The Wandering Witch VOL. 2 - The Witchfolk Genocide Arc

17.3| A Hidden Truth

Yoko stared quietly outside the window as the early sunlight streamed inside the bedroom. A blanket was draped over her shoulders, hiding the bandages that were wrapped around her injury. She could feel the pain from the wound every time she took in a breath. The golden chaplet that rested on her head seemed to glimmer almost weakly, mirroring her blank, dreary expression. A visible display of fatigue surrounded her lone figure. If someone were to see her at that moment, they would be looking at a tired girl bestowed with a responsibility she couldn't bear to withstand instead of an astute, esteemed royal who normally never showed her weakness. Yoko Agnis rex Castagne, after all, was someone with a firm exterior. Even with the problems surrounding her ascent to the throne, she had maintained a calm resolve in her appearance. The only one who always seemed to interrupt her pace was Jul, and only Jul. Towards other matters, Yoko never wavered.

There was a knock from the door. She jolted in surprise as a voice echoed from the other side. "Princess. They are here."

Yoko cleared her throat, trying to control her tone and not make herself sound as weak as she felt.

"Come in," she commanded.

The knob turned and a castle maid stepped inside, followed by the two people she had requested before her presence.

Chell Necrovitte was looking at her with her unusual stare, eyes impossibly silver and cold. Once again, Yoko was struck at how more of a doll and less of a human The Snow Witch, always seemed to look. This was her first impression of her when they met the other day, and until now it continued to last. A glance was enough to tell that the girl before her wasn't normal, other than the obvious signs: the color of her eyes, the whiteness of her hair, the paleness of her skin. Chell simply radiated an aura that whispered of a quiet, powerful force behind her otherwise frail appearance. And Yoko knew this was true. She was a Vitte after all—a member of an old Witchfolk family deemed untouchable in terms of power. However, Chell's circumstance was different. Although Yoko did not know the full story, she had heard the unsettling rumors regarding her bloodline. A rumor that Yoko would rather not bring up in a conversation.

Behind stood her mysterious companion, Noct. Though Yoko knew less of him than she did with Chell, a feeling told her that he wasn't such a bad person. Thought sometimes, in the short time that they had been together, Yoko would notice a quick, strange glint in his eyes that made her think otherwise. Yoko glanced at him. When their gazes met, he offered a small polite bow.

The castle maid lowered her head and quietly left the room, leaving the three of them alone. Once the door closed, Yoko gestured to the nearby stool beside the bed.

"Please, sit down."

Chell nodded, moving to settle herself onto the seat. Noct, on the other hand, decided to remain standing beside the door, leaning his back comfortably on the wall as he crossed his arms.

A few moments of silence passed, an unspeakable tension floating around them. Only the sound of life beyond the open windows was heard. Then, Yoko spoke.

"... I'd like to formally thank both of you for coming here," she began. "I'm sure you both have a lot of questions you want to ask. I'd like to answer them before anything else."

She looked between Chell and Noct, waiting for them to say something. It was finally the witch who did, asking the question that Yoko had least wanted to answer.

"Yoko..." The Snow Witch uttered quietly. "... What happened?"

The princess look down instinctively at the bandages on her shoulder and clutched the blankets closer. She winced, accidentally adding too much strain to her injured side. However, she refused to meet their eyes, convinced that her voice would betray her if she did.