“Are you not Sir Alistein?”
“Yes, Priest Vigrind. May I enter?”
It seemed that the inquiry was merely a matter of courtesy, as Alistein stepped into the room without waiting for Aege’s response.
“You didn’t even say I could come in, so why are you barging in?”
Despite Aege’s prickly words, Alistein didn’t seem to care at all.
Instead, it appeared he was startled upon seeing Vigrind sitting inside Aege’s room.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, Saint.”
“We were exchanging pleasantries since it’s been a while, my former master.”
In fact, Vigrind felt somewhat uncomfortable in front of the man, Alistein.
It was understandable, considering that back when Vigrind wasn’t yet a saint, or even a priest, Alistein was already working as the head of the Inquisition in Evian, with a demeanor and personality that did nothing to endear him to anyone.
His speech was dry and to the point.
He often only spoke what was necessary, and his sentences were frequently missing crucial parts, leading to misunderstandings.
This tone, which he had honed to avoid getting entangled while interrogating heretics, meant nothing to the younger Yona and Vigrind at the time.
With Alistein standing right in front of her, Vigrind felt she had done her best just to keep her frown in check.
“And where is the Hero? Why are you here alone?”
“The Hero is having a chat with the bishop. I came specifically to see my master.”
“I see…”
Alistein stroked his stubbly chin with a somewhat awkward expression.
But Vigrind didn’t miss the faint smile hiding behind that awkwardness.
It was an uneasy and uncomfortable feeling.
“So, what brings you here? Surely, you didn’t come to my room just for fun.”
At Aege’s words, Alistein turned and looked at her.
His gaze was anything but pleasant.
It even gave off a hint of disgust.
Just when Aege was about to tell him not to beat around the bush and get to the point, Alistein spoke.
“Aege Priest, I will arrest you on charges of hiding a heretic.”
“…What did you say?”
A sudden silence enveloped the room.
“Just as I said, Priest. There has been a report that you met with the heretic Yona and even helped her leave Evian safely.”
Aege clenched her fists tightly.
Yona was right.
Someone had definitely been watching their reunion.
It was clear.
Because Yona had been running away continuously until returning to Evian to meet Aege, she couldn’t help but be sensitive about such matters.
“Of course, as you know, the identity of the informant must remain a strict secret. So even if you ask, there’s no way I can tell you.”
“…Is that so?”
“Hah. What about you, madam?”
Alistein shrugged his shoulders and smacked his lips.
The information was indeed true, as a scout belonging to the Inquisition had witnessed it firsthand.
Yona hugging Aege.
Yona getting onto the carriage after parting with Aege.
And Aege waving her hand endlessly as she watched the carriage disappear into the distance.
Having watched every single detail without missing a beat, it was more than enough for Aege to be accused of meeting the apostate and helping her escape.
“Even if you deny it, the fact that I met Yona doesn’t change.”
“Is that so? Then let’s get on with it. Make your choice. Will you resist? Or will you come quietly and be taken to the Inquisition?”
“Under my own power—”
Bigrind silently watched the back-and-forth exchange.
The only friend she could call her own had become an apostate and was now listed in the Church of the Celestial God’s records.
The teacher she had deeply followed and admired was now suspected of harboring that apostate and was in a situation to be arrested.
If she were to be captured, it would not end well.
‘What do I do?’
Suddenly, Bigrind realized.
She realized that she had been operating under someone else’s instructions all along.
Where was her own will?
What had she done on her own accord?
Wasn’t it only after things went wrong that she struggled to move?
If she had spoken up or acted earlier, things could have turned out differently, yet she had always just stood there silently, screaming and wailing.
Would it be the same now?
If Teacher Aege were captured for harboring the apostate, who would remain by her side?
The Hero.
The Hero, filled with rage and hatred towards Yona, proclaiming that the apostate must die, claiming it was the way for the Celestial God?
—Impossible.
Bishop Poby.
Bishop Poby, who was no different from the Hero, fuming about why this healer from Evian had turned apostate?
—No way.
There was no one.
Apart from Teacher Aege, there was no one left in the world who would unconditionally take her side.
Why was this painful realization only hitting her now—
Bigrind looked at Alistein, who was pulling out a rope.
Priest Vigrind looked at Sir Alistein as he pulled out a rope.
Sister Aege seemed resigned, hands outstretched, waiting for that rope to wrap around her wrist.
Why, why do the people around me always end up unhappy?
Is it me bringing this bad luck?
No way.
