Chapter 286: The Tin Knight and the City of Hubris (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 286: The Tin Knight and the City of Hubris (6)
A brutal massacre unfolded across the city.
Screams of terror.
Tear-soaked grief.
Desperate cries for help.
You realized this was eerily similar to the events that had unfolded in the City of Scales, and why Sophia’s expression had hardened the moment she saw those emerald walls.
What was even more insidious was that the heavenly priests never dirtied their own hands.
The one leading the massacre was none other than Sophia’s older brother, the very man the citizens had hailed as a hero.
“My fellow citizens! Ah, the proud citizens of Doria! I am saddened. So very saddened!”
“My soldiers and I fought desperately against foreign enemies for the glory, freedom, and justice of Doria. But the traitors hiding among us have plunged the bitter blade of betrayal into our backs!”
“They ignored the laws and traditions of this city and colluded with vile monarchs. They sought to bring this city to ruin and rule Doria as its new kings!”
“But their conspiracy has failed! For the just and righteous Heavens did not turn a blind eye to such injustice. Their messenger saved my cornered soldiers and me, and defeated the ambitions of those wicked kings.”
“Now, we must make the traitors pay their due price and repay the grace of the Heavens!”
“For only God is just, and only God is true (Μόνος ὁ θεὸς δίκαιός ἐστιν, καὶ μόνος ὁ θεὸς ἀληθής)!”
Imbuing their swords and armor with an emerald light, they executed the ‘traitors’.
Those who had criticized the radicals’ actions, those who had pointed them out in the council, those who had expressed doubts about the Heavens’ movements—all were branded as traitors.
Many protested this absurd tyranny, but soon, their numbers dwindled.
The radicals silenced them with sword and blood.
“Hahahahaha!”
“Oh, Lord! Oh, Heavens!”
The faces of those carrying out the massacre were filled with ecstasy.
Persuading opponents with sincerity and effort was incredibly difficult, but physically beating them to death was so easy and simple.
Crushing all who dared to object in the name of absolute justice was a pleasure beyond compare.
The radicals' actions grew more extreme over time, and even the citizens who had initially condemned and opposed them were soon consumed by fear, begging for their lives.
Priest Erichton accepted these citizens with a benevolent face.
And he said to them.
“I believe in your innocence. I know you are guiltless, merely deceived by the traitors and caught up in this incident. Now, it is time for you to prove your innocence with your own hands!”
Asking how they could prove it was meaningless.
For those who went before them were already proving their faithfulness.
Therefore, the survivors had to make a choice.
To die together as traitors.
Or to brand their former comrades as traitors and kill them to prove their own innocence.
“Stop spouting nonsense! What is this justice! What is this will of God! You bastards just want to get rid of anyone who gets in your way!”
There were, of course, those who chose the former—to defend their convictions to the end and fight back against the tyranny.
Inspired by their words, others attempted to join the resistance.
But those who now held the swords were merciless.
If anyone showed the slightest sign of refuting or criticizing their actions, they were killed without regard for logic or reason.
“Ugh, uwaaah!” “I-I'll do it! I'll do it!!” “Die! Die, you traitor!!”
For those who remained, there was no choice.
To survive, they joined the slaughter.
To bury their guilt, they deceived themselves, believing this was the will of God.
The city of scholars, which once dared to question the Heavens, was now forced to repent with blood and tears for its own perceived arrogance.
Finally, the handful of remaining resistance members, including Sophia and Langwidere, were captured and forced to their knees in the city square.
“Execute the traitors!!” “You wicked woman! My husband died because of you!” “Great Priest! Please, pass judgment!”
As voices of curses and resentment echoed, Priest Erichton approached Sophia with a benevolent face.
And he whispered so that others could not hear.
“Do you see now? The intellect and reason you pursued are this futile. Humans are inherently foolish, cowardly, and selfish. When such imperfect beings play house with their decrees and laws, it is all utterly worthless in the eyes of the great.
Look at them. The ones who so respected and praised you now turn on you in an instant. See how those who championed rules and human reason now shamelessly cry out for God.
The mortal realm is so vile. But the Heavens are different. It is a paradise where only the chosen may go, and thus, no vileness exists. Come, Sophia. You are of a different sort than Lady Langwidere, but you too possess a special qualification.
Please, take my hand. Leave this filthy mortal world and join us as a member of the Heavens.”
Upon hearing Priest Erichton's words, Sophia's shoulders trembled.
He smiled, thinking it was a tremor of tearful emotion, but his expression soon hardened.
Because Sophia was laughing.
It was a laugh so violent that if her hands weren't bound, she would have been clutching her stomach and rolling on the ground.
Ahahahahahaha!
As the loud, clear laughter rang out, the people steeped in madness each held their breath.
In the silent square, Sophia slowly rose to her feet and opened her mouth.
