Chapter 17
"Eeeheehee! I'm the 〈Silent Witch〉! Now, if you want a stamp, eat one of this village's famous 〈Silent Witch〉 sablés before you go! If you like them, buy lots to share with your family and friends!"
With that, the old woman calling herself the Third 〈Silent Witch〉 handed out sablés to Monica and the others.
The simple sablés had a crisp, crumbly texture and were honestly delicious.
As the real 〈Silent Witch〉 munched on a sablé, she found herself at a loss.
Monica's stamp card already had three stamps on it. At this rate, she would be able to collect all six without trouble and receive a souvenir.
(What... did I come here for again...)
Unlike Monica, who was beginning to forget why they'd come, Isabelle and the others didn't let themselves get distracted.
After elegantly finishing her sablé, Isabelle cheerfully addressed the old woman calling herself the Third 〈Silent Witch〉.
"These sablés are delicious. I'll take some home as souvenirs."
"Eheehee, thank you kindly."
"By the way, why do you call this village the village of the 〈Silent Witch〉? It's not as though she's from here, is it?"
Isabelle casually asked the question that Monica couldn't stop wondering about, as though making small talk.
As Isabelle had said, Monica was not from Sechen Village. In fact, she had never even visited the village before. So why was the 〈Silent Witch〉 being treated like a tourist attraction here?
The Count of Kerbeck's territory and the Duke of Rheneburg's territory, where Monica had gone to hunt dragons, would have made sense. But this village had absolutely nothing to do with her.
As Monica privately wondered about it, the old woman selling sweets gave a sly grin.
"I can't say this too loudly, but the real 〈Silent Witch〉 has visited this village before."
That was the first Monica had heard of it.
Isaac, who had been nibbling on a sablé beside Monica, pretended to pluck a crumb from the corner of her mouth and whispered in her ear.
(...So she says.)
(I-I had no idea!)
The old woman continued speaking at a volume everyone nearby could clearly hear, though she claimed she couldn't say it loudly.
"Two years ago, the 〈Silent Witch〉 defeated the cursed dragon in the Duke of Rheneburg's territory, then stopped by Sechen Village with the Second Prince, His Highness Felix, who had fought the dragon alongside her. The two of them took the waters here and healed the wounds they received battling the cursed dragon."
Isaac gave a wry smile at the old woman's words and muttered, "I see. That's the first I've heard of it."
Of course, neither Monica nor Isaac had ever taken the waters in this village.
Even so, Sechen Village was located halfway between the Duke of Rheneburg's territory and the royal capital. In other words, if someone claimed that the Second Prince and his entourage had stopped here on their way back to the capital after defeating the cursed dragon, it sounded reasonably plausible.
...Of course, it was all made up.
"Our hot springs are said to cure every ailment and even improve your looks, so take your time and enjoy them, young ladies."
With that, the old woman pressed another sablé into Monica's hand.
＊ ＊ ＊
...I was wondering why they'd picked me, the least conspicuous of the Seven Sages, of all people, but I think I understand now.
As Monica murmured this while walking toward the inn, Isabelle cried, "My goodness!" and clung to her arm.
"You aren't inconspicuous at all, Big Sis! You're a hero of our kingdom!"
Agatha gave a strong nod of agreement at Isabelle's words.
"That's right. The 〈Silent Witch〉 who defeated Worgan's black dragon and Rheneburg's cursed dragon is hailed as a hero on a par with the Second Prince. She's famous enough that there can't be a person in this country who doesn't know her name."
Monica's stomach gave a painful little twist at the word "famous."
Especially considering how the black dragon and cursed dragon incidents had actually unfolded.
When Monica glanced up at Isaac, who knew the truth behind those incidents, he looked perfectly calm.
"In other words, they're using the 〈Silent Witch〉's fame to attract tourists. Since hardly anyone knows what she looks like, she's especially easy to use as the subject of this sort of thing."
"S-so that's how it works...?"
"There's something I've been debating whether to tell you."
"...?"
When Monica tilted her head at Isaac's evasive words, he gave a bitter smile and lightly brushed back his bangs.
"You've been appearing in public more often lately because of academic conferences, but there are still plenty of people who don't know your face, right? That's why all sorts of rumors have been taking on a life of their own. That the 〈Silent Witch〉 is actually a man, or a stooped old woman..."
Isaac murmured, "The real 〈Silent Witch〉 is this cute, though," but Monica was too stunned to hear him.
