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Join the ServerPierre wandered the streets, utterly lost, for he had nowhere left to go.
He had discovered that morning his home was no longer his. The Alençon family’s estate in the Imperial City was guarded by his father’s retainers, who barred his entry the moment he approached.
His father had issued a strict order, forbidding Pierre from stepping foot inside the house.
He then made his way to the Sacred Academy, only to be turned away at its gates.
– Duke Alençon had also petitioned the academy to investigate his son’s academic status, which directly led to his suspension.
Evidently, Duke Alençon was intent on casting him out, and this time, he was undeniably serious.
Pierre would be stripped of his Alençon inheritance and all his resources.
The Masked Brotherhood, which valued noble lineage above all else, would no longer have a place for him either. Mr. Dis and his associates had merely used him; once their objectives were met, they naturally would not risk further contact—they had no desire for the Northern Duke to catch wind of anything.
Now, his only recourse was to return north and seek refuge with his mother.
Duchess Alençon, who doted on her son, could not sway her husband’s decision, but she could at least secretly arrange alternative lodging for Pierre, ensuring his comfort and basic needs.
Yet, in his heart, he felt he had lost everything. The Alençon family’s ducal title, and his position as its heir, was the sole capital he could rely on. Stripped of this identity, it was akin to shattering his very spiritual foundation.
‘If I can’t inherit the title, won’t I be… just like a commoner?’
‘Yes, a commoner… like that wretched Jeanne Decker, whom I always looked down upon?’
Having lost his aristocratic status as an heir, he was horrified to realize he possessed no other means to ever triumph over that cursed adoptive daughter.
‘Why has this happened? I finally managed to personally bury that despicable village girl, only for me to lose my most crucial inheritance in the end?’
‘It’s all because of her! Ever since that adoptive daughter appeared, my life has been in chaos, completely disrupted!’
‘Right, before leaving the Imperial City, how could I not see her face?’
‘At least one trial, most likely her execution day, will come. How can I not properly witness her despairing expression before she dies?’
He recalled that God’s Wrath Iron Prison actually permitted family visits, though most people would never dare. Typically, once someone was suspected of heresy, their relatives would go to great lengths to sever all ties.
But for Pierre, now cast out of the Alençon family, such concerns were irrelevant.
Before the news of his disownment spread, they would undoubtedly grant him passage.
With this thought, Pierre reached a crossroads and turned towards God’s Wrath Iron Prison.
****
Jeanne Decker sat quietly in her cell, gazing absently at the iron-barred window on her door.
‘It’s over,’ she thought.
She actually understood the situation perfectly—Duke Alençon had been maligned by his political rivals due to Pierre’s betrayal, and she was merely a casualty in this aristocratic struggle.
Once all hope was extinguished, and she faced an inevitable demise, she paradoxically found a profound sense of calm, more serene than at any point in her past.
She felt as though she had awakened from a dream. In that dream, she could walk the path she believed in to its very end, becoming an exceptional Holy Knight, rising to the highest ranks of the army, protecting her homeland, and clearing the name of her friend.
However, she, too, had ultimately fallen victim to this world. Such was its nature; the justice she so firmly believed in did not exist—at least, not within this nation.
Accused falsely and destined to die unjustly, she never imagined her final fate would so closely mirror that of her friend from not long ago.
Months prior, she had been powerless to save Levi, and now, no one could save her.
‘I will be joining you soon, Levi.’
At that moment, a face appeared outside the iron window—the iron mask of a Junior Inquisitor.
“Is something wrong?” Jeanne Decker asked, her voice calm.
“Nothing,” the iron mask replied, a husky female voice emanating from behind it. “Just checking on your condition. Prisoners in your situation often have a high probability of attempting suicide or escape.”
“I will not seek death, nor will I attempt such a futile endeavor,” Jeanne Decker responded.
“It doesn’t matter,” the female Inquisitor said. “I’ve been assigned this task, so I can only watch you here.”
“It seems my time is truly running out,” Jeanne Decker observed.
“You’re quite perceptive, aren’t you?”
“Surely the Inquisition won’t trouble a dying person further?” Jeanne Decker inquired.
“Don’t be ungrateful,” the female Inquisitor retorted with a hint of dissatisfaction. “Not all Inquisitors are against you. We did help you, after all.”
“Ah, it’s you,” Jeanne Decker realized, recognizing her as the female attendant brought by the Deputy Chief Inquisitor who had helped her that day. “My apologies, your voices and attire make it impossible to distinguish you.”
The Senior Inquisitor, Eve, Prince Kleiman’s attendant, was the one standing guard outside her cell.
“I’m not good at useless comforting words, so I won’t bother,” Eve said bluntly. “My superior plans to see you later; they should be arriving soon.”
“Is that so?” Jeanne Decker’s heart remained undisturbed. What difference would a visitor make now?
“Can you answer a question for me?” Eve suddenly asked. “Do you regret it?”
“Regret?”
“If you hadn’t protected that witch that day, or even if you hadn’t gone to that appointment, you wouldn’t be here today. If it weren’t for saving that commoner, you wouldn’t have ended up like this. Do you regret any of it?” Eve asked earnestly.
“I did nothing wrong. Why should I regret it?” Jeanne Decker softly countered.
“Well said. I’m almost starting to admire you,” Eve actually chuckled.
“Thank you, but it means little to me now,” Jeanne Decker replied, her expression blank.
Footsteps echoed from the direction of the stairs, and someone descended to this level, holding a lantern.
“Are they here?” Jeanne Decker said.
“No, that’s not their footsteps,” Eve replied.
As the lantern slowly drew closer, Eve finally discerned the newcomer.
The gray-robed enforcer, leading the way, placed a hand on the shoulder of a blindfolded Pierre Alençon, guiding him to the cell.
Upon seeing Eve, a Senior Inquisitor, the enforcer bowed. “Officer.”
“What’s going on?” Eve asked.
“This man is Duke Alençon’s son. He claims to be here to visit the prisoner in this room,” the enforcer replied. “We’ve already verified his identity.”
Unlike ordinary prisons, some high-profile inmates in God’s Wrath Iron Prison were not permitted to meet family in the upper-level visitation areas. Instead, guards would blindfold and escort verified visitors directly to the cells.
“Hmm?” Eve scrutinized Pierre. “I say, isn’t this the fellow who testified at the trial and brought her to this pass? And he’s specifically here to visit her?”
“Ah, well, it’s all in the service of upholding the Church’s laws…” Pierre stammered awkwardly.
“Only a fool would believe that,” Eve shot back, then turned to the enforcer. “Never mind. By the rules, he does qualify for a visit. I’ll take over here; you may return to your post.”
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read Transmigrated Into a World With a Wife! Click here to discover the next big twist!
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