Secrets of the Silent Witch - Volume 4 - Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Stand-In for a Hero

A lone girl was making her way through the woods on the Serendia Academy campus. She was in her late teens and wore the school’s uniform. Her hair was black, and her eyebrows were just a little bit thicker than those of other girls her age.

With winter so near at hand, every step brought the crunch of dead leaves. This girl’s footfalls, however, were silent.

They weren’t the quiet steps of the noble young ladies attending the academy, however. These were the steps of a wild animal.

Eventually, she stopped in front of a large oak tree, looked up, and spoke.

“Ewan, I’ve finished preliminary recon inside the school.”

“Thank you, Heidi.”

The voice that met her from the tree above was high-pitched for a man’s but low for a woman’s. It was sweet but a little rough, like honey boiled down and scorched. Its owner, Ewan, could use any voice he wished—old, young, male, or female. And it wasn’t just his pitch—he could accurately replicate subtle accents and verbal tics. But whenever he spoke around Heidi, this eccentric voice was the one he chose.

This manner of speaking would make most people frown in distaste, but Heidi loved it and him.

So to fulfill the expectations of the one she loved, she faithfully reported everything she’d seen. “I spotted someone who might cause some trouble: Louis Miller, the Barrier Mage and one of the Seven Sages.”

“Oh my! That won’t do. Why, he’s the Sages’ number one combat expert! How terrifying.”

While the Barrier Mage’s presence at the festival might be a coincidence, it was best to assume Ewan’s infiltration during the chess tournament had put him on guard. Either way, there was clearly more security here than at the competition.

“Should we postpone our plans?” Heidi asked.

“No, we simply have to move forward. My face is all ready, so… Let’s get this little show started—secretly, quickly, and without anyone noticing.”

After leaving the shamanic tool with Ray, Monica headed straight back to the green room, told them she’d fixed the chain, and handed the duplicate necklace to the costume team. Only minimal support staff remained; the actors were nowhere to be seen. They’d probably all moved backstage by now.

“Silent Witch.”

Monica heard a voice in her ears, despite being alone. Ryn was striking her eardrums directly.

“The prince has arrived at his seat for the play along with a few guests, and Lord Louis has directed Gideon Rutherford to the faculty room. I believe there is little chance you will run into him for the time being.”

Felix would probably be sitting in a reserved seat in the front row. The safest move for Monica would be to sit behind him and keep an eye on what he was doing. Ryn and Nero would be waiting in the wings as well, so if anything happened, they could all act immediately.

In an exceptionally hushed voice, Monica whispered, “Okay,” and headed for the stage outside.

The outdoor play was the biggest highlight of Serendia Academy’s school festival. While there was still some time left before the opening act, most of the audience seating was already filled.

Felix was stationed up front, as were Bridget and Elliott. The latter two seemed to have brought family; a man sat next to each of them, probably their respective fathers.

As for Lord Cyril and Lord Maywood… I wonder if they’ll be skipping the play, she thought, looking around. Eventually, she spotted Cyril through the crowd. He was seated at the opposite end, by himself. Unlike Elliott and Bridget, however, he didn’t appear to be with any family.

She wondered whether to call out to him, but then someone tapped Monica on the shoulder. “Found you, Monica!”

“Lana!”

“Over here,” said her friend, taking her hand and leading her to a seat. Apparently, she’d saved one for her.

They were a bit left of the middle, and she could keep an eye on Felix, which made it a perfect spot for Monica.

As she sat down to Lana’s left, the muscular gentleman to Lana’s right turned to her. “Oh?” he said, his eyes widening. “You must be Lady Monica, yes? It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Lana’s father.”

Baron Collette fiddled with his mustache, smiling politely at Monica. He didn’t look much like his daughter, but his hair was the same flaxen color.

While his clothing was showy, with a patterned shirt and goldwork accessories, it didn’t come across as vulgar or crude. He must have a talent for coordinating outfits. He was stylish—just like his daughter.

Monica tensed up. She tried her best to give a polite self-introduction, lest she offend. “P-pleased to meet you, sir. Lana has been very kind to me, so, well…”

“No, I should be thanking you for how well you’ve treated my daughter. Hmm…” The man rubbed his plump chin, then squinted at Monica. The expression was identical to Lana’s whenever she was inspecting Monica’s clothes or hair.

“I see. You’re just as she described in her letters… Yes, that dress from when Lana was twelve would indeed suit you best for this type of ball. Oh, and I’ve had the altered garment brought to your room, Lana. Take a look at it when you have a chance.”

It seemed Lana had requested the alterations through her father.

