After school, Sylvia, who had returned to the mansion, was skimming through the letters that had arrived for her.
Astra, who was more thorough than anyone else in not forgetting and repaying debts, had a considerable number of people working in the legal field due to this family motto.
However, because of this, there were occasionally letters like today's, containing requests for favors, accompanied by gifts, sent to Sylvia, known grandly as Astra's successor.
To put it bluntly, they were illegal requests.
āIām just a figurehead; I donāt have any real power in the familyās affairs.ā
Of course, even if she could influence decisions, she had no intention of viewing such people favorably.
Seeing the schemes of people who did such underhanded things was a torment for Sylvia.
āIf you commit a sin, you should be prepared to face the consequences.ā
Sylvia chuckled inwardly, tore up the letter, and used elemental magic to completely erase any trace of the letter fragments.
"Miss, I will return all the items that arrived today, just as I have been doing."
"Please do so. It seems that such letters have been increasing recently. I hope no one within the family gets caught receiving such things and makes me lose face."
"There is no such worry. I can assure you that there are no fools in the family who would tarnish the name of Astra."
Sylvia, who had been smiling, nodded, knowing that if such an incident were to occur, she would have no way of knowing about it.
She had a rough idea that important matters were decided internally within the family, even as she handled various tasks as the successor.
But there was nothing she could do about it.
Within the family, she was merely a symbol to revive the lost glory of the past,
and the title of successor was just another name for a figurehead and a puppet.
Feeling a bit tired, Sylvia yawned slightly without realizing it and stretched.
Then, she flinched and glanced at the attendant.
Worried about what kind of reaction she might get for showing such a disheveled appearance, but the attendant only looked at her with concern.
"Miss, you look tired. Would you like me to prepare some tea that will help you relax?"
"......Yes, please. Iāve been feeling a bit worn out lately due to various matters."
"Fortunately, you have no other schedule today, so it should be fine to rest this evening. Iāll go to the kitchen and prepare the tea, so please wait a moment."
Relieved that the attendant seemed more lenient today, Sylvia lay down on the desk with a sigh of relief.
It was a sweet moment of rest, both physically and mentally, amidst the recent challenges.
While lying on the desk, she suddenly thought that she shouldnāt waste such a precious rest time.
āSince I have some time, I might as well read a book.ā
Since it would take some time for the attendant to bring the tea, Sylvia left the room to fetch a book from the mansionās library.
*
The library was a bit far from her room.
While passing through a corridor near the meeting room, Sylvia heard the sound of someone having a conversation.
The conversation was between one of the elders, who held the real power in the family, and her uncle, Satoru.
It was an unusual combination.
Curious, Sylvia stopped her steps to the library and listened to their conversation from a place where she couldnāt be seen.
Satoru was shouting loudly, his voice filled with indignation, even from a distance.
"Stopping it now, do you know how much time and resources have been invested in it! Weāve gone through trial and error, so we can definitely produce a proper result next time!"
"Let me say this again, Satoru. The plan is terminated. I understand your disappointment, but we have decided not to pay attention to the results. Besides, you said it was destroyed by the fire at the research facility. Consider the investment so far as a sunk cost and let it go cleanly."
Conflict.
That was the word that came to Sylviaās mind at the sight.
She had never even considered that such a word could apply to these two people, making it a rather strange scene.
What could be the reason for Satoru, who was always busy with the research facility and rarely involved in family affairs, to be in conflict with an elder?
"It wasnāt destroyed! I found what I thought was lost recently! Elder, please give me permission! Are you going to give up on Astraās long-held wish?"
"Satoru, thatās not Astraās wish, but yours alone. A lot of time has passed, and the situation has changed. The elders who agreed with you have long changed their minds. Satoru, itās time for you to let go. Even if you find it again, our decision is to dispose of it."
Sylvia couldnāt grasp what the two were talking about, even with the words 'plan' and 'Astraās long-held wish' being mentioned.
Satoru must have been working on some plan that went against the elders' wishes.
Whatever the plan was, if the elders, who held the real power in Astra, decided to stop it, there was no choice but to comply.
Still, Satoru shouted.
"Thatās impossible!"
"Satoru, are you refusing to comply with the eldersā decision?"
The elderās tone was pressuring, and Satoru stared at him without a word, his eyes flickering ominously as he scratched his neck with a gloved hand.
Sylvia had a gut feeling that if left unchecked, something would go wrong.
"1st Elder, Uncle, whatās going on?"
So, she walked calmly toward them as if she had just discovered them.
Sylvia didnāt miss the elderās brief look of surprise at her appearance.
Clearly, they were discussing something they didnāt want her to know.
"Nothing, Miss Sylvia. Just a bit of business talk."
The elder spoke calmly as if nothing was wrong, but Satoruās expression remained tense.
The elder, as if reprimanding him, asked, "Right, Satoru?"
"......Yes, thatās correct."
Fortunately, Satoru seemed to have calmed down.
Still, the atmosphere had been tense, almost as if they were about to fight.
Though it was absurd, the tension had eased, so she decided to play along with their act.
"Good. I was worried you two were arguing."
Sylvia smiled, and the elder chuckled, turning to Satoru.
"Hehe, thatās not the case. Satoru, I believe you understand our decision."
It was a clear message that the decision was final and Satoru had to comply.
Worried that the tone might rise again, but perhaps because she was there, Satoru nodded slowly this time.
"......Understood."
"Good. Iāll take my leave now. I get tired easily these days. Hehehe."
