episode_0214

Episode 214

“It was a marriage arranged by my family, but I never once thought of you as insignificant. What made the Academy of Sanctuaries the most prestigious… was the result of desperate efforts not to tarnish your family’s name.”

Wearing worn-out prison uniform and handcuffs. Juliana is currently dressed in what can only be described as shabby. However, he was glaring at James with dry eyes, displaying the most intense hostility I had ever seen.

“Do you think I would believe something like that? Now let’s say something like that!”

“Yes, debate is unnecessary. You touched something that shouldn’t have been touched.”

Mana overflows from Juliana’s body. The handcuffs on my wrists suddenly broke apart. Julia spoke to me with a serious face.

“If it’s punishment, I’ll take it later, princess. But, let me deal with that guy…”

“If it seems dangerous, I will join in. Besides, there are a lot of things I need to hear from that man.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Her grimoire appears in Juliana’s hand.

An item that truly symbolizes the greatest achievement as a mage. As soon as he saw it, James’ expression became strangely distorted.

“I hate you! And me too!”

I don’t know if it was confusion caused by the curse, or if it was his last sincerity. James’s appearance completely lost its human form starting from that cry.

Numerous tentacles extend from him and penetrate the headless corpses around him. And then it pulled towards itself, forming one huge lump.

“…disgusting…”

Rika clicked her tongue and spat out the sword without shedding it. I also have the same feeling. At least among the things I’ve seen since coming to this world, it was one of the three most disgusting sights.

“Flash Golem… I don’t think I had any intention of keeping the Marquis alive from the beginning.”

A golem made of human flesh. It is also questionable whether communication will ever be possible again. But anyway, suppression comes first now.

Stubby arms and legs, and a head, the only thing that remained that belonged to James. The Flesh Golem with a bizarre appearance waddled towards Juliana.

“Grrr…!”

Just being crushed by a huge mass is painful, but being crushed to death by something so terrible can be said to be the worst death. But of course, such a terrible death did not come to Juliana.

『Book of the Red Fairy』

The grimoire Juliana has is a grimoire specialized in creating tools. I had no regrets checking out her skills, such as operating delicate mechanisms and transmitting mana.

It is the essence of the grimoire that is difficult for even skilled craftsmen to imitate. However, in simple and ignorant hand-to-hand combat like this, the most basic tool-making techniques were used extremely effectively.

“Month.”

With just a simple chant, a huge wall rises in front of Juliana. The wall made by dragging the stone that made up the castle blocked the front of the Flesh Golem that was running towards it.

Clap!

“Ughhh!”

James’ head roars, making a sound that can hardly be called pleasant. Meanwhile, the wall blocked the golem on all sides.

“It will be a rather cruel scene… If you find it difficult to bear it, please cover your eyes and ears.”

Juliana’s calm face doesn’t show the slightest sympathy for James. Soon, a huge mace extended from the ceiling and began to mercilessly hit the Flesh Golem trapped inside the wall.

* * *

The suppression of the Castle of Seine was easily completed.

There was nothing that could be called resistance. The werewolves who had had some trouble getting here did not appear here at all. Perhaps he was the first to run away after seeing the lord’s condition.

James Sancerine’s remains were placed in a small glass bottle. Even in that condition, he was alive.

Well, actually, the expression “alive” is not accurate. According to Carmel, it only contains part of James’ consciousness, but it seems he has already been dead for a long time.

It is said that when the mana of Aila’s curse runs out, she will no longer be able to maintain her consciousness. This means that if there is an interrogation, it is only now. Although it is a state that cannot be considered normal.

I said to James, who rolled his eyes in the glass bottle.

“Tell me everything you know, James. Where did Aila go?”

“Ahh… What about Julie? Where is Julie? Besides, it’s so stuffy here! I am a marquis! Why don’t you hurry and set me free!”

Sigh… I spun the glass bottle round and round. James was in pain, making a sound similar to the sound of water being sucked into a sewer.

“Please answer. Ayla, where did the woman who made you like this go?”

“Uggiii… Ayla? Ah, Eila! She was beautiful for an immigrant. Even though I wasn’t allowed to touch my body. But why her? Are you saying you just took my support and ran away? under! How much money did you pour in!”

Although it is partial, communication is possible. I was patient and engaged in the conversation.

“Yes. Aela ran away with your money, Marquis. So where did she go?”

