TRSDICI 08

Chapter 8

This Is a Little Difficult

I borrowed a horse and headed toward the capital of the Holy Kingdom.

I was going there to participate in the examination to become an Inquisitor.

‘If I want to move freely while keeping my family safe, there’s no better position than an Inquisitor.’

Inquisitors possessed authority that did not bend to rank.

For example, if an Inquisitor suddenly demanded to inspect a duke’s warehouse, the duke would not easily refuse.

Because Inquisitors had the authority to investigate heresy based solely on suspicion, even without evidence.

Of course, acting too recklessly could still bring punishment.

‘Still, the most important thing is that my actions would gain legitimacy.’

In my previous life, I could simply storm into the Scalen Barony and cut off their heads.

Back then, there was nothing for me to protect besides myself.

But now, things were different.

I had people to protect and a place to return to.

If I became the Sword Demon once more, others would end up paying the price as well.

‘But if I become an Inquisitor, I can officially declare Baron Scalen a heretic and deal with him lawfully.’

Of course, labeling someone as respected as Baron Scalen a heretic would not be easy.

But it was not impossible either.

‘He probably won’t attack the territory while I’m away. According to Sriben, Baron Scalen is currently in the capital of the Holy Kingdom, and communication would be difficult with how quickly things are changing.’

After riding for two days, I finally entered the Holy Kingdom’s capital, Rimentia.

Unlike our territory, most of Rimentia was built from stone.

Instead of farming, people prayed or sold goods, and their expressions looked peaceful.

“Hmm?”

While walking through the streets, I stopped in front of a massive cathedral surrounded by crowds.

“I heard the Saintess of Truth is personally hearing confessions there?”

“She’s in Rimentia? Maybe I should go too.”

“But the offering fee is one gold coin.”

“What? Isn’t that way too expensive, even for a Saintess?”

“They have no choice. Otherwise everyone would rush in.”

There were five Saintesses in the Holy Kingdom.

They were people blessed by Goddess Ella with powers known as Stigmata.

Among them, the Saintess of Truth possessed the ability to discern whether words were true or false.

‘The Saintess of Truth…’

Normally I would have ignored it, but if I could use her ability, dealing with Baron Scalen would become much easier.

Of course, it was only a confession session.

Building any special connection would be difficult.

Still, it was better than doing nothing.

‘And there’s still time before the Inquisitor examination.’

I pushed through the crowd and approached the cathedral.

A long line stretched from the entrance.

The Saintess’s fame was truly incredible.

I paid one gold coin from the money taken from the pleasure district and stood in line.

Yawning.

Tapping my folded arms with my fingers.

Tilting my head back while half asleep.

Before I knew it, it was finally my turn.

“Brother, please come inside.”

Following the nun’s guidance, I left my sword outside and entered the confessional.

A partition blocked the interior so neither side could see the other.

Soon, a small window in the divider slid open.

“Greetings, Brother.”

The first thing I saw through the small opening was the Saintess’s neatly folded white hands.

A scale-shaped mark was engraved on the back of her hand.

Everything else remained hidden behind the partition.

“Greetings.”

“Yes.”

The Saintess spoke gently.

“The Goddess watches over the paths walked by mankind. Trust in Her mercy, and confess truthfully the sins you have committed.”

I thought for a moment before replying.

“That is a little difficult.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the sins I’ve committed are far too many. If I listed them all, we would spend the entire night in this confessional.”

“That certainly would be difficult. I also have a schedule today.”

“So do I.”

Silence briefly filled the room before the Saintess spoke again.

“Then perhaps you could confess only the sins you consider the greatest.”

“Would my sins be forgiven if I did?”

By regressing, all the sins and actions of my previous life had effectively disappeared.

Then did that mean my sins had vanished as well?

Could I now look toward the sky without shame before those who once crossed paths with me?

“Confession is a tradition in which one admits evil deeds in order to walk the path of virtue. Whether your sins are truly forgiven depends on your actions afterward.”

“I see.”

I could never fix my rotten personality.

Still, I had decided to live differently from my previous life.

After all, I had witnessed the ending of that life with my own eyes.

I closed my eyes and folded my hands solemnly.

“I have taken many lives.”

“What kind of people were they?”

“Men who deserved death. People who would only bring harm to others if left alive.”

I quietly continued.

“One envied the talents of others and crushed them with power. Another coveted another person’s wealth and committed murder. Another forced his lust onto women.”

“……”

“And another kidnapped children to satisfy the desires of others. So I killed him. I tore out his fingernails, cut off his feet, crushed his cheeks, and in the end slowly cut off his head…”

“Brother.”

A cool voice cut through the burning heat in my chest.

“Please calm yourself.”

I opened my eyes and slowly took a deep breath.

“Anyway, that’s how it was. To be honest, I don’t even remember whether every person I killed truly deserved it.”

“I see.”