Who would have thought so many rumors about her were spreading on their own?!
While she reeled from this unexpected revelation, a young man approaching from ahead bumped into Monica's arm as he passed.
It was barely more than a light brush. Even so, the young man stopped and glared at them.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, that hurt, miss! Ow, it hurts! I've broken a bone. What are you going to do about it? Huh? Huh?"
The man's excessively theatrical lines made Isaac, Isabelle, and Agatha all give him half-lidded looks.
But timid Monica hurriedly bowed her head again and again.
"I-I'm sorry!"
"Whoa, whoa, apologizing won't settle this, now will it? ...Oh, but look at that. That young lady is a real cutie."
The woman the man was looking at was Isabelle.
Monica turned deathly pale. Oh no! Because she had been walking absentmindedly, Isabelle had been singled out!
Monica trembled like a leaf and desperately gathered her courage, trying to figure out how to stop this somehow.
"P-please stop! Isabelle-sama didn't do anything wrong!"
Behind the tearfully pleading Monica, Isaac, Isabelle, and Agatha were all glaring coldly at the man. Monica failed to notice.
Monica desperately thought of a way to defuse the situation.
If apologizing wasn't enough... if the man tried to settle things with violence, then Monica would have to protect Isabelle.
(C-could I put up a defensive barrier without chanting? Raise a wind?)
As she considered how to resolve things as peacefully as possible, a young man's voice rang out from behind them.
"Wait!"
When Monica turned around, she saw a man in his twenties wearing a navy-blue robe and carrying a staff.
He had a slightly aquiline nose and sharply defined features overall, making him quite handsome. Perhaps because he was aware of his own good looks, his manner was somewhat theatrical and exaggerated.
The man steeled his expression and raised his staff.
"I am the 〈Silent Witch〉 who loves peace and justice! I will not tolerate such villainy in this village!"
While the real 〈Silent Witch〉 remained literally silent, the thug who had been harassing Monica and the others put on an exaggerated display of surprise.
"W-what?! You're the 〈Silent Witch〉?!"
"That's right! I am the 〈Silent Witch〉!"
The Fourth 〈Silent Witch〉 spun around and flashed a bright smile, showing off his white teeth.
"Now, young lady, leave this to me. Take this! Silent-casting magic! Hyaaaah!!"
The advantage of silent-casting magic was that it could be activated quickly without the target realizing what was happening.
So why did both the old man at the entrance and this man announce that they were using silent-casting magic?
When the Fourth 〈Silent Witch〉 of the day waved his staff around randomly, a powerful gust of wind blew up.
It was only a localized gust, at most, but the thug harassing Monica and the others cried, "Gyaaah!" and fell on his backside.
"Aah, I've been defeated~"
The thug left behind a theatrical parting line before fleeing the scene.
Isaac kept his friendly smile plastered on his face as he murmured,
"...What an elaborate farce."
"As an event, involving tourists isn't a bad idea. But impersonating Big Sis is unforgivable."
"Yes, it's an excellent village revitalization effort. If only they weren't impersonating the 〈Silent Witch〉."
At last, Monica realized what was going on. The thug had been part of the act too. Apparently, she was the only one who hadn't noticed.
As Monica lowered her head in embarrassment, the Fourth 〈Silent Witch〉 offered her a handkerchief.
"Hey, are you all right, young lady? Here, wipe your tears. Let me shake your hand as a memento."
"Th-thank you..."
As Monica obediently reached out to shake his hand, Isaac grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.
Then, still wearing a chilly smile, Isaac pressed the stamp card against the Fourth 〈Silent Witch〉's nose.
"Could I have a commemorative stamp?"
"Of course! You've already collected three, I see. This makes four. Do your best to collect the remaining two!"
After stamping everyone's cards, the Fourth 〈Silent Witch〉 left them with, "If you want a drink, come to Kirk's Tavern! Turn the corner and it's right there," before departing. That 〈Silent Witch〉 certainly had a keen business sense.
Left behind, Monica watched the Fourth 〈Silent Witch〉 walk away and murmured,
"When someone says it that boldly... somehow, he starts to seem like the real one."
"Big Sis, please pull yourself together!"
Isabelle shook Monica by the shoulders, while Isaac clasped Monica's hand tightly.
"The only witch I revere is you, my master?"
With Isabelle's lovely face and Isaac's handsome one looming close, Monica gave a vacant smile and nodded.