Her tattered clothes and the ropes that bound her were not enough to suppress her dignified and powerful presence.
“Priest Erichton. It seems you have more studying to do. Your words are no different from watching two drowning people fight over a single plank and sneering, ‘Humans are so vile.’ You create an extreme situation from the start, then mock a cornered person for their desperate actions.”
“…What?”
“Did you say intellect and reason are worthless? Then why did you silence them with violence instead of refuting them head-on with the word of your so-called great God?
Did you say the citizens are shameless? Then are you, who forced them into such actions while feigning innocence, any less shameless?
Did you say the mortal realm is vile and the Heavens are not? Then why is it that you, the vilest person I have ever seen, are strutting around claiming to belong to the Heavens?”
Erichton's face twisted with shame and rage.
Sophia did not stop speaking.
A brilliant white radiance bloomed around her body.
“You, who forced a choice with power instead of logic, will one day be crushed and destroyed by a greater power.
You may intimidate people and try to bend their hearts to your will, but you will never be able to extinguish the embers of conscience that will one day return to them.
You, who use God as a tool for your own justification, will one day be abandoned by God himself.”
Sophia's gaze pierced through Erichton.
The people who had been hurling accusations at her lowered their heads and closed their eyes, as if suppressing something.
Just as Erichton was about to retort.
“Enough, Priest. Merely exchanging words with this witch is a trap.”
Sophia's brother, who had approached at some point, swung his sword at her.
You reflexively tried to block her brother's sword, but it passed through you without a clash and struck Sophia.
Slash!
Fresh blood spurted, and Sophia's body crumbled.
“──Teacher! ! ! ! !”
Langwidere's grief-stricken cry echoed.
The members of the Hubris school scrambled to their feet to reach Sophia, but her brother’s soldiers forcibly restrained them.
Seeing Sophia collapsed on the ground, her brother's eye twitched.
Because despite suffering a near-fatal wound, he could see waves of pure white holy power trying to heal her body.
He clicked his tongue and raised his sword again.
Just as the sharp blade was about to strike down at Sophia's neck.
“Stop!! If you lay one more finger on my teacher, I'll kill myself before you can take me to your Heavens or whatever it is!!”
“W-Wait! Stop!”
At Erichton's command, the brother stopped the sword he was about to swing.
Erichton approached Langwidere and said.
“Does that mean… if we guarantee Sophia's safety, you will come with me to the Heavens?”
“…Yes.”
Langwidere's eyes were murderous enough to kill Erichton with a glare, but he seemed completely unfazed.
As if it didn't matter at all what the 'current Langwidere' thought of him.
Seeing this, the brother interjected with displeasure.
“Things are already like this, can't we just drag the wench along regardless of what she says?”
“Hoho, that's not impossible, but it would be much better if Lady Langwidere cooperates voluntarily. Please, just bear with me for a moment.”
The brother looked quite reluctant, but perhaps not wanting to clash openly with Erichton, he did as requested.
Sophia seemed to want to stop the deal before her, but her wounds did not allow her to move.
And so, the pupil and teacher faced their parting.
It was at that moment, as you watched the scene with a heavy heart.
Shwaaaaa!
A spear of blood, imbued with terrifying power, tore through the air and rushed toward you.
You quickly swung your shield to block the attack, but the aftershock alone sent you tumbling across the ground.
You stared straight ahead.
An angel was there. / The queen of vampires was there.
She had long, bewitching hair and a flowing dress. / She was wrapped in neat clerical robes, with holy wings spread behind her back.
A beauty as cold as ice stared at you. / A gentle, yet somehow doll-like smile gazed at you.
The two visions distorted like static, flickering and overlapping with each other.
Their power was a pale shadow of its peak, but you were in no better condition yourself.
《STAGE 3rd. VS ≡二三二≡≡二三二≡》
《Confrontation≡二三二≡, you can ≡二三二≡ what you want.》
《In case of ≡二三二≡ defeat, ≡二三二≡≡二三二≡ will ≡二三二≡≡二三二≡ into Sophia Hubris's body》
The narration, which rang out a beat late, was also engulfed in much worse static, as if to prove that something was wrong.
It seemed the opponent was suppressing the game book's intervention.
You glanced over to check on Sophia's condition.
In one scene, Sophia was confined to her home, researching something. In the other, she was seen drinking a beverage before coughing up blood and dying.
This time, however, the scene of her confinement was rapidly fading, while the scene of her being poisoned grew clearer and more distinct.
The enemy was strong, you were weakened, outside help was unlikely, and there was a time limit.
But you were not afraid, nor did you complain.
In fact, you even welcomed the enemy's appearance.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ ignites with fighting spirit, thinking, I needed something to thrash, and you've arrived at the perfect time!]
Because to release this frustration pent up in your chest, you needed to beat something down.
You charged toward the opponent—be it angel or vampire, or perhaps neither yet.