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Chapter Four: Theresalo’s Repentance
Two weeks later, at the royal family’s party, Wellmy dropped into a curtsy in front of the king, silently requesting permission to speak again.
“What is it, Lady Wellmy Liroud?” he asked.
“Your Majesty, I know of someone else who was manipulated by Lord Turgis,” she said.
On top of Lady Darristea, there was another victim whose misdeeds had to be exposed at this party.
“Who is it?” the king asked.
W ӗ bn̈ о́ v̌ еĺ Е̌ n̂ u m а̇
“Baron Traff’s daughter—Lady Theresalo.”
Hearing Wellmy call her name, Theresalo timidly stepped forward and performed an awkward curtsy. The young gentlemen around them all spread out in a circle, except for one man who remained directly behind her—the knight lord, Sofoyl Enderlen.
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A tall and strong young man, he was the only one out of the young men protecting Leo and Wellmy who hadn’t been born into a prominent noble family, and had earned his peerage through his own prowess. Even though he had the lowest status among all of them, he had more merits than everyone else.
Lord Sofoyl had been born the third son of a baron. After passing the selection test to join the royal order of chivalry, he’d caught the attention of the margrave of the south and had been sent there to serve in his army. There, he had been assigned to a unit fighting monsters and shown remarkable talent. A few weeks ago, he had been sent back to the capital to join the Royal Corps, the army protecting the kingdom from the most dangerous monster threats. He had told Wellmy all this himself when they’d met.
Theresalo glanced up, and Lord Sofoyl gave her an encouraging nod.
Apparently, the two of them were childhood friends. They had even once been engaged, Wellmy had heard.
Е ǹ ūm̄а .іd̀
Lord Sofoyl had narrow eyes and could hardly be described as handsome, but he was a gentle and broad-minded man. Wellmy knew for a fact that the quieter someone was, the scarier they were when angered.
“Lady Theresalo Traff,” the king said.
“Yes!” Theresalo exclaimed as she raised her face.
Wellmy shifted her attention back to the scene in front of her.
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“Is Lady Wellmy Liroud telling the truth?” the king asked.
“Yes! L-Lord Turgis Deltraute threatened me,” Theresalo stammered, doing her best to recite the words they had decided on. “H-He... He, um, asked me to...” She brought her hands together, her shoulders shaking, and closed her eyes.
Ë n̂ ú ṁ а̊.
The petite prospect saint’s decorum was a little rough around the edges, but that wasn’t too surprising. After all, she hailed from a lower-ranked family. It was no wonder she would be nervous with so many eyes on her.
She took a deep breath and, at last, confessed the sin she had been forced to commit: “He made me cast the Saintly Charm spell on the gentlemen protecting Lady Wellmy and His Highness the Crown Prince!”
Everyone gasped at the revelation. Even Lady Darristea’s eyes shot wide open.
The Saintly Charm spell was a technique granted to saints by the Goddess to ensure that the knights in charge of protecting them wouldn’t try to harm them. As a rule, saints were forbidden from casting it without the permission of the Holy Church. Unlike mind-control spells, Saintly Charm didn’t rob the target of their free will; it merely put them under a magical contract that prevented them from hurting the saints.
However, the part that had everyone shocked wasn’t the fact that Lady Theresalo had used the spell without permission.
“You have already acquired the Saintly Charm technique?!” the king exclaimed.
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Theresalo nodded. “Y-Yes!”
That technique was one of the most difficult holy spells that saints could use, with only a handful of them having mastered it throughout history. It was said that one needed a pure heart, outstanding talent, and a lot of practice to truly understand it.
Even though Theresalo’s silver eyes represented her talent for healing and her pink hair matched that of all of the strongest saints in history, she was still merely a candidate for sainthood. The fact that she could use Saintly Charm was nothing short of extraordinary.
She wanted to keep it a secret, though... Wellmy thought.
Once the Holy Church learned that Theresalo had mastered the spell, they’d likely accelerate the process of making her an official saint. The girl had barely had her debutante ball, yet she would have to leave the noble academy and her loved ones, and dedicate the rest of her life to helping the people of the kingdom.
She wanted to at least graduate from school.
Ẽn̆u̇ ṁа̇
That modest little wish, which tore at Theresalo from the inside, was what had led to her meeting Wellmy.
