The leaflet said:
[ The black-haired woman that Grand Duke Chession Ethel brought home last spring, 'Mori.' She is definitely a witch. We present the following as evidence.
First, 'Mori' is a woman with black hair and sharp fangs, which are known to be the characteristics of a witch.
Second. The magic used by the woman named 'Mori' leaves behind strange traces. All magic leaves traces and can be analyzed by magic detectors. However, no spells were found in the magic used by 'Mori', and only the following strange traces were revealed. These are similar to the letters and shapes of the ancient magic world. ]
Below the paragraph was a picture of strange characters, characters that Chession had seen before.
From the magic circle, Gremory used to capture the Elder Dragon. And from the book "The Ancient Witch's Interpretation of the Characters."
'What? Who analyzed that magic with a magic detector?'
Traces of magic disappear after about two days of using magic. This means that someone has been waiting for a while and hastily analyzed Gremory's magic by secretly bringing a magic detector.
Only a very small number of people are capable of doing such a thing. There are only seven people in the Empire who have a magic detector. And even then, it takes a tremendous amount of magic to activate it, so it is not even used unless there is a serious crime or disaster.
'Are you saying that you secretly brought that to my territory and turned it on?'
In addition, to use the magic detector, you need to know the exact location where Gremory used magic. The detector has a fairly narrow detection range.
'Then, if there was a culprit among the people who were there at the time... No, if there was someone with such absurd thoughts, Mori would have noticed it right away.'
There was no way Mori, who could see through the darkness of her opponents, could not recognize the spy within.
Chesion put aside his useless thoughts and read the last part.
[ Third. 'Mori' wasn't missing for the past year, but rather went to the Demon World.
I discovered a strange natural phenomenon in a cave in the Kendren region on the western side of the continent. There was a black crack in the air, and if I entered it, I could go to the Demon World. There, I saw the truth. Witches were real, and the devil was also there.
Those who do not believe me should immediately go to the cave in the eastern mountain of Kendren. There is still a path leading to the Demon Realm. ]
A crack in the cave in the Kendren region. It was the passage that Gremory and Alice used to return to the human world from the Demon World.
"Ugh!"
A frightened Chession threw the leaflet down. The adjutant looked at Chession suspiciously, who was overly surprised.
"You seem surprised, as if this is true."
"...I'm not surprised. I just loosened my neck a bit. So how far did this leaflet get distributed?"
"I understand it has spread throughout the continent."
"This."
"People are flocking to the Kendren area to find out the truth... Is it possible that Miss Mori is really a witch?"
"..."
"Haha! I don't think that's the case... but if, just in case, Lady Mori and the Grand Duke are in danger... how about we come up with a plan together?"
The voice of the adjutant who had noticed something by reading the atmosphere did not reach Chession's ears at this moment. Chession's mind was busy thinking about countermeasures for what would happen in the future.
'If people learn through that crack that the Demon World is real, what will happen to us?'
First, the human world will fall into chaos. How can we live with our feet stretched out when we know that witches and demons who prey on human souls exist? The whole world will be gripped by fear.
And the witches of the Grand Duke's palace will not be safe either. They may be the first to be subdued. Or they may become objects of fear and not be treated properly.
Isolene picked up the leaflet that Chession had thrown. Then, thinking the same thing as Chession, she became serious.
"Your Highness, let us gather in the conference room first."
"That sounds good."
Chession, who had raised his body, only then looked at his adjutant.
"Chris. You should come too."
The adjutant stood there blankly, blinking his eyes, as if he were dreaming.
***
This news was even discussed at the nobles' meeting in the palace. The Emperor snorted as soon as he heard it.
"Marquis Craig, do you wish to joke with me right now?"
"That's not it! I mean, we actually found a strange crack in the Kendren area!"
"So, does that rift really lead to the Demon World? To the fairyland where witches and demons live?"
The laughter of the nobles filled the great hall. Those sitting near Marquis Craig laughed especially loudly.
