### Chapter 494 – Room 207, The Gate Room – Second Trial ‘The Witch’ (2)
—
– Elena
It was early morning, around what felt like 5 AM.
Woken up by the raucous sounds at dawn.
“Lady, Lady Elena!”
“Mmm, what’s—”
“Judge Thomas has already set off!”
Splash! It felt like a bucket of cold water splashed on my face, awakening me immediately.
He’s already left? At this hour? Without telling me?
“No! The Duke told me to go with him—this is no time to dawdle, Valentina! Get ready to head out! And bring Pero!”
As a highborn lady, getting ready for a simple outing usually takes at least an hour. But today, skipping all the fuss, I yelled and made it out in 15 minutes, boarding the carriage.
My mind was filled with foreboding thoughts.
Thick smoke, the stench of corpses.
People screaming, stakes erected everywhere.
And on top of those stakes, my sister Eunsol!
“Faster! Faster!”
“Lady, the roads are rough—”
“Hey! What if twenty people are already burnt alive before we get to the city!?”
“… Giddy up~!”
— Screech!
“Here we are!”
*
To everyone’s relief, my ominous imaginings hadn’t yet turned into reality.
“Hm? Lady. I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly. You could’ve slept a bit more.”
“… What…”
“Haha, I’ve heard often about the parrot on your shoulder. It’s said to be a mysterious bird…”
The Inquisitor Thomas Torquemada spoke with a sly smirk, making me feel a flicker of anger. But since nothing had happened yet, confronting him felt a bit pointless.
What was he even doing?
“What’s this?”
“As you can see, it’s a public notice. We must hold a ‘Witch Court’ at dawn, so I need to send out notices across the city.”
“…”
According to the information I gathered late last night, there are two types of Inquisitors.
First, the secretive ones—those who send minions into suspicious areas or hide themselves and seek evidence of corruption.
Second, the open ones—those who hold ‘Witch Courts’ in the city center and compel people to accuse one another.
Naturally, the latter results in far more innocent victims.
And Thomas was the second type.
“…”
Recalling the knowledge I memorized before entering Room 207, I reflected on how witch hunts were historically conducted.
Usually blamed on religious fanaticism, which isn’t completely wrong.
The papacy of that time certainly justified the witch hunts.
However, a significant motivator for these hunts in individual regions was money.
If a person successfully brands someone a witch and has them burnt, the accuser gains the witch’s property as a reward.
This made wealthy widows prime targets—too rich to defend themselves but with much to gain.
That’s right.
Nine out of ten historical issues of humanity begin with money.
Even in this medieval period long before capitalism, money is revered by everyone.
Knowing this, I immediately recognized an issue with the notice Thomas had issued.
“Delete item 12.”
“That item refers to awarding rewards for witch accusations—”
A subtle tension filled the air.
“That’s exactly why it should be deleted….”
“… Those who work hard deserve rewards. That’s a very old proverb.”
It sounds convincing.
“The love of money is the root of all evil; those who covet it betray their faith. Have you heard of that?”
“From 1 Timothy, Chapter 6, Verse 10. I know it well, but this is reality. Who would raise an accusation without a reward?”
“Have you considered that rewards might also lead to false accusations?”
“What’s wrong with that? There might be some false claims, but in that process, genuine accusations will emerge!”
I was momentarily lost for words.
This crazy guy knows there can be false accusations for money.
And he thinks the sacrifices are unavoidable!
In a brief moment of thought, I considered my options.
Should I just let the witch hunt happen?
If he starts executing people, I can still enforce justice.
“…”
So, I just take justice into my own hands and dispose of the judge afterward?
Doesn’t seem like that’s the way to go.
The hotel wouldn’t be handing me such an easy trial.
Let’s think rationally.
Despite being a lunatic, he’s still an ordinary human.
So, he’s probably not the ‘boss’.
The real boss must be some terrifying entity, something we couldn’t tackle even with Eunsol and I giving it our all.
Maybe it’s a priest of a false god or something like that?
Thinking about what would happen if I kill this guy.
The ‘presence of corruption’ has already been proven to the locals by Jinchul’s gruesome death.
I’m sure reports of this have already reached the papacy.
But if I kill the Inquisitor, does that wrap things up?
