Chapter 32.2

“Ahh…!”

In that instant, I realized who she was.

‘She’s not a witch, yet… a woman?! How does Isabelle plan to handle this? Or… has the Grand Duchess given up on me after all?’

“Come on in for now.”

Certain that she was the employee Isabelle had mentioned, I nodded and guided her inside.

“I’ll speak casually. You see, I am a count.”

“O-Of course…! I mean, yes, sir!”

The woman seated at the table on the first floor seemed nervous, stumbling over her words.

Naturally, as someone from modern Earth and a relatively laid-back manager, I decided to overlook it.

“What’s your name?”

“Mary! My name is Mary!”

“Mary?”

“Yes!”

“Mary, you say…?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

As I conversed with Mary, a strong sense of déjà vu hit me.

‘A woman with white hair, gray eyes, and the name Mary. Even if she’s at 2-circle… Considering her age in the original story…?’

It dawned on me that the déjà vu wasn’t just from life but from the text and 2D art of the source material.

‘No way… Could she be the Archwitch of the Snowfield?’

The idea seemed far-fetched—almost ridiculous—but my unusually high luck stat made me wonder if it was possible.

“No, nothing. It’s a very pretty name.”

“Oh! Th-Thank you!”

At this, silence fell between us again.

“Hmm… Things are still a bit disorganized since the trading company was just established. Wait here and have some tea while I step down to the basement for a moment.”

“Yes, sir!”

I awkwardly excused myself and headed down to the basement. Behind me, I could hear the quiet slurping sound of Mary drinking the tea I’d prepared. It seemed she found it delicious.

Once I reached the basement, I took a deep breath and muttered under my breath.

“Phew… Could she really be the Archwitch of the Snowfield? Then again, there’s no way they’d send an ordinary person to work beside me. Could she be a disguised member of the Frost Knights?”

My voice trembled slightly as I spoke.

“They do have another primary job…”

Isabelle’s words from the previous day echoed in my mind.

‘Not a witch, my foot. That 2-circle magic level must be a cover. She wouldn’t be the future Archwitch otherwise.’

Putting together the clues and my own deductions, I was now convinced of her identity.

It also explained why I hadn’t encountered a witch resembling the Archwitch of the Snowfield thus far—if she were with the Frost Knights, it made sense.

‘So they’ve sent a Frost Knight witch in disguise to both protect and monitor me?’

The thought was oddly comforting.

To be honest, I’d felt a little uneasy relying solely on the Frost Knight escorts assigned to me by the High Tower. But with the future Archwitch by my side, I felt a newfound sense of security.

‘Still, I have to consider the possibility of a honey trap.’

Of course, I was destined to return to Earth someday.

No matter how beautiful the bait, I would never fall for such a scheme.

“Good! This means I can focus on business without worry!”

After organizing my thoughts and calming my nerves, I made my way back upstairs.

Mary had finished her tea and was now sitting quietly, waiting.

“Let’s get started with work today.”

“Yes, sir! What should I do first?”

“We’ll be heading to the greenhouse farm.”

“Understood!”

There was something peculiar about Mary’s way of speaking.

‘Her tone… sounds almost like that of a knight?’

In all my interactions with Isabelle and the other witches, none of them had spoken like this.

This particular witch—or at least I believed her to be one—didn’t seem witch-like at all.

‘Well, with a demeanor this rigid and cold, it makes sense she’d excel in ice magic.’

Of course, I didn’t dwell too much on this observation. The world was full of diverse personalities, and not every witch spoke in a dramatic “Oh-ho-ho” manner.

Soon, the two of us left the trading company building and headed to the adjacent stable.

The stable housed two horses—the same ones that had previously pulled the Golden Carriage.

“We could take broomsticks if that’s more convenient,” I suggested cautiously as I prepared to mount one of the horses.

“I have low-circle magic, so I can’t ride a broomstick. Besides, I’m not a witch.”

“Is that so…? What about horses?”

“I can ride a horse just fine.”

“…Hmm.”

‘Right. If she’s going to conceal her strength and identity, she has to be thorough.’

Her answer made sense, and I found myself nodding in agreement.

***

Isabelle had mentioned that Frost Knight escorts secretly followed me within the High Tower.

When I went on trade expeditions, senior knights disguised as mercenaries would join the escort team.

It was a level of protection far exceeding what was typical for a noble of my rank, let alone the head of an official trading company. Even Grand Duchess Arina likely didn’t receive such treatment.

‘This must mean Renslet values me highly.’

Thanks to this, I’d never experienced any unpleasant incidents while operating within the High Tower.

The generally high level of security in the city also played a role.

Mounted on our horses, we quickly arrived at the greenhouse farm. There, nearly every witch from the Witch Assembly was busily working on something.

“You’re here?”

“Sir Arad, Count Jin of Arad is here!”

“Count Jin! Is it true you’re getting rid of the Golden Carriage?”

The witches paused their work and greeted me enthusiastically.

“Oh? Who’s that next to you…?”

A young witch, her eyes wide with curiosity, tilted her head as she looked at Mary.

“My, Mary! You’ve started already!”

Isabelle stepped in hastily, addressing Mary with a slightly rushed tone.

“Y-Yes! Thank you for introducing me to such a wonderful job!”

The ensuing conversation was so awkward it felt like listening to schoolchildren read from a textbook.