The False Vice-Commander ~The Forest Witch Blooms in Secret Love~ - Episode 4

Several days had passed since the sabotage in the Moonlight Garden. The royal capital of Lumière bustled with preparations for the Star Festival. Colorful decorative cloths were draped across the central market, Fontaine Square, and the voices of spice merchants echoed through the air. The sweet scent of baked goods mingled in the atmosphere. Within the royal castle, however, a tense atmosphere lingered. The fact that the Star Festival's magic circle had been tampered with—that truth lodged itself in the hearts of the courtiers like an invisible thorn. "Hmm. So they still haven't found the culprit." Noir gazed absently out the window of the vice-commander's office on the third floor of the east wing. She gently adjusted the collar of her white blouse, her jet-black long hair swaying softly in the breeze. Her indigo-violet eyes were as calm as ever, but deep within them dwelled a small concern. On her desk sat a wooden box containing Moonlight Tea leaves and a stack of half-read documents on magic circles. "The guard force is giving it their all. However, the traces of that purple magical energy were completely erased. It must be the work of a highly skilled mage." Her knight guard, Celes Lindbloom, stood with his back against the wall. His short silver hair reflected the light from the window, and his blue eyes were as sharp as always. Today, too, he had come to the vice-commander's office claiming he "just happened to be passing by," but no one believed that anymore. Noir tilted her head slightly. "That sabotage... it seemed less like it was aimed at me, and more like they wanted to ruin the Star Festival itself. Hmm... I wonder if someone who hates the festival is more suspicious than someone who hates me." "Someone who hates the Star Festival... even so, they would need the financial resources to hire people capable of that. The possibilities are anti-royalist nobles, or perhaps—" Celes was about to continue when— The door burst open. "Noir! This is terrible, terrible!!" Crown Prince Gilvest came rushing in. His hair, a deep chestnut mixed with red, was disheveled, and his golden eyes—characteristic of the royal family—were tinged with panic. With that same momentum, he moved to embrace Noir— —Thud. Celes silently stepped forward. The dull sound of Gilvest's forehead hitting Celes's chest plate echoed through the room. "Ow! Why do you stop me every single time, Celes?!" "Because Your Highness tries to embrace her every single time. The symptoms of your mana hyperaccumulation disorder should have subsided at last week's tea party. Hasn't it simply become a habit?" "It's not a habit. It's a heartfelt greeting." "If it's a heartfelt greeting, then all the more reason to convey it with words first." Noir watched their exchange, giggling softly. Her laughter, like the sound of a bell, eased the tension in the room just a little. "So, what's so terrible? Puppy Prince." "Please stop with the 'puppy'... No, that's not it. Tonight, there's a soirée hosted by the Marquis Montfort family. The sons and daughters of the top twelve houses will gather. My father told me I must attend as well. And—" Gilvest took a breath, then said it all at once. "Noir, I want you to come with me. As my court vice-commander, and as my special guest." Celes's eyebrow twitched slightly. (A soirée. And hosted by the Marquis Montfort family. In other words—Vira Esfort's home ground.) "A soirée... I've never been to a place like that. There was no dress code or anything in the forest." Noir smiled, looking troubled. Her everyday white blouse and black pencil skirt were sufficient for her work in the castle, but they would stand out at a noble's soirée. "It's fine. I've already asked the popular dress designer Camille to prepare a dress for you." "...Huh." Noir blinked in surprise. (Is he well-prepared, or not...?) "Your Highness. Did you have a dress made on your own without even confirming Miss Noir's intentions?" Celes's voice grew even colder. "No, well... I knew it was wrong of me, but I absolutely wanted to go to the soirée with Noir... The soirée before the Star Festival is highly formal, and requires an official companion..." Gilvest hung his head dejectedly. His figure was truly that of the "puppy" Noir had described. Noir quietly stood up and walked over to Gilvest. "Hmm. May I see the dress?" "!! I-is that alright?!" "Yes. Since you went to the trouble of preparing it, I'll try it on. Besides—" Noir glanced at Celes. "Celes will be coming with us, won't he? As my guard. I'll feel safe if he's there." Celes's blue eyes wavered, just a little. He nodded deeply in silence and offered a knight's salute. "...Of course. Guarding you is my duty." Noir didn't notice that the tips of Celes's ears had turned slightly red as he said that. Night. Passing through the moonlit streets, it was a carriage ride of several dozen minutes. The Marquis Montfort residence stood at the northern edge of the noble district of the royal capital, Lumière. It was an elegant mansion with white walls entwined with rose ivy, and tonight, countless magical lanterns illuminated the entire estate like stars. Just entering the grounds, the scents of perfume and wine assailed the nose. "Wow... so many people." Nearly a hundred nobles had already gathered in the grand hall. Men in silk formal wear and women adorned in colorful dresses chatted and laughed. A massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling scattered countless particles of light across the floor. Noir wore a deep indigo dress. Embroidered with silver thread reminiscent of a starry sky, it was a simple yet elegant piece. The skill of the popular designer Camille was indeed remarkable, fitting the lines of her shoulders and waist perfectly. "I feel a bit embarrassed. This is the first time I've worn something like this." Noir smiled, her cheeks faintly flushed. At the sight, Gilvest was rendered speechless, and Celes momentarily held his