Chapter 35: Flame Demon Disaster and the Rumors

“Flame Demon... Disaster?”Charlotte's heart stirred.

She seriously tried to recall, but couldn't make sense of it.

The memories Charlotte inherited weren't very complete, especially her childhood memories. The memories from ten years ago seemed like a dividing line.

It was inevitable. Humans aren't machines; memories naturally fade with time. Only the most profound impressions remain from experiences that happened long ago.

It was the same in her previous life. As she grew older, her childhood memories faded even more. By the time Charlotte was ready to start a family and career, the only remaining childhood memories were that of the old willow tree in her grandmother's yard and the warm quilt carrying the scent of sunshine that her mother sunned out.

This life was much the same. In Charlotte's inherited memories, impressions of her childhood were limited to fragmented experiences of visiting the Duke's mansion with her mother and father to see her Aunt Catherine. Apart from that, there were memories of running and laughing with childhood friends in the woods.

Huh? Childhood friends?

In a moment, fragments of new memories flashed through Charlotte's mind. It seemed like buried memories from the original owner, gradually surfacing as she delved deeper into her recollections.

She seemed to see a familiar forest, beautiful gardens, and a splendid mansion. She saw a young Charlotte happily running under the sun with two beautiful girls, playing hide and seek joyfully. But the next moment, the beautiful mansion turned into a sea of flames.

She heard people shouting, crying in pain, screaming in agony...

She seemed to see the entire sky turn crimson, saw her father and mother pat her little head, gently instructing her to hide and not run around, then drawing their wands, holding hands, and resolutely facing the distant towering figure shrouded in red...

Huh? Was she crying?

In a daze, Charlotte suddenly realized her vision was blurred.

Those weren't her tears. They were Charlotte's.

It was an instinctive reaction of this delicate body when painful memories resurfaced unwillingly.

"It seems you've remembered."

"Thinking about it, after experiencing such pain, even if you try to forget, how could you really forget?"

Seeing the tear-streaked girl, Casimodo sighed softly.

Charlotte:...

No, I haven't remembered. This is just the natural reaction of this body!

She wanted to say.

Fortunately, it seemed that memories had also been stirred up. Casimodo soon began to speak to himself.

"Ten years ago, Count Brois of the Borde Duchy invited nobles to attend the coming-of-age ceremony of his twin daughters. Your parents, as a friend and colleague, were also invited."

"The family head, madam, and you, as a friend of Count Brois's daughter, all attended."

"However, what no one expected was that the coming-of-age ceremony was just a cover..."

"The real purpose of Count Brois was to communicate with the Bloodborne Archduke and, using his daughter's body as a vessel, summon the most terrifying dark creature under the Archduke's command— the Flame Demon, Valaroka!"

"He wanted to break through to the legendary realm and he wanted to gain the power of demons!"

"He succeeded... The incarnation of the legendary demon descended, bringing endless calamity. Almost all the nobles who attended the coming-of-age ceremony perished, including your..."

Casimodo's voice choked up, and he looked at the girl sorrowfully, not continuing.

Charlotte knew he wanted to mention the original body owner's parents. Perhaps inheriting the memories of the original owner, inexplicably, a trace of sadness arose in her heart.

Charlotte quickly suppressed this trace of sadness. The past is the past. If the original owner had any regrets, as the successor, she was willing to smooth them out for her. But what needs to be addressed now is the present and the future.

Count Brois...This name sounds somewhat familiar. Where have I heard it before?

Charlotte frowned slightly.

She soon remembered. This was the name of the owner of the abandoned mansion she was abducted to last night. But besides that, she felt like she had seen this surname somewhere after she transmigrated... But for a moment, she couldn't remember.

"But... What does this have to do with the assassin from yesterday?"

The girl suppressed her doubts and continued to ask.

"This involves the secrets of the past. Although the news has been blocked by the Duke's mansion to minimize the adverse effects, many people still know about it, including me."

Casimodo sighed lightly, then continued.

"Count Brois's summoning of the Flame Demon was conducted through a ritual called 'Pure Sacrifice.'"

"It's an evil sacrifice that requires the blood of an underage virgin."

"For this, he secretly abducted or kidnapped underage girls in the duchy over the past few years. It is said that there were more than a thousand, including some daughters of nobles... Some girls were even four or five years old."

