Chapter 322
Chapter: 322
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 322
>Chapter Title: Workshop (2)
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>Belinda.
The branch leader of the Order of Penance, and the one responsible for summoning the demon tree that wiped out the Millo Merchant Company.
She should be undergoing torture in the Heresy Tribunal right about now, so why was she hiding in this state in the workshop?
“…Belinda?”
At the sound of her name, she flinched in surprise and huddled even further into the corner of the barn.
“Why are you here…?”
As Seongjin pressed closer with his question, Belinda flailed her twisted limbs in panic and let out a scream. From her lips crusted with scabs came a guttural groan like that of a beast.
Euuuugh—
“Whoa, whoa! Calm down!”
Seongjin stopped in his tracks and held out both hands. Only then did she finally close her mouth.
But the way her eyes darted around, scrutinizing him, still made her look terribly anxious. The dignified figure who had once boldly shouted defiance even under Inquisitor Valerie’s torture was nowhere to be seen. She looked utterly pitiful and unsightly.
“You know her?”
At Logan’s question, Seongjin kept his eyes fixed on Belinda and explained in a low voice.
“Yeah, she’s a remnant of the Order of Penance. She was taken into custody by the Heresy Tribunal for summoning a demon tree in the north and was under investigation.”
“Oh….”
Logan seemed to recall her now.
“Right. Come to think of it, she came down from Sigismund Territory with a group of prisoners. Inquisitor Valerie was in charge, wasn’t she? Among the prisoners, this one had a particularly strong presence, so she stuck in my mind.”
And then both Seongjin and Logan fell silent. Their minds grew complicated with various thoughts.
‘Escaping from the Heresy Tribunal, infamous for being a place where you only leave in a coffin? No way?’
The first thought that sprang to mind was that this might be a trap set by the Heresy Tribunal.
They let a high-ranking figure like Belinda escape from the Order of Penance and tail her to uncover the underground church’s hideout.
It was probably to track Giacomo Millo’s whereabouts.
“…This is really strange.”
Logan must have thought the same, as he focused his senses for a moment before speaking.
“If they let her go on purpose, there should definitely be trackers nearby. But no matter how much I look, I can’t sense even a single inquisitor, let alone anyone with any combat ability.”
It was the judgment of a sword master, so it had to be accurate. Seongjin hadn’t sensed anything either, aside from Logan’s informants.
‘Did she really escape on her own?’
But no matter how he thought about it, the possibility seemed slim.
Just looking at Belinda’s condition made it clear. She didn’t appear to be in her right mind at all, and there wasn’t a single part of her body that was intact. So how on earth?
“Treatment seems like the priority here. We can ask about how she got here and take her back to the Heresy Tribunal after that.”
Logan said this as he slowly approached Belinda. Her condition was so dire that questioning or investigating her right away wasn’t feasible.
“Don’t be afraid. We’re not going to hurt you.”
Perhaps because he softened his presence as much as possible, Belinda didn’t react as violently as before, even as Logan drew near.
Influenced by the gentle aura enveloping him, she simply stared at him more calmly than earlier.
But the moment Logan tried to heal her, something unexpected happened. The instant she saw the holy power glowing white from his hand, Belinda paled and her eyes rolled back!
Uwaaaaaah!
“Belinda!”
“Aaah! Stop! Please stop! You demons!”
“Calm down. We’re just trying to heal you.”
“Kuaaaah! Get away! Get away! I said get away!”
Belinda screamed like a madwoman and soon began convulsing, foam bubbling at her mouth. She looked like she might die on the spot, so Logan hurriedly withdrew his holy power and stepped back.
“What the hell happened in that prison….”
Well, isn’t it obvious?
Considering what “healing” meant to prisoners in the Heresy Tribunal, it wasn’t an incomprehensible reaction.
Even Inquisitor Valerie had meticulously pulled out each of the prisoners’ teeth one by one, then used holy power to carefully replant them—so they could be pulled out again next time.
“…That prisoner is undoubtedly a sinner who drove many people to their deaths. But is it really right to hand her over to the Heresy Tribunal for endless torture? Maybe it would be more merciful to end her life here….”
Logan muttered with a deeply troubled expression. Seeing Belinda up close must have reminded him of the prisoners he had previously singled out and sent to the Heresy Tribunal.
