I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince - Chapter 277 [The Witch Test (1)]

As soon as Lara spoke with the Elders, all three of them nodded without any particular objection.

“Our Lara is already old enough to take the witch test. In that case, we should prepare, too.”

“You worked hard to go outside the forest and find someone to help you.”

“……Good luck.”

“Th-Thank you!”

The Three Elders, who so readily agreed to conduct the ceremony for a witch test candidate from their own Witch’s Forest, left to prepare the ritual.

Watching them grant permission so much more easily than in their conversation with Lizzy, who had been showering them with flattery, even I felt a bit dumbfounded.

‘Even though the bonds between witches are known to be stronger than other races….’

Seeing this, even someone like Lizzy would probably feel discouraged. She had tried to persuade the Elders with all sorts of gifts just to take one witch test, but they refused her while readily accommodating Lara, who was from the same forest.

At this rate, she might become disillusioned with witch society itself and abandon all her trade and pharmaceutical work with the Witch’s Forest…

“Elders~. Couldn’t you let me take the witch test together with Miss Lara~? You’ll have to prepare for the test anyway, and I’d be fine just being like a bonus along with Miss Lara~.”

…It seems I had underestimated both Lizzy’s social skills and mental fortitude. To think she would still humble herself and ask to take the witch test even in this situation…

Whether it was fortunate or not, by this point even the Elders seemed to find it difficult to refuse Lizzy’s proposal and ended up giving a positive response.

“I suppose… we could? Since it’s with Lara….”

“If she’s just a bonus with Lara… It might be okay….”

“……”

Nod.

“Yes! Thank you very much, Elders!”

Lizzy just smiled happily without knowing what the upcoming witch test would entail.

I could already envision her trudging down from the altar after giving up as soon as the test began three days later.

Three days later, in the morning…

Right on time for the witch test, our group and the August siblings made our way to the Northern Altar of the Witch’s Forest.

Somehow, it had turned into quite a large procession. The number seemed excessive just to help with Lara’s witch test.

“Climb the altar, Lara.”

“…Lizzy, you too.”

“Yes!”

“…Y-Yes.”

Lizzy climbed the altar with a confident expression while Lara carefully followed behind her.

While Lara would likely pass the test if there were no particular interference, Lizzy was the problem. A witch test in the Witch’s Forest wasn’t something that could be endured with just patience and perseverance.

Witches who had grown up in the Witch’s Forest from birth lacked not only communication abilities but also ‘one other thing’ from birth.

However, for Lizzy, who hadn’t been born and raised in the Witch’s Forest, especially as a noble lady from the distinguished August Margrave family, this ’emotion’ had to exist.

As I silently watched to see if she could even begin the witch test, Lara was the first to take action.

Rustle.

“……”

“……?”

Rustle, rustle.

“……”

“Um, w-wait a moment, Miss Lara?”

“Y-Yes?! Wh-wh-what is it…?”

“Wh-why are you suddenly taking off your clothes? And on top of the altar with so many people watching….”

“…Huh? B-But the test…. To take the test, you need to gather the forest’s purest energy with your whole body….”

“……………Oh.”

Lizzy’s expression turned to shock as she finally seemed to understand what the ‘witch test’ entailed from Lara’s words.

In the world of Luminor Academy, there is an emotion that must be discarded to take the ‘witch test’ – an emotion that witches don’t have but outsiders do.

It was the emotion of ‘shame’ felt when exposing one’s naked body.

“A-Ahem….”

“…I-I’m not looking, Lady Agnes.”

“…What do you want me to do about it…”

Ethan and Prince Antonio hurriedly averted their eyes when Lara started removing her clothes, each checking the reactions of Agnes and me.

Of course, even in all this chaos, Lara continued removing her clothes as if they were just a hindrance, showing no sign of shame.

Rustle.

“W-Wait a moment, Miss Lara! Is that really the test condition?! You’re not just teasing me, are you?!”

“Yes…. Receiving and gathering the forest’s energy with your bare body… it’s only natural….”

Rustle.

“You’re really going to take everything off?! Not leaving even a single piece?!”

“…Wh-Why do you keep asking about obvious things? It’s… not even difficult…. We’re just returning to nature to receive nature’s energy….”

Sensing the unsettling situation, Lizzy frantically darted her eyes around.

She looked to the Three Elders, wondering if Lara might be playing a joke on her, but the Elders were simply waiting for Lara and Lizzy to begin their test preparations.

While Lizzy remained flustered, Lara removed the last piece of clothing on her, threw all her garments below the altar, and sat down cross-legged to begin regulating her breathing. 

Not only was she naked, but she wasn’t even trying to cover herself up or down – it was enough to make even me feel embarrassed.

‘She can’t do this…. There’s no way she can.’

Showing her naked body to unfamiliar men for a month – there was no way she could do such a thing.

In the original story, one could use the trick of forming an all-female party so that only the protagonist would see Lara naked. Showing her naked body to just one man in her lifetime was within acceptable bounds for me, who was a unicorn in my previous life.

However, not only Ethan but also Prince Antonio and Caraham were present here now, so there was no way she could take such a test.

Even if it were just Ethan alone it might be different, but that’s not all – in three weeks, Gyeongmwajogyegigwat would arrive too.

