Oh...
“Maybe you’re right. I’ll do as you say.”
She’d just taken the wind out of my sails, but I knew she was right. I had to preserve our cultural heritage. Future scholars would forever curse me if I burned it all.
Luida looked over at Myalo from where she sat. “Myalo, you should look after it all. You’re going to be the leading witch, after all.”
What’s she talking about? “Have you lost your mind, old woman?”
“Nothing’s wrong with my mind. That girl’s a witch, through and through. She might be the most exceptional witch alive, whether she likes the idea or not.”
“There won’t be any witches after today. Don’t you realize that? I’m ending the Gudinveil family’s business. It’s all over.”
The most I’d allow them was to live out their final years quietly.
“It’s not that simple. You know that anyone raised by a knight family will be a knight until their death. Well, girls raised by witch families are witches until their death. I don’t mean it in a bad way.”
What could possibly be good about it?
“If you insist on being a witch, do it alone. Keep Myalo out of it.”
“Her father was a knight until his death,” Luida said while looking at Myalo.
Her father...? What’s she talking about?
I looked at Myalo and, for reasons I didn’t understand, saw her staring back at Luida, her face full of emotion.
“Listen Myalo, it doesn’t mean you’re going to be like us. Witches have served many different roles through the ages. Now it’s up to you to be the witch you want to be.”
“As you wish, dear grandmother.”
What? Dear grandmother? Is that really what she calls her?
“Youngster, I’ll be retiring with the others. It’ll end the current era of witches.”
Retiring? With the others? Does that mean...? Didn’t she come here for entertainment?
“Don’t tell me you came here to die, old woman.”
Given the risk of becoming another target for my anger, I’d thought Luida had been stupid for showing her face.
“That’s right. I’ve done so many wicked things that I don’t dare face trial for them all. Spare me now, and I’ll only be a burden on my descendants.”
She had a good point.
“But I’d prefer something less painful than being burned alive. And death by the sword would be too dull. Use a rifle. I expect it’ll be a quick death.”
Though she was making demands for her own execution, conveniently enough, we had a firearm with us.
“Someone outside has one... But are you sure?”
“Today’s a good day to end on. I’ve looked up to this lot since my youth, and now I finally got to look down on them. I’ve lived long enough already. I’ll die without regrets.”
Luida might not have regretted anything, but I was concerned about Myalo. “Killing you now would certainly suit me, but...”
“It works out well for the girl too. This way, the Gudinveil family can prosper.”
I hated to think that I was going along with Luida’s plan, but I couldn’t argue.
“Now tell your soldiers to carry the items out. I doubt you have much time to waste.”
“All right, I will.”
I went to call on the soldiers waiting outside.
✧✧✧
Once the items had all been moved out, nothing remained in the adjoining room besides a few empty shelves.
The number of things in the main room, however, had increased.
Beneath the table lay a large pile of firewood, which had been cut into small pieces with some twigs and dead leaves thrown in. It was ready to burn.
We’d also placed the witches, still tied to their chairs, on top of the table.
I approached Jula Lacramanus from behind and undid her gag. This was her last chance to speak her mind. I knew she’d have a thing or two to say.
But even with the gag removed, Jula merely glared at me, wordless and full of hate. I’d thought that all the abuse she’d received from her fellow witches must’ve turned her into a shadow of her former self, but she clearly had some spirit left. Maybe the dagger to the leg had restored her to her old self.
I put my hand under Jula’s jaw and held her face still so I could examine it. “This brings back memories. That wound on your cheek never did heal, did it?”
Jula didn’t reply.
“Yuri, there’s something I forgot to mention,” Sharun Charleville spoke up. “If you’re assuming that we approached the Papal State with this plot, you’d be wrong. It was Jula who brought the plan to us. She said a Kulati approached her.”
So that’s how it started... I didn’t know whether to believe the old woman, but if the Kulati had chosen Jula out of these seven, I doubted it had been by chance. They’d naturally approach whoever had the biggest score to settle with me. Needless to say, they’d need a thorough understanding of the goings-on here in the royal capital before they could make that choice.
I guess I’d better question her about it.
“I’m glad you told me,” I said to Sharun. Then, I asked Jula, “How did you communicate with them? Is your contact still here in the royal capital?”
Jula’s lips remained sealed.
“It’s not like you owe them anything. It’ll be easier if you talk.”
“Don’t be stupid. Why should I talk if you’re going to kill me anyway?”
“Hah.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Heh... Ha ha ha.”
Even now, she didn’t understand her situation. I’d never known anyone so naive. I lifted Jula’s chair off the table and moved her to a clear space.
“Yuri, let me do it.” Tillet was trying to interfere.
“What? And let you steal my fun?”
Tillet leaned close and whispered in my ear, “That wound in her thigh—I know you avoided the artery, but she’s lost a lot of blood regardless. If you draw any more, she’ll die easily. We’d be better off taking her with us and stopping the bleeding first.”
Ah. She might be right. But still...
“It’s fine,” I replied. “It won’t take much to break this one.”
Jula wouldn’t save any of her family or loved ones by keeping her mouth shut. She had no real motivation to keep quiet. It was just a matter of pride, and a little pain would make her forget all about that.
“Then use this.” Tillet gave me some folded parchment. It was the same packaging apothecaries used for powdered medicines. “We normally throw it in an opponent’s eyes, but it’ll cause extreme pain if you sprinkle it over her wound.”
“Got it.”