The Judge (1)
The Judge (1)
Things had gotten tangled, but it didn't matter. Who was I? This wasn't even a crisis.
There's always a way out, no matter how bad things get.
"Untie this! Untie it right now!"
"Shut your mouth, you little shit."
After knocking him unconscious with a smack, I looked at Mierkant. He'd heard what happened last night, and his mouth was still hanging open.
"...It was my negligence."
"That's not what matters. Even if I say this bastard tried to rape Irene, the higher-ups will obviously try to bury it. They'd sooner drag me off for assaulting an apprentice priest."
"I'll protect you, even if I have to take all the blame myself."
"There's no need for that."
I refused flatly. That wouldn't do. I'd beaten a senior priest with ties to headquarters and was about to be branded by the whole church, and I was supposed to settle for merely proving my innocence?
Once I was branded, a dispatch to church headquarters was as good as impossible—at least through legitimate channels. Whatever happened, that bishop would pull strings.
So I couldn't settle for that. Since things had already come this far, my goal was to get into church headquarters one way or another.
At the very least, I needed a reason to set foot there.
I probably couldn't take most of the sacred relics, but I could secure just one. Because I had "that"!
"Since it's come to this, let's raise the stakes."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm asking the church to open a Divine Trial."
"What...?"
Mierkant's eyes went wide. Then his shoulders slumped and he shook his head.
"Zahard. I don't know where you heard of a Divine Trial... but do you know what it means?"
"It's a formal way to decide who's right and who's wrong, isn't it?"
"A Divine Trial isn't opened over something like this. Assault between apprentice priests is a minor matter. Divine Trials are reserved for issues that affect the church as a whole."
"What if this guy did something serious enough to affect the whole church?"
"...What did you say?"
"Look at this."
I handed him the guy's gambling records and brothel records.
"Isn't this big enough to warrant a Divine Trial?"
"Where did you even get this..."
"That's not what matters. What do you think?"
"......"
Mierkant stroked his beard.
"...Even so, this isn't enough. Beverick's father, Bishop Brody, will obviously bury it. This is small enough for a bishop to suppress. It's a personal matter. Even without his interference, it would end in disciplinary action long before it ever reached a Divine Trial."
"Right. This wouldn't be enough, would it?"
"Yes. Then forget about the Divine Trial—"
"There's one more thing."
"What do you mean?"
"The money Beverick brought back after his pilgrimage."
I glanced at Mierkant.
"He didn't bring you a single coin, did he?"
"......"
Mierkant froze. He glanced at the unconscious Beverick.
"B-but... I heard he collected almost nothing on the pilgrimage and spent even that on travel expenses...?"
"Small, my ass."
I handed Mierkant the last document: the approximate amount Beverick had collected during the pilgrimage, along with testimony from residents of other cities who had donated to him.
I'd badgered that Matier bastard to gather all this. But it had been worth it.
"He's pretending there's nothing left because he spent it all, but he definitely collected donations during the pilgrimage. And the evidence is solid."
If he'd merely gambled or visited brothels with his own money, that would only merit ordinary disciplinary action.
But what if he'd spent 'public funds'—donations meant for this branch and for church headquarters?
That was embezzlement!
"What do you think?"
"......"
Mierkant fell silent. He set the documents down and thought for a moment.
"...Zahard."
"Yes."
"You're right. This is enough evidence to demand a Divine Trial. Even Bishop Brody won't be able to bury it easily. But separate from that... do you understand what this means?"
Mierkant murmured.
"This is whistleblowing. It's different from simply carrying out justice. Even if the guilty are punished... the one who exposed them will be seen differently. The church is supposed to be one body. Whistleblowing means setting yourself apart from that unity."
"I know."
"Your future could be ruined. People will look at you as a traitor wherever you go. Think carefully. Beating Beverick might follow you for a few years at most. If you keep your head down, the criticism will eventually fade. But this whistleblowing could follow you for the rest of your life."