Like me, Lizzy seemed to find it shameful to show her naked body in such a place, as she remained uncertain and flustered.

“I… I didn’t expect this kind of test….”

Well, of course she wouldn’t have expected it. The rules of the witch test rarely leaked to the outside.

The test was only held once every 10 years, and since only witches knew the test dates, it was difficult for outsiders to even know such a test existed. 

Even if someone like Lizzy somehow learned of the test’s existence, it would be reasonable to assume no outsider knew its exact contents.

Plus, the test’s content itself was too provocative to circulate outside.

Who would seriously believe that ‘sitting naked in the forest for a month’ was the witch test even if you went around telling people? You’d be lucky if they didn’t tell you to stop with your weird delusions.

Seeing Lizzy frozen in indecision on the altar, the Elders began gesturing for her to come down.

“Li-Lizzy…! If it’s too hard, you can come down…!”

“…A-As expected, Lizzy is an outsider…. Even though I had some hopes….”

“……”

Shake, shake.

The Three Elders called to Lizzy, already assuming she had given up on the test. To be honest, even I could see how difficult this would be for her.

For a noble lady who had probably only shown her naked body to her handmaiden at most, there was no way she wouldn’t feel embarrassed to expose herself in front of so many people, especially with men present.

While her brother Caraham might be one thing, Ethan and Prince Antonio were undeniably ‘unfamiliar men.’

Since Lara had already practically started the test, dragging things out would only end up causing her trouble.

“Th-Then, could the men at least look somewhere else….”

“That won’t work, Miss Lizzy.”

“Li-Lilith?”

“Starting tomorrow, various monsters will approach this altar following the flow of forest energy and mana. Naturally, everyone here, including myself, will work to fend off the monsters.”

“…Th-That’s true.”

“While we’ve gathered here to help with Miss Medichilling’s witch test, that doesn’t mean we’ll only protect her. Of course, we’ll help you if you’re in danger, Miss Lizzy. If you’re in danger, that means Miss Medichilling is in danger, too.”

“Yes….”

“But if Ethan… if Master Ethan or Prince Antonio can’t protect you in time because you’re embarrassed about showing your naked body to others, you won’t be the only one facing that danger. And Miss Medichilling, shy as she is, even enrolled in Luminor Academy just to ask for our help.”

“…I… suppose so….”

“Once the test begins, you won’t be able to hide forever, anyway. If you’re going to show your body, show it proudly in front of the other men. And I’m sorry to say this, but if you’re not prepared to show yourself to men, please give up now for Miss Medichilling’s sake, Miss Lizzy.”

“……”

“And gentlemen!”

“Ah, yes….”

“…What is it?”

“Miss Lilith…?”

“If you truly intend to help with Miss Medichilling’s witch test, please don’t avert your eyes from the altar. Miss Medichilling is taking an important test that can only be attempted once every 10 years. If the test fails because you, the observers, turned away out of embarrassment rather than the one being observed, can you take responsibility for that?”

“…Understood, Lili.”

“…Very well.”

“Sister….”

The three men turned their gazes back toward where Lara and Lizzy were, as if they had no choice after my words.

In the end, the decision was Lizzy’s, not mine. Either truly let go of everything and take the test to become a witch, or give up now without interfering with Lara.

While I didn’t particularly have any ill feelings toward Lizzy, these kinds of issues needed to be addressed clearly. If she became distracted by the men’s gazes and created a gap in the defense, it would lead directly to the failure of Lara’s event.

As this was an event that Gyeongmwajogyegigwat had entrusted to me, I needed to definitively conclude this ‘Lara’s Secret’ episode. And if she were to act as a negative variable in that process, she would naturally have to be excluded.

While I understood Lizzy’s desire to become a witch for the sake of the August Trading Company, here, I had no choice but to make her give up, even if it meant speaking harshly….

“Li-Lizzy…. We need to start soon….”

“It’s… It’s not particularly shameful for an outsider to give up the test….”

“Ughhh! Enough! Do you think I can’t do it just because you all say that?!”

Rustle.

“……Huh?”

“J-Just a moment, sister! Surely you’re not really thinking of doing this?! In front of others might be one thing, but in front of Master Ethan and Prince Antonio….”

“Sh-Shut up, Caraham! If I say I’m doing it, I’m doing it! House August never backs down from any adversity! The other men can look or not look! Do whatever you want!!”

Rustle, rustle.

Despite the protests of the Elders and her younger brother, Lizzy proudly began removing her clothes one by one.

Even I was a bit surprised by her boldness, which seemed unbelievable for a noble lady. I suppose this showed her northern roots, after all.

Before I knew it, Lizzy had thrown all her clothes below the altar just like Lara and sat cross-legged, regulating her breathing.

…Though, judging by her bright red face and slightly labored breathing, it seemed she hadn’t completely shed her sense of shame.

‘…Well, if she’s willing to try this hard…’

With the Three Elders’ final ritual, a circular barrier formed around the two women’s bodies, and thus began the witch test for one witch candidate and one uninvited guest.

Since things had come to this, I should cheer for Lizzy so she doesn’t give up midway due to shame.

After all, nothing would be more regrettable than failing to become a witch by giving up midway after already showing everything there was to show.

T/N

Thanks for reading, see you in the next chapter!