Saint Vigrind, the Saint of the Church of the Celestial God.
The earthly representative directly appointed by the Celestial God who descended upon this land.
A being meant to carry out the will of the Celestial God and shine the light of peace upon the whole world.
That’s why she’s a Saint,
And that’s why she is the Saint of the Church of the Celestial God.
Vigrind took a deep breath.
Most of what had happened until now could have been prevented.
If she had acted first, stood up, and shouted that this was what the Celestial God wanted, then most of it could have been stopped.
Her will was far too weak, and she had only been swept along.
She acted not according to her own will but followed what others said.
Because she didn’t act on her own will, this couldn’t possibly be the will of the Celestial God.
Losing Yona was already enough.
She didn’t want to lose anyone else.
So, she couldn’t lose Aege.
“Let go of that hand.”
Sir Alistein, chuckling, paused his hand as he was slipping the rope around Aege’s wrist.
A chilling cold came from the Saint, whom he hadn’t paid much attention to.
“…Saint?”
“Sir Alistein, I said to let go. Sister Aege—Priest Aege did not hide anything.”
“What do you mean by that?”
For now, since it was the Saint’s words, Alistein rewound the rope.
However, inside, he was filled with thoughts of beautifully rebutting the Saint’s words and capturing Aege once more.
“You said Priest Aege did not hide anything.”
“I understand that. But didn’t she also confess, Saint?”
“Priest Aege reported to me first that she met the heretic Yona.”
“…What?”
Not a single lie was mixed in.
Aege had spilled everything about meeting Yona during their conversation with Vigrind.
“She told me everything. She met the heretic Yona, advised her to confess, and when that was rejected, she even escorted her to figure out her escape route. Is there still suspicion of hiding a heretic?”
“However, Saint. Even so, doesn’t that mean for me, the Inquisitor…”
Why was it not reported to the Inquisitor like himself? Alistein wanted to press on that.
Tracking heretics and judging them was supposed to be the mission of the Inquisitor himself.
“Why was it not brought to my attention first? Are you perhaps trying to protect her with some personal feelings, Saint?”
“Is it perhaps because you’ve chosen not to speak to me first, the Inquisition? Are you harboring some personal feelings for the Saint?”
“Then you’re implying that I’m lying, aren’t you?”
Priest Vigrind, donned in his heavy robe due to the midwinter chill, slowly rose from his seat.
The robe, cascading like snowflakes, glimmered under the sunlight, adding to its brilliance as a golden aura began to manifest behind Priest Vigrind.
“Are you, an inquisition, daring to apply your standards to me, the one acting on the will of the Celestial God?”
Sir Alistein hurriedly knelt down.
He was of such a small stature, and moreover, the Saint, who was incredibly frail and lacked strong will.
It was indeed a truth that I inadvertently looked down on her.
“Apostasy is treated with utmost seriousness in the Church of the Celestial God. Why is it not fitting for the one closest to the will of the Celestial God to be the first to hear of such a sin? Or do you, Sir Alistein, believe yourself to be more significant than me, who carries the will of the Celestial God—”
“No, I don’t—!”
Sir Alistein shouted and slammed his forehead down onto the floor.
The Saint ranks just below the Pope herself.
Unlike the elected Pope, a Saint is born through the direct appointment of the Celestial God, so it would not be an exaggeration to say that her existence should be acknowledged.
If one were to insist that the duties of an inquisition rank higher than that of such a Saint, then that too would be a grave sin.
“Isn’t it more problematic that you, who execute the Pope’s orders, are dragging innocent silver-haired girls into trouble while being unable to even track the apostates? Shouldn’t you be embarrassed by your failure?”
“That is indeed a valid point…”
“I will vouch for the innocence of Sister Aege. From this moment onward, if you are to doubt her connection with the apostate Yona, you should come to me. As someone who grew up as Sister Aege’s disciple, the suspicion should rather fall on the connection between me and the apostate. Do you understand, Sir Alistein?”
The brilliance emanating from behind Vigrind shone even more radiantly golden.
“I did not lie.”
“Uh, y-yeah. That’s right.”
Sister Aege, with a bewildered expression, gazed at Vigrind while rubbing her wrists, which were nearly tied with ropes a moment ago.
Vigrind, now sitting confidently with tea in hand, looked completely transformed from just earlier.
“…I realized that standing still and merely complying with someone’s requests wouldn’t change the situation.”
Facing the flustered Sister Aege, Vigrind flashed a bright smile.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
