Chapter 46 : You Were a Kind Person

The words that came from Lycas’s mouth afterward were about the various dilemmas he had as the ruler of a region.

Although it was a society, it was a pirate society—an unstable environment where no one could be sure when someone might stab them in the back. Amid this precarious situation, a sharp thorn had emerged, creating a current of trouble that was now consuming him.

Responding appropriately, Usher shared a conversation with Judith and Elma.

[Somehow…]
[The woman, regional dominance, and the fact that she managed to deceive someone as powerful as the ruler of a military island—doesn’t that give you a rough idea?]
[Could it be brainwashing?]
[Highly likely. We’ll have to investigate further to know for sure, but mental confusion is a trick that many heretics use.]

If they were to investigate, that would be the angle to focus on.

Then, how would they infiltrate the western military island?

The dilemma was closely tied to Lycas’s own concerns.

After all, if they just rushed west without careful thought, they might be ambushed by pirates from other regions.

There was no need to increase unnecessary risks.

Their opponent was an artificial witch so strong that even a first-class knight couldn’t guarantee victory by himself.

The dilemma grew deeper.

[This should be enough for now. I have an idea of what we need to do.]

Judith handed Elma over to Usher.

Right after, she spoke up.

“This works well.”

“Hm?”

“Now I can see how to attack the military island.”

She gave a smile that accentuated her typical decadence.

When Lycas blinked in surprise, Judith stood up, placing a pipe in her mouth.

“Isn’t the enemy’s enemy our ally? The key is the west. The north, the east, and even the south—all of them are important. But first, the woman in the west needs to be gone so that we can stop the piracy and restore the region.”

“True. The woman… do we have a plan?”

“An alliance. What do you think?”

“Hmm?”

Lycas frowned as if wondering what she was saying.

Judith elaborated.

“I mean, let’s form a temporary alliance. If we don’t, we’ll all end up dead. First, let’s tear her apart, take the western military island for ourselves, and then we can sort out the hierarchy afterward. Don’t you think everyone will buy into this idea?”

Lycas shook his head.

“They’re not the type to be swayed so easily. The moment we mention talks or anything, they’ll notice in the west. If things go wrong, it could get worse…”

“Then let’s just keep it secret.”

“…Huh?”

“Who in their right mind would openly hold a secret meeting? The real secret is the behind-the-scenes maneuvering—making deals and then stabbing people in the back, that’s what a secret meeting is!”

A sinister aura filled Judith’s face as she spoke.

“I’ve got it all figured out.”

Although Usher knew that was a terrible idea, he couldn’t help but think that Judith was highly capable as he watched her swiftly move the situation forward.

‘Wow, she’s impressive.’

Unlike Rubena.

He only thought this inwardly.

…Inwardly.

Judith explained her general plan to Lycas and the others.

At first, Lycas was puzzled, but later, as he saw the practicality of her plan, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

After the outline was established, it quickly moved to the details and preparation.

Throughout it all, Judith meticulously examined every element and directed the pirates.

It wasn’t difficult.

After all, managing people and setting plans in motion involved fewer variables than research or experiments, didn’t it?

At least during the preparation, no one was going to accidentally blow up a lab because of a volatile solution.

As she neared the end of the preparation, Judith glanced at Bersia, who had been standing idly by, making a noise like “Oh… oh…”

Her eyes narrowed.

“If you’re not going to help, go to the corner.”

“Ah, I was going to help!”

“What’s the use of just making noise over here?”

Bersia pursed her lips, avoiding eye contact as if she had nothing to say.

Judith sighed at her incompetence, but what was more striking was how unfamiliar this behavior felt.

It couldn’t be helped.

Judith had been a saint and joined the order over 15 years ago.

She and Bersia had entered the order around the same time—Judith a bit earlier—and had seen each other ever since.

The atmosphere between them had always been one of cold indifference.

They’d both ignored each other as if they were just stones on the side of the road, each going about their own business.

Now, pretending to be friendly, innocent, and good—didn’t that just feel disgusting?

The preconceptions built over time couldn’t be ignored.

To Judith, this behavior seemed like a mere pretense, one that Usher was probably behind.

He had left the room to help with another task, but still, this farce was infuriating. Eventually, Judith spoke.

“Can you stop pretending? When she comes, I’ll handle it, so don’t do anything creepy in front of me.”

“Creepy…?”

“Ugh, seriously, is she cursed with the curse of womanhood or something?”