Baron Collette continued to twirl his mustache as his voice took on a more prideful tone. “The cut of the sleeves would have looked rather childish on a girl her age, yes? I instructed the seamstress to remove them, making the top half simple and refreshing. To compensate, I had more frills added near the waist and increased the volume of the lower half. The lace we imported recently seemed a good fit, so I had it worked into the skirt.”

“I see, I see!” said Lana excitedly. “Dresses with more volume near the waist have been in fashion recently, haven’t they?!”

“Heh-heh-heh. Not to toot my own horn, but I think we did a good job. You can look forward to it. I also had a ribbon crafted using the leftover fabric. I think it would look wonderful braided into her hair, don’t you?”

“Yes! That would be marvelous! Let’s do that!”

Monica didn’t understand most of the conversation between Lana and her father, but apparently Baron Collette had taken one of his daughter’s old dresses and made some changes to it.

The man’s eyes were kind as he watched Lana. Monica could tell just from sitting next to them how much love he had for his daughter.

Daddy…

Monica’s father had been similar to Lana’s. He hadn’t been social, and he knew nothing about trends, but he’d looked at her the same way Baron Collette looked at Lana.

Feeling nostalgic and a little sad, she quietly watched over their discussion until a bell rang to announce the start of the play.

The wooden stage was quite elaborate. Despite being designed for use outdoors, it had two curtains, one in front of the stage and one behind, both capable of closing and opening individually. The front curtain separated the stage from the audience, while the rear one was used for backgrounds.

The red curtain at the front was smoothly pulled to either side, revealing the stage. The play’s first scene took place at a fortress. On top of some scaffolding, made to look like the fortress’s summit, a petite girl with wheat-colored hair was praying.

“O great Luluchera, King of the Water Spirits. Please deliver this message to my tribe.”

The one praying was Eliane Hyatt in the role of Queen Amelia—the same young lady from whom Monica had taken the Crimson Wrath. Naturally, she wasn’t wearing it now; instead, she wore the necklace Isabelle had lent her.

Everyone in the kingdom had heard at least once the story of how the hero Ralph had founded the nation.

Long ago, before these lands were unified into a single country, seven tribes had been in a state of constant conflict with one another. Ralph, a young man from the Earth Tribe, received a command from Archraedo, King of the Earth Spirits, to unify the seven disparate groups. Then, after a long journey, he eventually accomplished just that. In the end, he traveled to the land of the dragons. There, he felled a black dragon and founded the Kingdom of Ridill.

It was a long story, so the play was split into two parts—one portrayed his adventure to unify the seven tribes and the other his final battle against the dragon.

The one playing the main character, Ralph, was a tall, blond-haired boy. People had begged Felix to play the part, but he had apparently declined, citing his busy schedule.

The boy was rather good at maneuvering around the stage, but he wasn’t stellar when it came to reciting his lines. His delivery was less than fluent, and he failed to properly project, falling somewhat short of the “brave and valiant hero king” the role called for.

The same could be said of Eliane’s performance as Amelia. The queen was a strong, proud, beautiful woman. Eliane, however, was ephemeral and weak—the type of pampered aristocratic girl one wanted to protect. She wasn’t a bad actress, but she was a far cry from the kind of woman she was attempting to portray.

The brilliantly condensed script, intricate stage fixtures, gorgeous costumes, and flashy fireworks used in the effects—all first-rate—only made the actors’ lack of charm more vivid.

Eventually, the curtains closed on the play’s first half, and the audience gave their applause. Everyone clapped, but the response lacked emotion. They clapped because it was the same old tale everyone knew and because it was put on by the sons and daughters of important nobles.

“I knew it. The prince would have made a better Ralph.”

“They should have gone with Lady Bridget for Queen Amelia.”

“Oh, how I wish I could have seen the prince play Ralph!”

Those were the sorts of comments Monica heard from the seats around her.

I guess the prince and Lady Bridget really do suit each other…, she thought. With their gorgeous features, they’d look like a work of art just sitting next to each other. And with Felix’s bold, outgoing personality and Bridget’s air of gallantry, they fit the images of Ralph and Amelia perfectly.

Had they been onstage, the applause would have sounded very different.

“Monica,” said Lana, “there’s some time before the second half. Would you like to get a little snack?”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Monica got up, craning her neck to look for Felix. She had lost sight of the prince in the crowd. She was wondering if it would be best to follow him when she heard Ryn’s voice.

“I will keep watch over the prince. Please nourish yourself, Silent Witch.”

With all the activity and running around that day, Monica had gotten unusually hungry. She decided to take Ryn up on her offer and left to get a snack with Lana.

“Lady Eliane, that was a wonderful performance,” the servants said to her as she went backstage.

“Oh,” she replied absentmindedly, thrusting the veil she’d been wearing at one of them.

Oh, I hate this, I hate this…

She’d had a good view of the audience from up on stage. Naturally, she’d been able to see the object of her infatuation: Felix Arc Ridill.

