Chapter 86 – Truth
──The mansion in Centralle that was owned by the Faunbeux royal family.
Damian visited there.
He was lying down on a sofa in front of Lianne.
「It’s a honor to be able to meet with the famous Professor Damian. You’re really a person who is just like in the rumors.」
Lily who was standing behind Damian bowed her head.
「Because Goshujin-sama has no interest in anything other than his research.」
When she thought that it was an apology, it was just an excuse.
「……Automaton are really mysterious. Is a rude attitude their fundamental basis?」
Damian answered in disinterest.
「Who knows? But, the automaton at Lyle’s place……who was it again?」
「It’s Poyopoyo.」
Damian who asked the name from Lily said 「That’s right」 while continuing his talk.
「Well, that Poyopoyo is even more terrible. Perhaps the ancient people made them to be like that? I’m not interested but, surely the ancient people were magnanimous people. More importantly, Lyle and the others are here aren’t they?」
Lianne was slightly exasperated in front of the carefree Damian.
「Certainly I’m sheltering them in this mansion. Right now I believe he isn’t in a state that can talk with other people.」
Damian took off his glasses.
「Oh, is he heavily injured?」
Lianne shook her head.
「It’s not a problem of injury. Perhaps it’s already hopeless for them. A trusting relationship that has crumbled once won’t be able to return back to before after all.」
Saying that, Lianne started talking about the matter of Lyle and the others──
.
In a room inside the mansion.
Everyone gathered inside this room where I was sleeping in.
I who was sitting on a chair was wrapped in bandages.
Novem was worrying about me who was in this state. Miranda-san talked to her.
「I can’t trust Novem.」
The Jewel hanging on my neck was silent.
Nobody was trying to come to Novem’s defense.
Miranda-san was also bandaged on her arms and legs. Shannon was silently hugging such Miranda-san while hanging her head down.
「I wonder what kind of relationship you have with that Celes?」
Celes withdrew from that place because she didn’t want to fight Novem. In addition, it was clear that there was a promise between Novem and Celes.
Novem looked at me.
「……Lyle-sama has only just woken up. If you want to talk please do it at another opportunity.」
Miranda-san didn’t stop pressing her questions.
「You want to escape like that? You, just what are you hiding?」
Eva-san defended Novem.
「Wait a second. We were saved thanks to Novem!」
Miranda-san said 「That’s right」 in recognition but,
「Celes who is completely beyond us withdrew when Novem came. I wonder, just why is it that you are hiding your true strength?」
Sophia-san shook her head.
「Miranda-san, please calm down. What do you want to do by attacking Novem-san?」
Miranda-san ignored that opinion of Sophia-san and turned her gaze to me.
「Let’s ask Lyle to decide. It’s impossible for me to accept Novem as a comrade. It’s not just about her hiding something. I can’t trust Novem.」
Aria-san defended Novem.
「Wait. It’s for Lyle’s sake that Novem──」
「Even that is also suspicious. That time, Novem left the inn right behind Monica. And yet, she arrived after us. Did we overtake her?」
Novem was listening to the talk quietly.
Clara-san added to Miranda-san’s words.
She placed her broken artificial hand in front of her and looked at it.
「I cannot fathom Novem-san getting lost. Even if for argument’s sake she took a different route from us, her arrival was too late.」
When Aria-san tried to say something back, Monica also gave a statement that was leaning to Miranda-san’s side of the argument.
「Judging from her conversation with Celes, it’s a fact that she is hiding something from us. Septem, I wonder what kind of meaning that name has?」
It was the name that Novem mentioned to Celes at that time.
‘Are you Celes, or are you Septem?’ She asked that.
It was a fact that Novem knew something.
Aria-san and also Sophia-san looked at Novem.
……Novem didn’t answer.
Eva-san was stamping her feet.
「You all! If Novem wasn’t there, it would have ended up horribly for everyone! Are you all trying to return good with evil!?」
Miranda-san retorted back with a really cold gaze.
「Thank you for that time. Is it alright with that? In the first place, I don’t think that I’ll be able to get on with someone who I can’t trust from here on. I don’t know when she will slit our throats while we’re asleep.」
The Seventh’s voice came from the Jewel.
