Baptism by Lead
The land of outlaws. "H-he's coming!" The subordinates who had been gripping the prototype and waiting tensed up as they watched the priest approach. Bain looked down. A man was casually crumpling the barricades they had prepared for this raid as if they were paper. Enormous build. A face so handsome it stirred jealousy at first glance. The moment he saw him, Bain knew. That man was... Jenkinson Beckett.
Bain felt his heart pounding with tension. The position was perfect. It was a shame the barricades hadn't even bought them time, but the prototype had already completed its performance tests. "...Fire!" Watching Jenkinson arrive with another man, Bain gave the order without a second thought.
In that instant, the prototypes clutched by his subordinates began spitting fire. A new weapon that fired a staggering five hundred rounds per minute. Even a monstrous mage who could block bullets would eventually have his mana reinforcement overwhelmed by a shower of five hundred rounds per minute coming from every direction.
Dududududududududu! An overwhelming barrage hot enough to raise the temperature of the area rained down on the single priest. "Priest Jenkinson!" The man who had been keeping rear guard cried out in shock, but it was already too late. The hail of small iron lumps should have already reduced the priest to finely minced meat.
Bain cheered at the weapon's performance. A machine gun? What kind of firepower is this? Such absurd power! He wanted to crack open the skull of the mage named Rumel who had developed it. She had actually created something like this? This... could change the course of war itself. He was certain. As time passed, wars would be decided not by magic, but by the quality and quantity of weapons. And at the forefront of that change would undoubtedly stand this weapon—and the Oprel family that possessed both it and Rumel.
While entertaining the fantasy of establishing a formal connection with them instead of dealing through the black market, Bain moved to inspect the results. "Alright, let's see that lump of meat..." He froze. Having just cooled the overheated machine gun with water, Bain had been certain the priest would be nothing more than ground meat by now. That was why—
"It was a rather nice outfit, too..." Jenkinson walked forward, his clothes in tatters but otherwise completely unharmed. Bain's mind went blank. He had survived that barrage? The performance tests were already complete. Even thick iron plates couldn't withstand that firepower for two seconds. So why...?
"Hmm. So that's the new weapon that human was recently selling. Has it already been distributed to civilians in such numbers that it reached a place like this?" Could a human body even endure that? Just how much mana does that man possess... enough to withstand that barrage with mana reinforcement alone? A single human? It was unbelievable.
This is bad. Meanwhile, Jenkinson was inwardly surprised by the weapon's power. Honestly, he hadn't expended this much mana since facing Amon. In that sense, the weapon carried a strong scent of war. If someone so desired, even an ordinary person could wield that level of firepower. Feeling an inexplicable unease at the thought, Jenkinson crumpled every last one of the weapons, even though he knew it was meaningless. Destroying a few here wouldn't let him recover all the ones already distributed. Still, seeing them left a bad taste in his mouth.
Shiver... Seeing this, Bain began backing away, trembling, and his subordinates did the same. Knowing the power of the new weapon, they had realized exactly what kind of monster Jenkinson was for taking the entire barrage with his body.
"...How dull." Jenkinson openly showed his disappointment at the sight and gave an order to the equally stunned Yusuba. "Help me tie them all up." Thud. When Jenkinson created ropes with holy magic and tossed them over, Yusuba immediately began binding the men. Jenkinson was pleased to see how quickly the man regained his composure even in this situation.
"What... will happen to us?" Bain asked respectfully. Jenkinson smiled as he answered. "You'll all be burned at the stake." Bain accepted his fate, but his subordinates reacted differently. "D-damn it! Why are you just standing there letting him tie you up? I'm getting out of—" Thud! A bullet Jenkinson threw pierced the leg of the man who had tried to shove Yusuba aside and flee. The man collapsed. "Well, feel free to try running if you like," Jenkinson said nonchalantly as he watched. His leisurely tone only terrified everyone present even more.
Crunch. "W-wait. Spare me—" Jenkinson grabbed the fallen man's head and lifted it. The man's pants began to grow damp. Watching this, Jenkinson smiled. BOOM! Then he slammed the man's face into an iron plate. Bang! Bang! BANG-BANG-BANG! It was overwhelming violence. With an expressionless face showing no emotion whatsoever, he struck the man again and again as if simply performing a task. Blood splattered everywhere and the iron plate dented. Jenkinson casually tossed aside the man whose face had been completely crushed, then kindly and tightly bound the still-breathing body with holy magic before smiling again. "I'll make sure you end up like this."
"..." In that moment, everyone lost even the will to flee. All that remained for them was either being burned at the stake, or being beaten to a pulp like that before being burned at the stake.
—Murmur. Murmur. People were shocked to hear that Bain's gang, which had ruled this place through fear, had been sentenced to burning. They gathered in the square upon hearing the news, and began murmuring among themselves when they actually saw the criminals meekly bound atop the pyres. "...Serves you right, you bastards!" Moments later, an enraged man hurled a stone at the bound criminals, and soon everyone began throwing stones. They began pouring out all the resentment they had accumulated. "My wife died because of them!" "Bring back my husband!" "My son... my only son...!" Jenkinson silently listened to their furious voices from in front of them.
"Amazing... You really took them all down alone." Hendrick, standing beside him, muttered in astonishment. What kind of man had Bain been? He had ruled this place through terror, effectively its king. Hendrick had thought it impossible for even any of the continent's three great mages to subdue them all single-handedly. Connected to various black markets and brokers across the world, they had boasted overwhelming armaments that no mage could easily penetrate.
