Chapter 3: -prisonment (1)

Chapter 3 – Heading to Prison (1)

“Long live the great revolutionary army! Now, let us kill the witch!”

“Judge her!”

“First, strip off all her clothes…”

The revolution, an absurd possibility with a high chance of failure—so much so that they had prepared blood oaths and wills to deliver to their fleeing families, bracing for death—had suddenly succeeded.

The capital’s guard, incapable of proper combat, was neutralized or surrendered, and the Imperial Guard, considered the Empire’s elite military force, was outside the capital when the target, the Empress, was captured.

The blood spilled in that process was a mere fraction of what they had anticipated.

Not only the Equitas members, who were unable to contain their excitement and were engulfed in a crucible of fervor, but also the crowds who had joined the revolution, were on the verge of spiraling out of control, swept up in intense excitement and zeal.

It seemed already too late, but if even the slightest pretext were given, this fervor would undoubtedly turn into madness and explode in all directions.

“E-everyone, calm down! Comrades, that’s not what’s important right now!”

Kyle, the leader, had to sweat profusely to calm them down.

Kyle, who had ordered the organization’s elite forces, obedient to his command, to prevent others from touching the captured Elena, calmly explained the situation to his excited comrades and the crowd.

‘Did I perhaps do something I can’t handle?’

Kyle unconsciously swallowed dryly under the gazes of countless people who looked at him with sparkling eyes, seeing him as a great revolutionary and general who, at only 40 years old, had led his comrades and organization to successfully overturn the Empire.

While he too was determined to stop the Empress’s tyranny, who had dabbled in black magic, and to change the stagnant structure and ecology of the Empire, his realistic initial goal was not so much to succeed in the revolution but to inspire countless talented individuals within the Empire.

During the rebellion, he aimed to clearly expose the Empress as a vile witch to the entire world, thereby creating an opening for not only the oppressed but also those in the ruling class to justifiably join the revolutionary army.

That was Kyle’s true objective.

‘Oh, better than I thought.’

Elena watched Kyle silently, a smile playing on her lips inwardly.

She had thought it would be amusing to see the revolution, which “should not have succeeded,” succeed only to immediately collapse without proper resolution, but clearly, Equitas leader Kyle’s leadership and insight were not bad at all.

“Therefore, the most crucial thing is to make it known to the entire world that this witch has mastered forbidden black magic.

We must convince everyone that our revolution was just, and that this wicked Empress can no longer be entrusted with this nation.”

“But Kyle, no, Commander-in-Chief.

Hasn’t the proof already been established?

No, hasn’t it?

We all saw it.

Furthermore, this witch severed purification magic enhanced with holy water using her own magic.”

At Kyle’s words, Rensha, a comrade in charge of the magic corps, pointed a finger at Elena, suppressing his excitement.

Indeed, Rensha and the magic corps had acquired precious high-grade holy water and used magic to subdue Elena, but Elena, without batting an eye, had instead defeated them.

“Isn’t that strange?

Holy water is a direct counter to black mages, something they can’t endure.”

Kyle hit the nail on the head.

Holy water is indeed an anathema to black magic.

Thus, it is typically even used to execute black mages.

They would forcibly inject holy water into the body of a bound black mage, letting their body melt away for the public to witness, simultaneously providing a spectacle and a warning.

However, it is by no means a one-sided counter.

If the divine power is weak, it can instead be consumed by the aura of black magic and rendered powerless.

“If this witch is a monster immune to even holy water, we must prove it by other means.”

“B-but Commander.

Then how on earth did we manage to capture such a monster?”

Rensha’s eyes wavered at Kyle’s whisper.

Kyle, momentarily speechless, glanced at Elena, who was quietly bound and looking at him.

Naturally, Kyle couldn’t answer that.

He didn’t know himself.

“And if holy water cannot be used as proof, then how exactly do we reveal to the entire world that she is a black mage?”

“Th-that…”

That wasn’t Kyle’s only challenge.

A black mage immune to holy water is an unprecedented being.

Unless Elena deliberately confesses to being a black mage in front of the public or displays clear evidence, there is no way.

