A Journey Unwanted-Chapter 439 - 428: Unpredictable witch

[Realm: Álfheimr]

[Location: Quadling Country]

[Glinda’s Castle]

"My lady, forgive my persistence, but I must ask plainly—do you truly believe this is the best course of action?"

The question left Alexandria’s lips slowly, as if she had rehearsed it several times in her mind before finally allowing it to be spoken aloud. There was worry in her voice—genuine worry, not something that could easily be hidden behind courtly composure.

She stood a few steps behind the Good Witch, watching her with a troubled expression.

Glinda currently stood upon one of the open balconies of her castle, the wind moving across the high structure. The balcony was a structure of immaculate white stone, so perfectly maintained that not a single blemish or speck of dirt marred its surface. Elegant floral patterns had been carefully carved into the stonework of the balcony, designs that curved and intertwined across the pillars and railings.

From this height, the land stretched far into the distance.

The reddish rocky cliffs of Quadling Country spread outward beneath them, their formations rising and falling across the horizon. Various hills and weathered ridges caught the moonlight, giving the entire region a hue.

Below the balcony, part of the castle gardens was visible.

A wide grassy expanse lay beneath them, its surface trimmed with remarkable designs. Long hedges of deep red leaves bordered the pathways, their lines cut so cleanly that they almost looked sculpted. Between those hedges spread a vast arrangement of flowers—rows upon rows of carefully planted blooms, their colors arranged in different patterns.

Several girls moved quietly through the garden.

They wore dresses of red, uniforms in shape, each decorated with gold threading along the hems and sleeves. Some carried small tools, tending the soil or adjusting the flower beds with focus.

Glinda noticed them first.

With a small motion, she lifted one hand and gave them a small wave.

The girls looked up almost immediately. When they saw her, their faces brightened, and they waved back enthusiastically, their smiles wide and sincere before returning to their work.

Behind her, Alexandria exhaled quietly.

"You worry too much, Alexandria," Glinda replied at last, her voice light and amused as she adjusted the brim of her wide-brimmed hat. The movement seemed casual, as though the matter being discussed held very little weight in her mind. "Everything will proceed exactly as it should. There is no reason to trouble yourself so deeply over it."

Alexandria’s lips pressed together.

"But inviting someone like that, directly into the castle itself," she said slowly, her brow tightening with concern. "I cannot understand the reasoning behind it, my lady. No matter how I try to consider the matter, I fail to see why such a risk would be necessary."

Glinda turned slightly at that, her golden eyes alight with amusement.

"Well," she said lightly, raising her slender index finger as though presenting a perfectly reasonable argument, "because it will be interesting, of course." A shameless grin followed the statement.

Alexandria blinked at her.

"Interesting?" she repeated, the word carrying clear disbelief. "More accurately, dangerous," she corrected after a moment, brushing a loose curl of ginger hair away from her face as the wind tugged at it. "I have no doubt whatsoever that you could deal with that man if the situation demanded it. Your abilities are not in question."

Her gaze drifted past Glinda then, her expression shifting as she continued thinking through the matter.

"However, he is not alone." Her voice grew more thoughtful. "There is a fairy traveling with him," Alexandria continued. "And fairies, as you well know, are capable of quite a number of troublesome little spells. Small things perhaps, but clever ones. The sort that can complicate a situation if one underestimates them."

She paused briefly.

"And then there was the lion." Her eyes narrowed slightly in recognition. "He is familiar to me. I am certain of it. The last information I recall hearing suggested that he and the others had been separated from each other. Though the exact circumstances were never made entirely clear to me."

Glinda leaned forward slightly, resting her arms against the solid balcony railing as she looked toward the distant sky.

"Well," she said casually, "a certain wicked individual may have gotten to them first."

Alexandria’s eyes widened instantly. "You mean—!"

"Indeed." Glinda’s tone remained light, though her gaze remained fixed on the horizon. "Unfortunately, the details are somewhat scarce even to me," she continued. "It would seem that dear Dorothy and the presence of her companions was not particularly appreciated."

For the briefest moment, her golden eyes shifted, a shadow passed through them, a darker look. But it vanished almost immediately, her expression returning to its usual warmth.

"Whether the others are alive or not," she went on, "is truly anyone’s guess at the moment. Though the appearance of our familiar Cowardly Lion here does make one wonder, doesn’t it?"

Alexandria frowned slightly.

"But why would he be traveling with that man in the first place?" she asked, clearly struggling to make sense of the situation. "Of all possible companions he could have chosen, why him?"

Glinda lifted her shoulders in a small shrug.

"No idea," she admitted plainly. Then she continued, her voice thoughtful. "However, I can sense something rather interesting about him." Her gaze shifted slightly. "The spell of courage he once possessed is no longer present."

Alexandria blinked. "It’s gone?"

"Yes." Glinda nodded once. "It has been removed entirely. Which means whatever circumstances he faced recently were serious enough that survival took priority over pride." She tapped a finger lightly against the railing. "Honestly, that means a certain level of intelligence on his part. Choosing survival over stubborn bravery isn’t the worst decision one could make." Her lips curved somewhat. "He’s quite the clever overgrown kitten, when you think about it."

She tilted her head slightly as another thought occurred to her.

"Or perhaps not quite as clever as I’m giving him credit for," she added after a moment. Her gaze drifted upward thoughtfully. "Considering the fact that he’s still traveling alongside that man." A brief pause followed. "Ah well."

