《The Tyrant’s Guardian is an Evil Witch》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The day the child arrived at Clettes doorstep had been snowy and uneventful. He had worn garments that dwarfed his tiny malnourished body. His golden locks had no shine nor bounce, and his skin was dry and dull. His malnutrition was so obvious that the seven-year-old child looked not a day over four. Despite the boys shabby appearance, the elegance of his rare features could not be hidden. Clette almost mistook him for a girl at first nce. Indeed, the boy shared many simr features to his promiscuous father. Now, however, was not the time to be contemting the childs grace. Did you just say that youre the son of his majesty the emperor? Edmund, the older butler, was at first shocked, but quickly got over it and began focusing his attention on the child, who was nodding and extending a letter. Hah. A small sigh escaped Clettes lips. We shall be on our way then, witch. Our job ends with you receiving the emperors order. The delegation escorting the little boy rushed to leave, the man at the forefront looked especially unwilling to spend any longer in this town. The crest engraved on his cape indicated his position as an imperial wizard. His eagerness to leave was apparent in his quick departure. In fact, he didnt even request to warm up inside with a hot cup of tea or by the firece, despite having just undergone the frigid cold journey here. But, there was a reason for his behavior, as withstanding the amount of mana in the territory of Velos was a taxing matter. Normal people who could not sense mana were generally unaware of this detail, but wizards and witches often spoke of the crushing pressure thend emitted. Though this exined his rude attitude, it did not excuse it. Where are your manners! How could you not even kneel despite being in the presence of the empires one and only Grand Duchess! Even if youre a delegation sent by his majesty the emperor, this kind of behavior is inexcusable. Clette lent an ear to the verbal war Edmund was warring on the delegation and gazed at the child who was still on her doorstep. She was at a loss, she just didnt know how to ept this. The child was hunched over while the dispute between the old butler and the delegation grew increasingly tense. He had a fearful expression and his small hands were red from the freezing air outside. Enough of this, lets go back inside Edmund. But, your grace! The child must be feeling cold. The little boy who had been staring at the floor suddenly raised his head at her response, looking properly at Clette for the first time. Her face was reflected in his clear purple eyes. The expression on his face was wobbly. What a fearless child. Even amongst experienced warriors, few could look her in the eye as he did. Its them who will suffer the consequences of their haste. Lets pray for their safe departure. Only Clette snorted and turned her gaze back towards the delegation. The wizard wasnt exactly skilled, it didnt take more than a nce to know that he wont be able to withstand her territorys ferocious mana. When they first passed into thesends, they were lucky enough to be protected by the childs destiny. Such luck would not be following them anymore seeing as theypleted their mission of delivering the child, and must now exit without his protection of fate. If fate was feeling generous, maybe half of them would survive. What fools. Had they been polite, Clette wouldve given them her blessings to cross thend and they would have been safe. Edmund and the little boy, hesitantly followed Clette. She nced at the child behind her and let out a low sigh. What should I do with you, little troublemaker? *** Her past life had been drawn to an abrupt end because of a car ident. And when she re-opened her eyes, she had already been in the body of the centuries-old witch, Clette, from the romance novel The Tyrants Heart. It was an absurd experience for her, someone who had been a 20 years old college student just seconds ago. Clette. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 It had been the name of the grand duchess of Velos, and located at the northernmost part of the empire; It was and wherein snow did not melt year-round. Due to her unique appearance and ability, Clette was a character with all sorts of nicknames such as the Grand Duchess of frost, the White Witch, Queen of Snow, and so on and so forth. The Grand Duchess, despite being a supporting character, had an important role who appeared in her limited scenes. She had helped the First emperor establish the empire and helped him throughout his life. When he closed his eyes and sumbed to eternal sleep, she left the capital and returned to Velos, where she had been born and ruled. That, however, was not the only reason she was important. In terms of story development, she yed the crucial role of being the viiness who interfered with the love of the two main characters. It had been far too long since she hade into this world and as a result, and Clette had already forgotten how she was supposed to interfere in the love of the two leading characters. She wondered where her notes on the plot could be After a long time of digging through dusty piles of paper, Clette finally found the one on which she had written down the plot. The paper had been stuck to the bottom of a storage basket for some time and was not in pristine condition but the handwriting on it was distinctively Clettes and that made it easy to tell the contents. She shook off the dust and started reading her notes. Only The male lead and the witchs rtionship in the novel had not been pleasant. Arpen was the illegitimate child of the promiscuous emperor. After he lost his birth mother, the young boy lived in the imperial pce where he was taken care of just enough to ensure his survival. At 7 years of age, the young prince was sent away to Velos where Clette ruled as the Grand Duchess. Clette, naturally, did not wee Arpen and ignored his existence. To a witch, a human child was nothing but a nuisance. Clette was not allowed to reject the guardianship of Arpen due to the contract she had with the first emperor. She, who had been forced to ept the annoying being, had been cold and distant up until he grew up and left the ice castle. Arpen never once received an ounce of attention or affection from her in all of the years he spent under her guardianship. The problem was that the territory Clette managed was a merciless ce where no normal human could survive in. Not only that but because of the territorys overflowing mana, malignant spirits could form in an instant. Even corpses could turn into the undead if not cremated in this unforgiving ce. Arpen had nearly sumbed to death on multiple asions since he arrived at the white witchs castle. Eventually, due to the wicked mana thend so generously emanated, madness settled within him. When Arpen turned 18, the crown prince of the empire passed away due to a chronic illness which left him as the emperors only direct descendant. The emperor sent a decree calling him back to the imperial city. Arpen did not wish to heed the emperors demands and promptly refused to abide by the orders. He left Velos and became a wandering mercenary. The mercenary lifestyle had done nothing but further encourage his violent nature. At the tender age of 20, he earned the title of Swordmaster. He was nicknamed the God Of War for his countless contributions to various wars. While on a roll one day, he decided that he might as well regain his position as emperor, and with his forces,mitted treason instead of simply asking for the position. He had a nasty heart that normal people just couldnt understand. Either way or because of it, an unprecedented civil war broke out. And under the emperors orders, for seven days and seven nights, Clette had to fight fiercely against the man she was once the guardian of. In the end, she lost the battle and her life. But with herst breath, she performed onest spell. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Oh usurper, fate will ce you in the noblest of seats and it will take away the most glorious person in your life. You shall lose your love andpanion and are to wander in endless solitude for the rest of eternity Clette clicked her tongue in distaste. What kind of curse was that? If it had been her, she wouldve cursed him with a life long disease or three generations of baldness. Perhaps it was because of the novels genre that even the viins curse was sappy and cliche. Arpen mustve also thought it was a ridiculous curse because heughed in the face of Clette. Love? Do you really think Id put stock in such a thing? I am, in fact, very grateful to you for your good wishes. Apanion is but a nuisance who would cripple me to my enemies. Thank you for praying that my reign is one of stability, Grand Duchess. Arpen once again mutted Clettes body just to make sure she was dead and sat atop the throne of his father. His father whom he usurped. His father whom he killed. After a few years, whilst he was on a hunting trip, Arpen was met by an ambush set up by those who opposed his reign. He had grown too confident in his own skills and was struck when he lowered his guard. It was the saintess heroine, Ophelia, who helped him in his predicament. The two instantly fell for each other and continued to meet in secret afterward. But the moment Arpen whispered of his love to her Clettes curse was invoked. Ophelias eyes were now opened to the cruel and merciless nature of Arpen. The heroine was naturally kind and was horrified to learn of her beloveds ruthlessness. She ran away uponing to her senses and Arpen was left longing, desperately searching for his vanished lover. Ophelia stayed firmly away and did not love Arpen to the bitter end of the novel. It was a bittersweet ending and Clette remembered focusing on this scene in particr. Ah, thought Clette. I really loved trashy romance novels. However, this was not the time to be fondly reminiscing about her love of trashy romance novels. The little boy that heralded theing of the disaster had finally appeared before her. What should I do?, she wondered. Only She had transmigrated into this world far before any of the leading characters parents or grand-grand-parents had been born. Clette was naturally astounded by the fact that she transmigrated into a character who eventually dies at the hands of the main lead, but she rxed when she found out she had 200 years until the birth of the leading characters. She then started living a life of leisure in her ice castle under the pretext of waiting for the rest of the cast to be conceived. In those years she spent waiting, Clettepletely forgot what she had to do to avoid her death. It was such a long period of time that it wasnt strange if an empire was formed or destroyed. In addition to that, the concept of time itself was often lost at Velos where there were no seasons, only snow, to indicate that time had passed. It was a situation where her knowledge of the plot was lost to time as she lived a carefree life. Up until the little boys arrival on her doorstep, she had no idea what was happening, but after a while, some of her oldest memories red up and enlightened her. Clettes abrupt realizationpletely blindsided her, as for the past couple of centuries, all she had been doing was ying around in her castle and eating. She had absolutely zero countermeasures. Clette herself might, after all, beid to rest in some years. She felt a lot of sympathy seeing the frozen child so she brought him inside. She was definitely going to regret this a lot. Clette flung away a half-read letter and sank into a chair. The letter was basically asking Clette to take guardianship of the little boy and listed thepensation she would be receiving. She red at the red and ck imperial crest in anger. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 I cant believe hes using the divine oath for something like this! How dare he treat me like a babysitter without knowing that its by my virtue that his kingdom is protected from the barbarians! These damn emperors! Every single one of them is just like thest, its as though theyre afraid someone might think theyre not from the imperial bloodline! Even the way they selfishly use me remains the same throughout the generations! Peoples evaluation of Clette also changed from time to time. They feared her, yet stood in awe of her. At the same time, they held her in contempt. Just whoes up with these conscienceless thoughts. It mightve been a shameless decision but it was by no means unreasonable for the emperor to appoint Clette as the princes guardian. The royal family has been stuck between a rock and a hard ce for generations, to the point where even an illegitimate child was now treasured dearly. The guardian of the prince couldnt be just any noble, but one with regard and undeniable nobility; at the same time, they could not have ulterior motives. That made Clette the perfect pick because she, despite holding the title of grand duchess, had no interest in politics whatsoever. The emperor, mindful of her impending refusal, sent the child first and meticulously shut off any loopholes his n could have had. Clette looked at the child who was ducking his head like a wrongdoer. There was, in fact, another reason the emperor sent this little boy to her. He was hoping Arpen would meet his end at Velos. As suggested by the indifferent tone of his letter, the emperor was not expecting Clette to take proper care of the young prince at all. In the novel, it had been a miracle for such a young child to have survived to adulthood at Velos without proper care. The male leads growth into a depraved and unfilial adult mightve been an act of revenge against his father who had abandoned him. Clette couldnt have cared less about the death of the emperor in the plot, but the fact that she was swept into this mess and died herself was a serious cause for concern. s. She couldnt disobey the directmand of the emperor, but still, she was hesitant to ept the child. Ha. Im sorry.. The voice of the child had been so faint that she wouldnt have caught his words if she hadnt been looking at his lips as he spoke. Clette stupidly stared at the apologetic child. Why is he apologizing? An awkward silence hung around them for a while. Eventually, the little boy parted his lips and spoke once again. It must be very inconvenient for you to have me suddenly show up on your doorstep, Im sorry. You can tell me to go away, Ill be fine. Only Huh? The childs words were naturally not incorrect, however Clette was caught off guard by them. Are these words ones that should be uttered by a child? During her long 200 years in this world, she had not seen small things often at all. Not many living things flourished in Velos other than demonic monsters, and even the demonic monsters had a hard time preserving their species. In her territory, whereing acrossrvae was considered a rare thing, human children were like a myth. Clette thought she met quite a few children in her previous life but she couldnt recall it clearly. It caused her some sorrow. All that was left of those memories was a small, lovely, and pleasant abstract feeling. The child facing her was quite unlike that vague feeling she still faintly remembered, and instead looked tired and sad, like an old man. The frightened little boy neither resembled the tyrant nor the unfilial son he would grow to be. There was, however, one truth that stayed consistent in both the present and the heralded future. It is that this child wont be able to live here properly without her aid, neither in body nor soul. Clettes logical side told her not to worry over this matter and just kill the child. She could tell the emperor, who was hoping for this oue, that the child couldnt win against the elements and left this world. In spite of having spent 200 years in this world as the Witch of Velos, she couldnt bring herself to do this. She might have lived as a witch for 200 years but her humanity was still intact. