Chapter 571
Chapter 571
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 571
Chapter Title: Good Friends to Meet
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"Saint. There wasn't anything particularly suspicious. The villagers were all cooperative, and there were no conflicts."
"That's a relief, then."
From what I'd gathered, there was nothing suspicious at all.
Whether it was Elise or the holy knights, they were all seasoned at sniffing out anything shady. If people like that said there was nothing, then it was safe to assume the village was clean for now.
Of course, that just meant no material evidence of anything suspicious.
Every village in the Fog Plains was already on the dragon's radar.
I'd checked with the villagers individually, beyond the map I'd bought from the village chief, to see if there were any others.
You couldn't trust a map made by guys like these 100%.
They might be hiding key routes that only the locals knew about... Well, that was just me digging deep into suspicions. At the very least, securing multiple sources was necessary.
The other maps were all the same.
"Of course, these are good folk, but given the circumstances, we have no choice but to suspect everything. Professional human trafficking by heretics is rampant enough as it is. A village unaware of that is plenty suspicious in itself."
Barkrel seemed to think along the same lines as me.
"But there was nothing suspicious about them... for now, at least. So there's nothing we can do at the moment."
Suspicious, sure, but without hard evidence, nothing to act on. These righteous folks never moved on hunches alone.
I was the same way.
"We'll just head to the next village they recommended and check there. It'll probably take some time. The Saintess gave us this week, so we might not get results."
We'd already burned several days just traveling.
"What can you do? We have the maps anyway, so we'll aim for next time."
"True enough... Still, knowing it's happening, I can't just ignore it."
Barkrel genuinely wanted to wipe out the evil crimes happening deep in the Fog Plains. He might froth at the mouth at the mere mention of heretics, but he was truly righteous at heart.
"Anyway, let's rest up today. We move again tomorrow."
With that, I left the room where the holy knights were stationed, alongside Elise.
No issues? Rest a day and leave tomorrow. We'd bought supplies and rooms as compensation for their cooperation in the investigation.
"Saint. Even if nothing suspicious turned up, it's still dubious."
"Yeah. I'm suspicious too, honestly. Heretics running professional human trafficking ops? No way they skipped a village like this."
Whether for sourcing people or expanding trade routes.
If the heretics had a base nearby, they could've used force. Threaten with swords and spears, force nearby villages to cooperate in the trafficking.
The villagers couldn't fight back against heretics.
Threaten to kill them, and they'd comply. Heretics were more than capable of that.
"I think so too."
"But it's just a hunch. Can't act on feelings alone."
"Wise words, as always."
The Radiant Cross Society was a pretty radical sect. But even radicals, they were forces for good—and stuck to the good path.
No evidence? Hands off.
Common sense, basic decency. Religious folk upheld it rigorously. City guards, prone to corruption, often strong-armed without evidence.
That's why the faithful earned respect.
Of course, find a shred of suspicion, and they turned into nightmare-shouting monsters in seconds.
"We might not find the heretics. Or the villages aiding them. Shame, but that's fine too."
"...I suppose so."
Anyway, we headed to our lodgings.
Roughly: rooms for the Brass Celestial Society followers, one for me and my wives, and one for Elise. Time to rest up for once.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ We spent a day in that village and resumed our journey. With the maps, navigation was easy. We hit another village, got the same cooperation.
Their map differed some from the last, but about 80% matched.
"I... I don't know. Nothing like that..."
"Hmm."
The village chief here claimed ignorance about heretics too.
Were they all hiding it collectively? Security that tight between villages? Hard to buy.
Maybe when we hunted that meteor, we wiped out a group, so the heretics ordered silence—and erased evidence.
Who knows.
No suspicion? Move on.
Time was tight, so from the second village, no rests—just grab maps and intel, hit the next. Rinse and repeat. No leads, so brute force it.
Full cooperation from villagers as we investigated. Fog Plains had a decent population. Resources must be plentiful.
—Days like that passed.
We found a village far off from the others.
Combining maps, we'd made a big one. This place was isolated.
Off the beaten path.
"We are holy knights of the Brass Celestial Society! Heretics have infiltrated nearby! We've come to investigate—open the village gates!"
As usual, Barkrel bellowed at the entrance.
"We refuse entry! We can't let outsiders in recklessly! Go away!"
"..."
First refusal ever. Our group froze for five seconds at the unexpected shout. Every village before had cooperated—now this?
"Captain Barkrel."