What did a few years matter when the world might be destroyed in that time?
I quietly clasped my hands. I closed my eyes, pretending to pray.
"It's fine. Ra teaches that the flame of justice may dim, but it never goes out."
"...Ah. How could such a devout child..."
Mierkant clasped his hands and offered a short prayer in return. When he looked down at me again, something in his gaze had changed.
"Very well. But on one condition. I'll submit it under my name, not yours. I won't stand in the way of a child with such a bright future."
"...Under your name?"
"With this evidence, I can make it work. I'm only the caretaker of a branch the church has practically abandoned anyway."
Mierkant smiled warmly.
"One more stain on my reputation won't change anything."
"......"
Why was everyone here so eager to sacrifice themselves?
I sighed. I appreciated the sentiment, but ending it that way would leave a bad taste in my mouth. More importantly, I wouldn't get what I needed.
Since I was directly involved in the assault, getting to church headquarters was already as good as impossible. Unless I used the Divine Trial as a pretext, I wouldn't be able to set foot inside.
I had to go.
It absolutely had to be filed under my name! That way I could enter headquarters as the whistleblower!
"Priest Mierkant."
"I won't accept objections."
"If that's what you want, I won't stop you... but what about Irene?"
Mierkant flinched. For some reason, it also seemed like someone outside the door was startled.
"What... do you mean?"
"You're the one teaching both of us. If you get directly involved, it could hurt Irene as well as you."
"That... is true."
"I don't want that. Irene has done so much for me. I can't let everyone else suffer because of something I did."
I made my eyes sparkle pitifully. I deliberately mixed a tremor into my voice so it would be heard.
"This is something I did alone. I'll take responsibility alone. So that no one else gets hurt."
"Zahard... you brat..."
"I won't forget that you took me in, or that Irene taught me."
Let's call it even with this. For feeding me and putting me up—all of it!
"Let me repay what you've done for me."
"...I."
Mierkant's voice trembled. He rose from his chair, walked over, and embraced me.
"In my final years... I've taken in an unbelievable child... O Ra... please let this radiant soul... know only light..."
I sighed as he stroked my head through his tears.
Well, it worked out somehow.
Right. Now that I'd done it, this was the best option. Take one sacred relic from the church, and while I'm at it, quietly steal anything else worth getting...
Use the pilgrimage as an excuse for a trip through the north! Then bolt straight to the Academy! The Divine Trial would get rid of that thug too, and I'd finally say goodbye to this branch for good!
I smiled quietly at my perfect plan. Yes, yes.
A crisis is an opportunity!
. . .
Mierkant summoned the judge. Irene had been acting strangely awkward around me, so I left her alone and went about my business while I waited for the judge to arrive.
My training was also nearing its final stage. I had raised everything that could be raised, and as a result of seeking out Surtr every night to train, most of my skill grades had risen significantly.
The level increase was a bonus.
[Zahard Balton] [Level: 16]
[Race: Human] [Class: Apostle of the Sun God]
[Class Unique Skills]
-Sun God's Love: Sun-God-related skills you possess grow rapidly.
-Sun God's Grace: Your Sacred Power recovers rapidly.
-Sun God's Blessing: You can handle the Sun God's Sacred Relics without risk.
-Sun God's Prayer: You are immune to mental corruption.
[Possessed Skills]
-Sacred Mark (C): Grants resistance to all Demonic Force. Can grant a Sacred Mark to others. (5/5)
-Divinity (C): Can draw upon the Sun God's divinity.
-Healing (C): Can recover even major injuries without difficulty.
-Blessing (C): Increases resistance to status ailments and prevents easy agitation. Physical abilities increase, and Sacred Power temporarily increases.
-Ember (C): Produces fierce flames.
-Prayer of Fire (C): Praying maintains body temperature for a set duration. Physical abilities improve.
-Holy Water Production (C): Infuses water with Sacred Power. Activates the body's healing power and increases resistance to Demonic Force.
