Thus Saith Goddess Yustia (3)
Lilia. Half-demon, half-succubus.
Bible theft, blasphemy.
Surveillance and recovery target.
And.
Ellian, human.
Church assault, village warehouse plunder, numerous other criminal charges.
Priority arrest target.
When the knights first received the warrant, they scoffed at the thought of arresting him.
A madman, they said.
Those who mocked the faith and dared touch a church were usually one of two things: fanatics, or completely deranged. Well, in truth, they amounted to the same.
So they figured it would be easy. Just overpower him with force, and done.
…That's what they thought.
But then the knight captain realized there was no follow-up report, and his face twisted in unease.
Brunel Village?
Of course, a backwater dump.
On the fringes of the Lustia Holy Kingdom, barely a speck at the edge of the map—a tiny village. A cesspool where all manner of riffraff gathered. That was Brunel.
But that didn't mean it was uninhabited. Raiding a warehouse wasn't mere petty theft.
It meant tampering with the village's entire food supply.
There were guards, vigilantes, nightly patrols.
No one could pull that off alone. A sane human wouldn't even attempt it.
And yet…
"Alone…?"
He'd done it.
No support forces detected.
No accomplices.
The arrest target listed only one name: Ellian.
Ellian.
…
The knight captain's gaze quietly swept over him. He looked utterly ordinary. The kind of face you'd pass by thinking, just another villager.
But what was strange was the man's demeanor.
His breathing was steady, no sign of tension. He had no intention of fleeing from the start.
He stood as if there was no reason to be arrested. Did he not know he was a fugitive? No, someone who'd caused this much commotion couldn't possibly be unaware…
…Something's off.
The knight captain had faced countless wanted criminals over the years. He could usually size people up from their actions or words.
But this man…
His eyes weren't those of a madman. No fanatic gleam either. Not the face of a guilty man…
So the only conclusion left was one.
…
The being before him…
Was no ordinary human.
The knight captain steadied his breath and gripped his sword.
One instant. He'd strike the moment the man showed an opening. That was his only option.
That's when it happened.
…?
"Goddess Yustia… please forgive me if I must resort to violence."
The man called Ellian was praying to the heavens.
Praying? At a moment when his head might roll any second? To Goddess Yustia, no less… A Holy Light Church follower?
Stray thoughts flooded in, but the knight captain shook them off and refocused.
While he's praying… now? Could he take him down? No certainty, even with eyes closed.
Then.
Laughter erupted from the side.
"Ha, thinks a prayer will save him?"
One knight sneered and charged forward. The other two followed.
"Stop!"
Despite the captain's shout, they didn't halt.
"No! Sto—"
Before his words finished.
Thud, thump, smack.
Dull impacts rang out in succession.
Three times.
The charging knights collapsed simultaneously. Dust billowed up.
They lay face-down in the dirt, unmoving. The prayer hadn't ended. The man still had his eyes shut.
As if…
Nothing had happened at all.
Cold sweat trickled down the knight captain's spine.
Invisible.
What just happened…? No, how…?
An augmented human, flesh enhanced… Reports of forbidden modifications on the kingdom's outskirts came to mind. Heretical tech amplifying bones and muscles artificially.
But no. Even then, the movement should have been visible.
Such overwhelming power always had side effects.
Yet nothing emanated from this man.
Then…
Black magic?
The captain's eyes instinctively scanned the air around them.
No lingering mana. No spells, no catalysts, no traces. Magic would explain it.
But it didn't. Even if not a mage himself, he knew the theory well enough.
His heart pounded faster.
That left…
A pact with a demon.
Demon worshipper.
Those who borrowed power beyond human limits.
His throat went dry.
If that's true…
This was beyond a knight order's paygrade.
He needed the heretic inquisitors.
The thought reached that point, and he couldn't stop his fingertips from trembling.
Then.
The man finished praying and spoke.
"Will you… continue?"
No mocking sneer. No threat.
Just the pure, literal meaning.
The knight captain couldn't reply. His gaze dropped instead. To his sword hand.
…Trembling.
