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Chapter 86 Part 6 – Things that never change. And a promise. In order to protect the lives of the mother and the baby, Countess Rosenthal will put everything on the line to fight against Alisa.

「…… That’s awful. I feel nauseous. Why do these people from the church who are supposed to be educated believe in witches without any hesitation!? A little investigation would have shown that it’s impossible.」

Arnold’s golden eyes were blazing with anger at the sickening horror. Seraphy let out a long sigh. His emerald eyes were clouded with disgust as he shuddered.

「…… That Inquisition official also didn’t believe in witches. …… But those who are recognized as witches can be killed at will, either by execution or torture. No matter how wealthy they are. And all the property and fortune of the dead witch can be confiscated by the Inquisition. That’s their real aim. In addition, dead men tell no tales. No matter how outrageous the accusations were, it can be swept under the rug by killing the person involved.」

Compared to the enormous costs of war, witch hunts are frighteningly inexpensive. Arnold was enraged by Seraphy’s explanation that a witch hunt is an extremely efficient way to make money as long as one can throw away one’s conscience.

「You’re saying that they’re making up this witch hunt for property and fortune!? Those people are even worse than religious fanatics!! People are not things!! Each one of them has their own life!! If the church doesn’t understand that, let them burn in the fires of hell!」

…… Arnold’s anger is justified. However, there is a supplementary explanation.

It was the Inquisition branch in the rural areas, not the central church, that ran amok in the 「witch hunt」.

In the capital, they did not kill the 「witches」. At the most, the 「witches」 are given a stern warning or a small fine. Although they are conceited, they are seriously thinking about leading all 「witches」 to what they think is the 「right faith」. Killing the 「witches」 would do them no good.

On the other hand, for the Inquisition in the rural areas, a 「witch」 was not someone to be taught and corrected, but merely a source of money. Moreover, if they killed the 「witch」, the situation would not end with a mere fine and they could even confiscate all the property and fortune of the 「witch」. The more 「witches」 there were, the richer they became, so false charges, snitches, fabrications, and all sorts of dirty tricks were rampant. So, the discovery of a 「witch」 usually wouldn’t end with just one person and a 「witch hunt」 would erupt throughout the whole town.

This chain of tragedies did not stop until the main church could not stand it anymore and confronted the Inquisition in the rural areas and took away their right to confiscate the property and fortune of the 「witches」.

For Rona, who had no connection with the central church, it was a story of no salvation. On top of that, the bad luck that Rona and her younger brothers had been hit with was the worst of all.

The Inquisition official Matthew who framed Rona and her younger brothers was a former mercenary that was described by the three old warriors as 「a hodgepodge of human evil」.

Matthew threatened the younger brothers whom Rona risked her life to protect by saying, 「If you don’t want your sister to be executed as a witch, cooperate with me」. They tearfully obeyed his words in order to save their beloved older sister.

Ronny accused the influential people who worked hard for the town of being witches, incurring the wrath of the whole town, and was lynched. Teddy was tortured by a prison guard for his own amusement and died without even retaining a human form.

…… I can’t bear to talk about the details of their terribly cruel endings.

And as they wished for Rona’s happiness even on the verge of death, they were slammed with a scornful remark that they had intended to kill both the younger brothers and the older sister from the very beginning to shut their mouths. Rona was informed of this fact in front of the flames of the witch’s execution stand amidst the echoes of Matthew’s loud laughter.

「…… They were really good kids. Just like all of you. But my actions caused them to die. They didn’t deserve to die in such a horrible way!! It’s, it’s all my fault. …… If I wasn’t here, Ronny and Teddy would still be alive. I wish …… I had never …… been born ……!!」

Countess Rosenthal’s sorrowful thoughts pierced our hearts.

「Rona, stop it already!! Don’t say such sad things!! You did nothing wrong!! I know that better than anyone!!」

Father tightened his hug around Countess Rosenthal and comforted her. But Countess Rosenthal was like an infant who is not going to give up. Tears ran down her cheek as she repeatedly shook her head.

「…… I’m sorry ……!! Ronny ……!! Teddy ……!! I’m sorry, I’m such a horrible sister ……!!」

Endless regrets and lamentations …… Since that night of the fire, there has not been a time that Rona did not shed tears when she remembered her younger brothers.

…… I realized the real reason why she, who miraculously survived, could not return to father and the others. It was as I had guessed. Atonement. She couldn’t allow herself to be the only one that was happy when her younger brothers had passed away.

What a sad kindness ……!!

That’s why she turned her back on her chance of belonging to a warm place and suffered for decades all by herself ……!! The truth is that she really wanted to immediately go back to their side, however, she just couldn’t do it ……!!

I can see the rain of sorrow that has been raining down on her heart.

Longing for the past memories, she even went near Marielle’s house and stood there crying for hours in the torrential rain. From a distant carriage, she secretly peered into the training grounds of the Imperial Guards, where the three old warriors had served as instructors. She longed to see them, but the thought of her late younger brothers made her unable to take a step forward.

…… It was only after their deaths that her dream of reuniting with the adults that she could rely on back then finally came true. It was hard to even look at the lonely back of Countess Rosenthal as she cried while apologizing in front of the graves of the three old warriors. She also cried and apologized as she clung to Marielle’s corpse before the funeral service.

…… And then, Rona rose to become Countess Rosenthal, the previous king’s favorite mistress. Father was ostracized by the tyrannical previous king, so she did so in order to protect him from the shadows with her power.

…… Countess Rosenthal stood on the side of the former king and coldly sneered at father on the surface, but behind the scenes, she made the necessary preparations in secret and desperately tried to save father from difficult predicaments. Many times she longed to run to father’s side, but each time she crushed her feelings and put back on the mask of a wicked woman, and then, in a place where no one could see her, she held tight the rose hair ornament and cried while suppressing her voice.

「You became the previous king’s favorite mistress for my sake ……!! Why would you go that far ……!!」

Father couldn’t help but shed tears and hug her as he learned the sad truth for the first time.

She had spent half her lifetime for her first love, but fate was cold.

When Countess Rosenthal tried to save mother from the bullying, father witnessed her taking out a bow and arrow, which is my mother’s field of expertise, and he misunderstood her for the leader of the bullying and hated her. Mother wept bitterly at the heartbreaking memories of Countess Rosenthal.

「…… As I thought, you were trying to help me at that ball …… At that time, I was in despair because I had no one on my side. Even though the best ally was right next to me!! If only I had been courageous enough to take a good look at you, this would never have happened ……!!」

As he misunderstood her actions, the grief of my father was even deeper.

「That night, you were holding a bow and arrow to try to help Cornelia ……!! And yet I ……!!」

Countess Rosenthal smiled at the anguished father and mother.

「The two of you know my nickname, right? ‘The poisonous scorpion of the imperial court’. Considering what I have done, it is only natural that I would be misunderstood. I was just paying for my misdeeds, so to speak. The two of you have done nothing wrong.」

Deep underneath the gentle tone of Countess Rosenthal’s soothing words, there was a sense of disgust toward herself. She has never forgiven herself for not being able to save her younger brothers. Somewhere in her heart, she is always seeking punishment. That is why she accepts her misfortune as a matter of course. This person, who was more loving and devoted than anyone else, has put an eternal curse on herself.

Everyone never wanted that to happen.
Even her deceased younger brothers would not be happy. In fact, they would be more saddened than anyone else.

However, no one here can remove the source of Countess Rosenthal’s grief. The only one that can do that is ……