During her performance, her eyes had remained on him. She’d ignored stage directions during the scene where she professed her love for Ralph and practically turned to face Felix instead.

The prince had been watching her from his seat, but his eyes made it clear he was only looking at an actress onstage. He’d looked at Ralph and all the minor characters in the same way; he hadn’t been looking at her alone.

But that doesn’t make any sense, she thought. Isn’t he meant to become my husband one day?

She felt a pressure against her temples, one step away from a full-fledged headache. Red started to creep into the corners of her vision, setting her on edge.

Unbeknownst to her, a bloody red had begun to seep into her blue-gray eyes. That red—the fragments of the curse—surfaced for only a moment before sinking back down out of sight.

This won’t do. Prince Felix must look only at me… He must love only me—and more. Love me more…

She had pestered the one in charge over and over to put Felix onstage with her, but her hopes had been dashed. His answer had been blunt: He was simply too busy with student council work.

He must love me more. That’s what my great-uncle said. He needs to love me even more. Much, much more. He must.

A crimson fury roiled in her blue-gray eyes once again. The powerful anger seemed to crush her mind, easily knocking down the walls of reason within her.

Propelled by her growing rage, Eliane went alone to the wing of the stage. They had a faux balcony set up there for the play. She could climb up onto it if she wanted, using a ladder that wasn’t visible from the seats.

Eliane put her hands on the ladder, then chanted a quick spell. It wasn’t anything special—just a little wind spell to create a few tiny fissures in the planks. Afterward, she let go of the ladder, removed the tiara from her wheat-colored hair, and tossed it up onto the balcony.

Then, when the boy playing Ralph passed by, she gave an exaggerated scream.

“Eeeek!”

Hearing her, he ran over immediately and asked what was the matter.

With tears in her eyes, Eliane pointed up at the balcony. “A bird… A bird dropped my tiara on the balcony.”

“Oh? I’m sure it was just playing a little trick on you because it wanted your attention, Lady Eliane,” said the boy with a jovial laugh before smoothly climbing up the ladder. He was probably trying to impress her.

But just before he reached the top, one of the rungs split under his foot.

“Ahhhhhhh!” the boy cried out, reaching into the air for some kind of support. Unfortunately, there was nobody around to grab his hand, and he ended up slamming into the floor upside down.

Eliane brought her hands to her cheeks and let loose a piercing scream.

“Eeeeeeeeeeek! Someone, anyone! Help!”

Lana and Monica returned to the advanced building to get a snack. Lana’s father, Baron Collette, had some business talks to settle with certain nobles attending the festival. With the summer social season over and fewer parties being held, Serendia Academy’s school festival was an important arena for such interaction, at least for those invited.

During the festival, the cafeteria was open to everyone—and naturally, it was packed. To ameliorate this, the school had provided several classrooms as dining spaces for light fare and tea parties.

“You know, I heard Glenn is helping out in the refreshment area.”

Monica’s eyes went round. The ever-energetic Glenn Dudley was the son of a butcher and would gladly hold a barbecue behind the school if given the chance. Apparently, he had made friends with the kitchen staff, and now he was helping them. Since they were going for snacks, Lana suggested they check up on him. Monica agreed without argument.

The halls were packed now that the play’s first half had just ended, but Lana smoothly wove her way through the crowd. As long as she kept up, even Monica had little trouble following.

“You’re really good at walking in crowded places, Lana…,” she said.

Lana giggled. “Our local bazaars are even crazier than this, you know. One mistake and you’re stuck for good… Oh?”

She stopped, her eyes on something in front of them. Monica followed her gaze.

They could see Felix surrounded by several students. Monica recognized the others, too—the one in charge of the play and a few of her colleagues responsible for various aspects of the performance.

Lana, who supervised costumes, tilted her head to the side in confusion. “I wonder if something happened.”

Just then, a bespectacled girl near Felix spotted Lana and waved at her. “Lady Lana Colette! Perfect timing! As the costume director, would you mind helping us convince the prince?”

“Lady Maybell? Did something happen?” asked Lana dubiously.

The girl in the glasses—Maybell—began to speak quickly, her face flushing from the effort. “The student playing Ralph fell from a stage set and injured himself. He broke his arm and won’t be able to continue. We need a replacement!”

Monica and Lana both looked at her in shock. Ralph was the play’s main character. It wouldn’t be easy to replace him.

Then all these people are swarming around the prince because…

Quickly understanding the situation, Monica shot a glance at Felix. He returned a troubled look, lowering his brows. “Yeah, they’re begging me to take his place,” he said. “I’m not quite sure what to do.” Apparently, he wasn’t very into the idea.