-Sacred Barrier (C): Creates a barrier. Protects the body and blocks intrusion of external forces.
-Weapon Blessing (C): The sword becomes sharper. Sacred energy dwells within it, and durability increases.
-Purification (C): Expels curses and purifies the corrupted.
-Song of Fire (C): The Sun God Church's foundational swordsmanship. Flames rise at the sword's tip.
-Meat Cooking (C): Grills meat deliciously.
-Crown of Ash (EX): Offering tribute raises the grade of Sun-God-related skills.
"Heh heh heh."
Consistency is what matters! Exactly! I love seeing all those C-ranks!
To reach skills above C-rank, ordinary training alone wasn't enough. Most combat skills had limits when trained alone.
Combat!
That was the only shortcut to raising a rank. Once a skill reached C-rank, training it alone barely raised proficiency at all.
In other words, I'd effectively hit my current limit. I could fight for real if I had to, but...
It didn't matter right now. It was better not to. Anyway, once I went to church headquarters and obtained "that sacred relic," I'd have to replace most of my current skills.
Good thing I'd already cleared the Church of Ra achievements... Otherwise I'd have had to drag myself through the dirt raising skills I was only going to throw away.
Knowledge really is power! You bet!
"Well then, let's see..."
What needed doing? I suddenly thought of Black Steel.
Their boss, Matier, now groveled at a single word from me. Whether because he'd felt the difference in power, he didn't even think about defying me anymore.
To be precise, it was as good as fearing the loyalty Hector's crew showed me.
I went to see Hector and the others for the first time in a while. They looked completely different from before. They'd visibly bulked up, and even their clothes had been replaced with fairly expensive combat gear.
They looked almost like mercenaries.
"...Boss. You came?"
Hector looked up from inside the tavern. Something about the mood around him was unusually gloomy, so I took a seat.
What's he tilting back? It's a tavern, so... alcohol?! Isn't this brat a minor?!
"You, that's alcohol..."
"It's barley tea."
A diligent brat in the weirdest places.
The hand pouring the alcohol—no, barley tea—felt strangely heavy. I glanced at him and asked.
"Is there some kind of problem?"
"...Boss. What do you do when you hit a wall?"
"A wall?"
"Something feels different from what I expected. I used to get stronger faster... now it feels like I'm stuck in the same place."
"Me too."
"I used to get hooked on the feeling of getting stronger... now I just feel stuck."
"Huh? What? You guys too?"
"M-me too..."
These brats.
So it was a slump?
I'd noticed they seemed listless, but I hadn't expected this to be the reason. I wanted to sneak a look at their stats, but I couldn't. Even peeking at someone else's stats required a skill.
Well, I could still figure out the general reason. It was obvious without looking. A plateau, huh...
They must have been near max proficiency, right on the verge of a skill ranking up.
"Hector. Come out."
"Huh?"
"Hey. Talking back?"
"I-I'll come out."
I dragged Hector outside and sparred with him for a bit. After making him eat dirt a few times, I had a rough sense of his level.
Around level 10. And his Sacred Power was... somewhere near E-rank. A little more growth and he'd reach D-rank.
I dusted off my hands. Hector, who'd tumbled for the first time in a while, spat dirt from his mouth.
"This too... it's been a while..."
"Yeah. It's been a while. I'll be leaving completely before long, so this might be the last time."
"...What? What do you mean?"
"Everyone, line up. Before this instructor bestows his teachings, I have something to tell you."
Even after so long apart, they still obeyed orders just as quickly as before. I looked over each face as they scrambled into formation.
"Hector. Pavel. Linden. Mari. Mitasha."
"It's Natasha!"
"You're all praying diligently three times a day, right?"
"You're the one who ordered it, Boss. We're doing it."
I leaned against the wall. After hearing Ra's words, my goal had been completely set.
Managing the main NPCs who might fall to corruption.
