Chapter 744 – #159_The Prodigal Son Returns (2)
#744
1.
A battlefield where the brilliance of swords and sparks of magic danced.
And a tension comparable to that filled the air at my mother-in-law’s hearing.
The defendant, Shin Siwoo, stood ramrod straight before the black-clad judge, his face a picture of suppressed resentment.
“Siwoo, I’ve heard the overall situation from Miss Marigold.”
“There’s no need to be so nervous. It’s just a simple confirmation process.”
Deneb, who offered a chair with a sliding sound, surprisingly exuded the warmth of a defense attorney rather than the imposing aura of a judge.
“Why would he sit? As if he did something right.”
“Are you going to make someone who just got out of bed stand? Are you even human, sister?”
As a bonus, it seemed the defense attorney and the judge were not on good terms.
I couldn’t thank my younger mother-in-law enough for being so lenient after my time in the fish tank…
“Wouldn’t it be against etiquette to bring a guest of the family into the office at this hour without offering a cup of tea?”
“…What?”
“Someone, somewhere, emphasized repeatedly that etiquette and formality are important in any situation.”
“Deneb, say that again.”
“Okay, I will. She said that elegance and dignity are like clothing, and if you don’t take care of them, you’re as good as naked. Some countess, somewhere.”
Please, I wish she would refrain from riling up my already displeased elder mother-in-law.
An unprecedented incident was unfolding in real-time, with the defense attorney openly picking a fight with the judge.
“Lady Deneb, you don’t have to do that! I’m not thirsty, and I’m more comfortable standing! Really!”
In the end, Siwoo forcefully interjected, speaking cheerfully.
Albiereo, who had been glaring at Deneb with fire in her eyes, sighed and waved her hand at Siwoo’s response.
“Haa, sit comfortably. As for drinks… grab whatever you want from that shelf.”
Anyway, with this commotion as an appetizer, the real conversation began.
As soon as the conversation started, Albiereo took out a piece of paper from the table.
“Siwoo, can you see this?”
“Yes, I can.”
A blank piece of paper with no magical devices on it.
“This is trust.”
“Pardon?”
Albiereo grabbed it in her hand and crumpled it up.
The judge, with her rather violent performance, shot a very cold gaze.
After firmly clenching the crumpled paper, Albiereo unfolded it in front of Siwoo.
“Now, what happened?”
“It’s… all crumpled?”
“That’s right. Unless magic is used, the crumpled marks won’t disappear. Just like that, once trust is broken, it’s not easily restored. Unfortunately.”
Cold sweat poured down my back.
The moment the word ‘trust’ came up, I felt guilty.
Albiereo had warned me that if I brought another witch, it would be the end of me.
And here I was, returning to Gehenna with public enemies Dorothy and Linne in tow. It was no exaggeration to say that I could predict everything she was going to say.
Now that I was cornered, it was the defense attorney’s turn to step in.
As if she had been waiting for her role, my younger mother-in-law opened her mouth.
“Why are you making it so difficult by going around in circles? Even crumpling up a perfectly good piece of paper.”
As expected, she initiated a challenge-support level engagement.
Please! Younger mother-in-law! I’m really going to die if this keeps up!
Even though I sent her desperate looks, Deneb didn’t understand.
Siwoo chose to beg for mercy through confession and atonement before his younger mother-in-law ruined the trial with her enthusiasm.
“I’m really! Sorry!”
He immediately knelt and bowed his head, adopting a strategy of begging for mercy, as if he had committed a capital offense.
“It’s not that I tried to disobey Lady Albiereo! I was trying to avoid the worst-case scenario, and I learned about their unfortunate circumstances, and things got out of hand!”
“……”
“But I will make sure that Lady Odile and Lady Odette are happy, even if it costs me my life!”
Now, all I had to say was, ‘Please give me your daughters!’ but before that, Albiereo interrupted.
“Siwoo. Raise your head.”
“No! I am a sinner who is most suited to this posture! Please kill me!”
“…Are you sure I should kill you? You were in the middle of talking, so raise your head.”
“Yes.”
My elder mother-in-law, tapping her forehead with her fingertips as if she had a headache, continued.
“I also acknowledge that the root of this incident lies in my complacent judgment and coercion.”
“Coercion? That’s absurd. I was the one who decided to do it.”
“I’m talking about a simple cause-and-effect relationship. No one could have known this would happen, but the aftermath was too significant to act like it was nothing.”
“In short, even though my sister is heartless, she’s admitting her responsibility, Siwoo.”
Judging by the fact that she didn’t retort despite the sarcastic tone of my younger mother-in-law, it seemed to be true.
I was surprised because it was something I hadn’t expected.
“For that reason, I don’t intend to severely reprimand Siwoo. I don’t think I have the right to. That’s what frustrates me the most.”
“I can only apologize…”
“Strictly speaking, it’s not like you’re cleverly seducing the twins. Odile and Odette are following you because they like you, even knowing about your womanizing ways, and from that point on, it’s a relationship between a man and a woman, and I don’t think it’s my place as their mother to interfere. Of course, I can be angry, though.”
Siwoo was a little surprised to hear his elder mother-in-law’s words, as if she was trying to convince herself.
It sounded plausible if you only listened to the words.
However, if Siwoo had said it, it would have been the ultimate rationalization that would have gotten him killed on the spot.
How can ideals and emotions always be on parallel lines?
I couldn’t help but admire my elder mother-in-law’s generosity in calmly assessing the situation even in this situation.
