TRSDICI 13

Chapter 13

It Was a Joke.

Inside the carriage, the Cardinals discussed the selection of the Inquisitor.

“Yes… I think we’ve decided who will receive the rank of Deacon….”

Barun finally brought up the main topic.

“Then shall we choose the person who will become the Inquisitor? What are your opinions?”

At that, the Cardinals smiled.

“Cardinal Barun, you already know, don’t you? We are all thinking of the same person.”

“Yes. Anyone who witnessed today’s incident would answer the same.”

“Krhuhu… Indeed.”

Barun smiled faintly and continued.

“Kael Luminara. There really is no one else.”

This attack had been an incident bound to produce many casualties.

But thanks to Kael, aside from Bianco, there were almost no deaths.

If many clergymen had died, Barun’s standing within the Holy Kingdom would have suffered greatly as well.

“I agree. His martial strength far exceeds expectations. Even if the test had proceeded normally, he would have stood out.”

“There are probably not many young knights within the Holy Kingdom who can compare to him. And considering he defeated Baron Scalen after he transformed into a demon, I believe he is more than capable of dealing with heretics.”

Barun nodded at the two Cardinals’ words.

“More than anything, there are two aspects of him that I particularly like.”

“And what would those be?”

Barun raised one finger.

“First, he acts boldly without caring about the other party’s status or authority.”

“Hm, that is certainly true.”

Kael was still a noble without a title.

Normally, that meant he should have behaved with strict etiquette around Cardinals, yet Kael treated them only carefully enough to avoid fully crossing the line.

Or perhaps he did cross it.

Well, regardless…

“To others, that may appear rude. But an Inquisitor needs that kind of decisiveness. If one bows to authority, the very reason for an Inquisitor’s existence disappears.”

“But while such behavior may be understandable during a conflict like today, if he acts like that all the time, won’t it create complaints?”

“Isn’t that exactly why we exist?”

Barun looked toward the Cardinals.

“Didn’t both of you also enjoy it today? His refreshing way of speaking and acting, unlike anything we’ve experienced before.”

The Cardinals answered one after another.

“Ahem, well… that is true. It is unfortunate that Cardinal Bianco died, but when he was overwhelmed by Young Master Kael’s pressure, it did feel rather satisfying.”

“To be honest, who here doesn’t know that Cardinal Bianco was receiving ‘donations’ from Baron Scalen? Since it did not severely violate scripture, everyone simply stayed silent about it.”

Barun nodded.

“Young Master Kael will resolve the matters we ourselves cannot handle. Of course, that only applies if we support him.”

“Well, protecting him from criticism over his rough manner of speech is something we can do.”

“I agree as well. Then what is the second reason?”

At that question, Barun’s eyes sharpened.

“Second, he has absolutely no hesitation when it comes to killing.”

“…….”

“I do not know your views on killing, but personally, I believe rotten things must be cut away. There are parts of this world that kindness and forgiveness alone can never solve.”

An inexplicable chill filled the air, making the two Cardinals swallow nervously.

“That is why I believe he is more suited to being an Inquisitor than anyone else.”

Before the atmosphere could become too stiff, Barun slowly smiled again.

“Of course, it is still surprising that such a violent son came from the devout Father Luminara.”

“Haha, children never grow exactly as their parents wish.”

“Indeed. But perhaps we should instead be grateful for that fact.”

With the light joke, the tense atmosphere eased.

“Still… there is one thing that concerns me.”

Barun stroked his chin.

“And what might that be?”

“Young Master Kael is too young. And his strength is extraordinary for his age. If power is added on top of that, I worry he may become arrogant.”

“That is certainly possible.”

Barun pondered for a while before looking back at the Cardinals.

“Regardless, both of you agree with making Young Master Kael an Inquisitor, correct?”

“Yes. We agree.”

“Then I shall speak with him one final time before deciding. Whether the tip of his sword will point toward the Holy Kingdom… or drive away endless darkness.”

Soon after, the two Cardinals left the carriage, and Barun remained behind to wait for Kael.

