intervene to take the Witch Queen for themselves. Between the Demon King's Army and the Witches, the Kingdom of Gardenia was already at its limit. If the Empire invaded too, I didn't think the country could survive.
Fortunately, the Witch Queen was currently under my control. If anyone could stop this conflict, it was me.
This was the perfect opportunity. I would see for myself what had become of the city since Saint Iris’s death.
Next time: Little Witch's First Travel Plan.