“I didn’t expect you to say that.”
“I value you more than you can imagine, Siwoo. But if you add more to your harem… then I will take extreme measures, so be careful.”
Albiereo was about to slam the table, but she realized it was pointless and sighed again, powerless.
She seemed to have lost her energy, not just her temper.
“Anyway. I wasn’t trying to criticize you right now. I wanted to talk about Gehenna.”
“Gehenna?”
“Do you know what’s most important in Gehenna, Siwoo?”
“I’m not sure. Is it magic?”
“It’s trust, like I said earlier.”
The explanation continued.
“Witches live forever if they want to. Even if they pass on their title, the name is passed down to the apprentice witch. They live knowing that grudges and favors are passed down through generations.
That’s why Gehenna is based on a society of trust.
For example, the reason I’m showing you infinite patience and treating you so well is because you’ve done me a great favor.
The reward for the trust I’ve shown will be seen by other witches in Gehenna, and when Odile and Odette become witches in the future, the trust that the Jemina family has proven will be useful.”
“Apart from that, it’s also true that my sister and I are grateful to you, Siwoo.”
“…I don’t want to admit it right now, but Deneb is right.”
With that, Albiereo took out the crumpled paper she had unfolded earlier.
“And an exile is someone who has crumpled the given trust. They are people who can never unfold the paper again.”
Siwoo was finally starting to understand Albiereo’s words.
This was the main point.
“But Gehenna has changed a lot since you were captured. Hexennacht has started absorbing a large number of exiles, including public enemies, and Gehenna can no longer insist on strict punishment.”
“Although it hasn’t been announced yet, Gehenna will soon establish a review board and start a large-scale amnesty program for exiles. If we don’t, we’ll have to watch Hexennacht’s explosive growth.”
“Then…”
“The first targets will be ‘The Free Witch’ Zlata Justitia, and ‘The Mercury Witch’ Alice Even Hayyan. And the other two will be them.”
“Thank you, thank you so much!”
I could breathe a sigh of relief about the part I was worried about.
The most difficult part of my promise with Zlata had been fulfilled, so the rest was something Siwoo could take care of himself.
It was also a relief that the Alice trio had safely returned to Gehenna.
And I could safely get the money from Alice.
“However.”
A flame appeared in Albiereo’s hand, and the crumpled paper burst into flames.
The paper disappeared cleanly without leaving any ashes, like a magic trick, and my elder mother-in-law spoke.
“A paper that can never be restored or undone. This is the credit of a public enemy.”
This time, my younger mother-in-law seemed to agree, as both pairs of purple eyes were filled with strictness.
“I absolutely cannot accept it. The son-in-law of the Jemina family is someone associated with public enemies. And one of them is even calling that son-in-law ‘my dear’… Hey! Shin Siwoo! You! Are you out of your mind?!!!!!”
Just when things seemed to be going well, Siwoo trembled at the shouting of his elder mother-in-law, who was showing an unprecedentedly short-term burst of anger.
“Sister, calm down, calm down. It’s already over.”
“Haa, haa, haa………. I know. I’ll cool my head, so you talk.”
Even Deneb had stopped her hostile actions and was actively trying to dissuade her.
I didn’t know the details, but I knew I was walking a very dangerous tightrope.
But I couldn’t back down.
Even though favors and grudges were important in witch society, it was naturally important to repay favors, even if there was no talk of succession or anything like that.
I couldn’t give up on Linne, who had risked her life for Siwoo several times, even though she had caused the incident, or Dorothy, who had rolled up her sleeves and helped even though she didn’t have to get involved.
“Of course, I’m not asking for citizenship. At least, I want them to be able to leave Gehenna safely…”
“Siwoo, can I speak first?”
“Yes.”
Deneb cleared her throat and spoke with a worried look.
“Let me say again, my sister and I trust you a lot, Siwoo. You’re a valued guest of our family. If you brought them, we believe that even if they’re public enemies, they’re not entirely evil. We also acknowledge that their help was a great contribution to your rescue.”
“T, thank you.”
“But this is beyond the scope of what the Jemina family can control. It was unavoidable, but you have brought two public enemies into Gehenna. We’re using our connections and funds to keep it quiet for now, but if more time passes, the Jemina family will have no choice but to imprison the criminals in the dungeon and wait for a formal trial.”
I knew it, but it seemed that the stigma of being a public enemy was not something that witches could easily tolerate.
The fact that even the Jemina count family couldn’t handle it supported this.
“Then what should I do?”
“Here…”
Deneb trailed off.
It seemed she had a clear answer, but she was hesitant to deliver it.
“Deneb, what are you going to do by hesitating? He wants it.”
“But…. Okay. Siwoo.”
“Yes.”
“Try talking to Duchess Tiferet. She might hold the key to solving this.”
That’s right.
My teacher was also a duchess of Gehenna and had the support of many witches.
Maybe she could find a way out.
However, my teacher wasn’t there when Siwoo woke up.
When I asked Amelia about her whereabouts, her expression darkened.
If even my younger mother-in-law was hesitating like this, it must be a problem for a reason that Siwoo could guess.
“Then I’ll talk to her myself.”
“I wouldn’t recommend it, but it can’t be helped. I knew you’d say that.”
In other words, this was a problem that Siwoo had to solve on his own, and it was something he had been prepared for from the start.
“Before that…”
I wanted to check if Linne and Dorothy were okay.
