Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Making Them Speak (2)
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Ting-
"The name is Bidelue... He says he's forty-seven."
How many was this now?
My vision had been blurring for a while.
My arms and shoulders throbbed with sticky muscle pain.
To the point where I couldn't lift my arms above my shoulders.
Ting-
"He registered a commoner's name on the church rolls and took their assets..."
How could the crimes be so varied...
They'd committed sins in ways I couldn't even imagine.
Fraud and embezzlement were the basics.
It was a relief there were no major crimes like murder.
Maybe some had killed people right under our noses.
"This guy's complete trash..."
This Bidelue was essentially a test proctor.
The one who tested qualifications when registering names with the church.
In simple terms, an interviewer.
And a nasty one who peddled positions for profit.
"...You think registering names like this builds divine power?"
Aluerd looked up from scribbling on the paper.
"That's how it's done in the church. It takes a long time before you can barely use divine power. Some priests who never gain it end up in administrative roles."
It was obvious plenty had registered this way.
A good chunk of the names coming to me now felt like that.
Whoosh-
I lit the paper with a match and picked up the next one.
Flutter-
My fingers lost strength, and the paper fell to the floor.
I picked it up again and began reading.
Ting-
"The name is Donelli... He says he's thirty-nine."
Well, well.
This one was a heresy inquisitor too.
He'd been registered for just over ten years.
Yet he'd climbed this high?
"How does someone without divine power rise this far?"
"...It's shameful, but..."
"Guess there's another way."
"High priests can infuse divine power through prayer, making it easier to build up than for others."
The process was complicated and difficult, but the conclusion was clear.
"Bought it with money."
This guy had merchant roots.
He'd probably pooled his family's wealth to join the church.
Then used it to bribe high clergy.
"This is a total dumpster fire..."
"..."
It might just be that I was getting the worst ones.
No group is spotless if you dig deep enough.
No place is full of the pure and upright.
It's a tough job.
But...
"The scale is way too big..."
Ting-
This kind had to be reported without mercy.
"He bought his church position with wealth, and his divine power the same way..."
Ting-
"Those involved include Victor, Helio, Basilea, and even up to Berte."
Ting-
The growing list of names made the rattle feel heavier.
Drip-
Plop-
The sound of severing ties with the gods.
Or maybe my blood dripping.
My ears were ringing, so I couldn't tell, but I soon knew for sure.
Drip drip-
Blood was pouring from my nose.
"...Chris! No more. You've already lost too much blood."
I pushed Serena away as she grabbed me and lifted the rattle.
"You're half-divine too..."
Serena was half-divine, at least.
Half-assed by my standards, but top-tier on this continent.
I started to say something to her, but ended up chuckling dryly.
What I'd been about to say was pretty ridiculous.
"Serena, don't do this stuff."
"...Chris?"
"Don't become a shaman. Your fate's too twisted."
Four pillars make the Four Pillars of Destiny, expanded into heavenly stems and earthly branches for the Eight Characters.
They're the same thing, really.
Straightening a badly twisted fate is "untwisting one's fate."
Actually unknotting and smoothing the wrinkles.
"But a shaman's fate..."
Dealing with others' grudges and impurities twists it...
Every incident unknots it, then retwists.
Shamans untangle, twist, fry, and boil it over and over.
"What kind of job is this..."
365 days a year.
No vacation.
Can't refuse dirty work.
Giving without reward.
How could I not warn Serena?
"Don't be a shaman. Quit being a high elf too."
"...Chris? You okay? Your eyes are glazing over."
Plop-
Bleeding from the nose all day stuffs it up.
I learned that today.
Ting-
"Give me a vacation after this."
Ting-
The rattle felt lighter this time.
If it'd been like this earlier, I'd have shaken it wildly.
"Next one."
Whoosh-
"Chris! At least heal with divine power..."
"That'll make it hurt worse."
It might stop the blood and refresh me now...
But I'd have to pay back the painless part later.
As I took the paper and reached for the rattle.
Serena's flute melody rang out.
