Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

TL: Etude

The Duchess said, ‘Indeed, Fennie does have something about her that would interest a mage.’”

As expected, Ladi sat quietly across from her, waiting for her to continue speaking.

“About half a year ago, she awakened her potential in magic.”

“Is that so? Did you guide her?”

“No!” Helen denied with a shake of her head, “At the time, I studied magic with my teacher due to coincidental opportunity and curiosity.”

“But as I grew up and realized how difficult it was to be a mage in society, although I did not regret my own decision, I also didn’t want Fennie to tread this path. If she were to be careless…”

“Someone else?”

“Not exactly…”

The Duchess paused, her face showing a mix of pride and worry.

“Fennie, she was self-awakened.”

“Self-awakened?”

Ladi was shocked! Those who could self-awaken to their magical potential were legendary figures within the community of mages!

“Helen, my senior… are you certain of this?”

Helen was emphatic. “I am sure. Fennie has always been under my guardianship. I am aware of every person she has come into contact with.”

“She did not even realize what this meant, which is why I instructed her never to display this ability in front of anyone but myself.”

“Senior, it seems that someone with intentions found out about her awakening. Fennie is just a child and likely wouldn’t know how to control her abilities.”

“Yes, I was not careful enough.”

Regret was evident in Helen’s voice.

“Now is not the time for this. We…”

Before Ladi could offer her suggestions, there was another knock on the door.contemporary romance

“What is it? I am entertaining guests.”

The servant’s voice from the outside came through, “Your Highness, the Bishop of Fort Ness, Lord Elvis, has come to visit.”

“The Bishop?”

Both Helen and Ladi frowned. Because of the witch hunts in the south and their own identities, they had an innate aversion to ecclesiastical officials.

“Tell him to go back. I am busy right now.”

“Uh… he gave me a box to hand to you if you didn’t wish to see him.”

“Bring it in!”

The door opened, and the servant cautiously placed a box on the table before the two women and then exited.

Filled with curiosity, Helen opened the box.

“This… what is this?”

The Duchess suddenly became transfixed.

Ladi looked into the box and saw a necklace.

“Senior, what is special about this necklace?”

Helen snatched up the necklace, examining it again and again.

“This is Fennie’s necklace! Yes, that’s right! It’s the same necklace I gave her as a gift.”

Finally having a clue, a mix of grief and joy washed over the Duchess’s face.

“Why would Fennie’s necklace be in the hands of the local bishop?”

Helen suddenly became calm, connecting the church’s influence, the witch hunts, and Fennie’s magical potential, imagining the most dreadful scenario.

“Senior, it’s useless to speculate wildly. Let’s meet with this Bishop Elvis.”

“You’re right.”

…

Bishop Elvis of Fort Ness, accompanied by the servant, entered the embassy’s reception room.

Seeing that the Duchess Helen was already waiting, the bishop immediately stepped forward and gave a bow.

“Your Highness! Thank you for taking the time to meet with me.”

Helen waved her hand dismissively. “Let’s skip the pleasantries, Bishop. Please take a seat.”

After Elvis sat down, Helen lifted the necklace and asked, “Could you explain to me what this is all about, Bishop?”

“Oh, Your Highness. I assume you’ve recognized this necklace.”

An element of mockery played on Elvis’s face.

“The situation is this, the Church recently raided a den of evil witches and we encountered someone unexpected there.”

“Fennie?”

“Precisely, your sister who was recently abducted—Baroness Fennie. This necklace came from the Baroness.”

Helen was startled as a surge of emotion hit her. On one hand, she was finally receiving news about her sister, while on the other hand, she was in the hands of the Church.

She feigned composure, asking in a tone laced with authority, “Thank you for rescuing my sister. But why did you not send her straight back?”

A sly smile crept across Elvis’s face.

“Your Highness, besides this necklace, we found some interesting things on the Baroness.”

A dreadful intuition gripped Helen, “What things?”

“Magic, Your Highness. We detected a witch’s magic on the Baroness.”

“Nonsense!”

The Duchess sharply rebuked.

“Not nonsense at all, Your Highness. Given the gravity of the situation, we had all local witch-hunting experts confirm it, and they unanimously concluded—Baroness Fennie is either a witch or on the path of becoming one.”

Helen rose abruptly from her seat, “She is but an eleven-year-old child.”

Elvis quickly retorted, “An eleven-year-old child, but also an eleven-year-old witch. Age does not excuse her from her sins.”

“Sins?! She would feel guilty for half a day just for stepping on an ant! Even if she did possess magical power, it would be due to the seduction of evil witches, and she would have been completely unaware of its significance!”

“Your sister claimed ignorance, but as you know, Your Highness, witches are adept at deception and corrupting hearts.”

Helen glared coldly at Elvis. “I shall make a protest with the Grand Bishop of Horn Bay!”

The bishop smiled confidently, showing no concern, “No need to threaten me with the Grand Bishop. When it comes to matters of witches, he will undoubtedly stand with me.”

Helen was frantic, wanting to summon guards to seize this insolent man before her and mobilize staff to search Fort Ness Cathedral.

But she calmed herself. After the Church took her sister, they had not sent her back but also refrained from going public about her.

After careful thought, Fennie was, after all, a noblewoman with no low standing—Grand Duchess of Eton’s sister. Not even the audacious Church would dare to take unilateral action, which could provoke the wrath of the entire Horn Bay nobility.

Helen steadied her heartbeat and spoke calmly. “May I ask, Bishop, how do you intend to deal with my sister?”

“Deal with? You overstate it, Your Highness.”

“Don’t you normally burn witches at the stake?”

Elvis shook his head repeatedly, “That’s for commoner witches. For someone as noble as Baroness Fennie, she has simply strayed into the wrong path. There have been similar cases in the past. Typically, we have their families discipline them strictly, reflect behind closed doors, and return to the right path.”

“After all, you nobles always have privileges!”

That last statement was thick with sarcasm.

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