Chapter 84
The robe that the woman was wearing was such an old robe that it was difficult to recommend sitting down. In addition, the old dress that peeked out from under the robe was grotesquely torn at the ends, and the leather shoes were so worn out that the socks could be seen through the dress.
When Rupert couldn’t take his suspicious glance away from her as she was dressed in a way that didn’t seem to help the plan, Grand Duchess Blaine opened her mouth first.
“I’m sorry. Please understand. Our viscount has many doubts.”
“I understand. That’s usually the case with people who are secretly plotting things.”
“Now, sit over there. Is that all right, Rupert?”
“…Yes.”
“Then, excuse me. Viscount, Grand Duchess.”
When he answered in an unwilling voice, the woman in the robe moved forward as if she had waited and sat down on the chair across from where Rupert was standing.
‘Tsk…’
He frowned slightly at the sight of her walking alone and sitting down before being escorted. Apparently, it seemed that the woman in front of him had never been escorted and that she seemed to be a lowly person. Because of that, he didn’t know what kind of help she would offer him.
The next moment, Rupert strode to his seat that was across from her, still looking at the woman suspiciously. The woman who watched his appearance let out a low laugh and spoke.
“There’s nothing to be wary of, Viscount Guinivis. I know a lot more about you than you think.”
“…What does that mean?”
“Well. For example, the plans the Viscount has been constructing all along, whom would be of use for you, or… about ‘blue blood’ that you haven’t even told the woman you love the most?”
“….!”
“Are you willing to trust me now?”
Rupert hardened his expression with a pale face at the words that flowed from the woman’s mouth.
‘What the hell… how does she know? By what means?’
He could feel his blood run cold as a secret he had never even told anyone, even Minase, came to the fore. Meanwhile, the woman smiled brightly as he saw her red lips peeking out from beneath her robe. Rupert glanced back at Grand Duchess Blaine with a hard expression on her face.
“…Louise, who the hell is this woman?”
“Rupert, actually…”
“Tell me quickly. What the hell is this!”
“Calm down for now. I’ll explain everything.”
Grand Duchess Blaine calmed Rupert’s agitation and held his hand tightly. The action calmed his agitation for a moment. However, that did not completely alleviate his raging emotions.
Looking at him with bright red eyes, the Grand Duchess cautiously opened her mouth.
“Rupert, you said it yourself. No matter how you look at it, the current Minase Persen is strange. You said that she’s like a different person, right?”
“So what?”
“At first, I really didn’t think much of it. It’s just, like a simple change of heart. However, as you said, I heard the story through the nobles who knew Minase Persen before marriage, and it was clear that her attitude, habits, and behavior were so different that it was difficult to see her as the same person. It’s as if two souls dwell in one body.”
“…What does that mean?”
“There can be no ‘other’ person who matches everything, even the spots on the body and scars, so I wondered if it was a problem with the soul. With such suspicion, I secretly looked for forbidden books in the imperial library. Also, I sent a letter to my father to find out who would give me hints at the Vatican. Still, the part about forbidden magic was torn from the forbidden book, and the Holy temple refused, saying that it was forbidden magic and that they didn’t know and didn’t even want to know about it.”
“….”
“So, I secretly sent someone to see if there was anyone who might know about this. I secretly ordered anyone who knew about the forbidden magic to be summoned to my private residence. Even though I did that, I didn’t expect this woman to come to see me this morning.”
“….!”
“This woman told me that the current appearance of Minase Persen is the typical appearance of a person whose soul has been changed due to a ‘half-soul’ potion.”
Grand Duchess Blaine ended her words with a meaningful smile and glanced at Rupert as he had a dazed expression in disbelief.
Rupert stared at the Grand Duchess and the woman in the robe, who was laughing like a maniac. He couldn’t believe it. It was an absurd story to the point where he wondered if the Grand Duchess was making fun of him. It was a story that could only be thought of like that.
He asked in a daze to the woman in the robe.
“…Is that true?”
“Yes. It’s absolutely true.”
“Then… are you saying that the current Minase is not Minase?”
“She’s the Duchess of Persen, but also not the Duchess of Persen.”
“Tell me straightforwardly! What does that mean? Don’t try to twist your words so that I can’t understand and just say it in an understandable way!”
“Rupert!”
Frustrated, he shouted before he clutched the woman’s wrist and shook it.
Grand Duchess Blaine hurriedly grabbed his arm as if to calm him down. Seeing him, the woman in the robe smiled even more as she briefly removed Rupert’s firm grip from her wrist and added her words as though to explain.
“It’s literally what it means. The current Duchess Minase Persen is the Duchess that the Viscount knows, but she’s also not. To be precise, her body belongs to the Duchess though her soul doesn’t belong to the Duchess.”
“…What?”
“While her appearance remains the same, her behavior has changed as if it were a different person. She doesn’t remember her past emotions or memories at all, and she doesn’t know about her allergies or chronic illnesses… It’s a typical symptom of those whose souls have been changed by ancient half-soul magic.”
