Trinity the last White Witch - Chapter 67

[Trinity’s POV]

“The one who cursed you isn’t Grimora. It’s your father.”

. . .

. . .

“This is no time for jokes Trinity,” Michael said, no longer smiling.

“That’s right. Stop making up stories at a time like this!” seconded Dorothy. “Who could it be but Grimora wishing to live the life of a noble? And why would her father even curse her daughter in the first place?”

Ric just nodded his head in agreement with the others.

I restrained an eye roll. “I wish I was too. And the reason why I decided to come here was to make sure with my own eyes.”

My focus flickered at Grimora’s shaking form. She looked meek and scared, and this confirmed my suspicion.

“Make sure what?” Michael asked.

“I wonder how Grimora, a commoner selling flowers, could have met a daughter of the Earl whose mansion is heavily guarded. For the curse to work, there should be contact between the two.

“And not just any contact like a graze or a touch. They had to maintain contact until the spell was finished. Isn’t that right, Vexana?”

“That’s right.” Vexana chortled, unbothered with what was happening.

I continued, “Nadia always wore a veil on her face and is escorted whenever she was out, so the chances of Grimora recognizing her or even daring to approach her was slim to none.

“. . . And this got me thinking. Maybe Grimora was just roped into this by the Earl to get Nadia out of his life . . . Isn’t that right, Earl?”

I sweetly smiled at the shadow hiding behind the curtains.

There were audible gasped when an old man walked forward, and the light from the lamps illuminated his form.

“Earl Roselake,” Michael mumbled, surprised.

“F-father?” All colors drained from Nadia’s face. “B-but . . . why?”

The Earl wasn’t fazed even when he was caught. Instead, he was calm. “Because Grimora is my daughter.”

“. . .”

“. . .”

I admit. I wasn’t expecting that. I thought he just bribed an ignorant commoner with no family on the streets.

“Daughter?” Nadia was hyperventilating now. “How can that be? You only have mother in your life! You don’t even have a mistress!”

“It’s because your mother never allows it! And I never love your mother!” The Earl’s rising voice was enough to send Nadia in tears. “The one I love is Grimora’s mother. But she died because of you and your mother! If only Eliz didn’t banish her in some faraway village and threaten to kill her, I would have taken her as my mistress, and she didn’t have to die of sickness!”

“. . .” Nadia opened her mouth, but there were no sounds, only sobs.

“So is this revenge?” Dorothy stepped forward and did what she did best. Pointing fingers and opening her mouth nonstop. “You good for nothing. Just because of this, you wanted to kill your daughter? Couldn’t you just adopt that child into your family? Why did you have to exchange their souls?”

“Shut up. You know nothing,” the Earl retorted, “Grimora would never be accepted even if I adopt her as my own. The only way for her to live comfortably and enjoy this life is if she is in Nadia’s body.”

His cold eyes then flickered at Nadia. “Why have you returned? I had sent you to a faraway village with enough gil to live in comfort. You shouldn’t have returned.”

“. . .” Nadia bit her lower lip, and her fingers turned white from clenching her dress. Her eyes were a shaking pool of despair. “I-I . . . I woke up near the town . . .”

“Lies,” the Earl spat. “I clearly see to it that you were inside that carriage.”

My gaze flickered at Vexana. She was enjoying the show, and she beamed her sweetest when she caught me staring.

“Enough, father.” Grimora stood to her feet, face stained with fat tears. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have sought you in the first place. But I was too greedy. I was too greedy for a family and love of a father.”

She wiped her tears and begged. “I . . . I will leave. Coming here was a mistake.” She then looked at Nadia, face full of regret and guilt. “I’m so sorry for all the trouble that I caused and for almost getting you killed. It was never my inanition.

“I . . . I just wanted to meet my father . . . and I admit that the promise of a good life blinded me. . . ,” Grimora choked. She faced Vexana and pleaded. “Please return our bodies as they were. I will face all consequences.”

“W-what–!” Dorothy stepped in, but I held her back.

“Grimora, what are you talking about?” the Earl started to panic. “You can’t leave me too.”

“I’m sorry, father. I thought that . . . I could live my life as someone else . . . but I was mistaken. Every day I am consumed with guilt and couldn’t sleep knowing that I took the life of my very own sister . . . It’s better if I leave.”

The Earl snapped at Nadia. “You already have enough! Since young you have always got what you wanted. Couldn’t you just go somewhere else and let me be with her? I will send you gil or whatever you want. Just don’t come back here ever again!”

Nadia took a step back. “I-I . . .”

“How touching.” I clapped my hands. “If I didn’t know that you just asked the church to burn Nadia in the stakes, I might have believed you.”

“. . .” Grimora stopped crying, and she looked at the Earl in confusion. “Y-you did what?”

“Don’t listen to her!”

“Then tell her, Earl. Tell her whose name was in the contract with the witch. Tell her if she knew that she just sold her soul to a witch in exchange for her to live in Nadia’s body.”

Grimora was silent for a moment before her face was drained of colors. “T-then . . . t-that contract I signed?”

“You probably couldn’t read like most of the commoners. Yes. That blood on your finger on that piece of parchment sealed the deal.”

Grimora turned and faced Vexana in the mirror. “I-is that true? I thought that you’re here to help me recover from the after-effects of the spell?”

“After effects?” I stifled a laugh. “If you mean your nails chipping off or a chunk of your hair fall off, it just means that your body is rejecting your soul, and she is not, by any means, here to help you with that.

“In fact, she might as well be hastening the process of your body’s deterioration.”

“What?” Dorothy’s mouth fell wide open, and she was confused as ever.

“I don’t know what’s going on anymore,” sighed Michael.

Ric: “. . .”

“Is what she said true?” Grimora asked Vexana.

Vexana didn’t say anything. She just tilted her head and smiled.

Grimora staggered back. “But . . . why?”

“Don’t listen to them! They’re lying to you.” The Earl attempted to reach for her, but Michael’s sword stopped him from advancing forward.

“I think it’s time for you to admit to your sins, Earl.”

My heartfelt big that Michael believed me even though he was confused at the turn of events.

“Fool! What sins?”

“The real reason why you wanted Nadia out of your life is because of her inheritance,” I said.. “Her mother is filthy rich, but you couldn’t touch her money because all of it was given to Nadia as her dowry once she’s married.”