『That’s a sound argument. Novem right now cannot be trusted.』
The other ancestors didn’t say anything.
It was like they agreed with the Seventh’s opinion.
Miranda-san asked me to decide.
「Lyle, you decide. If you won’t push Novem away here, then Shannon and I cannot come with you.」
「Eh!?」
It was Shannon who was surprised.
I pressed my right hand on my face while,
「……Novem, there is no problem with my body. Tell us the truth.」
Novem closed her eyes for a bit, then she slowly opened her eyes.
「Yes, Lyle-sama.」
Novem started talking.
「Let me say this first. I’m living not for the sake of Celes-sama or even for the Walt House. I’m living for the sake of Lyle-sama. I’m Lyle-sama’s ally.」
Miranda-san muttered 「It’s good if that’s the case」.
「Six years ago. And then to talk about the story until it reaches this point, there is information that I wish for everyone to know first. We have to go back until the time when the Sentras Kingdom was destroyed and Bahnseim founded a new kingdom.」
Miranda-san was making a smile at Novem’s story, but it didn’t look friendly. Rather, it was a smile that was hiding hostility.
「Oh, that’s a really old story. ……Continue with the story.」
Miranda-san took a condescending attitude. She crossed her arms below her chest.
What Novem talked about was about the kingdom that ruled over the continent in the past──the Sentras Kingdom.
「The Sentras Kingdom ruled the entire continent, but due to the birth of a single woman, it walked the path of destruction. Her name was Agrissa……a woman who executed all the other royalty other than her, introduced herself as queen, and committed every kind of atrocity possible. Will you understand if I say that she was a country destroying beauty who ruined the continent?」
Aria-san made a huffy expression.
「Even I know that much. But, what about it? I can’t see the connection at all though.」
Even if the name of Agrissa came out, no one could imagine how it was connected with me.
「……Agrissa was certainly taken down. But, Bahnseim confined the children of Agrissa to an abandoned land in a remote region because they desired the bloodline of the Sentras royal family.」
The surroundings was surprised.
Because whether it was in the tale or the historirc records──all of them told that Agrissa’s children and grandchildren were all killed.
When I heard this story, I ignored it as not important. But right now──
「The blood of a noble is the blood of a magician. And when it came to the bloodline of the Sentras royal family, at that time it was the most excellent bloodline as a magician. Bahnseim wanted to take in that bloodline as their own.」
The Third seemed become curious in that story.
『I don’t understand why they hid that. If they’re going to introduce themselves as the new ruler of the continent using the bloodline’s legitimacy, then hiding it won’t serve any purpose. Even if they imprisoned the children to one day mix it into their own bloodline, it’s the bloodline of Agrissa right? I think the demerit is big. Is the power so great that they would want to take it in secretly?』
The demerit was that they would take in the blood of the evil woman called Agrissa……Agrissa who was the symbol of fear for all people. Taking in that bloodline would make them be considered as the descendant of an evil woman.
The Fifth was considering it from a different perspective.
『The First said, that she was a genuine monster wasn’t she? I don’t understand why they would want the bloodline of such a person. It was someone who they defeated themselves wasn’t it? Why would they want her bloodline? It’s like there is something……something that is even scarier than even Agrissa.』
Taking in Agrissa’s bloodline.
Right now it was unknown what kind of meaning it had.
Clara-san’s glasses was becoming slightly tilted, but the person herself seemed to not have any composure to pay it any mind. She asked Novem.
「Ple, please wait. In the history book it said that there is no descendant of the Sentras royal family……be, besides, I don’t understand the reason of letting them live. If they’re going to take in the royal bloodline to display their legitimacy as the rulers of the continent, there is no meaning in hiding them.」
It was Miranda-san who answered that question.
「Something like history can be freely rewritten by the victor. I won’t be strange even if they hid any inconvenient truth. Besides, Novem properly said it. The Bahnseim royal family wanted that bloodline──that power didn’t they? Though for me, even that is questionable.」
Novem nodded and continued her story.
