The Witch of the North’s residence was not fixed.

More precisely, she alternately used several mansions existing in each tower’s ruling territory.

This was not because the Witch of the North was extravagant, but for largely political reasons.

The Witch of the North was a figure with very important symbolism for the Magic State, and such a figure staying with a specific tower for a long time could disrupt the balance between towers.

If the Witch of the North herself had gotten irritated saying she didn’t care about such things, or strongly insisted on living as she pleased, it would have been a different story, but unfortunately, the kind witch didn’t have the personality to refuse invitations made with goodwill towards her.

Of course, that didn’t mean the towers tried to manipulate the Witch of the North as they pleased.

Just looking at the mansion prepared by the Tower of Protection, it was built in a very remote and quiet place, respecting the Witch of the North’s wish to avoid contact with other people as much as possible.

A top-class mansion prepared in a deep, deep forest, but perfectly equipped with all kinds of amenities.

The value of the building, slathered with special magic tools from the Tower of Protection that even the continent’s wealthiest couldn’t easily obtain even if they offered a mountain of money, was difficult to convert into monetary terms, but the Witch of the North staying in that mansion didn’t feel at ease.

“Ah, Lot, Lot. Why did you do such a thing? Why on earth?”

A deep sigh poured out from the mouth of the Witch of the North, Orin.

Even though she had the appearance of a young girl, she was a great witch and sage who had lived for more than hundreds of years.

That was why she could recognize that the evidence brought by Dorothea’s party was real, and could understand how much harm it would do to the Tower of Control for her to certify it as real with her own mouth.

In her heart, she didn’t want to do anything that would harm her old mentee and his descendants.

But knowing the tragedy experienced by Adelaide and the Friedel knights, she couldn’t ignore their pain, either.

Unable to coldly cut off either side, the kind witch suffered alone.

After repeating sighs for a long time, embracing worries without clear answers.

Suddenly, something caught Orin’s eye.

It was a skull slightly larger than a fist.

It was an object that the Witch of the East’s apprentice had handed over, saying her teacher told her to deliver it.

The Queen of the Dead. The most notorious necromancer on this continent.

As an object entrusted for delivery by such a figure to her apprentice, that skull must have special power…

…Except it didn’t.

“What could it mean?”

With her hand on her chin, Orin stared at the skull received from Dorothea for a long time.

But no matter how much she looked at it this way and that, the skull contained no particular spell or mana.

It was simply preserved to prevent easy damage from external stimuli, but even an ordinary mage, not necessarily the Queen of the Dead, could do that much.

It wasn’t something worth the Witch of the East sending someone separately to deliver to the Witch of the North.

It was hard to think of it as a simple prank or mischief, as the Witch of the East, while eccentric in personality, wasn’t someone who would act without meaning.

So, interpreting this…

Could it be that the meaning wasn’t in the object itself, but in the person delivering it?

Could it be that the very act of Dorothea’s party meeting the Witch of the North had meaning?

“Should I just ask straightforwardly… Hmm?”

At that moment, something was detected by Orin’s senses.

The mansion where Orin stayed was like a comprehensive gift set of all kinds of amenities, but surprisingly, little preparation had been made in terms of security.

This wasn’t because the Tower of Protection didn’t care about Orin’s well-being, but because no matter how hard they tried, it was impossible to build defenses superior to what Orin could do herself.

To put it more bluntly, the more they intervened, the weaker the defense protecting Orin’s body became.

Originally, barriers had aspects similar to construction, where something made from scratch by an expert according to a thorough plan was stronger and more solid than clumsily repairing something someone else touched, and given Orin’s nature, if there was a barrier prepared in advance by the Tower of Protection, even if it interfered with her putting up her own barrier, she would just endure it rather than pushing it away.

Therefore, all the barriers around the mansion were directly spread by Orin, and their completeness was such that, if she wished, they wouldn’t allow even a small fly to intrude.

And now, Orin was notified that someone had made contact with the outer edge of such a barrier.

It wasn’t people from the Tower of Protection. It wasn’t Gale either.

“Lot?”

Yes.

Orin’s old mentee, once a young boy but now fully an old man, was calling her from outside the barrier.

Orin almost reflexively tried to rush out to greet her mentee, but her wariness, though diminished, hadn’t completely disappeared, and held her feet.

If this was an official visit, the Tower of Protection would have notified Orin about it in some way.

But she hadn’t received any contact, which meant this visit was an independent action without inter-tower consultation.

