The Scales of Conscience
The deal with Belial Enterprise was swift and discreet. Before long, a dungeon had been installed in the Holy Empire's underground interrogation chamber. Cardinal Benedict gazed down at the paper in his hand. It was the dungeon's deed of ownership, accompanied by an enclosed user manual.
1. This school operates under strict school rules.
2. Violations of the school rules will result in immediate disciplinary action.
3. The company assumes no responsibility for any bodily harm or death resulting from violations of the school rules.
"Heh, school rules?" Benedict scoffed. Rules from a monster-less dungeon? He dismissed it as the typical bravado and deception of demons.
"A childish idea, just like something demons would come up with. 'You can't guarantee your life if you don't follow the rules'...?"
He crumpled the manual and tossed it to the floor. Rules didn't matter. What mattered was how efficiently this dungeon could shatter human minds.
"Are preparations complete?"
"Yes, Your Eminence."
At Benedict's question, the guard knight bowed. Behind him, five holy knights were dragged out in chains. Four men and one woman. Once, they had wielded swords in the name of God. Now, they were little more than prisoners disciplined for defying doctrine.
The holy knights' eyes still burned with life. Though prisoners in name, the divine power coursing through their bodies and their honed physiques proved they wouldn't break easily.
"I'll give you one last chance," Benedict declared solemnly. "Enter this dungeon, conquer the darkness within, and return alive. Do so, and your sins will be forgiven. You'll be reinstated as members of the knight order."
"......"
The holy knights stared silently at the dungeon. How it had appeared here was another matter entirely. Return alive from this dungeon, and they'd be welcomed back? They felt no fear—only the arrogance of those blessed by God, convinced nothing could touch them.
"Enter!"
As the guard knights unlocked the chains, the holy knights stepped into the dungeon. Their strides were confident. Benedict watched their retreating backs, arms crossed. How long could those sturdy fools last? Or would the dungeon be purified by their divine power instead? The thought even crossed his mind.
A moment later, the holy knights vanished into the dungeon's gloom.
Shwaaaaa—
The dungeon's interior was filled with the relentless downpour of rain. Darkness. Only occasional lightning pierced the surroundings. In its flash, a dilapidated, eerie three-story school building revealed itself.
"This is the dungeon?"
Valt, the burliest of the holy knights, muttered with a scowl. Once a valiant knight who smashed monsters on the front lines, this atmospheric dungeon struck him as laughable.
"Be careful, Valt. It could be a demon's trick," warned Cassius, this mission's leader, in a low voice beside him. Cold and calculating, Cassius had once been a candidate for knight commander. Though now a doctrinal offender reduced to prisoner status, his eyes remained sharp.
"Don't worry. I'll smash everything in sight, bro."
Valt snorted and took the lead. The others followed without tension. They crossed the muddy field unimpeded and reached the school entrance.
Kiiiek—
The glass door swung open, revealing a pitch-black hallway. Dust and mold assaulted their noses first.
"There's nothing here? No monsters, not even a rat."
Valt grumbled as he stepped into the hall—
Ding-dong-da-dong—
An ominous bell echoed through the entire school. At the same time, a figure emerged from the shadows at the hall's end.
Click-clack—click-clack—
A girl in a neat school uniform with an armband. Pale skin, hollow eyes. In her hand, sharp scissors—a disciplinary committee member.
"What's this girl? Undead?"
Valt approached with interest, but Cassius grabbed his shoulder.
"Stop. The aura... it's off."
Cassius sensed it instinctively. The energy from the girl wasn't the typical impurity of undead that divine power could cleanse. It was more complex, alien.
Then the disciplinary member spoke.
Her gaze swept over the five holy knights, lingering briefly on the sole woman, Rael.
"Ha! Hear that, bro? It's a girls' school. Guess we came to the wrong place."
Valt chuckled mockingly, but the disciplinary member's next words wiped the grin from his face.
Disciplinary members evolve with the rumors. Knowing precedents, she offered body modification almost courteously.
"What? Body modification?"
The holy knights murmured in confusion. But the member's eyes glowed red.
She raised the scissors. The blades glinted coldly in the lightning. Her gaze fixed on the male holy knights' lower bodies.
"Y-You crazy bitch, what the hell are you saying?!"
Valt roared in fury, grasping the implication.
