Chapter 130
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No one could enter the place where Sol was staying.
This was because restrictions had been put in place to allow only those who had received permission to enter and exit, in order to prevent Marian from possibly coming.
Of course, Asil was close to Selena and also had the power of her father, who was still a prominent heretic inquisitor in the Great Temple, so she could enter without any obstruction.
Jet, seeing this, clicked his tongue once again.
“Your connections are truly…… If you had stayed in the capital without that seven-year gap, you could have even aimed for the position of crown princess.”
Even after giving her the tulip, he had been hovering around Asil, wanting to repay the favor even more.
Especially on days like today when it was related to Sol, he openly showed himself and acted as an attendant.
Asil, who was walking down the corridor, said sharply.
“I don’t like the crown prince.”
A very long time ago, when we caught the great arc, he made me give false testimony.
Whenever she recalled him pretending to be kind while urging her to say bad things, her hands itched.
‘Is he walking around now without a wig, with his own hair?’
When she had removed the crown prince’s wig, it had been frightening, but now it was just one of the memories from the past.
Asil thought that whenever she got the chance, she would secretly pull the crown prince’s hair.
While she was idly wiggling her fingers like that.
Speak of the tiger and it appears.
“The Monlepe ducal house refuses to acknowledge their wrongdoing, so my heart is very heavy. The Divine Beast Thanksgiving Festival will begin soon…….”
Crown Prince Reinhardt de Aliope appeared right in front of Asil.
He was accompanied by a boy she had never seen before in her life, and judging by the direction, it seemed they had just come from Sol’s hospital room together.
Asil unconsciously fixed her gaze on Reinhardt’s silver head.
‘A wig?’
Upon closer inspection, it didn’t seem to be one. It didn’t have that floating feeling like before.
Well, seven years had passed, so his hair must have grown a lot in the meantime……. She wanted to lift it up again.
While she was feeling a strange sense of regret and wiggling her fingers, Jet whispered softly.
“That person is Young Master Leon Sunrise.”
Aha. No wonder he resembled the Sunrise princess.
Asil nodded, then quickly ducked behind the corner of the corridor.
The two humans had not yet noticed them.
She intended to secretly eavesdrop on this opportunity to find out what wrongdoing the Monlepe ducal house had committed.
However, she ended up bumping her back squarely into someone who was already hiding at the corner.
‘Hup!’
Startled, a gasp escaped her involuntarily. If she hadn’t quickly covered her mouth, it would have come out as a sound.
To confirm who it was, Asil quickly turned around.
Then the person she had bumped into—who also had a surprised face—silently moved their lips.
‘Young Lady Erzébet?’
It was Sol, dressed in priest robes.
She was still wearing that signature red bead necklace, and her pure white hair and face matched the clothes quite well, as if she had truly become a priest.
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I came to visit Sol. Why are you here, Sol?’
‘I was worried about Leon…….’
Indeed, Sol’s eyes, as she said this, showed no sign of leaving the Sunrise young master who was conversing with Reinhardt.
Asil tilted her head.
‘What are you worried about?’
‘……There’s nothing to hide from you, Young Lady. The truth is, Leon has a tendency to believe and follow other people’s words too easily.’
Sol let out a sigh.
‘Especially when it comes to matters concerning his deceased ducal parents, even more so. I’ve told him many times that the feeling isn’t good, so he should keep his distance from the crown prince.’
Right at that moment, the necklace hanging around Sol’s neck flashed ominously.
It wasn’t an ordinary light, and Sol let out a small groan, “Ugh.”
What’s wrong, what’s happening! Startled, Asil jumped.
‘What’s wrong!’
‘It’s nothing. Lately it sometimes hurts around my heart. I mentioned it to the saintess as well, but she said there was nothing unusual.’
‘Did you check the necklace?’
‘Necklace?’
At the unexpected mention, Sol slowly blinked.
‘Are you perhaps referring to this red necklace?’
‘Yes. That necklace has a bad aura. Strange haze-like things are spreading out from it.’
‘I’ve never heard that Young Lady Erzébet is a mage.’
Even as she said that, Sol carefully examined the necklace she was wearing. However, she didn’t feel anything unusual.
In response, Asil said innocently.
‘Let’s take it off.’
‘No. I can only remove it with Leon’s permission.’
‘Then can I take a look at it?’
‘Of course.’
Sol bent down so that the shorter Asil could see the necklace properly.
At the same time, she turned her eyes toward the Sunrise young master again.
The young master was still conversing with Reinhardt.
“If the previous Monlepe duke had even the slightest conscience, he wouldn’t have let the duke and duchess die like that.”
“……Duke Monlepe said that by the time the previous duke found Mother and Father, it was already too late…….”
“It’s just a lie to cover up the family’s shame. Believing the duke’s words to be true ultimately means you think I’m the one lying.”
“That’s, that’s not it—!”
The young master, psychologically pressured, stammered.
Watching this, Reinhardt continued speaking.
“I understand. Losing your family overnight must have left you disoriented. But what benefit would I gain from lying to you? Unless I intend to drive a wedge between the two families.”
“T-then…… I’m sorry, but could you swear in the name of God?! If you do, I will believe and follow only Your Highness’s words until the day my life ends!”
The naive young master ultimately chose an oath in the name of God.
He never imagined that someone of the crown prince’s stature would lie while invoking the name of God.
Unfortunately, however, his opponent was someone who could lie even before God without hesitation.
Reinhardt gave a slight smile.
Seeing that sinister smile, Sol, feeling that this couldn’t continue, was about to step forward when Asil firmly pressed the red bead necklace.
At the sensation like static electricity in her heart, Sol froze.
Meanwhile, Reinhardt smoothly continued speaking.
“Of course. I, Reinhardt de Aliope, swear in the name of God to speak only the truth, and if I violate this, may divine punishment…… *cough!*”
Suddenly, Reinhardt coughed up a handful of blood.
The young master flinched at the sight.
After freezing for a moment, he unconsciously began to slowly back away, and Reinhardt—more flustered than anyone—quickly grabbed him.
“W-wait, Young Master! This isn’t divine punishment or anything— *cough!*”
However, bright red blood rose again.
Meanwhile, Asil, completely absorbed in the necklace and unaware of the commotion outside, was only pressing and examining Sol’s red bead necklace.
‘This bead feels really weird.’
“*Cough!* *Cough cough!*”
‘It’s like every time I touch it, the flow of mana reverses.’
“Ugh…… *Cough!!*”
Every time Asil pressed the bead, Reinhardt felt as if his heart was being squeezed and coughed up blood.
While even Sol was frozen, Jet, realizing this couldn’t go on, intervened.
‘Y-Young Lady? It might be better to take your hand off the necklace now—’
At the same time, Asil put strength into the hand holding the necklace.
*Crack.*
She had only meant to grip it, but she ended up applying too much force.
The bead shattered cleanly.
“……!”
No way. Why is my strength this strong!
Asil, surprised by her own power, stared wide-mouthed at the fragments in her palm, while outside, Reinhardt collapsed unconscious onto the floor.
*Thud!*
“Y-Your Highness!!!”
The Sunrise young master, faced with the unconscious crown prince and having no idea what had happened, was shocked.
He tried to lift him somehow, but with his small build, he couldn’t carry Reinhardt alone.
In the end, he looked around and shouted.
“Is anyone there?! His Highness has collapsed after receiving divine punishment! Hurry and bring His Highness inside, hurry!”
Just then, several priests passing nearby came running.
They flinched at the words “divine punishment” and first carried Reinhardt inside.
And to determine the reason for the divine punishment, they summoned all the heretic inquisitors.
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