C182
"Was Mia Binoche in the witches' base?
—Not long ago, I heard that Miss Mia served in an orphanage. What the hell is this...?
Bound by a rope, the astonished gaze of the crowd focused on Mia Binoche who emerged from the forest.
Due to the great commotion that occurred at night, spectators gathered near the Sky Forest, and she cried with her slender body trembling as if to attract everyone.
".... T-Thanks. Heuk. Thanks."
Mia continued murmuring with a trembling voice.
"What are you grateful for? The sins of aiding the witches and pretending to be a Saint are not superficial. The punishment that will befall you will not be light."
Duke Seymour, walking near the research team, shouted with a cold voice.
Mia shrugged, and her blue eyes moistened.
"Still... now that I don't have to commit a greater sin against my will, I feel at peace."
Her words implied that she had been threatened by the 4th Queen and the Witches.
"You're trying to play the victim because you want to reduce your sentence. Do you think we don't see through such an obvious trick?"
When Belreck scoffed, Mia lowered her head even more.
"That's correct. I know my weakness and cowardice... I accept the guilt..."
Some people frowned and clicked their tongues at Belreck's cold expression for his ferocity.
They were the ones who saw Mia willingly bestow divine power on the underprivileged.
Although she suffered in the slums, she never lost her kind smile all the time, and the way she cried pitifully evoked some sympathy.
One of the priests included in the research team stepped forward and said cautiously.
"The young Mia has been gifted with divine powers by the Lord. While the situation is somewhat questionable, the relationship between the wicked witches and the young Mia needs to be investigated more thoroughly over time."
"Why do they need to investigate?! Simply pretending to be a Santa already is blasphemy! She could enjoy the glory my sister should have enjoyed!"
"However, Miss Mia possesses great purity of divine power. This was also guaranteed by the Archbishop. It is a contradiction for a person who has received the blessing of God to blaspheme..."
"Why is it a contradiction? There are records of fallen angels in the temple."
"Belreck. For now, calm down."
Rosad hastily dissuaded Belreck from touching on a delicate religious topic.
"Anyway, it won't turn out the way she wants."
"Damn it!"
Isidor was lost in thought, watching Mia Binoche's fierce and tearful performance, while Belreck muttered curses.
"You're deliberately arousing sympathy."
Quite a few people seemed to be stirred.
Even if she pretended to be a victim by gathering sympathy, it would soon be revealed that her good deeds had impure intentions.
Even Mia Binoche would know that a trial conducted by Visconti and Seymour would never result favorably.
"What's the point of prolonging this situation while behaving in a way that's not even amusing?"
Does she have any belief in something?
Surely not Philap Montes, who is now addicted to alcohol.
While Isidor contemplated, a carriage used to transport prisoners from the imperial family appeared.
"Lock her up in the dungeon of the Icebreaker Tower."
Ordered the Crown Prince.
The Icebreaker Tower was a prison for serious criminals. However, instead of the 'Tower of Darkness,' where you would never see the light again, those with a slightly weaker nature entered.
It seemed that the extreme trial would be suspended until the results of the investigation were released, and the aristocratic society was informed of the research results.
"Come on, take her up."
Bound with ropes, Mia Binoche was imprisoned in a carriage used to detain criminals.
"The Crown Prince has arrived!"
"Duke Seymour and Duke Visconti are here too!"
"But why is Mia Binoche locked up like that?"
"What the hell is going on....?"
Despite the time, more and more people lined up around the carriage with curious eyes.
They looked at Mia suspiciously as she shed tears and bit her delicate lips forcefully.
Even insignificant commoners made a spectacle of her, and suddenly, an unbearable hatred and anger arose.
"What the hell did I do so wrong?"
If everyone will face the same situation as her, they would have no choice but to turn to the devil.
"I want to kill them all."
"Princess Deborah ruined everything."
While Mia swallowed her injustice and her deep murderous intent, the devil's voice was heard again in her ear.
[Mia. When the red moon rises, everything will be as you wish. Be patient.]
The devil said in a very friendly tone.
The devil liked the vessel containing it, called Mia.
More than Jamilla, who did everything for her desires.
Humans who easily hate others and often rationalize themselves were the devil's favorite prey.
[Mia. Those who oppose you will soon roll like corpses. Tch, all those idiotic-looking spectators will tremble at your feet.]
"Really...?"
[Yes, you can look forward to it.]
