episode_0034

Those around Madame Verdier looked at her as a ‘widow.’ Yvonne Verdier was a literal widow.

In her nearly 30 years of life, there weren’t many things she chose on her own. As is often the case with aristocratic children, Yvonne grew up receiving strict education and discipline. Her original family, the Letel family, invested a lot in their eldest daughter, Yvonne, and within the family’s means, she was given good clothes, small but excellent food, and a capable teacher. However, the parents’ desperate expectations led to abuse of Yvonne.

Of course, Yvonne’s parents did not starve or abandon their children. Their abuse was carried out in the hope that Yvonne would become an attractive woman and find a good partner. Days of discipline and education that were difficult for a child to receive continued.

It was a cruel story for a girl, but there were many children who lived a more miserable life than Yvonne. Yvonne knew very well that her life could not have been better, and even though she secretly cried under her blanket because she missed her parents’ love, she got up the next day and went about her day as if nothing had happened. Fortunately, Yvonne grew up without any problems and became an attractive noble daughter.

Marriages of convenience were common among the nobility. Yvonne married a man from a good family. It was a family of great prestige, enough to satisfy their picky parents. The Letel family spent a considerable amount of dowry for Yvonne’s marriage, but in return they became involved with the Verdier family. The Verdier family also provided considerable benefits to their daughter-in-law’s family.

Fortunately, the man loved Yvonne. Yvonne also loved her husband. Yvonne did not receive the freedom of a human being, but instead enjoyed the greatest happiness that a noblewoman could enjoy. The happiest time of Yvonne’s life passed.

That time wasn’t that long. Yvonne collapsed and sobbed in front of the coffins of her parents, who had died in a carriage accident. Even if the parents were not affectionate towards them, children were bound to have affection for them. Moreover, after Yvonne got married, her strict parents began to show kind words and actions toward Yvonne, and the wounds she suffered as a child were almost healed. But the two have now gone on a path of no return.

Before Yvonne could overcome the pain of loss, her beloved husband suddenly fell ill. She stayed up all night taking care of her husband, desperately looking for a renowned doctor and good medicine. I even prayed sincerely to the god I had only sought out as a ritual. If there was a God, there was no way he would have taken away the brief happiness that had finally come to him like this.

Despite such efforts, my husband’s condition did not improve. Eventually, my husband passed away. On the day of the funeral, Yvonne hugged her husband’s coffin and sobbed before fainting.

There was nothing left for Yvonne. There was no place to return to, no husband, no children. Yvonne lived a life longing for her husband in an annex with two maids. For seven years, there wasn’t a single day that Yvonne didn’t miss her husband.

The people who invaded the peaceful and quiet annex were none other than members of the Heresy Inquisition’s arrest squad.

“Are you Madame Verdier?”

The maids screamed when they saw the men intruding at night. Yvonne Verdier’s name was written on the arrest warrant handed out by the man in black. Even a noble family like Verdier could not prevent the arrest of the Heresy Inquisition, which even had a warrant.

“What’s going on? What are you doing this late at night? Is it okay to be rude like this?”

Yvonne stood in front of them as if protecting a frightened maid and confidently faced the men. In any case, they were not gangsters but members of the Heresy Inquisition. They tried to follow proper procedures rather than using violence against the noblewoman.

“Mrs. was indicted on charges of heresy. ‘We will punish heresy.’ We will arrest your wife under the authority of the Heresy Inquisition. The maids will also be arrested for investigation. Please follow me quietly.”

Of course, Yvonne had no reason to be grateful to them.

“What kind of heresy is this? Can’t let go of this?!”

The men gentlemanly used their force for Madame Verdier. Of course, it was only a gentlemanly act compared to the force used against commoners, but it was a harsh act for women such as Madame Verdier and maids. The women in their pajamas were put on a carriage. Fortunately, they were not covered with cloth and their hands and feet were not tied. However, quite a few people saw the Heresy Inquisition’s carriage coming and going from the noble family’s mansion. They talked about Madame Verdier.

