Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: 8. MacDullin Abbey (7)
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Unable to hold back any longer, Marie stepped forward, unleashing a barrage of savage curses.
Ian, who had stood up so confidently moments before, now sat back down casually, as if nothing had happened.
Vivian pretended not to notice.
All eyes turned to the small woman with brown curly hair, her sleeves rolled up all the way to her elbows.
Marie boldly blocked Salome's path.
"Hey, you fucking bitch. Why the hell are you taking it out on them?"
Despite her small stature forcing her to look up at Salome, she showed no sign of intimidation whatsoever.
"You got a yellow slime in your skull instead of a brain? If you wanna bitch about something, go hassle the ones who ranked you. Why drag innocent people into your shit?"
"Wha...?"
"And why drag everyone else into this? Is this some kinda performance art showing off how you got no fucking manners? Deal with your own goddamn problems first, then take it up with someone worth complaining to! Don't throw your tantrums in front of a crowd!"
"You crazy...!"
Salome raised her hand as if to slap her.
"Oh yeah? Gonna hit me? Go ahead, hit me. FYI, I'm not a superhuman or anything—just a regular person. I saw you in the exam; you're pretty strong, huh? Bet my head'll spin right off and I'll drop dead on the spot. Sounds fun, right? Come on, hurry up and hit me."
Salome's hand froze in midair.
But Marie pressed even closer, thrusting her face right up to Salome's.
"Hit me, you goddamn mutt!"
Marie smirked as Salome stumbled back.
Then, just as Salome had done, she scanned the crowd, drawing everyone's attention.
"Alright, everyone! Third place in the MacDullin Abbey public exam, Salome, is about to demonstrate slapping a regular person to death! Enjoy the show! Hey, this what you wanted, right? Isn't it? Now hit me already, you fucking coward—hit me!"
"This isn't allowed!"
Lydia rushed in late to intervene, but Marie didn't budge.
"Not allowed my ass! You've been standing there with your arms crossed, watching shit go down, and now you pretend to do your job?!"
Vivian clung tightly to Ian's arm.
Kati shot her a glare.
"I-Ian... I'm scared..."
"...Me too."
Watching Marie go off like that cooled Ian's anger a bit.
Still, he vowed to himself not to get on her nerves from now on.
Vivian felt the same.
"Enough! Stop it, both of you!"
Miriam hurriedly wedged herself between them.
Marie huffed, still seething, glaring alternately at Salome, Miriam, and Lydia.
Her gaze finally fixed on Salome.
"Spineless little brat..."
Marie ruffled her hair irritably and strode over to Helena and Rachel.
The two looked even more terrified than they had facing Salome.
"Tch... See that? All bark, no bite—that bitch is nothing. Idiots like her fold when you come at 'em hard. Keep that in mind."
With that advice, Marie returned to the seat beside Ian.
"Marie, if I did anything wrong, just tell me straight up."
"...Huh? Ugh! What's this all of a sudden? I'm not some reckless psycho, you know?"
'...Feels like you are.'
Before the tension could fully settle, a heavy thud echoed through the exam hall.
It was the clanking of plate armor.
Everyone's eyes turned to the entrance.
There stood Holy Knights draped in red cloaks.
The meaning of those red cloaks was clear.
Holy Throne direct Holy Knights.
Known as the sword of God, they were also called "Razry."
They served exclusively under the Holy Throne, undertaking any dirty work for the Holy Flame Church without hesitation.
They even handled internal dissent within the Church.
Thus, they doubled as "Inquisitors."
Lydia and even Miriam froze at the sight of the Razry.
One of the five stepped forward as representative.
The other four stood like statues behind him.
"Razry Captain."
They had no personal names.
Dedicating themselves to God meant forging only their will, shedding emotions and individuality.
They were simply called Razry, or Holy Throne direct Holy Knight Order.
The captain glanced briefly at Ian before turning away.
No need to acknowledge each other here.