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 She couldve easily killed him if she wanted but her hands wouldnt budge from their post. Clette wished that killing him wouldnt weigh so much on her conscience. She wished she could have been eager to rid herself of this inconvenience, but she couldnt turn away the little boy who resembled an abandoned puppy on a rainy day. Even if this puppy was destined to be a beast that ended her life in the future. MaybeMaybe if I just raised him well, the future could change. Clette might not have a praiseworthy personality but she could make herself useful, couldnt she? Her only problem, now, came in the form of telling this child that his worry was unnecessary. Nonsense. Do I look like someone who could be inconvenienced by a little boy like you? Clette didnt know if there was something wrong with what she said, but her words only seemed to make the little boy tear up. Droplets gathered in theshes surrounding his purple eyes causing her to be baffled. What is one supposed to do in situations like this? Letsfort him for now! And what do you mean by youll be fine when you dont have a ce to go back to anyway? huh? Her attempt atforting him only served to make matters worse. Round, fat tears ran down the childs cheeks as his slender shoulders trembled. Was that not it? Whats with th- the tears? Dont do that! Stop crying. I dont know what it was, but something I said mustve made him sad. Please stop crying kid! As if he could hear her inner voice, Edmund returned shortly. He looked at Clette with a frustrated expression. Your Grace, I left for a short while and youve already made the child cry. Its really not because of me, hes crying by himself I didnt do anything that would make him cry. Edmund eyed Clette, who tried to make an excuse after feeling wronged, with suspicion. Im sure thats the case, your grace. However, youre the kind of person who would look terrifying to the little boy even when standing still. Whats that supposed to mean? Are you really asking because you dont know? If so then taking a look in the mirror should suffice. Clette looked at her reflection in the mirror to see what exactly Edmund meant. The woman looking back at her had chilly long white hair apanied with sharp blue eyes and a slender figure; her exquisite features resembled an ice sculpture. Clette had the appearance of a snow queen, the likes of which could be found in Narnia and such. She could remain youthful despite being over 200 years due to the ability only witches had; to appear as young as 20 years old regardless of age. Whats wrong with my face, its beautiful. In the early days of the empire, when the original Clette was still active in society, the name Clette was used as an adjective implying beauty. Even she fell in love with this face back when she had first transmigrated into this body. She would spend her time admiring the chilling beauty of her new face every day in the mirror. Even in modern society, the name Clette has be a legend, her fatal beauty still being painted by artists. The now pleased Duchess turned to Edmund, sure that nothing was wrong with her appearance. Only I am aware of the fact that youve been getting there in age, but you havent turned senile or gotten presbyopia right? I havent. Have you already forgotten the memory of you yelling that you love me and hanging onto me in tears? Despite bringing up such a memory to tease him, the once shy and young man only snorted at Clette. He, who couldnt even look her in the eyes properly, was already old and gray. Edmund had be a person who didnt react much to her words anymore. I was just young back then; Also, Im notmenting on looks by the standards of ugliness or beauty. What child wouldnt burst into tears after seeing your cold face. Edmund held the crying child in his arms and began soothing him. Please dont cry, your highness. A smile suits your beautiful face much better than tears. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 It was aplete shift of personality from him who was engaged in a verbal war with the emperors delegation just earlier. He held the child affectionately, as soothing his own grandson. Unlike his obstinate impression, Edmund was a person with a delicate side to him. Come to think of it, Arpen was able to survive the bitter cold and overwhelming mana of this territory all thanks to Edmund in the original work. That care was cut off following his death. Does Edmund know that the child hes holding will be the one to end his masters life in the near future? Clette stared at the little boy in her butlers arms with a perplexed expression. The little boy raised his teary eyes to nce at Clette. But, as soon as their eyes met, she averted her gaze. Why on earth did the emperor send the precious prince to thisnd, your grace? Its a very dangerous ce to send a child to. He wants me to be his guardian. Excuse me? Edmunds astonishment almost made him drop the little boy. No way! How do you even raise a child in Velos?! The castle might shield him from the cold and danger but we cant hold the prince hostage in the castle, now, can we? More importantly, why did he entrust you of all people with this task? Why, I ought to teach this little No matter how annoyed Clette felt at his words, she couldnt refute them. Although she caught onto concepts and subjects pretty well, even in her past life, one thing she couldnt understand in either life, however, was raising living things. Clette had been, and still is, a woman who managed to kill cacti, which are among the easiest living beings to raise and look after. The boy might be a prince but hes an illegitimate one. He cant formally be listed as a member of the imperial family. No matter how young he might be, makingments about his birth in front of him must be a nasty experience. How could they Edmund seemed to grasp her unease at discussing things in front of the child and let out a deep sigh. He must have realized the emperors intentions as well. His gaze towards the boy was filled with pity. Poor child. Im afraid you wont grow up safely here. He will safely reach adulthood long as we take care of him appropriately. Its who he bes after he reaches adulthood we should be worrying about. How about we ce him in a room, now that hes done crying. Understood, your grace. Halt. Edmund, who was making his way out of the drawing-room, and the little boy following him, turned to look at Clette. Only Give him a warm room. I heard kids are weak and catch colds easily. *** A second letter arrived from the emperor. Clette threw it straight into the firece without hesitation. A long 10 days had passed since she sent a letter informing him of the boys arrival in Velos; so why was she getting a letter over a weekter? No matter how inferior the skills of the current magicians were, 10 days was long enough for a letter to arrive. The letter, which was purposefully sentte, only expressed the emperors gratitude toward her. There was not a hint of question or concern for the child and how he was fairing in Velos. Clette was able to glean the aura of indifference from the few words in the letter, it was almost as if he was saying; Now that the issue of his security is resolved, he no longer concerns me. After reading the cruel detachment his highness the emperor disyed, a cold shiver ran down Clettes spine. Son of a bitch. Hepletely deserves the ending he got in the novel. After confirming that the letter was burned without a trace, Clette teleported to a small workshop attached to the castle. She had an important task toplete; it was to make recovery potions and scrolls. In many ways, potions and magic scrolls were essential in the barrennd of Velos. Making and then distributing them to the few local people residing there was one of Clettes tasks as the governor of the fief. If she neglects her duties, Velos will be and of death infested with nothing but demonic monsters. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Clette worked on her potions and scrolls until sunset. She was far from done just because the sun retired from the day, though. The duchess couldnt rest until she had handled all the documents sent from the different tribes who called Velos home, and processed all kinds of official papers. While on the way to her office, Clette decided to first stop by Edmunds room. She had made a recovery potion that focused on treating stiff shoulders, she would drop it off and be on her merry way. Her ns, however, shattered like the bottles on the ground, after her sh teleportation ended up having a child barrel into her. Arpen and Clette stood stunned, they could only look at each other in silence. Clette nned to warn the little boy to be careful and not step on the fragments of ss that littered the floor, but the stunned boy was at a loss and immediately apologized. I- I am so sorry! Huh? Why did he apologize so profusely when only a single potion broke? Besides, it wasnt as if he was the only one in the wrong; Clette herself shouldve been more attentive to where she had teleported. A couple of months havee to pass since the child started living in Velos. The first thing Clette learned about him was his wariness of her. Regardless of whether Arpen hasmitted wrongdoings or not, he always looked ready to apologize and bear the punishment he was to receive. Even if she just stayed silent and looked at him, the same situation would ur between them. Clette, as expected, had nothing inmon with this 7-year-old child and rarely had meaningful conversations with him. This apology was the first thing shes heard him say to her in a few days. For what? Hes done nothing that deserves an apology. This ident happened due to no ones particr fault, the timing just wasnt right. Clette meant to reassure him, but the boy started to shake violently and beg her for forgiveness. I shouldnt have done this, Im so sorry! Please, please forgive me maam! Clette, flustered at his actions, grabbed the childs raised hands. Arpen froze at her touch. Rx boy, its the castle thats made of ice, not you. Just what- Clette had wanted to ask just what he thought he was doing, but Edmunds advice urred to her. She, who had a face that even war-hardened warriors had a hard time facing, was unlike other people and had to double her efforts to look non-threatening. The white witchs lips stretched into a strained smile. What are you doing, Tita? Tita was the little boys birth name. When Clette had called him Arpen, the boy didnt respond to the name. It was unfamiliar and awkward for him, whod only known himself as Tita. Clette then asked him what his name was and with a shy, red face, told them to call him Tita. Edmund and Clette had spent an enormous effort to maintain a normalness in their speaking and tone, as to hide the embarrassment they were feeling inside. Why dont you tell me why youre apologizing? Tita was an onomatopoeia used to express a ze, it was not a name given to a child who has inherited imperial blood. Was there such a reference in the novel? Tita then proceeded to exin the origin of his name to the puzzled Edmund and Clette. It was a name his mother gave him while they watched a bonfire. Only then did they nod their heads in understanding. It was not unusual formoners to bestow such names. Only Clette and Edmund had thus decided to call him by the name his mother had given him rather than Arpen, which reeked of royalty and imperial pomposity. Dont let it be said that they decided on Tita rather than Arpen because it was shorter and easier to call. Come on now, tell me. Gently, affectionately. Titas face when he saw my bright smile paled as if he had seen a ghost. Ar- are you going to turn me into a frog? Tita stuttered as his teeth ttered. What? Chapter 8 His question had sounded so absurd that for a moment, Clette thought he might be ying a prank of her. That theory was quickly discarded as there was no trace of yfulness in the childs face. He was a perfect visualisation of fear from head to toe. Edmunds advice slipped Clettes mind and she frowned. Who told you that. Despair hung over his small features. Mum used to say that witches turn naughty kids into frogs. It seemed like a future wherein he is a frog had already unfolded in Titas head. The teary eyed child knelt in front of Clette desperately. What do you think youre doing? Get up right now! Oh no, what if he gets stabbed by a ss fragment? Clette tried to force him up but the child repeatedly knelt. I was wrong, your grace! Please dont t-turn me into a frog! I really dont want to be one. Chunky tears rolled down from his purple eyes. What the hell is happening and why am I apparently turning this kid into a frog?! Clette was obviously more than capable of turning 100 children into frogs if she so wished, but why would she do such an inefficient thing? His mum haspletely filled his head with all kinds of nonsense, hasnt she? Clette decided that clearing the broken ss was more imperative than soothing the crying child for now. It would do no one good if he got injured because of shards. What on earth is happening here? Edmund, who hadnt been in his room for whatever reason, appeared at the end of the hallway. The scene in front of him was so ridiculous that such words escaped his lips. Hes crying alone again, I havent even done anything to him though? He didnt reply to Clette and gently approached the crying Tita right away. Your highness, why are you crying? Sir bu- butler, I dont want to turn i- into a f- frog! Edmund patted Titas head gently and turned to Clette, eyeing her reproachfully. She suddenly felt as though she was a very bad person. This is so unfair, I havent even done anything to Tita! You havent said that youll turn him into a frog, have you your grace? Wait a minute, are you suspecting me? You should speak nicely in front of children, your grace. I cannot believe you even made him kneel. He knelt out of his own volition! And so what if I turn him into a frog? Im the owner of this castle anyway. In a fit of defiance, Clette ended up saying something she didnt mean. Tita immediately began sobbing uncontrobly. His cries growing more mournful. The sound of one holding their breath with all their might was strangely unpleasant to her ears. Im so so sorry, its all my fault! Forgive me please, I dont want to be a frog. Your grace. Edmund called out to Clette as if admonishing her. This experience was thoroughly maddening to Clette. Okay! Okay, I wont turn you into a frog! So please stop sobbing already. Only I didnt even want to turn him into a frog in the first ce! What am I supposed to do with one little frog anyways? Huh? Tita swallowed his tears with an expression of suppressed sorrow. Now that things calmed down a little, Clette tried to put an end to themotion by issuing a warning to the child as she knelt to match his eye level. Remember this Tita, I wont turn you into a frog. However, if