Sorry, the Patricidal Tyrant Seems Beastly - Chapter 56

‘Those steps become shackles, those gestures oppress them, I am the notary of the covenant and oath.’

The scent of blood spread thickly, soaking the continent with that blood.

The execution of punishment began.

Demons struggled bound in iron chains, and sinners were brought to the judgment seat.

As the sinners’ bodies were cut, demons poured out from their bodies.

The demons wove new bodies for the sinners, and skin covered the bodies woven of demons.

Lesser demons swarmed around the sinners.

Demonized monsters were bound to exile by the covenant’s implementation,

Next remained the execution of the black clan.

‘Do you think it’s over! It’s not over yet!’

‘I will tear your flesh to pieces and scatter it across this continent.’

‘My clan! Slit the executioner’s throat and stop this covenant’s implementation!’

The demons tore at the executioner’s flesh. As skin was torn away, blood flowed.

The hand gripping the sword was tattered. Skin was torn and wrist tendons severed.

The blade struck the ground.

This is both covenant and punishment.

The executioner carved their own bones to shackle them,

That soul becomes the notary certifying the covenant’s implementation.

The shackles bound and confined the sinners in prison.

– Thud.

The covenant’s implementation tore the executioner’s soul as well.

The weight of punishment hung on the executioner’s soul.

‘Damn it! Declaring forbidden zones, do you think blocking magic with prohibitions is the end!’

‘Even if eons pass, I will break these shackles and find you! Even if you’re dead, I’ll trample your grave and find your body to tear apart!’

‘We’ll see the day when the clan steps into this forbidden zone again.’

The executioner exhaled – haah.

A quiet breath.

Everything is coming to an end.

The soul is torn and the body at its limit. Everything grows numb.

Was that weeping? Or screaming?

‘Existence to be torn, trampled, and distantly forgotten.’

Now this is the end.

[This is the timeline separator]

The empress fainted. The imperial palace allowed no rumors about this, and the confusion was buried.

The imperial family remained silent, but ordered that the empress be cared for without lack. All fell silent at the imperial command.

‘Grrrr!’

Except for this child.

“…It’s time to give Her Majesty medicine, what should we do?”

“Nng. Be careful with your hands. You were bitten last time too, it does this every medicine time.”

Ran growled, baring its teeth, telling them not to reach out.

The white furball circled the bed refusing other hands, snarling with bloodshot eyes.

It had been even more so since the empress returned unconscious.

The hidden claws on its front paws showed that the child was exerting its last patience, lowering its body tensely.

“It’s worried. It’s been four days since fainting while away. As that time grows longer, everyone feels the empress’s empty absence.”

“Be quiet. Rumors come from mouths, and those mouths are everywhere.”

The maid holding the medicine and spoon whimpered.

“This child…”

Ran bristled its white fur. If flesh was torn by those teeth, skin would be ripped away.

Yet they couldn’t chase it away, because the fluffy snowball was shedding tears.

“It’ll be more startled if separated.”

He took the medicine from beside her.

“Y-Your Majesty! I apologize!”

“It’s just frightened, leave it and go.”

The small nose poked the empress’s cheek.

Her skin was pale and cold without color. She looked as if she could die at any moment.

However, her breathing was peaceful. Even breaths spread.

Her eyelids were quietly closed.

As he brushed her long lashes with his fingertips, they fluttered.

‘She’ll wake soon it seems.’

Ran lay down next to Charlotte, burying its body.

“I need to give her medicine, come out.”

It was a tonic decocted and double-boiled. Monthly medicine sent from the Windsor family, boiled to increase potency.

In this process, bitter water rises making it astringent like weeds, but this preparation method is correct to exert its original efficacy.

‘Keeek!’

The white fur was soaked with tears.

“Though you bare your teeth, it’s hard to look scary with such a small body.”

Ran buried its nose in its front paws. Saying it wasn’t angry but scared, the white fur trembled.

It hid its teeth too, and with white fur soaked, only its front paws fidgeted.

As the little one like a white cotton ball wrinkled its nose rubbing it, are all baby monsters like this?

“Both the empress and you.”

As he reached out his arm, breath brushed his fingertips.

“Don’t worry. Her breathing is peaceful.”

With peace settling on her expression, she’ll regain consciousness soon.

“The palace said she looked tired. It should be fine soon after three days. Windsor excels in both civil and military arts, but her body is weak. Perhaps she takes after her birth mother… As fainting becomes more frequent, I see why Windsor wants to put some meat on her bones.”

‘Kweeung.’

“I mean myself. It’s strange for me to comfort you when my own mind is complicated.”

Ran burrowed into the blanket.

‘Its body isn’t growing.’

It was just as when it first came. Small body and clean white fur. The creature lay in the blanket with only its muzzle sticking out. As it exhaled with a “puu-” the blanket rose.

“Stay still.”

Benjamin sat at the head of the bed.

Soon, her eyelids lifted.

“Are you awake?”

“Haa…”

She pressed her forehead.

“There’s still some fever left.”

“Have I returned to the palace?”

“Your question is too late.”

Her body sagged limply. Her head throbbed with anemia.