Even though Orin’s judgment was currently lower than usual, it wasn’t to the extent that she couldn’t feel something off about this situation.

Just as Orin was about to reach for the magic tools left by the Tower of Protection head and Gale, each saying to call anytime if needed.

《Mentor… No, Teacher Orin. You can hear me, right?》

Her body flinched.

《I know you must be greatly disappointed. That, too, is due to this unworthy mentee’s lack of virtue. I deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart.》

Her mentee, now a full-fledged old man, was speaking to her in the tone of his old boyhood.

《I was blinded for a moment. Under the pretext of reviving the bloodline, with the excuse of wanting to leave a little more for my children, I ended up committing something that shouldn’t be done as a human.》

Orin’s eyes shook greatly.

The goodness remaining in her stirred.

《I know it will sound like an excuse. You must be bewildered by my sudden visit. But I had no choice but to do this, knowing that if others found out about this, they would try everything to prevent me from meeting you.》

Even knowing that she could contact others if she just reached out a little more, just a little more, Orin quietly withdrew her hand.

Meanwhile, her aged mentee’s words continued.

《Teacher, this mentee will shamelessly ask for a favor. Please help me. It’s only natural that I pay for my crimes, but at this rate, even the other children who didn’t commit crimes will be involved. To prevent that from happening, I need your help. Please give me one chance.》

After saying so, the mentee bowed his head with a dejected face and didn’t move.

As if he would keep waiting until she gave an answer.

After hesitating for a long time, Orin finally opened part of the barrier to create a path for her mentee to enter.

The mentee expressed his gratitude and walked to the mansion where she lived.

Orin was careful to see if there were others following her mentee, but when she realized that Lotbart had really come alone, she relaxed a little.

“Thank you, Teacher. You trusted me.”

“What happened, Lot? How on earth did such a thing happen?”

Lotbart let out a deep sigh.

“I know that whatever I say will sound like an excuse. My sin can never be forgiven.”

“Lot.”

“I want to apologize to that girl, to Friedel’s bereaved family,” Lotbart lowered his body and knelt. “Since it was this old mentee who planned this incident, please direct that arrow only at me. My children just followed orders, so please show them leniency.”

“…It’s not an easy thing. How great her anger and grief must be.”

“I know. That’s why I’m asking you, Teacher. Please, if you could just prepare a place for apology.”

Lotbart’s eyes became moist.

At the sight of her mentee with wrinkles all over, feelings of sympathy and pity greatly boiled up in Orin’s heart.

Orin finally nodded, “Alright, I understand. I don’t know if that child will forgive you or not, but I’ll at least try to create a place where you can meet face to face and ask for forgiveness.”

“Thank you, Teacher.”

“You don’t need to thank me. Haa, how should I handle this matter?”

Saying there seemed to be a lot to do, Orin shook her head.

While they couldn’t bring back the dead, at least compensating their bereaved families should be possible with her abilities.

Orin thought about future matters like that and.

For a moment, she completely let down her guard against the mentee present here.

Thud.

Something sharp pierced through Orin’s back.

Between the Witch of the North’s chest, a blade glowing turquoise flashed seductively.

Blood didn’t flow.

For her, who was wrapped in all kinds of defensive magic at an unconscious level, physical surprise attacks had little meaning.

Therefore, what the emerald blade pierced was not her flesh.

Inside her heart.

The seal that imprisoned the evil witch collapsed with a large hole.

Someone began to crawl out from inside, scattering mad laughter.

“No, I must say it many times. Thank you truly, Teacher—for believing in this mentee.”

Lotbart’s tone remained unchanged.

Since he had already achieved his goal, there would be no problem revealing his true colors.

He could have mocked her foolishness or flaunted his acting while presenting the facts.

Lotbart still maintained a calm attitude, with the same respectful appearance towards her.

That, more than any blame, insult, or ridicule, cut Orin’s heart.

Because it meant that even while betraying and stabbing his teacher, no ripples were created in her mentee’s heart.

Orin squeezed out one last word, “Why, on earth?”

Lotbart Rognir.

The boy who was once her mentee, now an old man who had taken a different path, answered simply, “You are a great teacher. However, I have a different mentor who is more ‘helpful’ to me. That’s all there is to it.”

That cold denial was the last memory of the kind witch Orin.

Deep, and further deep down.

She sank towards the darkness with no end in sight and.

“─Haha.”

And, another Witch of the North opened her eyes.

***

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