I Am Louis XIV

There is a witch by the king's side, Mary Mancini, but if you want to talk about a male wizard, then except for the few people the king has never met, then only the potion master they occasionally meet when passing through another town, Of course Louis remembered the man, after all his wife was so impressive, "I don't remember ever knowing a wizard," said the king, "and as a clergyman, you are not virtuous enough to say that." Because the Roman Church Although the Inquisition has been established and the existence of dark creatures has been recognized, the church people still firmly declare that there are only a small number of dark creatures. Under the protection of God and saints, the world is bright—this is why the world exists Only the top of the pyramid can know the reason.

Just in 1525, the secular court of Navarre burned thirty accused witches to death after trial. Said that most members agreed that these sinners were not witches, because the crimes they confessed could not have existed. This may be pure imagination or used to cover up real crimes. All cases where the death penalty is imposed must be submitted to the Supreme Council of the Court for review, rather than being sentenced and executed privately.

Regarding this issue, Louis conjectured that it might be a painful run-in between the outer world and the inner world. If half of the thirty witches were real, it could be said to be a severe warning to the inner world. The power they obtained finally guaranteed their control over the inner world and confirmed their authority in the outer world.

As far as Louis saw, the presiding judge of the Inquisition in Paris was a young man named Eralio. It is said that he could become the presiding judge in one jump and had an inseparable relationship with Cardinal Mazarin, but he and the current Like most of the nobles, they don't care about the young king. Only witches and vampires around the king can know a little about this. Perhaps in the heart of the judge, Louis is still just a A child who can be deceived at will, but thinking about it, after Louis returns to Paris this time, there should be priests from the Inquisition beside him. After all, he is an adult, and Mr. Bishop Mazarin also intends to give him some simple political affairs to try.

Such an accusation makes the priest blush and he must admit that the king is right but God forgive him he really saw the man doing witchcraft and he killed people with poison and that's the problem , he was going to hand him over to the secular court, but he shouted that he had seen the king, which made the priest hesitate. After all, the priest also had to consider the king's reputation. It dragged on until... he means, the man had been wounded and nearly died before, so the priest waited until he was dead, but today he saw the king again.

"I don't really remember seeing a wizard," said the king, fortunately, "but I never refuse anyone's request, so long as he's French, and it's possible he's seen me and I don't remember, so be it." , you bring him and let me meet him, maybe I can remember. But you have to do it quietly, don't let others know, because I don't intend to interfere with the law, if he does Whoever kills a man, whether by poison or a dagger, should be hanged, but if he has a wrong, I would like to hear about it."

Now that the king said so, the priest had no reason to object. A few hours later, he brought the man to the king. Interesting to say, he did not rely on the dark night to hide his eyes and ears, but put a monk's robe on the man. , and brought him into the king's palace openly.

As soon as the king saw him, he recognized that he was the potionist who had made a deal with them. He was terribly thin at first, but now he was even more out of shape. He needed the support of two monks to stand firm. Bring him before the king without hesitation, even if he is really a wizard, it is difficult to lift his fingers like this, the drowsy state will only arouse pity, but it will not make people feel hurt Threat - Mary jumped up at the sight of him, and after the priests backed out (already almost sure the king did know the man), Mary gave him a little potion and he woke up.

He gave a bitter smile as soon as he saw Marie, and then he turned his eyes to the king: "Ah," he said, "I should have thought, only you can get me out of prison."

"Perhaps I'll send you back," Louis said. "You've been accused of killing someone with poison."

The man was silent for a while: "I can only say that I have not hurt any innocent people."

Mary gently tugged on the king's sleeve.

"Then tell me, when I saw you before, you had your wife and daughter by your side. Where did they go? Why did you appear here? I thought you would find a town to live in. You have I have proof of identity, and at least two thousand livres."

"That's exactly what I did," said the man, "I went to a town with the money and identification you bestowed on me, but at the inn, a big man ran into my wife, and he fell in love immediately. However, my wife was so loyal to me that she rejected him right away. The next day, we quickly left there, thinking that the matter would be over, but who knows, I suddenly met a I know someone I once bought him a bottle of cough syrup for and he caught me and claimed my potion had poisoned his son - his son did, but I swear it wasn't For the sake of my potion, I guarantee that every bottle is as effective and safe as the one you got, but people don’t believe me, and the officials here put me in jail and confiscated all my property.”

"Then how did they know you were a wizard?"

"I told them, Your Majesty," the man gasped for a while, Mary handed him a bottle of potion, and he took it and drank it again: "Not long after I was locked up, a jailer told me , my wife has been picked up in a luxurious carriage, accompanied by our two daughters, I immediately thought of that big man, Your Majesty, this is the only possibility, my wife is loyal, but she is fragile Like a flower, without me, she will be at a loss. At that time, if someone tells her that she can help me get rid of the crime, she will believe that person without thinking. Alas, this is not her No, it's just a woman's natural weakness. I don't blame her, but I also know that not only will that person not save me, but he will also let me die as soon as possible.

