Chapter 744
Chapter 744
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 744
Chapter Title: The Prodigal's Return (2)
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The battlefield swarmed with the gleam of swords and sparks of magic.
And the tension in Big Mother-in-law's hearing was no less palpable.
Defendant Si-woo stood ramrod straight at a perfect ninety degrees before the black-robed judge, her face brimming with resentment.
"Si-woo, I've heard the overall situation from Miss Marygold."
"No need to be so tense. It's just a simple verification procedure."
Deneb pulled out a chair with a scrape, her demeanor surprisingly warm and lawyerly rather than judge-like, against all expectations.
"Sit down? On what grounds?"
"You gonna keep a guy who just got out of bed from his sickbed standing? Is that how you treat people, sis?"
Needless to say, the lawyer and the judge weren't on the best of terms.
After being trapped in that fish tank, he'd expressed his gratitude to Little Mother-in-law several times for her leniency, but he could never thank her enough...
"For starters, isn't it against etiquette to invite a guest of the family into your office at this hour without offering so much as a cup of tea?"
"...What?"
"Didn't some countess from somewhere always stress it? That etiquette and formality matter in any situation."
"Deneb, say that again."
"Sure, I'll say it again. Nobility and dignity are like clothing—if you neglect them, you're as good as naked. Said some countess from somewhere."
Please, just don't poke at Big Mother-in-law's sore spots when she's already in a foul mood.
The lawyer was openly picking a fight with the judge in a unprecedented incident unfolding in real time.
"Lady Deneb, you don't have to! My throat's not dry, and standing's more comfortable anyway! Really!"
In the end, Si-woo jumped in forcefully and declared it stoutly.
Al bireo, who had been glaring daggers at Deneb with furrowed brows, let out a deep sigh at Si-woo's response and waved her hand dismissively.
"Hoo, sit down comfortably then. As for something to drink... grab whatever from that shelf over there if you want."
With that commotion serving as an appetizer, the real conversation finally began.
The moment it started, Al bireo pulled a single sheet of paper from the table.
"Si-woo, can you see this?"
"Yes, I can."
It was a blank sheet of paper, utterly devoid of any magical enhancements.
"This is trust."
"Pardon?"
Al bireo crumpled it in her fist with a crunch, shooting him a very cold glare amid the rather aggressive performance.
Having squeezed the paper into a tight ball like that, Al bireo then spread it out before Si-woo.
"Now, what does it look like?"
"It's... all crumpled up?"
"Exactly. Unless you use magic, those wrinkles won't vanish. Just like that, once trust crumbles, it can't be easily restored. Regrettably so."
Cold sweat beaded down his back.
His own feet had started itching the moment the word 'trust' came up.
Al bireo had threatened to end him if he lured in one more witch.
Yet here he was, back in Gehenna dangling none other than the official outcasts Dorothy and Linne right in front of Big Mother-in-law. Even if she had plenty to say about it, it was hardly surprising.
Cornered like this, it was time for his lawyer to step up.
Little Mother-in-law opened her mouth as if she'd been waiting for her cue.
"Why beat around the bush so much? You're even wasting good paper crumpling it."
And sure enough, she launched straight into challenger support-tier initiation.
Please! Little Mother-in-law! You're gonna get me killed for real!
No matter how desperately he signaled with his eyes, Deneb didn't catch on.
Si-woo opted to seek mercy through confession and atonement before Little Mother-in-law's enthusiasm could derail the hearing.
"I'm truly, truly sorry!"
He dropped to his knees and bowed his head low, betting everything on a strategy of admitting capital guilt and begging only for a death sentence.
"It wasn't my intention to defy Lady Al bireo! In trying to escape the worst situation possible, I learned of their plight, and things spiraled beyond what I could handle!"
"......"
"But no matter what, I'll make Odil and Odet happy, even if it costs me my life!"
He just needed to say, 'Give me your daughters!'—but Al bireo cut in first.
"Si-woo. Look up."
"No! This is the posture most fitting for a sinner like me! Kill me, please!"
"...You want me to actually kill you? Look up—we were in the middle of talking."
"Yes, ma'am."
Big Mother-in-law tapped her forehead with her fingertips as if nursing a headache, then continued.
"I acknowledge that the incident stemmed from my own careless judgment and coercion."
"Coercion? No such thing. It was my decision."
"I'm speaking purely in terms of cause and effect. No one could've predicted this would happen, but the fallout was too severe for me to play innocent."
"In simple terms, even a heartless sister like her feels responsible, Si-woo."
Despite twitching her eyebrows at Little Mother-in-law's snide tone, Al bireo didn't argue back—which meant it was true.
Si-woo was surprised; it was the last thing he'd expected.
"For that reason, I have no intention of harshly rebuking you. Nor do I think I have the right. And that's what pisses me off the most."
"I'm terribly sorry..."
"Strictly speaking, you're not slyly seducing the twins either. Odil and Odet follow you willingly despite knowing your history with women, and from there, it's a matter between man and woman—not for a mother like me to meddle in. Of course, I can still be angry about it."
Si-woo was a bit taken aback hearing Big Mother-in-law rationalize it to herself like that.
It sounded reasonable enough on the surface.
But if Si-woo dared say it aloud, he'd lose his head without a word of complaint—it was peak rationalization.
