The Witch of Paitan — Chapter 10

'GO.'

NAMING IT PEPE...

...THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT, THE MORE ABSURD IT SEEMS.

EXACTLY ONE WEEK SINCE CARLOS LEFT THE CASTLE.

YOUR HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS, WHERE SHOULD I PUT THIS DECORATION?

PUT IT NEAR THE ENTRANCE.

THE PALACE WAS BUSTLING WITH PREPARATIONS FOR THE BALL,

AND AN EXCITED ATMOSPHERE CONTINUED DAY AFTER DAY.

EVERYONE'S PROBABLY LIKE THAT NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE BALL, BUT BECAUSE THE NEW YEAR IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

BUT, I–

SOMEHOW... FELT LIKE THE CASTLE WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY.

A TAILOR CAME BY EARLY THIS MORNING TO DELIVER THE DESIGNS FOR THE BALL DRESS.

IN THE EVENING, THE JEWELER IS SCHEDULED TO SHOW YOU PIECES THAT MATCH THE DRESS.

I CHECKED THE ROUND HALL, I WENT TO CARLOS'S OFFICE TOO...

ARE YOU LISTENING?

NOW THE ONLY PLACE LEFT IS...

INSIDE CORNWALL CASTLE - ART GALLERY -

I APOLOGIZE, BUT UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED HERE.

PARDON? WHAT DID YOU JUST... I AM NOT JUST 'ANYONE.'

THIS IS WHERE PORTRAITS OF PAST RULERS OF THE PRINCIPALITY AND THE GRAND DUKE'S FAMILY ARE KEPT.

THIS PLACE IS-

ACCESSIBLE ONLY TO HER HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS.

'JIN VERGONA.'

WAIT HERE QUIETLY.

LET'S GO.

WOW...

THAT WOMAN IS...

DON'T LOOK BACK...

RUN...

THEY ARE MY PARENTS.

GRAND DUKE ALBRECHT HANNIBAL AND GRAND DUCHESS ELEANOR HANNIBAL.

MY MOTHER LOST HER LIFE IN A CARRIAGE ACCIDENT WHEN I WAS YOUNG...

AND MY FATHER, UNABLE TO SHAKE OFF HIS GUILT FOR FAILING TO PROTECT MY MOTHER...

AND HIS RESENTMENT TOWARD THE KINGDOM...

CLOSED HIS EYES THE MOMENT I BECAME AN ADULT.

YOUR HIGHNESS... WH-WHEN DID YOU ARRIVE?

A MOMENT AGO.

YOU DIDN'T EVEN COME OUT TO GREET ME, SO I WAS BAFFLED AND CAME LOOKING FOR YOU MYSELF.

I-I SHOULD HAVE GONE OUT TO MEET YOU... IT WAS MY FAULT, SINCE THERE WAS NO NOTICE...

...I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE COMING TODAY.

IT'S ONLY NATURAL THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW.

PARDON?

BECAUSE I CAME BACK SECRETLY ON PURPOSE WITHOUT TELLING YOU, JUST TO TEASE YOU.

ISN'T IT FUN—

...YOUR HIGHNESS MIGHT FIND IT FUN, BUT I DON'T. THIS KIND OF PRANK IS GENUINELY UNPLEASANT.

IF IT WAS UNPLEASANT, I'M SORRY. SOMEONE TAUGHT ME A LONG TIME AGO THAT AS LONG AS IT'S FUN, ANYTHING GOES, SO-.

I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT WAS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE YOU SHOULDN'T GET CLOSE TO!

HAHA-I THINK SO TOO.

OVER THERE...

WILHELM HANNIBAL AND HIS WOMAN...

THAT'S WHERE THEIR PORTRAITS SHOULD BE HANGING.

THEN WHY IS IT EMPTY?

WHO KNOWS...

YOUR HIGHNESS-?

...IF YOU'RE CURIOUS, WHY DON'T YOU FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF?

WHY ARE YOU SUDDENLY ACTING LIKE THIS–!

THIS INSPECTION WAS REALLY COLD.

AND... IT HURT.

AH- IT HURT? WHERE-

'RIGHT HERE.'

I HAD A BATTLE WITH SOMETHING STUPID.

DON'T WORRY.

BECAUSE I WON.

HNGH... YOUR HIGHNESS—!

DOES IT HURT?

IT DOESN'T HURT, BUT... YOUR HIGHNESS'S FINGERS—

REMEMBER THIS WELL.

IN THE PRINCIPALITY, THIS IS HOW YOU...

...GREET YOUR HUSBAND.