Recently, Hong Bi-Yeon found herself alone more frequently. This was quite unusual.

She always used to gather her faction members to show off her power whenever she had the chance.

Of course, she didn't stop holding meetings altogether. She still enjoyed tea time with the noble girls from her faction two or three times a week.

It was mostly to keep an eye on what was happening within the academy and in the social circles.

“... Oh.”

While sipping her tea, Hong Bi-Yeon unintentionally muttered something that surprised even herself.

'Is it bitter?'

She couldn't tell for sure. There was just an unpleasant, stinging sensation on her tongue.

“I-I'm sorry, Princess. I must have ruined the tea today...”

The girl who had prepared the tea became scared when Hong Bi-Yeon frowned.

“It’s fine. Tea is supposed to be bitter.”

Hong Bi-Yeon didn't know much about the taste, but it wasn't difficult to respond. The girl was relieved at Hong Bi-Yeon’s indifferent answer, and the other girls quickly changed the topic.

“By the way, Princess, what do you think about the Witch Restaurant?”

“The Witch Restaurant?”

“Yes. It’s a mysterious restaurant that appears and disappears all over the Arcanium City.”

“That's right. Many in our class have been talking about their experiences there. Aren't you curious?”

“Hmm...”

Hong Bi-Yeon swirled her tea. The crimson in her eyes darkened as she gazed at the teacup.

“Not really. I’m not interested in such rumors.”

While she showed little interest, the girls found the topic of the Witch Restaurant fascinating and continued their conversation enthusiastically.

As Hong Bi-Yeon quietly stared at her tea, she sensed someone approaching from behind and turned her head.

It was Yuri, her personal bodyguard. She handed her a yellow envelope.

“Princess, I’ve found the documents you asked for.”

“... Is that so?”

A few days ago, Eisel had asked about the Morfran Forest. At that time, she had shown no interest, but since Eisel had personally inquired, there must have been a reason. She didn’t plan to invest much time in it but wanted to satisfy her curiosity.

However, the documents inside the yellow envelope were filled with blanks, and there was a large seal stamped on them.

[Top Secret]

Hong Bi-Yeon frowned.

“Yuri. What’s this?”

“Due to the high level of confidentiality, it was impossible to take the documents outside the palace. However, as the Princess, you can return to the palace to review them at any time.”

“Indeed.”

Unless it was something only the Queen could see, there was no information that Hong Bi-Yeon couldn't access. However, this still seemed a bit suspicious.

'Morfran Forest...'

The key location of the incident where Grand Duke Isaac Morph went berserk and was stopped by Princess Hong Si-hwa ten years ago. It was a heroic tale that made Hong Si-hwa’s name famous, and almost everyone knew about it.

But why were the records about Morph Forest so thoroughly concealed? Was there a reason?

“You’ve done well.”

When she scattered the documents into the air and snapped her fingers, the papers burned up without leaving any ashes.

'... I suppose I need to find out more.'

A smile appeared on Hong Bi-Yeon’s lips. A confidential document that seemed to deliberately hide something.

How obvious.

Someone was desperately trying to hide their secrets.

And that person was undoubtedly Princess Hong Si-hwa.

If she could uncover Hong Si-hwa’s weaknesses, she was willing to invest all the time necessary to dig deeper.

————

Returning to the Stella Dormitory, Eisel recalled the strange events at the Witch Restaurant.

What could that strange waitress, who had exuded such an unusual aura, have meant?

It was certainly suspicious… Could she be a dark mage?

Though it wasn’t out of the question, the idea of a dark mage running a restaurant seemed rather ridiculous.

Moreover, given that rumors of the Witch Restaurant had spread all over Arcanium, any dark mage with the intention to live longer would have left long ago.

“… I don’t know.”

Even while standing under the hot shower, she couldn’t figure it out. The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.

‘Should I just ignore it?’

As her thoughts deepened, her shower time extended, and after 30 minutes of hot water, even her head felt hot.

“Sigh…”

After finishing her shower, Eisel tidied up neatly, changed into her pajamas, and lay on her bed. Then, she noticed an item she had tucked away in the corner of the dormitory.

It looked like an ordinary broom, but it was something she had found in the ‘Witch’s Hut’ at the Stella Dome training field.

It had such a strange magical energy that she brought it back to the dormitory. However, after consulting her professors, who found nothing unusual about it, she had nothing more to say.

The professors were more experienced mages. They must have been correct. But still, it seemed suspicious.

“What could this be…?”

No matter how much she inspected the broom, she couldn’t figure out anything. It just exuded a strange and unsettling magical energy with no other notable characteristics.

She realized that she might never discover its secrets just by holding onto it. Maybe she should take it outside and consult an expert. Although the appraisal might cost her a bit, it would surely satisfy her curiosity.

‘Should I go right now?’

It wasn’t too late yet. If she returned by 10 PM, she would have enough time to visit a magic tool shop in Arcanium and have the broom appraised.

With that thought, Eisel quickly changed her clothes and prepared to go out.

Just as she was about to leave the dormitory, another idea struck her.

‘Why not visit Baek Yu-Seol instead?’

Why go through the trouble of going out for an appraisal when Baek Yu-Seol, who knew everything, was nearby?

Even if he didn’t know, there would be no harm in asking.

Having decided, Eisel changed direction from the dormitory exit towards the male student dormitory.

Since it was her first time in the male section, she felt oddly nervous, but there was barely any sign of life as the Class S male students were all out.

Knock! knock!