‘For a typical black magic suspect, there are ways.

But… but…!’

Various cruel tortures that could force a confession, even one that didn’t exist, flashed through Kyle’s mind.

Even a proud Empress, with her fingernails and toenails pulled out, large nails driven in, and raw flesh seared with fire, could she maintain her arrogant demeanor?

The problem was that he himself had stated the Empress’s downfall must only come through the undeniable proof of black magic.

Even now, the nobles and generals of the Empire, and even foreigners, were watching with wide-open eyes.

If he considered who among them would readily accept evidence obtained by torturing the Empress, the answer was obvious.

“Kyle, I will try.”

Just as Kyle found himself unable to speak.

Someone stepped forward with a solemn expression.

‘So a priest of the Holy Order is offering to sacrifice himself.

I don’t know who it is, but they have guts.’

Elena, who had activated the demonic power she could use thanks to her transplanted heart and her superhuman senses, enhancing her hearing, chuckled as she eavesdropped on the urgent meeting of the Equitas executives.

“Are you truly alright, Millian?”

“If the Empress is truly a wicked high-ranking black mage, then it is my duty to stop her.

The sin of involving myself in such matters as a priest… I will repay it with this.”

The person who stepped forward to help an embarrassed Kyle was a priest named Millian, who had joined the revolution as a priest, violating the Order’s rules.

Millian stated that he would personally purify Elena’s body.

If Elena were truly a black mage, then due to the counter relationship, Millian’s body would conversely be tainted by demonic energy and die.

This was his resolve to reveal Elena’s true identity, even if it required such an extreme method.

“Please prepare for a formal trial.

I will prove it there.”

“…Understood.”

‘They’ve thought it through pretty well, so maybe I’ll play along this time.’

In the end, the Equitas leadership, including Kyle, paid their respects to Millian, who had resolved to sacrifice himself, and simultaneously decided to immediately prepare a formal trial for the captured Elena, to be made public to all the crowds.

And Elena, even after hearing their plan, took no action.

‘Whatever happens, happens.’

The current her was someone who could no longer endure thinking and working, exhausted, and had given up on everything.

There would be no more proactive actions from her now, so she would simply watch and see how things unfolded, as they wished.

That would likely be her mindset, unchanging from now on.

****

“This gathering is not for bloody vengeance!

This gathering is not for unleashing arrows of wrath!

Today, we stand here to rectify truth and justice!”

At a time when the capital was blockaded by the revolutionary army and sympathetic crowds, and the assembled Imperial Army was preparing for a decisive battle right outside the capital.

Kyle, who had prepared for two full days, set up the trial in the central plaza, which had just hosted a grand Foundation Day festival, with Elena, bound to a pole for all to see, at the forefront.

They even captured and bound Earl Grant, the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, who had been caught fleeing, as a witness.

“This woman was called Empress, and we were called her people, but in truth, from that day on, we were in a nameless war between humans and non-humans.

The throne was seized by blood, and by a witch who had mastered black magic!”

He shouted, recording the video with multiple magic communication spheres and using amplification magic so all gathered citizens could hear.

When the recorded footage was projected onto the gloomy sky as a screen, it was visible even from outside the capital through a telescope.

Thanks to this, even those who had not joined the revolution, and those who still didn’t understand what was happening, could hear.

“Arch-Priest Millian of the Order risks his life to reveal the truth.

And today, we, risking everything, including our lives, declare justice!

All who refuse to bow before the truth, please open your eyes wide and witness.

For we shall prove justice, not vengeance.”

When Kyle finished his speech and ceased speaking, a moment of profound silence settled over the plaza.

It was a silence as thin as ice, so no one dared to easily make a sound.

“…So you’re that audacious priest.”

“Empress, if by any chance you are innocent, I will repay this disrespect with my life.”

In such a situation, Elena, who was hanging from a pole, a spectacle for all to see, clothed only in a thin cloth garment, smiled as she looked at the young priest who appeared with a resolute expression.

Millian did not smile.