Without revealing her emotions, the Saintess calmly replied.

“According to the Goddess’s teachings, murder is certainly a sin. However, there are circumstances where it may be interpreted as justified. If it was carried out for justice rather than personal emotion, forgiveness may still be possible.”

“Hmm.”

“However, the scriptures do not present a clear standard regarding killing, so opinions within the Church differ. Interpretation depends on one’s beliefs.”

“Then which side are you on?”

The Saintess answered.

“I once held the belief that all killing was wrong. I believed humans had no right to judge the value of lives given by the Goddess.”

“……”

“But after hearing your story just now, my thoughts have changed somewhat. It felt as though I glimpsed an abyss I had never known. If I were placed in your situation, I no longer know what choice I would make.”

Was my darkness staining even the Saintess?

Or was she simply someone who thought deeply?

“But… how many lives have you taken?”

Since she treated me sincerely, I answered honestly.

“Probably around a thousand.”

Her hand twitched.

“…What?”

“If you include monsters and demons, perhaps over ten thousand.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Well, something like that.”

Her fingers fidgeted nervously.

Then a shadow slowly appeared through the small opening.

Golden hair.

Blue eyes.

The moment our eyes met, she jolted in surprise and immediately pulled back.

“This is my first confession, but are we normally supposed to make eye contact?”

“…No. My apologies.”

Well, naturally she would be curious about what kind of man I was.

I had suddenly appeared and casually claimed to have killed a thousand humans and nine thousand monsters.

“So, what are your thoughts?”

The Saintess answered without panicking this time.

“Yes. You are very handsome.”

I corrected her in a dry tone.

“Not that. I meant whether someone who killed a thousand people can truly be forgiven.”

“…Ah.”

The Saintess lightly cleared her throat.

“As I said before, interpretations of killing differ among believers. Perhaps the Goddess intentionally left that judgment to us.”

“And?”

After thinking for a moment, she answered.

“This is only my personal opinion, but I believe you must first forgive yourself. If you can do that, the Goddess may also grant you mercy.”

“Hmmm…”

Perhaps in my previous life, I had hated not only others, but myself as well.

The weak and foolish version of myself.

I silently reflected on her words for a while before standing up.

“Thank you. I think I understand now.”

Even though I had not formed any special bond with the Saintess of Truth, I was glad I came.

Simply confessing my sins to someone for the first time made it feel as though at least a tiny piece of the darkness inside me had disappeared.

“Brother.”

Just as I was about to leave the confessional, the Saintess stopped me.

“I hope we will have another chance to speak.”

I did not answer.

There was no need to stain someone still living in a flower garden with my darkness any further.

Still, there was something I wanted to say.

“You used your Stigmata on me.”

The Stigmata that could discern truth from lies.

When our eyes met earlier, she had activated it on me.

“H-How did you…?”

A startled voice came from beyond the partition.

Most people would never have noticed.

But how many Holy Knights and Saintesses had I met throughout my life?

Sensing it was far too easy for me.

“You need not know.”

“I-I’m sorry… My curiosity overcame me before I realized it…”

“So, what are your thoughts?”

It was the same question I had asked before.

But now it carried a different meaning.

“…You have walked a very difficult path.”

“I see.”

“I apologize once more for my rudeness earlier. May blessings follow your path…”

I chuckled quietly and turned away.

“I’ll forgive you this once.”

* * *

Renika, the Saintess of Truth, finished all the confessions and stepped out of the confessional booth.

“You worked hard today, Lady Renika. Was there anything uncomfortable?”

“No, thanks to you.”

Renika smiled faintly.

“Then I shall leave now. I have to attend the examination afterward. May the Goddess’s fortune be with you.”

“Thank you. Please travel safely.”

After leaving the cathedral, Renika boarded the carriage waiting for her.

‘There was someone unusual today.’

Renika occasionally presided over confessions, hearing stories about all kinds of sins people committed.

Most were minor offenses like theft or lusting after someone else’s lover.

Sometimes there were murder confessions as well.

‘But that brother was different from the others.’

Even among murderers, the scale was completely different.

A thousand deaths?

An ordinary person could never accomplish such a thing.

Naturally, she first assumed he was lying.

Yet the emotions in his confession had been sincere.

Just listening to him made her feel as though she might be swallowed by the same rage.

And so curiosity overcame her.

Was what he said truly real?

‘That’s why I used my Stigmata. And he even noticed it.’

She felt ashamed.

If he had not mentioned it himself, she would have let it pass without apologizing.

As someone presiding over confessions, it was disgraceful.

‘Still… putting aside how he noticed, how did he survive such a path?’

It was undoubtedly true that he had taken a thousand lives.

But someone responsible for that many deaths should have become widely known, whether for good or evil.

‘Could he be someone the Holy Kingdom is hiding?’

That was possible.

If so, it would explain how he noticed her Stigmata.