"Marquis Craig, don't get worked up over natural rifts. They happen all the time."
"It's refreshing to see you express your dislike for Grand Duke Ethel."
The Marquis of Craig's face turned bright red. He sat up and began to talk.
"Well, of course, it's true that I've been secretly investigating the situation to uncover the corruption of Grand Duke Ethel. In the process, I also found out through a magic detector that a woman named Mori was using strange magic."
"Could it be that you wrote that strange leaflet? The 'I' that appears on that leaflet is you?"
"It's not me. It's the personal experience of a servant who went missing in the Kendren area six months ago and then returned."
The nobles burst into laughter as if they were incredulous. The Emperor, annoyed by the chaotic atmosphere in the conference room, became serious.
"Ha, Marquis Craig. Yes, then sit down. Before I kick you out."
Despite the Emperor's rebuke, Marquis Craig stubbornly held out the pieces of paper.
"This is no ordinary magic crack! Look at this! The magic power of the crack was analyzed with a magic detector!"
The Emperor received the paper with a trembling face. However, his indifferent face became serious as he read the results.
"...What on earth is this?"
Even the Emperor, who had studied magic quite deeply, had never seen such a result before. An enormous amount of magic power that could never occur in the human world was discovered in the crack.
The Marquis of Craig continued.
"At first, I didn't believe the servant's words either. But after seeing this result, I changed my mind. And then I found out something even more shocking."
"What is it?"
"Mori, that woman's real name is...' Gremory'."
"Gremory?"
The conference room was abuzz. No one knew the name of the plague that had ravaged the southern continent.
"I heard that she is the witch who unleashed a terrible plague on the Southern Continent."
There was silence in the room for a moment. Then, after about ten seconds, everyone burst into laughter.
"Haha! Marquis Craig! You're refreshingly talking nonsense again at this meeting!"
"You've had enough fun, so you can stop now. Your presence has definitely been imprinted."
"Hahaha! Duke Ortega! Isn't that really funny?"
"Huh! Heh heh! This is so funny I could die."
The Emperor also laughed and shook his head. The absurd magical power analysis results were clearly fabricated by that idiot. Since he had never properly studied magical power, he seemed to have manipulated the numbers to make them unreasonable, not knowing how much would be required to be reliable. Then, he suddenly saw the expression on Severian's face, who was sitting next to him.
"Severian? Why are you looking like that?"
"..."
"Severian?"
"Gulp. Ah, Father."
"Why?"
Severian forced a smile, trying to keep his expression straight.
"I think we need to find out the truth. Can I step forward and take a look?"
"You? There's no need to do that. If the Crown Prince gets involved in something that's just nonsense, the royal family will look ridiculous. And there probably won't be many people who believe nonsense in the first place."
Severian's chin began to clam up with cold sweat. He looked at Ibelia, who was sitting next to him, for help.
Ibelia also looked at Severian with a look that said there was nothing she could do. She had lost all of her foresight, so there was nothing she could do now.
Severian eventually racked his brain and came up with a plausible excuse.
"My intention is not to reveal the truth of such nonsense. I only wish to properly punish those who have disturbed the solemn and sacred proceedings of the Imperial Palace."
"I don't think you need to go that far."
"Father, if we let this go, the Great Council will become a playground for the nobles to spout off their nonsense."
"If you really want to, then come forward and give it a try."
"All right."
As the atmosphere became more serious, the nobles who had been laughing loudly quietly closed their mouths. Marquis Craig looked at Severian with a confident expression.
"It is an honor that His Highness the Crown Prince himself has come forward."
"...Once the meeting is over, let's go to the Kendren area together right away."
"All right."
Marquis Craig smiled meaningfully. Severian's eyes narrowed as he did so. It occurred to him that Marquis Craig might not only know about Gremory.
There is a high possibility that Oppencia or more may have information. They may be planning to wipe out the imperial family with that information, so they need to prepare for it.
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