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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Mutual Distrust
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“Show it to me.”
Sisley hesitated, then went to the wardrobe and pulled something out. She stood at a distance from Aracilla and held out something wrapped in cloth.
It was a pendant.
On its front was the crest of the Pattinson Barony, and on its back, the name Jonny Pattinson was engraved.
Aracilla stepped closer, wanting to see it more clearly, but Sisley flinched and hid the pendant behind her back.
She seemed afraid it might be snatched away.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot give you this pendant.”
“Even if it could be evidence for your accusation?”
“...This pendant has nothing to do with black magic. I will never hand it over.”
Sisley’s wariness seemed so high that Aracilla gave up on examining the pendant closely.
Honestly, she briefly considered forcibly taking it, but seeing her trembling faintly, the thought vanished.
“It’s important evidence, so I can’t ignore it entirely. Instead, I’ll request it later, so submit it briefly then. I promise I’ll return it.”
“...Alright.”
Sisley reluctantly nodded. It wasn’t a demand to take it permanently, so it was hard for her to flat-out refuse.
Aracilla lightly clapped her hands, drawing attention.
“Alright, now, tell me in detail about the scene where you witnessed Sir Pattinson using black magic.”
The complaint only briefly stated when he used black magic, so a detailed testimony was needed.
Sisley licked her lips and spoke slowly.
“Sir Pattinson was drawing a black magic circle on the floor. There were several candles laid out around it. After he finished drawing the magic circle, he recited a strange prayer.”
“Sir Pattinson was at the battlefield near the border at that time. How did you see it?”
“I was also working near the border back then. That was where Sir Pattinson was a regular customer.”
“Exactly where did Sir Pattinson use black magic? Outdoors or indoors?”
“Indoors. There was a room for rent in the building where I lived, and he did it there.”
Sisley spoke fluently and smoothly, as if she had prepared her words. It was clear, at a glance, that she was speaking from her own experience.
However, at the next question, Sisley’s answer slowed for the first time.
“What did the magic circle look like?”
“...I don’t remember well. I don’t know much about magic.”
“Was there anything else around the magic circle besides candles?”
“Yes... I think so.”
Aracilla rubbed her chin. Sisley anxiously watched her beautiful face, unable to guess what she was thinking.
“For what purpose did Sir Pattinson use black magic?”
“...I wouldn’t know. I just witnessed the scene, that’s all.”
Sisley looked down as she replied. Ever since the mention of black magic, she hadn’t been able to meet Aracilla’s gaze.
Aracilla quietly watched her, then posed another question.
“Do you have any evidence that Sir Pattinson used black magic?”
“...No.”
“Then it’s purely your testimony, and that alone isn’t enough to punish him.”
Up until now, Aracilla had not found any evidence or circumstances indicating that Jonny Pattinson had used black magic.
So far, it was only the anonymous complaint Sisley had sent, and with her identity combined with such vague testimony, it was clear people wouldn’t believe it even if the truth was revealed.
“...He’s a truly bad person. I saw him do terrible things with my own eyes.”
Sisley said with an indignant expression. She had bitten her lower lip so hard that a little blood was showing.
“Someone so unqualified to be a knight... shouldn’t he at least be stripped of his position?”
“If it’s true that he used black magic, he’ll lose everything.”
At the calm reply, Sisley wore a somewhat sorrowful expression.
After that, similar conversations repeated, so Aracilla wrapped things up and left Sisley’s room.
Sally, who had been waiting outside the building, tilted her head upon seeing her descending with a profound expression.
“How was it, Senior?”
“She was lying to me.”
“What? Really?”
Aracilla nodded to Sally, whose eyes were wide.
“To use black magic, a sacrifice is needed. But she said there was nothing around the magic circle besides candles.”
In fact, Sisley’s testimony had a fatal flaw she herself seemed unaware of.
Those without magical power must offer a sacrifice to pay the price when using black magic.
That sacrifice could be a living creature, one’s own blood, or a very valuable treasure.
But she had said there was nothing around the magic circle except candles.
“So the accusation is false?”
“Hmm, I’m hesitant to say that, there’s something bothering me…”
Aracilla rubbed her chin with a troubled look. Her blue eyes turned back towards Sisley’s room.
