novelraw Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 87
Ferdiel walked and walked down the straight underground path.
He hesitated, again and again, wondering if it was right to meet him.
In the end, his heart couldn't give a clear answer, and his feet just moved on their own.
“You’re a little late.”
Perhaps because he had already braced himself, he was able to remain calm even when faced with Theo Lisitoel, who acted so nonchalantly, as if he had known he was coming.
“Young Master, aren’t you being a little too relaxed? You haven’t forgotten that you’ve been accused of heresy, have you?”
“Do I look like it?”
Inside the cell, Theo sat on the floor with his legs loosely crossed, his chin resting on the back of his hand.
The sight of him, acting as if he didn't care about being locked up and could leave this place at any moment, strangely grated on Ferdiel’s nerves.
In an instant, a powerful holy power flashed like lightning in Ferdiel’s hand, and before he knew it, Theo had arrived in a different location, not the prison.
“Is it okay to just take a suspect out like this?”
“It’s fine. Even when you return to reality, you’ll be properly back inside the prison, Young Master.”
“Well, that’s a relief then.”
Theo’s smoothly flowing voice was quite irritating.
“Young Master—”
Right, even if I’m being difficult, let's not lie.
Ferdiel chose his words for a moment and then spoke to Theo with a calm expression.
“I will not say anything.”
Ferdiel would not make any statements against Theo, but he would not make any favorable ones either.
“So what’s your plan?”
“There is no plan! It's not like you'd believe me if I said that. Isn’t there something else you’re really curious about?”
“If you have the ability to read minds, I’d appreciate it if you told me in advance.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have such an ability.”
It wouldn't be impossible if I used the Writer skill, but I didn't want to gauge the other person's inner thoughts that way.
“It’s just a natural interpretation that comes from a decent amount of perceptiveness and accurate analysis.”
Once you know what kind of life the person in front of you has lived, a deep understanding becomes possible.
Towards Ferdiel, who wore a look of incomprehension, Theo carefully opened his mouth.
“How many people have to push and push a single person’s back before they finally despair?”
Ferdiel remained silent.
The person Theo was talking about was probably Lerwon. But even so, not everyone gave up on being human.
“If even one person had reached out a hand, it wouldn’t have turned out like that.”
At Theo's small whisper, Ferdiel clenched his fists.
It was very difficult to look people straight in the eye.
He closed his eyes and listened. Along with the unusually clear voice, he heard a steady, thumping heartbeat.
“That’s why I’m trying to help Sunbae.”
“Then make me understand. That the monster is not truly pure evil, and that in the beginning, even it was good.”
I already got Lerwon’s permission. If the time came when I had to tell his story, he said I could do so without specifically getting his consent—
‘Still, I hesitate.’
Theo idly touched the nape of his neck.
This was the chance Ferdiel had given him.
Knowing this, Theo, after a moment’s hesitation, quietly opened his mouth.
“A day when the usual misfortune strangely hurt more.”
That day was a certain summer.
“A day when the darkness squirming beneath the intense sun was just as deep.”
It was a very hot and humid day.
“On such a day, the tragedy named ‘Lerwon’ announced its grand and true opening.”
This is surely the right way to begin this story.
Theo opened his closed eyes and met Ferdiel’s gaze head-on.
* * *
How long had we been talking? My throat was starting to feel a little raw. What kind of weak body gets a sore throat from just this much talking?
As I was feeling a sense of futility, Ferdiel’s expression was difficult to read.
Did he understand, or was he still finding it hard to accept Lerwon’s existence despite everything?
“Young Master, I have a few questions. Please answer them.”
“I’ll tell you anything I can.”
“First question, can Lerwon Viden return to being human?”
“He can. It’s just my guess, but what you saw was probably possible because the curse was in the process of disappearing from within Sunbae.”
The curse, which should have perfectly assimilated with Sunbae, was slowly separating from Lerwon and dispersing.
For some unknown reason, the ambiguously scattered curse manifested on the outside, and the result was that mess.
“As a paladin who still serves God and as the Sword of Doctrine of the Church, I cannot accept Lerwon’s existence.”
“I understand.”
“However, if he truly sheds the curse completely and returns to being human, I will turn a blind eye then. How about that?”
“That alone is enough!”
From Ferdiel’s perspective, that was probably already treading a fine line. I had already received more than enough consideration and special treatment.
“I’m really getting pushed around by you, Young Master.”
“I feel a little bad.”
“There’s no need to apologize.”
Once again, a light flashed before my eyes, and I was suddenly alone in the prison cell again.
I'm really properly locked in a prison cell.
It wouldn’t have been bad to make a quiet escape right about now.
“On the name of the Sword of Doctrine, I will do my best to ensure that you are not punished for being unjustly framed as a heretic.”
Looking at me again, Ferdiel let out a sigh that could have made the ground sink.
Seeing a fragment of Zephyros in him was a little funny.
“In that case, could you possibly assign a guard or something here?”
“A guard? Why?”
“It’s a kind of alibi.”
Ferdiel seemed to be thinking about my words, and after a moment of contemplation, he slowly nodded.
“Alright, I’ll assign someone trustworthy.”
* * *
Was the trustworthy person Hartain Ignos, Your Eminence the Sword of Doctrine?