※※※
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Wellmy had met Theresalo three months ago during a social gathering at the royal palace.
She had been acting as a decoy for Iora for some time already, and she could feel the hostile gazes directed at her when she and Leo took the floor for the first dance. Under normal circumstances, it should have been Lady Darristea or one of his other prospective fiancées—however few there were now—on his arm. Yet, at the last few parties, Leo had consistently performed the first dance with Wellmy.
Most partygoers exchanged whispers of disbelief, wondering what was going on, while others observed the situation, contemplating the benefits of cozying up to Wellmy or recruiting her into their factions.
Just as Wellmy had expected, there were very few positive reactions to her proximity to the prince. Those who expected her to get engaged to Aides, either because they’d heard rumors of what had happened at his party or because they’d watched the play he’d written, were displeased to see her so close to Leo. Some had also noted the Lionels distancing themselves from Aides, and feared the two houses might fight over who got Wellmy, potentially leading to a civil war.
Ė ňúm̈ a . id
None of them know this is just an act, Wellmy thought.
They likely had no idea she and Leo got along like cats and dogs, and that Aides spoiled her rotten at every chance he got.
Wellmy’s amusement at the crowd’s reaction was replaced by embarrassment as she thought back on her days spent with Aides at his secondary residence, and her cheeks grew warm.
“What’s wrong? Mesmerized by my good looks?” Leo asked.
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How presumptuous.
Of course, he didn’t mean anything by it other than a snide remark. No other girl in his sphere would have ever dared to let her thoughts wander while dancing with a prince.
Е̃ń ú m̄а.іď
“Me? Mesmerized by you? May I suggest you take a look in a mirror before speaking, Your Highness?” Wellmy instinctively shot back.
“You do know who you’re talking to right now, don’t you?”
“I cannot help it, Your Highness. Unfortunately for you, I’m used to seeing Aides’s face up close,” Wellmy said with a scornful laugh.
It was a lie. She still couldn’t acclimate to her fiancé’s good looks.
Then again, Leo was objectively quite handsome with his golden eyes and purple hair that glimmered as if it were wet. But he simply wasn’t Wellmy’s type—and his personality didn’t help.
“Ugh. Seriously, why do I have to be dancing with you right now?” she groaned, adding fuel to the fire.
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“Thanks for the verbal abuse, Wellmy. You just gave me the perfect opportunity to get you thrown in jail for lèse-majesté. Hope you’re ready to spend some time behind bars.”
“I wouldn’t mind. But I doubt Aides would let it happen.”
They carried out this entire exchange in hushed voices, their faces adorned with perfect, loving smiles to give the impression that they were close. Their conversation consisted more of venomous insults than sweet whispers, but no one noticed. Wellmy was an excellent actress, and Leo had been taught to behave like a prince from a young age. His perfect façade didn’t even crack.
Once they were done performing three dances to really give the illusion that they were close, Wellmy was finally free to leave Leo’s side. She spotted Karla in the crowd and headed straight to her.
“Let the royal family deal with those annoying high-ranking nobles,” Aides had told her, and Wellmy had happily obliged.
The prince quickly found himself surrounded when their last dance ended, but he would likely return to Wellmy’s side once he was done entertaining them.
Ẃ e b̌ ñо.v̂ é l Е̄n um а́
Karla was the daughter of a viscount and one of the participants in the salon Leo had held for Iora at the noble academy. She was also the first person Wellmy found at school she had been willing to entrust her beloved sister to. Karla’s father, Lord Londart, didn’t own a fief but was a successful merchant who had managed to extend his business beyond the borders of the Lionel Kingdom. As a result, he had grown his influence despite being a petty noble.
From what Wellmy had heard, he had agreed to supply Iora with the medicinal herbs and magic materials she would need to make her research project a reality. In exchange, she had signed a contract granting him exclusive rights to distribute the finished product and promote it to other nations for a certain period of time.
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Karla was one of the few people who knew the entire truth about Wellmy and Iora’s situation, so they had preemptively told her about their current plan.
“Long time no see, Karla,” Wellmy said.
“It truly has been a while, Wellmy. I haven’t seen Iora in quite some time either. How is she?”