How could ideals and emotions ever run perfectly parallel?
He had no choice but to admire Big Mother-in-law's magnanimity in calmly weighing the circumstances even now.
"I never expected you'd say something like that."
"That's because I hold you in higher regard than you imagine, Si-woo. That said, if you expand your harem further... I'll take extreme measures then, so watch yourself."
Al bireo raised her hand to slam the table, then realized it was pointless and let out another weary sigh.
Her anger had boiled over into utter exhaustion.
"Anyway. I wasn't trying to condemn you right this instant. I wanted to talk about Gehenna."
"Gehenna?"
"Do you know what's most important in Gehenna, Si-woo?"
"Not sure. Magic?"
"The trust I mentioned earlier."
She continued her explanation.
"Witches can live forever if they wish. Even with succession, the name passes down through apprentice witches generation after generation. They live aware that debts of gratitude and grudges carry over to posterity.
That's why Gehenna is built on a foundation of trust.
For example, the boundless patience and hospitality I show you stems from the great favor you've done me.
The witches of Gehenna will see my repayment of that debt, and one day, when Odil and Odet become witches, the trust proven by the Gemernai family will serve them well."
"And separately, my sister and I should indeed thank you, Si-woo."
"...I don't want to admit it right now, but Deneb's right."
With that, Al bireo pulled out the crumpled-and-straightened paper from earlier.
"And an exile is someone who crumples the trust given to them. They're the ones who can never smooth out the paper again."
Only now did Si-woo start grasping where Al bireo was heading.
This was the main point.
"But after you were taken, Gehenna's circumstances changed drastically. Hexennacht began absorbing exiles en masse, starting with the officially designated ones, and Gehenna can no longer cling solely to harsh punishment."
"It hasn't been announced yet, but Gehenna will soon establish a review board and launch a massive amnesty program for exiles. Otherwise, we'd just have to watch Hexennacht explode in growth."
"Then..."
"The first targets will be 'Witch of Freedom' Zlata Justitia and 'Witch of Mercury' Alice Ibn Hiyan. Two others besides them."
"Thank you! Truly, thank you!"
One major worry lifted from his shoulders.
With the hardest part of his promise to Zlata fulfilled, the rest was just legwork for Si-woo.
And it was welcome news that Alice's trio could safely return to Gehenna too.
Meaning he'd finally collect that money from Alice intact.
"However."
Flames erupted in Al bireo's hand, and the crumpled paper burst into clean flames without even leaving ash behind, like a magician's prop.
Big Mother-in-law spoke over the vanished sheet.
"A paper that can never be restored or undone. That's the credit of an official outcast."
This time, even Little Mother-in-law agreed; sternness settled into both pairs of violet eyes.
"Absolutely not. I can't accept a Gemernai son-in-law tied to official outcasts. Especially when one of them's cooing 'darling' at him... Hey! Shin Si-woo! Are you insane?!?!?"
Just when things seemed to be going smoothly, Big Mother-in-law unleashed the shortest-ever rage explosion, making Si-woo tremble.
"Sis, calm down. It's all over now."
"Hoo, hoo, hoo... I know. I'll cool my head— you talk."
Deneb herself had halted her antagonism to actively intervene.
He didn't know the full details, but he could tell he was walking a very dangerous tightrope.
Still, he couldn't back down.
Debts of gratitude mattered in witch society, but repaying favors was a fundamental virtue even without talk of succession.
He couldn't abandon Linne, who had risked her life for him multiple times despite sparking the incident, or Dorothy, who had rolled up her sleeves for a mess she didn't need to touch.
"Of course, I'm not asking for full citizenship. Just let those two leave Gehenna safely at least..."
"Si-woo, may I speak first?"
"Yes."
Deneb cleared her throat and spoke with deep concern in her eyes.
"To reiterate, my sister and I trust you greatly. You're a precious guest of our family too. If you brought them along, even as official outcasts, I believe they're not pure villains. We recognize their aid was crucial to your rescue."
"Th-thank you."
"But this is beyond what the Gemernai family can control. You had no choice, but you've brought two official outcasts into Gehenna. Right now, we're using connections and funds to keep it quiet, but if time drags on, we'll have no option but to lock you in the underground dungeon and await a formal trial."
He'd known it, but apparently, the brand of 'official outcast' wasn't something witches took lightly.
The fact that even the Gemernai Count family couldn't handle it proved as much.
"Then what should I do?"
"Here..."
Deneb trailed off.
She had a clear answer but hesitated on whether to voice it.
"Deneb, why hesitate? He wants to know."
"You're right... Alright, Si-woo."
"Yes."
"Talk to Tiferet Duke. She holds the key to resolving this."
Of course.
His teacher was a duke of Gehenna with the support of many witches.
She might find a way out.
But she hadn't been by his side when he woke.
Even asking Amelia about her whereabouts had darkened her expression.
If even Little Mother-in-law hesitated this much, it was probably for reasons Si-woo could guess.
"Then I'll speak to her directly."
"I don't recommend it, but no choice. I figured you'd say that."
In other words, from here on, it was Si-woo's problem to solve himself—and he'd braced for that from the start.
"Before that..."
He wanted to check if Linne and Dorothy were okay.