WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈
Episode 495: Room 207, Gate Room - Second Trial ‘Witch’ (3)
──────
- Elena
The first person to accuse someone of being a Witch was Bruno, a sausage maker from the outskirts of Erenheim.
Before long, as if they had been waiting for this moment, several people began listing the ominous incidents that had taken place throughout Erenheim.
“Everyone knows about it! Three months ago, seven pigs from the Horte farm suddenly started coughing up blood and died-”
Livestock dying for no apparent reason.
“You know Brother Cherny, don't you? Then you must know young Rowan, Cherny’s nephew, as well. He was such a healthy young man until last year!”
People suffering from illnesses of unknown cause.
“It was only a week ago. I heard strange noises early in the morning and went outside, only to find the town's stray cats gathered together and speaking human language!”
Even cats that spoke.
Considering how terrible hygiene was in this era, livestock and people falling ill could have been caused by an epidemic.
But cats speaking? Even by modern standards, that was magic.
Every accusation came to roughly the same conclusion.
“There's no doubt! That evil sorceress who came from the East! That woman. She bewitched the faithful Simon, infiltrated the city, and caused all of this!”
According to the setting, Simon was Eun-sol's husband and had died eleven years ago.
The people of the city believed Eun-sol had bewitched Simon, entered the city, and was practicing evil sorcery as a Witch.
“...”
Most of their testimony was true.
More precisely, they believed what they were saying was true.
The atmosphere in the court gradually grew heated, and some people began openly hurling curses at Eun-sol.
Eun-sol...
She simply sat there expressionlessly, as if nothing had happened.
Throughout it all, the inquisitor silently observed her.
A moment later, Tomás took a thick book from a heavy leather bag.
--- Thud!
“That is...”
“Malleus Maleficarum. The Hammer of Witches. It is a guidebook issued by the Holy See.”
A guidebook for hunting Witches.
I let out a sigh, wondering what kind of insane book this was.
Tomás soon began giving the people a lengthy lecture on the Holy See's “academic opinion” of Witches.
Witches tended to move constantly rather than remain in one place for long.
Because of their innate power, they were impulsive and arrogant, unable to endure being cornered by insignificant humans.
Many were cruel by nature and had no hesitation about murder.
After listening for a while, I began to wonder what any of this was supposed to mean.
“No, Tomás!”
“Go ahead.”
“Most of what you're saying has nothing to do with Eun... Lee Eun-sol, does it?”
Let's compare the Witch-hunting guidebook with Eun-sol's circumstances.
Eun-sol had lived in this city for at least ten years, so she wasn't someone who constantly moved from place to place.
Unable to endure being cornered by others?
Dozens of people were insulting her right now, yet she remained calm!
Cruel and unafraid to kill?
There had been no reports of people dying in large numbers, even if livestock had!
“Even if the guidebook is correct, there is no proof that Lee Eun-sol is a Witch-”
“Miss Elena.”
Tomás had silently listened to me, then unexpectedly spoke in a calm voice.
“That is precisely what I was about to say.”
The entire court fell silent.
Tomás began explaining the contents of the guidebook one point at a time.
“The guidebook is not always correct. There are many kinds of Witches in the world, and individual differences exist. Still, it is rare for every point to be wrong.”
“...”
“Witches do not remain in one city for long. The chance of being discovered increases, and Witch hunters or inquisitors seeking them will come.”
The people listened to Tomás with slightly blank expressions.
“Witches lack patience. They can kill ten or fifteen humans with a flick of a finger. Most are cruel and violent because they have endured the hatred of those around them without rest as they grew up.”
“...”
“Of course, I am not declaring that woman isn't a Witch. I am saying further investigation is necessary. We do not know who the Witch is, but traces of evil power have clearly appeared!”
--- Thud!
The inquisitor struck the table with his gavel and declared,
“Recess! The Witch Court will convene again at the same time in two days.”
* * *
As I sat in the carriage heading back to the mansion, I thought about how terrifying prejudice could be.
