TWRM 09

Chapter 9

A young lady, lost in an alleyway, was about to be caught by some thugs — a cliché scene if there ever was one.
Looking closer, that young woman was clearly a noble.

Even if she’d tried to hide her face and figure under a robe, the glimpse of her fine dress beneath and the pale, delicate hands — untouched by any form of labor — gave her identity away.
Anyone with half-decent eyes could tell she was a noble. But those idiots clearly weren’t that perceptive.

It wasn’t unusual to see this kind of thing in a back alley, so no one stepped in to help her.
Selina was no different.

Getting involved in pointless trouble was just a hassle.
Thinking so, she simply tried to walk past.

“Please help me…!”

That clear, melodious voice — like a nightingale — stopped her in her tracks.

Annoyed by her own conscience, Selina turned slightly to glance back. From within the robe, a pair of desperate eyes were fixed on her.
Their gazes met briefly before Selina turned back and continued on her way.

“Please…”

That voice again — trembling, pitiful. Selina sighed and finally stopped.

“Hah! Asking a woman for help? Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll go easy on you.”
“Hey, mind your business and get lost if you don’t want to get hurt.”

The two thugs jeered and threatened her.

“Oh? Not leaving, huh?”

One of them, a big, burly man, stepped forward and loomed over Selina.
He arrogantly looked her up and down, tapping her shoulder with his thick hand.

To think a man would try to intimidate a woman like this — it was almost laughable. Selina smirked.

“You… are you laughing?”

That grin must’ve gotten under his skin. Snarling, the thug shoved her shoulder — this time with his palm, not just a finger.

But before his hand even touched her, Selina grabbed his wrist and twisted — a sharp crack rang out.

“ARGHHHH!”

The man screamed as his fingers bent the wrong way. Ignoring his cries, Selina flipped him over her shoulder.
The man’s body spun through the air before crashing into a pile of wooden crates.

The noblewoman gasped, as did the other thug.
The one who hit the ground lay there, motionless — unconscious.

“Wh-what the hell…!”

“Hey, you.”

Selina turned her gaze sharply to the other man, who still had the noblewoman by the wrist. He swallowed hard.

“Leave. While I’m still being nice.”

“Tch…”

The man backed away a little, but people were starting to gather around.
Because of the commotion, curious onlookers now peeked into the alley.

Feeling the eyes on him, the thug gritted his teeth.

“D-don’t make me laugh! Why would I—”

“So that’s your answer.”

Selina walked straight toward him. The man flinched visibly.

Panicking, he glanced around, then grabbed the young lady by the neck, holding her in front of him.

“S-stay back!”

Selina halted for a brief moment. Relief flickered on the thug’s face — but it didn’t last long.

“I said stay back!”

Even as he threatened, Selina advanced without hesitation.

“D-don’t you care what happens to her?!”

“Let go of her hand.”

By then, Selina was already close enough to touch. She calmly placed a hand on his arm — the one gripping the woman’s neck.
He flinched violently and stumbled back in terror.

“Gh—hiiiik!”

Selina took another slow step toward him, her eyes fixed coldly on his face.
And through the shadows under her hat, he saw it — a glimpse of crimson hair, and eyes glowing faintly violet.

“N-no way… you’re… y-you’re a w-wi—”

“I told you to leave while you could.”

Her violet eyes flashed like blades. The thug’s face went pale as a sheet.

“Get lost.”

“Eek!”

He shrieked, shoving through the crowd to flee.
Times like this, Selina thought, being rumored as a witch wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

He abandoned his unconscious companion and ran for his life.
The onlookers murmured, then began whispering among themselves.

Their curious gazes turned to Selina — but soon, whispers of “witch” passed through the crowd, and one by one, people backed away.
They didn’t need to see her face; her dark attire was enough of a clue.

Except for the noblewoman standing before her.

“Th-thank you so mu—”

“Next time, don’t come to a place like this.”

Selina cut her off coldly.

“Eh?”

“I don’t know what brought a noble like you here, but walking around without even a single guard — you’re far too careless.”

“N-noble? I—”

If her face hadn’t been covered, Selina would’ve seen the flush of guilt clearly.

“How could someone this naïve wander into back alleys?” she thought.