As the elder left, Satoru looked at Sylvia, still showing a hint of dissatisfaction.
"......Miss Sylvia, did you know that there used to be a position of family head in Astra, a role that every member followed?"
Sylvia, surprised by this sudden topic, replied.
"Iāve only read about it in storybooks. Itās a 500-year-old story."
Now, it was a legend.
The family head who led the great Astra was chosen directly by the World Tree.
However, it was said that after the last family head dealt the final blow to the Enraged Witch and died with her, the position naturally disappeared when the World Tree was burned.
"Sometimes I think about what it would have been like to have someone as trustworthy as the family head in those stories. Someone like Miss Sylvia, I could follow wholeheartedly......"
"Uncle, please keep such thoughts to yourself. If the elders hear them, they will be greatly alarmed."
Satoruās words implied that the current elders leading Astra were not to his liking.
Thinking such thoughts was dangerous, so she warned him, and Satoru burst into a hearty laugh.
"Haha, just a joke, a joke. By the way, Miss Sylvia, where were you headed?"
"To the library to get a book. I felt like reading something for a change."
"Reading, a good hobby. Since youāre here, why donāt we visit the library together?"
Though it was an unexpected companion, she had no reason to refuse, so she went to the library with Satoru.
Entering the library, which was lined with bookshelves filled with books, Sylvia slowly scanned the titles and found a familiar one.
It was a book she had read many times as a child, titled "A Collection of Stories for Growing Heroes."
This book had significantly influenced her desire to attend Aegis Academy.
Looking back, some of the stories were a bit scary for a child, but the fact that they were adapted from real events made them more realistic and thrilling.
Thinking she might read this again today, she picked up the book, and Satoru, standing beside her, exclaimed with delight.
"Ah, that book. I used to read it a lot when I was young. Itās been a bestseller for a long time. The story of Astraās family head is also included, isnāt it?"
Indeed, the story of Astraās last family head, who had given his life to defeat the Enraged Witch, was in this book.
"When I was young, I imagined a lot from reading that book. The appearance of the forest where the elves lived when the World Tree was still standing, and the image of the family head leading Astra. I was very angry with the Enraged Witch for taking all of that away."
As a member of Astra, it was a story she could somewhat relate to, so she nodded.
She had also thought the Enraged Witch was evil when she first read it.
Satoru, smiling slightly at Sylvia, took out an old book with a plain cover from a corner shelf.
Dust flew as he pulled it out, and Satoru frowned.
His habit of always wearing white gloves and his aversion to dust made her wonder if he had some obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
In any case, the cover of the book he pulled out simply read [Rage].
"This book was discovered while I was looking for stories about the Enraged Witch. Have you seen it before?"
Shaking her head, Sylvia listened as Satoru waved the book slightly and spoke.
"This is a book written by a member of the Astra family a few hundred years ago. There are only a few copies, so not many people know about it. As a result, it contains many lesser-known stories."
As he slowly flipped through the book, he continued.
"Originally, the Enraged Witch was known to always be enveloped in flames, so no one knew what she looked like. However, this book mentions her appearance and name when she pretended to be human. Itās based on the testimony of a survivor who barely escaped her village, and it feels quite plausible. Though it might differ from the truth a bit."
Satoru handed the book to Sylvia.
"Miss Sylvia, you said you were angry with the Enraged Witch when you read the great Astra stories. I recommend you read this book. I found it quite moving."
"Then Iāll read it today."
Satoru, smiling, said to her.
"By the way, Miss Sylvia, I saw a red-haired girl wearing the same ring as you the other day. A friend of yours?"
Scarlett, perhaps.
Nodding, Sylvia noticed Satoru slowly scratching his neck, which had turned red, and he smiled deeply.
"Miss Sylvia, I believe you will understand my decision."
Satoru left the mansion with those cryptic words.
Sylvia thought his smile was unsettling.
*
When she returned to her room with the book, the attendant soon brought the tea.
"Miss, youāre still reading such storybooks......"
The attendant said this, having seen the storybook on the desk.
āItās not a crime to read childrenās books even as an adult.ā
Sylvia thought this, trying to maintain a neutral expression, but the attendantās slight smirk made her feel irritated.
"Please leave. I want to rest alone."
"Of course."
Ah, he definitely smirked before leaving.
Even though he had been by her side for over ten years, wasnāt that a bit much?
Feeling a bit rebellious, she took a sip of tea and opened the book [Rage] instead of the storybook.
Sylvia closed the book after only five minutes.
Just a brief look was enough to feel the intense anger the author had toward the Enraged Witch.
āWhat is this? This book is completely unsettling.ā
Feeling a bit queasy, she took another sip of tea.
The idea that her uncle could find such a book moving made her certain he was not a normal person.
Instead of [Rage], she opened [A Collection of Stories for Growing Heroes].
The stories of heroes, which might have been brutal in reality but were softened for children, were filled with thrilling adventures and fateful encounters.
Indeed, this was more her style.
That night, Sylvia dreamed of a silver-haired elf and a red-haired girl setting out to defeat the witch.
*
One day, a girl with black hair and red eyes came to the village.
She appeared to know nothing, except for her name, Evangeline.
At the time, we didnāt know.
That our village would be burned to the ground because of that damn witch.
Authorās Note (Postscript)
The most common witch name according to Forbes.
You often see it in old fantasy novels.
Itās like the sentiment of an era where survival was a crude joke.
I donāt know why, but when I was young, it seemed so cool.