His breath caught, as if choked.
Me…?
Decades on the battlefield.
Fought monsters, quelled rebels, stared death in the face countless times.
Never once had fear shaken him in those moments.
Yet now.
Before a mere unknown human…
His body knew fear first.
Only then did he realize. Instinct was screaming a warning. You cannot win.
Not reason, but raw instinct told him.
He couldn't reach that being. The fight would end before he could swing.
He could flee. Regroup now, report up the chain, request inquisitors.
The rational choice.
…But.
The knight captain drew a slow breath. Regripped his sword. The shaking didn't stop.
Still… he didn't drop it.
"The knight order…"
One step forward.
…"does not retreat."
Another step.
Fear lingered. Heart still thundered.
Yet.
He didn't stop.
Sword tip rose straight.
And.
Toward the man before him.
…"In the name of the Holy Kingdom."
He charged.
…"The brave do not retreat even amid fear, and their steps shall be recorded before the light."
A verse from the Holy Light Church.
How could I scorn or mock a man who'd mustered his courage to act on his convictions? I felt genuine awe for him.
After a moment of silence, I turned. Lilia leaned against the wall, staring blankly at the scene.
"Are you all right?"
Lilia hesitated before speaking.
…"Why."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"Why'd you save me?"
She paused, then continued.
"You could've just run off alone. Ditch someone like me."
Loneliness tinged her words.
…"I just did."
Short answer.
Lilia's brow twitched.
"Think that'll fly?"
She approached, arms crossed.
"Tell me what you want as reward. I'll make it happen."
But she hesitated, averted her eyes, and muttered,
…"M-my body… is off-limits."
"No need."
I refused outright. I'd done it without expecting reward anyway—and they were after me, most likely.
Lilia froze.
…"What?"
Her expression twisted oddly.
"Nothing you want? How…"
I cut her off.
"If you feel indebted to me."
I glanced down the alley, then back.
"Pay that debt to others."
Looked at her again.
…"What do you say?"
Lilia fell silent for a moment.
She didn't fully grasp it.
But she shrugged eventually.
…"Dunno what you're on about."
She sighed softly.
"Fine."
As she turned and left the alley, I followed suit.
Still work to do.
A stroke of luck.
At least, that's what Rate, boss of the thugs, thought.
He swept the silver coins off the table once more.
Clink.
The pleasant jingle filled the room.
Lilia.
Handing that headache over to the Holy Kingdom's knights had been perfect.
Keeping a half-demon around too long just bred trouble. Sure, she had a pretty face and figure, but she never seemed keen on playing along… Better to cut loose before getting attached.
Plus, the bounty was fat.
Enough for days of booze and gambling.
"Ha, gotta use your head…"
His words cut off.
Noise outside. At first, he thought it was just his goons yapping…
No.
Thud.
Something fell.
A groan followed.
…"What the hell."
Rate's face hardened.
Boom—!
Closer this time.
Thump.
Definitely a body hitting the floor.
Rate glared at the thug beside him.
"Hey."
…"Y-yeah, boss?"
"Go check."
The thug's face stiffened.
"N-now?"
"I said go!"
At the barked order, the thug swallowed a curse and headed to the door.
The door creaked open.
…"Hey? What the—"
Crack.
Something snapped horrifically.
And.
Thud.
Only the sound of a heavy weight dropping remained.
The boss's neck stiffened slowly. Breath quickened.
…"Wh-who's there."
No answer.
Instead.
The door eased open.
A man slipped through the gap.
Gripping one thug by the collar.
Limp body, conscious but utterly unable to resist.
The man casually set him aside.
Drop.
Light as unloading baggage.
Then he stepped into the room, one foot at a time.
Rate's heart pounded wildly.
The man spoke.
"Goddess Yustia loves all people."
Rate's escape calculations froze. What the fuck is this guy on about?
…"Therefore."
The man's gaze slowly swept the room.
"You all must repent as well."
One step closer.
"If you've sinned, repay it with equal good deeds."
Another step.
…"For the light does not turn away even those who find it late."