The abused merchant’s daughter – 39 | Sousaku – 創作

Chapter 1, Episode 39: Retribution Part 2

――You have broken your promise to me. I asked you to bring before Me all your children who turned seven years old.――

If a saint participates in the coming-of-age ceremony at the age of seven, she will gain power at that time and will be able to exercise the power of the sacred tree.
From there, even if someone tried to harm her, he could not kill her because the holy tree itself could protect her.

But during childhood, when they have not yet been empowered, humans must provide them with generous protection and nurturing.
Therefore, failure to allow a seven-year-old child to participate in the ritual is punishable by death.

Tencia and her family did not allow Sonia to attend the ceremony, and she hid her presence for fear of being accused of a crime.
Therefore, Sonia was confined in the basement until she turned 15 years old.

――You broke that oath and not only did you not allow my beloved child to participate in the ritual, but you kept her locked up and abused her until she was 15 years old.――

The oath that she had sworn to humans was in order to protect the saint, however, they ended up tormenting her.
What could be more undignifying?

Kardiana's voice in Riese turned guttural.

"W-What does that mean? Holy Tree-sama."

The king of Kardiana asked the question with fear.

"The false saint there and her parents were keeping this girl, the real saint, locked up and abused her, instead of allowing her to participate in the ritual."

Lars answered the king's question.
Immediately the king's face turned pale.

In other words, the king has broken an unbreakable oath with the sacred tree.

In exchange for protecting humans, they must always allow seven-year-olds to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony.
That was the covenant with the sacred tree.

It was not that the country did not have control over its children.
If these had been slaves, orphans, or children of poor families, they would have been more strictly controlled, but because of their status as children of wealthy families, they were not so tightly supervised.
They didn't realize that Sharla, who was supposed to have undergone the ritual the previous year, had replaced Sonia.
The system was inadequate, but no adult had ever prevented a seven-year-old from participating in the coming-of-age ceremony before for fear of the severity of the penalties.
This was a serious mistake that happened because of their arrogance.

"I am very sorry!! The responsibility lies with me!!
Let this life of mine be offered to you!! Please, just keep the blessings of this land!!! "

The king bowed his head and apologized to the holy tree.
The downfall of Kardiana was akin to the downfall of the human race.
He could not allow such a tragedy to happen in his generation.

――Don't be conceited. What value does a human life hold? ――

These words, uttered coldly, caused everyone present to despair.
The demise of humanity in a land abandoned by the Holy Tree.

This had been proven by history by now.
There was only one future in which they would be deprived of blessings and would die out.

The land of Kardiana was too large for them to flee to other places.
If the residents of Kardiana began to evacuate en-masse, other countries would become desperate to remove the refugees, as they would not be able to accept them.
There was no place in the world where one could find a land with enough blessings to feed the inhabitants of Kardiana.
Wars will break out in various places, and not only the human race but also other lands of the sacred trees may be destroyed.

Then again, it was unlikely that the Holy Tree of Kardiana would make a choice that would cause trouble for other Holy Trees.
If she wanted to bring destruction, she would eliminate all the people who live here.

It would be quickest to use the saint's body to destroy the humans here.

"……You did this!!! It's that fake saint there!!!
It's not us who are at fault!!! "

Voices rose from the plaza.

"That's right! Punish her!!! Punish the fake saint and her family there!! "

There was a shout, and something flew toward Sharla and the others.
Grasil also tried to escape, but Sharla grabbed him desperately and wouldn't let go.

"Le-Let go of me!! You fake!! "

Grasil kicked Sharla, but she retorted.

"Didn't you say I was a saint!! Take responsibility!! "

Tencia also stood by Sharla's side, while Henkel said, "That's why I told them to make sure she participated properly! " and ran away while leaving that line as an apology.
A call to kill erupted from the crowd.

The knights in the square had also drawn their swords and were walking to Sharla.

"Mother!! What's going on here? ! "

Sharla became scared and screamed at Tencia, who shook her head saying that she didn't know either.

"Wait!! You're Sonia, right?!! Why are you in this place pretending to be such a big……"

Sharla was about to say something when a branch of the sacred tree pierced her chest.

"Kagh!!!! "

Sharla writhed in agony as she coughed up blood.
The noisy crowd instantly froze.

――Now watch, you foolish people.
The suffering of the fools who did not keep their promises to us, the Holy Tree.
The fools will not be allowed to die, no matter how badly they are hurt, they will be tortured.
Let it be engraved on your hearts that all those who defy us will meet the same end.
See it with your own eyes, and forever tell the tale.――

With the girl's words…… the branches of the sacred tree began to fly toward the people in the square.
It was not only Sharla and her family but also the people in the square who had nothing to do with it.
Screams erupted from the plaza as people scrambled to get out of the way.
『Hey!? What are you doing, Kardiana?!! 』

Cyril hurriedly set up a protective barrier over the square, and the branches of the sacred tree were repelled without hitting those who were in the plaza.
According to the meeting, only the fake saint family and Grasil were supposed to be tortured.
That's what they were supposed to show to the humans and instill that fear in them.
When Cyril looked at Kardiana, which should have been in Riese's body...

"……ad people."

Riese's body murmured.

"……I have to kill all the bad people.
I have to kill my bad aunt and cousin who abused me."

She kept muttering.

――No way!?

Cyril hurriedly looked at Libelle, and Libelle nodded.

『Right now, what's inside Riese is not Kardiana.』

She stated the cruel truth.

――I am sorry. I've lost control of the body.――

Kardiana's voice echoed in Cyril's head in a tone as if she were telling of a slight failure.

『Don't just say sooooorry!!!! 』

Cyril's exclamation echoed around the area.