“Do you have any complaints?”
“No, not at all.”
I kept my mouth shut for a moment, then smiled brightly.
Since it’s come to this, let’s just suck up to him!
“I was just a little surprised that the only paladin the Sword of Doctrine truly trusts has come.”
“Hmph.”
The corners of his mouth twitched, as if he was pleased.
He’s no ordinary guy, so let’s not let my guard down too much.
“I didn’t expect to see you like this.”
“I know, right?”
“You must be quite upset, being betrayed by your friend?”
He really wasn't someone who came here for nothing.
I didn’t feel particularly good about it.
Still, is it right to badmouth someone else’s friend like that?
“It’s more of a misunderstanding than a betrayal.”
“I wonder what kind of misunderstanding would lead someone to accuse their friend of heresy.”
A pointless provocation. In a way, it was a relief. It was proof that Ferdiel hadn’t yet told Hartain anything.
But still, hearing my friend being badmouthed was an uncomfortable thing.
“Is that any of Sir Hartain’s business?”
“Pardon?”
The composure on Hartain’s usually relaxed face cracked, tinged with bewilderment.
See, why did you have to go and poke someone who was just sitting there?
If you thought I would just take it, you’re mistaken.
“That’s a matter between Zephyros and me, so I’m asking if it’s any of Sir Hartain’s business.”
“That is….”
“If you’re trying to drive a wedge between friends, you’ve picked the wrong person. Should I tell Zephyros that Sir Ignos is a complete lost cause?”
“That wasn't my intention—”
“If your intention was to piss me off, it worked well, so how about you just shut up? Hartain Ignos.”
Ignos, who had been dazed for a while by my sharp words, finally managed to stammer out a slight excuse.
“There was no malice.”
“You’re a Heretic Inquisitor. If you were in my shoes, would you believe that?”
“Isn’t that completely discriminatory based on my profession?”
“If you don’t like it, you shouldn’t have become a Heretic Inquisitor.”
I lay down in the cell nonchalantly and picked my ear.
The floor of the cell was cold, but I looked up at Ignos with even colder eyes.
“Ah, alright. I was wrong. It was a slip of the tongue.”
“It wasn’t a slip of the tongue. It was pure malice. And, why are you looking down on me while saying you’re sorry?”
“That’s because you’re lying down.”
“You’re still looking down on me?”
This was pure toxic behavior.
I didn’t like tea-bagging, but. Hmm, this is fun.
A feeling of amusement even arose at the sight of Ignos’s face contorting moment by moment.
The thought of sucking up to him to get on his good side had long since flown far, far away. If I had my way, I was barely holding back from flipping him the bird.
“You are aware that I’m your guard, right?”
“You’re not doing the guarding you’re supposed to do and are just provoking me, so what can I do? A weak, ignorant person like me has no choice but to endure.”
Ignos, who seemed to have difficulty containing his anger, took a deep breath for a long time, then finally bent down to sit on the floor and bowed his head.
“I apologize if I made you uncomfortable.”
It didn’t seem like a fake apology.
It must be a difficult thing for a paladin and a Heretic Inquisitor to apologize to a prospective heretic, but he’s surprisingly straightforward.
I sat up properly and looked at Hartain.
“Let’s agree not to touch each other’s friends.”
“Agreed.”
He paused for a moment, then continued.
“Your friend, and you, seemed convinced that you wouldn’t become heretics. The reason?”
“Should I have also said let’s not sound each other out?”
“Half sounding you out, half pure curiosity.”
I acted out in a moment of anger, but letting him remain completely hostile wasn't a welcome development.
His attitude might be lighter than a toy ball, but his skills and loyalty to Fel were the real deal.
Some people described Hartain as ‘not like an Ignos,’ but he was the real deal Ignos.
Meaning, there was nothing he wouldn't do for his master—Fel.
“The accusation Zephyros made was that I was the one who orchestrated the demon summoning in Viscount Belmir’s fief.”
“That’s right?”
“In the first place, Viscount Belmir started his business several years ago, while I’m a patient who just freshly woke up this year.”
For me to be the culprit behind all that, the timeline doesn’t even match up.
“One could argue that you used Viscount Belmir while in a coma, right?
To make someone a heretic, they’ll pin any false charge on them.”
“Me, who couldn’t even handle mana before learning magic at the Academy?”
“They can just insist that it’s fabricated evidence.”
“You’re deliberately trying to find fault, aren’t you?”
Hartain smiled as if to say, correct.
…Is he telling me to prepare for the upcoming heresy trial as my guard?
This is definitely a consideration and a special favor.
“The fact that I worked so hard to eliminate the demon, even coughing up blood, was witnessed by your esteemed Sword of Doctrine.”
“When things went awry, you deliberately handled it yourself to avoid the Sword of Doctrine’s suspicion.”
“That’s a real ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ situation.”
“That’s what heresy trials are like. A sham trial where the inquisitor can make anyone a sinner if they wish.”
Hartain smiled.
“Theo Lisitoel, I do not think you are guilty of the sin of heresy.”
A smile mixed with a bit of ridicule and pity.
“However, the sin of arrogance certainly exists.”
I really didn't like that smile.
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