Chapter 04 

“Oh my.”

A five-year-old thinking like this?
This wasn’t just being smart—this was something far beyond that.

Aylesia widened her eyes in amazement, and Eleanor clenched her tiny fists, continuing bravely:

“If Ellie becomes super strong and protects Uncle and everyone else!
Then Uncle won’t have to work so hard anymore, right?
Right, Teacher?”

“…That’s true.”

“Then Uncle can play with Ellie a lot more…
So… so…”

As she spoke, Eleanor’s big green eyes began to fill with tears.

“Ellie…”

Aylesia knelt all the way down and pulled Eleanor into a tight hug, not caring about dirt or anything else.

“Were you sad because your uncle couldn’t play with you much?”

“…A little.”

“But you held it in well, right? Because you didn’t want to bother him.”

“What if… what if Uncle thinks Ellie is annoying and doesn’t like me anymore? Hic…”

“Your uncle loves you so, so much. He would never think that. It’s okay.”

Eleanor’s hiccupping sobs continued as she tried to hold back tears.

Aylesia swallowed the heat rising in her chest and gently soothed her.

“Teacher will teach you magic.”

“Really?”

“Magic or anything else—whatever Ellie wants.”

“E-everything?”

“My little one, you can do everything you want.”

For now, she set all thoughts of the original story aside.

Right now, the girl in her arms was just a five-year-old starving for affection.

“Once you get super strong, you can tell your uncle not to worry and to come have fun with you. Okay?”

“But… is it really… really okay?”

“Of course! Even if it’s not okay, Teacher will make it okay.”

Aylesia wanted to protect Eleanor.
She wanted to make her happy—no matter what.

There would be hardships and trials, but she would help this child reach a future where she could smile at the end.

She would teach her anything she wanted and give her anything she asked for.

Just like Aunt and Master had done for me.

She would create a future where Eleanor never had to part from the people she loved.
That was why she had lived so hard until now.

“Teacher will protect everything. Ellie, your uncle, and anyone you love.”

“Really?”

“Of course!”

Wiping Eleanor’s tears with her fingers, Aylesia flashed a confident grin.

“Teacher is a kind and super-strong witch, after all.”

“…Teacher, you’re my most favorite person in the whole world.”

Still sniffling, Eleanor hugged her neck tightly again.

“But um, Teacher.”

“Hmm?”

After staying in her arms for a long time, Eleanor peeked up at her and whispered:

“My uncle and grandma are also my favorite people… So what do I do?”

“……”

“If I say Teacher is my most favorite, Grandma probably won’t mind…
But Uncle will definitely sulk.”

“…W-want to… think about it together?”

A five-year-old asking a question harder than “Do you love Mom or Dad more?”

And she somehow had three people tied for “most favorite.”

Raising a protagonist was truly difficult.

* * *

By now, most of the autumn leaves had disappeared, and the winter atmosphere was growing stronger.

Ten days after the first snowfall, on a morning like any other—
roughly two months after Eleanor had arrived at the forest—

‘…Who’s that? That’s quite a number of people.’

The sun was only just about to rise.
Eleanor was still sound asleep.

While taking a quiet morning walk, Aylesia sensed unfamiliar presences entering her forest.

‘Not woodcutters. Not hunters. Not lost villagers.’

She had always placed barriers across the entire forest—
to stop people from wandering too deep and to prevent wild beasts or monsters from reaching the towns.

Most creatures here were nothing to her.
But a single wolf like Whitey or Blanky could wipe out a village.

‘Could it be…?’

Snap!

Aylesia flicked her fingers and summoned a large mirror.
The surface displayed the forest scenery like a screen.

A group of around ten men walked together.

Armored bodies, swords in hand, thick cloaks fluttering in the wind—
No doubt about it. Knights.

The man at the front was especially striking.
Shorter than the others, but with a sharp, commanding presence.

‘That man is…!’

He had black hair—just like Eleanor.
Changing the angle, she saw his eyes: deep, obsidian black.

‘Thermion!’

The Northern Duke is known in the original as the “Demon Duke.”
Eleanor’s uncle.

He had finally arrived.

“…What do I do now?”

Aylesia anxiously chewed on her fingertip.

She had waited so long for this moment.
but the thought of possibly fighting him filled her with nerves.

‘The original witch dies, but I won’t. Still… better be careful.’

How could she reunite Eleanor and Thermion safely
and avoid suspicion?

She considered:

***

Plan A: Drop Eleanor in front of Thermion right away.

‘Absolutely not! Nope! ’

If he saw his niece, he’d grab her and leave the forest immediately.

No way was she letting them have such a plain reunion.

Rejected instantly.

*

Plan B: Bring Thermion alone to Eleanor.

‘…As long as he doesn’t swing his sword at me first?’

He might listen—or he might decide she was a kidnapper.

Too risky.

Rejected.

*

Plan C: Stall for time and try talking.

‘If I use a little magic, maybe I can manage something.’

If she moved Eleanor somewhere safe, Thermion wouldn’t act rashly.

But he had knights with him, and a fight could start anytime.

“…Whatever. Let’s go with Plan C.”

There was no guarantee.
but it was still the best option.

And she had no time to think of anything else anyway.

The most important thing now was that Eleanor reunite with her uncle safely.

‘And I just need to stop the curse from activating.’

It would go well.
She had trained for 500 years for this moment.

Aylesia steadied her own nerves, watching Thermion through the mirror.

* * *

He had been searching for his missing niece for two months now.

The magic tracker that followed her pendant pointed directly at the log house ahead.

‘This must be it.’

Thermion tightened his lips and stepped carefully.

“Close your eyes~”

In the middle of the yard, a large pot boiled vigorously.
A woman was humming while stirring it with a ladle.

Noticing someone approaching, she turned—and blinked.

“Oh? Who are you?”

Thermion froze for a split second.

‘…This woman is the witch from the rumors?’

Her golden hair shone like melted gold.
Her blue eyes looked like clear lake water.

Witches in fairy tales were always ugly and wicked.
But this woman—this woman looked like even fairies might be jealous.

That brief surprise faded as Thermion tensed, gripping his sword.

“Where is my niece?”

“A niece? Why would your niece be here?”

Her expression—confused but calm—made it impossible to tell if she was acting or sincere.
and she kept stirring the pot like he wasn’t even a threat.

The attitude irritated him even more.

“I heard witnesses say they saw a five-year-old girl in this forest. Black hair, green eyes.
The woman with her had golden hair and blue eyes.”

The messenger had added something that made his heart drop at the time:

“It must be the legendary witch of the western forest.”

When Thermion first heard that, it felt like his heart plummeted.

His niece, with a witch?
In this dangerous forest full of monsters?

He had started searching with his knights at dawn.
using the magic tracker to guide him.

When the trees suddenly opened up to reveal a lake—
and a cheerful woman cooking—

His breath caught.

“Golden hair and blue eyes? That’d be me.”

“…So you are the witch of the western forest.”