The Witch of Paitan — Chapter 18

TO MY DEPARTED SON.

AND FOR THE CHILD...

...WHO IS CURRENTLY TAKING THE PLACE OF MY LATE SISTER...

...IN THE GRAND DUCHY.

‘PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE LEFT I CAN RELY ON.’

'I HOPE YOU WILL VISIT HERE, IF ONLY FOR A FEW DAYS, TO COMFORT ME.'

DO YOU WANT TO GO?

I FEEL... I MUST GO...

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'YOU FEEL YOU MUST'? MAKE YOUR INTENTIONS CLEAR.

I... I KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSON THE CROWN PRINCE IS...

IF WHAT'S IN THE LETTER IS TRUE... HE MUST BE IN SUCH AN UNSTABLE STATE THAT RATIONAL THOUGHT IS IMPOSSIBLE...

AND?

IF I DON'T GO... THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT HE MIGHT DO--!

DO I LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS TO CARE ABOUT WHAT THE CROWN PRINCE THINKS?

NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!

DO YOU REALLY THINK HE'LL STAY QUIET JUST BECAUSE YOU GO BACK?

YOUR GRACE-!

WHAT THE CROWN PRINCE WANTS...

...WON'T BE SIMPLE COMFORT.

GILLIAN!

YES, YOUR GRACE!

I WILL REPLY TO THE CROWN PRINCE MYSELF.

PREPARE A RESIDENCE FOR THE GRAND DUCHESS IN THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAPITAL.

WHAT? THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS... YOU MEAN THE PLACE WHERE YOUR GRACE PERSONALLY LED THE RESCUE TEAM?

YES.

B-BUT, YOUR GRACE...

HALF THE VILLAGE WAS BURIED IN AN AVALANCHE THERE, COSTING MANY RESIDENTS THEIR LIVES.

TO SEND...

...HER GRACE THE GRAND DUCHESS TO SUCH A PLACE...?

ONE WEEK LATER.

WHAT A NICE VIEW. RIGHT, PEPE?

WHAT? DON'T YOU LIKE IT?

IT'S WAY TOO COLD HERE! MY WINGS ARE FREEZING AND SO HEAVY!

AREN'T YOU JUST GETTING FAT?

okay, okay! i was just joking~!

...thank you, pepe.

if it weren't for you, how would i have made it through all those years...?

WITHOUT YOU, I WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU TOO, JI-

I'M FINE... I JUST GOT A LITTLE DIZZY.

THAT WAS A CLOSE CALL. I LEFT THE CASTLE IN SUCH A HURRY THAT I COULDN'T PACK THE MEDICINE JIN MADE FOR ME...

DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME, JUST GO BEFORE ANYONE SEES YOU-!

DON'T FLY TOO FAR! THE WIND IS REALLY STRONG NEAR THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN!

I HAVEN'T TAKEN MY MEDICINE FOR A WEEK ALREADY...

WILL I BE OKAY?

THE WIND IS COLD. WHAT IF YOU CATCH A COLD OUT HERE IN WEATHER LIKE THIS?

THE VIEW WAS SO LOVELY THAT I WAS JUST TAKING A LOOK.

IS THAT SO?

I DON'T SEE WHAT THERE IS TO LOOK AT IN A MOUNTAIN VILLAGE LIKE THIS.

I'M GLAD I CAME HERE. IT'S MUCH QUIETER THAN I EXPECTED... AND MY MIND FEELS AT PEACE.

I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

IS THERE STILL NO WORD FROM THE CASTLE TODAY?

YES, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY CONTACT YET.

...I SEE.

WHAT ABOUT HIS GRACE THE GRAND DUKE...?

SINCE HIS GRACE HASN'T SAID ANYTHING, I'M EVEN MORE WORRIED.

WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?

I'M JUST WORRIED HE MIGHT BE FACING UNNECESSARY TROUBLE...

I REALLY DON'T WANT HIM PUT IN A DIFFICULT SPOT BECAUSE OF ME...

YOUR HIGHNESS, PLEASE DON'T WORRY.

HIS GRACE THE GRAND DUKE ISN'T SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE SHAKEN BY SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BESIDES, IT WAS A DECISION HE MADE HIMSELF.

oh, your highness! that reminds me, there's a festival in the village this afternoon.

...A FESTIVAL?

YES, THEY SAY IT'S A FESTIVAL HONORING THE MOON GODDESS UNDER THE FULL MOON.

AH... THAT SOUNDS NICE...

IT'S SUFFOCATING TO STAY INDOORS ALL DAY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TAKE A LOOK TOGETHER?

BUT... WHAT IF SOMEONE RECOGNIZES ME?

WITH A LARGE SHAWL LIKE THIS-

YOU CAN COVER YOURSELF FROM HEAD TO SHOULDERS.

A SHAWL?

YES! IT KEEPS OUT THE COLD AND HIDES YOUR FACE, SO IT'S PERFECT!

...THIS SHOULD WORK.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS VILLAGE WAS COMPLETELY RUINED BY AN AVALANCHE... IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE.

THEY SAY WHEN HIS GRACE ARRIVED LEADING THE RESCUE FORCES, THE SITUATION WAS DIRE.

HE HANDED OUT FOOD AND NECESSITIES TO THE SURVIVORS,

AND HE EVEN PROVIDED LIVING QUARTERS IN CORNWALL FOR THOSE WHO LOST THEIR HOMES.

EVEN AFTER ENDURING ALL THAT...

THE VILLAGERS CHOSE TO REMAIN HERE.

YES, THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T ABANDON THEIR SURVIVING LIVESTOCK.

AND IT'S THE HOME THEY'VE LIVED IN ALL THEIR LIVES.

SO HIS GRACE RESPECTED THEIR WISHES,

AND HELPED THEM REBUILD THE VILLAGE.

SO HE DIDN'T JUST HAND OUT RELIEF SUPPLIES...

MAYBE...

HE'S A KINDER PERSON THAN I THOUGHT.