Chapter 65 The Turbulent Green Plain Duchy
"Miss, you were far too reckless."
Back in the convoy, Renee couldn't help but complain to her young lady.
Renee wasn't upset about Charlotte's merciless killing of Steve; she had no sympathy for a petty thug who tried to extort Charlotte. However, Charlotte could have simply had her knights kill Steve on the spot as a noble, this was common practice. But she shouldn't have used her "Bewitchment" ability to kill Steve, as this risked exposing her extraordinary powers, especially since Steve was a member of the Church.
So, after Charlotte told Renee what she had done to Steve with "Bewitchment," Renee hurriedly followed her young lady to clean up the mess.
Charlotte was completely unaware that she had caused trouble for her little maid. Instead, she asked about Steve's behavior after his common sense had been twisted by "Bewitchment."
Renee described what she had seen to Charlotte.
Charlotte nodded in satisfaction after listening. "This technique is indeed effective."
Through repeated experiments, Charlotte had developed some new applications for "Bewitchment," such as burying its twisting effect deep within a person's mind like a bomb, cleverly controlling the time and place of its detonation using thought patterns and environmental cues.
Charlotte had been developing this technique for some time she called it "Mind Bomb" but she hadn't tested it in actual combat. One reason was that her "Bewitchment" ability wasn't strong enough to guarantee the Mind Bomb's effectiveness, and the second was that she hadn't found a suitable test subject.
Charlotte's usual practice targets were either Beatrice and her daughter Anna, or two young female slaves, or the three little girls, Lola, Julia, and Doris.
These three girls, selected from the children of the territory residents after testing, were now nominally Charlotte's slaves. Charlotte paid the equivalent of only one acre of land, and their parents were happy to send their daughters to the castle as maids.
However, although nominally maids, the main tasks of these three girls were learning and exercising, as well as unknowingly cooperating with Charlotte to experiment with her abilities.
After a long period of practice, Charlotte felt that her abilities should have improved. However, for her, the practice targets in the castle were all essentially her own people, making it difficult to go all out.
Until today, this priest who tried to extort her on the road had voluntarily walked into the line of fire...
Steve
"How long did the effect of Bewitchment last?" Charlotte asked Renee.
Swallowing metal undoubtedly went against human common sense and instinct. The subconscious correction effect would definitely be very strong, so Charlotte estimated that the twisting effect of the "Mind Bomb" should last for a very short time.
Renee shook her head and said, "At that point, that priest was already dying. Bewitchment didn't seem to have ended yet, and I don't know how long the effect could have lasted."
"Hmm, it lasted longer than I estimated. It seems my abilities have indeed grown a lot," Charlotte said somewhat proudly, but then she frowned slightly. "I just don't know when I can advance to the Second Wing."
"Miss, don't be anxious. You've only awakened for less than three months," Renee advised with a smile.
"Renee has been promoted to the Third Wing for more than half a year, right?" Charlotte suddenly asked again. "When do you think you can perform the Brilliant Ceremony?"
The Brilliant Ceremony is the ritual for advancing from the Third Wing to the Fourth Wing, and it is also the ritual for ordinary warlocks to advance to high-level warlocks.
Most relatively complete warlock factions in this world have four rituals: the Spirit Awakening Ceremony for ordinary people to embark on the path of the extraordinary; the Brilliant Ceremony for ordinary warlocks to become high-level warlocks; the Glorious Ceremony for high-level warlocks to become legendary warlocks, which is the advancement from the Sixth Wing to the Seventh Wing; and the Holy Advent Ceremony for legendary warlocks to become god-favored warlocks, which is the advancement from the Ninth Wing to the Tenth Wing.
"I consulted Miss Lilith," Renee said, tilting her head. "Miss Lilith said that Dragon Language Swordsmen should only undergo the Brilliant Ceremony when faint dragon scale-like patterns can be seen on both sides of their spines. This will maximize the chances of successful advancement."
"Really?" Charlotte became interested and reached out to take off Renee's clothes. "Let me help you take a look."
"I already looked when I took a bath yesterday," Renee quickly said.
"Things on your back can't be seen clearly even with a mirror. Let me help you take a look," Charlotte insisted.
