A Journey Unwanted-Chapter 436 - 425: The Witch
[Realm: Álfheimr]
[Location: Quadling Country]
[???]
"Not what you were hoping to see, I’d wager."
The voice of the red-haired, faceless armored man carried through the thin transparent screen suspended in the air, his words calm. His tone was not mocking in the obvious sense, yet there was a strong certainty behind it, meaning he understood precisely who might be watching and what they might have expected instead.
The screen itself hovered effortlessly within an expansive chamber, its glow the only movement in a room that seemed designed for grandeur yet steeped in darkness. The space stretched wide, the white marble floors polished to such perfection that the reflection of the floating image was visible across their surface. Tall bookshelves lined the walls in perfect symmetry, crafted from rich, dark wood. Each shelf held rows upon rows of books arranged with obsessive order, their spines aligned so precisely that not a single volume broke the pattern.
Above, the ceiling rose high enough to make the room feel too large in scale. From its center hung a magnificent chandelier fashioned from dark metal and threaded with embedded red gems. Yet despite its beauty, the chandelier remained unlit, casting no glow, offering only a display of beauty.
Paintings lined the walls between the shelves as well. Vast landscapes of rolling fields and distant mountains, cities rendered in gold, their towers shining under imagined sunlight. One canvas depicted a woman in a black dress with vivid red hair flowing down her back, her form captured with meticulous care.
Near the far side of the room stood a pristine fireplace carved from pale stone, never lit, its interior clean and untouched, as if the idea of it had been considered unnecessary.
Red carpets threaded through the chamber, their deep color bordered with gold lining that traced patterns across the marble floor.
At the moment, only a single person occupied the entire room.
She sat comfortably within a plush red armchair trimmed in gold, positioned so that the floating screen hovered easily within her view.
The woman was adorned in a striking black ensemble that was as elegant as it was beautiful. A wide-brimmed hat rested upon her head, decorated with a black rose and delicate lace trim that casted a shadow across her face. Beneath it, her features were refined and captivating, to the point of bordering on perfection. Her dress was carefully tailored—a perfectly fitting bodice with lacing and golden accents that easily caught the eye. The neckline was adorned with soft ruffles that continued into the sleeves, each detail placed carefully. Lace patterns ran along the garment, enhancing the natural curves of her perfect figure.
Her long auburn hair flowed neatly over her shoulders, its smooth strands framing a face of striking beauty. Her luminous golden eyes carried an almost magnetic feeling as they watched the floating screen above her. Just beneath her lower lip rested a small dark beauty mark, adding to the elegance of her appearance.
In her pale and delicate hand, she held a porcelain cup that looked distinctly antiqued, its painted surface decorated with floral patterns. The aroma rising from the tea inside was pleasant.
She lifted the cup slowly, her rosy lips touching the rim as she took a small sip.
Afterward, she lowered the cup again, setting it gently upon a matching plate resting atop a large oak table beside her chair.
"What a cheeky boy," she mused softly, tilting her head slightly as her golden gaze remained fixed on the faceless armored man within the screen. Her voice carried amusement rather than annoyance. "But the fact that he seems aware my gaze may very well be upon him... that is at least decently impressive, I suppose."
She gave a small hum, the sound thoughtful.
Her slender hands came together loosely in her lap while she continued watching the projection. Her eyes shifted briefly, noting the lion standing beside the armored figure.
"And a familiar mane as well..." she continued, her tone drifting toward contemplation. "To travel with something like that... it suggests you possess more courage than one might have initially expected at first glance."
The woman leaned back slightly in the armchair, the soft upholstery sinking beneath her weight. Her eyes never once left the projected screen hovering before her.
"Still," she murmured after a brief pause, her voice softening, "to wander here and cause trouble regardless... mhm." A small smile touched her lips. "Naughty children must be punished eventually."
She spoke the words almost to herself, her tone soothing instead of harsh, as though she were discussing a mild disciplinary matter rather than violence.
At that same moment, a firm knock echoed against the large white doors that led into the chamber, the sound carried clearly across the wide space.
"Enter," the auburn-haired woman said calmly.
