Chapter 39

“What?”

When Orléans snapped his head around, Melissa was standing there with a sheepish grin.

Orléans scowled sharply, his voice rising as he spat out his words.

“I will not tolerate lies! You expect me to believe that after suffering from that deadly magic, you survived without a single scratch?”

“It was a fun little game.”

“Utter nonsense!”

His eyes burned red as he jabbed a finger toward her.

“That witch would never treat such a thing as a game!”

Witch.

The instant that word left Orléans’s mouth, the air turned cold.

The Witch of Ice.

It was the nickname that had spread when Natalianne became a professor at the age of eighteen, a proof of her overwhelming power and a name whispered in fear.

Even Orléans realized his mistake and shut his mouth. The rest of the crowd fell silent, eyes fixed on Natalianne.

“Alright!”

Melissa’s bright voice broke the stillness.

“Let’s do it again!”

“What?”

Natalianne blinked at her in confusion.

But Melissa continued cheerfully.

“Send me flying like that day, Lady Natalianne!”

“…?!”

Gasps erupted from all around, and even Natalianne doubted her own ears.

Then Orléans shouted.

“Absolutely not!”

Good.

The butler let out a breath of relief.

For all his arrogance and lack of manners, perhaps Orléans still had a sliver of decency left in him.

But the next words crushed that hope.

“This is the Grand Duke’s estate. Everyone here could conspire to spread the same lie!”

He truly believed it.

Even if Natalianne was treated like a disgrace by her own family, she was still their lady.

No matter what crime she committed, her servants would protect her.

Even if that orange-haired girl died, he thought, every one of them would keep silent to protect their mistress.

That meant the only one who would be blamed was him.

Then Melissa raised her hand.

“Then how about outside the estate?”

“What did you say?”

As Orléans frowned suspiciously, she continued with an easy smile.

“The square below the castle is huge. Why don’t we do it there?”

“…!”

Orléans’s eyes widened.

The square below the castle.

It was a vast space that could hold hundreds, always crowded with people.

A perfect stage to expose the witch’s disgrace before everyone.

…Ha.

A triumphant smile flickered on his lips.

So that’s it. This commoner must resent her too.

Why else would she offer to make the witch’s brutality a public spectacle?

“Fine.”

Whether she was an idiot or Natalianne’s enemy didn’t matter.

Smirking, Orléans nodded.

“I accept.”

Natalianne quickly grabbed Melissa’s arm, alarm flashing in her eyes.

“Hey, why are you—”

But the moment their eyes met, she froze.

In Melissa’s bright green eyes shone a firm, unshakable determination she’d never seen before.

Melissa leaned in slightly and spoke softly.

“Don’t worry. It seems there’s been some misunderstanding. Just do exactly what you did that day.”

“…Why?”

Natalianne lowered her gaze so Melissa wouldn’t notice the tremor in her eyes.

Her lips moved slowly.

“Why are you helping me?”

…No.

That couldn’t be it.

Her eyes snapped up suddenly.

“Do you… want me expelled from the Tower?”

“What? Why would I?”

Melissa blinked in surprise.

“I mean, I attacked you without reason, tried to drive you out—”

“I told you before, Lady Natalianne.”

Melissa tilted her head closer, her breath brushing against Natalianne’s ear as she whispered.

“I promised to stay here for one year. After that, I’ll leave. I promise.”

“Wh… why?”

“Because I made a promise.”

A promise.

It didn’t sound like the promise she’d made with Demius. It was something else.

Natalianne’s eyes widened slightly as Melissa smiled and lifted a finger to her lips.

“Let’s go to the square and show everyone, shall we? That you’re innocent.”

…But you—

Natalianne bit her lip hard.

‘You could get hurt.’

She knew it was hypocrisy to worry.

After all, she was the one who had unleashed that ruthless attack on Melissa not long ago.

It was pure luck that Melissa hadn’t even lost a strand of hair. If anything had gone wrong, she wouldn’t be standing here now.

So how could she do it again?

Just as she opened her mouth to refuse, their eyes met again.

Those bright green eyes were unwavering, clear as sunlight.

Natalianne’s lips moved on their own.

“…Alright.”

She nodded slowly.

“Let’s do it.”

* * *

“What’s going on?”

“Why is everyone gathering?”

The square below the castle was already overflowing with people.

Those who had simply been passing by stopped to ask what the commotion was, and soon the rumor spread.

“Lady Natalianne is about to show something!”

“What? Lady Natalianne?”

“She’s back from the Magic Tower? Since when?”

“I’ve no idea!”

A woman in a headscarf shrugged as others exchanged startled looks.

“So what’s she showing?”

“That’s what I’m waiting to find out!”

“I see.”

Everyone nodded and turned toward the center of the square.

There, around the base of the clock tower, a circular space about twenty meters wide had been cleared.

It was strange to see such a wide, empty spot in the middle of the usual chaos of carts and pedestrians. The uneasy tension made people swallow nervously.

Then, from afar, the sound of cheering began to rise.

“My lady!”

“Lady Natalianne is here!”

“Wow! It’s been so long, my lady!”

Some cheered as the carriage approached, while others whispered suspiciously.

“Why has she suddenly returned? What’s this about?”

“I heard something happened at the Magic Tower.”

“Wait, look over there!”

Everyone turned to where a man was pointing.

A woman stepped down from the carriage, dressed in black and veiled, followed by a middle-aged man with an arrogant expression and several stern-faced old men who looked as if their blood had long turned to dust.

“Damn it.”

Natalianne clenched her damp palms and bit her lip.

She hadn’t believed they’d actually come, but the Ethics Committee members had traveled all the way to the northern frontier.

‘They’re determined to get rid of me.’

The thought tightened in her chest.

The Magic Tower Ethics Committee.

An internal body that governed the Tower’s laws and conduct.

Their authority extended to all magicians except the Tower Master himself.

‘Even those lazy old men actually dragged themselves here.’

Her eyes shifted toward the middle-aged man bowing obsequiously to them.

Vismonte de Orléans.

Why did that man hate her so much?

A sigh slipped out before she could stop it.

‘I’ve never done anything to deserve this.’

She went over the past in her head.

Maybe it was when he’d tried to flirt with her after learning of her noble lineage and she’d told him to get lost?

Or perhaps when she’d corrected his subordinates’ flawed research and even given them hints for their own papers?

And because of that, when a few of those researchers with actual potential chose to work under her instead?

‘I really don’t get it.’