「The family was placed under Bahnseim’s surveillance and ended up living as nobles in name only in an abandoned land in a remote region. Originally they planned for the two houses to reconcile after several generations and become tied in marriage. But, perhaps because of the flow of time, it wasn’t carried out.」
It seemed they planned to take in the bloodline when the lingering enthusiasm cooled down, but…….
After the destruction of the Sentras royal family, countries in ever corner of the continent were revolting.
It seemed that intense fighting continued. Many countries were born and destroyed.
Unnoticed, Bahnseim completely forgot to take in the bloodline of the Sentras royal family for themselves.
「They intend to watch for the right time to take in the bloodline but, they ended up giving cold treatment to the Sentras royal family for a long time. The Sentras royal family that became a Duke house then grew to think that Bahnseim was confining them no matter how many generations had passed in order to torment them.」
The Fourth was utterly amazed.
『It became a really troublesome matter huh. That’s not a situation where they can make peace.』
The Sixth agreed.
『That was just needlessly piling up resentment and bitterness. Honestly, like that they would think that any reconciliation is impossible and give up.』
Novem continued talking.
「Time passed, and then when it was the era where there was a fierce battle against the Faunbeux Kingdom, the Duke house caused an insurrection. They challenged Bahnseim that was weakened due to the push of the Faunbeux Kingdom.」
Eva-san was also bewildered.
「I’ve never heard this story.」
「That’s because the insurrection was resolved at the early stage. The reason was the house head of the Walt House at that time, the seventh head Brod-sama. The grandfather of Lyle-sama.」
When the talk about the Seventh came out……Shannon seemed to get sleepy. Her head was swaying.
While Miranda-san was lying her down on the sofa inside the room, the talk continued.
「The Duke house was defeated by Bahnseim. The reason was because Brod-sama ended the battle against the Faunbeux Kingdom at an early stage. He won the battle magnificently.」
Bahnseim that managed to take a breather noticed the insurrection and suppressed it quickly.
The Duke house didn’t have any considerable fighting strength from the beginning. It was decided that they would be purged.
It was decided so but…….
「After the suppression of the insurrection, there was only one daughter who was the survivor of the Duke house. The Walt House who knew of the situation at that time was in a position of an advisor to the royal family. Brod-sama was told about Bahnseim’s plan for the future, and he took in the surviving daughter.」
The gazes of everyone other than Aria-san and Sophia-san gathered on me.
The two of them were bewildered.
「Eh? Wa, was there something?」
「Is something the matter with Lyle-dono?」
Monica gave an additional explanation to the two of them who were like that. She was making a smile that was slightly making fun of them.
「Oh? You two are unable to guess from the story so far? Let me teach it to these two pitiful girls. In short! Chicken dickwad is descended from the bloodline of the Sentras royal family!」
Aria-san tilted her head.
「Eh, why?」
Monica who was making a pose was slightly troubled.
「……This is, it was the correct decision to talk from the beginning. That was a good decision for a vixen like you.」
Novem explained carefully.
「At first, they judged that it would be a waste if the bloodline of the Sentras royal family was eradicated there. But the daughter also couldn’t possibly be sheltered by the royal family, so the daughter──Zenoa-sama was entrusted to Brod-sama who was trusted by Bahnseim.」
Miranda-san nodded.
「So she was Lyle’s grandmother.」
Sophia-san was shocked.
「Tha, that means!」
Aria-san too finally noticed. She looked at my face in shock.
The Seventh recalled that time with slight regret.
『……To think, it’ll become like this.』
Novem told 「It’s important from here」 and returned to the explanation.
「Brod-sama and Zenoa-sama married. Bahnseim was also feeling misgivings towards the Walt House taking in the Sentras royal family’s bloodline. But, Zenoa-sama’s fierce anger was directed to the royal family, so the Walt House came between them and it was decided that after several generations Bahnseim would take in the bloodline.」
The Fifth muttered with ridiculing tone.
『This is a story that I had heard before. ……As the result of repeating the same thing, Celes was born. I can’t laugh from this.』
「Originally, I wasn’t someone with fitting status to be engaged with Lyle-sama. It was planned for Lyle-sama or Lyle-sama’s son to directly take a daughter from the royal family as bride, and then the Walt House would become a Duke house.」
And then the royal family would take a daughter from the Walt House that had become a Duke house as a bride, to take in the bloodline of the Sentras royal family like that……it was a tedious matter that was going on through many generations.
