Silent Witch

Book 16: Chapter 7: The Crimson Chalice

"With this magic tool of my creation, the Black Chalice', I shall prove that the one before us is true of royal blood."

Monica Everett the Silent Witch, proudly raised the Black Chalice before the country's leader

.Uh, what was the next line agaiiiiiinnn? Ugh, my stomach my stomach is killing meeeeee

She was battling terrible stomach pains.

Not to mention, her hair was tightly bound up high causing a headache, her corset was laced tighter than ever before, and most dreadfully, the extremely high heels she wore felt like her toenails might fall off any moment.

Monica had only one reason for bringing her staff here despite there being no magic duelit was not to make her look more dignified, but because she simply couldn't walk properly in those heel shoes without a staff.

Leaning on her staff, Monica quietly took a breath with an "Oo-hah."

Her stomach hurt like it was being wrung out, and her heart was pounding so fast it felt like it might jump out of her mouth.

As Monica slowly caught her breath and looked up, her eyes met Isaac's.

Isaac was gazing at Monica with a perplexed expression.

I wonder if he will be disappointed after knowing the true identity of the Silent Witch yeah, he must be

Seeing how much he had respected the Silent Witch made Monica's chest ache with guilt. Her stomach too.

Even so

Monica lightly jingled her necklace with her fingertips.

Catching the glimmer of the peridot reflecting the lights, Isaac seemed to hold his breath.

He had once told her that as long as she wore this, he would be able to find her.

Please, watch me how I prevail in this fight.

Pressing her frantically beating heart through her clothes, Monica recalled the script Isabelle had prepared for her.

Up to this point, Monica's lines were drafted through everyone's input and ultimately reviewed by Lady Isabelle Norton and her maid Agatha.

"What's most important in getting through the Supreme Council is solidifying an image! From here on, the witch Monica will be portraying is an intellectual, cool, and confident one who never lets her emotions show on her face! Of course, the usual gentle Sis Monica is lovely too, but this contrast is perfect. Ah, just imagining the cool-acting my Sis is how wonderful!"

Whenever Monica seemed unsure of the specific image, Isabelle would whisper in her ear,

"If you're having trouble with the lines, just imagine Lady Bridget."

Indeed, Bridget was prideful, always self-assured, and carried herself with dignity.

Even if jeered at, she would simply dismiss it with a curt "Be Silent."

I can do this

After all, Monica now had the magic spell Cyril had given her.

Taking a slow breath, Monica wove her words,

"This magic tool analyzes mana contained in one's blood. By comparing the analysis results it is possible to verify blood relations."

Saying so, Monica angled the Black Chalice where Duke Crockford could clearly see it.

The Duke did not openly contort his face, but Monica sensed the air around him sharpen further.

There was no way he did not know of the "Black Chalice"for it was none other than he who executed the man trying to create this tool seven years ago.

"Is there anyone here who has relatives present? Ah, Baron Barrel, I believe your son is a court clerk?"

The middle-aged baron Monica addressed by name seemed to jolt a little.

Monica gave the baron a thin smile. She had wanted to smile beautifully like Bridget, but this awkward smile was the best Monica could manage with her stiff face.

Still, her clumsy smile appeared intimidating enough.

"Wh-What are you trying to make me do, Silent Witch?"

"Please provide a drop of your blood. Of course, I will not curse it or anything."

Baron Barrel fidgeted his gaze about as he dabbed the sweat on his face with a handkerchief.

To the hesitant baron, the King instructed,

"Baron Barrel. Cooperate with Silent Witch's performance."

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!"

Prompted by the King, Baron Barrel approached with stilted steps.

Monica took out a needle and lit a small flame with chantless magic.

The tiny flame was no larger than a candlestick fire, yet producing it chantlessly seemed to surprise those around, their eyes fixated on the chantless fire.

Monica heated the needle in the flame before handing it to the baron.

"A drop of blood from your fingertip will suffice."

Saying so, Monica twirled the bottom of the Black Chalice.

The bottom portion was shaped like a shallow dish filled with a reagent liquid.

