How Can You Pay Back The Kindness I Raised With Obsession?

But what worried her more than that was the children watching that scene that was not good for education.

“There. Put the sword away in front of the children and talk to them…”

But the man was so shocked that he didn’t seem to be able to hear her.

“It’s something that so many people haven’t been able to do for years, so how the hell this…”

Then he insulted her endlessly, saying that she had brainwashed the children, not only that but that she had used forbidden black magic.

“Isn’t that too much?”

She put her finger up to try to argue with him, but she probably was mistaken for trying to use magic. Her fingertips ached as if they were on fire.

“This is…”

The witch’s knowledge in her mind unfolded.

‘Holy power?’

It was quite intense, as the caster shook unsteadily she tried to see if he was using it concentratedly.

‘But there’s no paladin here.’

As she glanced at the knights in the hut, the man exclaimed fiercely as if he thought she was contemplating getting out.

“I asked you what you did!”

“Oh, no. You can’t yell in front of the kids. They will be scared.”

Sure enough. Luca, who had been crying on his brother’s left leg, burst into tears. She opened her arms to soothe Luca. The child tried to run up to her, but was immediately stopped by the man. So a cry rang through her cramped cabin.

She sighed heavily and slowly pulled herself up.

“If you’re so curious, I’m glad to show you…”

The tip of the man’s sword continued to follow her but unless she did crap, he wouldn’t kill her just yet. He would know what kind of magic she used to feed the kids carrots.

As she lifted the fork on the table, the man’s blade touched the nape of her neck even closer.

‘No matter how witch I am, what would I do with a fork?’

She casually poked her fork into the cake on the table.

“… What are you doing?”

She held out the fork in her hand and the man looked down at her with eyes that were more shaky than a moment ago. She smiled with all the kindness she was able to show.

“This is my carrot cake. Your Highness the Archduke, would you like to try it too?”

But why? The Archduke’s brow furrowed.

“So this is it, after all.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s that cake. You put a potion on a sweet cake so the kids can’t resist eating it.” 

“… You don’t make sense.”

“You still want to feed me and make me a puppet of your evil spell. That’s how you plan to get your hands on the Grand Duke.”

‘He’s a bit of a megalomaniac, isn’t he?’ She stared blankly at the patient in front of her.

“Do you think I’m going to be beaten by such a shallow trick?”

“If I were really an evil witch, would I use such a shallow trick?”

What did he see people as? She was used to being misunderstood, but at that point, she was starting to get angry.

“You’re the one who locked up these adorable children, raised them, and abused them.”

“Abuse?”

She tried to weigh his faults, but the Grand Duke threw me a sharp gaze as sharp as the blade of a sword.

“Why would they have wanted to live in this cabin having a luxurious mansion where to live?”

His eyes now turned to the children hanging from his legs. Was he trying to scold someone for exposing abuse to someone else?

“There. It’s time to look at your actions instead of turning arrows on them.”

But the Grand Duke did not respond to her, but ordered a young man of her age standing next to him.

“Daniel, take that thing. I’ll need a test.”

That thing, he pointed to with eyes that looked like he had seen filth, was the carrot cake that her and the chestnuts had carefully made.

She didn’t want to give it to the Grand Duke, but she gave it obediently. If they checked it, nothing would come of it anyway. In other words, it was an opportunity to be exonerated. The cake was accepted by a man named Daniel, and the Grand Duke ordered the children.

“Luna, Luca. Go to the carriage at once.”

“Uh-huh, wait there.”

She flicked her fingers. With a bang, the door to the open cabin slammed shut, and the lock snapped immediately.

“I don’t think you should take the kids.”

Everyone’s eyes widened as they witnessed her lock the door with a single wave of her hand. Immediately, a soldier standing near the door pushed it open, but it couldn’t budge. This hut may look shabby and flimsy, but it is actually a fortress. Judging from the ironclad security magic hanging in the small cabin, it seems that the original owner of her body must have had many enemies.

“No, why did this not open?”

“Get your axe now!”

The Grand Duke, who had been watching the soldiers inside and outside the hut scramble to break the door when they couldn’t open it, ordered her.

“Open the door now.”

“No way. You abandoned the children!”

“What are you accusing me of now?”

“If I let you take them back to the Grand Duchy, you’re going to lock up the kids again.”

“Lock them up?”

The Archduke gritted his teeth and winked over his shoulder. The soldiers were dangling, pointing to the whimpering door.

