The Witch Trial (1)

As soon as Lara finished speaking with the elders, the three elders nodded without much objection.

“Our Lara has already reached the age to take the Witch Trial. Then we must prepare as well.”

“To go outside the forest alone and find someone to help, you’ve really worked hard.”

“……Do your best.”

“Th-thank you!”

The three elders readily agreed to Lara, who was from the same Witch’s Forest, and went to prepare for the ritual.

Seeing them converse so easily compared to the sycophantic conversation I had with Lizzy earlier, I couldn’t help but feel a bit dumbfounded.

‘Even though the solidarity among witches is stronger than other races…’

Seeing this, even Lizzy would have no choice but to feel disillusioned. She had tried to persuade the elders with all sorts of gifts to take the Witch Trial, only for them to refuse her while readily accepting Lara from the same forest.

At this rate, there was even a possibility she might become so disillusioned with the very nature of witches that she would abandon all trade and pharmaceutical dealings with the Witch’s Forest…

“Ahem, ahem…”

“…I-I’m not looking, Lady Agnes.”

“…What do you want me to do about it?”

As Lara began removing her clothes, Ethan and Prince Antonio hurriedly averted their eyes, glancing at me and Agnes.

Of course, amidst this chaos, Lara, devoid of any sense of shame, continued to shed her clothes as if they were a hindrance.

-Rustle.

“W-wait a minute, Lara?! I-Is that really a condition of the trial?! You’re not just teasing me, are you?!”

“Y-yes… To gather the forest’s essence with your bare body… it’s only natural…”

-Rustle.

“Y-you’re really taking everything off?! N-not leaving a single piece on?!”

“…W-why do you keep asking such obvious questions? It’s not even that difficult… Just returning to nature to receive its essence…”

Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Lizzy quickly rolled her eyes, realizing something was amiss.

She glanced at the elders, wondering if Lara was truly teasing her, but the elders were simply waiting for Lara and Lizzy to begin the trial preparations.

Meanwhile, Lara, indifferent to Lizzy’s panic, had already shed the “last piece” of clothing, tossing it below the altar before sitting cross-legged and quietly steadying her breath-completely exposed, top and bottom, to the point where even I felt embarrassed.

‘There’s no way she can do that… Absolutely no way…’

Exposing her naked body to unrelated men for a whole month? There was no way she could do that.

In the original work, the protagonist could arrange the party members to be all women, ensuring only he saw Lara’s nakedness. For someone like me, who had been a unicorn in my past life, exposing myself to just one man for a lifetime was within acceptable limits.

But here, aside from Ethan, there were also Prince Antonio and Karaham present, making such a trial impossible.

Even if it were just Ethan, it might have been manageable, but with three men-and in three weeks, even that Kyetmajosyegigot guy would arrive-there was no way.

For Lizzy, exposing herself in such a place was undoubtedly just as shameful, as she stood there flustered and unsure of what to do.

“I… I didn’t expect the trial to be like this…”

Well, of course she didn’t. The rules of the Witch Trial were rarely leaked outside.

Held only once every ten years, with only witches knowing the exact date, it was nearly impossible for outsiders to even learn of its existence. Even if someone like Lizzy somehow found out about it, no outsider knew the specifics.

Moreover, the nature of the trial itself was too provocative to spread openly.

‘Sitting naked in the forest for a month’-even if someone went around shouting that this was the Witch Trial, who would take it seriously? They’d be lucky not to be told to stop with the weird fantasies.

Seeing Lizzy frozen on the altar, the elders began gesturing for her to come down.

“L-Lizzy! I-If it’s too hard, you can come down!”

“…I-I guess Lizzy really is an outsider… I was a little hopeful…”

“……”

-Shakes head.

The three elders, already assuming Lizzy had given up, called out to her. Honestly, even I could see how difficult it was for her.

For a noble lady who had likely only ever exposed herself to her maids, baring herself in front of so many people-especially with men present-was undeniably shameful.

Her younger brother Karaham was one thing, but Ethan and Prince Antonio were undeniably “unrelated men.”

And since Lara had already begun the trial, delaying further would only harm her.

“Th-then, if at least the men could look away…”

“That won’t do, Lizzy.”

“L-Lillith?”

“Starting tomorrow, monsters will approach this altar, drawn by the forest’s essence and magical currents. Naturally, everyone here, including me, will do their best to fend them off.”

“…Y-yes, of course.”

“We’ve gathered here to help Mediciling-san with her Witch Trial, but that doesn’t mean we’ll only protect her. Of course, we’ll help you too if you’re in danger. If you’re in danger, Mediciling-san is too.”

“Right…”

“But if you’re too ashamed to let others see you naked, and Prince Ethan or Prince Antonio can’t protect you in time, the danger won’t just affect you. Mediciling-san, despite her timid nature, even enrolled in the academy to ask for our help.”

“…Th-that’s true…”

“Once the trial starts, you won’t be able to hide forever. If you’re going to show yourself anyway, do it boldly in front of the men. And I’m sorry to say this, but if you can’t bear the thought of being seen by men, then for Mediciling-san’s sake, please give up now, Lizzy.”

“……”

“And gentlemen!”

“Y-yes…”

“…What is it?”

“Lillith…?”

“If you gentlemen truly intend to help Mediciling-san with her Witch Trial, don’t look away from the altar. Right now, Mediciling-san is taking an important trial that only happens once every ten years. If you avert your eyes at a critical moment out of embarrassment and cause her to fail, can you take responsibility?”

“…Got it, Lillith.”

“…Understood.”

“Sister…”

At my words, the three reluctantly turned their gazes toward Lara and Lizzy on the altar.

Ultimately, the decision was Lizzy’s to make. Either she could truly let go and take the trial to become a witch, or she could give up now without interfering with Lara.

I didn’t particularly dislike Lizzy, but with matters like this, it was necessary to be clear. If Lizzy hesitated, distracted by the men’s gazes, it could create a gap in our defense-leading directly to the failure of Lara’s event.

Since Kyetmajosyegigot had entrusted this event to me, I needed to properly conclude the “Lara’s Secret” episode. And if Lizzy became a problematic variable in the process, she had to be excluded.

I understood Lizzy’s desire to become a witch for the sake of the August Trading Company, but here, I had no choice but to push her to give up…

“L-Lizzy… W-we need to start soon…”

“F-for an outsider to give up… It’s not really shameful…”

“Ugh! F-fine! If you all say that, you think I can’t do it?!”

-Rustle.

“……Huh?”

“W-wait, sister?! Y-you’re really going to do it?! In front of Prince Ethan and Prince Antonio…?”

“S-shut up, Karaham! If I say I’ll do it, I’ll do it! The Augusts never back down, no matter the adversity! The other men can look or not! Do as you please!!”

-Rustle, rustle.

Ignoring the elders and her younger brother’s protests, Lizzy boldly began removing her clothes one by one.

Her audacity was unbelievable for a noble lady, surprising even me. I guess she really was from the north.

By the time I regained my composure, Lizzy had already shed all her clothes like Lara, tossing them below the altar before sitting cross-legged and steadying her breath.

…Though her face was bright red, and she was breathing heavily, it seemed she hadn’t completely overcome her shame.

‘…Well, if she’s going to try this hard.’

With the elders’ final ritual, a circular barrier formed around the two, and thus began the Witch Trial for one prospective witch and one uninvited guest.

Now that things had come to this, I should cheer Lizzy on so she doesn’t give up midway out of shame.

After showing everything, giving up halfway and failing to become a witch would be the most unfair outcome possible.