Chapter 100

Chapter 100
## Chapter 100

“Miss Ellen, until the head of the family gives further instructions, please remain in your room.”

The group of servants who had accompanied Ellen wore expressions of concern.

Ellen remembered each of their names: Monter, Briana, Revilin, Tion, Fior…

All of them had been with Ellen since childhood, and she had watched them ascend to higher positions within the Belmierd estate from a distance.

Consequently, they did not seem very happy about having to confine Ellen.

“You won’t tell me a single word about the results of the investigation.”

Ellen had no intention of blaming them, but she still wanted to make a comment.

The room, which was normally used for receiving guests, was luxurious and spacious. However, it could not compare to Ellen’s personal room.

Her own room was being investigated, so it likely could not be used.

“We are sorry, Miss Ellen. We…”

The elderly man leading the group spoke with hesitation. It was Monter, the head of the guard who managed the servants and who had been her personal bodyguard during her childhood.

He tried to say something, but then closed his mouth again.

Apparently, the investigators had received instructions not to give Ellen any premature information.

The other servants watched him closely, waiting for his reaction.

“…We have to suspect you, Miss Ellen.”

In that uncomfortable atmosphere, Briana, the most capable scribe of the Belmierd family, raised her voice.

She was always direct and professional, but Ellen knew very well that she had a great heart.

“We will inform you of the detailed results of the investigation in due time. However, for now, we cannot give you the slightest hint. As you know, we must follow the instructions we have received.”

Briana’s cold and professional tone made it seem as if her heart was as cold as her words.

However, Ellen looked at her and spoke with warm eyes.

“Have you found any conclusive evidence?”

“…”

Briana Grit her teeth as if she were suffering and finally spat out the words.

***

“As I already mentioned… we find ourselves in a situation where we must suspect you, Miss Ellen. However, that does not mean we have lost faith in you.”

Briana, still showing deep respect, spoke to Ellen.

“I believe this suspicion is a way to prove your innocence, Miss Ellen. Everyone here knows better than anyone that you are not someone who would involve themselves in necromancy.”

“Briana…”

“Therefore, we must understand how this situation arose, who orchestrated it, and under what circumstances. Suspicion is necessary in this process. To truly prove your innocence, we must convince everyone that you had no motive whatsoever to involve yourself in such magic.”

All verification begins with suspicion.

Knowing this, Ellen understood the complex and subtle emotions of the servants looking at her.

Ellen took a deep breath and observed the expressions of each of those who believed in her and followed her.

Then, biting her lower lip for an instant, she nodded.

“Leave me. Since you have granted me some time alone after so long, I will immerse myself in Professor Felo’s magic books.”

With a relaxed smile, she sat by the window and said:

“I trust you all.”

***

‘Keep calm.’

Once the servants left, Ellen closed the book and headed toward the window.

She saw the servants with anxious expressions walking through the garden bathed in the warm spring light. The Belmierd mansion was now plunged into a sea of anxiety.

The fact that Lady Ellen, the rightful heir to the Belmierd family, was suspected of practicing necromancy.

If this fact began to spread outside the family circle, the situation would spiral completely out of control.

Whatever happened, this matter had to be resolved within the family.

It had not even been a year since the madness of necromancy had devoured the great star that had been the Duplain family.

In this social atmosphere, the moment one was stained by necromancy, their life as a noble—let alone as an heir—was destroyed.

Ellen swallowed hard and tried to pull herself together once more.

In this situation, without information, the more she appeared to waver, the worse everything would become.

However, the cold gaze of a man in the hallway remained present in her memory.

“Miss Ellen. A little more strength. You can do it!”

“Just once more…! Now is the time. When you are exhausted and can’t move anymore, force yourself once more… that is the secret of growth!”

The man who had encouraged her with overflowing energy while teaching her magic—with those cold eyes looking at her—remained engraved in her heart like a carved sculpture.

The fact that Dereck had yielded to Leonard’s persuasion meant that he was now hostile to her.

“Dereck is thoughtful and judges quickly. Leonard shouldn’t have been able to convince him so easily…”

But Ellen knew Leonard as well as she knew Dereck.

Leonard was very skilled at persuading people, sometimes with cunning whispers, sometimes with grand speeches, or otherwise with offers difficult to refuse.

Dereck was not someone who fell easily into those types of traps, but Leonard could have used some kind of plan.

