Vienny cast a sidelong glance at the pile of bones and fish spines stacked in front of McClart. Judging by the remains alone, one might think he had eaten all the meat and fish that had been set out; in truth, however, most of it had ended up in her stomach. As a result, she felt fuller than she had in a long time.

Usually, after a meal, she would retreat to a corner of the room and quietly pass the time. But in her current state, she worried that doing so might give her indigestion.

‘Should I stand for a bit?’

Lost in thought, Vienny glanced down at her unrestrained wrists and wondered if it would actually help with digestion.

Even though the meal was over, McClart showed no sign of putting the handcuffs back on her. In fact, he seemed to have forgotten entirely that he had been the one to remove them.

He really had become more lenient. Far more.

If that was the case, perhaps he would grant this request as well.

“Inquisitor.”

At her soft call, his gaze snapped to her at once. Looking at him with clear, earnest eyes, Vienny spoke carefully.

“Would it be all right if I stepped outside for some air? Even just for a moment.”

“Outside air?”

McClart’s expression twisted instantly. Afraid he might misunderstand, Vienny hurried to explain.

“I’m too full. Just briefly—I want to walk a little. If the guards come with us, there’s no way I could run away.”

She’d meant it as reassurance, but instead, irritation flared across his face.

“You plan to seduce the guards?”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m saying you don’t need to worry about me using any suspicious magic.”

“And how am I supposed to trust you if you’re outside my sight?”

“You can’t exactly take me for a walk yourself, can you?”

The words had slipped out of her in a burst of defiance, yet unexpectedly, he fell silent. Worse—he actually seemed to be giving her suggestion serious thought.

“…Inquisitor?”

Vienny called to him cautiously, gauging his mood. McClart, who had been standing there with his arms crossed in contemplation, suddenly straightened and strode toward her. He seized the cuffs dangling from the chain attached to her collar.

“Your hand.”

Ah. So he’d decided she’d been treated too leniently and meant to rein her back in.

With that thought flashing through her mind, Vienny resigned herself and extended her wrist. As he fastened the cuff around it, McClart muttered.

“I can’t leave the cuffs off if we’re going outside.”

It sounded like a combination of a soliloquy and an offhand explanation.

Either way, it was strange. If it was the former, it was uncharacteristically considerate of him. If the latter, it was even stranger. After last night’s kiss, it was clear that she had made quite an impression on him — but still. After all, he had only recently started to look at her with anything other than disgust because she was a grand witch. How could he possibly be treating her with this much care?

Casting sidelong, troubled glances at McClart, Vienny prepared to go out with him. As she did so, she came to a decision.

There was no denying it — McClart had truly lost his mind.

***

Regardless of her own wishes, Vienny became a Grand Witch.

In fact, everyone in Rave Castle did their utmost to convince themselves of this. If they hadn’t, the absurdity of the situation would likely have been unbearable. Vienny suspected that McClart’s uncompromising orders were behind this collective exercise in self-deception.

Every morning, she was made to accompany him to the prayer hall. There, she clumsily mimicked the prayers she had been forced to memorize.

That was as far as it went.

As expected, no miracle occurred in which she suddenly lost all her powers as a grand witch and became an ordinary follower of Kairon. No one was more aware of this than Vienny herself — she could still feel her powers unmistakably. Her body remained that of a grand witch.

And from the way McClart looked at her, she had the faint impression that he, too, was aware of it.

Even so, in front of others, he treated her as a converted believer. As though insisting hard enough might make it true.

Thanks to his stance, the harassment and open contempt she’d suffered before vanished completely. If nothing else, that much was undeniably a relief.

“There won’t be time for a walk today.”

Ever since the day Vienny concluded that McClart had gone mad, a new routine had taken shape in her daily life—walks with McClart. No promises had been made, no expl*cit agreement reached, and yet they had become a given. Most often, they happened after breakfast or lunch.

But today, McClart seemed unusually busy. He left his private quarters without even having a proper morning meal.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

She nodded calmly, yet a faint sense of disappointment lingered. Those walks were the only times she could breathe the air outside, and she realized—almost belatedly—that she’d begun to look forward to them.

“Then shall we walk later tonight instead?”

Regardless of her own wishes, Vienny became a Grand Witch.

More precisely, everyone in Rave Castle did their utmost to convince themselves of this. If they hadn’t, the absurdity of the situation would likely have been unbearable. Vienny suspected that McClart’s uncompromising orders were behind this collective exercise in self-deception.

Every morning, she was made to accompany him to the prayer hall. There, she clumsily mimicked the prayers she had been forced to memorize.

That was as far as it went.

As expected, no miracle occurred in which she suddenly lost all her powers as a grand witch and became an ordinary follower of Kairon. No one was more aware of this than Vienny herself — she could still feel her powers unmistakably. Her body remained that of a grand witch.

Regardless of her own wishes, Vienny had become a converted grand witch.

Or rather, everyone in Rave Castle forced themselves to see it that way. If they hadn’t, the absurdity of the situation would have been impossible to endure. Vienny suspected that this collective exercise in self-deception stemmed from McClart’s uncompromising orders.

Every morning, she was made to accompany him to the prayer hall. There, she awkwardly mimicked the prayers she had been forced to memorize.

That was as far as it went.

As expected, no miracle occurred in which she suddenly lost all her powers as a grand witch and became an ordinary follower of Kairon. No one was more acutely aware of that than Vienny herself — she could still feel her powers unmistakably. Her body remained that of a grand witch.

Knock, knock.

“Inquisitor?”

McClart tore his mouth away from the door, clearly irritated by the aide’s voice from outside. Between ragged breaths, a sharp curse escaped him.

He tried to kiss her again, reluctant to let go, but when the call came again, he finally pulled away, clearly unwillingly.

Instead, unable to restrain himself, he brushed a light kiss against Vienny’s red lips, slick and shining with saliva.

Vienny stared blankly at McClart as his lips touched hers—tap—and pulled away.

“Don’t go to bed early. Wait.”

He only turned away once he had loosened his grip slowly to ensure that she wouldn’t lose her balance.

Even after McClart had left, Vienny stood there for a long time, staring at the closed door.

Her heart beat restlessly. The way he told her to wait sounded exactly like something Mc would say.

***

McClart returned later than expected. He looked tired, so Vienny assumed he would go straight to bed.

However, he hadn’t forgotten the suggestion he’d made that morning.

Seeing the garden at night rather than during the day felt strangely unfamiliar, and Vienny forgot her drowsiness as she stood and took in the night air. Thick clouds blotted out the sky, casting everything in shadow and making the atmosphere even eerier.

McClart followed a few steps behind her, watching as she looked around the darkened garden with bright, intent eyes. Then, suddenly, he spoke.

“There was no man named Mc. Anywhere.”

In the stillness, his low, blunt voice rang out with unusual clarity. Unlike usual, there was no anger or contempt in his tone.

Vienny turned to him, surprised.

“I didn’t realize you were still looking for him.”

“For someone you were supposedly close to, you don’t seem curious whether he’s alive or dead.”

For Vienny, this was the most natural thing in the world. There was no need to wonder, she could see the truth right in front of her.

Nevertheless, when she thought about it, it made sense that McClart would find her attitude strange.