"...Hold on. Wary of outsiders in a remote spot like this? Natural. I'll try again."
Barkrel looked shocked too—he hadn't expected refusal. Who'd deny holy knights from a church serving the divine, asking for help rooting out heretics?
Didn't make sense.
"I'll say it again! Under church orders, we're securing peace, order, and justice around here! Evil heretics hide in the Fog Plains! That's why we're here—cooperate just a bit!"
Barkrel bellowed again. Response came quick.
"N-No, we still can't let outsiders in! We want no part in such dangers! Go away!"
"Even just a quick look?!"
"Y-Yes! Leave now!"
Flat refusal.
"Saint, this..."
Elise grabbed my sleeve, face tense.
These bastards... getting shadier by the second.
"Not sure yet. Wait it out."
"Hmph... Such bravery facing this force."
Claudia gripped my shoulder too.
"Heh heh, they're hiding something."
She seemed thrilled. My heart raced oddly. Meanwhile, the priests and knights' mood turned grim.
"Mm... Blackie. I prep now?"
"Probably?"
Winia gripped her staff tighter.
"Captain Barkrel. What's the plan?"
I asked the captain, arms crossed, glaring at the gate.
"...Suspicious."
"Yes."
"Deeply so. Refusing a simple cooperation request... I don't want to suspect, but it screams it."
"Heh heh, same here. They'd let us in unless hiding something."
Like cops raiding an illegal gambling den, punters yelling it's not that.
Barkrel's voice grew fierce as he shouted again.
"Why not?! Heretics are dangerous—open up! Give a reason! Plague? We have priests—no worries!"
"No means no! If you're divine emissaries, don't be rude—leave!"
Damn, these punks have balls.
Fully armed holy knight squad begging entry over heretics, and they block hard. That grit? They'd succeed at anything.
"...Definitely suspicious. Can't shake it."
Barkrel's eyes changed in an instant.
"Men. No violence yet. Peaceful."
He turned from the gate to us.
"Subdue them."
—Boom!
—Thud thud thud!
—Whoosh!
Order given, knights and priests charged. No swords drawn. Non-violent subdual.
Possible?
Didn't know details, but holy knights were superhumans. Weapons or not, they could flatten villagers with toes.
"Uwaaaah!!!"
"What the—!!!"
"Stop this outrage! What do you think you're doing!!!"
Knight mouths stayed shut.
They smashed the gate violently, stormed in, then surprisingly gently punched and palmed resisting villagers into submission.
"Iyaaaaah!!"
"Kyaaaaah!!"
"Mercy!!"
Resisters flew skyward, then down. No wings on humans—just soft punches and loving pokes sending them airborne.
Non-violent my ass.
"Saint! Let's go!"
"Right!"
Our quartet followed the path the knights cleared.
"Aaaah!!"
"Stoooop!!"
"What is this?! You're holy knights!!"
Village inside was chaos.
Ten knights and priests, in teams, dashed about punching every villager in sight flat. No killing, of course—just minimal restraint!
"Where you running?!"
"Aaaah!!"
I unleashed Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon on fleeing villagers.
"Heh heh, where's the chief, punk?"
"Don't know! No ideaaa!!"
"You don't know your own chief?!"
Couldn't hit, so I yanked off my gauntlet, flicked his forehead hard.
—Crack!!
"Grrrk!!!"
"H-Hey? You!!"
The punk foamed and passed out from one flick.
Forehead swollen red.
"Crazy bastard!!!"
Subdual done in seconds. Dozens of villagers already face-down, hands folded on heads behind. Knights' efficiency on display.
"What is this outrage?! Stop at once!"
Then an old man bellowed, freezing the chaos.
The chief?
Knight paused mid-drag to center.
I excused myself, stepped up first.
"You the chief?"
"I am! What is this?! Divine emissaries acting like thugs?! Leave now—it's not too late!"
Straight-backed elder didn't flinch, roared at me.
This guy... got backing?
Shadier.
Backing in a backwater like this? Suspicion incarnate.
"Heh heh, leave? Can't. Heard no heretics? Your suspicious acts brought this. Bear with it."
"How rude!"
"Not rude—legal procedure. No issues? Released safe, compensated. Emergency now, chief."
"What in the...!"
As we talked, Barkrel shouted.
"Report when all subdued! Not one moves!"
Done already. Tiny village, under 50 souls. Ten holy spec ops? Cakewalk.
Soon, all villagers bound like sardines.