Chapter 48: Eitana, the Head Chambermaid (3)│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com
Eitana, the head chambermaid, was the oldest woman in the palace.
The young lady-in-waiting was worried when Eitana, who was serious and never late, did not wake up and went to see her.
“Eh? Kya!”
She found her lying on her back in the middle of the room, motionless to her knees.
Hearing her screams, the guard knight entered the room, dragged the maid out, and immediately barred anyone from entering.
A suspicious death in the royal palace is a serious matter.
An investigation was started right away, and it was found that Eitana, who was drunk at the time, tripped on a crystal ball on the floor, fell on her back, and hit the back of her head hard on the corner of the table, killing herself.
The diagnosis was made quickly because the depleted liquor bottles of liquor and Eitana smelled like liquor.
Eitana’s body was returned to her family.
A letter was left on Eitana’s desk. Because the letter’s content was important, it was handed from the guard who read it to the captain of the guard, who immediately delivered it to His Majesty the King.
Mark rushed to the king’s office, accompanied by his brother Moshe and mother, to hear the king’s explanation.
“According to the letter, she intends to flee the palace and commit suicide. A letter of resignation was enclosed with the letter of confession. Before the accident, she was in the process of packing her bags, which contained all of her assets.”
“Are the contents of the “forged letter” authentic?”
“According to the investigating officer, the location and contents of the forged letter were correct and could only have been known to the person who hid the letter.”
“Father, would a woman who was supposed to confess her crimes and commit suicide pack up all of her personal belongings and take all of her money with her? Perhaps she was actually planning to escape punishment and live in hiding somewhere?”
“Perhaps that’s the case. This is not the baggage of a dying woman. But why now, after decades of concealment?”
The queen makes a bitter interjection.
“Didn’t she just want to be free of her years of guilt? She was already old enough to be summoned to God’s garden. But Aura was innocent, and she was tortured and executed. I’m truly sorry for her.”
“It all started with the prime minister’s attempt to elevate his daughter to the status of queen in order to gain more power.”
“It’s a shame that both the Prime Minister and Eitana are no longer alive and cannot be punished. Many people in this land still despise not only Aura, but all wizards. Then it is our responsibility as the royal family to spread the truth. Father, I beg you to tell the people the truth and to send out the touch that will restore Aura’s and all wizards’ honor.”
Mark appealed to His Majesty with a bitter face.
“Yes, we will. We must pay off the debts incurred during the Shemel era.”
—○█○—
A few days later, the royal family’s edict was carried to the royal city of Laminbo, every oasis, every remote settlement, and nearly every inhabited place in the kingdom, and posted prominently. Personnel were also employed to read aloud to those who were unable to read.
The people were stunned, especially those who had hoped for and rejoiced in Aura’s execution, and they felt deep remorse.
The news spread throughout the country that “Aura the Wizard was innocent and that it was a conspiracy by the Prime Minister at the time.”
Isabelle stood there for a while, reading the royal proclamation posted in the slums’ streets, before returning to her house. She prayed for a long time, pressing her husband’s bracelet to her chest.
A memorial service was held in the nearby village where Aura had frequently visited and filled the reservoir. Older people who knew Aura felt conflicted emotions over the years, both gratitude to Aura and anger at the loss of their homes and families in the flood, but they were relieved to learn the truth.
Many people who knew the story at the time were shocked that Aura-sama had been falsely accused and executed.
The entire farm had gathered in the royal capital’s marketplace to see the sign.
“The royal family hereby declares the wizard Aura’s innocence…”
The adults around heard Ethan’s voice reading the sign. The people on the farm appeared relieved because if Alesia’s power was known to the general public, they would be less inclined to malign her.
Alesia seemed to lose her expression as she read the sign’s text over and over; it says that the evidence that sentenced Aura to death was fabricated, but the name of the person who confessed to the crime is not mentioned, only that she was already dead.
(It’s according to a lady-in-waiting’s confession at that time. You don’t mean Aetana, that person in the palace who was there at the time? Did she trick me? No, she… because she visited me in jail and encouraged me… she cried for me…)
She was delighted to see the old Eitana when she paid a visit to Princess Edna the other day (I’m glad she was working here safely).
Eitana, whom she hadn’t seen in decades, had been promoted to head chambermaid and was now immaculately dressed and groomed. Alesia relished the opportunity to catch a glimpse of her during tea breaks.
—○
It was difficult to believe that Eitana had brought me down.
Did the timing of the announcement imply that Eitana confessed her guilt right after we met? And she is dead? Did she kill herself? I didn’t believe it, but I hoped that meeting her wasn’t the trigger.
Except for my eyes, my current self and the Aura of my previous life bear no resemblance. In my previous life, I had dark hair and was taller, and my face was stiffer than it is now. Most importantly, my age. As a result, she would not have noticed.
“There’s so much I don’t understand!”
“Huh? What’s the matter with Alesia?”
“Oka-san, I need to go to the palace to ask His Highness Mark a question… I’m not sure I can meet him on such short notice.”
“What are you going to do? If you want to go, I will escort you.”
“No. I’m perfectly fine on my own. Gil-san may be arriving soon. Ah, I see him!”
“Wait, Alesia!”
—○
Alesia’s father grabbed Alesia’s arm and held her back, but she shook him off and ran away, saying, “I’m going with Gil-san, so it’s okay!”
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