Charlotte looked in mild surprise at the Dagger of Judgment being offered to her.
She had told plenty of lies and concealed plenty of things lately: her identity as a transmigrator, her private visits to the Underground Trading Fair, the things she had kept from her father. Most seriously, she had directly caused two deaths. Now that she was being asked to hold a Sealed Artifact that "judged the sins in its wielder's heart," she naturally felt some hesitation.
Still, even that lie-detecting Holy Bible failed to uncover the biggest problem. This Grade 3 Sealed Artifact might not work either... Charlotte reassured herself. Then she realized how rare an opportunity this test was and reached out to take it with a hint of curiosity.
The newly fitted leather sheath, styled after the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun, felt smooth and slightly warm. She took hold of the hilt and, after confirming that her spirituality gave no warning, slowly drew the dagger.
The blade looked distinctly different from what she remembered. It was no longer pure black, but gray, with an artificially aged, matte finish. Its edges even looked somewhat blunt, nothing like a weapon that could easily pierce a human heart.
Charlotte held it loosely, ready to drop it at the first sign of trouble. Yet she held her breath for almost half a minute, until she could no longer stop herself from breathing, without experiencing any of the "remorse" Viève had described.
She looked at Viève in confusion.
Viève looked back at her, equally confused.
"Am I supposed to feel uncomfortable somehow?" Charlotte finally asked.
Rather than answer immediately, Viève reached out, closed her slender, pale fingers around the hilt, and took "3-1452" from her.
For the first few seconds, her expression did not change. Soon, however, Charlotte noticed her brows drawing together and her lips pressing tight, as though some feeling of disgust were welling up from deep inside her-and its target was herself.
In less than twenty seconds, Viève set the dagger back on the table. She pressed her other hand against the Sun Holy Emblem on her chest and began reciting a prayer under her breath.
Only after several lines confessing her sins and praising the Sun did her expression return to normal.
The negative effect is that strong? A Sequence 7 Solar High Priest couldn't even hold it for half a minute... Clergy who constantly examine themselves and feel guilty could never use this dagger... Watching this, Charlotte began to suspect something.
Viève let out several long breaths before saying:
"All the Purification-ers have tried using it. Their reactions varied, but all of them found it difficult to fight normally in that state."
"Is there no way to counteract that negative effect?"
Charlotte pressed her.
"Someone suggested that if you kept holding it, the additional complacency might offset the guilt, but nobody was willing to try. On the other hand, several imprisoned criminals had less severe reactions when holding it briefly."
But criminals can't use the Church's Sealed Artifacts. And I suspect that includes the Cultists arrested earlier, or Wild Beyonders being held in custody. The first thing they'd do with a weapon would surely be to turn it on the Purification-ers... Charlotte considered this, then asked tentatively:
"So... will this weapon be assigned to me?"
If she could carry a Sealed Artifact with only minor side effects, her ability to protect herself would immediately rise a level. As for its tendency to attract shadow creatures, Charlotte thought she could address that by carrying holy water.
Unfortunately, Viève shattered her hopes without mercy:
"Using a Grade 3 Sealed Artifact requires an application from the captain, and it can only be deployed in official operations involving at least three people. Last time, you were allowed to carry it because you needed to approach Julian and dispel his suspicions. Having it gave you a means of protecting yourself. Assigning it to a Peripheral Member for an extended period would violate regulations. However..."
Charlotte had already lowered her eyes in disappointment, but that last word made her look up hopefully again.
"...This Sealed Artifact has only just changed, and its official documentation is still being compiled. Details such as exactly how long its side effects take to manifest, or the likelihood of attracting shadow creatures... all require someone brave enough to conduct tests.
"Since you experienced no obvious side effects while holding it, you can help write that portion for the time being."
Isn't that just lending it to me...? Charlotte understood at once. Still, she could tell that Viève's real interest lay not merely in those tests, but in why she could hold the Sealed Artifact without any discomfort.
To confirm it, she simply asked outright:
"Madam Viève, what you really want to know is why I didn't feel that guilt, isn't it?"
The Purification-er nodded candidly.
It seems her guilt just now wasn't over lying... Charlotte thought for a moment, then chose her words carefully:
"Perhaps it's because the few occasions when I faced a situation involving a 'crime' were all acts of self-defense. Etienne wanted to abduct me, Julian wanted to kill me, and the Beyonder who had lost control by the stream in the hunting grounds attacked first as well. So even if I severely injured or killed them, I didn't consider it a sin."
Viève looked thoughtfully at the dagger on the table.
"But it's difficult for an ordinary person to feel absolutely no guilt in those circumstances. Many believers come to church to confess simply because they punched someone during an argument, even when the other person struck first."
Her tone was exploratory.
This reminded Charlotte of the satisfaction she had felt when Julian fell, as though she had carried out a judgment. She looked away, feeling a little uneasy.
"Perhaps it has something to do with the particular nature of an Arbiter," Viève continued. "Perhaps, in matters like this, you're more firmly convinced that what you did was right?"
That sounds like she's saying I have a weaker sense of morality. Still, since transmigrating, everything that happens in this world really has felt somewhat unreal to me... Charlotte muttered inwardly, unwilling to start a debate over the matter.
