Chapter 97: I forgive your sins (3)
jnCGIdIn the alleyways burning in the heat of the night, only miserable remnants remained.NhRuNxp
YTvW8iBA moment for everyone, both those who worked and those who played, to find their shade somewhere and fall asleep.ABf
dgRtWzLAt that moment, when the sun had not yet risen, there were people entering with the church’s flag.i2a7bj
Qz3Bp“Everyone stop!”rO0XY
eUBVozhSoldiers trample the garbage in the dirty alleys.QvQmgwc
dJ05c1The place where they stopped was an inn run by Madame Marcella. It was the smile of a Rose.lX8
PHlAEWD“We come on behalf of Pedro, Bishop of Soara!”qKCKF
lzUM“The owner of this place, open the door!”fNZyDQ
UkC2Knight Vlad ignored the indulgences granted by Bishop Pedro.t99UY
LSaThis was equivalent to ignoring the will of God and was a serious act that could be called blasphemy.Yh5eGR
YEBAnd here, in the smile of the rose, there were people who killed innocent people with him.WCIx
oZrBI“If you don’t open the door now, those inside will also be treated as blasphemers!”d0GCDnf
sZnPThe voice of a paladin echoes in a quiet alley.cHuEIM
aESqOiIt was the will of God that reached the place where salvation was most needed, but it was not a warm smile but a cold judgment.f17n
WFDH9H“Bring the criminals here!”5VqeJ
sZQThe smile of a rose that remains unfazed despite the abstract orders of the paladin.Lxluuva
lN5eThe paladin, who was under the sacred banner, nodded as if everything had gone well.JaOQnT
28sZEShing!RSD
JVXHGypShing!mul
ZBueYMpEach of the bishop’s soldiers drew their weapons and raised them towards the boy’s home.3ZfSK
vhwSIZ4God’s arms are merciful, but His will is cold, so all humans must bow before Him.K6DvQq
zjJAf“Break down the door!”gmn6
cUGXbILVlad grabbed a shining star, but its light was still too weak to protect not only himself but also those around him.NaSP
DOIobThe difficulties that come our way are like a typhoon and cannot be stopped with just two hands.BZsO
UaGaThat’s why people must live leaning on each other’s shoulders.ofLQ
CrLdCZLike right now.2QQ
M11bb“You have a bad temper.”asowZ7
qrhA man emerges from inside with a smile that is not illuminated by a single candle.7cPqa
9Uvh7AThe man with the impressive scar on his half-shaved head looked like an unusual person wearing bright plate armor.9NJ7QC
DWzGAC“…Who are you?”AMJU9
506hQA man whose eyes never waver even as he walks towards dozens of soldiers.WFD4BsI
8JX9“I am Mr. Joseph’s knight, Maxim.”GhLewcX
E5l6AE4There is no one in this city who does not step aside upon hearing the bishop’s command.AWX
GCoM2JExcept Joseph, the mayor of Soara.GbFZGaJ
qvb8“Sorry, but we are currently investigating the Smile of Rose first.”Loy222D
oVlckAIf the powers are so equal that it is difficult to compare them, in the end, justification will come first.hNHq1w
9VjAnd now, the first person to exercise judicial authority over the smile of the rose was Maxim, Joseph’s knight, not the bishop’s paladin.HL0G
FDmC“The people here are suspected of blasphemy.”FqY0zSQ
8SVQGAP“They are also suspected of murder.”QpM
AfCThere is a line between nobility and the church that must not be crossed.I2ole
8QCOHowever, since it was Bishop Pedro who broke the line first, Joseph would have no reason to uphold the implicit rules that had been in place.dAG70X0
SrLwDRT“From now on, we will block the Smile of Rose. If you want to enter, ask permission from the mayor.”6C4zjW
y6ydWith Maxim’s words, Joseph’s soldiers began to leave the Smile of Rose.Nwdx
g0nnizJoseph’s soldiers, advancing the cause, pushed the bishop’s soldiers without hesitation and began to slowly expand their territory.h9Yd
CqSuf0“…You will regret this, won’t you?”GnstHjz
5tBbBThe anger of the Holy Knight who had lost his prey was fierce, but Maxim just smiled.WacD8o
Bhlxg2Joseph’s knight Maxim.KwK
D6DiJHe was one of the two knights who were attacked by the woman who shed black tears along with Cade.IJAl544
CgR9tLaRegrets can only happen while you are alive.mtTYrOM
QVTIf it weren’t for Vlad that day, Maxim wouldn’t be here right now.9pJdl
KPFo315“I owe something too, so there’s nothing I can do.”UmN
sWh4pwJThe authority of the church was difficult to handle for a single knight, but Maxim volunteered to handle it himself.yzHJ
a0ma7QI thought I had to do this to pay the price for my life.r6MMx
dDtyzFM***v1YmQV
rn8BA prison in the basement of the Town Hall.O4qaj