"Beast!"

Charlotte said coldly.

Casimodo sighed.

"Who would argue with that... And, it also includes the daughter of last night's assassin."

"He wasn't an ordinary assassin. He used to be a fallen noble without awakened powers. His three daughters... were also kidnapped and eventually died in the evil sacrifice."

"His entire family was annihilated by Count Brois more than a dozen years ago while tracing his daughters' whereabouts. Only he happened to be out at the time and survived."

Charlotte was confused.

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"But what does this have to do with him seeking revenge on me? Even if it's revenge, shouldn't he go to Count Brois?"

Casimodo shook his head.

"The Brois family was wiped out on the night of the Flame Demon disaster."

"They brought it upon themselves. The entire family, hundreds of people, all died at the hands of the summoned Flame Demon incarnation, including the count himself and his daughter."

"As for why the assassin came to kill you..."

Casimodo paused, then smiled bitterly.

"Because you are the only survivor of that disaster and the only surviving girl among all those considered sacrifices..."

"After that disaster, there was always a rumor in Borde City that Count Castell, the vice-commander of the Borde Mage Corps, and his wife, were actually in cahoots with Count Brois."

"They held an evil sacrifice together, and the reason you survived was also because of this."

"Absurd! They were heroes who fought against the demon incarnations!"

Recalling certain broken images in her mind, Charlotte furrowed her brow.

"Yes, but so what?"

Casimodo sighed.

"Rumors are easily spread and easily believed. When everyone spreads the same rumor, falsehood becomes truth in people's minds."

"Human nature is inherently evil... The Castell family is extremely wealthy and influential. For the public, what's more exciting than seeing a noble family's downfall, accusing a noble family of evil?"

"In fact, if it weren't for Lady Catherine repeatedly dispelling rumors, and the Duke's strong support for the Castell family, the rumor from that year might have persisted until now!"

Casimodo was indignant.

Listening to his words, Charlotte's heart moved.

"So... the recent events at the mansion have revived this suppressed rumor?"

"Exactly, and it's getting worse..."

Casimodo sighed.

"Although the nobles know the truth is not like that, the public doesn't know it, and the assassin from last night doesn't know it either."

"He still believes that the Castell family and the Brois family are in cahoots, and the resurgence of the rumor has completely ignited his anger."

"A grieving father who lost his daughter and family, driven mad with grief."

Charlotte concluded in this way.

After saying this, she rubbed her temples and sighed.

"So... someone is secretly spreading this rumor again?"

Casimodo bowed.

"I believe so."

He gritted his teeth and said.

"This is a conspiracy against you!"

"Inheriting a title requires the blessing of the church. If rumors continue to spread, coupled with the actions of the old lady did... the Castell family is likely to be labeled as colluding with the Blood Demon Cult in court!"

"And once that happens, your inheritance rights to the territory and title will be greatly weakened, or even directly revoked!"

Charlotte fell silent.

She hummed lightly after drinking the last sip of milk in her tall glass.

"So... the nobles of the duchy are also happy to see this rumor spread and have been secretly fanning the flames behind their backs, right?"

Casimodo sighed.

"That's right... Once your inheritance rights are weakened, the Castell family will have to form alliances with other nobles to keep their titles and territories, thus strengthening their inheritance rights and seeking allies..."

"And for those nobles who have ambitions for our family, this is the greatest opportunity."

Charlotte laughed coldly after hearing this.

"Heh, I'm familiar with this. Marry me off and then make me stumble in the future, huh? Do they think I'm Mary of Burgundy?"

Casimodo didn't quite understand.

"Mary of Burgundy?"

"It doesn't matter, just a miserable female duke who owned a large piece of rich land and ended up losing it to someone else."

Charlotte shook her head.

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Casimodo scratched his head and thought for a long time, but couldn't remember any Duchess surnamed Burgundy. But he understood the general meaning the master wanted to convey. In other words, it's another way of saying "eating a barren house."

"Well... if I, the sole heir, were to die now, who would inherit the title and territory of the Castell family?"

Charlotte motioned for Nice to refill her glass of milk and suddenly asked.

Casimodo hesitated for a moment, didn't answer directly, but swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and said.

"The Castell family is a branch of the Borde family..."