“The matter in Poputa Purotte…”

“All the demon traps in the area were cut and the spider webs demolished, so it’s done. The village’s recovery will take a bit longer, but after about three days they should have found their bearings.”

As the area’s foundation collapsed it caused this, so immediate recovery is difficult. Anyway, Charlotte narrowed her eyes.

“…Three days have passed?”

“No. It was four.”

“W-Why?”

“They say it’s fatigue. I told you not to get involved with demons. Every time you get entangled with them, you act as if bound somewhere.”

“I didn’t mean to get involved.”

Charlotte looked down at her hands.

The white hands were smooth. No calluses. No torn flesh or bloodstains.

‘Is it because of that day?’

The demon was almost forgotten.

Blood seeping into the floor, its white eyes flashed to mind. It burst its own body…

“Tsk.”

Soon, a thick hand covered her eyes.

“Erase it.”

“Erase what?”

“Those wicked memories.”

“I fainted after that so I don’t remember. What about it?”

“There was no corpse at the scene.”

The medicine gave off a bitter scent. He held out a spoonful, but she should have woken a little later.

Bitter water rose in her throat. He gave her a piece of dried fruit which she melted in her mouth.

“…Ugh.”

“You’re like a child.”

“Were there no other marks on my hands? Like torn skin?”

“Why?”

“I feel like I held a sword.”

“Ah, hands that never held a sword before gripped a real blade, and swung it to cut spider webs.”

The sensation of wrist tendons severing, going limp like an afterimage remained.

Skin peeling, calluses forming.

‘An illusion?’

The afterimage held in her hand blurred.

“I don’t know where to start. Whether to tell you to mind your own body’s wellbeing first, or why you care for others before yourself again, why you gripped a blade, how you realized the demon traps, you are now all…!”

‘Grrrr!’

“It barks at me not to get angry with you.”

Charlotte put her hand under the blanket.

“I should go out now. I’ll call the imperial physician, so wait a moment.”

His eyes followed Charlotte.

Ran whimpered. Its white fur was soaked from crying. Crying again.

“Keep that child by your side. It cried constantly as if something happened to you, being so timid.”

It nudged her fingertips with its nose.

[This is the timeline separator]

Charlotte stood at the palace pathway, wrapped in a large shawl.

The weather was mild.

Several imperial physicians came to examine her body, and at their advice to be careful walking outside the palace, the emperor strictly forbade going out.

Instead, with no intention of completely restricting her movements, he only allowed going outside the imperial palace, so Charlotte steadied her breathing at the imperial palace pathway.

Afterwards, her maternal grandfather also visited.

‘I shouldn’t have sent you alone. It’s my sin for sending you alone. I should have stayed by your side in that place… No. I’m getting old like this. After talking about later, I worried there might not be a later again.’

There was no major illness. Recovery was just slow, it wasn’t a disease.

Charlotte was just constitutionally weak.

“I feel like I’ve done something terrible to my family.”

Footsteps approached from beside her.

“Being ill is not a terrible thing.”

The head maid came closer.

“Weakness is not a sin. How could that be a sin? If you need to catch your breath from fatigue, those beside you can just slow their pace to match your steps.”

“You were bitten on the arm.”

“Ah, no.”

Charlotte glanced at the monster at her feet.

Ran sat down on its bottom next to Charlotte, then cleaned its fur with its front paws.

“I heard Ran caused trouble.”

“It seems it was anxious. It didn’t cause harm, but the monster wouldn’t leave Your Majesty’s side as if protecting you.”

Ran pressed Charlotte’s instep with its front paws, as if saying ‘I wasn’t trying to bite.’

“Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”

“It should be alright.”

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

The head maid left, seeing the guards approach.

Catarina bowed her head.

“I’m sorry. I failed to properly attend to you.”

“I need to hear about what happened after that day. No one around me is telling me.”

Charlotte spoke, hearing the sigh beside her.

“Even if steps are slowed, the path I walk is not cut off. As long as I’m not told to stand still alone, please speak honestly to me as well.”

“Demons appeared. It’s said the former believers pieced their bodies together with demons. Perhaps because of that, monsters were seen around the elders too. It was a basilisk and its offspring, and afterwards all the demons were exterminated.”

She narrowed her eyes and asked again.

“Were there only two spider web demon traps?”

“…One more demon trap was found. Afterwards, the imperial guards finished dismantling the demon traps. However, the imperial guards only cut one demon trap, and it was reported that Your Majesty cut the other one. An explanation will likely be needed.”

“What kind of explanation should it be.”

The hand that held the sword was now empty.

“Somehow it feels unfamiliar. My body feels unfamiliar to me.”

I don’t know myself well either.

“It’s alright later too. If your mind becomes at ease. Right now, putting that body at ease is more important.”

Catarina steadied her breath.

“Everyone was very worried.”

“It’s not like I suffered a great wound.”

“Yes. The imperial physician also said it was due to your weak constitution. Ah, but…”

Catarina trailed off.

“The minister visited the palace.”

“About the demon trap matter?”

“Yes. That day he said this was not the body, but the soul (魂) that was exhausted.”

That day, Minister Hanelli who visited the palace recited:

“He said time is needed for the spirit to rest.”