CH 64

“Why is everyone here…”

Greta muttered like a distraught mad woman.

“Why is Lady Greta here?”

“She’s Her Highness’s maid, right? Maybe that’s why she’s here?”

“Wasn’t that a long time ago? Why has she come now to a palace without an owner…?”

“It’s a little disconcerting. Besides, not long ago, there was the case of Count and Countess Azurdi at the princess’s palace…”

Greta wasn’t the only one confused.

No one understood the situation and hence, the whispering. Greta thought quickly about how to clear up the situation.

‘Let’s calm down for now.’

‘There’s a good enough reason for me to be here.’

Right when Greta was about to forcefully raise the corners of her lips, trying to articulate her excuse…

“You must tell me why you are here.”

“…….”

The knight commander in charge of guarding the Princess Palace stepped forward and questioned her.

At this instant, Greta realized. From the beginning, this place was a trap.

That’s right. He was watching to see who would come to the Princess Palace.

Greta’s eyes were instantly colored with despair.

“It may seem strange for me to be here, but it’s rude to push me like this.”

After a moment of hesitation, Greta decided to step forward confidently.

“Let me explain what happened. Separately.”

However, despite hearing her words, the knight commander still stood in her way, and with an even more serious expression.

“This consolation meeting has two purposes. One is to comfort Her Highness the Princess…”

“……?”

“…and the second is to find the hidden black wizard. Since the Count and Countess Azurdi incident, Sir Rowen and I have monitored the Princess Palace. You must know that access to the Princess Palace is controlled. With the help of His Excellency the Grand Duke, a magic barrier was set, but it was released today because of the meeting. I need you to explain why you came all the way here, avoiding Sir Rowen and me.”

Heinricion and the knight commander had already collaborated in advance to find people involved in black magic.

The knight commander nailed it in with his next words, speaking in a very stern tone.

“Additionally, it’s said black wizards could easily corrupt the power of a dead wizard.”

It meant that the worst situation could happen— Eristella’s mighty magical power falling into the hands of the black wizards.

Of course, that wouldn’t happen since Eristella wasn’t dead.

Countess Azurdi tried to tamper with the princess’s belongings, which could only happen because the princess was known to be dead.

“If there were black wizards among us, they would have been monitoring the princess’s palace. So wouldn’t they show up today knowing that the barrier has been lifted?”

It meant that Greta Lateran, who snuck into the Princess Palace, was the prime suspect.

At this point, Greta understood the situation she was in.

‘Now, I’m facing the worst charges. I can’t avoid this position no matter what excuse I make.’

Greta’s composed expression slowly crumpled.

“Oh my, then… is Lady Greta involved in black magic?”

“I guess so. I never thought that Lady Greta would be a black wizard. What a terrible thing…”

People had already begun talking about Greta’s connection with black magic.

“I, I really am not! Me using black magic… Non-Nonsense… H-How is that…!”

Flustered, Greta vehemently denied it, without realizing that it made her look even more suspicious.

“When I think about it, it’s strange that she’s suddenly able to use magic. Usually, talent is revealed at a young age… Has it suddenly changed?”

“It’s said that black magic artificially increases one’s magical power, even for those who are not talented in magic.”

“I think I’ve heard that too.”

“I’m not the only one who has heard the lady boasting of her magic skills.”

Those who were close to Greta also came forward and brought up their doubts.

“That…”

“Lying will make things worse.”

Hearing the warning, Greta’s eyes shook anxiously.

“I know how to do magic, but…”

Greta’s ability to do magic was only slightly better than average. She didn’t want to admit it. She never dreamed that her exaggerated claims would come back like this.

‘If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have lied!’

Greta’s face contorted mercilessly. In the end, she couldn’t stand it any longer—

“Yes, all I know are the basics! No matter how hard I try, I can’t do more! What kind of black magic is that!”

She screamed as if it was unfair.

With a face showing that she couldn’t understand why she was being accused of being involved with black magic.

“I learned it while serving as the princess’s lady-in-waiting. She said that even if I didn’t have talent, I could overcome it just by training…”

Although basic, it would be enough for self-protection.

However, not all of Eristella’s maids learned magic. At the suggestion of the princess, every one of them decided to learn magic, but only Greta and Sonia persevered. 

“Even so, isn’t it weird? You never said you could use magic when Her Highness was still around, did you?”

“Right. I definitely remember. Lady Greta certainly boasted about it at the tea party held by the Marquisate of Ordin after Her Highness’s disappearance.”

When one young lady came forward and questioned her, several young ladies added their accounts.

Back at that aforementioned tea party, Greta clearly said that to the young ladies who were admiring her and asking questions.

“Right, she said it’s a rare case… That occasionally there are cases where talent opens its eyes after one has grown up… Like her.”

There were not just one or two young ladies who heard those words; many people remembered.

The skepticism surrounding Greta intensified.

“Isn’t it odd that she revealed she could use magic only after Her Highness’s death?”

“…….”

As soon as Greta bit her lips, the young ladies sent contemptuous glances, already convinced.

Eventually Greta, terribly embarrassed and hesitantly pursing her lips, closed her eyes tightly and shouted,

“How could I boast that I could use magic when the princess was there!”

Greta was hiding it on purpose.

After the princess disappeared, no one knew about Greta’s clumsy magic skills.

The fact that she could use magic was enough for her.

How could she tell a story that would reveal her shortcomings?

Thus far, she was ashamed that she had lied and couldn’t explain it properly.

But now, petty pride was not important.

“I’m innocent!”

The surrounding contemptuous gazes stung Greta.

The disbelieving eyes did not accept her words.

“You can check how much magical power I have!”

Unable to endure further, Greta cried out in frustration.

However, none of those who scolded her fiercely stepped forward. Then… someone stepped up.

“I will.”

Heinricion stepped forward and measured Greta’s magical power.

Magical powers had reacted to each other. Heinricion used his own to check Greta’s magical power.

After doing so, Heinricion calmly opened his mouth.

“Certainly, Lady Greta has almost no magical power.”

Greta’s face fell despite being proven innocent.

Her dignity was torn apart in front of her eyes. She wondered if the shame of being insignificant would lessen the stigma of being associated with black magic.

In any case, this proved that Greta had no involvement with black magic.

“That’s enough right?! I swear I have nothing to do with black magic.”

Greta sighed, glaring at the crowd.

But that wouldn’t make everything disappear.

The knight commander questioned Greta again.

“Then why did you come to the Princess Palace?”

The decisive moment she became a suspect was when her entry into the Princess Palace was discovered.

He pointed out the issue that everyone had forgotten about while focusing on her magical powers.

“T-That! As for how that happened…”

Greta had been furious by the onslaught of doubts, and now she was speechless.

She was only innocent regarding involvement in black magic. There was no mistake.

Nonetheless, someone stepped in and reinforced uncertainty surrounding Greta.

“We all know that Her Highness the Princess went missing while dealing with a black wizard.”

“…….”

“Besides, isn’t it very suspicious that Greta secretly infiltrated the Princess Palace while rumors about the princess’s ghost circulated recently?”

It made sense to anyone who heard it.

Greta bit her lips until they bled, but that didn’t mean there was no way out of the current situation.

Ultimately, she had to reveal her own disgrace. Only then would she be completely free from the accusations of black magic.

Like being forced to choose between the lesser of two evils.

Ame: I wonder if what Greta is going through is similar to how a woman’s replica luxury bag is being exposed for well, being a replica >_>

AP: Greta over there exposed