Who else but the master digger would plunge into pointless guilt like this again?
‘Well… who knows.’
Seongjin stared blankly down at Belinda’s utterly wretched form and thought.
‘Who are we to arbitrarily judge what punishment is fitting for a human? At least, Logan, you don’t need to make that decision or take responsibility for it right now.’
Come to think of it, his father had once said something similar to him.
—You don’t need to be forced into such choices yet. Sometimes, it’s okay to leave that burden to someone else.
Mores had probably meant that, as his family, he was willing to take his place.
After a moment of contemplation, Seongjin made up his mind and called out to Logan.
“Logan.”
“Yeah?”
“Could you go to the palace for me?”
“…What?”
“You could get there and back much faster alone than before, right?”
Logan looked quite taken aback by Seongjin’s sudden request. But Seongjin ignored it and continued explaining with a calm face.
“I think the proper step is to bring Inquisitor Valerie here. We need to confirm first if there were any operations or discussions regarding Belinda within the Heresy Tribunal. This isn’t something we should decide on our own.”
“…….”
“If Belinda really escaped on her own, that needs a proper investigation too. It would mean there’s a serious flaw in the prison’s security.”
Logan hesitated for a moment. But even he couldn’t find any flaw in Seongjin’s words.
No matter the reason, handing Belinda over to the Heresy Tribunal was the right thing to do.
“What? Is there a problem?”
“…No. Yi Seongjin, I’ll do it.”
When Seongjin urged him again, Logan replied listlessly.
Then he glanced outside and silently mouthed something. It seemed he was giving discreet instructions to his informant.
Seongjin perked up his ears out of curiosity, but Logan appeared to be modulating the sound with his aura, so he couldn’t make out the details.
What was he saying?
“I’ll be back as fast as I can.”
Once he finished his instructions, Logan turned to Seongjin with a serious look and made his plea.
“I don’t think anything will happen, but just in case, I’ll leave one of my informants here.”
“What?”
Seongjin pretended to be startled and looked around, blinking exaggeratedly.
“An informant’s here? Where? Where?”
“Haha.”
At that, Logan finally shook off his gloom and let out a low chuckle.
“Don’t play dumb. You knew from the start, didn’t you?”
“Huh?”
“You’re not even surprised now that it’s come quite close. That means you sensed the informant’s presence from the beginning. You could’ve gone faster earlier but deliberately matched its pace, right?”
“…….”
Huh, I thought he was a total pushover, but this guy’s sharper than I expected.
As Seongjin stared at him blankly, Logan narrowed his eyes.
“You’re thinking something pretty rude about me right now, aren’t you?”
“Huh? No? Not at all? Why would you think that?”
Because everything you’re saying is a lie.
Logan thought that but didn’t voice it. He merely cautioned Seongjin.
“Go bring Inquisitor Valerie. I’ll be quick, so just stay put and don’t cause any trouble in the meantime.”
With those words—
Whoosh.
The sword master kicked off the ground and vanished from the vicinity in an instant. He slipped beyond Seongjin’s detectable presence in the blink of an eye—an astonishing speed.
‘I’d better hurry….’
Seongjin roughly gauged the distance from Logan in his mind and slowly moved his hand to his waist.
Shing—
With a clear ring, the blade of the nutcracker sword slid from its sheath, casting a faint reflected glow under the dim starlight.
“Hee, heehee….”
As the long blade slowly approached her eyes, Belinda let out a eerie laugh, as if she had some inkling of her fate. It sounded like relief, or perhaps sorrow.
“Belinda. Any last words?”
Seongjin’s eyes were utterly serene as he asked.
Perhaps resonating with his aura, a glimmer of reason began to return to Belinda’s gaze.
“Prince Mores….”
She seemed to finally recognize the person before her. After staring at Seongjin blankly for a moment, she continued in a trembling voice.
“Yes. I believed that beyond the pain, I could one day reach the Lord God. I never doubted there was a perfect paradise.”
“…….”
“Chosen one. Aren’t you curious why I’m here? How I escaped that hellish place? Why don’t you ask me?”
Right. I won’t ask.
I don’t need to know right now, and Father already knows all the details anyway.
He’ll handle it in the most appropriate way. I’m certain of that.
Without answering, Seongjin raised the blade toward Belinda’s neck. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued.