“...”
The inquisitor had seemed like the person most eager to burn Eun-sol alive.
Yet he had concluded, “Lee Eun-sol has none of the traits commonly shared by Witches. She does not appear to be a Witch, so investigate further.”
“Hmm...”
In real history, Witches did not exist, and those who carried out Witch hunts were little more than con artists after their victims' property.
In this world, Witches really existed, and inquisitors and Witch hunters were not con artists.
That didn't mean the inquisitor was a decent person.
It only meant he was different from what I had first imagined.
If real Witch hunts meant burning wealthy people to death whether there was proof they were Witches or not, then Witch hunts here were closer to, “Kill anyone even slightly suspicious.”
If Eun-sol had matched even one part of the Malleus Maleficarum, the Witch-hunting guidebook, he would have ordered her burned alive without hesitation.
Since not a single point matched, he had let her go, for now.
“... I see.”
A similar kind of person immediately came to mind.
Management Bureau agents.
The inquisitor's pattern of behavior was strangely similar to that of Management Bureau agents from the distant future...
I needed to set aside my prejudice and think.
This was a world where Witches existed and Witch hunts were necessary.
Then who was the Witch?
It would be best to consult an expert's opinion.
--- Rustle!
I opened the Malleus Maleficarum Tomás had lent me.
* * *
When the inquisitor said Lee Eun-sol did not appear to be a Witch, the people of the city backed down obediently.
Still, they had only backed down because of the inquisitor's authority and my own.
The hostility the people felt toward Eun-sol was astonishing.
What if they openly threatened her?
What if Eun-sol used a tool like Butterfly Dream to survive?
Then she would become a real Witch!
I should send one of my people so the townspeople would not dare mistreat her.
The moment I arrived at House Gray's mansion, I called for my personal maid, Valentina.
“Valentina, I have a favor to ask.”
“Oh! Please tell me.”
“That foreign woman I sent a letter to the other day-”
“Lee Eun-sol?”
“You remember her. Could you stay at that woman's house for a few days?”
“...”
“I heard her late husband was wealthy. There should be a room suitable for you. I'll compensate you handsomely.”
Valentina made a strange expression after hearing me.
“... Miss, may I ask something? Do you know about the relationship between Lee Eun-sol and me?”
“Relationship?”
They had one?
Wasn't she just my maid?
Come to think of it, what had she said about Eun-sol on the first day?
“How does Miss know such a strange woman?”
Looked at another way, that meant she already knew her!
“... Sophia.”
“Hmm?”
“Lee Eun-sol's daughter.”
“Ah, right.”
Then, for the second time in one day, I heard something I had never expected.
“That child is my niece.”
* * *
- Lee Eun-sol
“Lord Tomás must have misunderstood something!”
“Watch your mouth! Haven't you heard that he is the Master of the stake?”
“Why would I fear him when I'm not a Witch! If only they'd burned that Eun-sol brat, this would all be over-”
Ah...
This was getting unpleasant the more I heard it.
From what I had noticed during several outings, the people of Erenheim fell into two groups.
Those who believed Lee Eun-sol was a Witch who should be burned alive.
Those who weren't sure whether she was a Witch, but wanted her gone from the city anyway.
They sounded like the same kind of people, but after experiencing it, there was a difference.
At least the second group would give me bread when I paid them.
When society descended into chaos, the people who seemed different were always the first to become prey.
Even in Japan's past, after an earthquake, rumors spread that Koreans had poisoned the wells.
Things had become a little more comfortable since yesterday evening, at least.
“Sophia, we're having paella for dinner tonight!”
“Wow! I love you, Auntie!”
The sister of the husband whose face I had never even seen had started staying at the house.
Unlike me, Valentina was a long-established Erenheim resident and the personal maid of Elena, whom God had chosen.
She was not someone serfs or ordinary city residents could dare mistreat.
She also treasured Sophia almost like her own daughter.
“Wow! That sounds delicious. I'm looking forward to it.”
“... You stay in your room.”
