Chapter 355 The Time Of Change Comes Silently
"Well, going straight for Rihito is half a joke, but suddenly trying it on Adam is a bit scary, right?"
"Wait, it's only half a joke!?"
Rihito, receiving a chilling glare along with a perfect smile, felt his spine freeze. ...No, he shrank back. Not that he would say where.
"Is there a man who has been injured and has become useless?"
"Not that there isn't one."
Edward answered seriously.
"Do you have such unfortunate acquaintances, uncle?"
"They're not acquaintances, and I don't want to be friends with them. I heard you say a little while ago that criminals who commit sexual violence should be severely punished."
"Yeah, I said that. I heard they started revealing the names and jobs of the offenders and branding them with magic in visible places."
"For those particularly heinous ones, we decided to cut them off. A few have already been punished."
'Cut off!?'
Sara felt a chill run down her spine when she heard that "cut off," something she had only heard about in stories from her past life, was actually carried out in this world.
"By the way, what happens if the criminal is a woman?"
"I don't know. So far, there haven't been any cases. They might at least get branded. But would a woman even do something like that?"
"Such crimes can happen with either gender. It's true that men are usually physically stronger, but they can also use drugs, take advantage of a moment to restrain someone, or in severe cases, use their power."
"Ah... I can understand that. Among noble women, there are some who try to create a situation to force a marriage with the man they want."
"Normally, it's a crime, but for some reason, men often don't hold women responsible when they are victims. It's strange, but this trend existed in my past lives too."
"It's hard to explain, but I understand that it might be difficult to bring up."
Because of the strong feeling of shame about being sexually assaulted, many men who experience sexual violence often suffer in silence. Even if they report it, they can be hurt again by people's misunderstanding, like when they say, 'If the man didn't want it, it couldn't happen.'
"I think it's a problem of society's misunderstanding and education. But for now, let's set that aside. I understand that we can now conduct experiments to regenerate damaged parts and check if there are any functional issues. However, isn't this kind of human experimentation inhumane, Sara?"
"If it's not forced and we get consent from those individuals, wouldn't that be okay? If the severed parts can come back, they might happily participate."
"Is that really okay? It's fine to regenerate as a reward for cooperating in the experiment, but won't it lead to more crimes?"
"Well, since only men are allowed in that area and they are engaged in hard labor, I don't think they can easily commit crimes. After all, the surroundings are filled with serious criminals."
"There might be some men who are okay with that."
"Well, that could happen, but I won't interfere with matters between criminals."
Edward deliberately didn't tell Sara. In fact, many sex offenders often face sexual violence from other prisoners when they are incarcerated. Even if they have a strong body, they can't withstand group attacks. Especially those who have harmed children can sometimes be killed right away. There seems to be some kind of order even among criminals. However, Edward didn't want to understand or even try to understand that order.
Strangely enough, those who have been cut off seem to be avoided by the other prisoners and are not assaulted. They are looked at with eyes like they are dirty, and while they are not assaulted, no one talks to them either.
"I understand the situation. If they wish to participate, let them join the experiment. However, please inform them that they will return to hard labor afterward."
"Of course."
"Hmm. What should we do about the guards..."
"If I leave you alone with a criminal, Rob and Revi will probably criticize me. If I'm not careful, Rob might even go wild just because I let you treat Adam."
"I could do it quietly, but if it gets found out later, that would be more trouble. Well, I'll handle the persuasion."
"I'll leave Rob to you. But as for the guards, they will have to see Sara's magic up close, so it's hard to just leave it to anyone."
"If I say we don't need them, we really don't. I think I will put the prisoners to sleep first anyway. Also, I can't guarantee that the guards will be safe either. So, I'll have a golem stand by as a guard."
"I'm going to be next to Sara during that experiment anyway, so if something unexpected happens, I can handle it with magic. With the golem and me around, there's no need to force a guard on us."
"Okay. We'll check the criminals' intentions here. We won't force anyone who doesn't want to participate in the experiment, and we'll make sure to get proper consent forms."
"Ed, if necessary, I'll be there for the consent too. We might need a medical explanation."
"That would help a lot, Rihito. I'm sorry for bothering you during such a busy time with the fever prevention. It's all because of Adam's reckless actions. Thank you, Sara."
Edward showed a sorry expression as he apologized to Sara and Rihito.
"But, out of all of Adam's actions so far, this one was the most likable. I do think it was careless for the heir of the Marquis family, but I've never seen Adam work so hard for someone else."
"That's true. Thanks to Miss Cordelia, Adam has clearly grown."
"She's a wonderful teacher. Even among the common bureaucrats, there are students of Miss Cordelia."
"I see. That's a blessing."