breath. "Y-you're beautiful, Noir. Truly, as if you descended from the stars." "Your Highness always exaggerates. But... thank you." As she smiled and said that, her indigo-violet eyes sparkled, reflecting the light of the chandelier. It was then. "Welcome, Your Highness Gilvest." A bell-like, yet somehow cold voice rang out from behind. Turning around, Vira Esfort stood there. Her crimson hair was tied up high and adorned with a golden crown-shaped accessory, and she was clad in a light blue dress—truly befitting her alias, the "Ice Rose." The only daughter of the Marquis Montfort family, and the leading candidate to be Gilvest's fiancée. Her blue eyes caught sight of Noir. In that instant, Vira's gaze sharpened momentarily. "Oh my. So even the Forest Witch becomes somewhat presentable when she puts on a dress. I'm surprised." Noir gazed at Vira, her usual gentle smile still on her face. "Thank you. Your dress is lovely too. Just like a Snow Queen. Cold, beautiful, but it seems like it would melt if touched." Vira's eyebrow twitched. (This woman... I can't tell if she's complimenting me or insulting me.) "...Well then, enjoy the soirée. Do be careful not to commit any faux pas. This is not your little house in the forest, after all." With that parting shot, Vira turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd. "What a disagreeable woman, as always." Celes muttered in a low voice. "No. She just likes His Highness, that's all. Hmm... jealousy must be difficult." Noir smiled serenely. She seemed completely unbothered. (Does this person truly... understand who is jealous of her?) Celes sighed inwardly. As the soirée progressed, the grand hall grew increasingly lively. Music played, and several nobles began to dance. Gilvest was surrounded by nobles coming to greet him one after another, forcing him to leave Noir's side. Noir stood by the wall with Celes, watching the scene. "His Highness has it tough. Everyone tries to curry favor with him like that." "He must be used to it. It's been that way since he was a child. But... he never shows any sign of hardship. He always acts cheerful. He's a strong person." "I see. Hmm... but I wonder if I'm being of any help today. Just by being at His Highness's side." "Miss Noir, you are always a support to His Highness. I guarantee that." Celes said quietly, still looking straight ahead. "I see... thank you. Hearing you say that, Celes, makes me happy somehow." Noir smiled softly. Seeing that smile, something stung deep in Celes's chest. (It's always about His Highness. That's only natural, as it's my duty. But—) He shook his head, dispelling the distracting thoughts. It was then. In the corner of the grand hall stood a large full-length mirror—an old mirror with a silver frame, as tall as a person, its surface strangely distorted. Noir's eyes stopped on that mirror. "...Huh?" She could have sworn her reflection in the mirror smiled slightly. But Noir wasn't smiling. (Was that... my imagination?) She tilted her head. In that instant— The surface of the mirror glowed faintly purple. The same insidious, faint magical energy that had been embedded in the Star Festival's magic circle. "Eh." She had no time to scream. The mirror suddenly warped, twisting grotesquely, and stopped reflecting Noir. Instead, what appeared was— Vira Esfort's frozen smile. "Someone like you should just disappear." Only that voice echoed directly inside Noir's head. (Is this—illusion magic?! Mental interference using the mirror as a medium?!) The whole world seemed to distort. The floor undulated, the ceiling spun. Noir lost her balance and staggered. "Miss Noir?!" Celes immediately supported her shoulders. "No... that mirror... magic..." Noir's face was deathly pale. Her usual serenity was gone, her indigo-violet eyes wavering in pain. Magical energy was about to overflow from her entire body, against her will. (This is a trap. They intend to make my magic go berserk and ruin the soirée.) (But more than that—at this rate, I'll hurt someone.) She desperately tried to suppress her own magic. Her hands trembled, cold sweat beading on her forehead. It felt as if the magic throughout her body was screaming. "Celes... that mirror... destroy it." She barely managed to voice those words. Celes hesitated for just a moment— But in the next instant, he had drawn his sword. A single flash. A trail of silver-white flashed through the grand hall— CRASH!!! With a spectacular shattering sound, the massive full-length mirror was smashed to pieces. The silver frame fell to the floor, and shards of glass reflected the chandelier's light in countless directions. "Kyaaaaaa!!" The grand hall erupted into chaos in an instant. The music stopped, the dancing nobles screamed, and the sound of wine glasses breaking could be heard everywhere. "What is the meaning of this, you insolent brute!!" "A knight guard drawing his sword at a soirée!!" "That knight has lost his mind!!" Voices of condemnation focused on Celes. He sheathed his sword and looked around the room with an expressionless face. "It was an emergency. This mirror was rigged with illusion magic. Vice-Commander Noir Elmreef was subjected to a magical attack and was on the verge of a mana rampage." But few accepted his explanation. "Oh my, what a convenient excuse." Vira stepped forward from the crowd. She smiled composedly, but her eyes weren't smiling at all. "A magical attack? What proof do you have? And besides, ruining a soirée for the sake of a single Forest Witch—how does that reflect on His Highness's knight guard? Or perhaps—" Vira looked down at Noir, her lips twisting. "Did you stage this yourself? Pretending to collapse just to draw attention to yourself?" Those words stabbed into Noir's chest like a knife. Noir was still trembling. She was so drained that she couldn't stand without Celes's support. Even s

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Episode 4

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

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