A moment later, the door opened inward, revealing another figure stepping into the room.
The newcomer wore a striking military-like uniform that seemed to clash with her elegant surroundings. Her fitted orange jacket was adorned with elaborate epaulets resting upon her shoulders, along with decorative straps crossing neatly over her chest. Beneath the jacket, she wore a pristine white skirt that reached just above her knees, paired with matching white boots trimmed with orange that mirrored the colors of her uniform.
Her short curly ginger hair framed a face of remarkable beauty, her features lively, bright emerald eyes sparkled as she stepped further into the chamber.
She walked with dignified strides across the marble floor, and when she reached a respectful distance from the seated woman, she stopped and bowed slightly.
"Lady Glinda," the ginger-haired woman greeted respectfully. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Glinda responded with an enchanting and radiant smile that seemed to illuminate her face to a staggering degree.
"Alexandria," she greeted warmly.
For a brief moment, Alexandria appeared taken aback by the sheer beauty of the woman before her. The reaction was almost barely noticeable but genuine. She quickly regained her composure, straightening her posture as her emerald eyes drifted toward the floating screen.
Glinda followed the direction of her gaze with mild amusement.
"A spell I picked up while visiting Uhorus," she explained casually. "Quite a clever little piece of magic. It taps into the leylines running beneath the land and uses them to project the current flow of information across the region." She gestured lazily toward the hovering display. "Convenient, wouldn’t you say?"
Alexandria studied the projection with interest, watching the image of the ominous armored man with long red hair. A slight frown formed on her lips.
"It is amazing that you can master such a spell so effortlessly, Lady Glinda," she said with genuine admiration. Then her tone shifted toward concern. "Is that the one who has been causing trouble in Quadling Country?"
Glinda tapped one slender finger lightly against her chin as she considered the question.
"I would not go so far as to say that merely beating up the Hammer-Heads constitutes ’trouble’ for all of Quadling Country," she replied thoughtfully. "That would be rather dramatic wording." She gave a small sigh and shrugged one shoulder. "Still... he is far too lax in wandering about my domain and doing as he pleases while I am present here."
Her golden eyes remained on the screen.
"I do wonder where such foolish bravery comes from sometimes," she added quietly. "Or perhaps..." Her voice softened with something that almost resembled melancholy. "Perhaps I am simply no longer seen as a threat." She rested her cheek lightly against her hand. "That would make me rather sad."
"A mere pompous man, my lady," Alexandria interjected firmly. "One who does not fully understand the gravity of what he is doing." She smiled faintly. "If he possessed even the smallest inkling of your power then I have no doubt he would quickly discover what genuine fear feels like."
Glinda laughed softly at that.
"Aww, you are far too sweet to me, Alexandria."
The compliment caused a faint blush to rise on the ginger-haired woman’s face.
"T-think nothing of it, my lady," Alexandria replied, clearing her throat lightly as she tried to regain her composure. Her emerald eyes returned to the floating screen. Her expression gradually grew more serious. "But those marble walls..." she said slowly. "He is awfully close to Bunnybury."
A small crease formed between her brows.
"Should I deploy the guards and have him removed now?"
Glinda watched the screen silently for a moment before answering.
"Hm... cocky as he may be," she said, her tone calm and soothing, "he and that fairy companion of his have not shown any hostility so far." Her voice softened in reassurance. "There is no reason to rush into needless confrontation."
Then she paused.
Her expression darkened ever so slightly, though the change was small. One slender hand rested against her cheek as she spoke again.
"However..." Her golden eyes remained fixed on the projection. "If I sense even the faintest hint of hostility from them..." Her voice became very quiet. "There will be no reason to continue playing around." A gentle smile touched her lips. "I will slaughter them."
Alexandria did not visibly react, though her mind stirred with familiar understanding.
("Lady Glinda was always fond of the bunnies,") she thought quietly. Her gaze lingered on the screen. ("Those fools truly have no idea what kind of wrath they are capable of provoking.")
