ICNC Chapter 4

Eleanor bit her lip hard, but tears, not blood, welled up first. Her sobs intensified as she scanned the list of captured members.

Oh… Catherine…

Catherine was a maid who had grown up with her in the palace, like a sister, like family. Three years ago, Eleanor had arranged for Catherine to leave the palace and join the Periant, entrusting her with important tasks. She hadn’t imagined she would come to regret that decision so deeply…

I must save her.

The Cassis of the present possessed a power so insignificant it barely qualified as magic. Their numbers had dwindled over generations since ancient times, their abilities weakened by religious persecution. At most, they acted as healers, using their meager magic to mend the sick.

However, they were still condemned as minions who received revelations from the devil. The Church, wielding the name of God, sought their complete annihilation.

What is heresy, and what is the path of God?

There was no escape for Cassis captured by the Inquisition. Once captured, the possibility of them returning alive was practically nonexistent. But something even more tragic than death often befell the Cassis women who, against all odds, survived.

People condemned witches as impure beings, yet indulged in their own hypocritical, lustful desires unnoticed. The beautiful appearances of the Cassis were cursed to be traded like animals among the nobility. Stripped of their magic, they lived as playthings, and were eventually discarded in brothels, where they met a miserable end…

The Church not only tacitly condoned this but also exploited it as a means to bolster its power, obsessed with selling Cassis women for exorbitant prices.

This was the reason for the Periant Order’s continued existence: the liberation of the Cassis and the restoration of their right to live as human beings. That was their primary objective.

Eleanor’s silver-grey eyes shone brightly in the darkness, her gaze sharp and determined.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

A few days later, after visiting her ailing father, Eleanor collapsed onto her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, overwhelmed by despair.

The King hadn’t appeared at a single council meeting for the past six months, and the Archbishop was cunningly exploiting this opportunity. He declared that the plague sweeping through the capital and the King’s illness were the work of devils and ordered a large-scale purge of heretics. Unfortunately, the Cassis were the primary target.

Eleanor visited her father every few days without fail, doing everything in her power to aid his recovery, but she was only barely managing to keep him alive, his life force ebbing away like smoke.

And now, further misfortune befell her.

Years of pouring her energy into saving her father’s failing health had severely depleted Eleanor’s own magic. At this point, she was practically powerless, no different from an ordinary human. 

The leader of the Periant, unable to wield magic… 

The thought filled Eleanor with bitter self-loathing.

She had lived her life burdened by the constant fear of her true nature being discovered, concealing her magic until she reached twenty. As the First Princess of the Cornwall Kingdom, enduring the weight of public expectation was no easy feat.

It wasn’t long after she lay down that a servant abruptly reported Kyrus’ return to the palace, startling her from her thoughts.

Haah… he’s here again?

With a tense expression, she sighed deeply and made her way to the audience chamber. She was determined to put an end to this once and for all.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

Kyrus’ blue eyes raked over Eleanor’s entire body as he greeted her.

“Your Highness, I was worried after you collapsed the other day. How are you feeling?”

“I’m simply a little fatigued. It’s nothing for you to concern yourself with, Lord Rochford.”

“But you look unwell, Your Highness.”

After a brief silence, Eleanor spoke in a low but clear voice.

“I just saw His Majesty. He’s thinner and weaker than he was a few days ago. As his daughter, how can I not grieve? Especially since he shows no signs of improvement, despite the various holy remedies administered by the Archbishop.”

Despite her frail appearance, her grey eyes shimmered with a clear, luminous sheen. And unlike their previous meeting, she gazed directly at Kyrus with an unwavering gaze, a silent reproach seemed to emanate from her steady gaze.

Why does her tone imply that her father’s illness is my fault?

Kyrus swallowed a bitter taste in his mouth and offered words of comfort.

“I, too, am deeply saddened by His Majesty’s illness. If there were anything I could do to save him, even at the cost of my own life, I would gladly do so.”

“Then, Lord Rochford, wouldn’t it be appropriate to demonstrate your unwavering loyalty now?”

“Pardon?”

“By agreeing to the annulment of our engagement, as I requested from last time.”

“…”

“My decision to break off the engagement is also His Majesty’s strong wish. A joyous marriage during his critical condition is simply inappropriate. I will remain by his side until he recovers, even if you so desperately desire me despite my illness. I apologize.”

Eleanor delivered her words coldly and precisely. This was her true feeling. Her father was more precious to her than anyone in the world.