‘No matter what, the important thing is…’

His words were true.

And he deeply reflected upon his actions.

She could not understand how someone so young had killed so many and carried such immense emotions.

Still…

Renika quietly closed her eyes and prayed.

‘Goddess, please grant him only trials that a single human can endure.’

* * *

After submitting my application for the Inquisitor examination, I waited inside the cathedral in the capital.

Normally, anyone wishing to become an Inquisitor had to spend years proving themselves as a devout believer.

But as the eldest son of the devout Luminar family, I was exempt from those restrictions.

‘Hmm.’

Around fifty people gathered nearby, praying or talking among themselves.

Most of them were candidates from monasteries throughout the land hoping to become Inquisitors.

As expected, many possessed heavily trained bodies or carried various weapons.

If a demon suddenly appeared here, it felt like they would immediately smash its head in with maces.

“Now then, brothers, may I have your attention please.”

A man in his forties stepped onto the platform at the front.

“Yes… I am Cardinal Varun, the supervisor of this year’s Inquisitor examination.”

Applause rang out, but Varun lightly raised a hand to stop it.

“The brothers will soon move to another location to undergo the examination required to become Inquisitors. This man will explain the details.”

As Varun stepped aside, a middle-aged man approached the platform.

Hair neatly parted down the middle.

A tidy black priest robe.

A man with a soft impression who always wore a gentle smile.

“Baron Scalen.”

Mordin Scalen.

At present, he was steadily increasing his influence within the Holy Kingdom as a follower of Ella.

In my previous life, after absorbing the destroyed Luminar territory, he eventually founded a bishopric and rose to become a Bishop Marquis.

“Haha, greetings, brothers.”

Standing atop the platform, Mordin smiled pleasantly.

“I am truly delighted to meet such wonderful followers of Ella…”

At that moment, his voice faltered.

His pupils widened the instant our eyes met.

I smiled faintly and mouthed silent words to him.

‘Smile, you bastard.’

If you don’t want to die right now.

* * *

I already knew Mordin would be here.

Sriben had informed me beforehand.

Originally, Mordin intended to finish overseeing the Inquisitor examination before fully beginning his plans to destroy our territory.

However, he had no authority to influence the examination itself.

He was not a cardinal.

He could only observe and explain the test.

“Baron Scalen?”

“Ah, my apologies. It is my first time standing before so many believers, so I became nervous.”

“Hm. If you have recovered, then please explain the examination quickly. The schedule is tight.”

“Yes.”

Mordin turned toward us.

“The Inquisitor examination will take place in nearby ruins. There, you will divide into ten groups and hunt monsters while competing to retrieve a mock relic.”

Mordin continued.

“There is only one relic, meaning only one group can complete the mission. However, only a single person will ultimately be selected as an Inquisitor. The Cardinals will evaluate various factors before making their decision, while the remaining participants will be ordained as deacons.”

The hierarchy of clergy was Deacon, Priest, then Bishop.

Archbishop, Cardinal, and Pope were positions rather than ranks.

“An Inquisitor requires both the insight to identify heretics and the strength to subdue them.”

“……”

“For that reason, the Cardinals have planted one person in each group to act as a heretic. The heretic will subtly interfere with and manipulate the others. Therefore, once the mission is complete, you must identify who the heretic was.”

I raised my hand and asked:

“What if we identify them during the mission?”

Mordin forced himself to answer calmly.

“…That is allowed. However, falsely accusing someone who is not the heretic will result in penalties.”

“So it’s better not to accuse anyone unless you’re certain?”

“Correct.”

Mordin deliberately looked away from me.

“The heretic may already be hidden among you.”

Was he introducing himself?

“You must judge carefully with the cold rationality expected of an Inquisitor.”

The monks nodded solemnly, while I tilted my head slightly.

“Now then, everyone please head outside. We will travel by carriage to the ruins where the examination will take place.”

The monks began moving with serious expressions.

Meanwhile, I remained standing alone, watching the Cardinals and Mordin leave the cathedral.

Because a certain thought crossed my mind.

‘Would he really leave me alone after I suddenly appeared alive after supposedly being kidnapped?’

No.

Not if he was the Baron Scalen I knew.

Of course, he could not stop me from becoming an Inquisitor directly.

But there were other methods.

‘For example, killing me before I become one.’

It would be risky.

But he might still decide it was preferable to allowing me to become an Inquisitor.

After all, once I became one, who knew what I might do to him?

‘Still, the chances of him making a move are low. She is here, after all. Even if he has a way to avoid suspicion, it would still be dangerous.’

But if he truly made the wrong move here…

‘This place will become your hell.’

Because I knew everything about him.

How he ate.

How he behaved.

Every little habit.

‘Struggle as much as you want.’

In the end, you are already inside my grasp.

Step. Step.

I touched the hilt of my sword and began walking.

(To be continued)