I would absolutely need outside help to do that—people who could act as my hands and feet.
But whether these brats would follow me that far was uncertain. If they wanted to settle into their current lives, well...
There was no need to drag them along if they didn't want to come. I'd basically be pulling them into battlefields where they'd constantly walk the line between life and death.
"You guys. Are you happy?"
"...You're getting all serious. Doesn't suit you, Boss."
"Do you have money you've been skimming behind my back?"
"I don't...?"
"I can hear you. Stop whispering and answer me. Are you satisfied with your lives now?"
Hector blinked. They talked among themselves, then nodded.
"Of course. We're much happier than before. Even if our skills have plateaued, we don't go hungry anymore."
"Yeah? So you'll keep living here?"
"What do you mean?"
"So, I'm going far away this time."
"Did you cause trouble?"
I smacked Hector on the head. At the sound of his skull cracking, he staggered.
"Show some respect for your boss."
"Y-yes..."
"Anyway, I'm going far away this time. Probably south."
"...You're not coming back?"
"I'll come back. But even if I do, I'll leave again soon. After that, I might not come back here at all."
"Why?"
"Because I have to do something dangerous."
I glanced at the seated brats.
"So here's the deal. You have two choices. This time, unlike before, you decide for yourselves. Got it? And I'm telling you up front—there's no penalty either way."
"What are you trying to make us do..."
"Shut up and listen."
"Yes, sir."
"First option: stay here and live your lives. Keep getting stronger, and eventually you can take over most of this city. Matier's pretty capable, as you know. All he ever lacked was muscle. If you work with him, taking over the city's underworld shouldn't be too hard. Maybe... three or four years?"
"What's the second?"
"The second is..."
I grinned.
"You'll see a world you've never seen before. Sometimes you'll eat food mixed with mud, survive one brush with death after another, and fight the evil trying to destroy the world."
"...What is that?"
"I don't know what it is either. But I know one thing. The opponent I'll be fighting is fucking strong."
Every main NPC was either a monster or someone destined to become one. They were natural disasters in human form. If one of them fell, the group under them would probably fall too.
War would follow. We'd have to keep moving to survive, and there probably wouldn't be a single proper day of rest.
They might die.
The kids in front of me. Instead of getting knifed in some back alley, the day might come when I had to send them into a hopeless death trap.
"I got a revelation. Apparently I'm supposed to save the world."
"...Really?"
"Really. You think it's fake? Have I ever lied to you?"
The kids exchanged glances. I shrugged.
"If you choose the first option, fine. I won't cling to you. I can always raise someone else."
"...Why aren't you forcing us?"
"Who knows..."
I stared at them. Really... this was why a person had to be heartless to become a perfect creature.
What can you do.
Guess I was human after all. I didn't care if bastards I wanted to kill or beat died in the street, but the thought of people who'd been good to me dying bothered me.
"Just answer me. What'll it be? And there are no take-backs. Once you choose, you follow me to the end. I'm not letting people who know too much simply walk away."
"......"
Hector opened his mouth.
"Boss. You know what? Things got hard after you showed up, but we gained just as much from it. Unlike before, we started living like actual people."
"So?"
"If it weren't for you, we'd still be living on the streets. Like you said before... we'd have lived some mediocre life in a back alley and died."
Hector knelt.
"You changed my life. And you were the one who said it, Boss. You told us to become your followers, not Ra's."
"We can't be separated from you now even if we tried."
"Who said you could send us off on your own?"
"I'd probably have died dozens of times on the streets without you, Boss."
"...Same for me. Without you, Boss, I'd have been a fool who couldn't even speak properly..."
The brats looked up at me. Hector grinned.
"You're going off to beat someone up again, right? This works out, actually. If it's going to beat up the bastard who's going to destroy the world, we won't have anything weighing on our consciences, right?"
"...You little shits."
I snorted a laugh.
"As expected of my slaves!"
"...Change the title, at least."