Chapter 17 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

**Chapter 17: The Truth of the Incident** * * * ** Caw, caw, As the sky gradually turned crimson, the sleek cawing of ravens echoed throughout the forest. Perhaps it had found its target, as the raven that had been gliding majestically with its wings spread wide gradually descended to perch on the arm of a woman. Her name was Saeli. She was the woman who had rescued a girl from the riverbank a few days prior. The raven, larger than an ordinary child's frame, clearly appeared to be a creature of some significance. And the woman who welcomed such a raven onto her arm could not be ordinary herself. With deft fingers, she untied the knot bound around the raven's leg. Though she only used one hand, since the other arm hosted the raven, Saeli managed this task with practiced ease, swiftly releasing the knot to retrieve her desired object. A beautiful stone, glowing a deep blue, slipped from the raven's leg to rest in her hand. "Caw~♬" "Rami, I'm always grateful for your efforts. You've done well today too." Saeli retrieved a large chunk of meat from her bag and offered it to the raven. It was freshly caught, its redness stark and dripping with blood. — Snap. "Oh my." The raven, named Rami, seemed pleased, uttering a high-pitched cry as it gripped the meat. It didn't eat it immediately, suggesting it had somewhere else to take it. With a few flaps, the raven began to ruffle its wings—a signal that it would soon take flight. "Well then, see you later." "~♬" With Saeli's words of farewell and a gentle stroke over its feathers, Rami ascended to the skies, vanishing into the distance. Saeli pocketed the pebble-sized stone, standing still until the breeze from the raven's departure faded. "...Phew." She drew the stone back out of her pocket. The stone, smooth like a polished crystal sphere, was clearly not naturally formed. Around it flowed a white aura, delicate and ethereal. The sight of the strange energy encompassed around the stone was reminiscent of the aura emitted by the earring of a man who had once plotted greed-fueled schemes. A shamanic tool. An object imbued with spells by a shaman. These tools ranged from items that could curse someone unto death to basic necessities like kindling a fire. However, unlike the ominous aura of the black pearl that had cursed the princess, the bright energy emanating from this stone was pure and clean, indicating a different purpose. "Let's see what you hold." — Crackle. After watching the raven disappear into the sky, she looked around a few times to ensure there were no onlookers, then began to apply pressure to the stone. The artifact slowly cracked underneath her grasp. Perhaps it was originally designed to be fragile, or perhaps her strength was unusually formidable; the exact reason was unknown, but something significant was undeniably about to unfold. As the fractures grew larger, beams of light burst forth, intertwining above her head in a brilliant weave. The luminous threads twisted intricately, like knitting threads, and soon formed into a thin rectangular shape. The shimmering pane then projected something that could only be described as an image. The first scene revealed a city encircled by towering stone walls. Atop one such tower flew a flag resembling a white lily of the valley. It was the flag of Tesilia Kingdom. "......." Indeed, the unfolded scene displayed an aerial view of the Tesilia Kingdom. ** It seemed that people did not regard the flying raven as suspicious, as they went about their daily lives unaware they were being observed. The bustling, peaceful nation thrived with people intermingling in harmony. When the raven passed by people conversing, their voices echoed from the remains of the tool. Apparently, it was a highly advanced device capable of audio recording as well. Holding the now-ruined stone, Saeli listened intently to the visual, without pausing. The raven first visited the marketplace. The busiest area in the kingdom, teeming with people. Given the raven’s swift journey through the market, momentarily the barrage of voices struck loud enough to echo in her ears. Though her expression momentarily distorted from the clamor, what she heard left her no time to reflect on the noise; she hardened her face and doubted her own ears. The rumors went as follows: 'The first princess mercilessly killed her younger sister and threw her off a cliff.' "—Wh, what...!?" Rumors spread in any place, at any time. Saeli, well aware of this, dismissed such ludicrous accusations and set to listening for other pieces of information. Yet the crux of the gossip repeatedly circled back to the same tale. The disappearance of Aris Acaia, known as the "Light of the Kingdom" for her gentle and courteous demeanor, which always brought smiles to those around her. While the palace had pinned the blame on Duke Akitten, this conclusion still left numerous questions unanswered. And rumors surged like wildfire through the marketplace that it was indeed the first princess behind the princess’s disappearance. Some said Princess Anna had tormented Princess Aris in secret for years. Others claimed Princess Anna had been driven mad by a curse, prompting this catastrophe. There was even someone who claimed to have seen Princess Anna entering the palace, bloodied and dazed. By this point, it was evident that these goes beyond just ordinary rumors. Rumors lacking any factual basis tend to fade quickly. For something to become the simultaneous talk of everyone is quite rare. This implies a degree of credibility. After all, where there's smoke, there's fire, right? It seemed her worst suspicions had indeed been realized. — Ssshhh. "....Is it truly the case?" The two-hour-long projection had ended, concluding her investigation. Saeli slowly drew a small dagger from her pocket. A blade slightly broken, embedded in the girl's stomach when she first found her. The very weapon used repeatedly to stab her abdomen. The hilt bore the crest of the 'Acaia' family, the royal house of Tesilia. Yes. The culprit was the victim's sister. Such a horrendous tale. The child's body bore numerous other wounds. Deep arrows were lodged in her calves and backs of her hands, their paths completely ravaging the tissue. Overwhelmed by nausea, she bent over. But no matter how wide she opened her mouth or how deep she thrust her fingers, nothing but a trace of bile dripped onto the earth. Drip, drip. Only minute amounts of bile fell onto the dirt. "I sensed it from the start. And yet, I did not wish to believe." She gently ran her fingers over the blade in her grasp. If this cold piece of steel had continued tearing through one's insides, the pain would be unimaginable—especially if the perpetrator of such horror were one cherished as family. Saeli could understand why the child had lost her memory. The shock of it all must have been immense. Enough for her to subconsciously seal away those memories. Had Saeli not rescued and treated her, the girl most certainly would have perished. To turn from her duty as an elder sister, and instead, out of jealousy, attempt to murder her own sibling? Saeli shivered with rising fury. It was unthinkable; an act that defied the moral laws. She reached that conclusion resolutely. "There are things that are acceptable for a person to do...and things that are not!" She recalled it vividly. Even as she hovered near death, coughing up blood, the younger sister thought only of her sister, constantly murmuring 'sister'. Despite being at an age where tantrums and whining were expected, she harbored no complaints and instead displayed a heartwarming concern for Saeli, who treated her. Unable to remember even her own name, she cried out in sorrow, yet held the name of Princess Anna, her assailant, dearly, cherishing those two syllables with a tenderness that was bittersweet. Staying up through the nights, not out of fear for her future, but burdened by guilt for those she could not remember—a truly kind child. Therefore, she believed there could be no forgiveness. "You have no right." She scattered the shards in her hand onto the ground, shaking her hands vigorously as if to rid herself of something unclean, making sure no piece remained. Stepping forcefully atop them, she ground them into dust. With a loud crunch, the fragments crumbled into powder, and Saeli, finding them devoid of any worth, kicked the pile harshly aside. Leaving the drifting dust behind her, she set off towards her home. Pondering what words she might share with the child, Aris. "To the child awaiting me...I cannot possibly reveal this wretched truth.....!" Her worries continued to torment her. ** * * *