CHAPTER~64
The day before the trial opened.
Frezen Decart secretly visited Grimora, who was imprisoned in the underground dungeon.
At the Duke’s appearance, not only the guards but even the prisoners trembled in fear.
It was extremely rare and highly unusual for the head of the family to visit the underground prison in person.
Before long, the rusted iron door opened, and Grimora entered the visitation room.
“D-Duke!”
Startled that Frezen had come to see her, she immediately bowed her head deeply.
“Seat her.”
“Yes, Duke.”
The guards forcibly pulled Grimora up and made her sit across from him.
Once the guards left, the visitation room was filled with heavy silence.
The first to break it, unexpectedly, was Frezen.
“I hear you’re from the Illusory Paradise.”
“You deceived people quite well all this time, Grimora.”
“So how did you make it all the way to Northskal?”
“You wouldn’t have been able to leave the Illusory Paradise without someone’s help.”
Even in northern Northskal, a place far removed from the shadows, the notoriety of the Illusory Paradise was well known.
Those who worked there could never leave by any means.
If they were caught trying to escape, they were killed on the spot, and if caught by the wrong person, they were publicly executed as an example.
Yet Grimora had somehow escaped and settled in the North.
She had even brought her sons with her.
Without someone’s assistance, it was utterly impossible.
“It’s already more or less confirmed that you were colluding with one of the Elders.”
“Naturally, the one who helped you must be among them.”
“Was it Elder Anselmus?”
“The way you two exchanged looks was quite intense.”
At the probing question, Grimora flinched slightly, then quickly composed herself and answered calmly.
“I have nothing to say.”
“There are rumors spreading even among the servants and vassal families.”
“They say the twins resemble Elder Anselmus quite a lot.”
“……”
“If you intend to interrogate me, I have nothing to say.”
“Just punish me as you see fit, Duke.”
Is she protecting the children’s father to the very end.
Or does she still have a card she trusts.
Grimora’s far more defensive attitude than expected only made Frezen more interested.
Without showing any sign of agitation, he presented the documents he had brought.
“You have eyes, so you can see for yourself.”
“‘Petition Demanding Severe Punishment for the Infamous Villainess Grimora.’”
“Every Elder signed it.”
“Ah, Elder Anselmus as well.”
“W-What did you say?”
Grimora, who had been banging against the wall all this time, finally began to waver.
She checked the petition and ground her teeth in fury.
“Those vile snakes!”
“How dare they deceive me?”
“Do they know how much I devoted myself to them?”
“Why only me!”
Her face turned red as she struggled in rage.
“What is this commotion!”
Hearing Grimora’s scream-like outburst, the guards who had been waiting outside rushed in and swung their whips.
At that moment, Frezen raised his hand to stop them.
Though blood dripped from the lashes on her hands and back, Grimora did not cry out in pain.
Instead, she clenched her teeth in burning fury.
Frezen pointed to a paragraph beneath the petition.
“Unfortunately, what’s written here doesn’t concern only you.”
“The punishment includes your sons as well.”
At the word “sons,” Grimora’s face turned pale.
“That’s impossible.”
“That can’t be…… true.”
Her trembling eyes scanned the document frantically, until she saw a name far too familiar.
“Anselmus…….”
“Haha.”
“Hahaha!”
Instead of exploding in rage, Grimora let out hollow laughter.
Tears of sorrow streamed endlessly from her eyes.
Her body shook with deep betrayal.
So in the end, this is how they abandon us.
“Grimora, your origin in the Illusory Paradise has already been exposed.”
“On top of that, you’ve become an infamous villainess who abused her children.”
“Most likely, all punishments will fall upon you.”
“Even the crimes you did not commit.”
“……”
“So, Grimora.”
“I was thinking of offering you a very tempting proposal.”
Grimora slowly raised her head and stared at Frezen.
“If you accept my proposal, I will personally prevent your children’s punishment.”
“No harm will come to them.”
At those words, the skin beneath Grimora’s eyes gradually reddened.
“However, the punishment you receive will remain the same.”
“You will pay for your sins.”
“……”
After hesitating, Grimora finally lowered her head.
She did not move at all, her thoughts unreadable.
“The choice is entirely yours now.”
“Whether you remain the cruel mother of the twins.”
“Or become a kind mother.”
“I can only hope that at least a shred of maternal love remains in you.”
Thinking she needed time, Frezen did not pressure her and waited quietly.
As if repaying his mercy, Grimora, who had been deep in thought, raised her head with a resolute expression unlike before.
At her answer, Frezen’s lips curved into a satisfied smile.
* * *
And so, back to the present.
When I first heard that story from Frezen, I thought Grimora would never accept the proposal.
