Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: EP 2. Stone Mountain - Reversal Curse (Millia, Lena Brainwashing Corruption) (1)
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"Still no word?"
Lena asked, her voice laced with worry.
It had been over ten days since Lia had infiltrated the mansion disguised as a maid.
The fact that not even a single letter had arrived in all that time was undoubtedly strange.
Millia shook her head, her expression full of regret.
"Ugh... I knew we shouldn't have sent her."
Lena bit her lip, consumed by self-reproach.
Just thinking that she'd pushed a pure, justice-driven young woman into the jaws of death for her own convenience filled her with overwhelming guilt.
"I'll go check on her myself."
After deep deliberation, Millia finally spoke up.
"But what if something happens to you too...?"
"It's fine. No one in this city would dare lay a hand on me recklessly. Wilhelm may be a remote outpost far from the capital, but it's still under the Church's influence. If anything were to happen to me, that would actually be our opportunity."
"Even so...!"
Millia's words clearly implied she was prepared for the possibility of being harmed.
Knowing that, Lena hesitated.
In the worst case, they'd be sacrificing not one, but two people.
"Don't worry."
Millia smiled reassuringly.
"More than anything, I believe you'll come to save us if something happens. You've become a splendid knight now, after all."
Millia placed her hand over Lena's and gazed at her intently.
"Millia..."
That warm, gentle demeanor was exactly as Lena remembered.
Even though years had passed since then.
Back when she was still a trainee, Lena had passed through the area and stopped in Wilhelm. That was when she first met Millia.
Even then, Millia had been kind and considerate. She'd listened attentively to a mere trainee like Lena and treated her with proper respect.
Someone who extended mercy and love equally to all, without discrimination. That was Millia. Watching her, Lena had secretly aspired to become a cleric like that herself.
Tears welled up and trickled down. Embarrassed, Lena lowered her head and wiped them away with the back of her hand.
"It's okay."
Millia drew closer, embracing Lena and gently stroking her back.
"...When will I ever get strong enough?"
"You're already plenty strong."
Lena sobbed quietly in Millia's arms for a long while.
Finally, steeling her resolve, she looked up and said,
"Then... I leave it to you."
That afternoon, Millia visited the Lord's mansion.
Lena stayed at the church, waiting for her return.
Millia didn't come back even by dawn.
Lena sat on a chair in one corner of the chapel, fidgeting anxiously and tapping her foot.
Finally, as dawn was breaking, the church doors opened.
"Millia?!"
Lena jumped to her feet and spun around.
There stood Millia—though in an outfit so outrageously immodest it was hard to believe.
The priestess robes exposed far too much skin; calling it priestess attire at all felt like blasphemy in itself.
Her chest, and even her most intimate areas below, were fully visible through the sheer fabric.
"Why are you dressed like that...?"
"Oh, this? The Chief Steward—er, Master—lent it to me. A maid accidentally spilled wine on the clothes I arrived in. Luckily, he had something that suited me perfectly."
"Suited you? That outfit is... so vulgar!"
"My, which part exactly?"
"Well..."
Lena hesitated, unable to voice it aloud.
"How boring. Anyway, I met Lia at the mansion. She's doing wonderfully. She said she hasn't found anything suspicious there, and she actually likes working as a maid, so she'll be staying on. Guess she just forgot to send word."
"That doesn't make any sense..."
"And after meeting the Chief Steward myself, I realized all my suspicions were just ridiculous delusions. He's a wonderful man. The Lord is perfectly normal too. So, Lena, you should head back to the capital and report to the High Church that there's nothing wrong with the city."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Believe it or not, that's up to you. I'm exhausted; I'm going to bed. I was so busy enjoying the Chief Steward's hospitality today."
Millia brushed past Lena.
In that instant, Lena sensed something and grabbed her wrist.
"...What are you doing?"
"I can feel black magic emanating from you."
Millia scowled in annoyance.