AtuKWpAlthough it was still a place where one could feel the outside air through the small window, Vlad’s expression was dark.WJb
8tA5“I suppose I’ve told you to always be prepared for what’s next?”UCtEQ
B0VE“…”YMBW
qn3Even if Vlad had ten mouths, he had nothing to say in response to Jager’s words coming from outside the window.wbo6
MRoG“In the end, all the cleanup after you was left to Mr. Joseph. Fool.”Ilwk
n0MeFIn the end, it wasn’t any different from when I was a squire.FCA
mfrBecause in this case, all the responsibility falls on Master Joseph.YtKlpV
m3SDSr“I’m sorry.”MYp
MTp“…”flelrJv
pFbzd1Jager was about to burn up inside the bars when he saw Vlad bow his head and apologize.rTJZ
fTXtrStill, I can’t say much because this was more of a trap than a mistake.6IRK9e
4Xh7y‘Fool.’xfgeSX
oyYHe’s a smart guy, and I know he wouldn’t have done something like this if he had a little more perspective.0ngd
JPQHowever, the kid still lacked an understanding of the world of nobles and the rest of the world, including the church.eo96ufE
6U8Indeed, Bishop Pedro had chosen an appropriate theme.wm2P
9okr“…Sooner or later, you’ll have to go to the church and testify. Be prepared for that moment.”GBCU
qIN3kXThe justification is there, so eventually you have to go to the church and explain it.QSXpC
S8hmGPMPedro, who was an inquisitor of heresies, had risen to the position of bishop due to his excellent interrogation skills, so it was obvious it would be a tough trial.5pSnO
MD0“…”5NV
DMsNBVlad watched for a long time as Jager’s back, which was getting farther away from the bars.ANiWV
JEC[Don’t blame yourself. Because you did what you had to do.]EaMj
SDjahDespite the comforting voice, Vlad couldn’t easily shake off his somber feelings.QqGe
5fQIt was definitely the right thing to do, and even now that I’m in prison, I don’t think I did anything wrong, but in the end, it ended up like this.FjtJ0n
xKuyg“It was my fault.”ZuVYVE
XcpuTThe world of alleys and the world of knights are different.DS7vm
HxrDbvUnlike an alley where you have to pay on the spot to avoid being looked down upon, a knight’s anger must be like thick lava that can be used for the future.MQmHGU
Uu6A sword is sharp and must be heavy.yOW
Mc92eAnd it seemed that Vlad now understood what it meant to be heavy.2ju0r3
8dv95***jh2L
H1sD“Is that why you resisted for a week?”8gf
rdwrBishop Pedro stood by the window, watching the scene below.HVTIwga
X85YwZVThere was a blond knight with his hands tied, crossing the square below and walking towards the church like a criminal.l44FSG
jooHJoseph had been persistently holding onto Vlad, ignoring his pleas, but he probably couldn’t bear it any longer.7Co
emiIt was a struggle for a cause, and not even Joseph could have borne that burden.p8wYJo
13Gi“That sounds quite plausible.”3opmGS
KQTfW2However, it wasn’t just soldiers guarding Vlad as they escorted him to the church.K56
dGBdq“That wretch should die already. He betrayed pregnant women!”YoLMlh
UHeLv“I did my job, so why are you treating me like a criminal?”ubEK0
1pelH8“Don’t insult our knight!”kMJPMb
AbsyCGYVlad of Soara.v1HQWMK
yjJyrKjA person born and raised in the city of Shoara and a symbol of a self-made man who rose from the alleys.2EcTXgT
Rld7qA knight named Vlad, who had already made a name for himself at a young age, was clearly a source of pride for the citizens of Soara.ekO
VLA“We cannot recognize bishops sent by the Vatican! This is the North!”NzkpOXS
LMsFuqx“We want a bishop with northern blood!”OY0
vVJQHAcNot only support for Vlad, but also discontent with Pedro that occasionally arose among the people.zPvBs
AMc2WrnAs Vlad’s march dwindled, the streets of Soara resounded loudly with voices echoing all around.cHNGS7
bgT“You’re trying hard.”FNW
eWhHPedro, watching this, stepped away from the window with a cold grimace.zavOYgF
RtFdHow dare you try to influence the public sentiment of Soara?sE9Lb
76kTMiOAs expected, those who bear the blood of Bayezid are beings not easily seen.x3dTD
HUbFP“Are all the heretic interrogators ready?”evoA
9ikx4d“I am ready.”3wtY
QirW22hHowever, no matter how hard you try, it’s all just a ploy.2DMD
eEv9HIn the end, all these things were nothing more than trivial matters that would end up facing the true name.Tbl1tt
Ae3cSGs***Ruprg
E8FlFG6Although the situation was tense, Vlad didn’t stop looking around and understanding his surroundings.AiXG
OiLot9“…”xhdUFbn
qkpbrThe sight of his surroundings made him feel a bit of pressure, even if it wasn’t the burden of the impending trial.emcdh
