Chapter 114

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Inside the chapel.

The ‘priest’ began to recite the marriage vows.

“In the name of God, do you two take each other as husband and wife, vowing eternal love and loyalty? Charlotte Bloodbell, do you take Knight Commander Kairen Erdian as your…”

Suddenly, the ‘priest’ stopped speaking.

His eyes turned bloodshot.

His lips trembled…

“…Cough!”

Crimson blood gushed from his mouth.

“Kh, kh… Krgh…!”

At the same time, blood streamed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

His eyeballs darted around, and his jaw shook like a broken doll.

“Gg… Eugh, Ggeugeuk…!”

A painful groan, as if something was boiling inside him.

The moment he opened his mouth, his tongue melted.

The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and no more sound came from his mouth.

“He tried to speak a false ritual, so the truth of the abyss has been injected.”, Lucy said quietly.

“I’ll silence that mouth forever.”

Thud.

The priest’s body collapsed to the ground.

[Oath of Silence]

A powerful curse skill that injects the ‘truth of the abyss’ into those who recite false rituals, causing the collapse of their body and mind.

It was a skill that caused the brain to self-destruct from being unable to withstand the truth of the abyss, and all sensory organs such as eyes, nose, mouth, and ears to collapse.

“…!”

Inside the chapel, the knights and soldiers froze with wide eyes.

After a moment, as if understanding the situation, they shouted.

“A-A witch!!”

“Catch the witch!!”

The knights and soldiers drew their swords in unison.

They rushed towards Lucy, but…

Pause.

Their movements stopped abruptly.

Then, in front of them, their own selves appeared.

Black figures.

Shadows.

The same posture, the same expression.

But there was nothing in their eyes.

Empty darkness.

The shadows held swords in their hands.

Stab!

They stabbed their own forms with the swords.

Stab, stab, stab!

Twice. Three times. Four times.

Abdomen, chest, legs, shoulders, jaw, neck…

Stabbing and stabbing again.

Without emotion, repeatedly.

“Kkyaaaa!!”

Blood and screams.

[Shadow Suicide]

The shadow that reflects the subject’s ego materializes, and the shadow perfectly replicates the subject’s appearance.

The replicated shadow recognizes the subject as a ‘sinner’ and attacks until death.

“…”

After a while, there was no one moving in the chapel anymore.

Blood flowed everywhere.

The soldiers’ corpses were all collapsed in the same direction.

Their faces distorted with pain and fear.

And

Kairen stood there, his eyes wide open.

“W-What is this…”

His voice trembled thinly.

Lucy began to walk towards Kairen.

Stepping on blood, slowly.

Thud. Thud.

“D-Don’t come near…”

Kairen stepped back.

Then he slipped on the blood, lost his balance, and fell to the floor.

“You witch…!”

“Watch your mouth. You only have one left now.”

Lucy waved her hand.

Black shadows surged from the floor, piercing Kairen’s limbs.

“Kk, kkaak!!”

Kairen screamed.

He couldn’t move his body.

Lucy asked.

“Where is Ramone?”

“Ra-Ramone is…”

Kairen opened his mouth with a painful expression.

“I-In the castle’s underground prison…!”

Lucy nodded slightly and turned to look at Charlotte.

Charlotte was frozen in place.

Tears flowed down her cheeks.

“…”

For a moment, Lucy thought she had gone too far.

‘I might have overdone the performance to match the witch role…’

Then Charlotte moved.

She walked past Lucy and stood in front of Kairen, who was kneeling on the floor.

“You… deceived me….”

A small, low voice.

A voice trembling thinly.

“I… forgave you in the past… I hated you so much, but I still forgave you….”

Kairen looked up at Charlotte with shaking eyes.

“But you….”

Charlotte’s voice cracked.

“Last night, you came into my room… committed an outrage… deceived me…! Forcibly forced marriage…!! Threatened to kill Acneros!!”

Acneros, held in Charlotte’s arms, meowed softly.

Charlotte wiped away her tears.

“I will never forgive you again… You… must be judged….”

At those words, Lucy slowly reached out her hand.

“Executor of the thirteenth circle of torment in the underground, the one who eats pain and reaps sin. Belgramore, I grant you your feast.”

Whoong!!

A black magic circle unfolded on the floor.

A black shining pentagram.

Soon, the sound of dragging chains echoed along with a low voice.

“…The scent of blood, the breath of fear, a soul rotted with sin.”

A huge form appeared above the magic circle.

An appearance covered in iron and thorns all over its body.

Dozens of severed hands hung on its back, and an iron mask was worn on its face.

Red light flashed in the eye sockets.

“…Rotten desire. Old lies. Unquenched terror.”

A voice like scraping an iron plate with a rusty blade.

The highest-ranking demon, Belgramore.

An executioner who judges the souls of pain and sin.

“I shall cut the flesh of the soul… and put it in my vessel…”

Kairen’s face froze with fear.

The surrounding air sank, and blood-colored chains rose and wrapped around Kairen tightly.

Kairen struggled.

“Sh-Shit, what is this…! No…! Save me…!”