"But I gather you have something to report." Glinda began the sentence lightly, though the timing of it caused Alexandria to straighten slightly where she stood. The ginger-haired woman had been watching the floating projection for a moment longer than she intended, but Glinda’s words gently pulled her attention back into the room.
The Good Witch leaned back deeper into the plush red armchair, one elbow resting against the armrest while her fingers drifted thoughtfully along the side of her cheek. Her golden eyes studied Alexandria with amusement.
"Or perhaps," Glinda continued after a short pause, her voice gaining a playful lilt, "you simply wished to come all this way just to see little old me." Her lips curved slowly into a teasing grin. "I must say," she added, tilting her head ever so slightly beneath the brim of her hat, "I believe I would much prefer that explanation. A purely social visit sounds far more charming than dull reports and responsibilities."
The remark landed exactly as she intended.
Alexandria nearly spluttered where she stood. The ginger-haired woman’s composed posture faltered for a fraction of a second as a small blush crept onto her cheeks.
"I... I wish my lady would not tease me so," she said after a moment, her voice slipping into a small sigh that carried both embarrassment and affection.
Glinda’s grin widened in response, utterly unrepentant.
"But it is so fun," she replied without the slightest hint of shame. Her head tilted again. "You make it terribly easy, Alexandria. I would almost be doing myself a disservice if I did not take advantage of the opportunity."
Alexandria let out another small sigh, the sound longer this time as she looked briefly toward the floor in an effort to collect herself. She lifted a hand to her collar and adjusted it slightly, then cleared her throat in an attempt to restore the dignity she felt slipping away from her.
"Well..." she began carefully, her voice steadier now though the color still lingered on her face. "My visit concerns those Retorta Guild representatives."
Glinda hummed softly at that, as if the name stirred a memory that had been sitting somewhere at the back of her mind.
"Oh, right." The response came with surprising casualness. "I had forgotten about that."
Alexandria’s expression twitched almost imperceptibly. It took visible effort for her not to react too strongly to the statement. She inhaled slowly through her nose before speaking again.
"My lady..." the ginger-haired woman muttered under her breath, the words slipping out with barely restrained exasperation. She straightened her posture again before continuing more formally. "It is a Mortifer and their Legatus," she clarified carefully. "The Retorta Guild sending individuals of that rank speaks to the importance of the matter they wish to discuss."
Her emerald eyes shifted briefly toward Glinda, watching closely to see if the weight of that information registered.
Glinda merely tapped one delicate finger against her chin as though turning the thought over lazily.
"I suppose so," she said after a moment, her tone thoughtful but unhurried. "Hm." Her gaze drifted toward the ceiling for a second as if recalling old memories. "I was under the impression they usually bothered him with such matters rather than me," she added idly. "He always seemed rather fond of entertaining them."
A small smirk touched her lips.
"He even crafted quite the nifty artifact for them once, if I recall correctly. Rather impressive work for a former hack."
Alexandria blinked at the remark, unsure whether the casual insult was meant entirely seriously or not. She chose not to comment on it.
"They did not make their reasons entirely clear," Alexandria replied instead, returning the conversation to its purpose. "However, my lady, it was you who approved the possibility of visitors from that guild."
Glinda’s golden eyes shifted back toward her with visible surprise.
"I did?" The question sounded entirely sincere.
Alexandria held her gaze. "Yes, my lady... you did." Her tone had become slightly dry now, though it remained respectful.
For a brief moment Glinda simply stared back at her, then her shoulders relaxed and a sheepish expression formed on her face.
"Whoops," she said lightly. "I forgot~."
The drooping smile that followed softened her entire expression in a way that almost made the admission feel harmless. Despite her elegance, the look made her seem unexpectedly cute.
Alexandria nearly spluttered again.
It took an extraordinary amount of effort for the ginger-haired woman not to react more visibly. The admiration she felt for Glinda rose dangerously close to overwhelming her composure.
It could only be considered a minor miracle that she did not squeal out loud.
Instead she forced herself to inhale slowly and cleared her throat once more—a habit she was beginning to realize she had developed far too often in the Good Witch’s presence.
When she finally spoke again, she managed only two restrained words.
"My lady..."