"Lesser Flame Miriam, Abbey Head of MacDullin Abbey..."
"L-Lesser Flame Lydia, dispatched Holy Knight..."
The others bowed their heads in turn to show respect.
"We received an anonymous report of heretical acts disrupting doctrine here at MacDullin Abbey."
Miriam's jaw dropped, and Lydia went pale as a ghost.
"And."
The captain's gaze shifted to Salome.
His silver-white armor and helmet trimmed in bright yellow exuded a holy yet oppressive aura.
"Salome."
"Y-Yes, yes...?"
Her voice trembled, moist with fear.
Even the innocent couldn't help but quake before the Razry.
They were equivalent to the Empire's "Military Police."
To be precise, the Military Police modeled themselves after the Razry.
Bound by doctrine forbidding murder, they still inspired more ghost stories than the Military Police.
After all, they believed anything short of killing was fair game.
"Just now, Sister uttered the blasphemous phrase 'selling one's body' toward an Apostle."
"Ah, s-sorry, it was my mistake..."
"Depending on severity, we exercise summary inquisition rights."
The Holy Flame Church conducted heresy hunts openly, never in secret.
As the inspiration for the Military Police, they handled matters grandly and publicly.
"Execute."
No sooner had the captain spoken than four Holy Knights rushed forward, forcing Salome to her knees.
"W-Wait, I'm sorry, sor—! Gasp!"
The captain shoved a confession potion into her mouth.
Soon, drool spilled from Salome's lips alongside a stream of names—abbey staff including Lydia who had turned a blind eye, and the direct perpetrators who tormented Helena and Rachel alongside Salome.
The silent exam hall filled with her confessions.
"All involved parties will be detained."
One by one, people were dragged forward at the captain's command.
Miriam was not among them.
"Ian, did you plan for even this...?"
Mercy asked cautiously.
"Not quite to this extent..."
Yesterday, Ian had sent Mercy to deliver a letter to the Razry.
He hadn't mentioned heresy or anything specific.
Just that the abbey seemed suspicious—please check it out.
'Heresy, huh... Could be interpreted that way.'
Holy Flame Church followers viewed every believer as part of God.
Insulting or assaulting a fellow believer was tantamount to doing so to God.
Depending on degree and interpretation, it could qualify as heresy.
But blaspheming an Apostle made such debates irrelevant.
The Razry Holy Knights escorted the detainees away under another nun's guidance.
In the ensuing chaos, Miriam hurriedly wrapped things up.
"If anyone has questions about the ranking process, please come to me directly. This concludes the MacDullin Abbey public exam. Thank you all for participating."
The audience split into two groups.
Those heading to Miriam with questions, and those approaching the nuns with offers.
Naturally, Helena and Rachel drew the biggest crowds.
With five passers missing from the qualified list, even more people swarmed them.
Watching the two swept up in the throng, Marie propped her chin and muttered.
"Hmm. Wonder if Rachel took a liking to me..."
"...Wha—no, nothing."
"You just thought 'that materialistic bitch,' didn't you?"
"Absolutely not."
"Well, fair enough. Truth is, I just charged in 'cause I was pissed earlier. But now that I think about it, if she fell for me over that, it'd be kinda nice..."
"Do you always charge in first when you're pissed?"
"Obviously. Why hold back when you're mad?"
"...Normal people don't go that far. Watching you makes it seem like you've got nine lives."
"I've only got the one—why hoard it?"
Her words were bold and spirited, yet carried a faint bitterness.
"Too many people around Rachel... Gonna scout some other nuns."
Marie stood first.
"What if Helena goes off somewhere else?"
Vivian asked.
"She promised to come with me, so she won't."
"True... Kinda cute now that I look closer—like an orange."
Strawberry Vivian said.
"What do you think? We'll need them to work together going forward."
"Well... You picked 'em, Ian. No need to doubt."
Ian felt that deep trust reaffirmed once more.
