Another World Witch Training Manual

076, Kobok

Kobok's already not very robust body slammed heavily onto the cold floor tiles, his cane bounced twice, and rolled to the side.

The room was eerily quiet.

Xinlai, still with her legs crossed, slowly picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of the now-cold black tea, and calmly looked at Kobok, who was slumped on the ground.

He made no move to get up and help him up.

Kobok lay on the ground for about ten breaths, making a muffled whimpering sound as if something was blocking his throat.

Those bloodshot eyes were fixed on the two crescent-shaped pendants placed side by side on the table, as if they wanted to devour them alive.

"...Lord Kobok," Sinlai said, setting down her teacup in a flat tone.

"The ground is cold; your body probably can't withstand this kind of exertion."

These words sounded like concern, but coupled with Xin Lai's leisurely, spectator-like expression, they sounded rather sarcastic.

Kobok braced himself with his hands on the ground, his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white, and he shakily got to his feet.

He didn't pick up his cane, but instead leaned on the edge of the table, like a badly wounded old beast, breathing heavily and rapidly.

"Your Highness the Third Prince..." His voice was so hoarse it was almost inhuman, "I'm sorry to have made you... laugh at me."

"It's not that I'm making a fool of myself."

Xinlai shook her head, her righteous expression long gone, replaced by a perfectly measured sympathy.

It at least looks like sympathy.

"Anyone would lose their composure in this situation. It's quite remarkable that Your Excellency Kobok has maintained such composure."

These words were like pouring oil on a fire, or rubbing salt into a wound.

Kobok's lips trembled violently, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, as if he wanted to say something, but a huge wave of shame and indignation choked him.

He turned his head sharply, his gaze piercing as he looked out the door where no one was. His wife was probably still reminiscing about her rendezvous with Dali, or perhaps she was straightening her clothes, pretending nothing had happened.

"Someone come here!" Kobok suddenly shouted, his voice so loud that even the teacups on the table trembled slightly.

The guards outside pushed the door open and entered, but were so frightened by Kobok's ferocious face that they froze on the spot.

"Go," Kobock said, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Bring that...that bitch...to me!"

The guards exchanged glances, and the leader cautiously asked, "Your Excellency, are you referring to...?"

"My lady!" Kobock practically roared, "Bring her here! Now! Immediately!"

The guards had never seen their master so distraught, and they scrambled out of the room in fright. As the footsteps faded into the distance, only the two men remained in the room.

Xinlai sighed softly, stood up, walked over to Kobock, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Your Excellency Kobok, this matter is indeed unpleasant, but you need not be overly angry. Your health is of utmost importance."

Kobok stood there stiffly, like an old, withered tree that might break at any moment.

He mechanically turned his head and looked at Xinlai's young and composed face, and suddenly felt extremely irritated.

But he couldn't say anything.

Because what Xinlai said was true; he helped her, he didn't come to threaten her, and he didn't come to kick her when she was down.

This unfavored third prince was more like a respectable person than the nobles who usually called him brother.

"Your Highness the Third Prince..." Kobok's voice choked with emotion, "I, Kobok Fesare, owe you a tremendous favor."

Xin Lai waved her hand: "Family matters are more important first. We can talk about favors later."

As he spoke, he sat back down on the sofa, picked up his teacup, and adopted the posture of an indifferent bystander.

Kobok took a deep breath, bent down to pick up his cane, and straightened up.

His gaze fell on the two pendants on the table, and as if burned, he quickly looked away, but couldn't help looking back again.

"This one..." He pointed to the one Xinlai had taken out, his voice hoarse, "Is it really from Frank?"

Xinlai nodded: "Absolutely true. At the Rum Tail Chicken Tavern, Steward Frank said that the woman came to us on her own initiative. At the time, I didn't know she was your wife; I just thought she was some kind of shameless slut..."

"That's enough." Kobok raised his hand to interrupt, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

"Frank... Dali..." he murmured the two names, as if chewing on some kind of poison.

"Good, very good."

After all, Frank was the manager, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't compare to even a finger of Frank's. The blame could only be placed on Dali.

Soon, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a woman's sweet, inquiring voice:

"What do you want? Why are you in such a hurry... I thought something went wrong at the banquet..."

Before he could finish speaking, the door was pushed open.

Lady Kobok, the matriarch of the Fesari clan, a well-maintained and still charming middle-aged woman, showed no signs of the panic she had felt when she was caught in bed with another man, and walked in with elegant steps.

She wore the pale purple dress she had just worn during their intimate moment, her hair was neatly styled, and she wore a proper smile, giving her the air of a noblewoman.

However, Xinlai noticed that there was an unnatural blush on the back of her ears, and the scarf around her neck was tied higher than usual, which just covered up some possible marks.

Kobok stared at her without saying a word.

The woman seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere. Her gaze swept around the room, and when it landed on Xin Lai, a flash of fear crossed her face, before she forced a smile.

"His Highness the Third Prince was also there... just now..."

Her voice trailed off, as if she had realized something.

The expression on Kobok's face was one she had never seen before in over twenty years...

It wasn't anger, nor disappointment, but a kind of almost insane, suppressed rage that was about to erupt at any moment.

"Master...?" Her voice trembled. "What's wrong? Why do you look so pale..."

Kobock did not answer. His gaze slowly moved down from the woman's face to her neck, and then to the tightly tied silk scarf.

"Untie the scarf." His voice was terrifyingly low.

The woman instinctively covered her neck, a flicker of panic crossing her face:

"This...this is perfectly fine, why are you untying your scarf...it's a bit chilly in the room, I..."

“I said,” Kobock said, each word as if scraped from his throat, “untie the silk scarf.”

The woman's face turned deathly pale.

She finally realized what had happened.

Her gaze turned to Xinlai in terror, but Xinlai simply sat there, staring back at her expressionlessly. There was no sympathy, no pity in her eyes, only a cold, detached calm.

"Your Highness the Third Prince..." the woman's voice was almost pleading.

Xinlai shook her head slightly and sighed softly, but did not say a word.

"I told you to untie it!" Kobok slammed his cane into the ground with a loud thud.

The woman trembled with fright, her hands shaking as she reached for her neck, her fingertips hooking the knot in the scarf, but she couldn't untie it no matter what she did.

The more anxious she became, the more flustered she became, and the more flustered she became, the more anxious she became, until finally she almost tore the silk scarf off.