When I returned to the accommodation, the commander and the people there welcomed me joyfully.
They thought I was dead.
I can see why. Right before I passed out, I saw the thornbush creeping into the house, so if one person is missing when I wake up, it wouldn’t be strange to think I died.
“I’m fine.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
After saying that, the commander hesitated for a moment before cautiously opening his mouth.
“What happened to the witch?”
From the way he asked, it was clear he wasn’t pretending to be ignorant. I had disappeared from this place, and since the witch was also gone, it’s natural to ask.
I lifted up Maleficent.
“This.”
“Huh?”
The commander and the guards present looked extremely surprised as they stared at the black-and-white crown in my hand.
I handed it over to the commander. Honestly, I don’t need it.
“Be careful because Maleficent can use magic.”
I meant to be careful using the item that can cast magic, but it might sound like there’s a witch sealed inside it.
In other words, it’s a trick.
I placed it in the commander’s hand.
“It would be best to keep it safe.”
The commander of the guards looked flustered, alternating his gaze between the crown on his rigid gloved hand and me.
“Uh, yes. I understand.”
I stretched. Maybe it was because I had been carrying Victoria for a while, or perhaps it was the aftereffects of my neck completing a full rotation; either way, I felt a bit stiff.
Speaking of which, Merryweather is already dead, and it was Maleficent all along, right?
I had been under the impression that the royal family sent Merryweather to use me.
Now that I think about it, the royal family may genuinely view me as merely someone who helped Aurora. The escort knights were truly sent to protect me, after all.
Hmm. In the future, when considering someone’s back, I shouldn’t have too much confidence. I could have made a deadly mistake otherwise.
I learned one thing. I’ll be careful from now on.
Anyway, as I looked around, I noticed there were quite a few injured people. However, no one had injuries severe enough to scream about.
Many people had scratches from the thornbush when they fell, but they should heal quickly.
The harvesting period was busy, and many people were working outside in the afternoon. That’s why so many harvesters in Brightshin died.
The harvesters need to be increased.
I need a method to adjust the number of harvesters while maintaining my concept.
The royal family is likely viewing me as someone who helped Aurora.
It would be easier to wear the mask of a good person.
Kindness, when distributed indiscriminately, loses its value.
“If there’s someone who got injured so badly that they can’t recover, please call for me. I’ll be glad to help at any time.”
I confirmed the kindness in the guards’ eyes and sent them off until they left. After that, I started cleaning up the messed-up accommodation together.
I sorted the scattered debris, tore apart the weakened areas invaded by the thornbush, and dismantled the equipment set up to block the outside while memorizing the structure.
“Did you know how to do this?”
While I was tidying up the accommodation with the caretaker, the butler of this mansion approached and spoke softly.
“It would be troublesome if the guests are too picky, right?”
While dusting the window frame, he could act like someone who cares too much about cleanliness, but I could see he was behaving this way out of goodwill.
Of course, it’s possible to point out issues.
Among the memories I gained when the first world fell apart, I’ve got many experiences of working in places like this. Even though the materials change in different worlds, most of it is similar.
“If you have any complaints, feel free to let me know. Our children also need opportunities to grow.”
They’re raising their children quite strictly.
However, instead of nodding my head, I continued working. It’s easy to accumulate evil, but it’s hard to build up goodness.
From now on, I plan to masquerade as a good person while increasing the number of harvesters, managing my public image.
If I change too suddenly, they might realize I have ulterior motives, so I’ll help someone a little at a time.
By the way, do you think the royal family knows that I’ve been wandering around the slums creating harvesters?
That was the method introduced by Merryweather after she became my escort, and it’s highly likely she didn’t explain that to the royal family.
The key is how to make this smooth.
For now, I think it’s best to keep my head down and live as I always have.
*
That’s what I was thinking.
That night.
The royal family invited me. Saying “invited” is a stretch, as they practically dragged me along due to my connections…
Now, I’m in a reception room, not the office where I met the king last time, but a space specifically meant for meeting high-ranking officials.
In front of me sits the Highpion King, unable to hide the joyful smile on his face.
“Thank you so much for sealing Maleficent.”
Sealing?
Oh, right. That makes sense. If you hear that the witch became a crown that can use magic, you’d doubt it wasn’t a seal. No one thinks the witch was turned into an object entirely.
“Please keep it safe.”