"Are you suspecting me right now? Me, who's served as bishop here for over thirty years? Even as a Heretic Inquisitor, you can't forget that my influence in the Church far outweighs yours, right?"
Millia snapped.
Hearing that confirmed Lena's suspicions.
Millia relying on authority to threaten someone was utterly unthinkable.
"From what I see, you're not in your right mind. You're being controlled by black magic."
"And if I'm not? You don't have the authority to interrogate me formally."
Millia was right.
Heretic Inquisitors had the power to judge on the spot without trial, but only within the Church's strict limits.
And those limits applied only to commoners or low-ranking priests.
Interrogating a high-influence bishop like Millia without due process was blatantly illegal.
But.
"The Lady will know who's in the right."
Lena declared resolutely.
Suddenly, Millia struggled violently.
"Let go! I said let go!"
"Stay still. This is all to help you, Millia!"
"This is illegal! Guards! Help!"
Millia shouted.
As if there'd be guards in a place like this.
But in the next moment, as though they'd been waiting, the church doors burst open, and guards poured in.
They surrounded Lena in an instant, weapons trained on her.
"Ah, what luck. The Chief Steward anticipated something like this and assigned soldiers to ensure I got back safely. His foresight is truly sharp and precise."
Millia said with a wicked grin.
Lena realized too late.
"Ugh... It was a trap..."
"Everyone here, including me, saw the violence you unleashed. There is no escaping that. Come quietly, you criminal."
Millia sneered, glaring at Lena.
Lena weighed her options.
There were only about twenty guards encircling her.
Even if more waited outside, the chapel's layout wouldn't allow too many at once.
She could handle that number.
But the aftermath was the problem.
Right now, legitimacy was on their side.
Even if she escaped, the mission would fail, and she'd be branded a criminal.
...I have no choice, then.
"I surrender."
Lena released Millia's arm and raised her hands.
In the end, Lena was shackled by the soldiers and dragged to the Lady's mansion.
They arrived at the banquet hall.
There, scantily clad maids—including Lia, for whatever small mercy that was—thronged about. The Lady sat on her throne, and beside her stood the Chief Steward with hands clasped behind his back.
"So you're the one. Darling—no, my loyal, capable, and even handsome creation, the most perfect man the Lord ever made—Fabian. Not content with doubting him, you attacked an innocent bishop. Criminal. Apostate."
The Lady pointed accusingly at Lena, forced to her knees, and bellowed.
"Death! Death! Your crimes are heinous beyond measure! There is no need for a trial!"
Marina pounded the throne armrests in fury, roaring.
"My apologies, Your Grace, but executing a Heretic Inquisitor without due trial will surely provoke the Church."
The Chief Steward interjected calmly.
"You're right, of course. Ever reliable, Fabian.Then there is no helping it. Lock her in the dungeon for now; we'll judge her crimes later."
"A wise decision."
The Chief Steward smirked, stepping back before turning to Lena.
"...How long do you plan to keep up this ridiculous charade?"
Lena growled through gritted teeth.
"What was that?"
Marina asked.
"I'm talking to the man beside you. Chief Steward. My eyes aren't blind, nor my ears deaf. You think I can't smell the stench of corruption here, thick enough to cut off my nose? They're all your puppets, aren't they?"
Lena glared at the Chief Steward and shouted defiantly.
The Chief Steward curled his lip in amusement.
"Vicious slander. But let's say you're right. What can you do about it? Unarmed and bound."
"You don't know us at all. Why do you think Heretic Inquisitors act alone?"
"To avoid detection, probably."
"True enough. But fundamentally, we're a threat to cities when we gather in numbers."
Suddenly, an ominous aura emanated from around Lena.
Marina noticed it first.
"Subdue her!"
Marina leapt from the throne, shouting urgently.
But before the guards could act, a massive gust of wind blasted them all flying across the room.
Crack.
Lena snapped the iron chains binding her with sheer strength and stood tall.
"Unarmed... against this many?"
The Chief Steward scoffed incredulously.