He constantly spread rumors about Ellen, emphasized alleged moral defects, and promised Dereck great rewards.

Especially considering that Dereck was more dedicated to magical achievements than anyone else, he could be convinced with guarantees of magical treasures or conditions that facilitated his studies.

What if Leonard had painted Ellen as a villain to ease Dereck’s conscience and then lured him with appropriate rewards…?

Leonard was a young man with a great ability to understand the desires of others, so it was not impossible. Perhaps he had sensed Dereck’s obsession with magical achievements.

“If Dereck simply allowed himself to be influenced by Leonard’s words, I could defend myself by meeting him and talking to him. The problem is… I can’t see Dereck right now…”

Ellen took a deep breath and reaffirmed her determination once more.

Her eyes, clinging tightly to the window frame, burned with renewed determination.

*Misunderstandings can be cleared up.*

No matter the tricks Leonard used to slander her to Dereck, in the end, Dereck would understand it had all been a misunderstanding.

*Do not lose your composure in the face of momentary confusion.*

In this game of intrigue, the first one to lose their composure would be the one to fall.

Losing Dereck could be a hard blow, but she could still recover.

Leonard’s tricks were nothing more than false evidence to corner Ellen.

False evidence always has flaws, and if those flaws could be exposed, the situation would be reversed.

So, the only thing she needed to know was what that evidence was.

Ellen calmed herself, repeating those words endlessly.

***

> Dear Prince Valerian of the Duplain family,
>
> I have been reflecting deeply since I received your last letter. Once again, I have considered how dangerous the path we are following is and the consequences we could face.
>
> But thinking about the changes our research will bring, I believe it is worth taking all these risks. If we come to fully understand the secrets of necromancy, we can transcend the limits of life and death. With that power, we can change this empire; no, the entire continent.
>
> The ancient texts from the White Zone that you sent me were truly invaluable.
>
> The “Soul Echo” spell was especially amazing. Thanks to my experiments in my underground laboratory, I managed to momentarily animate the corpse of a small animal. It is not yet complete, but I am confident that we will soon obtain better results.
>
> On the next month’s full moon, naturally, you will be able to visit the Duplain family during Lady Diella’s social debut ball.
>
> I hope we can meet at the agreed place and talk in more detail. I also want to share some new spells I have discovered.
>
> Please, be careful. I believe Prince Valerian has recently allowed himself to be too influenced by necromantic magic. Be very cautious so that our secret does not come to light.
>
> From your eternal comrade,
> Ellen

Count Belmierd, who had read the letter from the underground laboratory to the end, sat at his desk in his study with a serious expression.

He placed the letter on the table and observed the faces of the vassals participating in the investigation.

Among them, the lawyer Revilton, who led the investigation, spoke with his eyes closed.

“After examining the handwriting, it was verified that it was written with Beloff ink scented with hydrangea, the same one Lady Ellen used. Furthermore, it was sealed with the secret seal of the Belmierd family.”

“…”

“This letter was not sent and simply stayed in the drawer. Perhaps it was rewritten to make some corrections, or perhaps the situation changed.”

Behind him, Briana and the head of the maids also recited the results of the investigation with serious expressions.

“There was also a faint trace of Lady Ellen’s perfume. We investigated it directly with our dogs, so it is very likely true.”

“…”

The letter was about the exchange of opinions on necromantic magic with Valerian, the eldest son of the Duplain family.

According to available information, Valerian, of the Duplain family, gradually lost his sanity due to the necromantic relics of the White Zone and eventually went mad.

In other words, this proved that she had researched necromancy together with that person.

Physical evidence and circumstances.

Both matched exactly.

Ironically, Ellen had attended the Duplain family party on the very day of the great catastrophe.

Even in a situation where many died or were injured, Ellen emerged unharmed… Furthermore, despite such a serious incident, she did not hold the Duplain family responsible nor did she demand compensation.

Circumstantial evidence alone is not very convincing, but when several conditions match, they can carry great weight.

Ellen’s visit to the Duplain family was for the sole purpose of celebrating Diella’s debut.

She did not hold the Duplain family responsible simply because she did not want to be a burden to Aiselin.

And she survived unharmed because she acted quickly.

Truth is often that simple and insignificant. Ellen was open-minded, mature, and compassionate, so she let it go.

However, those accumulated circumstances made her actions seem suspicious.

Could it be that she was actually in league with the Duplain family to research necromancy?