“Heehee. Do you know? Chosen one! I received the Lord God’s call! In that moment of utmost agony, a brilliant light appeared before me with strange letters. Letters from God, offering to send me anywhere I desired!”
…Letters from God?
“Did you accept? Of course I did! My penance had finally reached the Lord God, opening the path to Him!”
Accepted?
The word felt familiar.
[Yi Seongjin. Don’t tell me…]
The demon lord’s serious voice echoed in his mind, thinking the same thing.
Why not? It seems like some higher-world law was deeply involved in Belinda’s escape.
‘Back when I returned from the labyrinth, or when I went back and forth to the dragon’s forge. There was definitely a confirmation message asking if I wanted to teleport, accompanied by a bright light.’
If she used the higher world’s [Portal], it made sense how she slipped out of prison undetected.
‘Did the Order of Penance pull strings to get Belinda out? Or was it someone else….’
Seongjin pondered for a bit before shaking his head.
Right. Whoever it was, what did it matter? There was no way to find out right now anyway.
Belinda firmly believed it was the Lord God’s call, so pressing her wouldn’t yield anything.
‘I need to wrap this up soon, or Logan will be back.’
Steeling himself, Seongjin spoke to Belinda one last time.
“Belinda. I truly despise you lot, the Dark Church. You’re a cancerous presence gnawing away at the Empire and this continent.”
But.
“That doesn’t mean I think it’s right to prolong a life filled only with suffering like this. So I can end it all here and help you find peace.”
“End… everything?”
The blade rose slowly. Belinda’s eyes gleamed with a strange fervor as she fixed on it.
“Finally, I’ll be at the Lord God’s side…!”
Who knows? Wherever you end up after death, it probably won’t be at the Lord God’s side.
It was just as Seongjin had that idle thought and swung the nutcracker—
“Your Highness!”
Someone suddenly appeared and urgently shouted, blocking Seongjin’s path.
“Please wait, Your Highness!”
The one prostrating before Seongjin was a small man in black stealth clothes. Logan’s secret informant, who had been leaking presence nearby all along.
“You are?”
Even though he had appeared out of nowhere, the young prince asked without the slightest agitation. The informant paused for a moment before slowly bowing his head again.
“I apologize for not showing proper etiquette. I am No. 19, His Highness Logan’s exclusive informant.”
‘No. 19? What a bizarre name.’
But whether that was his real name or not was secondary—his actions were highly unexpected.
Dash had said informants never revealed themselves casually to anyone but their master.
The prince drawing his sword on a prisoner directly must have made him sense the urgency.
“Didn’t Your Highness say that dealing with an escaped prisoner should be left to the Heresy Tribunal? So please, calm down and wait just a little for Prince Logan and the inquisitor?”
Blocking the path of a prince about to behead someone—quite loyal to the imperial family, Seongjin thought.
Of course, he had no intention of listening.
Step.
As he brushed past without a word, No. 19 quickly retreated and prostrated himself in front of Seongjin again.
“Your Highness! This is Prince Logan’s earnest request to stop you. Please consider it!”
“……!”
Even Seongjin had to pause at those words.
Logan.
No wonder he seemed suspicious of my intentions but backed off so readily. He asked his informant to do this before leaving—sharp in the oddest places.
“As a prince of the Holy Empire, I can’t just let a remnant of the Dark Church go free. But handing her over to the Heresy Tribunal like this is too cruel, don’t you think?”
No. 19 glanced up at the cold voice and flinched. The prince’s eyes held no emotion, contrary to his words of pity for the prisoner.
His gaze was far too dry.
‘I can’t stop him no matter what….’
Realizing this, No. 19 made one final, desperate plea.
“Then, Your Highness, at least allow me to dirty my own hands?”
“…….”
“His Holiness the Holy Emperor commanded me personally to serve the princes and princesses with utmost devotion! So please, grant me the mercy to fulfill my duty!”
Right, Father was behind this too. No wonder Sir Sharon hasn’t shown up despite all this commotion.
Seongjin felt his momentum deflate.
“…Fine. I permit it.”
“Thank you so much.”
As permission was granted, No. 19 slowly rose. The moment he turned toward Belinda—
Splash!
Hot blood spurted from the prisoner’s neck, splattering everywhere.