Now that she had declared her intention to break off the engagement, she would refuse to submit to a marriage, even if it meant defying everyone.

Love? That was something for other people. She had never even dreamed of it. Eleanor resolved that, as she had until now, she would never experience such a frivolous emotion. Her duties and responsibilities were too heavy to indulge in such trivial feelings.

Twice now, the princess had firmly rejected the idea of marriage, and Kyrus clenched his jaw, suppressing his rising anger.

His index finger twitched repeatedly, a habit he’d developed when things weren’t going his way or his emotions were spiraling out of control.

Since their last encounter two days prior, Kyrus had been strangely irritated, yet simultaneously preoccupied with her. He had planned to assess her condition properly during this visit, but he’d been caught off guard.

Haah!

Leaving the palace, his emotions carefully masked, Kyrus gave a quiet order to his knight, Ian.

“Ian, deploy ravens around the princess’ palace starting today. Observe and report her every move.”

“Yes, sir!”

Damn it, I should just go deal with those Cassis.

“I’m going to the kennels.”

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

“Aaargh!”

The cries of agony echoing from the Inquisition chamber were relentless today. Kyrus, his gaze unwavering, sat rigidly in his chair, focused on his work. He raised a hand slightly, and the torturer immediately stopped the device.

“Where is the Periant’s headquarters?”

“I… I don’t know! I just follow orders when they come.”

“Then who is the leader of the Periant?”

“…”

“You’re withholding information.”

Kyrus’ icy gaze fixed on the torturer. The handle of the torture device turned again, the contraption twisting and crushing the man’s right hand.

“Aaargh! I’ll… I’ll tell you everything I know! Please just… spare me!”

“A wise choice. Now, tell me.”

The young man, strapped to the device, trembled, tears streaming down his face.

“Sob… I… I don’t know who the leader is directly. It’s a closely guarded secret, even within the Periant.”

“So you’re a small fry who knows nothing.”

Kyrus’ gaze was cold as he looked at the desperately babbling man. The terrified man’s voice trembled patheticly.

“W… wait! I’m just a low-ranking member, so I don’t know them, but I know someone close to Ramon. He… he cherished that woman.”

“!”

A triumphant smile flickered across Kyrus’ face as the Cassis man revealed this crucial piece of information.

The torture of the screaming man finally ended. However, the detailed interrogation continued for a long time afterward, and he was only allowed to leave the chamber once Kyrus was satisfied.

A significant harvest today.

Kyrus’ blue eyes flashed, and he gave the order.

Moments later, a woman was dragged in, bound, and presented before him, his expression thoughtful.

The Cassis who came into view was a young woman with red hair. Her face was obscured by tangled locks as if deliberately concealing her appearance.

“Lift your head.”

The woman trembled, her shoulders hunching further inward.

“Hmph.”

Instead of using his hands, he picked up a long club lying nearby and forced her chin up, turning it this way and that, scrutinizing her features.

’Cherished by the leader of the Periant’…

He had a hunch. She was strikingly beautiful, even among the captured Cassis women.

It seems that the man wasn’t lying.

Ramon’s woman… well, her apparent lack of resistance to the fear of torture is somewhat bothersome.

The Inquisition chambers under Kyrus’ control were notorious, a place that instilled terror in anyone brought there. Even Ramon of the Periant wouldn’t last a day under torture.

The thought of bringing Ramon here filled Kyrus with a thrill of anticipation. A flicker of certainty ignited in his bright blue eyes. He was sure he was on the right track this time. He finally had a decisive clue that would allow him to destroy the Periant, the vile organization that had falsely accused and burned his mother at the stake.

The slight upturn of one corner of his lips signaled the beginning of the interrogation.

“Your name?”

“Ava.”

Kyrus scoffed, a derisive smirk playing on his lips.

“No, Catherine Mulligan. I know Ava is an alias. Another Cassis gave a very helpful confession. He said you’re very close with Ramon, the leader of the Periant.”

He instantly caught the flicker of panic in her green eyes.

“N… no! Who…? I don’t even know who that is.”

“How can you be so certain? Do you have proof?”

“Then do you have proof that I know him?”

Hah, as expected, she won’t be easy to break.

“Very well, Catherine. Shall we create some proof together? Restrain her to the rack.”

Catherine’s slender body was secured to the torture device. Kyrus, still without touching her, used the club to lift her face.