I said that while hoping that someday a harvester would use it for mass slaughter. The Highpion nodded gravely at my words.
“I’ll make sure to keep it secure to prevent any dangerous incidents.”
He seems to interpret it as being on guard in case the sealed witch bursts out, but that won’t happen. I took away all the warmth, and the blackened light has become dust as it turned into an object.
Once the discussion about Maleficent concluded, King Highpion delivered a lengthy thank you filled with royal platitudes.
Meanwhile, he glanced out the window.
Outside the window, I could see the royal castle in the distance. Originally, a high spire should have been soaring there, but that part is missing.
Now that I think about it, when the thornbush surrounded the capital, a beam of light shot from the castle toward the witch. After that light returned to where it came from, it never shot again.
It was probably destroyed back then.
“If there are people who suffered irreversible injuries, please call for me.”
“Thank you for your concern. If needed, I will definitely call for you.”
Then, suddenly, the king changed the mood.
The bright and cheerful atmosphere turned heavy rapidly. The upcoming topic was serious and implied to be so without saying a word.
So, I pretended to straighten my posture and encouraged him to speak if he had something to say.
“You… you released my daughter Aurora from the witch’s curse and even sealed that witch.”
The witch Maleficent.
When gaining warmth, the shared memories indicate she wasn’t human. It means she wasn’t a person who came to possess the profession of a witch.
She wasn’t a person. Being referred to as the queen of hell wasn’t just talk. She truly is a kind of fairy born from darkness in this world.
It means she was born on the boundary between the living and the dead.
Having been born with immense power, she swung it around and lived as she pleased, following her desires.
She even grew cunning with age.
However, the witch was too powerful.
Hyungkesuni said she fell for provocations that she shouldn’t have, saying she had no need to endure provocation until now, leading to having no resistance to them at all.
Simply put, in terms of raw power, or grade comparison, Maleficent was overwhelmingly strong. The gap was as large as between an ant and an elephant.
Maleficent almost never had to flee after losing to someone. In terms of her memory, there was no single entity in this world that could kill her.
If Daegon had been summoned, it would have been an impressive battle, making it easy to understand just how strong she was.
The memory of Wonsi Cheonjon sparkled while highlighting the part where her magic stopped, while Daegon’s memory sparkled saying I won regardless.
She was undoubtedly strong. That’s why she fell so easily, shocking everyone. But Highpion doesn’t know. Before him is something that dealt with that witch.
“Do you desire anything from this country?”
Indeed. The person in front of me is the king. A being that constantly must suspect those behind him. Forgetting to doubt can mean death from being stabbed in the back.
He’s suspicious of me.
Aside from the fact that it’s too late, he’s doing well.
Here, while I can shake my head and create an image of goodness, Highpion will suspect me even more.
I need a desire that human beings can grasp.
Warmth?
That’s a deadly weakness.
So, something easy to understand. I mean, I’m shifting directions here.
If I focus too much on what I need, I might draw attention to parts I can’t even see.
So, I’m changing direction.
“From here to the south, cries can be heard.”
I pointed at Bern City. It’s already at a level that can be called a civil war. Corpses are scattered, and the expressions of the people have lost all hope.
So, I almost mentioned that those who offered me have started to disappear, but I swallowed those words back.
No, I shouldn’t say that.
I might end up exposing that I can see the world through the harvesters. To become an incomprehensible entity, I mustn’t be something they know.
To hide in the shadows of truth, I must be something they’ve already understood.
“Highpion. Why are there screams coming from the south?”
So I pressed him.
I’m still wearing the mask of a good person.
This way, I take control.
Right now, I’m saying,
“I have no special intent; I’m just trying to save people.”
In fact, aren’t you the one ignoring your duties?
That’s a question any good person should ask.
Whether the royal family is involved or not.
Actually, I don’t really care either way.
What’s important is that I can avoid being cornered by Highpion’s questioning. Highpion responded to my question.
“You truly are an incomprehensible one. From the south, huh? I understand. I’ll check it out. I hope you aren’t becoming an enemy of this country.”
I neither affirmed nor denied it.
So, instead of pressing further, the king moved on to the next topic.
He informed me that starting tomorrow, a memorial service would be held for the tragedy that occurred in the capital, so I should prepare.
And that was that.
Instead of sending me back to the accommodation, the king had me rest in a guest room at the castle.
I guess I won’t be attending class tomorrow.