"Now... what will become of this place?" If those men died, how would this land change? Could it truly change? Perhaps... only the one in power would be replaced. Hendrick did not view the situation with blind optimism. Human greed knew no bounds, and this place was an environment particularly vulnerable to that greed.
"Who knows? It will flow according to the goddess's will, won't it? What happens afterward is not for us to decide." Jenkinson, however, was unconcerned. No matter which way it changed, it would ultimately flow according to the goddess's arrangement. As servants of the goddess, they only needed to move according to her will. "Hah... You're right about that." Hendrick nodded at those words.
Whoosh! In that moment, the pyre was lit. The criminals, writhing in agony, looked like sinners burning away their sins in purgatory. "So what do you plan to do now?" Hendrick asked as he watched the flames roar. Jenkinson considered it. He might continue his work as an Inquisitor here, but—
[A new mission, Priest Jenkinson.] A pure white white-throated sparrowhawk that had landed lightly addressed him, and Jenkinson smiled as if he had expected this. He had roughly guessed that the Church wouldn't leave him stationed here indefinitely. "Come to think of it..." [Hm?] "It feels like His Holiness is treating me like some kind of living weapon." Silvestina replied matter-of-factly. [Did you think otherwise?] "...No. Well, what's the next mission, then?" He hadn't even been able to stay in Yoqheim for long before being moved again... While thinking this, Jenkinson quietly listened to the details of his next assignment. [Your next destination is Edenburley in York. Check the directive for details.]
At those words, Jenkinson took out the paper from the container attached to the sparrowhawk's leg and examined it. "...Honestly, receiving a request like this is almost welcome. Though given my position, this is what I should be doing anyway." This time, it was a simple adultery investigation. Jenkinson grumbled that it was rather pathetic how relieved he felt about that, but then made one suggestion. "About Sir Yusuba." [Hm? Why? You don't like him?] Jenkinson shook his head at Silvestina's question. "No... He's too competent. That's why I have something to ask." Jenkinson glanced at Yusuba behind him, then cast a spell so their conversation wouldn't be overheard before speaking. "What exactly does His Holiness want from me? Is it the growth of this new Holy Knight? Or is it to assist with my work?" [Both...] "If you give me that boring answer of 'both,' I'll quit the priesthood and return to my hometown right now."
At his firm reply, Silvestina sighed softly and pondered before answering. [Of the two, it's definitely the former.] Jenkinson said, "Then I'd like to request a transfer for Sir Yusuba. That friend is so capable that I don't think I have anything left to teach him." 'He gave that high an evaluation?' For Jenkinson, who was known for being harsh in his assessments of people, to rate someone this highly... Was Yusuba the real deal? Silvestina was slightly surprised, but soon nodded. [Alright. I'll submit the report right away. You should let Sir Yusuba know in advance too.]
Flap. Flap. When the conversation ended, the white-throated sparrowhawk flew off and disappeared. Jenkinson tossed the directive into the pyre to burn it and said, "Sir Yusuba. And Sister Asa. I have something to say to both of you." Yusuba immediately approached, while Asa, looking flustered, followed a moment later. That alone made the difference between them clear. "I believe His Holiness may have already explained why I accepted the two of you." "His Holiness simply told me to learn as much as I could by watching you, Priest." At Yusuba's answer, Jenkinson nodded. If he already knew, this was simple. "Sir Yusuba has already been judged outstanding enough that you no longer need further training, so your transfer has been decided. Please remain here for now and then move on to your next posting." "Thank you for the favorable evaluation." Even as he said this, Yusuba looked dazed, as if he couldn't quite believe he had truly passed.
"I..." When Asa carefully spoke up, Jenkinson smiled gently and said, "Sister, you'll need to work harder. If you continue like this..." Jenkinson's face was smiling, but his voice was ice cold. He continued with that frigid tone while maintaining his smile. "I suspect a dismissal will be decided before any transfer." "!" Only then did Asa realize the gravity of the situation. It seemed she had... made quite a poor impression on this priest. 'He doesn't seem like the type to give lenient evaluations after all...' Watching how Jenkinson treated Asa, Yusuba still wore a dazed expression. The way he dealt with her made it clear he wasn't someone who gave generous assessments. Yet Yusuba himself had already passed... It still didn't feel real.
"Honestly, if I could keep someone, I'd want to keep Sir Yusuba, but it can't be helped. Well then, Sister Asa, please prepare yourself. We'll be moving immediately." Jenkinson urged her on and began preparing to depart. Roughly throwing a black cassock over his ruined clothes, Jenkinson said, "I'll give you one minute to prepare." "Huh? What?" "59... 58..." As the flustered Asa saw Jenkinson actually start counting, she hurriedly began running back toward the church. Watching this, Yusuba couldn't help but laugh dryly at the hardships he could already picture her facing. 'So this place is saying goodbye too?' Yusuba gazed at the pyre where the criminals were screaming in agony and fell into thought. The lawless land would change. Bain's rules that had governed this place without law would disappear, and the Church's laws would take their place. Why did he feel a slight desire to stay and watch that change? Yusuba smiled at the thought. He didn't know what would become of him from now on. Honestly, he had no idea where he might be posted next. But... this much he could be certain of. No matter where he went, he would never be able to forget that priest.