HCYPBTKIRWO Chapter 8

But what worried me more was the children watching this scene, which was not good for their education.

"Excuse me. But put that away in front of the children and let’s just have a conversation...”

But the man was so shocked that he didn't seem to be able to hear me.

“This is something that many people have not been able to do for many years, but how the hell…

Then he framed me endlessly, saying that I had been brainwashing them or that I had used forbidden black magic.

'Isn't that too much?'

I put my finger up to argue, but I think it was only misunderstood that I was trying to use magic. My fingertips tingle as if on fire.

The knowledge of the witch in my head was unfolding.

It was quite intense even though it fluctuated unstably whether the caster was focusing on it.

'But there are knights here.'

As I glanced at the knights lined up inside the hut, the man shouted fiercely as he thought I was devising a way out.

“I asked, what did you do?!”

“Oh no. You can't scream in front of kids. It’ll surprise them.”

As expected. Luca, who was clinging to his left leg crying, burst into more tears.

I stretched out my arms to comfort Luca. The child tried to run to me, but was immediately stopped by a man's hand.

The cry echoed through my cramped hut and made my head pound.

I took a deep breath and got up slowly.

“If you’re curious about that, I’d be happy to…”

The tip of the man's sword continued to follow me. But as long as I don't try to bolt, I don't think I'm going to get killed yet. You'll have to know what kind of forbidden act it is to eat carrots.

When I lifted the fork on the table, the blade of the man's sword touched my neck more closely.

‘No matter how much I'm a witch, what would I do with a fork?’

I calmly put the fork into the cake on the table.

"...What are you doing?"

When I held out a fork in my hand, the man looked down at me with more shaky eyes than before. I smiled, reflecting on kindness.

"My carrot cake. Would you like to try it?"

But why? His forehead crumpled.

"So it's this after all."

"What?"

"That cake. The children eat some potions from the sweet cake that they couldn't resist."

"…You seriously can’t communicate."

"You're still trying to feed me into a puppet of your own unique spell. That's how you want to get your hands on the dukedom."

This person has a lot of delusions. I stared blankly at the man in front of me.

"Did you think I'll fall for such a shallow trick?"

"If I were a really evil witch, would I use this shallow trick?"

Who do you think people are? I'm used to being misunderstood, but around this time, I started to get angry.

"You locked up such lovely children and abused them."

"Abuse?”

I tried to weigh his faults, but the great duke only continued to hold his sword at me.

"How could the children have wanted to live in my cabin instead of a luxurious mansion?"

Now, his interrogating gaze turned to the children.

Are you trying to scold them for revealing your abuse?

"Excuse me. It’s not the time to turn your anger toward the children, but you should look back on your actions instead."

However, the duke did not respond back to me and ordered a young man of his age standing next to him.

"Daniel, take that item. We need a test."

It was the carrot cake carefully made by me and the chestnut that he pointed out with his eyes as if he had seen dirt, calling it "that thing".

I didn't want to give it to him, but I handed it to him gently. Nothing will come out even if you test it. In other words, it was an opportunity to remove the false accusation. When a man named Daniel received the cake and took it, the duke ordered the children.

"Luna, Luca. Go to the carriage right away."

"Oh, about that."

I made a motion with my fingers. The open cabin door closed with a bang, and it was immediately locked.

"I don't think you should take the kids."

Everyone's eyes grew bigger when they saw me lock the door with a single gesture.

Immediately, a soldier standing near pushed the door, but it would not budge.

This cabin may look shabby and sloppy, but in fact, it was no different from any other building.

Seeing that there was ironclad security magic on a small cabin, I guess my body's original owner did that.

"Why can't you open it?"

"Bring the ax right away!""

The duke, who was watching the soldiers inside and outside the cabin scrambling to break the door because they couldn't open it, ordered me.

"Open the door right away."

"No, I heard you abandoned the kids."

"What are you accusing me of?"

“If they go back to the Archduke’s residence, you’ll try to imprison the children again.”

“Aren’t we imprisoned right now?”

The Archduke grunted, clenched his teeth and glanced over his shoulder. It was pointing to the door where the soldiers were whining.

