Chapter 65

'''Conscience does make cowards of us all. IV' (TBA, TBA) is the 65th chapter of The Ancient Magus' Bride'' manga written by Kore Yamazaki.

Synopsis
Chise enters the shortcut path with Lucy and Seth in an attempt to escape from the assassin werewolves and save their lives. Marielle examines Simeon in hopes of figuring out what is causing him to be in this condition. Chise learns the history of the Webster family tragedy.

Summary
Chise and Ruth bring Lucy and Seth into the shortcut path to escape the werewolves who are trying to kill the last remaining Websters. The hunting hounds cut them off stating they are breaching their contract by not paying the toll and bringing more people on this secret path. Chise is treating Lucy and Seth as cargo and offers to pay the toll of meat at a later date. The werewolves catch up with the group and launch an attack, tearing Chise's sleeve and exposing her arm which deters the werewolves for a moment.

The hunting hounds notice the smell of a trespasser (someone without the scent that the rest of the group had previously consumed when they first passed through with Hazel) and move in to tear up both werewolves. These werewolves turn out to be a mated pair with a cub back home. After the male werewolf is attacked, the female pleads with Chise to save them so they can return to their cub back home. This seems to connect back to Chise's hunch that the werewolves are hired assassins who did not hold malice against anyone but just wanted to kill to get the job done. Chise tells the hunting hounds to stop their attack as she will pay the toll on their behalf the next time she passes through. Sheep or ram meat is agreed upon and the hounds back down from their attack, but not before the male werewolf is already killed. The female removes his head and runs off.

Elias appears and both he and Ruth scold Chise for jumping into a dangerous situation without thinking. Seth and Lucy are both saved and Seth is glad that Lucy is uninjured. Marielle brings Seth's very injured and exhausted bodyguard into the building with the rest of the group. Elias asks for Marielle's assistance and expertise to take a look at Simeon, who is still unconscious after being attacked using the Testament of Carnamagos.

Seth explains to Chise the history of the Webster family tragedy. Seth was in line to lead the House, but due to his inability to use magic, Lucy was made heiress and Seth was kicked out of the family compound. He was instructed to not let anyone know he was a Webster, which is why he uses the last name "Noel" instead. The current head of the family seems more concerned with the reputation of the Webster family rather than the well being of Seth, and they treat him rudely. Lucy is upset by this whole situation and locks herself in her room for weeks, refusing to come out. One day while in her room she can hear the screams of the spiders. When she goes to investigate the commotion in the atrium where the spiders are kept, she stumbles upon the bloody remains of her clan. Lucy is spotted by the werewolves but her life is spared. We can assume these are the same werewolves that recently attacked Lucy and Seth, only sparing them because they have a cub of their own and did not want to kill a child at the tie. Lucy's family had recently summoned Seth to come and convince Lucy to come out of her room and he arrives in time to witness the event at the same time as Lucy had. Rumors quickly spread that the assassination of the family was Seth's scheme since he was stripped of being the heir and was kicked out of the family.

Elias is once again split in half with the small pup half sitting in the room with Seth and Chise as Seth explains the story of the Websters, while his larger half is in the infirmary as Marielle examines Simeon. Marielle agrees to look into Simeon's body using magic to discover why he is in his current condition. She she enters his mind or body to take a look, she is met with a giant eye with papers fluttering around. She explains to Elias she had these same visions when she first read the Testament of Carnamagos. She used the book in the past to try and save Phyllis, attempting the same sacrificial spell that Elias tried to use on Stella in order to save Chise. She can sense that something had taken the life force or magic out of Simeon and it continues to do so even right now. Elias concludes that Lucy had fallen victim to the same type of attack. Marielle insists that Elias should have a look, since a human mind is barely able to handle such power. Elias explains that he is not good at those sort of things so he cannot do it, but feels that Chise would excel at it even if he would not allow her to do such a thing.

Outside in the garden, Lucy questions Chise why she helped her and her brother, Seth. Moreso, she is confused why Chise would help the very beings that assassinated the Webster family. The fact that one werewolf is alive to follow and question is enough to calm Lucy of the situation and thanks Chise.

The chapter ends with Granny stating that someone is meddling in her business and "the times for games is over".

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Capítulo 65