She let Baron Barrel's blood drip into the reagent before returning the chalice bottom to its original state.

Swirling the chalice lightly to absorb the blood into the liquid, Monica took out a new needle.

"First, allow me to experiment with my own blood for comparison."

Monica then pricked her own fingertip with the heated needle, squeezing out a drop of blood to fall into the chalice's basin.

Showing that nothing happened with unrelated blood added.

"As you can see, adding blood unrelated to oneself does not trigger any reaction in the Black Chalice."

Monica wiped away the blood she had put in and called over Baron Barrel's son, handing him the needle.

"Next, I shall add a drop of the baron's son's blood into the upper portion of the chalice. A single drop will suffice."

The young clerk, Baron Barrel's son, solemnly let a drop of blood from his fingertip fall into the Black Chalice.

At first, nothing happened.

But gradually, the area where the blood touched began seeping the same crimson hue.

Monica started to open her mouth but closed it again.

She forgot her line.

Let's see, what was I supposed to say here? "Behold!" was too grandiose so we scrapped itand "Pay attention, everybody!" was Lord Glenn's suggestion that got rejected Then the line Lady Isabelle came up with was

After replaying Isabelle's suggested line in her head, Monica spoke aloud,

"Now, bear witness to the moment the Black Chalice takes on the color of blood!"

Proclaiming it in a sonorous voice, Monica angled the chalice to show its reddening interior as she raised it high.

What was once jet-black-like lacquerware, the insides of the Black Chalice were rapidly turning crimson. Eventually, the reddening spread to the outer surface until the entire chalice shone like a brilliant pigeon-blood ruby.

The spectators let out a chorus of astonished gasps.

.Dad, everyone is amazed by the magic tool you created.

The praises rightly belonged to her late father, the original creator. Feeling a twinge of bittersweetness, Monica lowered the chalice.

"In this manner, when the blood of a relative is added to the upper portion after setting the baseline blood at the bottom the entire chalice takes on the color of that blood."

Technically, the results of a medical analysis tool should display values like "X% probability of being blood-related."

However, Monica deliberately chose to have the chalice stain itself like the fictional "Black Chalice" for its powerful visual impactand to make a pointed statement to Duke Crockford.

You killed Benedict Rayne, the man who tried making this tool I know what you did.

Monica went to Nero, who stood by with a toolbox and disposed of the spent reagent before rinsing the chalice with specially prepared purified water.

Since the Black Chalice was a tool to analyze mana, using mana-imbued water would contaminate the resultsthus requiring magic-free purified water for cleaning.

Once rinsed clean, the chalice returned to its original jet-black color. Confirming this, Monica turned to face the King.

"With utmost deference, I ask to take a drop of Your Majesty's blood, to dispel the suspicions cast upon Prince Felix."

"Very well. Bring the chalice here."

Monica stepped forward and, following the same steps as with Baron Barrel, drew a single drop of the King's blood to set at the chalice's bottom.

She then turned and knelt before Isaac, offering up the Black Chalice.

"Your Highness, to preserve your honor, please permit me to prick your fingertip with this needle."

What is she intending to do?

Isaac was still unable to escape his confusion.

Monica should know that Isaac was not the King's true blood-related son.

AhI see. This must be her way of condemning me.

To expose the sin of the man who killed her father, using her father's own creation This was her form of vengeance.

"As you wish."

As Isaac offered his hand, Monica said "Pardon me" before pricking his fingertip with the needle.

A bead of blood welled up from the tip. Monica took Isaac's hand and turned it palm-down.

A single drop of blood plopped into the basin of the chalice.

She would surely present this unchanging jet-black chalice as condemnation against him.

Her father's murderer.

But as Isaac gazed hollowly at the chalice with a wry smile, his expression froze.

Monica raised the Black Chalice high. Its interior rapidly started staining crimson, the reddening eventually encompassing the entire chalice.

A rich, vibrant shade of blood.

With a voice ringing louder than before, Monica proclaimed,

"This crimsoned chalice is proof that the one before us is indeed Prince Felix Ark Ridill!"