It was enough to sow that seed of doubt for all that evidence and circumstances to play their part.

Count Belmierd pressed his temples and let out a deep sigh.

Then, sitting at his desk, he spoke to his vassals.

“I do not want to doubt Ellen.”

“…”

“You all feel the same way, right?”

Count Belmierd, who loved his daughter more than anything in the world, was being tested.

Deep down, he wanted to give her back her freedom and encourage her, saying: “Father believes in you, so don’t worry about anything.”

But he was the lord of the Belmierd territory, a position that granted him authority over numerous vassals and subjects.

Rumors had already begun to circulate within the mansion, and if they were not stopped, they could spread to neighboring cities or even beyond the territory.

If it were discovered that he had covered up the enormous stain of necromancy simply because she was his daughter, the problem would worsen and cease to be exclusive to Ellen, becoming a problem for the entire Belmierd territory.

A father before a count. A count before a father.

Caught in that dilemma, Count Belmierd could only writhe in agony.

***

“Have you heard that Lady Ellen was involved in necromancy? Do you think it’s true?”

“Oh, come on. You know what kind of person Lady Ellen is. Could that even be possible?”

Doubt is like a small spark that blooms among the branches. Usually, these doubts are not powerful and disappear quickly.

However, sometimes they persist, burn the branches, and end up growing.

Doubt, when not definitively resolved, persists for a long time, exerting its influence simply by the fact of remaining.

Rumors become distorted, exaggerated, and embellished. What truly destroys a person’s spirit is the rumor that has been decorated.

These unfounded rumors, which are neither logical nor reasonable, corner people.

They break the heart and make it difficult to maintain composure. Even the wise lose clarity, and only the sense of injustice remains, growing like waves and causing the loss of calm.

What matters is time.

What corrodes a person is not a great blow of pain that arrives suddenly.

It is the persistent pain that gnaws little by little at the edges of the heart.

Every small turn that gradually corners someone usually blends into daily life.

“Oh, it’s Lady Ellen.”

“Shh, shh…! Don’t talk to her…!”

While the servants escorted her to eat, the maids cleaning the garden, trembling with cold, fled.

Thus, one day passes, and then another.

“But what about Lady Ellen?”

“She is still under house arrest.”

“To think that she who once reigned in the Rose Hall of Ebelstein is now confined so alone in her room… The results of the investigation must have been quite serious…”

“Wow… could it be that she really practiced necromancy…?”

“Shhh. Watch your language.”

Late at night. Opening the window and starting to read a book, the secret conversations of the servants filtering into the room could be heard.

And so three days passed, then four.

“What if, by chance, Lady Ellen really practiced necromancy?”

“Haven’t you heard about the tragedy of the Duplain family? They will never… never get over it.”

“Then, what happens with the succession to the throne of the Belmierd family?”

“Well… Since young master Linus rejected it, it would fall to young master Leonard, but young master Leonard insisted that would never happen, that he had no desire for power…”

“As expected… He is a distant person…”

It was a conversation that reached the ears of Ellen, who was using detection magic to gather information from the next room.

On the fifth day, the pressure on her chest began to intensify.

“Miss Ellen, I brought you some clothes to change into.”

Briana’s cold gaze, increasingly professional.

“Miss Ellen, we need to hear your statement.”

Monter’s firm gaze, without a trace of apology. Every scene of daily life accumulated in her heart like poison.

The terrifying thing is that she didn’t even realize it. A person’s mind is cornered very slowly.

Like a kettle placed on the fire, the temperature rises little by little and, before one realizes it, they find themselves immersed in unbearable heat.

When she dominated the skies and held her nose high with power, everyone looked at her.

The servants saw her as someone above the clouds, the maidens attended to her cautiously as if she were made of porcelain, and her family praised her like a flower.

But when the accumulated suspicions finally reached a breaking point, something inside the heart had to break.

“Ah…”

How many days had passed?

Ellen, sitting in a dark room with a candle lit, suddenly regained consciousness. She could barely feel the passage of time.

A soft spring breeze entered through the half-open window. The moon shone in the sky, but it was strangely cold.

Ellen stood up and shook her head quickly.

“I lost my mind for a moment. That is not like me.”

During that time, Ellen tried to dispel the suspicions in her own way.

She tried to coax information out of the servants regarding what the evidence was and sent letters outside to inform the Duplain family.