The moment I climbed into the carriage and sat across from Barun, I spoke.

“The answer is already obvious, so what exactly did you discuss for so long?”

“Krhuhu… So you already realized. Then may I ask you one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“Did you happen to figure out who the heretic among your group was?”

“A heretic?”

“Yes. Of course, I know the attack happened before you had much time to judge. But even so, I would like to hear your thoughts.”

It was not a difficult question, so I thought it over.

Bella possessed strength that did not suit an Inquisitor candidate, and I disliked how Myron interfered with my interrogation.

As for the others, I had barely spoken with them, but none seemed particularly suspicious.

Which meant…

“There wasn’t one.”

Barun’s eyes widened.

“Excuse me?”

“I mean there were no heretics among my group.”

“And why do you think that?”

“To be honest, aside from airheaded Bella, most of the group was not much help during the attack.”

I explained my reasoning.

“But determining whether someone is a heretic is a separate matter. Before the attack, none of them showed behavior that made me certain they were heretics. None possessed blasphemous items either.”

“Then could it be that the heretic simply had not revealed themselves yet?”

“Well. Isn’t accusing innocent people of heresy over something that hasn’t even happened yet itself an insult to the Goddess—and heresy?”

I continued.

“Even if they lacked strength, every one of them risked their lives to fight the enemies. None intentionally aided the attackers. So rather than forcing suspicion onto someone, it is better to believe there were no heretics at all.”

Barun stared blankly at me.

“Krhuhu….”

Then he let out his usual laugh before suddenly bursting into loud laughter, showing all his teeth.

Honestly, it felt unpleasant to have someone laugh directly in my face.

Did my enemies feel the same whenever I laughed?

“You seem to laugh a lot.”

“…Ah, my apologies.”

Barun covered his mouth and calmed his laughter.

“I often hear that my laugh sounds unpleasant. Like a snake.”

“Hm, I understand. Whenever I laugh, people look at me like I’m insane.”

“Haha, really?”

“Yes.”

We both burst out laughing at the same time.

The laughter of pathetic men.

Then suddenly, Barun’s expression turned serious.

“I’m not that bad.”

I stiffened my own face as well.

“And I’m not that sinister.”

A cold silence passed between us.

Barun struggled to suppress the corners of his mouth from rising, while I quietly chuckled before asking,

“So what was the correct answer?”

Barun responded as if he had forgotten.

“Ah, just as you guessed, none of the groups contained a heretic. We simply wished to plant suspicion among the candidates and observe how they behaved.”

“What terrible taste.”

“The ability to distinguish who to trust and who to doubt is also an Inquisitor’s skill.”

That was something I somewhat agreed with.

“Young Master. When I met your teammates earlier, they asked me whether you might be a heretic. They said your strength was far beyond what a fellow examinee should possess.”

“And did you tell them I wasn’t?”

“Of course. Do you know what their reaction was?”

“They were surprised.”

“No.”

Barun shook his head.

“They said they were relieved.”

“Relieved?”

“Yes. They said it would have been terrifying if you had truly been a heretic.”

“That certainly makes sense.”

“So then I asked them another question. If you actually had been a heretic, how would they have reacted?”

“And?”

“They thought about it for a moment. But all their answers were the same.”

Barun smiled faintly.

“They said they still would have been grateful to you for saving them.”

“Hmm….”

“When you look at it that way, someone does not become a heretic simply because others judge them as one. What truly matters is how that person acts.”

“And why are you telling me this?”

“It may be presumptuous, but I hoped it might help you a little in your future life as an Inquisitor.”

Barun handed me a black priest robe. The clerical rank of an Inquisitor was Priest.

“I suppose that’s unfortunate for the others.”

“Why?”

“If you think about it, this entire attack started because of me. Though it’s not like I can refuse becoming an Inquisitor now.”

Barun thought for a moment before replying with a serious look.

“I had already guessed as much. Every connection and circumstance pointed toward you and Baron Scalen.”

As expected, he had already noticed.