Renee knew that her young lady had ulterior motives and was probably feeling amorous again. She held down Charlotte's head and said with a smile and a hint of reproach, "Miss, don't make trouble. We'll be meeting Earl and Countess Quake Forest later. Please behave yourself and don't mess up your clothes."
Renee was more than capable of subduing her young lady with one hand. Charlotte couldn't win against Renee, so she could only hug and kiss the little maid's fragrant neck to satisfy her craving.
After traveling for a while, Charlotte's group arrived at the Quake Forest Earl's castle.
"Welcome, dear Miss Charlotte."
A young man with curly short hair bowed to Charlotte, who was stepping down from the carriage, with a smile.
"Thank you, Brother Alfonso."
Charlotte curtsied.
Alfonso Mellerfield was one of Monica Mellerfield's three older brothers, the third son of Philip Mellerfield, and by seniority, Charlotte's cousin.
"It's really impolite to visit so suddenly," Charlotte said with a smile.
"If you passed by the Quake Forest Earl's territory and didn't come to Oak Castle as a guest, that would be impolite," Alfonso said with a smile.
"Are Earl Philip and Countess Simona at home?" Charlotte asked.
"Father and Mother went out on business and won't be back until evening..."
"Charlotte!"
Before Alfonso could finish speaking, a clear voice suddenly rang out, interrupting their conversation.
Monica, holding up her skirt, trotted over excitedly, took Charlotte's hands, her face full of smiles. "Charlotte, you're here!"
"Sister Monica," Charlotte said with a smile, holding Monica's soft little hand.
"You've come at the perfect time. I just finished a painting. Let me show you."
With that, Monica pulled Charlotte toward her boudoir, leaving Alfonso Mellerfield in her wake, looking flustered as he tried to act like a serious adult host.
Monica's boudoir still had the atmosphere of a literary young woman, but the desk by the window had been replaced by an easel. On the easel was a newly finished oil painting. In the painting, a black-haired girl who bore a striking resemblance to Charlotte stood in a rose bush. A gentle breeze lightly fluttered the hem of her skirt, and behind her, the outline of a majestic castle could be faintly seen.
"Did Sister draw this for me?" Charlotte remembered Monica suggesting that she replant roses in front of the Viscount of Lanwan's castle.
"Yeah, how is it?" Monica asked.
Charlotte nodded and commented, "The painting is very good, but there's one problem..."
"What problem?" Monica asked nervously, holding her arms across her chest.
Charlotte pointed to the castle and said with a smile, "I must take Sister to Lanwan to see it when I have time in the future. My Viscount's castle isn't this big."
"Oh, is that so?" Monica laughed and nodded. "Okay, I definitely want to go see it."
Charlotte suddenly noticed another painting next to the easel. This painting seemed to have originally been covered with silk, but now the silk had slipped down halfway, revealing a corner of the artwork.
"What is this painting?"
Charlotte curiously picked up the painting and unveiled the silk. The artwork was revealed. It depicted a girl with a face full of longing and happiness, wearing a gorgeous Western-style pleated tulle dress. Judging from the surrounding environment of stars and fluttering petals, this was undoubtedly a wedding dress. More importantly, the girl's appearance was quite similar to Monica's.
"Ah!" Monica exclaimed, snatched the painting from Charlotte's hand, and hurriedly stuffed it into her bookcase.
Charlotte immediately understood that this was Monica's imagined scene of her own wedding. Charlotte couldn't help but laugh and asked mischievously, "Does Sister Monica want to marry my brother that much?"
"Don't talk about this anymore!" Monica blushed and covered Charlotte's mouth, saying coquettishly.
Charlotte wasn't willing to let Monica off so easily, and the two played and joked for a while.
Monica lay on the bed, panting slightly, and asked, "Did Charlotte come to attend the wedding of His Highness Henry and Miss Anne?"
"His Highness Henry? Henry Holovin?" Charlotte shook her head. "Why would I go to that guy's wedding? I came back because I heard my father was sick."
"Eh? Duke Green Plain is sick? Is it serious?" Monica sat up in surprise.
Although the serious illness of the Grand Duke of Green Plain had not been publicly announced, it must have already caused a great commotion within the duchy. Monica, however, knew nothing about it. This girl could be considered a model of a well-bred young lady who knew little of the outside world and only waited to get married.
"I'm not very clear either, but it shouldn't be a big problem, otherwise Father would have called me back long ago," Charlotte hurriedly comforted Monica.