She also asked the nobles of the Rose Hall who might defend her, but she found no one with enough courage to get involved in such a serious matter.

As a result, she found herself sitting in silence, staring fixedly at the candle in the middle of a private room where only the cold night wind entered.

She was not one to disconnect easily. She never lost concentration, not even in the most boring philosophy classes.

It was the first time she had lost control suddenly, so she washed her face and pulled back her hair.

*Yes. Do they intend to corner me this way? It is unfortunate, but governing implies being unable to escape suspicion and evidence. Do they think that I, who have reigned as the heir to the Belmierd family for so long, will let myself be intimidated by such a petty trick?*

In the end, the Belmierd family could not easily get rid of Ellen.

Despite the numerous pieces of evidence, there were still many servants who wanted to believe in her.

However, the dark room remained silent. With the cold wind entering and making the candle flicker, Ellen’s shadow also trembled.

She had not reached that position alone.

The word “solitude” only existed in the dictionary. With so many people who believed in her and followed her, how could a small seed of doubt bring her down?

But she did not know.

What protects a person’s heart is not the respectful gaze of those who follow them. Secular authority does not protect the heart.

When anxiety and distrust build up slowly over a long time, even a fish in an aquarium eventually stops breathing.

The only difference lies in whether it takes a week or a month. The moment inevitably arrives.

As Ellen stood looking at herself in the mirror in the corner of the room, she felt a chill.

Empty eyes. Brittle hair.

Not knowing if it was really her, she quickly rubbed her eyes and took a comb from the drawer to fix her hair.

“Taking care of one’s appearance is the most basic of basics… What has happened to me…?”

Ellen began to comb her hair with trembling fingers.

But the brushing was clumsy. The ends seemed tangled and it was not easy to pass the comb through completely.

Only then did she realize. How long had it been since she had combed her own hair?

The maids who always followed her as if they were part of her were the ones who fixed her hair. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had done it herself.

And then, the dark room appeared before her eyes again.

There was no one.

She, who had ruled the world, who reigned as the king of Belmierd, who was famous as the lady of the Rose Hall, the flower of the inner chambers.

She was power personified.

But by her side, there was only an empty darkness.

There is no one here. That fact does not change, no matter how many times she closes her eyes and opens them again.

In this narrow room, there is no one.

***

‘It seems to be the necromancy book from Rodentz Island.’

The necromancy book found in Ellen’s room was a dangerous object, so it seemed the high-ranking servants had quickly disposed of it and sealed it with magic.

However, traces still remained in the basement. Standing alone in the basement, permeated by the smell of blood, Dereck took a deep breath as he felt the lingering vestiges of that magic.

“Yes. It was strange from the moment she suddenly converted to religion and went on a pilgrimage.”

Dereck muttered to himself while observing the basement, permeated by a sticky air. It was known as Ellen’s necromancy research laboratory.

After informing the Barony of Ravenclaw about the news of Belmierd, Dereck had returned as a guest. Seeing this chaotic environment, it was strange that external visitors were being received.

If the head of the family were in his right mind, there would be no reason to bring strangers into the mansion in a situation like that.

However, Dereck could wander freely through the house of the Belmierd family as if he were a guest.

That seemed to have a certain significance in this situation.

‘…’

Dereck rested his chin in his hand for a moment, then shook his head and heavily climbed the stairs leading to the surface.

“There is information that low-ranking necromancers who escaped from Rodentz Island have hidden in Ebelstein. If we capture and interrogate them, we might get some clues about that 6-star necromancer.”

Before arriving at the Belmierd family, Trisha had made this request of Dereck.

Dereck had refused.

He was not someone well-versed in necromancy.

However, there was something he did know.

The existence of the faceless 6-star necromancer, whom the necromancers of Rodentz Island revered as a prophet.

He was practically unknown to the world, but his followers shared a common trait.

A deep desire to practice necromancy.

Step, step.

As he climbed the stairs, Dereck became convinced.

Apparently, Leonard was one of the necromancers from Rodentz Island who had been persecuted by the Viscounty of Renouel. He seemed to be a survivor who escaped during the attack on the island. The fact that traces of necromancy still remained fit perfectly.

In short, he had never gone on a pilgrimage. If anything, his pilgrimage had been to Rodentz Island, the seat of necromancy.

Dereck let out a small chuckle as he climbed the stairs.

There was no proof. But it didn’t matter.

Evidence could be manufactured.

Just as Leonard had done.