Chapter 505: Intervention 4
TL: Rui88
“My wife?”
The Grand Duke was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes filled with tenderness as he said, “In my heart, she is, of course, the most perfect woman in the world.”
Beside him, Helen’s heart filled with sweetness upon hearing her husband’s praise. She resolved to do everything in her power to help him through this crisis, even if it meant exposing her identity as a magic user to the world.
Mariana said with a smile, “That is too broad. I mean, what is her character like? Is she kind or evil, lenient or harsh?”
Cabre replied with a serious expression, “If Helen is evil, then I cannot imagine who in this world could be considered good.”
As soon as his words fell, he felt as if he had been seized by those flame-like crimson pupils. Although “seized” was a strange word to use, in that instant, the Grand Duke truly felt something grip, or rather, bind his soul.
That feeling disappeared after a few breaths.
However, Grand Duke Cabre did not suspect the witch before him of any trickery. Based on his understanding of magic users…an understanding derived entirely from his wife…they had to make meticulous preparations before casting a spell. There were casting materials, runes, magic circles, and at the very least, an incantation to be spoken or a few gestures to be made; in short, a whole host of things. But this was Lady Mariana’s first time in the court of Eton, making it impossible for her to have set anything up…the Grand Duke certainly did not suspect his own wife of cooperating with her to prepare something in advance, even if she was his wife’s teacher. Moreover, she had not said any strange words or made any strange movements. Therefore, he did not suspect Mariana.
Cabre attributed his peculiar sensation to Lady Mariana’s unique aura…an indescribable quality that was a mixture of extreme beauty and lethal danger. There were also those uncommon crimson eyes…in fact, the Grand Duke had never in his life seen such a pupil colour on anyone else.He then heard Mariana speak, “Your Majesty, I can already see from your attitude that deep within your heart, you yourself have already eliminated the prejudice against us magic users. There is just one thing that has sealed your heart.”
“What is that?” Cabre was very curious.
“Cowardice!”
“Cowardice?”
Grand Duke Cabre became a little angry. Even if she was considered his elder, how could she slander a brave knight and a just lord in such a way?
He took a deep breath and said, “I am sorry, but I have not felt any cowardice in myself.”
“No, Your Grace.” Mariana said confidently, “It is precisely because of cowardice that you do not dare to oppose the world’s prejudice…even if your heart does not agree with it. You can only deceive and numb yourself with self-suggestions like ‘although I understand magic users well, there are still some reservations deep inside me that I have not been able to eradicate,’ just to find a point of connection between yourself and the secular masses.”
“Teacher Mariana!” Helen raised her voice at her mentor, surprised herself that she dared to do so.
“Please do not slander my husband like this. He is a man with a noble soul and an honest heart. He is not as contemptible as you say.”
“No, my dear.”
The Grand Duke raised a hand to stop his wife’s defence of him. It seemed as if something in his heart had been awakened.
“Teacher Mariana is right. I am indeed a coward. I am indeed a craven.”
“When the Church wantonly persecuted magic users in the name of witch-hunting, I shrank back, even though I knew in my heart that they were good people.”
“When the fanatical masses overwhelmed reason with ignorance, I shrank back, even though I knew in my heart that their actions were unjust.”
“Even now, in rebelling against the Church, I do so under other pretexts, not daring to point out their most unjust act…the senseless persecution of innocent magic users.”
“I have profoundly betrayed my own code of chivalry. I should have upheld justice and protected the weak, yet time and again, I pretended that I too was blinded by worldly prejudice, until in the end, I believed it myself.”
Grand Duke Cabre was overwrought, tearing at his hair, his face a mask of extreme vexation.
“Helen, I am not worthy of your love.”
“No, my dear.” The Grand Duchess held her husband tightly, trying to calm him down.
“I know you have your difficulties. The thing you face is too powerful. It is not something you…no, we…can fight against.”
Although Helen corrected herself in time, her words had already stung her husband.
Mariana spoke at the opportune moment, “Your Majesty, now is an opportunity.”
Cabre looked up at her. “An opportunity?”
“Yes, an opportunity to practice the true justice that lies deep in your heart, an opportunity to eliminate your remorse.”
The Grand Duke looked at her, his eyes hoping she would speak more clearly.
Lady Mariana’s eyes gleamed. “In the name of the state, publicly acknowledge the existence of magic users and, at the same time, recognise that they enjoy the same rights as ordinary people. Allow magic users to walk freely under the sun, without fear of being inexplicably arrested and persecuted.”
“Let magic users stroll the streets, enter taverns to drink, sit in theatres to watch plays, and… join your army, all without having to hide their identities.”
“In short, whatever ordinary people can do, they have the right to do.”
With the preceding conversation, the Grand Duke was not overly surprised by Mariana’s suggestion.
It was Helen who asked uncertainly, “If we do this, won’t Eton be attacked by all the other countries?”
An image of the coastal nations and the Church joining forces to attack Eton even appeared in her mind.
“Now is the best time!” Mariana explained. “The oppressive policies of the Horn Bay Church have provoked a widespread rebellious mentality among the afflicted coastal nations, from the rulers down to the common people. It is similar to when a parent tells a child not to do something, but the child insists on doing it out of spite. When the war is over…no matter which side wins…and things have cooled down, this rebellious mentality will disappear. Who knows if we would have to wait another several hundred years for such a good opportunity to appear again.”
“After Eton becomes the first to recognise the legal status of magic users, our allies will certainly be shocked. But magic users have never done anything to harm the interests of these countries, while the Church is genuinely oppressing them. The choice they will make is self-evident.”
“Especially when magic users can help Your Grace achieve victory on the battlefield. Facing a great enemy like the Church, those countries will most likely follow Eton’s example and recognise the status of magic users in order to recruit them into their own armies.”