“She’s doing much better than before.”
Ŵ ê bň оvеl Е̄.n ùm̆а
Iora’s time as Countess of Ernest would soon be coming to an end, as she had nearly completed the procedures to transfer the title to its new owner—House Schneiger’s firstborn son, a young man so competent it was hard to believe he was Arvine’s brother. With the assistance of Gordley, the Ernests’ outstanding butler, he had already started managing the territory as a trial of sorts. If he handled his duties without issue, he would soon take on full responsibility for the county. The Ernests’ territory had shrunk when Savarin had cut ties with his relatives, but the Schneigers were planning on merging it with their own, as their lands were adjacent.
Now free from the responsibility of administering her father’s former territory, Iora could fully dedicate herself to her research and crown princess lessons.
“Aren’t you working too much?” Wellmy had asked her, concerned.
“I’m having fun, so it’s fine,” Iora had replied with a smile.
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Could it be that Iora actually likes working...?
Wellmy told Karla all about her sister’s new projects and her concerns about Iora’s health.
Ĕn̂ ů.mа
“Look who’s talking. You worry about Iora while you keep taking on one annoying task after another,” Karla pointed out, an exasperated look on her face.
“I’m doing it for Iora. It’s only natural for me to want to help my dear sister. Besides, I have quite a lot of free time on my hands,” Wellmy said, slightly puzzled by Karla’s exasperation.
“You two sisters truly are birds of a feather. Come. I’ll introduce you to my friends.”
As Wellmy exchanged greetings and enjoyed some lighthearted chitchat with the ladies Karla introduced her to, Leo joined them, an air of irritation emanating from him despite the smile on his face.
The young ladies with them dropped into curtsies, some delighted to see the prince up close, while others were clearly nervous. Wellmy really didn’t feel like giving Leo a formal greeting, but she still followed the others’ example.
The prince addressed each lady in order of their rank, exchanging a word or two before giving them permission to relax.
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“These mind games nobles play are exhausting. But when I’m here, surrounded by beautiful flowers, it feels like my heart is being cleansed,” he said.
Amid the other ladies’ cries of delight, Wellmy softly chided him. “Your Highness, perhaps you should be more careful with your words.” She had made a conscious effort to sound as pleasant as possible this time, unlike when they had been dancing earlier. Someone might be listening, after all.
Leo shrugged, visibly not worrying about the unnecessary comment he had made before complimenting the young ladies.
“I agree with Wellmy, Your Highness,” Karla, who was much closer to Leo than Wellmy, added.
The prince grimaced at this. “Am I not even allowed to complain now?”
He was about to add something when, all of a sudden, a girl with light pink hair approached them.
E ń uḿ а
She walked up to Leo and spoke up, “Um, Le—”
Wellmy forced herself to snap out of her shock and hurriedly smacked the hand the girl had timidly extended toward the prince with her folding fan before she could continue. The sharp slapping sound echoed through the air, and silence fell on the room.
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What is that girl thinking?! Wellmy thought, outraged.
Fortunately, she had managed to stop the girl from publicly calling Leo by his name at the very last second. Wellmy’s heart was still racing, but she quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, turning toward the girl, who stared at her with wide, confused eyes, Wellmy forced a look of fury onto her face.
“How impolite!” she admonished her. “How dare you address His Highness the Crown Prince without permission?!”
The girl just seemed more confused.
W̄ѐ b ṅ о́ vе̌ l. Е ṅ ū mа
If I remember correctly, she’s Theresalo, daughter of Baron Traff.
Wellmy dug into her mind for details about the girl. If her calculations were correct, she was currently sixteen and had been a noble for four years, her father having been bestowed the title of baron when she had been twelve. Wellmy remembered her primarily because of her unusual hair color, the fact that she was a candidate for sainthood...and because, like Wellmy, she had once been a commoner.
Taking her background and status as a prospective saint into account, Theresalo could likely get away with most etiquette faux pas with just a few mocking jabs. However, disrespecting the royal family in public would undoubtedly cause her trouble in the future.
Wellmy knew that Prince Tygrim was currently teaching her the basics of magic, so she must have been used to seeing Leo in more private settings. The reason she had so many occasions to meet with the princes behind closed doors was because of her special circumstances.
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The Holy Church offered strong protection to those who could wield healing magic. They were as valuable as the rarest of precious gems, and their abilities were incredibly useful, making them prime targets for abduction in times of national turmoil.
However, having been accepted at the noble academy, Theresalo had refused to join the temple. Because of this, she wasn’t allowed to learn holy techniques from the church’s high priests, as they were forbidden from communicating with outsiders. The Holy Church’s compromise had been to have her learn the basics from Prince Tygrim. Not only was he allowed to speak to the priests due to his status as a member of the royal family, but having been born with silver eyes, he was also an excellent healer himself.
E ṅ ům̄а .і d̈
Theresalo had spent quite a bit of time in private with Leo, so she might not have known how to address him properly. Leo might forgive her blatant lack of respect, but the other nobles wouldn’t.
Things won’t settle unless I take her outside, Wellmy thought, having noticed the tension in the air. She signaled her intentions to Leo with her eyes, and he gave her a small nod, immediately understanding what she meant.
“That’s why I can’t stand petty nobles! Come with me!”
“Huh? Ah...”
Feigning indignation, Wellmy grabbed Theresalo’s hand before dragging her out to the palace’s gardens. Now, everyone would talk about how Wellmy the villainess had yelled at a prospective saint, and they would all forget about Theresalo’s faux pas.
Stopping in the shade of a tree, Wellmy placed both hands on the terrified girl’s cheeks.
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“Do you realize what you just did? You could have been tried for lèse-majesté,” Wellmy told her.
Theresalo’s shoulders trembled. “L-Lèse-majesté...?” she stammered, looking even more scared than before.
Wellmy let out a sigh. “High society is different from the noble academy and life in the city. Not everyone is allowed to address high-ranking nobles, let alone the royal family. If you don’t abide by the rules, you and your family risk facing charges.”
As Wellmy explained Theresalo’s mistake at length, the girl’s eyes grew even wetter.
“I-I’m so sorry!” she said.
“It’s good that you understand what you did wrong, but be careful in the future. Thankfully, we managed to avoid a major scandal.”
Ӗ_n ǔ mа̀ .i d̂
Leo might have been, well, Leo, but he was still the crown prince—the second most powerful individual in this kingdom alongside his mother.
“Thank you...very much,” Theresalo said.
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She didn’t seem like a bad egg.
Seeing a glint of relief and a faint shadow in the depths of her eyes, Wellmy sat the sniffling girl on a bench and handed her her handkerchief. Theresalo bowed her head and accepted it.
“You’re, um, very different from what the rumors say, Lady Wellmy,” the girl said timidly.
“Am I?”
Е nu ṁа̀ .іd̊
“Yes. Your aura feels...warm,” Theresalo explained with a giggle as she broke into a grin.
She was so cute, Wellmy couldn’t help but smile in return. “I might just be deceiving you,” she pointed out.
“Auras don’t lie!” the girl insisted. It seemed that, just like Wellmy, she was able to discern a person’s true nature at a glance.
Seeing as Theresalo trusted her so much (although she wasn’t exactly sure why), Wellmy decided to prod a little. “What did you want to tell the crown prince earlier?” She paused and added, “Something’s troubling you, isn’t it?”
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Theresalo gasped. “How did you know— Ah!” She covered her mouth with both hands, as if she had said too much.
It hadn’t been difficult for Wellmy to put two and two together, seeing the girl’s reactions. While clearly afraid, she had seemed somewhat relieved when Wellmy had dragged her to the gardens.
Е̇.ñ u m̄а̀
“It didn’t seem like you came to talk to him of your own volition, that’s why,” she explained. “If it’s fine with you, would you tell me about your issue?”
It seemed that Wellmy’s reading had been correct.
A glum expression took over Theresalo’s face, and she hung her head low. “I... I don’t know what to do...” she whispered.
※※※
Theresalo was born into a relatively affluent commoner family. Her father, a merchant, was granted the title of baron purely by chance after saving a certain man.
The individual in question hailed from a house of disenchanters and had ties to the Holy Church, famous philanthropists, and healers. For that reason, he frequently visited the orphanage and almshouse to lend his services.
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One night, as the man was returning home after attending a dinner party held in his honor, he and his guards were attacked by ruffians using daggers coated in anesthetics. The thugs were about to abduct him when Theresalo’s father, who just happened to pass by, stopped them. He was a large, strong man with an interest in the military arts and was often mistaken for a soldier or a knight. Theresalo’s father took the man and his guards to his home, prepared an antidote for the anesthetic using his own wares, and fed it to them. Then, he let them rest at his house until they were back on their feet.
The man he had saved was the former Duke of Liroud, Lord Navera. In other words, he was Count Clartes Liroud’s father and Lady Wellmy’s grandfather.
Duke Liroud swore that he would repay Theresalo’s father for his help. Some time later, he was rewarded with a large sum of money and the title of Baron Traff.
“How lucky!” he said with a laugh.
As time went on, he and Lord Navera grew somewhat close through business dealings. One day, Theresalo stumbled upon the man, and she greeted him. That was when he took notice of her appearance.
Theresalo knew that her light pink hair and silver eyes were unusual, but she never would have imagined that she possessed the qualities to become a saint. After all, most commoners couldn’t use magic, so they were completely unaware of the ins and outs of the discipline.
W е̊b̀ nоv̌ё l̆ Еnũm̊ ӓ
Now that Theresalo’s father was a baron, he placed greater emphasis on etiquette and education and enrolled her at the noble academy. She agreed to attend but, in exchange, asked to be betrothed to Sofoyl, a gentle young man who had played with her since childhood and had always been by her side. He, too, was the son of a baron, though his family was far poorer than hers.
But she loved him, and now that she was also a noble, they were technically allowed to marry.
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When she made her request to her father, he told her that he would only grant her wish with Sofoyl’s consent, so Theresalo worked hard to express her feelings to the young man. She was overjoyed when he accepted the proposal.
But soon after, he enlisted as a knight and was dispatched to a distant, remote region.
Determined to become a perfect lady by the time he returned, Theresalo joined the noble academy, started learning healing magic from Prince Tygrim, worked hard on her studies, and offered devout prayers to the Goddess.
But one day, a boy started making advances. His name was Seyfalt, and he was the son of Count Aulgim. She refused, saying that she already had a fiancé, but the boy refused to back down. He had one of his friends, the son of a marquis, use his influence on the church while he applied pressure on Theresalo’s and Sofoyl’s families, successfully dissolving their engagement.
Ŵ е b̄n̆ о v ёl Е n um ā
By then, Theresalo’s father’s friend, Lord Navera, had already stepped down from the position of Duke Liroud due to his own family circumstances, and his second son had inherited his title, so they couldn’t even turn to him for help.
Sofoyl’s family profusely apologized to Theresalo, but she was still devastated—and terrified.
Why me? she wondered. She didn’t like Lord Seyfalt, so she wasn’t happy at all to have him push his feelings onto her. Sure, he was good-looking, but in Theresalo’s eyes, that was all there was to him.
She did her best to avoid crossing his path, but to her dismay, he eventually managed to catch her—literally.
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He tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away with a “No!”
On the spur of the moment, she involuntarily cast Saintly Charm, the holy spell she had learned while studying magic control with Prince Tygrim. This prevented Lord Seyfalt from touching her without her consent.
Е́ ňù m̄ а
Unfortunately, another student witnessed her using the spell—Lord Turgis Deltraute.
“I won’t tell anyone,” he assured her. “In exchange, I want you to use that spell on a few other boys.”
A faint floral scent wafted from him, one that Theresalo had never smelled before.
Under those circumstances, she had no choice but to agree. If Lord Turgis or Lord Seyfalt revealed what had just happened to the Holy Church, the priests would know that she could use Saintly Charm. She’d be cloistered and would never be able to see Sofoyl when he returned to the royal capital.
Overcome by fear, she told Lord Seyfalt to keep the fact that she could use Saintly Charm a secret. As the spell had instilled unwavering loyalty in him, the young man couldn’t act against Theresalo’s interest anymore. And so, he didn’t tell a soul about the technique, even though he hadn’t listened to a single thing she’d said before.
Theresalo was terrified—both by her own abilities and by Lord Turgis, who wanted her to use them on others.
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The young man’s requests kept growing bolder and bolder until, one day, he told her to cast the technique on the crown prince.
Theresalo felt her vision grow dark.
If I do it and people discover it... But I can’t refuse, or I’ll be locked inside the church...
Despite her turmoil, she made her way to Prince Leoniel on shaky legs and was about to call out to him when someone slapped the hand she had raised with a fan, the sound echoing through the party hall.
The culprit was a beautiful, petite girl with platinum blonde hair and vermilion eyes shining with determination. Theresalo immediately recognized the infamous Lady Wellmy, Count Liroud’s newly adopted daughter.
The previous Duke Liroud had helped her father, and now, on this day, Theresalo too was saved by a Liroud.
Ӗň u m а̌ . id̈
Seeing Lady Wellmy up close, Theresalo realized she wasn’t the villainess the rumors had painted her to be. Her aura was warm, like a soft hug. That was why, when Lady Wellmy asked what she was doing, Theresalo felt compelled to tell her the truth.
※※※
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Having heard Theresalo’s explanation, Wellmy grimaced inwardly. She had not been expecting that such shady dealings were happening behind the scenes.
Wait a minute.
She had only started to think about the matter and could already sense there was more than one issue lurking in the shadows. This entire situation reeked of danger.
“Theresalo. Have you told anyone else about this?” she asked.
Ē nùṁ а
“No...” the girl replied, shaking her head weakly.
Wellmy brought a hand to her cheek pensively and let out a sigh. Now that I think about it... Should she really have told me that she could use the Saintly Charm technique? That piece of information alone was already quite a big deal.
“Does Prince Tygrim know that you can use Saintly Charm?” she asked.
“He does... But His Majesty and Prince Leoniel don’t. Um... Prince Tygrim told me that I should keep it a secret if I want to finish my education at the noble academy.”
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Well, that’s true, but... Prince Tygrim! What kind of ideas are you putting in this girl’s head?!
It was a fact that if the king and the Holy Church were to learn about Theresalo’s abilities, she would have to start working as a saint. Still, as a member of the royal family, Prince Tygrim should never have indulged her whims by keeping her skills a secret from the Holy Church. In the worst-case scenario, it could cause lasting damage to the Lionels’ relationship with the clergy. His actions might have been forgivable if he intended to take Theresalo as his wife, but a prince marrying the daughter of a newly appointed baron was utter madness. It would have been just as reckless as Aides’s decision to marry Wellmy.
Е̌ n̊ŭ m a
Besides, no matter how one viewed it, the consequences awaiting Prince Tygrim if he were caught far outweighed any benefits he might gain from keeping Theresalo’s abilities a secret.
“Forgive me for my bluntness, but are you and Prince Tygrim in a relationship?” Wellmy asked.
“N-No! I could never!” Theresalo immediately replied. “I-I’m not worthy of having that kind of relationship with a prince. Besides, I love Sofoyl!”
“Prince Tygrim is your mentor, isn’t he? Have you never thought of asking him for help?”
“Huh...? No, I... I haven’t,” Theresalo replied, seemingly puzzled by Wellmy’s question.
Then, her expression darkened.
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“But I could never. If he helped me resolve the situation, but the fact that he told me to keep my abilities a secret became public knowledge, it would cause him trouble too...”
The more Theresalo spoke, the more Wellmy realized that she was just a normal girl—and a rather down-to-earth one at that.
Because of Lord Turgis’s threats, she had already cast Saintly Charm on several young men.
Once this blows up, it will become a huge scandal, one that might shake the entire kingdom to its core.
Wellmy idly tapped her cheek with her fingertips, her thoughts racing at a dizzying speed. “You likely won’t be charged with a felony for using that spell—or at least, I don’t think so,” she said.
“Really...?”
W é b̈ ñо v̂ẽ.l̇ Е́ n̄ŭḿ а
“Yes. I don’t believe there’s a law against or a punishment for it. You were being threatened, and Saintly Charm doesn’t harm the target. The only problem is the people you cast it on.”
What Theresalo had done was far beyond merely causing a “minor inconvenience” to others, especially the Holy Church. If the truth came to light, it would create a massive uproar.
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As for Lord Turgis, the perpetrator, he was the son of the commander of the kingdom’s army. Blackmailing Theresalo to use Saintly Charm on other noblemen was high treason. If his actions reached the king, it might lead to a storm of political purges that would devastate noble society.
Another detail that bothered Wellmy was Lord Seyfalt’s behavior. According to Theresalo, he had been very insistent on pursuing a relationship with her, even going so far as to forcefully break her engagement to Lord Sofoyl and attempting to kiss her against her will. While Lord Seyfalt was well-known for being a bit of a rake, having gained a reputation as a philanderer immediately after his society debut, he wasn’t the type to force himself on anyone. In fact, from what Wellmy knew of him, he seemed to prefer casual relationships that could be easily ended.
His behavior feels...off.
“Can you dispel Saintly Charm once you’ve cast it?” Wellmy asked Theresalo.
E n u m̆а̃. îd́
The girl shook her head, looking as if she were about to burst into tears. “I... I don’t know how to...” she muttered.
“Um... Then how did you realize you were able to use it?” If she had cast it on someone in the past, she must have found a way to dispel it.
“I accidentally used it on a little critter at the noble academy... I thought it was just a technique to make animals like me, but Prince Tygrim told me...” she trailed off.
“I see.”
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As it turned out, Saintly Charm worked on animals as well.
Unfortunately, as Prince Tygrim couldn’t use that technique, he couldn’t tell her how to lift it. After all, the two of them were still only second-year students at the noble academy.
Ẇ èb n о̂v̄ e̊ l̃ Е̄ń ú m̌ ӑ
Wellmy had already excelled at disenchanting during her studies, but that was largely due to her lineage. The Lirouds’ techniques weren’t exactly magic; they relied on the blessing of the elementals and performed their disenchanting by offering prayers to them. Only those of their bloodline could use this ability.
“Should I do it?” Wellmy suggested.
“Huh?”
“Lifting the spell you cast on those young men. If I’m the one who does it, Lord Turgis likely won’t suspect a thing. And we might be able to ask the victims why they were being controlled.”
“A-Are you sure? You’ll be putting yourself in danger...”
“I’ll probably be fine.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Wellmy would ask Aides for his opinion on how to proceed with her plan, and she had Leo’s protection. The crown prince excelled at offensive spells, so with them by her side, the perpetrator wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on her. It would certainly give the other noble ladies more fuel for gossip, but that was nothing Wellmy couldn’t handle.
She just felt like she couldn’t leave this matter alone.
And so, after asking Theresalo for the names of the men she had charmed, she sent the teary-eyed prospective saint back to the party hall.
Squinting at her retreating figure, Wellmy pondered the problem she hadn’t voiced to Theresalo.
She’s acting strange too.
Had she cast Saintly Charm on Lord Turgis, she could have resolved the situation in no time. She might have been a good girl and had likely been afraid when the young man had cornered her, but from what Wellmy had seen, she wasn’t an idiot. Yet, the thought of asking Prince Tygrim for help or charming Lord Turgis did not seem even to have crossed her mind. Was that truly possible...?
W е b́ n̄ о̃ vе̃ ľ Ӗ numа́
Could it be that someone made it so that she couldn’t even entertain those possibilities?
Lord Seyfalt’s behavior had been quite uncharacteristic as well. Had Lord Turgis planned to have him corner Theresalo? Theresalo and Lord Seyfalt might have been under the influence of some sort of spell he had cast on them.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
That said, Wellmy didn’t know the entire situation yet, so she forbade herself from rushing to conclusions. Her first order of business was to ask Aides for advice and be as cautious as she could. After all, not only was Lord Turgis threatening a prospective saint, he had also tried to brainwash the crown prince. While that plan had failed, he had still managed to have Theresalo charm several young noblemen. This was far beyond Wellmy’s capabilities.
When she headed back to the party, having purposefully left some time between Theresalo’s return and hers, she was surprised to see Lady Darristea glaring at her. She pretended not to notice it.
She’s probably annoyed that I’ve been spending so much time with Leo.
Pushing that thought to a corner of her mind, she focused back on the matter at hand.
Е̃ ń um̂ ā. і̆d̃
Perhaps Aides knows something that could help me...
The comment Theresalo had made about the unfamiliar floral scent emanating from Lord Turgis weighed heavily on Wellmy’s mind.