“It seems we’ll be seeing each other often.”

“I believe so too, Inquisitor Kael.”

I smirked and stood up.

“Summon Sriben from the Luminara territory. He knows the details of everything. I’ve already punished him enough, so send him safely.”

“Yes. I will do so.”

And thus, Sriben was sold away as proof of trust between Barun and me.

Since the cathedral had been destroyed, the ordination ceremony was held simply in a wide clearing within the forest.

Seven people were appointed as Deacons, including my teammates except for Myron.

Barun must have noticed his hesitation when he swung his sword. As expected, Barun could be quite cold-hearted.

“Next, we shall conduct the ordination ceremony for Kael Luminara as an Inquisitor.”

I knelt on one knee and waited, while Renika, the Saintess of Truth, stood proudly before me.

With the purple twilight behind her, Renika asked,

“Kael Luminara, eldest son of Benedict Luminara. Do you swear to abandon worldly fame and fortune, become the hammer of the Goddess, show mercy to the good, and deliver judgment upon the wicked?”

I looked up at her with resolute eyes and answered,

“I swear upon my body and soul.”

Of course, it was a lie.

I intended to use the authority of an Inquisitor however I wished.

Normally, the Saintess of Truth would detect such a lie, but I did not care.

Around my neck hung the pendant once worn by Baron Scalen.

Renika was not a fool, so she likely understood something about the pendant already.

Yet she simply nodded and said,

“It is the truth.”

Today, the Saintess of Truth spoke two lies.

One had been to save someone.

But this one… I did not know why she did it.

Clap clap──

The others, unaware of anything, applauded me.

And strangely enough, divine power slowly began gathering within me.

After the ordination ceremony ended, everyone else departed, but I remained behind to rest for a while on a broken cathedral bench.

Mordin’s corpse had already been taken away.

As I gazed at the night sky with my eyes closed, I remembered what Barun had said.

— To operate as an Inquisitor, you must have a Deacon capable of singing sacred hymns.

— Sacred hymns?

— Yes. If there are witnesses nearby, the Deacon sings hymns to prove that the Inquisitor’s judgment represents the Holy Kingdom’s official stance. They also record what occurred. Since the authority of an Inquisitor is so powerful, such rules were established.

— I don’t want to drag around dead weight.

— Then you will require a Cardinal’s seal every time you conduct an investigation. But if you have a faithful Deacon capable of singing hymns, you will be able to move far more freely.

— Then it would be better to choose a strong Deacon instead.

— Indeed. Unfortunately, even I cannot change this rule. For now, I will give you a document bearing my seal so you may appoint a Deacon whenever you wish.

A Deacon…

I had no idea whom to choose, but Barun said he would recommend suitable candidates eventually, so I could wait for now.

At that moment, I sensed someone approaching and spoke.

“What brings you here, Saintess of Truth?”

Renika replied gently.

“There is something I wish to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

After hesitating briefly, Renika quietly spoke.

“Divine power.”

I opened my closed eyes.

“You use divine power rather than mana, don’t you, Inquisitor?”

Unlike the others, Renika had noticed.

Only then did I sit upright.

“That’s correct.”

“May I ask how you are able to wield divine power?”

I could not explain in detail, so I answered vaguely.

“It is complicated in many ways. The Demon God, the Goddess, and the Holy Kingdom are all involved.”

“I see.”

Renika simply nodded and did not press further.

She knew I would not reveal more than that.

“Then why are you hiding that fact?”

Since Renika had overlooked my lie during the ordination, I decided to answer at least this much.

“In the Holy Kingdom, the twelve knights who possess divine power are called the Twelve Holy Knights. But there is a certain line in the Goddess’s scripture.”

I looked at Renika.

“Among the Holy Knights blessed by grace, one shall betray.”

“…….”

“So if I suddenly appear and become the Thirteenth Holy Knight, what do you think will happen?”

“Others would suspect you, Inquisitor.”

“Exactly. That is why I am remaining quiet for now.”

I stroked my chin and continued.