"That's why I think it's very meaningful to invite Miss Cordelia to the academy funded by the Sophia Merchant Guild."
"Don't you plan to make it a school for the territory?"
"At the moment, I don't think the Grandchester territory has the budget for that. It would be better to start small. If needed, the territory could provide a place for higher education. Well, if we go too far, the academy people might come back again."
"Grandchester estate and the Grandchester family are getting so many letters from the Academy that it's annoying. There's even a summons from the royal family. Are you going to participate?"
"It's impossible for Sara. The Sophia Merchant Guild and Maiden's Tower are also getting a lot of messages, so if we go to the capital, Sophia will probably be summoned too. We can't refuse a royal summons."
"Prince Andrew knows a lot already, so won't Sara be called too?"
"It'll be a hassle, but I guess I'll have to go with the golem. Ideally, my grandfather and uncle would handle this."
"I'm just overwhelmed checking on my runaway niece's mess."
"Uncle Edward is deep in debt, so please work hard."
"You're as ruthless as ever."
With a deep sigh, Edward felt a calm expression as he genuinely rejoiced that Adam was safe (except for some parts) and had grown as a person. Even being pointed out for his debts felt like a connection to Sara. After all, working for the Grandchester estate was only natural and didn't need to be mentioned. Edward realized that Sara's relentless comments were, in the end, encouraging them.
'I probably won't mistake Sara for a pure and innocent woman anymore, but at least right now, it's clear that she has a positive view of me and the Grandchester family. However, if I start to take this goodwill for granted, Sara might easily abandon us and go somewhere else. Thinking about that makes me realize how rare this gift is. I still don't know if I will truly become the next head of the family, but as long as I hold that position, I must remain humble. If someone else becomes the head of the Grandchester family, I will do my best to advise them so that Sara won't give up on us.'
Little by little, signs of change were appearing, but after learning Sophia's true identity and recognizing Sara's abilities, Edward had changed significantly, like a chick hatching from an egg. His personality, often mocked as "nobility supremacy," was now seen as a reminder to "not escape from the duties and responsibilities of being a noble." Edward came to understand through Adam that power is not a right to oppress the weak.
'Even knowing that I can't save everyone, I must not turn away from the suffering of the people due to my lack of strength. Even if I feel ashamed of my inadequacy, I must not give up on seeking help from others for the sake of my pride. Our pride as nobles should not be hurt by such trivial matters. How long it took me to realize just that... It may already be too late. However, as long as I am still in the position of Young Marquis, I should bear the duty to pass it on to the next generation.'
"Uncle Edward? Is something wrong?"
"Well, I have a lot on my mind."
"Is it about Adam?"
"That's part of it."
"I'm sure Adam will be fine. I think he will become the next head of the family after Uncle Edward."
"Then, I guess I'll ask Sara to kick Adam's butt. Chris will help out, but when he does something stupid, make sure to scold him. Liz is too soft on Adam."
"I don't mind, but is that really okay with you, Uncle Edward?"
"I thought it was fine for the kids. They should be given a lot of love. But it's clear that neglecting discipline and education is a problem. It wasn't just Liz; many others should have helped raise him."
"Thinking about it, Grandmother's passing was a big loss for the Grandchester family, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. Mother's presence was very important... for us and for Father too."
Sara still hasn't realized that she has given Edward a hold over her. However, as the Young Marquis of Grandchester, Edward has added another rope to keep Sara Grandchester in the Grandchester territory. Sara has been careless based on her previous actions, but Edward hasn't been uselessly shaped by noble society either. Still, it's undeniable that Edward's actions include a side of affection for Sara.
Rihito, who had been listening from the side, was starting to realize Edward's intentions. It was probably due to his experience. However, Rihito felt a little envious of the chains of affection that bound Edward. He had been abandoned right after birth, not knowing who he was, and the first woman who showed him love was brutally killed. Unlike him, who felt like a stranger no matter where he was because of his past life memories, Sara was definitely loved.
But Rihito was also changing little by little without even noticing. Meeting Sara, a true fellow countryman, made him aware that one day he would return to his original cycle of life. And before he knew it, his descendants were following in Rihito's footsteps. Every time the much more talented Alicia called him "grandfather," Rihito felt a strange joy. He cherished her and wished for her to inherit everything he had, praying for her to have happy encounters. Of course, the other maidens were cute too.
Until now, Rihito had been so focused on his research that he had no interest in nurturing the next generation. Because he lived so long, he felt emptiness in guiding those who would pass away before him. Perhaps by not creating important relationships, he was unknowingly protecting his own heart.
In any case, this time when Sara experienced her first winter in the Grandchester territory marked a significant turning point for many people.
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