Fortunately, Viève had only been voicing her puzzlement. She returned the Sealed Artifact to the small box, which seemed capable of blocking its negative effects, and looked at Charlotte again.
"In any case, that's settled for now. However, I must submit an application to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Trier explaining why you'll be assisting with documenting the Sealed Artifact's effects and side effects."
"All right."
Charlotte was in no particular hurry. She knew the mail coach took a full three days to travel from Suhit City to Trier. Even if both sides processed everything as quickly as possible, it would be a week before a reply arrived from the Purification-ers' headquarters. And judging by how busy the Inquisition's clerical staff were, waiting several days or even a week for nonurgent matters was probably routine...
Still, she noticed something odd in the way Viève looked at her, as though she were observing a cooperative test subject. It reminded her that there was something else she had not reported.
Morvan Durand's apparent familiarity with Fourth Epoch antiques and curses, the way he looked at her, and her suspicion that he might be a Beyonder... Strictly speaking, as a Peripheral Member, she ought to have volunteered all of that to Viève.
But saying anything might put me in danger, and it might cause our little group at the Sushit Weekly to break up. If I keep quiet, Mr. Durand, who's lived in Sushit for decades, is unlikely to do anything bad... Charlotte understood that she was evading responsibility, that this was an entirely selfish line of reasoning.
Strangely, though, she felt no guilt about it.
On the evening of Sunday, April 13, Charlotte arrived by carriage outside a luxurious estate occupying extensive grounds in the Bols District.
It was not far from City Hall, with the Holy Palace Hospital, the Sushit Grand Theater, and a church of the Eternal Blazing Sun that very likely also housed Purification-ers nearby. This was the very heart of the city. Viscount Derilose's ownership of such a large urban residence, complete with its own garden, in a neighborhood where every inch of land cost a fortune was ample proof of his family's local wealth and influence.
At the very least, they were far better off than Baron Sauron's family, living in their old ancestral house.
Before she even left the carriage, Charlotte noticed that the road here had received extra maintenance. The paving stones were level and clean, and the carriage barely jolted as its wheels passed over them. Numerous four-wheeled carriages bearing noble coats of arms were already parked along both sides of the road. Servants moved among them, helping guests alight, while others were specifically tasked with promptly clearing away horse manure so that it would not spoil the guests' mood.
The Bols District was already much cleaner than the Old District and the Harbor District, but the area around the viscount's residence was particularly immaculate. April's spring warmth had unfurled the garden's foliage, and its neatly trimmed shrubs and newly opened flowers looked especially pleasant in the sunset.
Maintaining this street and estate alone probably costs a hundred thousand Verl D'Or a year... Charlotte longed to poke her head out the window and admire this rare sight, free from the chaotic, filthy atmosphere of the era. But when she noticed Madam Delia Perry watching her from the opposite seat, she abandoned the idea.
After a daughter came of age, even if her father remained her guardian, it was no longer appropriate for her to share a carriage with an older male relative at formal social occasions as though she were still a child. Thus, today she rode with this older woman, who also served as her etiquette teacher, while Raoul Sauron traveled in another carriage.
This seat should have belonged to Mother, or at least a married older sister. Unfortunately... A trace of sadness passed through Charlotte's heart, but she quickly composed herself and stepped out once the carriage stopped.
Today, she wore an elaborate gown prepared for her coming-of-age debut. Fine patterns were embroidered into its yellow satin, with delicate lace adorning the cuffs and hem. The waist was cinched tighter and higher than usual, outlining a figure far surpassing those of most girls her age. Its fashionable low, square neckline revealed her fair skin, while her long reddish-brown hair had been braided and pinned at the back of her head, exposing her slender neck.
After meeting up with her father, the three of them climbed the carpeted steps into the central main hall. Gold inlay decorated the walls, and chandeliers hung overhead in tiers of candlelight. Exquisite reliefs stood on either side of the staircase directly opposite the entrance. Several footmen in formal attire stood along the sides, directing guests to the second floor.
Nobles who worship the Eternal Blazing Sun all seem fond of decorating their homes with gold. Of course, perhaps that's just a respectable excuse to flaunt their wealth... Charlotte assessed the viscount's extravagance while keeping a smile on her face and walking at an unhurried pace.
Soon, Raoul led her over to Viscount Derilose and his wife, who were greeting guests at the entrance.
"This is my daughter, Charlotte."
"Happy birthday, Miss Sauron, and congratulations on your formal entry into Suhit City's society."
"Thank you, Your Excellency."
Similar conversations repeated over and over. Charlotte greeted the barons, viscounts, ladies, and young misses in turn, curtsying and exchanging pleasantries. At a social gathering like this, Delia's value soon became clear. She quietly reminded Charlotte whenever she forgot someone's identity and subtly redirected the conversation whenever a young man showed excessive interest in her, allowing Charlotte, whose smile was growing increasingly stiff, a moment to breathe.
Just then, she noticed someone staring steadily at her and looked toward the far end of the main hall in puzzlement.
Baron Leon Gustav and his wife stood there, together with a young man who was likewise dressed in his finest.
Wearing a dark formal suit and a wig, with a tricorne hat in his hand, Roselle Gustav took advantage of a moment when his parents were speaking to someone else to give her a furtive wink.