“You’re not a commoner. Your clothes, your shoes — even your hands give you away. No commoner looks like you.”

At her sharp words, the lady hastily clutched her robe tighter, hiding her hands.

“I’ll guide you back to the street.”

Without further explanation, Selina began walking.
She could feel the lady’s confusion behind her, but there was no need for further sympathy.

If she had any sense, she’d follow.

“W-wait!”

As expected, the noblewoman hurried after her.

Selina moved swiftly through the maze-like alleyways.

“Um…”

After a long silence, the lady finally spoke.

“Thank you… really. If it weren’t for you, I might have been…”

Selina chuckled dryly.

“Oh, really? You talk as if you knew I’d help you — like it was only natural.”

The footsteps behind her faltered.

Selina continued, her tone cool:

“I don’t know if it’s because you’re a noble or because you have something else backing you… but even when you were in danger, you weren’t scared. Not even a little. You acted like you were sure you’d make it out unharmed.”

The woman had sounded desperate when asking for help, but there hadn’t been a single tremor of fear in her voice — only confidence.

An ordinary person wouldn’t have noticed, but Selina wasn’t ordinary.

She stopped walking and turned. The lady was still standing far back where she’d halted earlier, the distance between them wide.

“That kind of complacency will get you hurt someday. Be more careful.”

Selina turned away again. This time, she didn’t expect the woman to follow.

“Once you get past this alley, you’ll reach the street. You can take it from there.”

She waved vaguely and walked off.

Just before she reached the end of the alley—

Clink, clink.

Two knights and a tall, handsome man with shining platinum hair entered from the opposite side. Even in the dim light, his beauty stood out.
He looked tense, anxious — in a hurry.

As he passed her, heading deeper into the alley, Selina understood why they’d come.

“Ah. Must be her party.”

With a faint shrug, she left the alley behind.

“Damn it! If you can’t find Sylvia, you’ll regret it!”
“I’m sorry, young master!”
“Find her — now! That fragile girl could be anywhere in this filthy place…”

The man ran his hand through his hair in frustration, tousling his silvery locks.
His clear blue eyes — like the sky — gleamed with anger and worry.

His name was Sylvester Hailers, the second son of the Marquis Hailers.

He’d rushed here after hearing his younger sister had gone missing.

The memory of when she’d been kidnapped as a child flashed through his mind, making his chest tighten.

“Brother?”

That familiar, crystal-clear voice reached him.

He looked up instantly — and there she was, standing a little distance away.

“Sylvia!”

“Brother! What are you doing here…?”

“Of course I came to find you! Are you hurt anywhere?”

Sylvester looked her over, pulling back her hood. Beneath it was a woman so stunning she turned heads at a glance — with long, lavender hair and bright blue eyes even deeper than his.

Seeing her safe, Sylvester sighed in relief.

“You really scared me!”
“Oh, come on. That was years ago. I barely even remember it now.”

“That doesn’t matter! From now on, you’re not leaving the house without a knight escort, understood?”

“What? But—”

“No buts! You went out today with only a maid and got lost again! You know what happened last time— I won’t overlook this.”

“Please don’t be mad at the maids. It’s my fault.”

“Losing sight of you is their fault. A servant should never take their eyes off their master.”

“But it really was my mistake, so please don’t scold them.”

Sylvester frowned, clearly displeased. Sylvia looped her arm through his and smiled up sweetly.

“Please, brother? I’ll behave, I promise.”

Her gentle pleading made him look away — though a small smile tugged at his lips.

“Ugh… I can never win with you.”

He laughed softly, patting her head.

“You’re sure you’re alright?”

At that question, Sylvia’s face briefly stiffened. But it passed too quickly for anyone to notice.

She thought of the strange woman who’d helped her earlier — dressed in a dark reddish-brown dress, wearing a black hat adorned with a feather.

That mysterious “witch.”

Though the woman had helped her and guided her out kindly, there’d been something unsettling about her — she’d seemed to see right through Sylvia’s heart.

And in the crowd afterward… she’d heard someone whisper the word “witch.”

As she walked beside her brother now, Sylvia smiled faintly.

“Yes. Nothing happened at all.”

Through her maids, she would soon find out exactly who that witch was.

Sylvia silently vowed to uncover her identity — the witch who’d appeared from the shadows.