"I am the fingertip of the Lord's guidance, the pale steed racing beyond the horizon. I am the Lord's weapon!"
As Lena cried out and raised her hand, thunder rumbled from outside. Lightning flashed, piercing the roof.
A blinding light seared everyone's eyes for a moment.
As the chaos subsided and dawn's silence returned to the hall, a longsword of pure light gleamed in the hand of the steel-armored Heretic Inquisitor.
"Raaagh!"
With a mighty shout, Lena charged the Chief Steward without hesitation.
She leapt high and swung down.
Clang.
Claaang.
But her blade never reached its target, blocked by a counter-swing.
"...Lia?!"
Blocking Lena's full-force strike was a maid in revealing attire.
An earthly angel, beauty unparalleled among the Lord's creations.
Lia, silver hair whipping, met Lena evenly with a silver longsword gripped in both hands.
"I won't let you harm Master, Lena."
Lia glared, her tone unyielding.
Lena sensed the dark magic radiating from Lia and frowned.
She'd fallen victim to something too.
"Kukuku... Hahaha... Good call listening to her, Lia. Your swordsmanship is no joke. Excellent. Crush this wench with that momentum! For me!"
The Chief Steward shouted.
Lia replied with a joyful smile.
"Yes, Master!"
Then Lia parried Lena's sword and counterattacked.
Her movements and speed were anything but ordinary.
Was she really that skilled with a blade?
Even then, this was beyond "skilled."
Lena was clearly on the back foot.
Despite being so much younger.
"Ngh...!"
"Die! Die!"
Lia swung relentlessly.
It was tricky partly due to their positions.
Unlike Lia's strikes laced with killing intent, Lena could only defend.
She knew Lia was brainwashed; she couldn't risk injuring her.
"Haaah!"
In that case.
As Lia swung powerfully from above, Lena deliberately shifted sideways, exposing her flank. She struck Lia's abdomen hard with the sword's pommel.
Blood spurted; a scream erupted.
Lia dropped her sword and collapsed.
"You think too little of what comes after."
Lena muttered, blood pouring from the gash in her armor.
It was deep but not fatal. Healing with holy magic later would suffice.
First, she had to finish this.
"Making Lia do this... I won't let you get away with it!"
Lena whirled toward the Chief Steward and roared.
"H-Hiiik!"
The Chief Steward screamed and stumbled back, falling.
As Lena stepped forward to approach him.
"Ugh...?!"
Dizziness hit her suddenly; she staggered.
"Heh... hehehe... Coated the sword... with poison."
Lia grinned from the floor.
"But don't worry. It won't kill you."
"This much...!"
Lena gritted her teeth, trying to stand.
In that moment.
"Holy Binding!"
⟨ Holy Binding ⟩
From behind, Millia shouted.
Bands of light appeared, wrapping around Lena and binding her tightly.
"Millia...?!"
"No more rampaging, Lena. Kneel quietly before Master."
As Millia yelled, the bindings tightened further, sending Lena crashing forward.
"Guh...!"
"Kuh... kukuku... Now that's more like it. Thought I was a goner, you bastard!"
The Chief Steward approached the bound Lena and kicked her viciously.
"How dare you! A worm like you! Try to kill me, a god among men!"
Thud, thud, thud.
The brutal kicks continued for a while.
"Gah!"
Suddenly, Lena jerked her head up and bit into the Chief Steward's shoe-clad foot.
"You insolent bitch!"
"Agh...!"
Enraged, the Chief Steward kicked Lena's face hard.
"The Lady will punish you! You wretch! Think you'll last long?!"
Lena cried out, tears in her eyes, voice breaking.
"Heh... hahaha... You still don't get it."
The Chief Steward, face drenched in sweat, burst into laughter.
"Here, I am god. And mark my words—you'll serve me too."
"Delusions...! I'd die first! Never! I won't submit to a villain like you!"
Lena screamed, her face bloodied and swollen, mustering every ounce of strength.
"We'll... see about that."