And here, I don't even have anyone who knows me, Your Majesty, I can't find anyone who is willing to testify for me, and no one who will help me break my joints and bribe the judge. I only have to admit that I am a wizard, because from a Since more than a hundred years ago, secular courts have not been allowed to directly try witches. My name will be transferred to the Inquisition. Of course, it is also possible that I will still be hanged or burned to death, but I will at least fight for myself. It's not useless for more than two weeks. Didn't I wait for you? "

"Do you have any proof that your potion didn't kill the child?"

"Of course, Your Majesty, as long as you are willing to investigate," said the potion master, "I sold the potion to that man six months ago, but his child died two months ago. How about keeping cough medicine for four months before giving it to a sick child? Of course, if you are willing, hand over the child's body to me, and I can find out the real cause of his death."

Speaking of this, Louis really took a look at that person. To be honest, he lost his previous interest in potion masters after he realized that potion masters could do nothing more than that, but if he could Finding the cause of death from a corpse that has been buried for two months, then the skill he has mastered is much more valuable than the so-called medicine of youth, at least the king will be willing to extend his sometimes generous but stingy helping hand.

What happened afterwards was just as the potion master had promised. He found traces of diphtheria on the child. His potion could only cure the cough, but it had no effect on the real disease, so it can only be said that he is really not a competent person. A doctor, or rather a negligent apothecary, but it is nonsense to say that he poisoned the boy, and the man who falsely accused him was hanged on the gallows which he hoped someone else would hang, and The potion master was brought before the king by the king's first servant, Bontang.

"You're innocent now," said Louie.

"Bless you," said the Potionist, "I don't think I will ever be able to repay the favor you have bestowed upon me."

"You want to go to your wife," said the king.

"And my daughter."

"But I'm not suggesting you do that."

"Why?"

"Because your wife has become the Duchess of Mortmar, sir."

"This is impossible!"

"It's entirely possible that the Duke of Mortmar was completely fascinated by your wife. He sent you to prison with one hand, and then took her and your daughter away with one hand. You also said that women are always weak. , she has another child, three, she has to think about her own child, now she is not only a duchess, but three children have also been recognized by the duke - by the way, your youngest child has also been born, just in A few days ago, it was also a girl."

The Potionist stood where he was, there he was, upright, free and healthy now, but looking even more frightening and frail now than he had been in prison.

"Forgive me, I still have to go find her."

"Then read this letter first," said the king. "This is not your wife's letter, but your daughter's, dictated by Atenais, written by my messenger, and what she wants to say to you, After you read this letter, decide whether to go to Bordeaux or not."

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The following is the letter dictated by a five-year-old girl and then ghostwritten by the king's emissary:

To Mr. Varro Vesalius, my father:

At the time you read this letter, my mother, your wife, is married to Monsieur the Duke of Mortmar, and my youngest sister was born two days after their marriage, but like us, she too has It means that from this moment on, your wife has become the duchess, and my sister and I have also become the daughters of the duke.

I want to say that you are a good husband and a good father. When I am with you, my mother is very happy, and my sister and I can feel your love for me, but you are still wrong. Your The mistake is not to be the mother's husband.

I am still young, father, you often say that, but even if I am young, I also know that it is difficult for a person to keep a treasure that he has no power to protect, just like the story you told me, even a dragon , there will be people who will snatch its treasures, and you are just an ordinary potion master.

Mother loves you, there is no doubt about it, she only agreed to the Duke's marriage proposal because she thought you were dead, and she was unable to continue to support us, she was even pregnant and needed to be taken care of, but I want to say, father, this It was the happiest and most stable period of time that I have seen her live since I can remember.

She won't be woken up in the middle of the night by a dripping roof, no rats falling on her, no fear of being evicted by the landlord...or insults, and yes, she has regular meals for three meals a day while you can't see, There are also supper and snacks, there are maids serving her, massaging her cramped legs and feet, her children can eat well and wear well-fitting clothes, and she no longer has to pay attention to how many liards are in her pockets every day. The biggest worry is whether to put narcissus or rose in the water bottle.

My life with Sara was also very peaceful. We were allowed to live in the manor, although we were not able to see my mother, and we had fifty livres a month in pocket money, and we had to take lessons—Latin, flute and singing, dancing, and more. Lessons that can only be started when you grow up.

So I thought, Father, if you feel like life is better than life like it was before, you can come here and show up to Mother, and you can take us with you.

Merlin handed us over to you, so we now await your verdict.

kiss you.

François Atenais de Rocheshua de Motmar