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Chapter 5
“Then what?”
At the witch’s reply—as if asking what the problem was—Thermion’s eyes flared with anger.
“I’ll say it again. Bring me my niece.”
“Have I done anything to your niece? Why are you causing trouble in someone else’s home?”
“Stop pretending!”
Clang!
With a sharp motion, Thermion swung his arm. His strangely curved sword knocked the ladle out of her hand.
“Ah, my ladle!”
With a light wave of her hand, the ladle floating in the air changed direction and flew back to her. Not only that—it began stirring the pot on its own.
A feat impossible for any ordinary mage. It was fitting for a being called a witch.
At the same time, the previously calm lake began to bubble violently. Sensing the disturbance, Thermion furrowed his brow.
“What is this?”
“I can’t believe this! You scared my friend!”
Before she could finish speaking, a massive body split through the lake’s surface.
SHWAAASH!
“Y-Your Grace!”
“Form ranks!”
Startled knights quickly gathered around Thermion.
A gigantic white serpent appeared—large enough to swallow a horse in a single bite. Its slit pupils glared at Thermion.
“Kyahhh!”
The moment it opened its jaws and lunged toward the ground—
“Yormu, stop!”
“Kiit?!”
Incredibly, the enormous serpent froze mid-air, just two meters away from Thermion.
“I told you not to come out when guests are here!”
“Kiik!”
“What do you mean ‘not dangerous’? I told you to go find snacks somewhere else!”
The woman clicked her tongue and flicked the serpent’s nose sharply.
Thwack!
“Kyik?!”
“Go back inside and behave! You’re way too excited!”
“Ki… kii…”
With a pitiful look, the serpent slithered back into the lake.
Once everything had calmed down again, the woman spoke awkwardly.
“Sorry. My friend is a bit overprotective. Where were we?”
“…You said you were looking for your niece.”
Thermion’s tone had become noticeably calmer.
After witnessing something so absurd, his boiling anger had cooled significantly.
Seeing someone casually control a monstrous beast like that… she truly deserved the name witch. Reckless accusations would not help.
‘Until I find Ellie, I must not act rashly.’
Unaware of Thermion’s increased caution, the woman remained composed.
“I heard that already. So?”
“The magical trace of my niece’s pendant stops exactly here. Will you keep pretending you don’t know anything?”
“Oh, that necklace Ellie was wearing?”
“Ellie? Did you just say Ellie?”
At the familiar nickname, Thermion tightened his grip on his sword.
“How do you know my niece’s nickname?”
“She asked me to call her that.”
Thermion’s sharp gaze intensified.
The woman, however, simply looked up at the sky as if unbothered.
The sun was now high overhead. It was almost lunchtime.
“It should be about time for her to come back.”
Meanwhile, the woman Thermion called a witch—Ailesia—was struggling to stay composed.
‘It’s really Thermion. Not text. The real person!’
She wanted to cheer out loud.
But with Thermion half-mad with tension and armed knights surrounding her, she couldn’t even properly greet him.
The end of 500 years of waiting.
And the beginning of something new.
Looking back, it had been a long, long time of endurance.
‘So this is what he looks like…’
The uncle of the heroine Elenora.
The ruler of the northern empire, Grand Duke Latis.
As described in the novel—“an ice statue sculpted by an artist with all their soul”—Thermion was a man of striking beauty, almost inhumanly perfect.
And perhaps because he was only seventeen, there was still a hint of youthful freshness.
In the prologue of the original story, Thermion rescues Elenora and battles the witch in a fierce fight.
Which meant this encounter marked the true beginning of the original plot.
‘Whether my plan works or not… I’ve made it this far.’
Ailesia steadied her racing heart and spoke calmly.
“At least put your sword down. Isn’t this a bit much when meeting your niece after so long?”
“……”
He truly must love his niece dearly. He slightly lowered his sword at that remark.
‘Good. Sending Ellie away was the right choice.’
She had predicted that if Elenora’s location was uncertain, Thermion would hesitate to act—and she had been right.
Still, the tension remained.
Thermion continued to glare at her without moving, his grip still tight on his sword.
The knights he brought had completely surrounded the cottage, ready to attack at the slightest sign of danger.
“How much longer do we wait?”
“Almost there.”
As soon as she spoke, footsteps echoed from deep within the forest.
“Your Grace, something is approaching!”
“All units, prepare!”
The knights tightened formation instantly. Everyone, including Thermion, focused on one point.
From between the rustling bushes emerged a large white wolf, its fur as pale as snow.
“Woof!”
“I’m hungry, Teacher!”
Riding on its back was Elenora, who shouted brightly as she jumped down.
“Elenora…!”
Thermion’s voice escaped him in relief and disbelief.
“Uncle?”
Elenora blinked in surprise.
“…Uncle?”
Thermion looked at his niece with misty eyes.
Thankfully, she was just as he remembered.
Why had he been so harsh before? Regret filled him.
“I’m sorry, Ellie. I came too late, didn’t I?”
Confused, Elenora clutched the wolf’s fur tightly.
“Sweetie, go to your uncle.”
Ailesia tried to gesture gently, but Thermion misunderstood.
“Don’t you dare interfere, witch!”
He raised his sword toward her again—
And Elenora moved.
“Uncle!”
She ran straight toward him.
Tears welled in Thermion’s eyes.
‘She must have suffered so much… alone in such a strange place…’
He crouched and opened his arms.
“Elenora—”
But suddenly—
BAM!
“Ugh!”
A heavy impact struck his stomach. Thermion staggered backward.
“E-Ellie…?”
Why had his niece headbutted him?
The physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional shock.
“Don’t bully Teacher!”
Elenora’s teary voice echoed through the forest.
“If you bully Teacher, I’ll hate you, Uncle!”
She had rammed her tiny body into him with full force, then stood protectively in front of Ailesia.
“E-Ellie!”
Thermion was stunned—but then he saw it.
Her forehead was red and swollen.
Before he could even approach her—
“Sweetie, are you okay?”
“Te-Teacher! It hurts here! Waaah!”
“Oh my, there’s a bump…!”
“Hurts… it hurts!”
“Just hold on a little, okay?”
Pale-faced, Ailesia quickly channeled her magic. Golden light spread gently from her hand as she healed Elenora’s forehead, and the swelling faded quickly.
“There, good girl. It doesn’t hurt anymore, right?”
“Sniff… sniff…”
Still holding onto Ailesia’s hand, Elenora glared at Thermion through teary eyes.
Then she burst into louder tears.
“I hate you, Uncleee!”
“Haah…”
Thermion lowered his sword in exhaustion.
He had come all this way desperately searching for his niece—only for her to ram into him and cry.
‘What on earth is that woman?’
Was the witch controlling her somehow?
Looking at Ailesia comforting the child beside her, Thermion bit his lip, troubled and wary.