She knocked on Baek Yu-Seol’s dorm door, and a response came quickly.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me. I wanted to ask you something.”

It was her first time visiting someone else’s dormitory, especially a male student’s, so her voice trembled slightly.

Baek Yu-Seol must have noticed.

Click!

The door opened, and Baek Yu-Seol looked at Eisel with a surprised expression.

“What brings you here?”

“Well… I have something to ask.”

“Come in.”

“Really? Is that okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Come in quickly.”

As Baek Yu-Seol gestured, Eisel steadied her nervous heart and stepped inside.

The interior was surprisingly ordinary.

While other Class S female students decorated their dorm rooms with various interior designs to express their individuality, were all the male students like this?

Or did Baek Yu-Seol just find decorating too bothersome?

Whatever the case, it was clear that he didn't have much interest in interior design.

"You have a lot of snacks..."

"Yeah. They were gifts. That one's from Edna. Want some?"

"Ah! No. Thank you."

Eisel was startled by the offer. She was strangely affected by Baek Yu-Seol's words.

Gifts?

Is it natural for teenagers these days to exchange such things?

Thinking about it, she realized that although she had received a lot of help from Baek Yu-Seol, she had never given him anything in return.

Had she only been on the receiving end?

Should she prepare a gift for him?

But what should it be?

Given that his room was filled with snacks, did he like treats?

But it seemed a bit odd to give snacks as a thank-you gift...

"Why are you zoning out?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing, I just have something on my mind..."

"So what's the matter?"

"Oh. Could you take a look at this?"

Eisel cautiously pulled out the broom from her bag and showed it to him. Baek Yu-Seol’s eyes widened and he put on his specs.

"Hmm... You found this in the training field, right?"

"How did you know?"

"Just had a feeling."

Baek Yu-Seol looked concerned.

'A witch's broom...'

Now that he thought about it, there had been rumors about the Witch Restaurant circulating throughout Stella recently.

He hadn't paid much attention, thinking they would pass, but with Eisel finding the broom, he couldn't ignore it any longer.

'Is this another episode?'

The story was common and predictable.

Eisel accidentally came into possession of a witch's broom, and would be mistaken for a witch.

In the worst-case scenario, witch hunters might come after her...

"Have you met anyone suspicious lately?"

"Um... Not really. What’s this thing, anyway?"

"It's nothing. Just a broom."

Despite his words, Baek Yu-Seol took the broom from her.

"This is confiscated."

"What?"

"I like the design. I'll hang it on the wall and admire it."

"Is that... your taste?"

"It would be better if there was a matching dustpan. Do you have one?"

"... No."

"Anyway, this is mine now. You should go to bed."

"That's not fair."

"What's unfair? Should I buy you a new broom?"

"No. That’s okay."

Eisel pouted. She had come to have the broom inspected, not to have it confiscated.

"I'm going now."

"Here. Take this to eat."

"... Okay."

When Baek Yu-Seol handed her a gum that he mistook for a pizza-flavored candy, Eisel quickly took it and hurried out of the dormitory.

Click!

She closed the door behind her and sighed deeply.

She hadn't intended to have such a one-sided conversation.

Moreover, it had been a rare moment alone with him, and she had just stammered through it.

'... Why did he take the broom though?'

Could it really be that he liked decorating with such an old broom?

Knowing nothing about the broom left her with more questions.

'It's probably... nothing.'

The next day.

While having lunch with Edna, she casually brought up the events of the previous night.

"Oh, by the way, do you think Baek Yu-Seol might have a hobby of collecting brooms?"

"Huh? What nonsense is that?"

Edna made a strange face as if she had heard something bizarre.

“I’ve been receiving a lot of help recently, so I wanted to give him a gift, but I have no idea what he likes.”

“Really? Hmm. What does that guy like... But why the broom?”

“Oh. Well, I found a strange broom in the training field recently. It had a suspicious magical aura, so I took it to him to find out what it was... And he just took it, saying he’d keep it.”

“... What? A broom?”

This time, Edna’s reaction was a bit more intense.

The spoon that had been moving non-stop paused as she asked Eisel again.

“Are you sure? You found a broom?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“And the guy took it from you?”

Eisel nodded her head up and down as if wondering what was the big deal about it.

Edna let out a deep sigh and said.

“That’s a witch’s broom.”

“... What?”

The word came out of nowhere.

Although it was a familiar term, Eisel couldn't quite comprehend it.

“A witch’s broom? Like the ones I’ve heard of?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Ah... Ha. Ha. That kind of joke is too obvious to be funny...”

A witch, of all things.

Why would a witch suddenly appear?

Moreover, knowing that Edna enjoyed jokes, Eisel thought she might be kidding.

However, Edna’s dry expression showed she was far from joking.

“It really is a witch’s broom. And as you know, if one keeps a witch’s item for too long, one absorbs the witch’s scent deeply. It’ll have a bad influence on you. Worst case, it could attract a witch hunter and that would be very dangerous.”

“... No way.”

Eisel had heard of witch hunters.

People who devoted their lives to hunting witches, using any means necessary.

They were as dangerous, if not more so, than witches.

The magical community had long given up on dealing with witch hunters due to their extreme methods.

There were many stories suggesting that if there were just a few more witch hunters, the magical community might have been turned upside down.

“Wait a minute. If what you’re saying is true, why did Baek Yu-Seol take the witch’s broom?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s trying to protect you. No matter how strange that guy is, there’s no one crazy enough to use a broom as interior decoration.”

“That’s true. But...”

Assuming that was indeed the reason...