"Daring to castrate holy knights?!"
He couldn't hold back, channeling divine power into his fist.
"Shut your filthy mouth!"
Valt charged at the disciplinary member. Cassius had no time to stop him.
"Valt! No!"
But Valt's fist passed straight through her body, as if slicing empty air.
Schwick—
A gruesome tearing sound filled the hall, followed by Valt's agonized scream. No time to dodge.
"Gaaahhhh!!"
Valt clutched his groin, rolling on the floor. Blood gushed between his fingers. And on the floor... a horrific chunk of flesh dropped with a thud.
"......!"
Cassius and the others froze. The unbelievable scene before their eyes. A knight armed with divine power had lost his most precious part without landing a blow.
The disciplinary member emotionlessly shook the blood from her scissors and turned to the remaining four.
Terror-stricken, the male holy knights backed away. But Rael was different. Clutching her trembling hands, she stepped forward.
"I-I'm... a woman."
The member's gaze turned to Rael. The red glow in her eyes faded.
The member stepped aside for Rael but kept her scissors trained on the men.
"Sorry... I'll go ahead."
Rael bit her lip and ran down the hall. Behind her echoed the desperate screams of her comrades.
Panting, Rael shoved open the door to Class 1-1.
Drag—
The classroom was pitch black. Lightning from the window cast grotesque shadows over the worn desks and chairs.
"Hah... hah......"
Rael's legs gave out, and she collapsed. Then—
Screeech—screeech—
A sound like nails on the blackboard from the front. Rael looked up. The teacher's desk was empty. But white chalk letters were appearing on the board by themselves.
[Period 1: Moral Education]
[Topic: The Weight of Conscience]
"Moral education...?"
As Rael puzzled over it, the back door creaked open. Blood-soaked Cassius and the other holy knights crawled in, groaning in agony. Their lower bodies were drenched in blood. Valt was already unconscious.
"A-Are you okay?!"
Rael started toward them, but Cassius waved her off.
"Don't come... Sit at your desk."
Cassius sensed it instinctively. Rules existed even in this classroom. The holy knights staggered to seats. As they sat, bizarre objects appeared on the desks: golden scales emanating an ominous aura. One pan held a black weight; the other was empty.
Remove from your body an amount equal to the weight of your sins.
Note: Imbalance results in failure.
"What... is this?"
The holy knights paled. This was no ordinary problem. Then, a black shadow rose behind the teacher's desk. A faceless figure in black robes. Nothing else could describe it.
"Class begins. Balance the scales according to your conscience."
The knights stared at the scales with trembling eyes. They didn't know the black weight's heft, but the idea of cutting their own flesh filled them with dread.
The rearmost knight screamed, slicing off his pinky finger.
Thud—
The severed finger landed on the empty pan. The scale tipped slightly but still favored the black weight.
"Not enough... not enough!"
Terror-stricken, he reached for another finger. But Cassius was different.
Damn it.
Before the castration, he'd tried to flee the building. But he couldn't. Some force sealed the doors—they wouldn't budge, wouldn't break.
He reread the problem.
'Remove from the body an amount equal to the weight of your sins.'
Body. It only said "body." Not explicitly "your own body."
A trap.
Cassius's eyes gleamed. This pretended to test morality but demanded ruthless survival. Cut your own flesh to atone, or someone else's?
His gaze fell on Valt, sprawled unconscious beside him from the shock. A useless comrade now.
Sorry, Valt.
Cassius stood without hesitation, drawing his sword from his belt.
"W-What are you doing?"
Rael gasped, but Cassius ignored her. He grabbed Valt's arm and dragged it onto the scale.
"You couldn't survive here anyway. Sacrifice for me."
Schwick—
A gruesome sound, and Valt's forearm severed.
"Gaaahk!"
Valt awoke screaming, but it was too late.
Thud.
The severed arm hit Cassius's pan. The scale wobbled violently, then balanced.
"Excellent."
The teacher clapped. Rael and the others stared in horror. Cutting off a comrade's arm to solve his own problem? Was that the act of a holy knight?
But Cassius sat calmly. His eyes were no longer human—those of a monster who could outdo demons to survive.
"What are you waiting for? If you want to live, hurry up."
At Cassius's cold advice, the remaining knights' gazes wavered. They fixed on Valt, writhing in pain.