The Judge (4)
The Judge (4)
"Apprentice Priest Irene."
Irene rose from her chair. The moment had come. She drew a sharp breath, then let it out slowly.
She hadn't forgotten what she needed to say. She would tell the judge everything exactly as it was.
That she had done it all by herself...!
"Apprentice Priest Irene is only a victim, so I'll just take a brief statement from her. Any objections?"
"...Pardon? But I also took part in the assault..."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
The Divine Judge seated before her grinned.
"The only one who lost his temper over injustice and committed the assault was Apprentice Priest Zahard, wasn't it?"
"What are you...!"
"That's how I've recorded it. Apprentice Priest Irene."
Divine Judge Dimona laced her fingers together. Her eyes sparkled as though she had found something entertaining.
"Whatever happens to that child after being branded, I liked his honesty and boldness. Enough to make me want to invest in him. So you're the favor I'm granting him."
"Then let me be the one...!"
"No. You won't do. Unlike Apprentice Priest Zahard, you're no fun at all."
Dimona leaned back in her chair. She yawned lightly.
"Let's finish this quickly. Apprentice Priest Irene. As you know, I'm a busy person."
. . .
Divine Judge Dimona departed.
"I'll pass along your position. When I call for you, come to headquarters with the inquisitors. Radatok is kind, so get along with him. Understood?"
"......."
A fierce-looking middle-aged man stared down at me. He was built like a bear made of muscle. I shrugged.
I knew this guy too. How could I forget someone who followed Dimona around like her other half? He wasn't quite important enough to be a main NPC.
But he was at least a supporting character.
Naturally, I knew the route for dealing with him too. If I wanted to win Dimona over, I first had to get past this bear. In game after game, I'd managed to break a man who had seemed impossible to budge.
And that method was—!
"Inquisitor Radatok."
"What is it?"
"Would you like some konjac jelly?"
"......"
He snatched it without a word. His fierce expression didn't change. But I saw it.
Mm. The furrow between his brows eased just a little.
Mm. Good.
Affinity UP!
I kept Radatok supplied with konjac jelly while also winning over the other inquisitors traveling with him. If I wanted the journey to be comfortable, I couldn't focus only on the leader; I needed his subordinates on my side too.
I deliberately made sure they saw me praying. I also let them see me practicing Holy Arts immediately after receiving instruction from Irene.
Making them breakfast was the bare minimum. Once I served them meat I'd grilled myself, the inquisitors' attitudes changed quickly.
"He's really kind, isn't he?"
"He seems devout, too..."
"At the very least, there's nothing wrong with what he shows on the surface."
"He's got manners."
"I can see why the Judge took a liking to him."
There was no risk of the inquisitors under Radatok tracing the source of the donations back to me. Thanks to my advance warning, Matier of Black Steel had cleaned everything up properly.
I asked about Hector and the others and ordered the men to keep their mouths shut. The church's authority barely reached this city in the first place. After the earlier purge, the inquisitors couldn't dig too deeply.
They had to mind the local lord. He hated the Sun God Church, so of course they couldn't act too aggressively. Radatok could have uncovered everything if he'd truly committed to the search, but I knew he had no reason to go that far.
Do you know how much experience I had with this game? There was always a way!
While I spent my days grinning to myself, Priest Mierkant called me over. He sat me at his desk and poured me a cup of warm tea.
"Drink."
"I could've poured it myself... but thanks."
"I've received so much from you. Can I not even offer you a cup of tea?"
Mierkant smiled warmly at me.
"Zahard."
"Yes?"
"That unshakable sense of justice of yours—did Ra give it to you?"
I sipped the tea. I smiled brightly.
"Of course! Everything I have came from her!"
-At least wet your lips before you lie.
Lick.
-You little colt.
Mierkant lifted his teacup. After taking a sip, he gazed at me steadily.
He said nothing. He simply watched me. After a while, Mierkant looked away and let his gaze wander around the room before returning to me.
"I've received a great deal from you."
"I've received far more from you. If you hadn't taken me in, I'd probably still be outside digging holes in the dirt."
"Compared with what you've done, those things are nothing. So much changed after you arrived."
Mierkant tapped the desk lightly.
"The old, broken furniture was carried out. Warmth finally began to fill what had been a bleak room."
"That much is nothing..."
"The cobwebbed corners of the ceiling are clean now. The gaps beneath the doors have been sealed."
"It's a place where people live, so that much had to be dealt with. Honestly, the cold was because of that."
