Presepe came to the lodging with Malea. They talked a lot. Almost everything was related to Vanessa.
Malea always added the honorific 'Lady' after Vanessa's name. However, as if finding it somewhat awkward, she would smile shyly.
How long has it been since she was caught cheating and killed? Why is she so insistent on attaching honorifics to the end of every sentence, as if a title were nothing?
As if she knew Presepe's true feelings, Malea smiled and parted her lips.
"She was Vanessa while she was in the village, but from the moment she left, the honorific 'Lady' was attached."
"But she has already passed away now. That was a long time ago."
"That is why she couldn't come back. To this capital."
"So, Vanessa remained forever as Vanessa to me."
As she said that, Malea smiled bitterly.
...According to Malea, Vanessa was born and raised in this village.
"It was probably around the time she had just come of age. That is when Vanessa caught the eye of His Imperial Majesty the Former Emperor."
It was said that it was a punitive system at that time as well.
Anyway, that damn subjugation system.
"Whenever the subjugation ritual was held in the Forbidden Forest, the nobles would linger in this village. Of course, complaints poured in because it was such a backward place, but since this was the only village nearby, there was really no other choice."
There was nothing particularly special about the story.
A frontier region plagued by famine and swarms of monsters at the slightest opportunity.
She meant the story about Vanessa, who grew up poor and struggling, but happened to catch the Emperor's eye simply because of her youth and beauty, and became a humble concubine.
Very common.
"After the subjugation ceremony ended, His Majesty returned to the capital first, and Lady Vanessa prepared to leave for the Imperial Palace in accordance with the Imperial command. I think it took about a week, and on the day of departure, the Knights came to escort her."
However, Malea wore a slightly puzzled expression as she talked about what happened just before Vanessa left.
"Did something special happen to my mother?"
"Two days before heading to the Imperial Palace, she was found in the Forbidden Forest. Unconscious."
What flashed through her mind in that moment was the story Ivan had told.
It was said that anyone who entered the Forbidden Forest for any reason must have their name added to the register.
Vanessa was on that list, which included those who lost consciousness or were found dead, just before she became a concubine.
"Everyone was in an uproar. It was only natural, though. She was about to become a royal concubine, so what would it have been like if she had been injured or died in the Forbidden Forest? She had lived a hard life and was finally about to see the light."
Why?
Why did you go?
What on earth do you need to do? In such a dangerous forest, of all places?
"There is a side path to the west of the village leading to the Forbidden Forest. No one uses it now, but it was found there anyway."
"Did you not say anything after waking up?"
"Well, I think I just cried."
Malea said that while going to the Forbidden Forest was somewhat incomprehensible, perhaps she cried because she was afraid at the thought of leaving her hometown and going to the Imperial Palace of all places.
However, Presepe did not think so.
Actually, maybe Vanessa had another reason.
For example, her father. She meant, because of Presepe's father.
"And the day before she left, she called me over and asked me to promise her just one thing."
"...promise?"
"Yes. I still remember that clearly. It was a slightly strange promise."
Malea shook her head and said.
"She told me that if anyone came looking for her and asked about her whereabouts, I should just say she is dead. She told me never to say anything else, saying that they might come looking for her today, in ten years, or decades from now... but she begged me time and time again to make sure I did just that."
...To whom?
"As you may know, Vanessa was an orphan. Her mother passed away here, and her father left with no intention of returning to earn money. So even back then, I thought it was strange. No one would come looking for her, so I wondered what she meant."
Right. Maybe no one will come to visit.
"Actually, when I heard the news that Vanessa had been executed..."
Malea continued speaking very cautiously, glancing at Presepe.
"...I even wondered if the person who might come looking for her was the man she loved."
However, Malea soon shook her head.
"I don't think that makes sense. If such a person existed, there would be no reason to go out of your way to come to this village. If they were truly curious about Vanessa's whereabouts, they could simply go to the Imperial Palace. Just think how much of a commotion there was when she became a concubine."
Yes, that makes sense, considering she is just a poor commoner, not even a noble, who became a royal concubine.
"Even if Lady Vanessa... uh... really did commit adultery, you can tell by calculating Lady Presepe's age. She became pregnant the very year she became a concubine."
"...Right."
"Then that implies she met someone in the village, doesn't it? But if she had met a man in this narrow mind, Lady Vanessa, the rumors would have already spread. I would certainly have found out, too."
"..."
"But there was never a single sign of that. I never saw anyone coming and going from Lady Vanessa's house, either."
Malea did not seem to believe Vanessa's infidelity.
It seemed that poor Vanessa, who had absolutely no background, had become like that because the other concubines and the Empress were jealous and framed her.
Presepe said nothing.
She felt sorry for Malea, who continues to use honorifics when speaking to Vanessa even now.
"That remark weighs on my mind a bit, but perhaps it was because she was feeling troubled about various things? To be honest, Lady Vanessa, she's always had a lot of quirky sides."
As she said this, Malea recounted her memories with Vanessa. Like how she had caught the Emperor's eye with her beauty and become a concubine, the stories were nothing particularly special.
Before parting ways, Malea spoke one last time.
Presepe really resembles Vanessa a lot.
And, if I may dare say so, I want to say thank you so much for growing up so well.
So, I suppose Vanessa is resting in peace now, too.
"..."
Sitting on the creaking old bed, Presepe had a pensive look on her face.
"It is obvious to anyone that wrongdoing was committed, and it is obvious to anyone that the other person was not human."
"No, no. Considering the circumstances, it is more likely that she hid the fact that she was pregnant and was practically dragged to the imperial palace to become a concubine," Presepe muttered to herself.
"But I don't know why she told me to go to the Forbidden Forest."
If she had meant for her to go to her hometown, she would have told her to go to the village. No matter how eccentric she may have been, there was no way she would drive her only daughter into such a death trap.
"Since Presepe's father is a monster... did you mean to tell her to go find her father?"
Then at least he’ll protect me?
Presepe tilted her head.
“Hey..."
Even so, it was possible to roughly piece things together so far, but the biggest problem was something else entirely.
The question was exactly what connection Presepe's background had with the real male protagonist.
"There is no way she would have said that for no reason; it must have been some kind of foreshadowing."
Anyway, given the circumstances so far, it did not seem like there was a real male protagonist in the capital, including the imperial palace.
No. Then what...
Are you saying the male protagonist is going to become a monster or something?
"What nonsense."
Presepe let out a hollow laugh at her own words.
"If I had known this would happen, I should have listened carefully to what Siegfried said when I was trying to win him over."
Did you catch a dragon less than three years after joining the Knights? Did you do that? Did you receive this holy sword because of that? Did you do that?
"That crazy bastard has a big mouth and talks so much I can't even remember."
In Siegfried's route, Presepe listened to his story with a lifeless look in her eyes every time. Of course, Presepe probably didn't look like that in Siegfried's eyes, though.
"As the saying goes, even dog poop is hard to find when you need it for medicine."
Ah. Is this expression a bit off?
"Anyway, you damn crazy bastard who's no help at all," Presepe grumbled to herself, rubbing her head hard.
"...I apologize, but do we really have to use that as medicine?"
The sound of Fenrir's voice was heard.
As she looked up in confusion, she saw Fenrir leaning against the doorway, staring intently at her.
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