「……Zenoa-sama who wedded into the Walt House had something that she brought with her. It was a yellow Gem──no, it was a magic tool that could also be called as a Jewel.」
Aria-san took the red Gem hanging on her neck.
「Eh, this? Co, could it be, the reason Celes was that powerful was!」
Novem shook her head.
「It’s different from a Gem. Till the end, a Gem is a tool to record Arts. In the first place, a Gem is a degraded product that imitated a Jewel.」
The Gem’s original.
This was the meaning of what Celes said.
「Inside the yellow Jewel that had been in the safekeeping of the family’s woman for generations, the personality of a person was recorded. This is the difference between a Jewel and a Gem. Other than Arts, a Jewel will also record personality.」
Miranda-san narrowed her eyes and muttered.
「Agrissa you mean.」
Novem confirmed it and continued.
「The yellow Jewel that Celes-sama has──that is the yellow Jewel that Zenoa-sama brought to the Walt House.」
The Seventh agreed powerlessly.
『That’s right. It was something that Zenoa was safekeeping. She said that if nothing happened, she would make Claire or Celes to inherit it but……』
It seemed that even the Seventh didn’t have any memory regarding that matter. But, if it was in Celes’s possession, then did Obaa-sama hand the yellow Jewel to Celes?
「Zenoa-sama sealed the yellow Jewel. She died without making anyone inherit it.」
Miranda-san was unable to believe Novem.
「How do you know about that?」
「It was after Celes-sama obtained the yellow Jewel. I don’t know the particulars but, since that day Celes-sama changed.」
Sophia-san looked at Aria-san’s red Gem.
「Did she change due to obtaining a great power?」
Novem shook her head.
「……The yellow Jewel that Zenoa-sama had isn’t just a tool to use Arts. It reproduces Agrissa’s power as it is. To put it another way, it’s a tool that revives Agrissa.」
The Third sighed.
『This is another very troublesome matter.』
The Fourth was surprised.
『Don’t tell me the Jewel’s function is──』
Preserving one’s personality and transferring it to another body?
Aria-san was losing her calm from the continuous shock and,
「Wa, wait. Such thing, there’s no way it’s possi──」
Monica answered instantly.
「That’s not impossible.」
The place’s atmosphere became strange.
Clara-san muttered.
「This is like an occult story.」
「If I have to say, just magic existing is already occult and fantasy enough though. Now then, let’s hear the continuation of your story.」
Novem finally touched the story about me there.
「……Lyle-sama, doesn’t have any memory from before ten years old. Or perhaps, his memory of that time is extremely hazy.」
Everyone’s gaze gathered on me.
「……Wait. It’s certainly hazy but, my childhood memories are properly there.」
Novem shook her head.
「The current Lyle-sama and the previous Lyle-sama are two different people. What Celes-sama did on that day she obtained the Jewel was to take everything from Lyle-sama and then destroyed him.」
I felt a sense of discomfort at the word destroyed.
Sophia-san looked at me,
「Then, could it be that Lyle-sama is sometimes ignorant of the world because──」
Novem nodded.
「Lyle-sama who got his everything taken away in the beginning was more childish in mentality and unstable. He couldn’t even get out from the mansion, and he wasn’t given a chance to know about the world. He lost most of his memories, and due to his living after that it couldn’t be helped that he became ignorant of the world.」
The reason I was childish in mentality and ignorant of the world was because of Celes. I had thought that she did something to me but, as expected it was unthinkable that she could do such thing. I never even imagined it.
Miranda-san asked for confirmation.
「What do you mean by destroyed? You don’t mean killing do you?」
「Lyle-sama was a person who was given the expectations of everyone around him. He was also called with things like genius or prodigy. Celes-sama stole everything from such Lyle-sama to make him into an invalid.」
「Such thing is possible?」
「That too is one of the Art’s abilities.」
「……Wait. Celes charming everyone around her isn’t because of an Art? Is there still other Arts inside that Jewel?」
The recorded personality was one.
