---
Certainly, she had been adamant about not attending the trial, and yet—To attend as a witness for Danae Windsor?
Allice’s arrival enveloped the surroundings in a shocking silence. As all eyes turned to her in surprise, Allice approached Dana’s side.
Allice standing beside Dana. And Dana stood by her side. As Raios took in this sight, he snapped to attention as if doused in ice water. “Allice Windsor, won’t you come here immediately?” Raios uttered in a low, threatening voice. “Come here this instant!”
At that, Allice flinched, clinging to Dana’s side as if scared. Dana found it loathsome but calmly protested. “Don’t threaten my witness, Your Highness.”
“Lady Windsor is correct. Please calm yourself.”
Even the pope intervened, and Raios gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Allice.
“T-The witnesses are telling the truth. Everything is true,” Allice insisted firmly. “That night, 8 days ago, I consummated with His Highness.”
Unable to bear it any longer, Raios shouted. “Allice Windsor!”
“Your Highness, allow the witness to speak.”
The pope didn’t hesitate to side with Dan when the opportunity arose. He gave Allice an encouraging look to continue.
Encouraged by the pope’s look, Allice took a deep breath. “That night, I was embraced by His Highness, and I gave him my virginity… That’s all.”
Then, Cardinal Theo, who had been silently watching, narrowed his eyes. “How strange.”
“Huh?” Allice asked, visibly startled.
“For a woman, losing her purity before marriage would be considered a flaw, not a point of pride. Why would you go so far as to testify against His Highness?”
“W-What?” Allice stammered in confusion at the pointed question.
Cardinal Theo shot a suspicious glance. “Are you benefiting from this annulment? Is that why you’re committing perjury?”
The other cardinals exclaimed in shock.
“Cardinal Theo! That’s presumptuous!”
“Choose your words carefully!”
Even the pope threw in a disapproving comment. “Cardinal Theo, please mind your words. Lady Allice Windsor is a noble lady who understands honor.”
“But Your Holiness, isn’t it suspicious?” This time, instead of backing down, Cardinal Theo pressed on sharply. “Isn’t it unbecoming of a noble lady of honor? To testify so boldly before several men that she lost her virginity before marriage.” And he sent a condemnatory look. “One would not do so if they had any shame.”
Allice’s face flushed red with embarrassment, and tears soon welled in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. “T-That’s too cruel.”
Watching from the side, Dana suppressed a sigh. As expected, Allice really was a child who cried easily.
“H-How could you say something so terrible…”
But Dana waited quietly, choosing not to interject.
“I had no choice.”
There was no need to assist Allice or add anything to her words. After all, it was almost over now.
“I-I had no choice! I didn’t want to do this either.”
Really, it was almost there.
Ah, yes. Right at this moment.
“I have a child!” In the next moment, Allice, bursting into tears, dropped the bombshell. “I’m pregnant!”
Thud!The judge’s gavel dropped and rolled across the marble floor. Cardinal Theo, the pope, and even Raios were left staring at Allice, mouths agape.
“I-I had to protect my baby!” Allice cried out, clutching her stomach, her face pale with fear. “I-If His Highness doesn’t acknowledge it, whose child will this be? I-I’m a mother. As this child’s mother, I just wanted to secure this child’s rights!”
Afterward, Allice’s frail sobs echoed sorrowfully through the cathedral. How long did the shocked silence last?
“If it’s alright…” Finally, the pope, who had been lost in thought, cautiously stepped forward. “May I verify it with holy magic?”
“Ve-Verify?” Allice sniffed, wiping her nose.
“Yes.” The pope, with a regretful smile, gently offered, “Given the gravity of the situation, it would be best to verify it thoroughly. Please allow me to use holy magic for verification.”
Allice seemed to hesitate.
Holy magic refers to the term used within the Church of Ramun to elevate their own magic. And the pope was a high-ranking holy magician. In that case,
“Can Your Holiness confirm that my child is of imperial blood?”
With that, Allice made up her mind. “A-Alright. What do I need to do?”
“Just a drop of your blood will suffice.” The pope approached Raios as well. “Your Highness, will you cooperate as well?”
“…Very well.” He spoke tersely.
