The Nun Who Judges Heretics -1
Gornakh hadn't been appointed representative of the diplomatic envoy simply because of his eccentric tastes.
"Tell them we're resting here for today."
"Yes~"
Only those who'd actually commanded a difficult company could make judgments, issue orders, and prepare for a large mixed-race procession.
Luciel relayed Gornakh's words to the others.
As a result, the massive column came to a halt. At a single command from the orc, everyone moved in smooth coordination.
"Done much camping?"
"I was an adventurer before I became Guild Leader, you know?"
"And a bitch before that."
"Hey!"
Valeria bristled at Gornakh's words.
When she didn't have a cock in her, Valeria had just about this much of a temper.
When Gornakh stepped down from the carriage, the demons all took an interest in him — and in the woman riding inside that carriage.
"Oh, Captain. Already got yourself one?"
"Yeah. Looking's free, but if you touch her, I'll kill you that same day."
"Understood."
The demons seemed to have already figured out that Gornakh had "reclaimed" his slave.
"Valeria, walk around out here for a bit first. That way you won't go into heat just from being exposed."
"Wh-who's going into heat…!"
But he had a point.
Since she couldn't defy an orc's orders, she'd have to live in clothes like these for the rest of her life — she couldn't very well stay in heat forever.
"Come out."
Stepping free of the carriage, Valeria emerged outside in that highly revealing outfit.
"Ohhh!!"
Even if not every demon used sex slaves the way orcs did, a high-class female was an excellent prize for any man. And being able to dress a woman like that in clothes like those was proof of the bitch's submission to Gornakh himself.
"D-don't stare a hole through me! I'll kill you!"
Valeria shouted at the other demons.
In truth, if she put her mind to it, Valeria could beat several of them to death — anyone who wasn't Gornakh.
"Valeria, no hitting, okay?"
"Grr, I know."
"Of course, if anyone tries to touch you, you can hit them. You're my bitch, so no hands but your master's should reach you."
"I know that already…♡"
And so the camp preparations went smoothly.
No matter how privileged a life she'd lived, an adventurer's nature was still an adventurer's, it seemed. She set up her own spot very quickly and even helped prepare the envoy's meals.
"I said stop staring a hole through me! You perverted bastards!"
But neither the demons nor she herself seemed adapted to this outfit yet.
And I wasn't satisfied with camping again either.
"I miss the city."
"An orc who knows cities?"
"Never experienced one, so I miss them even more."
For Valeria this was a brief journey, but for me as an orc, this had been everyday life.
The food was adequate, but compared to city fare it wasn't even in the same league.
"Who was the cook at the Flower Garden again…"
One reason the Flower Garden had been so good was that I could enjoy the services of top-tier females there. But it wasn't an entirely empty dream.
So for now, sleep and look forward to tomorrow. Besides, I no longer had to worry about a cold empty side of the bed.
"Valeria, if you're tired you can sleep inside."
"Where are you going to sleep?"
Valeria asked me back.
"Orcs sleep fine on the roadside. Today I feel like camping myself."
"Then I'll sleep next to you."
"Hmm."
"O-outside is no good!"
Caught.
Of course, she was a woman who'd had her first experience in front of every orc — but she'd gone from the precious status of Guild Leader to becoming a slave, so this much consideration was fine.
"What, everyone's sleeping here?"
A succubus's characteristic high tension broke the mood.
"Then I'll sleep here!"
"Hey…"
Saying that, the succubus — neither the gift-giver nor the gift-receiver — went into the carriage and settled in to sleep.
"Something that's always bugged me. Why do succubi work at the Flower Garden?"
Valeria seemed to be airing an old complaint.
"Well, you can't exactly leave facility management to orcs. And they're the type who manage things well even without me around."
And succubi, being demons, kept their promises well. Though that flippant personality of theirs didn't seem to sit well with Valeria.
"Let's sleep."
"Yeah."
They slept in the same tent as if it were nothing.