"Who locked us up now?"

Hmm, he's not wrong. Was it too extreme? I used my hand again to release the magic on the door.

“In return, promise to be a good guardian for the children.”

“How could a man-eating witch tell me to be a good guardian?”

The Archduke snorted as he slowly flipped the silver hair that had flowed down from his forehead in astonishment.

“If I search that fire pit and find evidence of you eating people, I will execute you immediately.”

"No! Hazel doesn't eat people!"

“She gives flowers.”

“Lunabelle, Luca. Hurry up and get on the chariot.”

The Archduke gave a firm order to the children hanging from his legs, but they did not move.

“Hazel is also worth it.”

"That's right. Let's take her in as our nanny."

"What?"

The man stared at Luna with trembling eyes, wondering why it was so difficult to understand why she was asking for me to be taken as a nanny.

“What the hell did that witch do? Are you controlling my siblingss now?"

I lost the will to refute the repeated framed accusations and assumptions and sighed.

"No way!"

“No! You nagging demon king!"

“Ahh- I'm not going to go without Hazel’s upsie."

Luca sat on the floor and wept.

My little hut was a mess.

"Chestnuts." (translator note: that’s what she calls them.)

The children, who had been crying and shouting, stopped and looked at me.

The only suggestion was that even the Archduke stopped his words and looked at me with surprised eyes.

"Stop and go home."

It was something I really didn't want to say.

However, neither by law nor by blood, I had no right to insist that I would raise the children, as the duke was the actual protector of the children.

“I will write to you. If you don't know how to read, ask someone else to read it."

The corners of Luna's lips, who looked at me with resentful eyes, sank.

“You also write letters.”

The Archduke may not allow us to exchange letters.

Then I had another option. Occasionally, I would send Lady or Daisy to communicate.

So that I can always see that the Archduke is not really mistreating the children.

With her face as bright as a strawberry, Luna pulled her brother's legs.

"Promise me you won't kill Hazel."

The Archduke narrowed his eyes and answered in a reluctant voice.

"Okay."

“She took good care of us. Say thank you."

Now, following the eyebrows, even his eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

As Luna was arguing over and over again, the Archduke gave me a sharp gaze, and he greeted me like a sigh.

“Let me thank you for keeping my brother and sister safe.”

In the end, the Archduke went out of the hut with the children, one in each arm, who still could not follow his footsteps.

"Wait!"

As I ran outside, the soldiers blocked me with spears.

“These are for the children. Take it.”

In my arms were loads of children's clothes, shoes, toys, and cookies I had baked.

The Archduke, who was closing the door with the children in the carriage, approached this way. As I held out the objects, his eyes widened in disbelief.

“Something like a witch’s special thing…”

Well, the duke will only deal with the finest items. The things I bought were cheap compared to that.

Even though it may not have been for your level and taste, the little ones liked them.

As I stood blankly like an idiot, the Archduke made a soft voice and threatened me.

“If it is discovered that you used vicious magic on my younger siblings, even the promises from those children will not be able to protect your life."

After spitting out such words, the Archduke turned around coldly.

I swallowed my tears and lifted my head. I couldn't show the tears to the children who were still crying on the carriage window. I smiled, pretending nothing was wrong, and waved my hand.

"You should be healthy and well. Thank you so much..."

Before I even finished saying thank you for making my lonely life so noisy, the carriage left.

Tonight, I was going to make a beef stew the kids loved.

I was going to the farm tomorrow to buy a pet rabbit.

Promises I didn't keep, people who turned away from me.

Have I not been able to escape from the situation of endlessly watching the backs of those who leave me here?

Perhaps it was me, not the children, who were hungry for love. As I watched the carriages and the procession of soldiers getting smaller and smaller, I heard a rustling sound at my feet.

Suddenly, Lady and Daisy were approaching.

[You okay?]

Lady asked with worried eyes. I grabbed a bunch of children's stuff, wiped my eyes with my sleeve, and nodded.

"It's okay."

The carriage, which was as small as a fingernail, eventually turned into a dot and disappeared.

"It will be fine."

The children were gone as fast as they appeared in my life, without notice.