In the evening, the Earl and Countess of Quake Forest returned, accompanied by Monica's other two older brothers the Earl's eldest son, Gerald Mellerfield, and the Earl's second son, Anthony Mellerfield.
Seeing Charlotte's arrival, the Earl and Countess were very happy and immediately ordered a banquet to be prepared to entertain Charlotte.
Even without Charlotte saying anything, Earl Philip could probably guess why Charlotte had returned to the Green Plain Duchy, but he didn't mention the currently unverified news of the "Grand Duke of Green Plain's serious illness" at all. As the younger brother of Jose Mellerfield, Earl Philip was definitely firmly on his brother's side. Even if Jose Mellerfield was really seriously ill, for the Grand Duke of Green Plain and his heir, the best course of action was definitely to temporarily suppress the news and control the domestic situation.
At the dinner party, in order to find a topic, Charlotte brought up a somewhat embarrassing matter for the Earl and Countess she, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Green Plain, had been robbed on the land of the Earl of Quake Forest in the Green Plain Duchy.
"Those damned priests!" Earl Philip's face darkened. If this matter spread, what face would he have left among the nobility?
"Little Charlotte, you weren't hurt, were you?" Countess Simona asked with concern.
"Of course not, I have so many knights protecting me," Charlotte said.
"I'll send someone to the church to inquire about it later, and I'll definitely get them to give you an explanation," Earl Philip assured Charlotte.
"No need," Charlotte quickly waved her hand. "I've already had my people deal with those priests who extorted me. I hope it won't cause any trouble for Uncle Philip."
Dealing with them naturally meant killing them all. Earl Philip understood this euphemistic expression. He shook his head indifferently. "Just some small-time hoodlums recruited by the Church. Does any church dare to come to my castle to ask about such a trivial matter? If they dare to come, I still have some scores to settle with them..."
Earl Philip said the last half of the sentence through gritted teeth.
Charlotte sensed some clues and thus prompted, "Has the Church been causing some trouble recently?"
Hearing Charlotte say this, before Earl Philip could speak, Countess Simona couldn't help but exclaim, "It's more than just a little trouble, they're simply causing trouble everywhere..."
In Countess Simona's words, the Church's demon trials in the Quake Forest Earl's territory had intensified recently. Those temporarily recruited priests and priest apprentices were everywhere arresting demons or peddling exorcism certificates, causing widespread panic. As one of the most important timber production areas in the Green Plain Duchy, and even the entire Oran Empire, the Quake Forest Earl's territory had a large number of lumberjacks and timber processing workers, both commoners and slaves. They were the most severely affected by the Church's demon trials. Anyone who slightly resisted or was unwilling to buy an exorcism certificate was treated as a demon, arrested, and nailed to a cross.
Faced with exorcism certificates they couldn't afford, or relatives about to be sent to the cross, these people finally couldn't bear it any longer and chose to resist.
"We've already quelled three riots of commoners and slaves in the past month," Countess Simona complained.
The cheerful Monica didn't notice, but Charlotte had already seen that Gerald Mellerfield's armor was stained with blood, and Anthony Mellerfield also smelled of blood. It seemed that the "quelling" mentioned by Countess Simona was clearly not gentle.
Countess Simona felt that the riots of commoners and slaves should be entirely attributed to the Church's demon trials, but in Charlotte's view, the slaves and commoners in the Quake Forest Earl's territory were already living hard enough. Earl Philip and his wife really treated them like livestock. The Church's demon trials were at most a spark that ignited the powder keg.
However, in such a world with extraordinary power, could the sparks ignited by ordinary people hope to start a prairie fire?
Charlotte naturally didn't voice her criticism of the Earl and Countess. She also very cooperatively condemned the Church a few times with Countess Simona.
The pleasant dinner party ended, and Charlotte was naturally arranged to spend the night with her cousin in Monica's bedroom.
When leaving the dining room, Earl Philip suddenly said, "The current Green Plain Duchy is a pool of muddy water. You shouldn't have come back, little Charlotte."
Charlotte turned her head to look at Earl Philip.
Earl Philip was smoking his pipe and didn't speak.
After a moment of silence, Charlotte lifted the hem of her skirt and curtsied, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Uncle, but I had to come back."