Translator and Editor: Bunny and Wyvern

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Chapter 8

I lifted my head and checked the lock to find out why it wouldn’t open. “Oh, wait a minute, it’s locked.”

It turns out, it was because the maids locked it earlier really tight. I pulled the chair towards the window, stepped on the cushion covering it, and pulled the latch. Then, the Guardian entered wagging its tail as the window swung open.

“Why are you here?”

Then the Guardian stopped and raised his head to me, [Why? It’s night.]

This time, I tilted my head. “Why is that?”

[What do you think? I came to sleep on a soft bed.]

“Ha…”

At the sight of the Guardian coming down from the window, walking around the room, I couldn’t hide my embarrassment. I thought he would be sleeping outside as he was still in his crow form, perched on the branch of a tree.

Anyway, it was time to talk to him, so I quickly went up to the bed and patted the space beside me. “Welcome. Sit here.”

[Well, okay.]

Climbing easily on top of the bed, the Guardian went to the center then lay down.

[Goodnight, I’m going to sleep.]

…What?

I was wondering if the Guardian will really go to sleep, but he tucked his head in between his front paws.

“Why are you sleeping!” I quickly shouted, fearing that the Guardian would fall asleep.

He looked at me strangely. [Of course you need to sleep, it’s night.]

“I asked you to come up here so we can talk because we can’t talk during the mornings.”

The Guardian wagged his tail, raising his upper body, and sat neatly with his feet together in front of me.

“Um… thank you.”

[Well, this is nothing.]

The Guardian’s obedient cooperation reminded me of the first day I met him.

To be honest, I didn’t know much about the Ancient Witch’s Guardian, because I really didn’t want to look down at him when we first met. I was still in an unstable state of awakening, and because I inherited my mother’s blood, I didn’t know what kind of power I had inside my stomach from forcibly awakening it.

Normally, witches would awaken with their hidden marks, receiving knowledge, and with that knowledge, they would awaken the ability that suited them. However, I didn’t receive that knowledge, didn’t even find the mark myself, and my mother didn’t have time to teach me how to do it. That’s why, I had a half-awakening that resulted in me being unable to use my own power.

[You have a lot of thoughts,] The Guardian said, cutting off my deep thoughts.

I shook my head and placed my hands on the bed to get a little closer to the Guardian. “Um, okay. With that in mind, Guardian of the Ancient Witch…?”

[Hmm, why? You don’t have to call me with that long name.]

‘What am I supposed to call you?’

I could call him Guardian, but I wanted something that sounded catchy.

“Um, um…”

[If you don’t have anything to call me, you can just call me anything that only the both of us know.]

“Only both of us know?”

[Huh. I did that with the witch before.]

My ears perked at his muttered words that seemed like the whispering wind. “You had a former witch?”

The Guardian, who had been licking his front paws, nodded once. [Of course. Did you think I was the first being of this world? Though it’s my first time having hands like these since I was young.]

This was a fact that I didn’t know. I felt like I was being fed a spoonful of a deeply hidden perspective. “Then, did you protect all the witches who called you?”

He raised his head, his ears trembling a few times. [Yes and no. Rather than saying it was me ‘alone’, it’s ‘us’.] The Guardian tilted his head because his words were ambiguous, then added an explanation. [Even if I disappear, my memories will be passed on and shared to the future Guardians, because we are beings created by different aspects of nature. Well, meeting a witch is an old story, but it seems like you know a little bit.]

I quickly shook my head. “I-I think I heard it s-somewhere. So, how long has it been since you met a witch?”

[Hmm. The last time I probably met one was… three hundred years ago?]

“…Three hundred years?”

He only wagged his tail like it was nothing while I gaped.

[Hmm. I guess the witches usually called me in that cycle? Ah, there was a witch who sang for the first time in five hundred years…]

The Guardian said it was because the witches who summoned him were special. After all, there were many witches who lived and died without knowing the existence of Guardians.

‘Then how old is he?’

It had been less than two hundred years since the temple had taken over the empire. Maybe the Guardian didn’t know much about the current temple.

[By the way, this is the first time I have talked so much with you.]

“Yeah, because something happened….”

[Are you okay?]

I wet my lips at the Guardian’s question.

‘Did someone ever tell me it is okay to come to this place?’

I thought of my mother for a moment, but I shook my head to calm my emotions as much as possible. “I’m okay. Because I… expected it to happen.”

[It’s really strange.]

“What is?”

[You seem a little weird. Children usually cry well.]

I blinked several times. “T-there are kids who don’t cry s-sometimes.”

[Well, yes. So what are you going to call me? If possible, would you call me something cool?]

“Oh, I forgot. Well, um, what should I call you?” I pondered as I thought of what to call him. Since he’s pitch black…. “Night?”