“Not only that, but I also know how Young Master, Lady Artemene’s grandson, died about three years ago.”
“And who was behind it.”
Given everything that had happened, I believed Grimora wouldn’t think of the children at all.
Yet she made an unexpected choice.
Of course, she might have accepted the proposal to take revenge on those who betrayed her.
Still, I chose to believe that some concern for her children remained in her heart.
“Why bring up now an incident from over three years ago,”
“especially one where the culprit was already identified?”
“Grimora.”
As murmurs spread through the courtroom at Grimora’s statement, one Elder spoke up.
“This matter is irrelevant, Your Honor.”
“Issue a warning at once.”
“We have no time to dig up past incidents.”
“Indeed!”
The Elders began voicing their agreement one by one.
At that moment, Frezen spoke.
“It doesn’t seem entirely unrelated.”
“Wouldn’t you agree, Your Honor?”
“Yes, Duke.”
“According to the interrogation, the maid who attempted the poisoning in this case had been at Lady Artemene’s estate several years ago.”
“In other words, during that incident, the maid assisted Madam Nanny Quina, who was the wet nurse at the time.”
“She even provided key testimony back then.”
The crowd began whispering.
Frezen, seemingly pleased with the reaction, rested his chin on his hand and smiled leisurely.
“A key witness from years ago is now the culprit in a poisoning attempt.”
“Just hearing that much sounds sufficiently connected.”
“What do you think, Elders?”
“Is this still irrelevant?”
“T-That is, Duke……!”
Faced with Frezen’s flawless logic, the Elders fell silent, unable to refute him.
“Even if there is some connection,”
“ultimately, the culprits are different, are they not, Duke?”
At last, Julich stepped forward.
The Elders nodded in agreement, swaying like reeds.
“And even if the current case is linked to the past one,”
“it would be unreasonable to uncover the truth of an already closed case now.”
“In short, it is merely a waste of time.”
“Well…….”
“Whether it’s unreasonable remains to be seen, Uncle.”
At Frezen’s firm reply, the relaxed smile on Julich’s face twitched.
He clearly did not like the bold confidence Frezen displayed.
As their sharp exchange continued, the door suddenly opened.
Footsteps echoed into the courtroom.
“……I apologize for being late.”
“I am Quina Mendella.”
* * *
“Order!”
“Order in the sacred court!”
“What do you think you are doing!”
The courtroom erupted at the appearance of Nanny Quina.
Even after several years, most still remembered her face.
Only after the judge intervened did the commotion finally settle.
Nanny Quina took her seat at the witness stand.
As all eyes followed her, Frezen began.
“Madam Quina Mendella has appeared here today as a witness,”
“to testify about the incident that occurred approximately three years ago.”
“Duke, this is unacceptable!”
“How can you bring a former culprit into the courtroom!”
The Elders immediately stood and protested.
“I have no intention of forgiving or glorifying Madam Quina Mendella’s crimes.”
“However, she has paid her due punishment and deeply repented.”
“Thus, I personally asked her to appear as a key witness to uncover the truth of this case.”
Cutting off the Elder who tried to continue protesting, Frezen spoke firmly.
“More importantly,”
“we have identified the type of poison that could not be determined back then.”
“What!”
“What kind of poison was it!”
“How is the poison even relevant!”
Amid the conflicting reactions, the door opened once more.
Loren entered, carrying a platter with two teacups.
He placed it on the central table.
I spoke to the bewildered crowd.
“One of the two teacups on this platter contains the poison used by the culprit back then.”
“Care to guess which one?”
“Poison?”
“Aren’t they just the same tea?”
“This is absurd.”
“The color is slightly darker, but it doesn’t look poisoned.”
“There’s no smell either.”
“Is there really poison in it?”
As expected, most people reacted the same way.
Identifying poisoned tea by sight alone would be difficult.
“It won’t be easy to tell at a glance.”
“The poison used is extremely subtle and odorless.”
Encouraged by their reactions, I continued more confidently.
“However, it does change the color slightly.”
“And anyone who brews tea daily, like a maid or wet nurse, would notice it immediately.”
“Isn’t that right, Loren?”
Loren, visibly tense, answered clearly.
“Y-Yes!”
“That’s right!”
“We always serve our masters’ tea at precise temperatures, so even the slightest change cannot be overlooked!”
Hearing this, one Elder spoke with suspicion.
“Wait.”
“Doesn’t that mean Nanny Quina knowingly served discolored tea?”
Just as I had anticipated.
“Usually, yes.”
“However, there is an exception.”
“……Nanny Quina.”
“Please speak now.”
I turned my gaze to Madam Quina.
After hesitating, she parted her dry lips.
“I…….”
“In truth, I lost my sight long ago.”
