The Reborn Witch had a nice 'Tea Time' with the Dragon Queen today-Chapter 2: With Peace comes a New…Witch? ()

The invitation to the peace banquet, it must be. The mage recalled his daughter's brave feat for the defeat of the Demon King. A sense of pride and nostalgia filled his chest. It had been years since he'd last seen her in person, her letters filled with tales of her new life at the Royal Palace, her growth as a court mage, and her blossoming...'friendship' with the young queen. He broke the seal with his thumb, the wax giving way with a satisfying snap.

"Hi, Old Man! How are you doing?! I miss you so much! That's a lie, by the way. I'm doing great with the Queen *wink*wink*, but I've been told I have to invite you to this fancy party for peace or something like that. Apparently, it's a big deal. The Royals' stinkers are all going to be there, and they want to show off how their precious little court mage helped save the world. Yawn. But hey, I guess it's your moment to shine, Daddy Dearest! Don't forget to wear your cleanest robes, and maybe don't freeze anyone's hair with ice this time, alright? Oh, and don't tell any dirty jokes, I've heard enough of those to last a lifetime. Love you, see you soon! Don't be late, or I'll tell them you're dead! - Your ever-so-lovely, daughter, Alice!"

"PS: At least pretend you're excited there, Old Man!" The parchment quivered as if the very ink itself was speaking, mimicking the playful tone of his daughter's voice. The sight of her handwriting brought a smile to Demond's face, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of joy mixed with the slightest hint of annoyance. He had taught Alice many things, but subtlety was not one of them.

"Seriously...that child never learns mannerisms..." he grumbled to the pixy dancing on the table, now munching on his leftover crumbs. The pixy just giggled, her glow dimming as she enjoyed the meal she hadn't earned.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

"Now if only I had a decent set of robes that didn't smell like a tarred man after a pub crawl," Demond murmured to himself, his gaze drifting to the pile of robes in the corner of the room. Most of them were patched together with various spells and potions that had gone wrong over the years. He sighed, knowing that finding something presentable would be a quest in and of itself.

"Hey little pixy. You had some spells on the nature's skill trees, don't..." the old mage frowned, his words hung in the air as the pixy, who was playfully touching his coffee, now froze as if in fear. She looked at him, her eyes wide and innocent, as if she had done nothing wrong. The old mage chuckled to himself, "I'll let this one slide. Just listen to this old man's grumbling for a little while...god, I sound old."

Chuckling as the pixy darted away, as she resumed her panicky dance of innocence, Demond smirked. "Don't mind it too much. My hometown told of a law 'guilty before proven innocent', but allow my stomach to be the jury today." He took a sip of his coffee, savoring the taste.

And yet, the pixy remained frozen in place, her eyes darting back and forth between the old mage and the door. Sensing her unease, Demond set down his coffee cup and leaned closer. "What's the matter, little one?" he asked gently. The pixy's glow dimmed even further, and she whispered something so faint that he had to strain his hearing to make it out.

"R-run..." the pixy's voice trembled, her light flickering like a candle in the wind.

Demond's smile faded, his eyes narrowing in concern. "What is it?"

The pixy's light grew erratic, and she pointed at the door with a trembling lighted finer. "D-danger! Hide!"