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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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The Emperor was busy.
From the moment she woke until the moment she slept, she rarely had a moment’s rest.
If not for the various tools and devices created by Machina, the Witch of Machines, she would have died from overwork long ago.
“Your Majesty, your meal.”
“Mm—leave it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Friederika dismissed the steward and continued to eat while reviewing documents. A glance at the paperwork, a bite of food, a signature while chewing on a vegetable.
Deep in concentration, Friederika suddenly realized she wasn’t alone.
“I told you to leave…”
She thought it was the steward, but it was the two witches.
The Emperor’s expression hardened as she saw Evangeline and Marguerite. She took a bite of an apple. The sweet juice helped to clear her head.
“…What do you witches want?”
“You wrote this, didn’t you?”
Evangeline, skipping the pleasantries, got straight to the point. The Emperor, looking at the letter, tilted her head and denied it.
“I’d have to see the contents first.”
“Then read it.”
Friederika, though suspicious of Evangeline’s sudden compliance, took the letter and began to read.
It was the same letter she had sent to Johan. Unaltered, the contents unchanged.
She nodded, confirming it was hers, and Evangeline grabbed her by the collar, lifting her off the ground.
“This is the letter I wro—cough, choke—!”
“Are you interested in our Johan?”
“Gasp—! Hah—ack…!”
“Hm? Why aren’t you answering? I asked if you were interested.”
The Emperor tapped at the hand around her throat, trying to signal that she couldn’t breathe. Evangeline, finally realizing her mistake, released her and let her drop to the floor.
“Gasp—! Hah, hnnn—!”
“Hurry up and answer. What were you thinking, writing a letter like that?”
“Hah, hah—!”
The Emperor, while being pressured by the witches, deliberately stalled for time. She knew they wouldn’t kill her immediately, and she needed to understand their motivations.
‘Interested? What are they talking about…?’
She feigned coughing, pretending she couldn’t breathe, while her mind raced.
Interested. She had sent the letter to Johan, so they must be referring to her interest in him.
The thought that they would assume she was interested in some commoner was insulting, but she could guess why they were so wary.
‘I thought it was just a guess, but it seems they really are his lovers…’
They were jealous. A normal human would simply control their lover, preventing them from straying, but this witch had no need for such subtleties.
With her immense power, with her disregard for social consequences, she could simply eliminate her rivals.
“Hah, cough… I had no ulterior motives. I was simply curious as to how he could control witches…”
“Hmm—so you have no interest in our Johan whatsoever?”
“None. The Emperor has no time for such frivolous matters—”
“Liar.”
“…?”
Friederika looked up at Evangeline. She was smiling.
“There isn’t a woman alive who wouldn’t fall for our Johan.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“So, you’re lying.”
This was pointless. Friederika realized she had stepped on a landmine. She had dealt with irrational people before, but this was on another level.
Her advisors usually shielded her from such individuals, and she had no experience dealing with them herself.
‘What should I do…?’
Just as she was beginning to think she might actually die here, Marguerite intervened.
“Stop it.”
“…Why are you interfering?”
“Because you’re overreacting.”
Marguerite pointed at the letter.
“I came here because you said the Emperor had confessed her love to our disciple… but this isn’t a confession.”
“…How is it not?”
“If a dog in heat wags its tail, are you going to have sex with it? Humans have their own ways of expressing themselves.”
Fortunately, there was a sane person in the room. The Emperor sighed in relief.
Evangeline, seeing this, glared at her.
The Emperor quickly covered her mouth and looked at Marguerite, pleading for help.
“Besides, if you kill her, what do you think will happen next?”
“…I don’t care. It’s not my problem.”
“It is our problem. Do you think the next Emperor will be as pro-witch as this one? If not, we’ll be forced back to the cabin.”
“…We can go back.”
“I don’t want to. And our disciple wouldn’t like it either. Do you want him to run away again? Do you want to cry your eyes out again?”
Evangeline winced. Marguerite’s words had convinced her. She slowly backed away from the Emperor.
“…The letter was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
“And?”
“I can… offer you the use of an Imperial resort. A beach with warm sunshine, 365 days a year.”
“…A beach? A private beach?”
Evangeline’s eyes lit up. They had their own secluded islands, but none were warm enough for swimming in the winter.
A beach with year-round swimming… she could see Johan in his swimsuit. And he could see them in theirs.
“Not bad.”
That, at least, was a tempting offer.
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After the witches left, the Emperor collapsed in her office, a cold sweat breaking out on her brow.
Dealing with a mad witch was a headache she never wanted to experience again.
As she was composing herself, someone entered the room.
“Emperor… are you tired?”
“…Adelheid.”
A beautiful girl with hair of white and blue entered the room. The fact that she could enter the Emperor’s office unannounced revealed her identity.
“No, I’m fine.”
She was a witch. The Witch of Ice, Adelheid.
With Azmona missing, she was the only witch left to defend the Empire.
Adelheid looked around, a puzzled expression on her face.
“Was someone here…?”
“Yes. Some… very troublesome people.”
“Should I punish them…?”
“—No, that’s not necessary.”
The Emperor looked at Adelheid. She wasn’t sure if Adelheid could even defeat Evangeline, and even if she could, it would be a problem.
There was no need to antagonize the witches who were fighting for the Empire. If Adelheid was defeated, and disappeared like Azmona, there would be no witches left to protect them.
The Imperial army alone couldn’t defend the northern border. And if the border fell, the Empire would be overrun by monsters.
‘Though we’re developing new technologies at an incredible pace… it’s not fast enough.’
Machina was working tirelessly, but she kept saying the same thing—they lacked the necessary infrastructure.
‘It’s hard to believe we can advance even further…’
They needed time. Time to become strong enough to defend themselves without relying on witches. Time for humanity to surpass them.
It wouldn’t be long. Of that, she was certain.
“So? What brings you here?”
“Hmm… I came back, so I thought I’d go to the resort.”
“…The resort? Now?”
“Yes. Starting today.”
The Emperor quickly tried to think of a way to stop her. She had just sent Evangeline to the resort.
And Evangeline would undoubtedly take Johan with her. If Adelheid went there now… she wasn’t sure what would happen, but it wouldn’t be good.
“…Can’t you go later?”
“No. It’s too hot here.”
“Please…”
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
Adelheid, like a true witch, ignored the Emperor’s pleas and left the room.
The Emperor, watching her leave, rubbed her temples, a sense of impending doom washing over her.
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