“To the northwest… I guess so. Yes, I’m sure they went to Katerina’s ruins. That’s where I first met her. But is the princess trying to collect my debt?”

Seeing him in such a miserable state makes me feel like a pitiful human being. I probably lived a life that was farthest from happiness. You must have lived with a feeling of extreme inferiority towards the people closest to you.

That means dying as a monster like this. I had no intention of taking revenge on someone like this, but if I defeated Aela, that would be the end result.

“Yes. I also have something to receive from her. I will make sure to take care of your share as well.”

“Oh… I can’t thank you enough… This is Princess Sera, who is also called the second coming of an angel. If so, I’m embarrassed, but I’ll close my eyes for a moment. For some reason I feel very sleepy… sleep…”

It appears that the mana containing his consciousness is almost completely depleted. The black mana, which became weaker and weaker, eventually disappeared. At the same time, the flesh writhing inside the glass bottle completely stopped moving and closed its eyes.

“…Julie…”

Leaving only one faint word behind.

* * *

The suppression of this rebellion was practically over with the capture of the Castle of Sesennes. Based on the situation in the Sancéne territory that we have seen so far, there would not be any resistance forces.

Rather, he may be troubled by the administrative vacuum caused by James Sancerne’s killing of all his vassals. There is also room to consider dispatching officials, like in some areas of Laurentia that have become royal territories. There is enough reason for that.

But what is more important to me than that is Aila’s whereabouts. Katerina ruins mentioned by James. I had heard of that place name.

This is one of the old bases of the Black Goat Society that Masker investigated. When I checked with Masker, he also responded that he remembered it.

Is there something there? It might be better to run away to another country, but there is no way to survive if you are stuck in a place like that…

Well, it hasn’t been confirmed yet that Aila is there. Even if they can’t catch you, it would be fortunate if you could find even a small clue.

With that thought in mind, I looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. I can’t sleep well. Is it because it’s an unfamiliar room? Or maybe it’s because I have a lot to think about.

At that time, someone cautiously knocked on the door. At a time like this? I asked the visitor outside the door about his identity and business.

“Actually, I know that it is extremely rude to even bring such business, but… the criminal Juliana Sancerne says she has something she wants to say to the princess.”

It’s the voice of a knight I’ve heard before. He was probably one of the elite knights who were with him when he stormed into James’ room.

Juliana’s status is now a prisoner. As the wife of a treasonous criminal, she has the lowest status in the kingdom. However, the article seems to have guessed that Juliana and I have a close relationship in our own way.

“No, I conveyed it well. I’ll come down right away.”

* * *

Juliana was imprisoned in an underground cell in the Château de Sécènes. What would it be like to be imprisoned in the castle you were once the master of?

Julianna was sitting on a dirty bed in her prison uniform and jumped up when I came in. Both eyes were red and bloodshot.

“You have something to say to me? Julianna.”

“Yes… I’m sorry… It’s like I told the princess to go away… But in this situation… I’m really, really sorry.”

Juliana’s wrists were handcuffed, which looked much stronger than the ones she had broken during the day. Of course, Juliana would be able to escape if she wanted to.

“You don’t have to worry. What’s going on?”

Julianna said hesitantly.

“He… What happened to James?”

It was Julianna who brutally beat James and imprisoned him in a glass bottle of her own making. However, because he was a criminal, he was unable to witness James’ interrogation and final death.

Since James’ last words were to find Juliana, Juliana also seems to have been concerned about his fate.

“I reached the end comfortably. As if falling asleep.”

Should I tell you his last words? To be honest, I didn’t really want to do that.

Juliana’s expression upon hearing my answer was different from what I expected. He was slightly lowering his head with a dark expression.

“Would it have been better to have a more drastic ending? Take a deep breath like you did…”

“Oh, no… that’s not it…”

Juliana was wrapping her arms around herself. As if I was being attacked by something invisible.

“I’m sorry… I made the princess come down to the dirty basement with something like this… I’m a stupid woman, I… I was deceived by that man until now… No, I should say that I am an accomplice to Sara as well. .”

Dirty and humid underground cell. This is the reality Juliana faces now. Her status as the wife of a marquess and her status as the chairman of the prestigious academy were all about to fall apart.

However, Juliana seemed to be falling into an even deeper abyss than that social fall. By none other than himself.