"So, the Vivian I picked is definitely top-tier—no doubts there?"
"......"
"Even better than Sylvia..."
"Stooop..."
Ian grinned mischievously at the embarrassed Vivian.
While Ian bantered with Vivian, Helena found herself in a bind.
A swarm of people showered her with attention.
Craving her attention in return.
Helena wasn't thrilled by the situation.
It made her uncomfortable.
Her mind was filled only with thoughts of Ian.
'Ian...'
His gaze had been special.
Helena had never once been recognized for her abilities.
'The former manager of the 1st Hero Party. The man who was with Lady Aria...'
He had seen her functional value.
Acknowledged the useless self she had despised.
She had promised to follow him like she was entranced, but only now did conviction truly settle.
She wanted to follow Ian.
Sincerely.
She wanted to know what he saw in her.
'I want to see it too.'
Helena's reaffirmed resolve led her gaze far off to Ian.
He was turning to leave with the red-haired woman he'd come with.
'Huh? Where, where are you going...?'
Ian was simply stepping aside so Helena could enjoy her newfound popularity in peace.
He planned to return once the fuss died down.
But Helena, unaware, suddenly felt anxious.
'Gotta grab him... But how?'
"If you don't have a group yet, join us..."
"I've trained plenty of temporary heroes at the Managers' Guild..."
"S-Sorry! I already have someone I'm joining!"
"Huh? Already?"
"Who?"
Bombarded by questions, Helena's mind reeled.
The crowd's momentum stabbed at her skin; the voices pouring toward her amplified, threatening to burst her eardrums.
To cling to her fading consciousness, Helena shouted whatever came to mind.
"I-I belong to Ian...!"
......
Ian halted mid-step and whipped around.
Mercy and Vivian stared at Helena in bewilderment.
Kati turned her head very slowly—chillingly—to glare at the woman who'd just said that.
All eyes converged on the now-stopped Ian.
Helena sweated bullets, pleading for help with her eyes.
'Since we're taking her, take responsibility, huh.'
A chuckle escaped at her adorable panic.
'Don't wanna keep her waiting?'
That was his role, and he'd planned to do it anyway.
He had to be someone his party members could rely on.
He knew that well.
'Fuck it, let's do it.'
Ian walked toward Helena, Rachel, and the crowd around them.
'Man, she's got some serious impulse issues. Kinda figured from how she bolted out at our first meeting.'
Ignoring the stares, Ian boldly pushed through the throng straight to Helena.
"Well, yeah, it's true. She's already agreed to join me..."
"Yes! I belong to Ian!"
"No, that's not what I—"
"She said I caught her eye!"
Ian eyed Helena, whose impulses had escalated into full meltdown.
Her eyes lost focus slightly.
'Gonna need to watch her mental health too...'
He just thought that and left it at that.
"I seeee..."
Vivian's low murmur chilled the nape of his neck.
At the same time, Kati's glare shifted from Helena to Ian.
Helena was the one in trouble, yet suddenly Ian was the one in hot water.
"There's a misunderstanding here..."
Watching, Mercy sighed and shook her head.
"All karma from your deeds..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The two who had just arrived at MacDullin Abbey.
Sylvia and Aria first scanned the interior with their hearing.
A technique to search unseen areas by maximally enhancing hearing with mana.
A skill learned from Ian.
While filtering for Ian-related info.
-I-I belong to Ian...!
Those words reached their ears.
"Ian's... thing?"
Sylvia muttered as if chewing the words to dust.
"Who the hell gave permission...?"
Compared to the wide-eyed Sylvia, Aria seemed composed—but only on the surface.
Deep down, she found the situation ridiculous, letting out an inner sneer.
'Couldn't have her, so you chased her off... and now we meet again like this.'
A bitter laugh escaped at the absurdity.
'Where the hell did it all go wrong...'
The 1st Hero Party's two members.
Sylvia and Aria had arrived.