(EP-275.1) Confession #3
275 – Reconciliation and Confession #3
Lies echo loudly among people.
Truth and wisdom, however, were carried in the silence of the wise.
But when the truth finally spreads before the people, its impact was as resounding as thunder and lightning, shaking the earth like an earthquake.
At least, that's what I believed.
So, I was concerned that when Mirna heard my story, she might react loudly. In fact, I was quite concerned about it.
I even brought Elga along as an observer, thinking it might be difficult to handle Mirna alone.
However, when I finally got the words out of my mouth—alluding "Solomon's son had a son, and that son is a half-fairy"—Mirna, surprisingly, remained calm.
She didn't blink, nor did she move at all, as if she were frozen in place.
When that silence had stretched on for a while, Mirna suddenly burst into laughter. It was the kind of laugh you'd expect from someone who had just heard a very funny joke. Ṛα₦ꝋ𝖇Êṡ
Both Elga and I briefly looked at each other, exchanging glances, and Elga simply shrugged her shoulders.
After laughing for quite a while, Mirna elegantly wiped away the tears that had formed at the corners of her eyes and said.
"I see now. You've teamed up with Lady Lioness to play a prank on me, haven't you? Sir Theo, it seems you've underestimated me. Why would you tell such a lie?"
It appeared that Mirna thought I had conspired with Elga to make up a story as a joke.
Indeed, sometimes an unbelievable truth can seem even more like a lie than an actual lie. If I were in her shoes, I might have reacted the same way.
If Mirna had suddenly told me, "Actually, I'm the daughter of a space demon, and Yingying is my minion," I would have tried to figure out her motive for making such a joke.
Denial doesn't change the facts.
I felt the need to reaffirm my intentions to Mirna, who still had traces of laughter on her face.
"Lady Mirna, what I'm telling you is not a lie. I am the grandson of Solomon, who was called the Demon King, and perhaps the last remaining Angmar in this world."
Mirna shouted loudly, which scared Yingying in her arms—flying off into the distance.
"Why do you keep telling me such lies?! This isn't like you, Sir Theo! If you continue to insult and mock me in this way, I'm leaving!"
Seeing this, Elga, who was sitting beside me, adjusted her posture, ready to intervene if Mirna were to act unpredictably.
However, I gently raised my hand toward Elga, signaling her to hold off. I didn't think Mirna would storm out or do anything rash.
"I'm asking you why you're telling me such lies! What's your true intention…!?"
Although she asked angrily, Mirna's eyes were filled with fear. Even someone as composed as Mirna would become confused upon hearing such a shocking revelation.
The feeling of injustice—wondering, "Why is this happening to me?"—and the fear of the unknown changes that might follow.
Since I was the one who brought it up, it was my responsibility to provide clarity for Mirna. I realized that I needed to wrap up and organize the story for her sake.
"Lady Mirna, I assure you, this is neither a lie nor an attempt to mock you. As I mentioned, I am indeed a descendant of the Demon King. The forbidden legacy you've been searching for, the seed of disaster—all of it points to me."
"But… but Sir Theo, you're the inspector, aren't you? Weren't you given the mission by Queen Tarantera to find the surviving members of the Angmar family?"
"Then, you're saying you have to search for yourself. Do you think that makes any sense?"
"They do say the darkest place is right under the lamp."
Mirna's eyes rolled back, and she swayed dramatically.
I panicked, thinking she might fall onto the table, but she managed to hold on with superhuman willpower and let out a deep sigh.
Then, she suddenly started fanning her face vigorously with her hand and loudly shouted.
"There's so much to say, I don't even know where to begin…!"
"… I understand. I'll answer any questions you may have. It's my duty to do so, and you have every right to ask."
"So, you've been hiding all this time, deceiving everyone and acting superior, haven't you? You must have thought I was just an ignorant fool!"
Mirna suddenly leaped to her feet, screaming like a madman.
She started ranting in a language that I could barely make out, which seems like an eastern dialect—probably all curses.
Seeing this, Elga clicked her tongue and muttered quietly.
I recalled how Elga had caused an uproar with the Coronoi incident, but I decided to stay silent, as stirring up Elga's mood here would only make things worse.
It was a few minutes later, when the shop's attendant knocked on the door of our room to ask if everything was okay, that Mirna finally calmed down.
━Excuse me, is everything alright in there?
"Ahem, ahem, yes, everything's fine."
Mirna, after adjusting her disheveled clothing, cleared her throat. However, her face was still flushed red like a tomato—she was not entirely fine.
"Sir Theo, honestly, there's so much I want to say, and so much I need to say. But I feel this way right now. I don't know what to say. I feel angry, and I am."
I hesitated to tell Mirna that I understood. It felt presumptuous to claim I could fully grasp the extent of the confusion and turmoil she must be experiencing right now.