[That’s a little bit…]

‘Ah, you told me to think of something easy to say.’

I frowned at the Guardian’s refusal to cut me off as soon as I spoke.

“Then… Dawn?”

Because we met at dawn?

[Not that one either.]“Then, should I call you Byul*? Because stars show up at night. I also like Moon.”* Star[Ooh, I’m getting goosebumps.]

I frowned and had to think of another word.

The Guardian seemed pretty picky. I was trying to give it a pretty and elegant name.

‘Thanks to you, I had to recall every word I knew.’

“Oh, how about this? Kuhn! Because you look like something… like a warrior?”

[Kuhn…? I think that’s pretty good. ]

Win!

Again, before the Guardian changed his mind, I called his name first. “Then I’ll call you Kuhn.”

[Okay, I’m Kuhn now.]

“Hmm, and you can call me Mariette.”

[Mariette, that’s fine too.]

I decided to get to the point only after the Guardian approved of it. “Kuhn, you know, the reason I searched for you in the first place.”

[Yes, Mariette.]

“…It was to save my mother.”

Kuhn just stared at me without saying a word, as if remembering the words I struggled to come up with, since I asked him to help me when we first met.

I bit my lip. “And to ask for help to protect me.”

[From whom?] Kuhn continued to stare at me with a tired expression, as if telling me to continue talking.

I clenched my fists, opened them up, and took a deep breath to clear my mind. “The temple.”

Kuhn’s whiskers trembled.

I wasn’t sure how far Kuhn knew, and I was willing to tell him if he didn’t know something, but he would be suspicious of me if I told him everything I knew.

Moderation was the most difficult thing in the world. I had to give just enough information so that he wouldn’t doubt me.

[Aren’t those the people who use the power of the light?]

“That’s right, and they hate witches.”

He looked at me in assessment. [They’re weak kids who can only fix things anyway. But why do I have to protect you from them?]

Indeed, Kuhn didn’t know the current temple really well, so I’d have to explain to him to some extent. I was contemplating how much would be safe to tell him, when Kuhn exclaimed.

[Ah! It seems that adults are scary because you’re still a kid. Okay, I understand.]

I pouted. “Can you help?”

[Well, I can, but…] Kuhn muttered.

“Help me gain strength. And you said it’s been hundreds of years since you came into this world.”

[Hmm.]

“The Empire has changed a lot while you were away.”

[It changed?]

“Hmm. The power of the temple is very strong now. One should only use the power of the temple – the Divine Power, and a witch must not use her powers. Otherwise, they will catch them.”

Kuhn jumped like he couldn’t believe it. [Oh my God. What nonsense is that? Why can’t a witch use her powers? Are you saying I’m stupid?]

I shook my head. “No, that’s not it. They were trying to get rid of the Ancient Witch from the temple so she couldn’t wake up and use her powers.”

[Nonsense.]

“But I am a descendant of the Ancient Witch.”

[Keep talking.]

“I’m still young now, so it may be difficult for the temple to find me, but if they find me here… they’ll probably come to destroy me, right?”

[Uh, I don’t know what happened. How did those weak things change like that?]

“I-I also don’t know why, but I want to live. I want to unleash the power of the Ancient Witch.”

Kuhn, who was staring at me, suddenly widened his eyes. [You…]

I was suddenly nervous and swallowed my saliva. “…Wh-why?”

[What are your abilities? I know you have already awakened.]

I coughed as I saw that question coming. “Ehem. About… that…” My eyes wandered as I thought of what to say.

[Ahh, you’re still too young to wield power? This is my first time seeing a snotty witch.]

I clapped my hands as soon as I heard Kuhn’s words. Of course, I wanted to correct the snotty part, but that wasn’t the most important thing. “Th-that’s right. I-I am the youngest witch.”

Kuhn nodded as if he understood and wagged his tail. [So, you searched for me to help you awaken your abilities?]

“Yes. You said you were the guardian who protects and strengthens the witches.”

[Hmm.]

I brought up something that would appeal to Kuhn. “If you help me gain power, I will use that power to stop the temple from witch hunting. You, too, also want to revive the witches.”

He might snort at me and turn away, but I hope he considered it a little bit.

I anxiously waited for his answer.

Not too long after, his eyes twinkled. [Alright, it wasn’t a coincidence that a young handful like you called me. I will do as you say.]

I heaved a deep sigh at Kuhn’s consent and lay down. “Thank God.”

In fact, I was constantly terrified about what would happen if Kuhn went back because I was powerless. Having made that decision, Kuhn got up and scrutinized me, so I awkwardly straightened my back.

“Wh-why?”

[By the way, if you just want power, why not ask your dad? You are too young to do anything.]

At the word ‘young’, I felt like a big wall had been built around me, trapping me in.

‘I know, I also know that.’

“But I still have to do it.”

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