I Blue : Reincarnated as a Cursed Crit-Based Swordwoman-Chapter 20: A Week Long Trial

[Froschköning's Manor — Underground Cells]

Noah moved cautiously through the dark, damp corridors, a lamp clutched tightly in his hand. The light flickered uneasily, but it wasn't his own lamp guiding the way. The maid ahead of him, pale and unsettling, illuminated the path far better than he could. To his dismay.

"Here we are, Mistress Vasilisa," the maid said, her voice calm yet laced with something Noah couldn't name. "This is Miss Momo's cell."

Noah's eyes landed on the steel bars in front of them. The stench hit him immediately—sharp, acidic, nauseating. He swallowed hard, his stomach twisting.

"... Light?"

The faint, familiar voice from inside sent a jolt through him.

"(Finally!)"

Noah rushed forward. Two weeks had passed since the incident in the hall—Momo's death and resurrection. Two long weeks without a single chance to see her, speak to her, or even confirm if she was truly... herself. Maybe now, if he could just see her, the heavy unease that had been gnawing at him might finally ease.

*bump*

"I wouldn't go in if I were Mistress Vasilisa," the pale maid said, stepping into his path.

"What's inside is... unsightly," she continued, her cheeks flushing slightly. "A true threat. To Mistress Vasilisa's poor, delicate eyes."

Noah stared at her, disbelief plain on his face.

"... Hm?"

"(Zoph's Step!)"

In an instant, Noah vanished from his spot, reappearing just behind the maid, ready to slip past her.

"Didn't I already warn Mistress Vasilisa?"

The maid's hand shot out with unnerving precision, catching him by the collar before he could take another step. His attempted escape ended as swiftly as it had begun.

"She shouldn't overexert herself," she said, her grip tightening around his arm. "What she did back then was beyond her abilities. Right now, she is..."

"Un—unhand—" Noah struggled to protest, but her low, sickeningly sweet laugh froze the words in his throat.

"Hehe... If Mistress Vasilisa wants me to let go, she will have to reward me," she whispered, her tone dripping with amusement.

Noah's silence stretched, his unease mounting.

"Is that... you?" a weak voice asked from the cell.

His head snapped toward it. "Y-Yes!"

Momo's voice, though strained, was unmistakable. She couldn't even manage a full sentence. Noah's heart clenched.

"Oh, I see..." she murmured, her tone unreadable.

"You brought me back?" she asked after a long pause.

"Ye... Yes..."

His voice was more hesitant on that part but Momo didn't seem to notice it. Actually, her voice sounded slightly irritated at the news of anything.

"I thought so," Momo said, almost to herself. "That one wouldn't have bothered..."

Her words trailed off, and Noah hesitated, unsure how to respond. Should he explain? Apologize? He instinctively reached for his notepad, the familiar comfort of written words offering a solution. But the maid was still blocking him, her hand iron around his collar.

"Miss Momo," the maid interrupted, her voice cutting through the silence. "Mistress Vasilisa is here to notify her of her execution in one week."

"Wha—?!" Noah choked out, glaring at the maid. Her expression was one of pure delight.

"Well, I expected something like that," Momo said, surprisingly calm. "Is there a Judge here?"

"Yes," the maid replied simply.

"W-Wait!" Noah interjected, his voice cracking. "It's... er... uh..."

"Mistress Vasilisa is trying to say that Miss Momo might have a chance to survive," the maid offered smoothly.

"Oh... Y-Yes!" Noah stammered, startled that, for once, the maid had said something helpful.

"A... trial? Her? My, am I not invited to my own trial?" Momo asked.

Noah fumbled with his notepad, contorting awkwardly in the maid's grip to scribble a response. Just as he finished, the maid plucked the notepad from his hands and tossed it down the corridor.

"Wha—? W-What... er—"

"If Mistress Vasilisa has something to say, she must whisper it to me," she purred, leaning close, her breath brushing against his ear.

Noah shivered, his skin crawling. He knew there was something deeply wrong with her, but he had no choice.

"T-The... Ju... dge," he whispered reluctantly. "He... er... ca—"

"Judge Odin arrived a week ago," the maid announced loudly, cutting him off. "He's here for Miss Momo's trial but she has already been found guilty. Luckily, Mistress Vasilisa has volunteered to prove there were mitigating circumstances and if she is successful, the death penalty will be avoided."

"(Why did she make me whisper if she was going to just say it all anyway?)"

The corridor fell silent once more.

"So he's putting the burden of the trial on Miss Vasilisa?" Momo finally asked.

"Mistress Vasilisa requested it herself," the maid replied.

"*sigh*..."

"(Hey. What's that sigh for?)" Noah thought indignantly.

"You shouldn't dismiss Mistress Vasilisa's efforts, Miss Momo," the maid added. "She's working hard for you."

"I'm not dismissing her efforts," Momo said after a pause. "It's just... You, who are you?"

"Ah, introductions are overdue," the maid said, placing a hand on her chest and offering a mock bow to the darkness.

"My name is Arachnea. I am Mistress Vasilisa's pet, master, lover, and corrector. If Miss Momo is curious about the balance of those roles, I strive to manage them equally. Does that satisfy her?"

The silence that followed was deafening. Noah sighed loudly, hoping Momo would understand that nothing Arachnea said should be taken seriously.

"Mistress," Momo finally said, her tone heavy, "why would you work with someone so openly dangerous? Her soul reeks of rot."

Noah couldn't argue with that.

"Oh~♥!" Arachnea gasped, her cheeks flushing. "Is my presence so potent that Miss Momo can smell my rotten soul above the stench of her own cell?"

"Ugh..."

Momo groaned, too tired to respond.

As for Noah, had she meant that as an insult for Momo, he would have been slightly admirative in front of her sense of repartee. But he knew it just wasn't the case.

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"So," she asked after a moment, "how do you plan to prove my innocence?"

"We—"

"We'll gather testimonies," said the maid quickly, seeming calmer. "The manor's employees must confirm Miss Momo was attacked first."

"... And if they don't?"

"Ah," made the maid with a laugh. "I believe that Miss Momo knows the answer to that question."