“Who’s locking us up now?”

Hmm, he was not wrong. Was it too radical? She teased her hand again to release the magic on the door.

“Instead, promise to be a good protector for your children.”

“A witch who eats people dares to talk about being a good protector.” 

The Grand Duke snorted, slowly flipping the silver hair that had dripped down his forehead.

“If I search that oven now and find evidence of you eating people, I’ll execute you right away.”

“Nope! Hazel doesn’t eat people!” 

“She forgives you if you give her flowers.” 

“Lunabel, Lucas. Don’t waste any more time and get on the wagon.”

The Grand Duke firmly ordered the children hanging from the bridge, but the children did not budge as they had a moment ago.

“Hazel is worth it too.”

“Exactly. Let’s take her as the nanny.”

“What?”

The man stared at Luna with wavering eyes as to what was so difficult to understand about taking her to be the nanny.

“What the hell did this witch do? Are you manipulating my brothers now?”

‘Whew.’ After repeated accusations and speculations, she lost the will to refute and only sighed.

“No way, no way.”

“No way! I won’t obey you this time! What’s the point, you nagging Great Demon King!”

“Luca is not going without Hazel.”

Luca sat on the floor wailing. Luna spews out poisonous words like a stinger. And the Grand Duke continued without making any concessions. Her little cabin was a mess.

“Chestnuts.”

The children, who had been crying and shouting, stopped and looked at her. It was so amazing that even the Grand Duke paused and stared at her in surprise.

“You have to go home.”

It was something she really didn’t want to say. However, as long as the Grand Duke was the guardian of the children, whether by law or by blood, she had no right to insist in raising the children herself.

“I’ll write to you often. If you don’t know how to read, ask someone else to read it for you.”

The corners of Luna’s mouth sank as she looked at her with resentment.

“You write too.”

The Grand Duke may not allow them to exchange letters. But she had other means. Sometimes she could send Lady or Daisy to keep in touch with the children. That way she would make sure Grand Duke wouldn’t abuse the children.

Luna, her face as red as a strawberry, whimpered, pulling on her brother’s belt.

“Promise you won’t kill Hazel.”

The Grand Duke narrowed his eyes and replied in a reluctant voice.

“I do.”

“She took good care of us. Say thank you.”

At that moment, his eyes narrowed, and his brow furrowed.

“Why don’t you do it? You always say to be polite” 

Luna snapped a sharp glance at him, and greeted with a sigh.

“I thank you for protecting my siblings.”

Eventually, the Grand Duke stepped out of the hut with the children in his arms since they could not follow his speed.

“Wait a minute!”

As she ran outside, the soldiers intercepted her with spears.

“This is for the kids. Take it.”

In her arms were children’s clothes, shoes, toys, and a bunch of cookies she baked. The Grand Duke, who was closing the door of the carriage with the children in, approached her way. When he held out the objects, he looked displeased.

“The witch’s secret stuff…”

However, the Grand Duke would only deal with the highest quality products. The items she bought were cheap compared to that. The little ones who liked it even though it wouldn’t have been to their level and taste were angels.

As she stood there dazed like a fool, the Grand Duke snarled with a soft voice.

“Just be caught using evil magic on my brothers, and the promise to those kids won’t save your life then.”

She was considered a manipulative witch again. After spitting out such a cold word, the Grand Duke turned around sullenly.

She swallowed her tears and looked up. She couldn’t show her tears to the children who were still crying in the carriage window. She smiled and waved casually.

“You have to be healthy and well, thank you so much…”

Before she could finish saying thank you for making her lonely life noisy, the carriage pulled off. That night she was going to make the kids their favorite beef stew. And the next day she was going to go to the farm to buy a pet rabbit. Promises she could not keep, people who were moving away from her. She couldn’t stop staring at the backs of those who left her there. Maybe it wasn’t the children who were hungry for love, it was her.

As she watched the smaller carriages and the procession of soldiers, she heard a rustling sound at her feet. Before she knew it, Lady and Daisy were approaching her.

[Are you okay?]

Lady asked with worried eyes. Hazel grabbed a bunch of children’s items, cleaned her eyes with the sleeve, and nodded.

“I’m fine.”

The carriage, which was as small as a fingernail, eventually disappeared as a dot.

“It’s going to be fine.”

The children were gone just like when they appeared in her life. Without warning.

—————————————————————

Translator Note: