Chapter 175: Woo Acrea Ire’s Story
‘Anti-magic.’
Sue Byron’s baseless certainty had been correct. The high priest of the Holy Demon Religion was using mind control. But everyone else, except for him, had fallen for the brainwashing magic, completely oblivious to the high priest’s negative energy.
Even he might have been brainwashed if it hadn’t been for the pendant.
The question was, why was there an anti-magic spell cast on this pendant, why did Sue Byron have it, and why had she given it to him?
Sue Byron had pretended not to notice the pendant. She didn’t even seem to realize that the high priest had tried to use brainwashing magic on her.
It didn’t make sense that she would deliberately give him a pendant with a high-level anti-magic spell.
“Arc… No, …Louis, are you okay?”
She was even calling him Louis, playing along with his act.
He had asked her to be his partner for the pilgrimage, after hearing that they would be paired up for the ritual. He would rather be partnered with Sue Byron than with a stranger. He thought he could protect her if he was by her side.
“Marie, give me your bag, I’ll carry it for you.”
“It’s okay.”
“Don’t reject me over something like this… You’ve asked me for more.”
He took the heaviest bag from her, scolding her slightly, as she struggled to carry it.
It was just common courtesy for a noble of the capital, he couldn’t understand why she was refusing him.
She, her hands suddenly empty, looked at him and his empty hands, then smiled serenely.
“Thank you, Louis.”
‘Louis.’
He repeated the name as they walked along the pilgrimage route. He had chosen the name randomly, but it didn’t sound bad, for some reason.
“Yes, I’m glad you came, Louis. I feel much more at ease with you here. Really.”
Yes, really.
His enjoyable time with Sue Byron had passed quickly, and he, boarding the ferry, returned to reality.
All the believers at the chapel had been brainwashed, and Melaine Vava seemed to be severely affected. Of course, she seemed to be doing good deeds, even more so than before, but that was a problem for later.
He might have become a saint of the Holy Demon Religion, just like Melaine Vava, if it hadn’t been for the pendant Sue Byron had given him.
He was relieved that he had detected the illegal magic so quickly, and he had lied to Sue Byron to prevent her from visiting the chapel again.
“There was no sign of brainwashing magic at the chapel, the high priest, the believers, or the pilgrimage.”
“There was no sign of illegal magic being used. Anywhere.”
“I’m not lying. Believe me, Byron.”
To think he was asking her to believe him when he had been lying through his teeth. He couldn’t help but chuckle at himself.
Had he developed a habit of doing things secretly? It would have been better to just tell her the truth, that this place was dangerous and she shouldn’t come here anymore.
“I believe you, Master Acrea.”
He was relieved by her unwavering gaze. But his relief didn’t last long, as she continued to ponder something, her face contorted with anguish.
Had he said something wrong?
Why was she suffering so much?
Sue Byron, why… always?
His mouth suddenly felt dry, and he unconsciously called out her fake name,
“Marie.”
He pointed towards the horizon, where the sky was painted with an orange hue. A flock of birds, their wings flapping gracefully, soared through the sky.
Even he had never seen such a sight before, and he slowly turned to her. She was staring at the birds, her face filled with wonder.
‘…That’s good.’
He just wanted Sue Byron to smile.
That was all.
***
He had reported the Holy Demon Religion to Reeves and sent a letter to Marquis Yuna in the Lokor Kingdom, using Reeves’s name. He was waiting for her return, trying to figure out when to send troops to the Holy Demon Religion chapel, when…
“Did you hear? Byron collapsed in the first-floor hallway earlier.”
“Oh my, that stubborn girl?”
“Oh, you didn’t know? Byron often skipped school because of illness. I don’t know if it was a real illness or not, but it seems like she was really sick today. Some people saw it happen.”
He stopped walking.
He suddenly remembered her seizure at the Lopetrefer mansion.
“It’s probably an act. She’s just trying to get attention from the higher-ups. We know Sue Byron, don’t we?”
Their whispers were probably right, but his feet started moving again. His destination was set.
Was he the first victim of her acting?
‘I hope not…’
He arrived at the infirmary and ran into Raines Noel, who was just closing the door.
‘Was he looking after Sue Byron?’
He wanted to ask about her condition, but he couldn’t speak.
Raines Noel just bowed slightly and left the infirmary without a word.
Would he have reacted differently if he had known he was here to see Sue Byron?
He felt a slight nausea, as useless, complicated thoughts piled up in his mind.
Sue Byron was tossing and turning in the infirmary bed, as if she was uncomfortable. She didn’t seem to be in as much pain as she had been at the Lopetrefer mansion, but she was clearly running a high fever.
‘It’s not an act.’
He wished it had been an act.
He placed his hand on her forehead, not even realizing he had thought that. It was burning. He carefully used white magic, and soon, her face relaxed.
‘Don’t use white magic on anyone without my permission. It’s ours.’
He had used white magic to lower Sue Byron’s fever.
Had he disobeyed Reeves’s orders?
He closed his eyes, not wanting to think about the consequences.
“….”
But seeing her sleeping peacefully, free from pain, calmed his anxious heart.
‘…Why?’
The more he tried to answer the question he had asked himself, the more his head ached.
Pity, compassion.
Those were already useless, overflowing emotions.
“…Hmm…”
He was staring at her sleeping face, losing track of time, when Sue Byron’s eyelids slowly fluttered open.
She seemed surprised to see him next to her instead of Raines Noel. But he also had to quickly find something to say, seeing her suddenly open her eyes.
“You’re not going to the chapel, are you?”
That was their only common topic. He swallowed nervously, waiting for her answer.
***
— Liar.
— You’re lying, aren’t you?
But they had both lied to each other.
A few days later, Sue Byron appeared at the Holy Demon Religion chapel. But so had he.
She hadn’t believed him, and he hadn’t believed her, so he had nothing to say.
But he had to send her back to the capital quickly, because the high priest was trying to approach her.
He had specifically asked the high priest not to measure Marie’s soul level after she had accepted his invitation to join the religion.
“Tell me, you’re brainwashed, aren’t you?”
Selfish, petty Viscountess Sue Byron.
She had rejected the “deal” he had implicitly offered and accused him, her bloodshot eyes piercing him. How had she known he was lying?
Her small, trembling hand grabbed his wrist, and he felt a warmth that wasn’t entirely pleasant.
Their fight had ended with his defeat, and he had to confess everything he had been hiding.
“Master Acrea, when do you think the raid will be?”
But he couldn’t answer that question. He had a feeling she would come if he told her. He didn’t know why she wanted to come, but it was dangerous, so she couldn’t. That was why he had been avoiding her at the academy.
But his efforts had been in vain, as the news of Melaine Vava’s escape had spread throughout the capital before sunrise.
He had encountered Sue Byron at the chapel again. His legs had moved before he could even think, the moment he saw her collapsed in the middle of the starry hallway.
Chaos had ensued. The gaping hole in the ceiling, the giant ribbon flying in the sky, the mysterious man who had suddenly appeared, and the high priest escaping with him. Melaine Vava, trembling in fear…
“I’m really worthless now… I’m useless. No one, nothing needs me anymore…”
Melaine Vava’s worth.
She was pale, like a baby bird that had fallen from a tree, on the verge of death, unable to even recognize her sister, who had come for her.
He had only ever argued with her in Crimea, so he stood there silently, calculating her worth, which she kept repeating.
The second daughter of the Vava marquis family, Reeves’s former fiancée, Enzhe’s lackey, and…
“You’re not worthless, Lady Melaine.”
A voice, filled with suppressed anger, echoed through the cave.
It was the selfish, petty Sue Byron.
“It might sound strange, but… You looked much happier when you were active in the Holy Demon Religion than when you were with me and Lady Enzhe… I know, it’s mostly because of the brainwashing. But still, the joy you felt while helping others, while talking to them, wasn’t fake… Probably.”
Not fake.
Sue Byron comforted Melaine Vava with the best words she could offer in this place. And then, her uncertain tone turned into a self-deprecating chuckle.
“…Well, it’s good to live a kind life. If that’s what makes you happy.”
The mockery was directed at herself, and he realized it. She had been comforting Melaine Vava, but she had also been comforting herself, whispering her own wish.
Just like she had done at the tribunal six months ago.
He tasted the bitter, heavy feeling again.