If I don't do this now, more females will keep getting added…♡
Valeria had her own plans for this act.
And so the carriage set out again.
Seeing buildings here and there wasn't unusual. But a large carriage procession stopping at a cathedral wouldn't be considered ordinary.
"Those guys…"
"What about them?"
"Damn heretic inquisitors."
Valeria said, looking through the carriage window.
"Shit. If I'd known those bastards were here, I'd have taken a different route."
Valeria spoke with considerable irritation.
"Other clergy are fine, but a lot of those heretic inquisitor bastards are real pieces of work."
They spotted us and blocked the road ahead. I didn't have a good feeling about this.
"Those dogshit bastards."
Valeria just spat the curse right out. She was bold even in front of those who judged heretics.
Well, Valeria might look like a dumb woman, but she was a female who'd earned her own position.
"Excuse me."
"If you know you're being rude, how about moving?"
"He wishes to meet the master of this procession."
"Who?"
"That would be me."
A man in church robes, accompanied by what were clearly high-level holy knights, came into view.
"My, filthy demons setting foot on human lands."
"Then I could just go back and report to the Demon King that some idiot priest wrecked the whole deal. Fine by me."
Gornakh shot back.
After they exchanged the customary insults once each, the churchman smiled.
"But to keep demons from invading any further, this is unavoidable, I suppose."
"So can we just go, then?"
"Well, I'd like that too, but our Guild Leader traveling with you seems to need verification."
Valeria, who'd been hanging back out of embarrassment over her clothes, strode forward. She could do that because anger hit her before shame.
"Why me!?"
"You're traveling with demons… Naturally."
"Hold on, who the hell decided that?"
She's mine now. Who decided they could interrogate her?
"Would you mind not interfering in human affairs, demon?"
"Shouldn't you be asking whether it's okay to interrogate a woman of Guild Leader rank?"
As if I'd know anything about this side's church. During the war, light bombardments hadn't come raining from the sky, so I'd paid even less attention.
"You seem unaware, but heretic inquisitors have the authority to interrogate anyone."
"Does that apply to demons too?"
"Of course not. They weren't from here to begin with."
"If something like a subversive book turns up among my belongings, does it get confiscated?"
"As long as you don't spread it, it's fine. But why do you keep changing the subject?"
The churchman asked as if he wouldn't take any more of these strange questions.
"Because this is my property. So no."
"Property…?"
Valeria was flustered by those words. But under the contract, she could be treated as something like an orc's masturbation tool. And thanks to that, the churchman was considerably flustered too.
"See? So this is mine."
"Even so…"
"What is this commotion?"
The heretic inquisitor before us had seemed quite powerful, but a woman who seemed even more so appeared.
"Lady Heretic Judge!"
"It seems everyone is in a difficult situation."
"Well, that is…"
The face of the nun in sacred-looking robes was hidden behind a veil. Whether it was just a feeling or not, she seemed to radiate a halo.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Heretic Judge, holding the position that oversees the church's heretic inquisitors."
In this world, heretic inquisitors formally handled interrogations. Of course, rumor had it they also carried out summary executions, but that wasn't originally their right.
But the woman before us was different.
"How about we take some time to talk?"
Heretic Judge. It meant someone with the complete authority to determine heresy and dispose of it.
Had she come to truly judge Valeria?
"I'll lift the barrier on the cathedral, so everyone can rest and stay a while."
A proposal that looked dangerous to anyone, yet was semi-forced. Gornakh accepted the forced proposal.
But—
"Whatever happens, if anyone tries to take my slave from me, I won't let them go — no matter who they are."
"Of course."
Her face was hidden behind the veil so he couldn't see it properly, but that fake gentle expression only amplified the unease. The orc's instincts, never having met a smiling woman on the battlefield who turned out fine, pointed it out.
But even for him, having the Demon Realm — where rebellion was everyday life — go to war with the Human Realm was something he'd rather avoid.
"If not, I won't let it slide."
Gornakh had no choice but to willingly set foot in the church with his orc body.