When the red moon rises, interference in the demon world intensifies, and the devil intended to connect the habitat of high-level demons with the human world.
Perhaps humans will see a magnificent sight of hungry demons emerging from the blood-red sky.
"The red moon is... when do you wake up?"
Mia, who carefully made an internal query, swallowed her nervousness and bit the tips of her fingers. Blood dripped from the tip of her tongue.
[Soon.]
"Soon, specifically when?"
[Two days later. At midnight.]
"Until then, I can buy enough time."
Upon the devil's response, Mia lowered her head and lifted the corners of her lips.
At that moment.
Bam!
"In Kyaaack!"
Suddenly, the rear wheel of the carriage where Mia was traveling exploded with a loud bang. Mia rolled down as the carriage lost focus and turned towards the ground, and people's eyes focused on the culprit who broke the carriage.
Princess Deborah.
"What's this all of a sudden, Princess?"
"My hand slipped."
Princess Deborah walked towards the overturned carriage, wiping her hands indifferently.
"Princess!"
Seeing her sudden action, the Crown Prince and the research team shouted in confusion, and the crowd around them murmured.
"Is it because of the rain? My feet slipped this time."
Bam!
Princess Deborah didn't mind, but this time, she kicked the carriage lock that had been enchanted with defense magic and made it explode.
The light it emitted was pure white, like divine power, but the destructive power was stronger than attack magic, so everyone around was astonished.
Kiii-.
The carriage door opened forcefully, and suddenly, Princess Deborah pulled Mia's body out and grabbed her slender wrist.
Tears sprang from Mia's large eyes.
"Ugh! Ouch, it hurts! D-don't do this."
"Didn't I hold you tight?"
Whatever the truth, from a distance, it seemed like Princess Deborah was recklessly intimidating the young and weak Miss Mia.
The Crown Prince and the research team, who could no longer watch this, dissuaded her.
"Princess Deborah! Calm down."
"Princess. The criminal is obediently following the Crown Prince's orders. What kind of reckless behavior is this?"
"I-I'm sorry, Princess… I'll pay the price for my sins. Don't do this."
Tears ran down Mia's cheeks.
Among the nobles included in the research team, the leader of the knights, who had a weak heart, tried to stop the princess.
"You're being deceived even though you know who is hypocritical and who is genuine."
Isidor toyed with the sword handle and stood in front of the princess with a cold expression.
Duke Seymour and the twins also surrounded the princess.
"How dare you disturb my sister, who is the main contributor, when you didn't even show your face during the battle against the demon dragon?"
"You have no right to touch my daughter's body."
"Seymour, even birds have to flap their wings to fly*, this is too much! Right now, the princess is unexpectedly interfering with the arrest of the criminal and intimidating Miss Mia."
There was tension in all directions.
Deborah looked at Mia, who cried bitterly, surrounded by the immediate Seymour family and Isidor.
"Yes, these eyes...."
The expression is sad, but there is no despair or sadness in her eyes.
It simply shines like an inorganic doll.
The demon I met in my previous life had eyes like that.
***
The reason the carriage heading to the Icebreaker Tower was blocked was due to the danger signal Nayla felt.
I couldn't tell if it was Nayla's intuition or Yoon Do-hee's intuition, but I couldn't shake the ominous feeling that something strange was happening.
Everything is strange.
The blood-stained six-pointed star was not that of a demon dragon but a summoning circle of the Great Demon, and only the Great Demon has enough power to cause rifts.
"And... Purple has no strength."
It was clear that something sinister had arrived here, as the brave Purple couldn't participate in the battle against the Demon Dragon and was still suffering from pains and discomfort.
"If the devil chose someone other than the Queen as the vessel for his coming, it's most likely that person would be Mia Binoche, who was in front of the Six-pointed Star."
Moreover, the assumption that the devil might disguise evil power with divine power came to mind as soon as Belreck mentioned a "fallen angel."
Hypocrisy is also wickedness.
In a way, the worst quality.
I heard voices around me trying to dissuade me, but I tightened Mia's wrists even harder, as if they were shackles.
The research team determined that Mia was not a witch but did not fill Mia with a binding tool containing divine power.
If she were faking, she would react painfully to that power.
"Mia Binoche. Do you think I don't understand your intention to stall for time?"
"P-Princess, what are you talking about?"
Mia's body began to visibly tremble.
"Are you going to wait until the cursed moon rises?"