"...Hm?"
Serena had a resolute expression, eyes closed, playing.
She wanted to share the burden.
"That's gotta be tough..."
Even I only got nosebleeds.
A normal shaman couldn't dream of it.
Severing ties defies reason.
They'd probably spew blood from every orifice on attempt.
Lucky the spirits stepped in directly; otherwise, even I couldn't.
Ting-
"The name is Garchea. He says he's fifty-three."
Drip drip-
Not mine this time.
Blood flowed from Serena's nose right after the name.
From her mouth too; it had started.
"...Told you it's hard."
Blood came when severing ties.
Ting-
"He cleverly ran a trading company using church rules..."
Ting-
"And embezzled temple construction funds to grow it."
After listing more crimes, the severing sound came.
And.
Trickle-
Blood poured from Serena's mouth.
The bloodied leaves made leaking sounds instead of rustling.
Her already pale face turned ghostly, veins showing.
"Gonna bag an elf today."
At least the rattle lightened a bit.
My nosebleed eased too.
It wasn't useless.
"Mages can share it too, huh."
Overkill for one flute, but...
If I recruited drummers and cymbal players later, they might help.
"Hey, how many left?"
"...Not even half."
"..."
"Half a day for this much? Done by tomorrow."
A bit more grit, and it'd be over quick.
But Aluerd said something odd.
"...Half a day?"
"Shorter?"
Time felt dragged by pain.
Aluerd made a weird face and spoke.
"A whole day has already passed."
"...?"
What?
A few rattles and papers, and a day's gone?
No breaks; impossible.
My actions couldn't fill that time.
"A day for this?"
Aluerd's face grew stranger.
Then I realized.
The candle burned super slow.
"..."
The new candle was already short.
"You shook the rattle incredibly slowly, Chris."
Not my usual quick shake?
"You spoke names slowly too."
No wonder my throat was so raw.
"And you recited crimes after a long pause."
Scenes flashing in my head took longer than I thought.
Like being entranced.
Serena nodded, confirming Aluerd.
"When's the oracle?"
"...No word yet."
Mountains of work.
These papers were prime sinners; more out there.
Just the key ones selected.
After this, making them speak...
Zing.
Flinch.
Glared at Aluerd; he startled, averted eyes.
"Hey."
"Y-yes...?"
"Pour some divine power."
"You said it'd hurt more earlier."
"A few days' sleep fixes it."
Passing out, sure.
"No need to rush."
"Why not? Battle's raging now."
"..."
Our elders must be suffering.
And for his sake, this was right.
Next pope; no sins before then.
"You take the holy knights and save everyone."
His expression had been off, but now shocked.
"Chris, you..."
"Hm?"
"Bleed like that yet try to save people."
Familiar look.
Elders' misunderstanding faces.
"Living for others, regardless of your own safety..."
Aluerd bowed deeply.
"Thank you. I learned something big."
Flash-
Light from Aluerd intensified.
Dazzling, radiant.
His grandpa's probably dancing somewhere.
One more glowing thing.
In Aluerd's arms.
"Hey, incoming message?"
"...Oh!"
Aluerd hurriedly pulled out the crystal orb.
A voice came.
"Lord Klein?"
"Their divine power will start scattering soon."
"All true."
One reason for their desperation.
They felt their divine power fading.
Advancing the oracle to dethrone the pope.
What preparations?
Supposedly not easy...
"Worst case..."
Aluerd's face hardened.
"Battle."
Ridiculous.
Desperate faction losing power.
Pope with no prep, low oracle chance.
Who lasts wins.
Ends in force.
I had to say it.
"What a joke."
"Handle it yourselves. You'll get the oracle anyway."
"That's why I'm here."
I took responsibility; now just make them speak.
Still much left...
More needless prep chatter, then cut off.
"Hey, Aluerd."
"Yes, Chris."
"Pour it all out, full holy power."
Serena's flute started, light burst from Aluerd.
Pay installment pain upfront...
Nothing for it but tank with body.
Ting-