Reincarnated Maid is About To Be Captured by All Players

"I went to the church every day to repent for my sins. When my wife learned of this, she came with me. God finally heard our devout prayers, and a few months later, my wife became pregnant. The child born was indeed a healthy boy, and the vassals who had criticized my wife all fell silent. Do you remember what I named my first son?"

"Matthew."

"Yes... Matthew... it means 'gift of God.' I firmly believed that my wife and I were blessed by God, and this child was the most perfect gift our Father had brought us... I may not have been a qualified father. My love for Matthew exceeded that for my other two sons. Not only because he was my heir, but because his arrival gave my Maria new life. What a gentle gift our Father had brought to us as husband and wife..."

Duke Borgia reminisced about the past.

"You've met Matthew. He was exceptionally gifted from childhood… Whether in magic or etiquette, he could understand with just a little guidance... He was a good child who never caused worry..."

This wasn't excessive praise from Duke Borgia's perspective as a father. Duke Merovingian knew his assessment was absolutely accurate. Duke Borgia's eldest son was among the most promising of the younger generation, and people all believed he could properly inherit the mantle of the Kingdom of Michel's hero.

Duke Borgia suddenly changed the subject.

"I heard from the servants... your wife is pregnant..."

"Ah, just three months along."

"Congratulations. You're going to become a father. I am the head of House Borgia, lord of Duke Obi's Territory, and also just an ordinary father... When I take off my armor, step away from official duties, and return to my own castle, I'm no different from anyone else. I also hoped for family harmony, to enjoy a happy life with my wife and son... hehe... hahahaha..."

Duke Borgia laughed with desolate despair.

"Matthew, my child, went to our Father's side before me."

"..."

"The king's daughter... the kingdom's Second Princess... I thought it was a good marriage... I ruined my son. But I don't blame His Majesty… Surely he didn't know either..."

The blood wedding. Duke Borgia's eldest son had become a victim of a [Child of Demons].

"I'm no saint. To ask me to forget everything, to act as if nothing happened... I cannot do it... I hate the Child of Demons who took my son's life, and I hate the Demon Lord even more. I swear I will never forgive any Child of Demons...! But I couldn't seek revenge—I had to pull myself together to console my wife."

Having lost their own son, Duke Borgia and his wife must have been the most grief-stricken.

"My Maria seemed to age ten years overnight, crying day and night. She couldn't believe that Matthew, who had chatted pleasantly with every guest at the wedding, was now sleeping in eternal silence... Oh, you'll understand once you become a father... when you unexpectedly lose a beloved child, a demon takes residence in your heart..."

"Amaryllis is a Child of Demons?"

Duke Merovingian finally understood Duke Borgia's reasons for targeting Amaryllis so specifically. Having lost his beloved son, Duke Borgia would never again forgive any [Child of Demons]. One couldn't hastily conclude that Duke Borgia was merely venting his anger—even if this matter became public, from the masses' perspective, Duke Borgia would be ridding society of a menace.

The only puzzling aspect was that only divine magic could identify who was a [Child of Demons]. How exactly had Duke Borgia made this determination?

"Before Matthew and the Second Princess were wed, I took them camping in the countryside together. During that trip, we encountered some active undead creatures. Just small fry that posed no threat to us whatsoever. But somehow, those mindless undead all moved toward the Second Princess, their postures resembling devout pilgrims. Amaryllis was the same... the living dead surrounded her, not attacking Amaryllis who couldn't even use magic, but instead bowing in worship to her."

Duke Borgia had witnessed this scene firsthand.

The undead's behavior was identical to what happened when they encountered the Second Princess that day.

Amaryllis was a Child of Demons.

Upon understanding this fact, Duke Borgia didn't even realize how twisted his expression had become.

[Child of Demons].

They should not exist in this world. In his rage, Duke Borgia struck and severely wounded Amaryllis, but hadn't expected her to steal a spatial transfer scroll from the castle.

"I heard... there's a girl named Anastasia who protected Amaryllis. She probably doesn't know what she's protecting. The Second Princess's curse has already manifested… What might Amaryllis's curse be? What I should do... is eliminate Amaryllis before her curse comes to pass."

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Duke Borgia simply could not forgive Children of Demons.

"...But that's not the entire reason."

Duke Merovingian said quietly.

I know you too well, and this doesn't explain the living dead in Reunion Castle either.

After several breaths, Duke Borgia's hoarse voice sounded in the room again.

"I believe Matthew surely went to Heaven."

"Yes."

"Though he died young, he faithfully practiced the doctrines of the Abrahamic Faith throughout his life. But John... I named my second son John to thank our merciful God for granting me Matthew and then blessing our family with another healthy son. After Matthew's death, John consoled my wife Maria. He said, 'Mother, you still have me. I will shoulder big brother's responsibilities...' He was the one among my children who looked most like Maria and inherited her tolerance. I discovered I had always wronged John, always neglected him..."

"..."

"The doctrine states that the souls of the fallen cannot enter Heaven. John... to protect wounded soldiers, he was fed upon by the Vampire King... Oh... my poor child... He could not die as a human, but in a state half-transformed into a vampire, I ended his life with my own hands... His soul was not purified by divine magic, received no redemption..."

Duke Merovingian waited for Duke Borgia's explanation.

"Tell me... do you know how to go to Hell?"

—

Translator’s Corner

I’ve decided how to deal with the bracketed terms. I’ve been bouncing between a few, and it’s about time I just have it fixed. It’s not perfect, but at least it’s consistent