.

Unlike the maids who were taken to an unknown place, Yvonne was sitting in the middle of a large room. Yvonne calmed down while sitting in the chair. All kinds of thoughts were running through my head, from the most ominous predictions to the most terrifying. She put her hands together and prayed. Her prayers were not directed to a God who might not exist, but to a husband who was no longer there.

And the door opened with a squeak.

“Hello, Madame Verdier. This is Heretic Questioner Anastasia.”

The person who opened the door and came in was a woman with her hair cut short above her shoulders. The woman, wearing trousers that noble ladies would never imagine, bowed her head to Yvonne.

“Your wife is accused of using the evil trick of the devil.”

Yvonne jumped up from her chair. The nightgown I was wearing was shaking because I wasn’t properly dressed when I was brought here.

“What nonsense! Who is in charge here? Do you think you can get away with treating me like this?”

Even though she was a widow with nowhere to go, Yvonne still had Verdier’s name. According to his son’s will, the Marquis Verdier allowed Yvonne to stay in the annex under Verdier’s name. The charges against Yvonne were a matter that could soon tarnish the reputation of the Verdier family.

“As you know, the Heresy Inquisition and the Heresy Questioners have immunity.”

Anastasia clenched and unclenched her leather-gloved fist. The movement felt threatening to Yvonne.

“However, we have not confirmed the wife’s charges. Since we have received a complaint regarding the wife’s charges, we would like to clear the charges through a thorough interrogation.”

“Interrogation, that is.”

The word was quite unfamiliar to Yvonne. Even the pronunciation that lingered around my lips was unfamiliar, so it felt like someone else had said it.

“Yes. This has also been announced to the Verdier family. Otherwise, how would you have brought your wife?”

Cold sweat broke out on Yvonne’s back. She couldn’t guess how much her in-laws knew. In any case, there was no way for her to escape from here, and she had no choice but to hope that the charges would be cleared.

“I understand. What answer should I give? I need to know more about the charges so I can answer.”

Yvonne showed her most haughty attitude. I tried to show off my noble side, as I had learned from a young age. But Anastasia calmly embarrassed her.

“Please take off your clothes. Madam.”

“…What?”

Yvonne, who heard the absurd words, tried to protest, but Anastasia waved her hands and said nothing.

“This is a procedure to check whether any demon marks remain on the body. If there is a mark, isn’t it definitely related to the demons?”

Yvonne may not have known it, but even the strip search was a benevolent treatment for a nobleman. Those who don’t need to be considerate have had their clothes taken off a long time ago. However, to Yvonne, who did not know that fact, Anastasia’s words did not feel considerate at all.

“Such nonsense…”

Anastasia did not wait for Yvonne to speak.

“Now, madam. Take off your clothes. Or should I take it off? We will remove it as politely as possible, but we cannot guarantee that it will not offend your wife.”

The polite words spoken by the short-haired Heretic Questioner did not sound polite at all. She seemed to have a knack for being rude without being rude. Yvonne tried to hold on a little longer, but it seemed like Anastasia would attack her at any moment. Anastasia, who looked taller perhaps because she was wearing boots, overpowered her with just her eyes.

“……”

In the end, Yvonne chose a lesser humiliation rather than a greater humiliation. Fortunately, the dress didn’t require help, so I was able to take it off easily. Even if they were the same woman, there was no way that a noble lady would feel comfortable showing her naked body in front of others. Anastasia came closer to Yvonne, who was covering her breasts and private parts with both palms, and grabbed her wrists covering her private parts.

“Please remove your hand to see more details.”

Yvonne’s face turned bright red at Anastasia’s rudeness, but this time she couldn’t even protest. Those brought to the Heresy Inquisition showed the least resistance when their clothes were removed. For humans, clothes were not just body coverings.