After a brief gesture of respect, he simply raised his hand, formed a seal, and drew forth his divine power.

“Purify her!”

And as soon as he was ready.

Millian unleashed the divine power he held in his hand towards Elena.

“Gah!?”

The result was obvious.

Elena scoffed at the divine power tickling her body and, even while wearing magic restraints, overwhelmed it.

As a result, the reversed magic literally tore Millian’s body apart.

“Ugh, guh… ugh…”

The brilliant and dazzling light that had illuminated the priest’s body extinguished instantly, and Millian, with his eyes rolled back, made gasping sounds.

Eventually, Millian’s body, tainted by a murky aura, collapsed with a thud like a rotten log.

Millian, dead and spewing black blood from every orifice, starkly displayed the gruesome end of a priest overwhelmed by demonic power.

“This is insane.”

It all happened in just three seconds.

As everyone froze, unsure of what had just happened.

Someone unconsciously let out a gasp.

“It’s a witch…!”

“She was a witch.

The Empress was a witch!”

“Everything was true.

The Empress was a demon who ate children’s hearts and bathed in virgins’ blood!”

Millian’s sacrifice was certainly not in vain.

This was because Elena Dren Barbatos, Empress of the Valtira Empire, had been revealed as a black mage capable of instantly killing a priest of the Order.

The Imperial citizens, who witnessed that absurd sight, were shocked by Elena being a witch, and consequently, rumors rapidly inflated and spread beyond the Empire, throughout the entire continent.

The revolutionary army did not bother to correct the exaggerated and false rumors.

After all, if Elena’s image plummeted to rock bottom, it would only benefit them.

“Captain of the Guard.

Advancing like this would be…”

“The army’s morale is already in shambles.

It’s even hard to keep people quiet.”

The Imperial Army’s operation to retake the capital was halted just before execution.

Otherwise, they might be branded as an army defending a witch.

“I knew this would happen!

Ignore requests for aid!

And tighten discipline within the territories!”

The regional lords, seeing an opportunity, abandoned their movements.

Among Elena’s original endeavors was to pressure or dismantle the great nobles and regional lords, to truly make the vast Valtira Empire her own.

It was a natural decision for those who had felt their survival threatened by her actions.

“I think this is enough.

Let’s proceed with the execution quickly before more rumors spread.

After all, without the Empress as a focal point, the opposing factions will lack justification.”

Kyle received reports of these movements, let out a sigh of relief, and patted his chest.

All that remained was to quickly eliminate Elena and stabilize the system.

There were many ambitious individuals who had been suppressed by Elena’s aura, so Kyle wanted to mark the end of the Imperial family in this land with Elena’s public execution.

“Execute the witch!”

Thanks to this, Elena’s execution was held just three days after the trial.

Once again, in the central plaza, amidst tens of thousands of people, the Empress, who had reigned at the apex of the Empire, was dragged barefoot, her arms and legs bound, to stand before the gallows.

In truth, hanging was not a fitting execution for a black mage.

It was Kyle’s very last consideration for her, and the leniency of a victor.

“Huh…?”

“Ha!

Ahahahah!”

However, when the platform was removed and the rope around her neck tightened as she dangled in the air.

Everyone was horrified.

The Empress, dangling by her neck, let out a burst of mad laughter as if she could no longer hold it in.

“How absurd.

You babble on about me being a demonic fiend or a witch of the ages, and yet you thought a mere rope could kill me?

You may have caught me, but I have no intention of dying gracefully.”

She was someone who had felt a considerable sense of responsibility for her role as the final boss, wielding immense influence over the world and its characters.

The Empress, who had put down the heavy log she had been carrying with all her might since she was transmigrated to follow the flow of fate, as dictated by the ‘original story,’ had now become a complete troublemaker, acting entirely as she pleased.

Elena, with only her neck caught in the gallows, swaying like a pendulum in the center of the plaza for all to see, was a bizarre sight: far from dying or choking, her expression remained unchanged as she spoke her mind and laughed.

Some of the crowd fainted on the spot, and even Kyle, watching from afar, forgot to breathe.