“You don’t necessarily have to draw the magic circle yourself to use black magic, do you? Especially for people without magical power, it would be difficult to handle magic.”
“Th-that’s right, isn’t it? One could use a magic tool made with black magic. And even just hiring a black mage incurs similar penalties.”
Sally nodded, listing various ways black magic could be used. Aracilla muttered quietly as she approached the carriage.
“It might not have been a complete lie.”
The two boarded the carriage to return to the Magic Tower. Sally cautiously asked about their future plans.
“What do you plan to do next, Senior?”
“We need to continue the investigation.”
To prevent an innocent person from being wrongfully accused, a more thorough investigation was necessary.
However, Aracilla was given no more time.
The very next morning, Rudy rushed to her, holding a newspaper.
“Senior, look at this!”
“What is it, Rudy?”
Aracilla took the newspaper, puzzled. As soon as she read the headline on the front page, her eyes widened.
「Exclusive) Jonny Pattinson’s Accuser Is the Woman from 4th Street?!」
The article explicitly stated that the person who accused Jonny was a woman named Sisley, who worked at a shop on 4th Street.
It claimed she had accused an innocent person to the Magic Tower with impure motives, and that the Magic Tower had either condoned it knowingly or was too incompetent to realize it.
It also stated that Aracilla, the investigator in charge of the case, was barking up the wrong tree, stirring up innocent people, instead of seeing what was truly important.
Furthermore, a personal conjecture that Sisley probably orchestrated this for money was included as if it were fact.
Aracilla shot up from her seat. How had the accuser’s identity, which had been kept strictly secret, ended up in the news?
“What? Who said this?”
“I don’t know. They said there was an anonymous informant.”
“That’s impossible! Only the three of us know the accuser’s identity. How did anyone else find out and tip them off?”
Sally said, unable to comprehend Rudy’s answer. But at that moment, Aracilla remembered one other person who knew this secret.
Demian Vandermir.
Although he wasn’t usually the type, he had a strong motive to leak the information.
The accusation case affected not only Jonny Pattinson but the entire Knight Order and mage community.
Among these, the public viewed the knights, suspected of using black magic, more negatively.
In such a situation, if the accuser’s identity was exposed, the credibility of Jonny Pattinson’s charges would fall, and the Red Hawk Knights’ dishonor would naturally disappear.
It was plausible, given how obsessed knights were with their honor.
Once the suspicion that he was the anonymous informant arose, it quickly solidified into conviction.
‘This traitor.’
He promised not to say anything, and then he stabs me in the back like this?
Aracilla wanted to confront Demian immediately, but before she could, an emergency Magic Tower executive meeting was convened, and she was summoned.
From the hallway leading to the meeting room, the angry shouts of mages echoed.
“For the Magic Tower to be played by a vulgar woman’s lie! What an embarrassment is this?!”
“This incident has made our mages’ image a laughingstock! We’ve become a foolish group that couldn’t tell right from wrong and believed that woman’s words!”
“Oh, those knight bastards will be full of swagger now. How can we bear to see that?!”
“This incident is a disgrace to the Magic Tower! Let’s release the detained knight quickly and cover up the case!”
An elder mage, who greatly valued his reputation, shouted, his veins bulging in his neck. Other mages eagerly nodded in agreement.
Aracilla sat down, frowning, and spoke.
“Just a moment. The accuser merely being a street woman doesn’t mean it’s been clearly revealed whether Sir Pattinson used black magic or not. The investigation must continue.”
Releasing Jonny Pattinson was one thing, but covering up the case like this was absurd.
The fact that Sisley had the pendant of a man who supposedly had no interest in entertainment because he had a fiancée, it seemed there was something hidden in this case.
She wanted to uncover the truth no matter what, but the other mages seemed to think differently.
“Aracilla. Are you thinking straight or not?!”
Fernando, who had been glaring at Aracilla with displeasure ever since she entered, roared.
“Just how much more do you intend to make a mockery of the Magic Tower?! To begin with, you were in charge of the case, so why didn’t you find out the accuser’s identity sooner?!”
“I already knew the accuser’s identity.”
Aracilla replied calmly.