“Come on! Are you really going to be like that?”
“...”
The minor problem was that this woman disliked me quite a bit too.
Still, Valentina's reason for disliking me differed from the people of the city.
“Auntie... Auntie...”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Earlier, um, Andrea said something strange outside.”
“What did Andrea say?”
“They said Mom is a Witch... That's not true, right? It isn't, right?”
“... Of course not. Lee Eun-sol is not a Witch. More importantly, Sophie, you're not allowed to go outside for a while.”
Valentina did not think I was a Witch.
She simply thought I was a horrible woman who had “devoured” her brother.
In this setting, Simon had died two or three years after marrying me.
“I'm going to cook now, so stop bothering me. And don't go wandering outside so much either!”
--- Bang!
I was kicked out of the kitchen with a loud slam.
This was becoming more and more absurd.
I had never even seen the face of that so-called husband, and I had never seen a Witch either.
I didn't consider myself mentally weak, but receiving such blatant and completely baseless hatred over and over was beginning to irritate me.
“...”
I remembered what the inquisitor had said.
Witches lack patience.
They can kill ten or fifteen humans with a flick of a finger!
I understood what he meant.
Showing patience toward insignificant people who would roll across the dirt the moment I used Butterfly Dream was not as easy as I had thought.
“... That's enough useless thoughts.”
I drank a glass of water and calmed my unnecessary emotions.
As always, anger was no help at all in the Hotel.
More importantly, it was time to do something important.
--- Creak.
I opened the window and looked outside.
I focused the Eye of the Monocular Giant Bird, which I had become more accustomed to controlling than before.
“...”
Dark bluish-black threads filled the air.
Something like tubifex worms swimming through empty space moved without end.
They had no form, could not be touched, and were invisible not only to the inquisitor but even to Elena.
That made them clear evidence of something supernatural.
Should I follow these traces and find the Witch?
Just as I hesitantly grasped the doorknob, I felt a soft touch behind me.
“Mom...”
“Sophia.”
“Are you going outside again today?”
“...”
“People don't like you, Mom... Can't you just stay home?”
I felt something subtle every time I looked at Sophia.
A cute little girl who wanted to sleep with me every night, a child who called me Mom.
If someone asked whether she felt like my real daughter, honestly, no.
A child did not have to be someone I carried in my womb for ten months, but I had no memory of raising her either.
“Mom is busy.”
Even so, she was a cute and lovable girl.
“Auntie told you to stay home!”
“Sophie, go to your room.”
“... Okay.”
I'm sorry, Sophia, but this was the Hotel.
A place where nothing happened if you just sat still in your room.
* * *
Late at night, I breathed in the cold outside air and thought.
What were these threads I could see?
Traces of magic?
I had never seen such strange traces left behind from using an Inheritance in the Hotel...
Though uncertain, I checked where the floating threads were most concentrated.
“...”
After tracking them for about an hour, I caught a foul stench in an alley with a sinister atmosphere.
It was a smell most people would never encounter in their entire lives, one I had never smelled even after living for over thirty years.
The smell of a rotting corpse.
The Hotel had broadened my experiences enough that I could identify it.
I was not grateful.
“Hup!”
I held my breath while focusing on Butterfly Dream.
Soon, my whole body shimmered and disappeared.
It was invisibility, once the ability of a badge I had obtained from the Souvenir Shop and now a power of Butterfly Dream.
“...”
Flesh, blood, and bones lay scattered everywhere.
Unfortunately, it didn't appear to have been a peaceful death.
I was a little startled when I saw the face split in half.
It was someone I knew.
“... Bruno.”
Bruno, the sausage maker who lived on the outskirts of Erenheim.
He was the person who had accused me before the inquisitor.
Then I heard a strange voice.
“Run.”
“...”
“You're there, aren't you? Even if you're invisible, I can smell you and sense your presence. Run quickly. Other people are coming.”
The words themselves were helpful to me.
The problem was that they had come from a cat, not a person.
Footnotes:
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