A judge’s death wouldn’t just end the trial.
Another judge would simply take his place.
It could be someone even crazier or a powerful temple knight.
Perhaps that knight is the real boss.
“…”
When I consider it this way, maybe it’s right to kill him?
Ultimately, to end the trial, we need to deal with the boss, and if Thomas’s death triggers the boss’s appearance…
Ugh, headaches.
I’ve never been one to overthink like this in the first place.
I could kill Thomas at any time.
Thus, let’s just proceed without killing him for now.
Pity the populace, lessen the innocent’s sacrifices.
But Thomas is a person who wouldn’t accept such obvious reasoning.
So I need to think of a logic he could accept.
“It was when I turned fifteen.”
“… Hm? What are you talking about all of a sudden -”
“On a day like any other, while praying at the foot of the cross, I heard the voice of the Almighty Lord.”
“….”
Looking slightly upward, as if listening to a voice from the heavens.
This memory from the past—though I made it up on the spot—felt like a moment to close my eyes.
To evoke the emotional weight of the moment, I lowered my voice.
“Elena, my dear daughter. I bestow upon you talents to establish true justice on this land.”
“…”
“That day, my life was entrusted completely to the Lord.”
Surprised?
Moved?
I’m on a whole different level than you!
God Himself bestowed miracles upon me, while you’re just a madman who reads the Bible!
— Thwap!
I flicked him lightly, making the Inquisitor sigh and respond.
“Hmm… A moving tale. I can see how much the Lord cherishes and loves you, Lady Elena.”
“Then you understand what I’m trying to say?”
“…”
“Remove the rewards section. The handling of seized property belongs solely to the Gray family!”
“The Duke entrusted that authority to me.”
“Your authority is just delegated by the Duke; it does not equate to mine.”
“Your authority is merely derived from that of the Duke—”
“Misunderstanding! The one who placed me upon this rock is the Lord, not the Duke.”
So just do as I say!
I’ve received God’s grace, after all.
Does that sound outrageous?
But it makes sense that you plan to burn hundreds without evidence?
“… You’re being unreasonable. Fine, I’ll concede.”
In the end, my invocation of God’s authority made the Inquisitor yield.
Of course, I sensed this was just the beginning, not the end of our conflict.
*
At midday, a sizable crowd gathered at the ‘Witch Court’ established in the city center.
Rich, poor, men, women, elderly, children—people of all kinds were present.
Among them, I spotted a familiar face—Eunsol.
“….”
“….”
Our eyes met.
With so many watching, this wasn’t the time to greet, so I merely nodded slightly.
“Ahem! Citizens of Ernhheim, I am Inquisitor Thomas Torquemada from the Papacy.”
A murmur went through the crowd.
The ominous title of ‘lord of the pyres’ echoed from all corners—proof of how notorious Thomas’s name was.
“From now on, we will commence the Witch Court—”
“Wait a moment.”
I purposely interrupted to restrict Thomas at this timing.
I wanted everyone to witness ‘me stopping Thomas’.
“…”
I stepped forward, two paces ahead, looking down upon the crowd.
Their looks were filled with fear or awe towards the blessed daughter.
Sticky gazes that craved after my beauty or lust.
Well, whatever.
What mattered was that all eyes were on me.
“Those who speak falsehoods in this court shall forfeit a limb. Thomas, you may commence.”
“… I hereby begin the Witch Court!”
— Bang!
Court is now in session.
*
Removing the reward for accusations was, in retrospect, a brilliant decision.
As it would turn out, most people, who would have jumped at the chance to point fingers and scream ‘that person is a witch’, were now staying surprisingly quiet.
Of course, there were still some who raised their voices.
“Two months ago, it happened. My cow made an ungodly wail and ran outside—”
Hearing a cow’s cry late at night, he found a beast-like man fleeing.
Probably someone from next door, clearly trying to use sorcery.
“… That sounds like just a cow thief, doesn’t it?”
“Lady, if you had seen that beastly man—”
“Trying to steal a cow? Remember his face?”
Bringing in the suspect for questioning, the outcome was just as I expected—just a cow thief.
— Bang!
“Judgment. Cut off his hands and fingers.”
“…”
Harsh, but maybe it’s right to punish a cow thief to this extent.