“But I don’t care what kind of person she is. What I consider important is…”
“What could be more important than the accuser being a street woman?! Are you truly out of your mind? To know that fact and not report it! If the Magic Tower’s reputation crumbles because of this, know that it’s all your fault!”
Fernando’s booming voice painfully echoed in her eardrums. A vile smile, poorly concealed, appeared on his lips, as if he thought he had caught her.
All the elder mages sitting around the two sided with Fernando. It was an exasperating situation for Aracilla.
These stubborn old men.
Moreover, Philip was absent from the meeting, putting her at a severe disadvantage.
Ultimately, by majority vote, the Jonny Pattinson accusation case was unsatisfactorily closed.
This was a natural outcome, as Aracilla was the only one who insisted on continuing the investigation.
* * *
The Red Hawk Knights were in a festive mood.
It was only natural, as their wrongfully imprisoned comrade had been exonerated and released.
The knights swarmed around Jonny to congratulate him, tossing him in the air in celebration. Jonny let out a sound that was a mix of a cheer and a shriek.
Demian stood a little distance away, watching his excited subordinates. Jonny, having finally escaped his comrades’ grasp, approached him.
“Commander, I’ve returned to duty.”
“Yes, congratulations.”
Demian patted Jonny’s shoulder as he saluted. Jonny, looking uneasy, glanced around nervously before cautiously speaking.
“But are you alright, Sir? Your wife…”
“That’s not for you to concern yourself with.”
Demian cut him off sharply. It was true that his relationship with Aracilla had become somewhat strained because of this incident, but it was not a matter for his subordinate to worry about.
Jonny rolled his eyes, then asked in a somewhat strained voice.
“...Since the Magic Tower closed the case, your wife will stop, won’t she?”
“Naturally.”
At that reply, Jonny’s face brightened.
He bowed his head and turned to leave, but Demian stopped him.
“Jonny. I have one question.”
“...Yes, speak, Sir.”
“Are you completely unacquainted with that woman, the accuser?”
For a moment, Jonny’s expression seemed to stiffen slightly. But he immediately replied.
“Yes, I don’t know her.”
Then he added, with a somewhat sarcastic tone.
“She probably just targeted any knight for money, as the article said.”
“Then you were unlucky. You did well.”
“Thank you, Sir. I’ll be going now.”
Jonny bowed in farewell and returned to his comrades, his steps so hurried he practically seemed to be fleeing.
Demian watched his subordinates noisily celebrating with a party, then excused himself at an appropriate moment.
It wasn’t proper for a superior to linger without tact.
Returning home late that night, he dismissed the servants’ greetings and quietly went up to his office alone. He intended to finish reading a few unread documents.
Demian opened the office door without a thought and unexpectedly paused, encountering someone sitting on the sofa with their head leaned back.
In the dark, unlit room, she looked like a vengeful ghost, and though he didn’t show it, he was genuinely startled for a moment.
“...Madam? What are you doing here?”
Demian asked, recognizing Aracilla by her lavender hair.
Aracilla slowly raised her head. Her blue eyes gleamed piercingly.
“You’ve arrived, Mr. Liar?”
“Liar, what do you mean by that…”
“How does it feel? Does it feel good to be a hero, saving your subordinate by deceiving me? Did everyone praise you for finally beating a mage?”
At her sarcastic remarks, Demian frowned. He had neither deceived her nor rejoiced at having beaten a mage.
“Why are you suddenly picking a fight? Is this because Jonny’s case has been closed?”
“Yes! It’s because you broke your promise to me and leaked the accuser’s identity to the outside. Are you satisfied now? Does that make you feel better?!”
Demian let out a hollow laugh of disbelief. Thinking she was unfairly blaming him out of pride, he replied sternly.
“I did no such thing. Why are you blaming me when you couldn’t keep your own mouth shut properly?”
Enraged by his brazen response, Aracilla sprang to her feet.
“Don’t be ridiculous! I found out that the anonymous informant was connected to Sir Pattinson. And you were the only one among those people who knew his identity!”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Aren’t you trying to pin your own mistake on me? It’s well known how loose-lipped mages are.”
“Are you done talking now?”
The two glared at each other for a moment.