“Still, honestly, I don’t understand why the Goddess left behind such a prophecy. Wouldn’t it have been simpler to avoid giving divine power to someone capable of betrayal in the first place?”

“…….”

“To me, it only seems like the Goddess is playing games with humanity.”

I observed Renika’s startled expression.

“It was a joke.”

“Yes….”

Renika cleared her throat once and bowed her head.

“Thank you for answering. I finally understand why the Papal Palace has been hiding you. Until now, a Thirteenth Holy Knight has never existed. So there must have been limits to how much they could conceal.”

The Holy Kingdom was hiding me? What did she mean by that?

“I will also remain silent about your divine power.”

Well, that certainly worked in my favor.

“Thank you.”

“Then I shall take my leave.”

“Ah, wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

“Would you consider becoming an Inquisitor with me?”

A Saintess held the clerical rank of Priest.

And since anyone of at least Deacon rank capable of singing hymns qualified, there was no issue.

“Ah… I apologize. I am sure working alongside you would benefit me greatly, Inquisitor, but I am already overwhelmed fulfilling my current duties….”

“I see.”

Honestly, I had expected rejection. I only asked just in case.

“Still, thank you.”

I tilted my head.

“For what? I don’t think I’ve done anything worthy of gratitude.”

“You are the first person who has ever asked me to join them.”

A trace of bitterness lingered in the slight smile on Renika’s lips.

Renika was the Saintess of Truth.

True to her title, she could discern the truth in people’s words.

But everyone carried lies within themselves, and since those lies could be exposed, it was natural that people feared keeping Renika close.

“Then I shall take my leave. I look forward to the day we meet again, Inquisitor.”

“Travel safely.”

“Yes. May the Goddess’s blessing guide your path.”

Renika smiled faintly before boarding a carriage and departing with her knights.

I lay back down on the bench once more.

‘So those bastards still aren’t coming?’

I was waiting because I suspected the Akseo Society might come investigate the situation.

The Akseo Society consisted of Apostles, Envoys, and followers, and Mordin had been one of the Apostles.

As I read a page from the new scripture granted during the ordination ceremony, drowsiness overtook me, and I placed the book over my face.

“Dal. Wake me up if bad guys show up.”

It was sometime while I was half asleep.

Aaaaah─!

A high-pitched voice suddenly echoed from somewhere.

A woman’s voice rang through the forest and ruined cathedral. I listened to the sound circling my ears before abruptly opening my eyes.

‘She sings like absolute garbage.’

Even if my vocal cords were attached to my ass, I could sing better than that.

This was not singing. It was the roar of a demon.

“What kind of lunatic sings at this hour?”

I sprang to my feet and followed the sound.

The voice came from the same forest we had crossed on the way to the examination grounds.

Thinking it might be the Akseo Society trying to lure me out, I drew my sword and continued deeper into the woods.

Aaaaaaaah──!

The closer I got, the more my ears hurt.

Not metaphorically. My eardrums genuinely felt in danger.

I blocked my hearing with divine power as much as possible and marched forward with the determination of someone hunting down a vocal thief.

And before long, I finally saw the source of the voice.

“…….”

Moonlight poured brilliantly through the forest.

There, a beautiful woman with short brown hair stood with her hands devoutly clasped together while singing.

Bella.

Anyone with functioning eyes would have been mesmerized by the noble and beautiful sight.

But as someone with functioning ears, I could only stare in horror.

“Rejoice and praiseeeeee!! By the grace of the holy Goddess, we defeaaaat the demoooons!!!”

I covered my mouth in deep emotion.

Even the monsters charging toward her were collapsing unconscious from shock.

Those monsters were probably meant to be used in the Inquisitor examination.

‘Wait….’

Then suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind.

Bella, currently singing sacred hymns, had just received the rank of Deacon during the examination.

And in order for me to operate as an Inquisitor, I needed a Deacon capable of singing hymns.

Which meant…

‘I found her. My Deacon.’

Ahh….

Could this perhaps be the Goddess’s blessing?

(To be continued)