you ever move recklessly while there are broken ss fragments around again, Ill turn you into a toad. An absolutely hideous toad. Youll end up eating only flies for the rest of your life! Am I clear? Before Clettes final words reached Tita, Edmund hurriedly covered the boys ears. Have I not told you time and time again to be wary of the way you speak to his highness? Why cant you be more gentle towards him? How am I supposed to be more gentle than this, huh? Im really trying my best here. Edmund didnt even bother to pretend as though hed heard Clettesint, instead, he merely paid attention to soothing Tita. Chapter 9 Wont you stop crying, your highness? Her graces words might make her out to be a very scary person but thats not the case at all. Oh! Why dont you ask her grace to read a fairy tale to you tonight? Im sure shell be more than happy to do so! Edmund, who was cheering Tita up, winked at her. Clette snorted at him. Well, I might have some free time.. Really? Tita sniffled and furtively nced at Clette. She, who was being stared at by his tearful eyes, didnt have the heart to refuse him. Damn it, isnt it too unfair to have such puppy eyes? Edmund, who had somehow figured out what she was thinking like a psychic, grinned. Now your highness, go on. Well, your grace, could- could you please read me a fairy tale. Su- sure. The answer left her lips as though it had a mind of its own. Why does it feel like Ive just fallen into Edmunds scheme? While such thoughts crossed her mind, Clette could not take back her agreement to Titas request. What are you doing? As soon as Tita was sent back to his room, Clette began questioning Edmund. Fairy tale my ass! That kid is scared out of his wits of me. I didnt even say anything and he immediately burst into tears despite the fact that I even smiled at him. Your grace, could you please show me that smile? Cletteplied, smiling brightly at Edmund just like she had done earlier in front of Tita. Edmunds face stiffened. He spoke after a short moment of silence. Just wear your poker face, your grace. That would be much better. Ive witnessed a sight I never should have. Hes lived for long enough hasnt he? Clette seriously agonised over his life and death. Edmund, who had no clue of the thoughts in her head, consoled her. At any rate, stop worrying so much, your grace. His highness really likes you. Thats not possible. Im telling you Edmund, he doesnt say a word to me despite how chatty he is towards you. Edmund smiled softly at the grumbling Clette. There are times where one cant talk much in front of a person they like, your grace. Dont waste your time worrying about this and go to his highness already. Hah, I dont know what to do anymore. Just know that if Tita cries again, the me will fall on you, and you alone. That day, Clette quickly wrapped up her work and headed to Titas room, in order to not be toote. She carried an unamusing fairy tale book in her hands as she approached his room. Knock, knock, knock. After a little hard knocking, the door opened. Clette looked down and there, in the opened doorway, stood a tottering Tita. May I enter? Ah, yes! As Clette entered the room, Tita dashed back to his bed. She sat by his bed and opened the book. Clette did not want the atmosphere to worsen more than it already had due to their useless small talk, and instead decided to get straight to the point. Clettes face crumpled as she gazed at the fairy tales title. Of all books she could have grabbed, it had to be one titled The Snow Queen. Only Of all the many books there were, why is it this one? If someone else was here, I would be thought of as a narcissist. Excuse me, your grace, but could it be that youre still very upset with me? Tita asked Clette this very carefully after he saw her face pucker. Afraid of making the child cry again, she hurriedly smoothed out her harsh expression. Thats not the case. Clette decided to read Tita the fairy tale since she had already brought it with her. She ced the oilmp closer to the book. Once upon a time, in and of ice, lived a snow queen. She was an ill-tempered, mean and cold woman. Say what? Although the content seemed weird to her, Clette decided to continue reading the fairy tale. As if to add sound effects to the story, a blizzard, just in time, rumbled from outside the window. Chapter 10 The Snow queen often peeped at the world through a mirror made of snow and one day as she was peeping, she discovered a very lovely boy. The snow queen who had liked him very much decided to kidnap him. A kidnapping this early on in the fairy tale? Clette was not a fan of the setup in which the Snow Queen was depicted as a kidnapper. She thought that this kind of development was too grim for a childrens book. Clette nced at Tita to see his reaction. She was nning to promptly end her storytelling session if she spotted even a hint of unease from him. Tita had instead been staring at her with an expression of excited immersion. His wine-colored eyes sparkled with excitement. Clette had no choice but to lower her eyes and attentively carry on telling Tita the story. The Snow Queen had wanted the boy to forget his original world, so she kissed him and made it so he wouldnt feel the cold. She then broke her mirror of ice and imnted pieces of it in the boys eyes and chest. The pieces in his eyes made him see an illusion while the piece in his chest froze his heart just like the Snow Queens own heart.The boy was now only capable of following the queens words and thinking of her. Not only kidnapping but even illegal medical procedures and brain-washing too, huh? The Snow Queen within the fairy tale had, unlike Clette, not a grain of morality in her. This made her click her tongue. Beyond thend of ice, there was a girl deeply hurt by the boys disappearance. The girl had been missing the boy an awful lot, so she decided to be courageous and thus embarked on a journey to search for him. She eventually reached thend of ice after a long period of searching and traveling. There, she found the boy who had been kidnapped by the Snow Queen. The boy had not recognized her at first but the girls deep love for him helped him break free from the illusion and restored his eyes and frozen heart to their original state. The boy, in a state of lividness after finding out the truth, ran straight towards the Snow Queen and pierced her chest with a knife made of ice. The queen realized that the boy had escaped her magic and attempted to recast the spell on him. Her attempt failed and sheid on the ground with transparent blood flowing from her wound. She was dying. The boy and girl returned to their world after defeating the Snow Queen and spent an eternity in love with each other. They then lived happily ever after. Although the fairy tale was concluded with a happy ending, Clette felt ufortable. She felt bothered, it was as if she hadnt wiped thoroughly after going to the bathroom. (T/N: what kind of messed upparison is this?!) What a dull story. The snow queen is pitiful, said Sita. Pitiful? What do you mean pitiful? Shes so evil! The worst act an individual canmit is the abuse of children. But the Snow Queen loved the boy so very much. She just didnt know how to express her feelings for him since she had been living in loneliness for so long. Love that doesnt consider the other partys feelings and thoughts only serves to make the other party suffer. The Snow Queen paid the price for having forced her own feelings upon the boy without considering his opinion. Tita stared at Clette with his big eyes blinking. I think the boy knew about the queens feelings. Only What makes youe to that conclusion? Because the boy saw the reality the queen wanted to see and her.. Uhm.. Thought? Thought way um Tita was