Soon, a servant brought a silver needle and a tray. The pope collected a drop of blood from Allice’s thumb and then from Raios’s thumb, dropping them onto the silver plate. He then chanted in an ancient language incomprehensible to those around. After a moment, a white light burst from the plate. The pope squinted at the light, examining the plate closely. How long he scrutinized the plate was unclear.
“This is unprecedented!” Exclaiming in surprise, the pope let out a low sigh.
Was the result determined? Eager to know, Cardinal Liber prompted, “Your Holiness, what is the outcome? Have you determined the result?”
The pope, with a stern face, looked intently at Allice. “Yes.” Then he turned his gaze to Raios and scrutinized him. “The result is in.” With a disappointed look towards Raios, he declared emphatically, “Lady Allice Windsor is indeed carrying an imperial child!”
A heavier silence than ever before descended. The cathedral became eerily quiet, with only Raios’s heavy breathing and Allice’s sobbing heard.
“It’s impossible.” After a moment, Raios spat out venomously. “You’re lying, Your Holiness. It’s impossible!”
“Accept it, Your Highness!” The pope shouted as if admonishing a wayward boy. “Lady Allice Windsor’s womb bears a child blessed by the Sun God Ramun, a true descendant of the Geranze!”
“No. I can’t believe it!”
“Then, Your Highness, seek out another holy magician for verification! You will reach the same conclusion!” The pope shouted decisively. “I swear by the Sun God Ramun, I have not lied! If this is false, I shall renounce my clerical robes this instant!”
At those words, Raios trembled as if struck by a whip. He finally realized. The pope was not lying; he was speaking the truth. Yet, he stubbornly denied it. “No, it’s impossible. It cannot be.”
Then Allice, unable to endure any longer, burst into tears like a child. “Huuu. Your Highness, please stop this! How can you do this to me!” Now, her eyes were filled with anger and resentment. “You’re so cruel, Your Highness. I hate you!”
“I hate you, I hate you!”
Was that the shock? As if slapped, Raios stared at her dumbfounded. His face gradually paled.
Dana noticed that Raios had stopped breathing.Why is he like that?
Frozen, Raios fumbled in his pocket and soon pulled out a silver cigarette case. His trembling fingertips clumsily picked up a cigarette and placed it between his lips.
“Your Highness! What are you doing?” Cardinal Felix exclaimed in shock. “This is the grand cathedral, and you are currently undergoing a holy trial! How can you so disrespectfully consider smoking here!”
“Just one puff, just one puff, that’s all I’ll take…”
“It is not permissible! This is an insult to the divine!”
Amid Raios’s ragged voice, Dana scowled, a wave of instinctive revulsion washing over her. She had never seen him like this before. A voice so frail, filled with deep, deep fear…Why is he acting so pitiful?
The sight of Raios like this was truly unbearable. Better his arrogance and conceit than this!
“Your Holiness, please proceed with the verdict.”
Thus, Dana deliberately picked words that would provoke him further.
“Your Highness, the trial will soon conclude, so please, save your cigarette for later.”
Raios’s trembling eyes then turned towards her. The look in them, like that of an animal about to be slaughtered, was so unsettling that Dana averted her gaze.Really detestable. Such a b*stard. Don’t show me that weak side…
“I will accept the judgment of soul.”
What? Dana looked at him in surprise.
Raios, having put down the cigarette, murmured as if he had lost his senses. “Your Holiness. Please, perform the judgment of soul on me.”
“Your Highness!”
The Judgment of Soul. At that phrase, the pope shook his head in dismay.
“What are you saying, the judgment of soul!”
“It’s not to be done, Your Highness!”
“Please, calm yourself!”
Even the cardinals interjected.
Then, Allice, puzzled, asked, “W-What is the judgment of soul, Sister?”
“…A long time ago, when the persecution of heretics was severe, it was a holy magic used to root out heretics and demon worshippers.”
Ah, my head hurts.Dana held her throbbing head and explained. “In essence, it’s a holy magic used to discern the truth. It can determine whether someone is lying or speaking the truth.”
Allice flinched noticeably at that explanation. Dana caught that reaction.What’s with her? Now…
“The judgement of soul isn’t ordinary holy magic. If one lies, their soul will be obliterated!”
However, the pope’s outcry soon distracted Dana.
“Such a cruel method is not even used on the vilest of criminals. How dare it be suggested for Your Highness!”