“Wha-what the hell… No, who cast such a spell on Minase?”
“It won’t be someone else’s stake. I’m sure that the Duchess allowed it since the magic couldn’t be cast without her consent… Ah, by her, I mean the consent of Duchess Minase Persen, not the other soul now in the body of the Duchess.”
The words that followed were unbelievable and hard to believe.
So, did all of this happen because Minase wanted it? Why? What would she gain by doing so? Even if she really wanted the magic by conceding a hundred times, how did she find out about the magic and how did she find someone to cast it on herself?
As he thought so, Rupert stuttered at the woman’s words, which he still couldn’t accept.
“Something like that… what—why? Who… It doesn’t make sense. What does Minase gain by doing that? No, that aside, I’ve never heard of a wizard or witch who can use that magic now. As far as I know, I heard that it was magic that only an ancient wizard family could do and that magic had never been passed on to anyone? Regardless, what kind of wizard cast such a spell on Minase?”
“Hoho, let’s see. Conceivably, it was the work of a wizard from hundreds of years ago? I think I know a wizard who could cast a spell like that on the Duchess.”
“Who the hell is it?”
“Perhaps, it’s that damn half-demon old man.”
“Stop messing around and tell me! Who is that?”
“I’m still just guessing. I could only know by seeing the Duchess with my own eyes.”
“…Guessing? What part did you say that was speculation? Besides, see her yourself? Why would someone like you go see Minase?!”
“Calm down. There are reasons for everything.”
“Yes. Calm down, Rupert. There’s nothing that can be solved by getting frustrated.”
At Grand Duchess Blaine’s dissuade, he gasped and breathed.
As Rupert glared at the robed woman with red eyes that seemed to blaze with confusion and rage at the situation he couldn’t quite comprehend, she continued her words with a laugh of amusement.
“It’s not unreasonable for the Viscount to get angry if a suspicious person like me dares to approach the woman he loves. Still, it’s a necessary procedure to find out who’s the wizard or witch who performed the half-soul spell, and how strong the magic bound by that contract is.”
“…Didn’t you just say that you knew about the old man who cast the spell?”
“Yes, but I’ve told you clearly after that. It’s still just speculation, so I have to see the Duchess with my own eyes. Only then will I be able to decide whether I can accomplish what the Viscount wants or whether to give up.”
“Ha! What I want? You sound like you know what I want?”
“Of course. Isn’t it bringing the original Duchess Minase Persen’s soul back to this world?”
When Rupert made a surprised face at her words, the woman burst into laughter as she covered her red lips exposed under the robe with her bony hand. Her laughter was so sly and insidious that he aroused repulsion in his heart toward her.
…Nonetheless, her offer was so alluring.
Rupert asked the woman in a serious voice.
“…Can you bring her back?”
“It will depend on who cast the magic.”
“So, does that mean that Minase’s soul can be returned to this world and to my side?”
“It’d be a bit of a headache if it were the magic that the half-demon old man cast, but it wouldn’t be impossible if you paid me properly.”
The woman spoke in a seductive voice and reached out her bony hand before placing it on the back of his hand. At that, Rupert hurriedly shouted, grabbing her hand that had risen above the back of his own hand.
“If you can, get her back into this world right away! Is it possible?”
“Yes. Is that all? I’ll also help you with the plan that the Viscount has been wanting and wanting from the beginning. What do you think?”
“Then, there’s nothing I need to hesitate about. Let’s start right away.”
“Oh, you’ve got a quick temper? Before returning the Duchess’ soul, shouldn’t you make a proper contract with me first? We also have to decide on the cost.”
“….”
“What will you give me?”
“What do you want? Is it property, or is it power?”
“Can you give me everything if I ask for it?”
“Anything I can give.”
“Even if it’s the Viscount’s life?”
“Wait a minute…! Hey, what a hideous thing to say!”
At those words, Grand Duchess Blaine screamed in astonishment. The woman then smiled and waved her hands as if she was having fun.
“Hoho, I’m kidding. What will I do with the Viscount’s life?”
“…So, what do you want?”
“You can give me ‘one strand’ of the strings of ties that the Viscount has. That’s all I want.”
“What, is that all? All right, I’ll give it to you.”
“All right. Then, the contract is concluded. Now, would you spread your left hand out in front of me and show me your palm?”
“You mean like this?”
At her words, Rupert obediently held out his left hand. The woman placed the tip of her own bony index finger on his palm the next moment and began drawing strange patterns with her fingernails.
As his palms were cut by her sharp nails, Rupert frowned slightly.
“Ugh…!”
“Hold on! I didn’t hear you had to do this!”
“Stay out of this, Grand Duchess Blaine. This isn’t something you should intervene!”
Horrified at the sight, Grand Duchess Blaine reached out her hand to restrain the woman, but her fingers didn’t stop moving. Rather, the woman glared at the Grand Duchess, who was trying to stop her, and yelled as she was tearing through Rupert’s palm.
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