having a hard time finding the right words and scrunched up his face in thought. Because he obeyed her desires and way of thinking? Thats right! Thats why I cant help but think that the boy was aware of the queens feelings. If thats true then why did he kill the queen? I am not sure about that. Hmmm. Chapter 11 Clette began to see Tita in a different light. She had thought he was a spineless crybaby because of the potion and frog incident earlier, but maybe because he is the male lead, there is an unexpected side to him. Clette had never thought that one day she would be discussing a fairy tale with Tita. This debate was the longest conversation she had with Tita ever since his arrival at the Winter Castle. Do you like reading fairy books? We have many fairy tale books in the library, you can read them whenever you feel bored. Tita replied hesitantly to her offer. I cant read yet. You cannot do what yet? I cant read yet, I dont know how. Clette was, at this point, wondering just what was going on with the emperor. It was the norm for children of nobility to start their education at 5 years of age. No matter how indifferent the pce was towards Tita, he was still of royal blood. A child carrying the blood of the royal family not being taught how to read was a matter that boggled Clettes mind. The fact that the king had more than enough time to educate the prince and yet still decided to neglect him, almost made Clette swear out loud. Ill teach you then. What am I saying? Clette was in shock, unable to believe what just came out of her mouth. Tita was in shock as well. He stared at her with wide eyes. Are you serious, your grace? Clette tried to be objective but no matter how hard she tried, she couldnt help but think that Titas eyes were a huge problem. Whenever she met his gaze, nonsense flowed out of her mouth. Feeling as though her pride was hurt, Clette desperately looked for an excuse exining her weakness to Titas eyes; and soon she came up with a likely one. She was doing this to know how intelligent her future enemy was to be. Never let it be said that she did it for the childs sake. Well, theres no way that I would soften because of a mere childs stare. Do I look like the kind of person to lie about such things? Come to my workshop as soon as you wake up. I will!, replied Tita eagerly. You fool, what are you so excited for? Were not meeting up to y, but to study. It isnt something to like so much Tita, despite the fact that he would start studying tomorrow, was full of smiles. Clette didnt know what was making him so happy and left his room thinking that children were an iprehensible species. *** Only The next morning, as soon as the sun rose from its slumber, Clette had Tita arrive at the workshop Sit there. Tita carefully climbed and sat on the chair Clette had gestured at with her chin. The chair was made to fit Clette, who was much taller than Tita, so his short legs dangled in the air. The desk was alsorge for him. This isnt good for his posture and wont help him concentrate at all. With a flick of her finger, the chair and desk immediately shrank to match Titas size. Woah! Titas jaw dropped. To Clette, the magic she had just performed was only a basic spell, but to a child who knew nothing, it was earth-shattering. Ohoho, was that so surprising kiddo? Should I show you something even better? Chapter 12 Clette raised her head and just like the first time she had seen him, his brilliant purple eyes stared straight back at her. What exactly should she say to him? Clette was the first to avert her gaze from him since she didnt know what to do or say. A young kid like you will soon freeze to death if you continue standing there. Thank you for helping me. May I know your name? Clette didnt know how to reply, so she awkwardly changed the subject in response. If youre done here, then you can head back to your room. Make sure to memorize what I have taught you today. Yes. Titas steps were gentle and light as he made his way out of her workshop. Titas words continued to echo in her ear, forcing Clette to be unable to focus on what she was currently doing. Clette concluded that having kids around was indeed annoying. She shook her head and got rid of the unnecessary thoughts flooding her mind. *** Although Titas skills have improved over time, he still needed some guidance. As a result, Clette ordered Edmund to guide Tita. Clette wanted Tita to grow into a refined young man. She wanted Tita to have the same education a young noble or a prince would have. However, Clette was worried that Tita wont be able to control his violent nature. If Titas violent nature was exposed, then it would be used against him as a weakness. But currently, Tita didnt have any knowledge rting to sword fighting or even self-defense. Luckily, Tita was still young and there was still time for him to learn how to control his violent nature. Currently, he had yet had a violent outburst, instead, he had only revealed his good-natured and gentle side. Tita is a very intelligent child. He just finished learning the alphabet a few days ago, but he can already read extensive history books. I am starting to like this main male lead. Huh? No, its nothing. Is there anything else you noticed? Noticed? For example, does Tita show any sign of violence? Did he ever throw a tantrum or say any harsh words to you? Clette appeared quite serious when she asked the question, but Edmund couldnt help but suppressed the chuckle that almost escaped from his mouth. He believed that Clette was merely joking with him and that joke was one of the worst jokes he had ever heard. What are you saying? The child is extremely gentle and shy. Cant see tell from how nervous he behaves? Is that so? Clette breathed a sigh of relief. It seems everything was fine for now. Can I ask you something What is it? Wont he feel lonely here? There wasnt much meaning behind Edmunds words, but the truth behind his words drained Clette. What Edmund said was true. The castle was already a dreary and cold ce, and Tita was the only child currently living in the castle. Would Tita feel lonely with just her and Edmund living here? Dont kids around his age like to y around in groups? Your grace, you should visit us more. It seems the imperial prince has be fonder of you. Why should I? Ever since Tita thanked her, Clette had been hesitant to meet him again. Clette merely wanted to raise the child properly; she didnt know how to show him any affection and she was afraid of growing too attached to him. She was afraid that when the time came, she would allow Tita to kill her out of pity and affection for him. You can go now if you dont need anything else. Clette could see Edmunds look of disapproval from the side of her eyes, but how could Edmun understand her? He didnt know the future, so he wouldnt understand why she was acting this way. Clette brushed it off by pretending like she didnt notice. She wondered if Edmund wouldve done the same if he was in her shoes. Clette pondered over Edmunds words once again. Tita needed a friend to talk to and share his feelings with. He needed someone to apany him, but where could Clette find such apanion? Velos didnt have many people that were around his age. What should Clette do? A few dayster, Clette brought a puppy to the castle. At first nce, it looks like an ordinary puppy, but the puppy was a mixture of a demon and a wolf; its name was Canis. Only The puppy was the size of her palm, but once it was fully grown, its size will beparable to that of a lion. Since it was half-demon and half-wolf, it was much easier to tame it. The puppy will be very loyal to its owner if it was raised by the owners side since it was young. Even though the puppy will grow exponentially in size