"But will they even show themselves?" Alexandria asked after a moment, her tone thoughtful but still touched with concern. She stepped near the balcony rail, fingers lightly resting against the cool white stone as her gaze drifted across the distant red cliffs. "You did extend the invitation, yes, however, from their perspective, it may very well appear to be a trap. I would not blame them if they chose caution over curiosity."

Glinda hummed softly at that, the sound pleasant.

"Mhm, perhaps," the Good Witch said, her lips turning into a knowing smile as she watched the sky beyond the cliffs. "But if my instincts are correct, our little troublemakers are far too bold to simply turn away now. I suspect they will come precisely because it might be dangerous."

She lifted a finger lightly, as though emphasizing her reasoning.

"That armored one in particular," she added with a playful tilt of her head. "He strikes me as the sort who doesn’t retreat from uncertainty. If anything, he looks like the kind of man who walks straight toward it." Her smile widened somewhat. "A real bad boy, if you ask me."

Alexandria blinked once at that phrasing, clearly unsure how to respond.

"Well, while I understand it would hardly be fair to judge someone purely based on appearances," she murmured slowly, her voice lowering as if she were thinking the thought aloud rather than declaring it outright, "I must admit, when I first saw him, he reminded me of the sort of warlords one hears about in old stories."

Her gaze shifted downward slightly as she continued.

"The armor, for one. It carries a certain presence, clearly designed for battle rather than ceremony. And that wild hair of his..." She hesitated briefly. "Altogether, it gave me the impression of someone accustomed to conflict. Someone who has spent a great deal of time on battlefields." She finished the thought quietly, almost as if unsure whether she should have said it at all. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Glinda chuckled, the sound musical, a sweet laugh that floated easily through the air.

Alexandria blinked in confusion.

"Oh?" Glinda said with a teasing lilt in her voice. "So the captain of my guards does have a bit of a mean streak hidden beneath all that composure, hm?"

"N-no, that was not my intention at all," Alexandria replied quickly, straightening slightly as she cleared her throat in an attempt to regain her usual composure. "I did not mean it in a cruel way. It was simply an observation. A passing impression, nothing more."

Glinda smiled warmly at her.

"You really are far too sweet, Alexandria," she said gently. "You’re worried about being rude to a man you’ve never even met. Most people would not grant him that much courtesy."

As she spoke, she leaned closer—far closer than was strictly necessary.

Alexandria’s breath caught for a moment.

The distance between them had suddenly vanished, and the proximity caused a blush to bloom across the ginger-haired captain’s cheeks. Instinctively, she took a small step back.

"W-well... it would be rather unbecoming of me to judge someone so harshly without reason," Alexandria said, trying to maintain her dignity despite the warmth creeping into her face. "A-and besides, it is not as though he has caused an excessive amount of damage so far."

"Of course," Glinda replied easily.

She leaned back again, restoring a more comfortable distance—something Alexandria clearly appreciated, though perhaps not entirely.

"I’m quite aware of how unpleasant the Hammer-Heads can be," Glinda continued calmly. "Especially now, with those unfortunate mutations they’ve developed recently." Her expression remained pleasant, though there was sharpness beneath her tone. "Still," she added lightly, "had they actually harmed the rabbits in Bunnybury, I might have been forced to craft a particularly unpleasant curse for them."

She said it sweetly, as though discussing nothing more serious than the weather.

Alexandria nodded once.

"And they would have deserved it," she agreed without hesitation. Then her attention shifted back to the earlier topic. "Though... concerning the armored man..."

"Ah," Glinda said softly, as though she had already anticipated the thought. "You feel it as well, don’t you? That strange sense of familiarity."

Alexandria looked genuinely surprised.

"You noticed it too?"

"Of course," Glinda replied calmly. "Oddly enough, I feel the same thing. And yet, to the best of my knowledge, I have never met that man in my life."

Alexandria frowned at that.

"It’s difficult to describe," she admitted. "The feeling is vague. Almost as though the recognition does not entirely belong to me. And yet at the same time it lingers in my thoughts as if it should." She shook her head slightly. "I’m afraid I cannot explain it any better than that."

"Hm." Glinda lifted her hat slightly as she looked toward the sky again, thoughtful. "If I had to make a guess," she said slowly, "I would wager that someone has been meddling with our fates again." Her golden eyes narrowed just a touch. "Perhaps some overly curious Keepers decided to interfere where they shouldn’t."

Then, just as quickly, her playful grin returned.

"But if that’s the case," she added lightly, "then meeting this mysterious armored man feels less like a coincidence and more like something that absolutely must happen."

Alexandria exhaled quietly.

"It is still incredibly reckless," she insisted.

Glinda turned toward her with an innocent smile.

"That’s why you’ll be there to protect me, right?"

Alexandria sighed, though there was no real irritation in the sound.

"I very much doubt that you require my protection, my lady."

Glinda folded her hands elegantly behind her back.

"But even I enjoy being treated like a damsel every now and then," she said with a tilt of her head. "Surely I’m allowed that much."

Alexandria shook her head.

"I believe one would need a knight to fulfill that role properly," she replied. "Not merely a guard captain."

Glinda’s smile softened.

"There is nothing mere about you, my dear," she said warmly. "You’re more than capable of sweeping someone off their feet if you tried."

She leaned forward again.

"Go on. Try it."

Once again the Good Witch leaned far too close, Alexandria’s face turned an alarming shade of red, rivaling a ripe tomato.

"P-please do not tease me like this, my lady," she stammered, clearly struggling to maintain her composure. "B-but, we should really attend to the Retorta Guild now."

"Oh, I forgot about that."

"My lady..."