At those words, Bersia snapped and spoke up.

“That curse! I think it’s wrong to call it that! Why are you using such a vulgar expression when there’s a perfectly fine name for it—‘The Curse of Desires!’”

Judith scoffed.

The Curse of Desires, that was the term for the curse of the heretics that had destroyed the first kingdom where the saint had ruled as queen. Judith knew that. She also knew that it was a curse so severe that it had turned the last holy princess, who was revered as noble and great, into a lovesick fool.

But, you know…

She knew all that.

“You started it first, though.”

“Huh?”

“Did you have your memory altered? The term ‘curse of womanhood’ was one you came up with first, wasn’t it?”

That must have been around seven years ago.

At the time, Rubena’s second sexual maturation had started, and she was beginning to develop a more feminine figure.

Back then, she was obsessed with shopping all day, buying new clothes, and focusing on her appearance.

At a tea party, it was Bersia who, with a sarcastic tone, commented on her.

“Oh, have you been cursed with the curse of womanhood? The way you’re swaying your hips while walking, it looks like you’re advertising for someone to hit you. Oh, I meant to say it suits you well. Maybe after you retire, you can look for a job in that field.”

Her words, said with a calm tone and a smile, were incredibly rude.

She truly seemed like the craziest of the crazy, and that day, Bersia had earned such a nickname in Judith’s mind.

Wasn’t it true? Even if you disliked someone’s behavior, turning those words around in front of their face like that wasn’t something normal human morality would allow.

Recalling that day, Judith rubbed her arms to chase away the goosebumps.

“After that, whenever we had a chance, we kept calling her the curse of womanhood. Eventually, we started using that term too.”

When the story ended, the reaction was something else.

Bersia was left speechless, her mouth agape.

Her expression clearly showed how shocked she was.

With her lips trembling, she mumbled, “…Why does it feel like that’s really how it happened?” She looked as if she might actually have been brainwashed.

Judith’s expression twisted in irritation.

But it was too tiring to continue talking about it.

She sighed and waved her hand dismissively.

“No, forget it. I don’t even have the energy to say more, so just get lost. Stop poking around here.”

“Seventy…”

“What? Do you have something to say?”

Bersia hesitated, fidgeting.

Judith stared down at her.

It was in this moment that Bersia spoke up.

“…You didn’t ask me…”

“What?”

“…How do you really know those people? What’s your relationship with Kyle Regal…?”

Judith scoffed at that.

“It’s not you, it’s your guards who know them. I’m not Rubena, and I know who taught your sword skills, so you think I couldn’t have figured that out? And the reason this situation came about is because I put you out front. And your past as a knight? That’s none of my business.”

She truly believed that.

Judith was someone who valued efficiency.

If the information wasn’t necessary for the current situation, she wasn’t interested in other people’s pasts or personal lives.

That was, unless it affected her directly.

Judith categorized people into two types.

Do they help her? Or not?

All other conditions were irrelevant.

Upon hearing this, Bersia looked up at her with a somewhat dazed expression.

Then, she hesitated for a moment, before shyly smiling and speaking.

“…You’re a kind person.”

“…What?”

“Ah, I mean, you trust your own eyes rather than rumors or evaluations. Focusing on ability first rather than flaws is a form of mercy. I know that’s not an easy thing to do…”

Her words suddenly contrasted with something Judith had heard in her past.

“That girl is creepy! How could she possibly be my daughter…!”

Her heart thudded, and the previous words lingered in her ears, washing away the memory.

Strangely enough, that seemingly insignificant remark now carried the weight of words that had been on her heart for her whole life.

Judith’s expression contorted.

She didn’t know what kind of face to make in that moment.

Embarrassment.

That was what she should have felt, but it was a foreign emotion to her.

“What the hell…”

How could she have interpreted the story like that?

Letting out a dry laugh, Bersia continued.

“If it was a rude comment, I’m sorry. But I thought it was something worth praising.”

Goosebumps rose.

Yet, strangely, it wasn’t the kind of goosebumps she would normally shy away from.

Judith didn’t know how to respond. She pursed her lips and, after a moment of awkwardness, furrowed her brows, quickening her pace and distancing herself from her.

“Fine. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Bersia tried to catch up with quick steps.

At that, Judith, for once, yelled at her.

“Don’t follow me, will you?! Go play in the dirt with your guards!”

“Huh?”

As she walked away, Judith lit her pipe and took deep puffs.

Her earlobes were a little red.