soon, it was quite fast and agile, perfect for hunting speedy herbivores and small demons. She received this puppy from a man living in hernd who asked the chief of the Lycans. Although it was hard for her to get her hands on this puppy, Clette didnt have much of a choice. It was hard for young cubs like this puppy to survive on its own, so she cast the same spell she had cast on Tita. The spell will strengthen his immune system and help fight the cold. What should she say once she gives this Canis to Tita? You dont have anything like this, so I got one for you. I just picked this up from the street. I didnt buy it for you? All Clette coulde up with were these twome lines. Clette wondered if she should ask Edmund for advice, but he will probablyugh at her dilemma. Perhaps she should order Edmund to bring the puppy to Tita for her. Clette looked at Canis. Your master is a loner like you, so you should take care of each other well. Chapter 13 Canis growled and Clette carefully patted its back. The distinct smell that Canis was emitting infiltrated her nose. Shepaced back and forth in front of Titas room. She didnt immediately enter because she was afraid that he was asleep and that she would wake him up if she suddenly barged in. After she paced in front of the room for a while, she finally came to a decision. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down before knocking on the door. Who is there? The door creaked open. Clette didnt know why, but she immediately hid herself when the door opened. Tita looked around his surroundings and only found Canis standing in front of his door. Canis was frightened and its body immediately grew taunt. It bared its small but sharp teeth, trying to defend itself from the stranger in front of him. Tita took a tentative step back and crouched down. Its okay,e here. Although Canis was still tense, Tita waited patiently for it. Even though Titas current position was ufortable, he remained still. Soon, Canis finally realized and approached Tita. It licked Titas fingers and Tita touched Caniss head carefully. Tita picked up Canis and held it dearly in his arms when he noticed that Canis was finallyfortable in his presence. Where are you from? Are you alone like me too? Did youe here because you are afraid that I will get lonely? The young boy and the puppy rubbed their cheeks against each other, sharing the warmth between them. It seemed like two were able to make an instant connection because they recognized that they were both facing the same situation. Although Tita rarely expressed his loneliness, it was obvious that he mustve felt quite alone from the way he looked at Canis. I should give you a name. What name do you like? Let me think about it. Canis growled softly in response; it seemed as if Canis understood Titas words. After Tita realized that he had been standing outside his room for too long, he walked back into his room with Canis in his arms. Clette could hear the clear sound ofughter inside Titas rooms. The corners of her mouth subconsciously twitched into a faith smile, but her expression instantly hardened when she realized that she was smiling. What am I doing? She mustve looked like an idiot, smiling to herself. She hurriedly left before anyone could see her. *** The long awaited sunlight melted away the snow of Velos. It was a rare sunny day in the city, so Clette and Edmund went for a walk. It had been a long time since Clette was out of the castle. The weather is quite nice today. I know. If only the weather is always like this, perhaps the poption of Velos would increase. Its sad that the weak are left behind. To survive, one would need strong bones and a strong body to ovee the cold here. Its strange to see the Lord that creates and distributes potions to the people of thend feel sympathy and sorrow for those who had died. When I was younger, I was quite handsome and cute. We had a lot of things to talk about, so why do you ask the same questions each year? Do I? Clette looked at Edmund once again. It seems like it was only yesterday when they had first met. When did he be so old? Edmunds chocte brown hair had turnedpletely white. Only Oh, I remembered Tita said something strange today? What is it? He told me that a puppy was left outside his doorst night. There was a big smile stered on his face when Edmund said that. His gaze revealed that he knew that she was the one who left the puppy at Titas door; she couldnt fool him. Really? Where did he see it? I didnt notice. Of course, you didnt. So Im here to inform you about it. I didnt see who it was that sent the puppy to Tita, but she mustve been an angel that had fallen from the sky. Clette thought, When can he stop teasing me? Oho, look! Tita is walking with his puppy right now. Chapter 14: “This must be the friend you are talking about. Is his name Snow?” This must be the friend you are talking about. Is his name Snow? Yes, I named it Snow since he looked white as snow. That name is perfect for a dog who will be raised in the ice castle.oh, please wait just a moment. Edmund, who had been examining Snow for a while, immediately turned his head around to look at Clette. He had an astonished expression on his face while he stared at her. After some quick, but careful examination, he immediately recognized that the dog was a half breed. To be more precise, it was half dog and half-demon. Clette turned away, pretending as if she didnt know why he was acting so surprised. Tita grinned brightly at Edmunds praises and waspletely unaware of Edmunds findings. I know. This is the first time Ive seen a puppy. I never knew a puppy could be so small and white like a snowball.: Hahahaha I thought so too. Now that you have a friend now, you wont be lonely here, right? Edmund hesitantly asked. Yes! Im going to y with Snow every day. Oh! Snow, you cant do that! Tita appeared quite embarrassed as Snow kept growling at Clette and Edmund. He tried to calm the dog, but Canis continued to bare its teeth at them. He may look like a gentle little puppy at an early age, but once fully grown, it will show aggression to anyone except for its master. I dont know why hes acting like this, he is usually very gentle. He must be feeling weird today. Surely, you are loyal to your master, but I am your masters guardian. Clette wanted to say that, but she held back. Snow hesitated for a moment before it red at them and stood firmly in front of Tita. It was protecting him like a loyal knight to his master. It seems like the Chief of Lycan had sent a good dog, Clette concluded. Snow, its fine. You can rx now. When Tita stroked its head, Snow brushed its head against Titas legs and stepped back. However, it remained alert to Clette and Edmunds presence. It was ready to attack anyone who dared tries to hurt his master. Clette snorted at the dog. What a cheeky dog. You are the only beast that dares to bare its teeth to me. Only Its usually gentle I think he is just surprised to see several people at once. Its probably because Snow hasnt been trained yet. We need to train him so he can learn what to do. Tita nodded in agreement with Edmunds words. But Ive never trained an animal before. When you visit the library, you can look for a book on how to tame him. Youre good at reading now, right? Yes! In the future, you can bring him to our sses too. Ill help you tame him. Clette looked at the two for a moment. It seemed Edmund and Tita were closer than theyd been before. When Tita had first arrived at the castle, he called Edmund Mr. Butler. Now Tita called Edmund by his name. Clette wondered what Edmund had done to get so close to Tita. She was the one whod allowed Tita to live in her castle. She was the one whod given him a dog. Tita may have been only a