But, there were multiple Arts inside it.
Certainly it was different from the blue Jewel that I had.
「There are definitely multiple Arts inside it. It’s not just Arts, there is also the possibility that it’s reproducing Agrissa’s power.」
Novem muttered when the talk was deviating, then she continued.
「Celes-sama stole Lyle-sama’s memory, mana, and various other things. Because everything couldn’t be taken all at once, she was slowly stealing them. The atmosphere of the Walt House also changed from that time. When I noticed, it was already too late.」
……Celes stole everything from me?
My memory, and then my strength too……even my place to belong were taken by Celes?
「Wa, wait a second, Novem. Why did Celes do something like that to me? Was the me before losing my memories that hated?」
I wondered if Celes was taking revenge on me, but apparently that wasn’t the case.
「No. Lyle-sama was kind to everyone, and you were also affectionate to Celes-sama. But……I can only say that Celes-sama’s disposition was like that since birth. Right now I’m wondering that perhaps when she was alive, Zenoa-sama felt apprehensions to that and didn’t entrust the Jewel to Celes-sama.」
The gazes that were directed to me were sympathetic.
If there was a reason then it could still be understood. But, I who got my everything taken away simply because of that fellow’s whims, just what should I do then?
Monica asked.
「Has the evil woman called Agrissa taken over her body already?」
「That’s not the case. That day, I met with someone from the Forxuz House. Based on what I was told, Celes-sama is still retaining her self.」
「……If she is like that when she’s still retaining her self, then she’s dangerous regardless of the matter about Agrissa.」
Novem looked at me.
「After I noticed the change in the Walt House, I negotiated with Celes-sama. I made her promised not to lay her hand on Lyle-sama. Celes-sama too was weaker at that time compared to now……there was still room for negotiation even for me. I also made her to accept looking after Lyle-sama in the mansion until you came of age.」
Miranda-san placed her hand on her waist.
「And so after that Lyle lived in house arrest. And when he came of age he immediately got driven out. Let’s see, even if some parts of that are the truth, as I thought I’m still not convinced.」
Eva-san glared at Miranda-san.
「You, do you know just how worried Novem is about Lyle──」
「That’s why. That’s why it makes me even more unable to trust her. Novem, are you staying at Lyle’s side because of duty? Answer me that.」
Novem shook her head.
「It’s not because of duty. This is what I want to do. It’s not related to the Walt House or the Forxuz House.」
「Then I’ll change my question. You, what are you trying to make Lyle──to make us do?」
Novem looked down and stayed quiet for a while, and then she lifted her face.
「……Lyle-sama is the only one able to stop Celes-sama. Lyle-sama is able to oppose Celes-sama’s charm. Other people are no good. Especially the opposite sex──if Celes-sama gets serious, then any male will immediately get ensnared by her.」
The reason why Novem was unnaturally gathering women to my side. That was because of Celes.
「Then, you gathered women around me because──」
「Whether Lyle-sama will fight or run away, strong women who won’t get charmed will be necessary. In fact, not one of us was charmed by Celes-sama at that day. With males……that won’t be the case. There are the rare cases who won’t get charmed but, the number of such people is far fewer than woman.」
Novem said.
「I’m not able to win against Celes-sama. My strength at best will only be able to wound her. Besides, if I’m defeated, Lyle-sama will be targeted next.」
Novem said that was the only thing that couldn’t be allowed. I didn’t know what I should say to her.
I recalled the word Septem.
「Then, what is this Septem thing?」
「……It was Agrissa’s alias. The seventh Goddess, Agrissa self-proclaimed to be her reincarnation.」
It seemed the Third didn’t know about that.
『Sometimes there would be a person who claimed to be a goddess like that, but the inhuman and atrocious Agrissa called herself as the seventh Goddess? Did she intend to be sarcastic by introducing herself as the Goddess who was the kindest to humans? Even so, Celes really hated it when she was called Septem isn’t it?』
The Fifth sighed.
『──Now then, Lyle. What’re you going to do?』
In front of everyone’s gaze, I was unable to make a decision.
「……I want some time.」
I said that and ended the discussion.
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