Common folks couldn’t discern between standard crimes and witchcraft.
Or maybe, they intended to settle all their longstanding grudges now that the court had finally opened.
With the Lord’s daughter discerning truths and a human barbecue expert in one place, most suspects spilled their secrets just by looking at them.
“Please listen! My name is Matthias! I swear there isn’t a single lie. My wife has been acting strange for thirteen years since our marriage—”
Matthias, the merchant who gained great wealth from salt trade and was known since youth for his beautiful wife Isabella, suddenly had a deeply troubling issue arise over the years.
What was bothering him? The oddly strange behaviors of his wife, Isabella, who would leave home whenever he went on trips.
After many questions about her reasons, only nonsensical answers came forth.
Clearly, a vile demon must have enchanted his wife!
“…”
“…”
Both Thomas and I found ourselves at a loss for words.
A moment later, Thomas called forth the accuser’s wife.
“My husband has always harbored strange suspicions! I merely enjoy taking a breather at night—”
“Liar!”
“Eek!”
The lie detection kicked in!
As my eyes shone with a golden light warning, not just the wife but everyone present looked utterly terrified.
“No time, hurry up and tell the truth.”
Eventually, she poured out her heart-wrenching tale, teary-eyed.
A bittersweet first love in her teen years, a pure boy who smelled like mint, and an unforgettable meeting.
Then came the unexpected marriage arranged by her father.
She accepted it, believing she was destined for it.
Until one day, her first love returned as a prosperous banker—
“Ah! An affair!”
“…”
This woman tells a story that’s downright entertaining!
It’s just an affair story, yet I almost yelled ‘not guilty!’ out of sheer enjoyment!
“Ha…”
The Inquisitor sitting next to me sighed deeply, looking older by at least a decade.
Apparently, he was tiresomely enduring a heap of incidents unrelated to witches and corruption.
Just as he swatted to dismiss the situation, the salt merchant, half-crazed, shouted.
“Isabella! Isabella! Answer me clearly!”
“Matthias….”
“Who is the father of the children!?”
At that moment, the whole courtroom froze.
The townspeople, who were watching with intrigued expressions, alongside Thomas, whose blood seemed to be boiling, all focused intensely on Isabella.
“Th-they’re yours! I swear to God, all three are—”
Naturally, everyone’s gaze fell upon me.
“…”
All eyes pleaded for an answer.
Even Thomas’s gaze was directed my way.
“… Liar.”
“Maybe not the second one. But the other two are—”
Ah…
Please, Isabella.
Don’t put me through this.
“… Liar.”
“Eek!”
“Ah! So, so! Does that mean there’s even one child that’s mine!?”
“… Well, the first… maybe—”
I completely lost my grip on sanity.
Wasn’t this a Witch Court?
It was just too absurd, leading me to exhale a deep sigh.
“Hey, Lady!”
“… Valentina?”
“That lady you sent a letter to sent a note back!”
Eunsol sent a note?
*
– Lee Eunsol
Wasn’t this a Witch Court?
It’s entertaining, but I never imagined it would turn out like this.
“…”
The Inquisitor, with an exasperated expression, ordered that Isabella and her illicit partner be tied up in the square.
Beside him, Elena also wore a tired face.
Having watched how the trial was progressing, I could guess what Elena was thinking.
She seemed to be wary of the Inquisitor’s rampage, trying to minimize the bloodshed.
Well, unlike the locals who firmly believed the moment they saw Jinchul’s remains that there must be witches, both Elena and I knew that flesh was unrelated to any witchcraft.
Thus, wasn’t Elena trying to render the witch trial itself meaningless?
“…”
I get what she’s thinking, but….
Elena is fundamentally mistaken about one thing.
Being holed up in a centuries-old mansion, she seems to be slow on the uptake regarding this kind of information.
*
– Elena
I unfolded the note sent by my sister.
“Elena, there are indeed witches and demon worshippers out there.”
“…”
Overwhelmed once more with frustration, I saw a cold-looking man raising his hand.
“I accuse!”
“State your name, the accused, and the reason in order.”
“I, Bruno, make sausages for the nearby Pilita monastery. And the accused is!”
“The accused is?”
“Lee Eunsol! She’s a witch!”
Finally, it has begun.
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