child, but she was the one whod done everything for him. Edmund had done nothing. Chapter 15: Her gaze was piercing. Her gaze was piercing. Hes an energetic animal, so youll need to walk him often. If you dont, hell chew on your furniture. Yes, I will. I dont think hes an ordinary puppy, either. Hes small but really strong, and Ive never seen a dog with golden eyes. This dog must be special. Clette wanted to say that Snow wasnt a dog; he wasnt even a puppy. He was a demon. Tita hugged Snows body tightly. An angel must have given Snow to me, he said. WhatWhat did you say! Angels? Thats nonsense. Angels have much more important things to do than giving lonely children dogs. Clette groaned. How could Titapare Clette to an angel, when in reality, she was an ill-tempered, silver-haired witch? Yes? Oh yes, thats right, an angel must have given him to you. Edmunds voice trembled slightly. He was embarrassed by Titas descriptions of Clette. To be honest, I feel quite lonely here. How did the angel know that and send Snow to me? You know, at first, I wanted to name him Angel. Tita didnt recognize the heavy atmosphere around him. As Clette heared Titas enthusiastic remarks, her face flushed red as a beet. Clette nced at Edmund, who was trying his best not tough. She could see his shoulders shaking. For a moment, Clette was grateful that Tita had named the Canis Snow. (Canis was the name of the demon species.) If hed named it Angel, Edmund would have teased her until the day he died. Actually, I just remembered I left something in my office. Tita, you should take your dog for a walk now. But we- Edmund could barely restrain hisughter, so Clette stepped on his foot. He choked and stoppedughing. Well take our leave now. Before Tita could answer, Clette quickly walked past him, followed by the limping Edmund beside her. Hey, mydy. Are you nning to go to heaven without my knowledge now? Switching careers from a witch to an angel. Do you really think the gods would allow you to do that? Stop it. I dont want to hear it. Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. But mydy, does Tita know the dogs a demon? Lets keep it a secret for as long as we can. Its species is known for being loyal, so even if its on the brink of death, it wont hurt its master. Even though they lived in a fantasy world, magic was still unusual to most of the people who lived here. Many of them died without ever seeing any. Since shede from an ordinary world without magic, Clette could understand how overwhelming magic could be, especially for a child like Tita. She knew how hard it was for him to get used to this ce. As for the Canis, well need to tame it properly so that we wont need to worry about it. Edmund didnt look convinced, but he eventually agreed with Clettes words. She looked back at Tita, who was ying joyfully with Snow. He looked so happy that she was almost pleased. ********** Several dayster, the chief of the Kata tribe arrived at Clettes mansion to ask for help to cure his sick daughter. The child was not in critical condition, but needed attentive care, so Clette ordered Edmund to bring the herbs and potions she made for the girl. By foot, the journey between the ice castle and the Kata tribes vige would take two and a half days; but since Clette could use teleportation spells, they could travel there in a sh. Only Are you ready? Yes. Wait, leave the teleportation scroll here. I want you to return aste as possible. It would be much better if you just stayed there for a while. Edmund clutched at the scroll, afraid Clette would take it away from him. Why would you say that? If Im not here, who will deliver your messages? Edmund protested. Clette ced her hand on his forehead, and blinding white light burst from her hand, wrapping Edmunds body with magic. Your grace, please get along well with Tita while Im gone. Be nice to him. Edmund was worried about leaving a little boy, a demon, and a witch behind; so Clette still needed to convince him to leave. Chapter 16: “Don’t worry.” Dont worry. Please dont make him cry- Before Edmund could nag her any more, Clette quickly sent him to the vige. She hummed to herself as he vanished from the room. She walked back to the castle merrily, pleased to have a day without Edmund nagging her. She headed straight to her workshop, as shed decided she would create every dangerous, bizarre magical item she could possibly devise. Today, shed make every item she couldnt while Edmund was around. She excitedly began to take out her ingredients, but Edmunds words kept echoing through her mind. Hed told her that you should never take your eyes off a child since children tend to be so careless that they might get into an ident or hurt themselves. Ignoring his words would be her loss since Tita might break one of her precious belongings. Her earlier excitement dissipated. She began to lecture herself on how bothersome children were, and why shed even taken Tita in the first ce. Tita walked past her in the hallway. When he saw her, he hesitated, then spoke. Um, your grace. Did you happen to know where Mr. Edmund is? I havent seen him for a while. Ive sent him somewhere for an errand. Hell be back tomorrow. Is that so? Tita turned away from her and murmured to Snow in a low voice. I guess itll just be the two of us for lunch today Wait. Tita stopped and turned to look at her. Lets get lunch together. Ive also got something to do in the dining room. Clette and Tita headed to the dining hall. The food that Edmund had prepared earlier that day was on the table. Eat. Thank you for the meal, Tita whispered, before beginning to eat. He was wolfing down his food so quickly that Clette thought he must have been starving. He took a huge bite of bread and cheese, and drank a bowl of soup in one big gulp. Snow sat curled at his feet. Clette, who was sitting opposite him, watched him, pleased at his appetite. If I didnt know any better, I mightve thought you hadnt eaten for three days. Tita, who was about to take another bite of bread, snapped his mouth shut as soon as Clette spoke. Im sorry! I woke upte, so I didnt get the chance to eat breakfast earlier. Why are you always apologizing? Just finish your meal. Um, your grace, why are you not eating?. I dont think Ive ever seen you eat anything. Witches dont need to eat. Ah What are you doing? Why are you not eating your meal like before? Tita ripped off a piece of bread and put it in his mouth. Clette frowned as she looked at him. Eat like you were doing before. Um, your grace. Didnt you say you have something to do here? Im doing it now. She wanted to add that taking care of him was what she needed to do. Tita watched her silently as he nibbled on his bread. After finishing his meal, he stood up from his chair, nced at her onest time, and slipped out of the dining room. Clette got up out of her chair and followed him. Tita was a step ahead of her, and turned his head to look at her once she caught up with him. He had a hesitant look on his face. He stopped walking and looked at Clette. Are you following me? Yes. Why? Because you might get into an ident. Only I promise I wont get into any trouble- We still need to keep an eye on you. They reached his room, and Tita walked in without asking any more questions. Clette walked in behind him. Shed assumed that he would start ying with his toys now, but instead, he took out a wool doll and a pair of needles and plunked himself on the rug. He nced at Clette, who was sitting on the corner of his bed. Just ignore me, and y like you normally do. What do you usually y? I like to y house a lot. Go ahead. I wont bother you. He hesitated at first, but after a few minutes, he started ying on his own. Come here. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!