The False Vice-Commander ~The Forest Witch Blooms in Secret Love~ - The False Vice-Commander ~The Forest Witch Blooms in Secret Love~ - Episode 1

Three days of riding southwest from the Fontaine River. Celes Lindbloom, a knight of the royal guard acting under the orders of Crown Prince Gilvest, dismounted at the entrance to the Cardona Forest. Beyond this point lay a primeval woodland, largely untouched by human hands. Giant trees, likely centuries old, covered the sky, leaving the area dim even though it was early afternoon. The damp scent of moss mingled with the sweetish smell of earth. Celes touched a hand to a tree trunk. *(It's charged with magical energy... The forest itself is acting as a barrier.)* When the previous king had developed the same symptoms, even the full might of the Court Mage Corps had failed to find a solution. But, they say she's here. He had only heard rumors. An eccentric witch living deep in the forest—her name, Noir Elmreef. "...Understood." Muttering briefly, Celes stepped deeper into the forest. His leather knight's boots crunched on the slightly damp fallen leaves. Slender beams of light filtering through the branches faintly illuminated his silver hair and blue eyes. Celes walked on in silence. Birdsong could be heard in the distance, and the wind rustled the leaves overhead. But there were no other sounds. There had been a road as far as Petit-Fleur Village, but beyond that, even animal trails tended to disappear. Celes occasionally stopped, checking the arrangement of trees and the growth of moss as he advanced. *(A barrier has been set up. A mechanism to make unwelcome visitors lose their way.)* However, the letter he carried, handwritten by the Crown Prince, was imbued with a faint magical power. It seemed to serve as a guidepost. Celes walked steadily towards the direction where the letter glowed faintly. How long had he walked? Suddenly, his view opened up. A clearing, open to the sky in the middle of the forest. There, where sunlight properly reached, stood a single small wooden house, quiet and secluded. The garden was densely planted with plants he had never seen before, and a glass greenhouse was also visible. The very air seemed to change. *(So this is...)* Just as Celes was about to approach the house, a voice came from behind him. "Oh my, a visitor? How unusual." Celes caught his breath and turned around. The owner of the voice was standing three steps behind him, as if she had been there all along. She was completely enveloped in a deep indigo robe, with a hint of jet-black hair peeking out from deep within the hood. Her attire was frumpy, revealing nothing of her figure. While that was typical for a witch, Celes felt a momentary sense of anticlimax. "I come as an envoy from His Highness, Crown Prince Gilvest. I am Celes Lindbloom, a knight of the royal guard." Celes straightened his posture and offered a knight's salute. The witch—Noir—slowly removed her hood. The first thing he saw were her eyes, a deep indigo bordering on purple. They held a faint, thin light. A mysterious color, as if capturing the sky just before dawn. Her long, straight jet-black hair had subtle silver gradients that shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Her skin was clear, and up close, he felt he could almost see a quiet aura of magical power. But what was even more striking was—her expression. She wore a constant, modest smile. Though her lips traced a gentle arc, deep within her eyes was an elusive stillness, as if she were gazing at something far away. *(...)* Celes couldn't say a word. "Oh my, there's no need to be so tense. Come inside. I'll make some tea." Noir spoke in a leisurely tone and led the way, opening the door to her house. Her sense of timing was strangely slow. It was as if the flow of time around her differed from the rest of the world. The inside of the house was orderly. On the first floor, there was a workbench for concoctions and countless small bottles lining an entire wall. Likely medicinal herbs and magical ingredients. The living area had a small table and two old sofas. Bright sunlight streamed in through the window. With practiced ease, Noir put an iron kettle on the fire and took out tea utensils. Her series of movements flowed smoothly, without a single wasted motion. "So, what is Prince Gilvest's business?" Celes composed himself. "His Highness has developed Magical Energy Hyperaccumulation Syndrome. As you are likely aware, this is a condition specific to the royal bloodline." Noir tilted her head slightly as she put tea leaves into the pot. "Hmm." "When magical energy accumulates in the body beyond its limit, it weakens rational control and triggers impulsive behavior. Particularly, an impulse for physical contact with the opposite sex." Noir closed the lid of the teapot and poured hot water into the pot with a gentle hand. Steam rose softly. "And so?" "The Court Mage Corps has found a fundamental solution difficult. However, the magical energy transfer technique you devised, Lady Elmreef..." "Ah, I see." Noir murmured quietly and placed a teacup in front of Celes. An amber liquid swayed gently within. "In short, we just need to hold regular tea parties. I understand." Celes froze. "...Excuse me?" "The magical energy transfer ritual. Originally, it's a troublesome spell requiring advanced physical contact, but I improved it so that special tea leaves can be used as a substitute. If you drink this tea twice a week, magical energy will transfer gently. With almost no side effects." She said it as if it were nothing. In a light tone, as if making small talk. *(What did she just say?)* Celes couldn't believe his ears. A magical energy transfer spell, substituted with tea leaves? Was such a thing possible? A problem the elite of the Court Mage Corps couldn't solve for years, and this witch said she'd handle it with "tea parties." "Um... is that all it takes?" "That's all. Simple, isn't it?" Noir, wearing her usual smile, poured tea into her own cup as well. Celes was speechless. *(Who... is this person?)