Chapter 28: The Witch’s Gown

Not only the Duchess, but Alice, too, broke out in a cold sweat.

They exchanged glances. If Queen Isola had overheard their previous conversation, both of them would likely be annihilated on the spot.

“I’m coming in,” Queen Isola declared, turning the doorknob and pushing the door open.

As she stepped into the room, she saw the two women sitting upright and formally at the table.

“Oh, Your Majesty, didn’t you say that if you had any instructions, you could simply have the Butler relay them?” the Duchess asked, rising eagerly to greet her. “Why bother coming yourself?”

“I have nothing pressing to do; there’s no need for such formality.” Queen Isola walked over and sat down at the tea table, placing a sheet of paper on it. “As we discussed yesterday, this is the list of potion ingredients. You’ll procure them, won’t you?”

“Of course!” The Duchess smiled, reaching out to take the paper.

“So, what were you two just discussing?” Queen Isola asked, pouring herself some tea.

Her tone sounded calm, yet both the Duchess and Alice clearly felt the immense pressure emanating from her.

“What are you referring to, Your Majesty—” The Duchess offered a forced smile, immediately feigning ignorance.

“I don’t believe you’d try to mislead me, Patra?” Queen Isola interrupted her directly.

The Duchess, her escape route cut off, cast a quick glance at Alice. Alice swiftly averted her gaze, suddenly appearing intensely interested in the white ceiling as she stared upwards.

At this moment, Queen Isola’s attention was solely fixed on the Duchess. Alice had no desire to wade into troubled waters and share the burden of her scrutiny.

“Did you ask something you shouldn’t have again?” Queen Isola held her teacup, her eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the Duchess.

Her survival instincts kicked in, sending the Duchess’s thoughts into overdrive. Queen Isola clearly hadn’t been listening outside the door for long; she had only heard the Duchess asking Alice to keep a secret, not the topic of their conversation. Now, she needed to throw out a sufficiently weighty topic to deflect, one that would preferably make Queen Isola lose interest immediately, yet also justify the need for secrecy from Queen Isola.

After a moment, she donned a smile, gestured towards Alice, and calmly replied, “We were discussing her old acquaintance from Saint’s Hall Academy.”

Alice’s eyes widened as she stared at the Duchess, utterly surprised by her sudden change of topic.

Queen Isola paused, glancing at the bewildered Alice, and suddenly realized something.

She had long vaguely sensed that Levi and the ‘old friend’ mentioned shared an unusual relationship. Now, with the Duchess stating that this matter needed to be kept secret from her, it undoubtedly confirmed her suspicions.

Of course, it was also possible that Levi’s relationship with the girl was even more intimate than she had imagined.

Upon this realization, even Queen Isola herself was surprised to feel her heart suddenly sink, as if a heavy stone had been tied to it.

“If Your Majesty is interested, perhaps you could—” the Duchess tentatively began.

“No, don’t tell me. I’m not interested,” Queen Isola immediately refused. “After all, it’s someone else’s private matter, Patra. You shouldn’t pry too deeply either.”

She desperately wanted to know the truth, yet simultaneously dreaded hearing the answer she suspected. This conflicting psychology made her instinctively choose to avoid the topic.

‘Your Majesty is right,’ the Duchess thought, silently giving herself a thumbs-up for her quick thinking.

“I hope you have a smooth reunion with your friend,” Queen Isola said, turning to Alice. “However, please don’t forget the promises you’ve made to us because of it.”

“I—I won’t…” Alice replied cautiously.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that a hint of resentment laced Queen Isola’s tone.

The Duchess seized this opportunity to pick up Queen Isola’s list of monster materials and review it.

The first three items were indeed materials for crafting a magic mirror. A Near-God of the Witch Path, at Third-Tier or above, could not only concoct potions but also create magic tools with limited uses from monster materials, which could then be given to others.

The magic mirror was one such item.

Even those who weren’t witches could use a magic mirror to divine and seek answers, provided they possessed one. A magic mirror created by a Third-Tier ‘Banshee’ would possess divinatory powers roughly equivalent to those of a Sixth-Tier ‘Succubus’.

However, magic mirrors had another ability that even mid-Tier witches couldn’t achieve: two magic mirrors crafted by the same person could allow one mirror to divine the image reflected in the other, while the second mirror would simultaneously register a sensation.

When the holder of the second mirror perceived this sensation and performed a divination at the same time, the two holders could establish a brief, remote connection.

Initially, the Duchess had suspected Queen Isola intended to create a magic mirror for Alice to carry for future communication, but Queen Isola had denied it.

It seemed Queen Isola had already crafted a magic mirror some time ago and now wished to contact its current holder.

The Duchess naturally trusted her sovereign in this matter; Queen Isola would certainly inform them once the magic mirror was complete.

However, the Duchess quickly noticed that the list contained materials not typically associated with magic mirrors.

With just a glance, she discerned Queen Isola’s intention: “Your Majesty, are you planning to create a ‘Witch’s Gown’?”

“Precisely,” Queen Isola calmly responded.

“For her?” The Duchess gestured towards Alice.

“Is there a problem?” Queen Isola countered.

“What is a Witch’s Gown?” Alice couldn’t help but ask, having overheard their conversation.

“It’s clothing made from the hide of a beast with shapeshifting abilities. It can change its size and basic style according to the wearer’s will. Mid-Tier witches begin to develop the ability to transform into beasts. Fifth-Tier Harpies and Fourth-Tier Gorgons have beast forms that differ greatly from their normal human shapes, and ordinary clothes can sometimes be torn by their transformations. Wearing such a gown can prevent a lot of trouble,” the Duchess explained. “The gown Her Majesty Queen Isola is wearing now is a Witch’s Gown, and she intends to make one for you as well.”

“I see, but I’m only Ninth-Tier right now,” Alice said, utterly confused.

“Silly girl,” the Duchess suddenly chuckled. “Her Majesty believes you’ll eventually need it. Besides, even at a lower Tier, you can gain mid-Tier beast transformation abilities by using a Beast Transformation Potion. If you use a Gender Transformation Potion or a Beast Transformation Potion, your body shape will also change—Her Majesty can concoct all these potions. Having a Witch’s Gown is a good precaution.”

Alice finally understood. It would be quite awkward to transform into a man while still wearing women’s clothes. And if she used a Beast Transformation Potion, ordinary clothes would likely rip due to the drastic changes in her body.

“Her Majesty is truly considerate,” the Duchess teased again, “so considerate that it almost feels like favoritism.”

“Patra, you seem to be talking a bit too much,” Queen Isola remarked, sipping her tea without changing her expression.

The Duchess immediately fell silent, merely pursing her lips in a smile, then turned to Alice to change the subject: “Get ready; we’ll have a nobility etiquette lesson next.”