And yet Maybell, gesticulating madly, continued her desperate attempts at persuasion. “But, sir! Oh heavens. At this point, if you don’t agree, we shall have to call off the play! The god of the arts is always posing me trials to overcome! And only in triumph shall I earn the praise and applause of the audience!”

Felix gave the practically intoxicated Maybell an uncomfortable smile. He was probably just as reluctant to call off the play as anyone else—it was the highlight of the festival.

With endless calm, he asked Maybell, “Is there no one else you can go to?”

“Not just anyone can play a main character like Ralph! First, he must be tall enough to fit in the costume! Second, while the latter half doesn’t have many lines, the main scene is him slaying the dragon. Therefore, he must also be physically capable! Third, and most importantly! Sounds don’t carry as well outdoors. So he must have a strong voice!”

Considering all of her conditions, Felix did seem the most suitable for the task. He was tall and attractive with long, slender legs and a body that adhered to the golden ratio. He was also physically talented, always earning praise from his swordplay and riding instructors. Plus, he spoke in front of others on a daily basis and was skilled at making himself heard by a crowd. He never raised his voice, and yet it was mysteriously clear and ringing.

Above all, if the nation’s second prince was to play the main character—the kingdom’s founder—that alone would rouse the audience to much higher levels of excitement.

Monica leaned toward Lana and whispered, “Uh, the costumes… Can you not, um…adjust them?”

“I doubt it,” she replied. “They were designed with a tall man in mind. If I simply took in the hems, it would look unnatural.”

In that case, their options were limited. Maybell and the others were desperate to keep Felix in their sights—like snakes cornering their prey.

As Monica grew more and more flustered by the tense atmosphere, the door to a nearby classroom opened with a clatter.

“Meaaat! Meaaat! Anyone up for some tasty meaaat?! Fresh off the grill! Cooked in sauuuce!”

The loud, working-class accent and the delicious scent of meat washed over the academy’s lofty splendor, overriding it.

The voice’s owner turned to look around, and when his eyes fell on Monica and Lana, he waved. “Monica! Lana! I didn’t know you were here! We just finished cooking the meat. Try some! My father collaborated with the school chef on a secret sauce—it’s really incredible! You definitely don’t want to miss out!”

With his uniform sleeves rolled up, an apron hanging from his neck, and a bandanna wrapped around his forehead, Glenn looked about as far from an academy student as you could get.

As the play staff stared blankly at this sudden intruder, Glenn spotted Felix and spoke even louder. “Oh! President! Thank you so much for choosing my family to provide the meat today! My mom and dad are both so pleased… I’ve made them proud enough for a lifetime!”

Felix’s eyes narrowed for a moment as he looked Glenn up and down. He was almost certainly plotting something.

“I’m happy you’re happy, Dudley,” he said.

“Seriously, I don’t know how to thank you, President!”

“Oh? Then perhaps you’d be willing to do me a favor.”

“No problem!” said Glenn, nodding without a second thought.

Monica covertly put a hand to her head. She knew what was coming.

Felix wore a radiant, elegant smile as he turned back to face Maybell and the others. “The replacement must be tall, physically capable, and have a voice that carries, yes?”

“U-um, well, yes…”

“Then he’s perfect, isn’t he?” said Felix, patting Glenn on the shoulder.

He was right. Glenn was tall for his age and very fit. And, of course, he had a loud voice.

Not grasping the situation, Glenn looked at the prince in confusion. “Um, what do you mean by ‘replacement’? Am I standing in for you? Wait, am I gonna be student council president for a day?! You mean, like, put on your cape and pretend to be you? I’m not sure I can say all that smart stuff, though.”

“No, no. It’s a much simpler task than that. I’d like you to slay a dragon and protect the future Queen Amelia.”

Glenn’s eyes began to sparkle like a dog offered a meaty bone. Monica could practically see a tail at his back, wagging to and fro.

“Slaying a dragon… Protecting a heroine… What the heck? That’s crazy! And awesome!”

“It is, isn’t it? Very awesome. After all, you’ll be performing the role of this kingdom’s hero. So please turn off that accent, all right?”

“Gotcha! …Er, sorry. Got you, Prez!”

If he thought that counted as “turning off his accent,” things were looking pretty dire.

Felix seemed to approve, however. He pushed Glenn toward Maybell and the others. “As you can see, he’s raring to go.”

“I’ve got no clue what’s going on, but I’ll kick butt out there… Er, wait. I meant to say, I shall kick butt out there!”

Unease and concern were written all over the play staff’s faces—as well as Lana’s and Monica’s.

But Glenn seemed enthusiastic about the whole thing, saying things like, “What kind of dragon am I fighting?” Monica was concerned. Very concerned.

And so began the play’s chaotic second half.