The chains tightened, tearing Kairen’s body to pieces.

“Kua, kuaaak!!”

An arm was torn off, and a leg flew away.

His body twisted and burst, and his intestines scattered on the floor.

But he didn’t die.

The last remaining eyeball.

The moment even that burst, a faint form was pulled out.

Kairen’s soul.

A pale and thin form made of despair.

A red shackle was fastened around his neck, and the chain connected to the shackle was held in Belgramore’s hand.

Kairen shook his head wildly.

As if he hated it, as if he was asking for help, he looked at Lucy with desperate eyes.

But no sound came from his mouth.

The voice of his soul was sealed by the sins before his death.

Lucy said quietly.

“Belgramore. Judge that guy for 999 years.”

Belgramore nodded slowly.

“…I shall be back.”

And, the gate of hell opened.

Eternity of darkness.

As Belgramore pulled the chain, Kairen’s soul screamed and was dragged away.

Until the moment the gate of hell slowly closed, his eyes were filled with despair and fear.

◈

Silence returned to the chapel.

A place where no prayer or blessing remained.

Only bloodstains and corpses covered the floor.

Charlotte slumped down and began to sob.

“Heu, heuheuk, heueuk…!”

Lucy summoned Darcan.

Black smoke swirled and Darcan appeared.

“Today too, our lovely, cute, adorable, and charming master…”

[ Be quiet ]

Lucy narrowed her eyes and conveyed her will.

[ Read the mood ]

Darcan immediately shut his mouth and glanced around.

Blood and corpses.

A girl sitting on the floor, sobbing.

“Um…”

Darcan scratched his head awkwardly.

Lucy conveyed her will again.

[ There’s an old butler named Ramone in the basement of this castle. Bring him here. ]

[ Understood, Master. ]

Darcan bowed as if saluting, then opened the chapel door and leisurely walked out.

Lucy waved her hand.

The corpses lying on the floor twitched and stood up.

They quietly walked and gathered in one place, and black flames rose in that spot.

Whoosh!

Only then did Lucy turn to look at Charlotte.

Charlotte was still crying.

Her small shoulders were shaking, and her sobs were getting louder.

Lucy hugged Charlotte.

As she quietly patted her back, Charlotte buried her face in Lucy’s arms.

“Heuek, heueuek…!”

How much time had passed?

Bang, the door opened and someone rushed in.

“Milady!!”

Disheveled hair, dusty face.

It was Ramone.

Darcan followed leisurely behind him.

“Ah, Milady… are you alright!”

“Ra-Ramone!!”

Charlotte left Lucy’s arms and jumped into Ramone’s arms.

“Ramone… Ramone, I thought you abandoned me… Euheuheuk…!”

Ramone hugged Charlotte tightly.

“How could I…! I’m so glad you’re safe…!”

“…”

Left alone, Lucy awkwardly straightened her collar and stood up.

Then Darcan quietly spread his arms.

[ Hugging is… ]

Lucy ignored him and turned her gaze away.

Darcan lowered his arms gloomily.

After a while.

As Charlotte and Ramone calmed down, Lucy quietly opened her mouth.

“Ramone. Almost all the knights and soldiers of this castle are dead.”

“I see… but they were all followers of Kairen anyway.”

“What are you going to do from now on?”

“Hmm, we’ll have to recruit new knights and draft soldiers… but it will take time. We might have to leave the castle for a while…”

Then Lucy raised her hand.

Whoong!

Knights in black armor appeared from the floor.

The total number was thirty.

They were a little smaller than Darcan, but they were all Death Knights.

They had no ego and only followed orders.

Lucy looked at Darcan.

“Darcan. I’ll give you a new mission.”

“Yes.”

“For the time being, you are the Knight Commander of the Bloodbell family.”

“Huh…?”

“Lead those Death Knights and protect Bloodbell Castle. Especially…”

Lucy pointed at Charlotte.

“You have to protect Charlotte well. She’s my precious friend.”

Darcan’s blue eyes flashed.

“This can’t be! Such a cute, lovely, adorable, and charming young lady is Master’s precious friend! To entrust me with such an important mission! I will protect her with my life!!”

“…Just in case, if you do anything strange to Charlotte, I’ll immediately destroy your soul.”

Darcan flinched.

“Understood…!”

“Peeking is also forbidden.”

“…Yes.”

Lucy looked at Ramone again.

“Darcan is a bit strange, but his skills are certain. Until the knights and soldiers are ready, he will safely protect this castle.”

“Ah, yes…”

Ramone nodded with a dazed face, and Charlotte looked at Darcan and quietly hid behind Ramone.

Seeing that, Lucy thought to herself.

‘I’ll have to come to this castle every day for the time being…’

She thought it would be nice to bring Camilla or Ellie to make Charlotte’s friends too.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
I think this chapter kinda went off the rails… ㅇ_ㅇ

How did we even end up with that character…

I tried my best to salvage it in the serialization..!

Thank you for reading…!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
At least it’s acknowledged…?

Well either way, another one bites the dust.