"Is that all? The orphans started eating until they were full. They learned how to work, and instead of ignoring me, they began listening to me properly. Thanks to that, I can even teach them now."
"Come on. You're praising me too much."
"You call that praising you?"
Mierkant reached out, took my hand, and studied me closely.
"No. I'm simply thanking you for what deserves thanks, Zahard."
Eyes that looked straight at me. I felt a little awkward under that gaze. I quietly pulled my hand back.
Come to think of it, it had always been like this.
This man always, always looked at everything straight on. He was someone who focused only on helping people, without a trace of self-interest.
He was the kind of person I'd never known before—a true priest who put other people's lives ahead of his own desires.
A person completely opposite to me.
"You really don't need to thank me."
I scratched my cheek.
"I did it all because it was necessary."
"You stubborn boy."
Mierkant took a letter from his breast.
"A summons has come from the church headquarters. Tomorrow, you'll be leaving with the inquisitors."
"That's good, actually. I wanted to get it over with quickly."
"Aren't you afraid?"
"More than afraid, I'm excited. It means I get to deal with that bastard, doesn't it?"
"What about the mark on your record?"
"So what if I get branded? I decide whose judgment of me matters. Everyone else can talk all they want. They'll only wear out their own mouths."
Mierkant laughed. He laughed uproariously. He laughed for a long while, then wiped away the tears that had formed.
"Zahard."
"Yes?"
"I'm glad I met you. Without you, I might have given up on everything."
"Come on. You're the strongest person I've ever seen."
"I am weak. Even when I first met you, I was so fragile I felt ready to break. You helped me. More than that, you willingly covered yourself in filth to protect Irene and me. You are the strong one. I'm proud of you."
Mierkant rose from his seat. He took a pouch from his breast.
"This is all I can do for you."
"...What is this?"
"Just as Irene once taught you, there was a time when someone taught me. That was when I received this. More precisely, it is practically that person's keepsake. We were like brothers, and we promised that when death came for either of us, the other would protect what he left behind."
What came out of the pouch was a small earring. I narrowed my eyes.
I felt like I'd seen it somewhere before...
"This is a keepsake?"
"Yes. A keepsake. He told me it had the power to protect people. I don't know how to use it... but I believe you can figure it out."
"You're giving something like this to me? It's precious, isn't it?"
"Of course it's precious. But haven't I already received more than that from you?"
He pressed the earring into my palm, then closed his hand over mine.
"Take it. It's yours now."
"...This feels too heavy."
"Remember its weight and its shape. I'm sure he would be glad."
"I didn't do any of it to receive something like this. You should just keep it..."
"Just as that keepsake matters to me, you matter to me too."
Mierkant's hand came to rest lightly on top of my head.
"If I had a son, he would have been like you."
...Not once.
Words I had never once heard from anyone.
I quietly slipped the earring inside my clothes and rubbed my nose for no reason.
"Come on. No way."
I smiled.
"He wouldn't have been as smart as me, would he? This kind of thing doesn't just come from anyone, you know."
"...Right. You're right about that."
Mierkant winked. It looked so unlike him that I nearly laughed.
"Off you go now."
"I haven't even finished my tea yet."
"I'd like to let you finish, but someone else is waiting. I can't monopolize all the time of such a popular apprentice priest."
"A guest?"
"You'll find out when you go outside."
Mierkant gave me a light push. He clenched his fist lightly.
"For the record, I'm rooting for the two of you."
"Huh?"
The door opened before I even touched it. Irene stood outside, elegant as always.
Her silver hair bloomed beautifully in the moonlight spilling through the window. Uncharacteristically, she simply stood there and looked at me.
For some reason, her cheeks were slightly flushed. Irene spoke.
"Zahard."
"Yes?"
"Would you take a short walk with me?"
She averted her gaze.
"...There's something I need to tell you before you leave. I'd like to say it before it's too late."
"You're not going to scold me now, are you?"
"You really..."
Irene let out a sigh. She glared at me slightly.
"I will scold you. So follow me. After I scold you, I'll say what I need to say."
"Can't you do it here?"
"No."
Mierkant quietly stepped back.
"Go on. Ah—and you don't have to come back if you don't want to."
"Huh? Did you two plan this together or something?"
"The one matching lips with someone might not be me."
"Huh?"
"Go. Zahard."
Mierkant smiled slyly, which didn't suit him.
"She's calling you, isn't she? It's only right that you answer."