* He stared intently at Noir again. With her hood removed, her true expression was still hard to read. Though she was smiling, a deep intelligence shone quietly in the depths of her eyes. "Then, Lady Elmreef. Would you be able to come to the royal castle immediately?" As Celes began to speak, Noir nodded readily. "Very well. I just need to be appointed as vice-commander, yes?" "...Vice-commander?" "To hold regular tea parties, it's most efficient for me to be at the royal castle, isn't it? If so, having the title of Court Vice-Commander would make things easier." Celes was dumbfounded. Court Vice-Commander was an aide-de-camp position serving the royal family directly. It was normally held by someone of noble birth. There was almost no precedent for a commoner or a witch being appointed. But with the royal family's right of appointment, it wasn't impossible. *(Does she understand what she's just said?)* Noir took a sip of tea with a composed look and let out a small sigh. "Well then, I'll just get ready a little. Will you wait for me?" She stood up and climbed the stairs to the second floor. Celes was left alone. Outside the window, the wind rustled the leaves of the herb garden. A small bird perched on the garden fence, tilting its head. *(How should I put it... she's an incredible person.)* Celes thought. The knight order he served had discipline, a chain of command, and everything operated on logic. But this witch didn't seem to care about such frameworks from the start. *(She's free.)* That feeling welled up in his chest. Soon, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Will this do?" Celes turned around—and his breath stopped. The deep indigo robe from before was cast aside, and Noir stood there in a completely different appearance. A white, delicate lace blouse enveloped her slender, supple figure. The neckline was elegantly open, revealing the smooth line of her nape. A long, tight black skirt traced a beautiful silhouette down to the hem. Simple, yet with an air of luxury. He had heard that the tailor Plume was of court-appointed skill, and now he could believe it. This outfit seemed tailored specifically to make her stand out. Her jet-black hair remained, the silver gradients catching the light with every movement. Her deep indigo-violet eyes, set against the white of the blouse, seemed to gain even more depth. *(...What is this?)* Something pounded fiercely deep within Celes's chest. The hidden beauty was revealed. Her figure, usually concealed within her robe, now wore an air of mature composure and radiated a quiet brilliance. Her skin was so pale it seemed translucent, and in the sunlight, a faint aura of magical power seemed to flicker around her. Slight traces of magic remained on her fingertips, which only added to her mysterious presence. "...Is something the matter?" Noir tilted her head slightly. "No, it's nothing." Celes forced the words out. But his heart continued to pound like a warning bell. *(Calm down. This is a mission.)* He told himself. As a knight of the guard, he couldn't afford to be swayed by emotion. But he couldn't take his eyes off Noir. --- They arrived at the royal capital, Lumière, two days later. Located midstream on the Fontaine River, this capital was characterized by buildings made of white limestone. Its common name was the "Chalk-White Capital." Now, the afternoon sun dyed the building walls golden, making the entire city seem to shine. About 120 stalls lined the central market, Fontaine Square, bustling with the calls of merchants and the haggling of housewives. Everything imaginable was sold there, from vegetables and fruits to magical ingredients and daily necessities. Gazing at the bustle from the carriage window, Noir murmured quietly. "How nostalgic. Before I shut myself away in the forest, I used to like places like this." Celes tried to say something in return, but couldn't find the right words and ended up staring straight ahead in silence. Soon, the carriage approached the hill in the center of the royal capital. Blancheer Royal Castle—a massive chalk-white castle with seven towers soaring skyward. Led by the 65-meter-tall Moon-Viewing Tower, the castle walls were both powerful and elegantly curved. About 200 knights were stationed there permanently, and about 300 servants. The heart of the nation was here. As soon as the carriage passed through the castle gate, a stir spread. "Ohh... is that her?" "The Forest Witch really came?" "Hey, look. That attire... isn't that the formal dress of a vice-commander?" Knights and civil officials within the castle began to buzz with rumors. Noir was not the least bit perturbed. Dressed in her white blouse and long, tight black skirt, she alighted gracefully from the carriage. Her appearance was completely different from the rumored "eccentric witch." "She's a beautiful person..." Someone murmured. Just then. "Hey, out of my way!" A shrill voice echoed through the Grand Hall Ordol. A young woman in a glittering dress appeared. Her blonde hair was piled high, and she looked around with haughty eyes. This was Lady Vira of the Montfort Marquis family—the leading candidate for the Crown Prince's betrothed, known in high society as the "Ice Rose." "So it's you! The witch who came out of the forest!" Vira strode up boldly and stood imposingly in front of Noir. Noir looked at her slowly. She studied her from head to toe. "Oh my, you're energetic. And you are?" "You don't know who I am!? I am Vira Esfort, the only daughter of the Montfort Marquis family! The woman closest to being Prince Gilvest's fiancée!" "Is that so. That must be tough." Noir gave a small smile. Vira's face turned bright red. "Wha—what's tough about it! You country bumpkin!" "Well, you're competing with the daughters of the top twelve families for the position of the Prince's fiancée, aren't you? Just imagining it feels heavy." Noir

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Episode 1

Name: The False Vice-Commander ~The Forest Witch Blooms in Secret Love~
Author: Novelia

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