agkwN‘It looks like this.’urZCmwJ
cadAlthough I’ve lived in Soara all my life, it was a place I had never been to.b9L
L8nBecause the church was a place with too high a threshold for people living without it.negVxY
p36RAY“Knight Vlad, please come closer.”JKp
AVIMiThe church judge made a semicircular shape.0XFt6Ln
N9oDyThe place where Judge Pedro and the suspect Vlad would be was in the center of the court, and officials, including Joseph, and influential people from the city, who had been specially invited by the church, were to look down on them from above.iwQu4LT
FBl5W[These are the ones who interrogate about heresy. The crystal ball he’s holding looks unusual.]6shn8ls
JhsneBn“…”unwyrO
myuyVlad turned his head and saw the Inquisitors surrounding him.uBp
MBMiA total of 8 interrogators.o7jllJ
sowv25They all held with both hands a crystal ball the size of a human head.juBSI
4n5Osqi“…There are 8 people in total.”uj2I8z
RUMDa“Not even a witch hunt would go this far. This has gone too far.”Op3
BPu0X82Joseph frowned, feeling a bitter taste rising from above.Okb
4LlLT7“I guess I’ll have to consider the worst.”OmxW01e
Rira2We held out for a week and tried many ways to exploit this trial, but in the end, we ran out of time.bC2jf
nJCAiNow I had to prepare for the next step considering the worst outcome.rHV
8PBp“Place your hand on the Bible, which contains the Word of God, and respond that you will only speak the truth. Mr. Vlad.”XRYwX
6QpInside the church built in the name of God, Vlad placed his hand on the Bible.6X6hWCW
uFmq3r“I will only speak the truth.”ngmBay3
e0qSAn oath is something said with the mouth and held with conscience, but in the current situation, it would be expressed a bit differently.HIP9TM9
SV6GThe complex characters’ litany on the floor of the place would extinguish the light of the crystal ball from the moment Vlad uttered a lie.nIo2Y
DM3“…”F1k
zOmhQJoseph looked at Pedro, who was in front of him with silently burning eyes.JkS
hpgEHowever, Pedro, who made eye contact, only had an expressionless coldness.Qv7h
g0x04“Now I will begin the trial of Mr. Vlad, the Knight of Bayezid.”OGRXM
1zNIn37It was a signal of the beginning, but perhaps it had already ended.hWlwd
FhABecause the current trial was nothing more than a formality to achieve a predetermined outcome.ZpWaki
tBjuAnd the outcome would not be happy for Vlad.F0TZWQn
nALjAy“Knight Vlad killed a man named Black Bear with an indulgence. Is this true?”DLrK
nThRAfter hearing the bishop’s question, Joseph clenched his fists unconsciously.DmNnZX
GxaNow Pedro was accusing Vlad of the crime through a common and ordinary trial newspaper.mkFWT7C
6Pl“You’re right.”Ymv
oYpQdL1“You admit that you have disobeyed the word of God.”CBq
DkiVh7….What’s that?4sl
j78oThe response was simply that he had killed Black Bear, but according to Pedro’s interpretation, the boy became someone who ignored God’s will.fIK
wwd4Ah“I didn’t disobey the word of God!”mUk
BmlZ9iN“Next question.”mKAL
GYxOne question, one answer.eOHykt3
DmH5cDtWith Vlad’s answer, one interrogator stepped out of the circle.KDJgdM
xthOWX“Do you believe that Knight Vlad has always made the right and just decision every time he kills someone, as in this case?”qXsPWc5
lCTHYm“…That’s right.”asv
iw1wrHe was where he was supposed to be, so he did what he had to do.mvYgZVm
5PLBlack Bear was a bastard who sold pregnant women, and no indulgence could hide his wrongdoings.nBv
zyElj“It’s a lie.”oYz
kLkNHowever, in the face of Vlad’s answer, one of the crystal balls held by the interrogator lost its light.XfcYV
gmFW“…!”IXF
YeKKNo one can always make the right decisions in life.MTRcNXs
6xPBBut Pedro forced Vlad to lie by hiding unattainable standards, such as always, always, the best attitude, within the question.I8jtci
kkvPx“What!”RZ3vXhC
gSHVc“Next question.”TS8r2
179LTbFWith the question from a moment ago, Vlad became the one who told a lie.hazKOE
0pioDfmAlthough it was only two questions, the experienced Pedro was clearly pointing out Vlad’s weaknesses.ocUp
dRskaLJ“There was a report that a boy was struck by a black lightning in an alley in Soara a year ago. Is that boy you?”QM7
L7o553uPedro begins to subject a man named Vlad to his will by distorting his intentions and asking him deceitful questions.OVpW2
3ksNHis next question aimed to discredit the reputation Vlad had built by throwing false suspicions.fdMYD
BXkzq“…”bGP
KXy4idiHowever, the question Pedro prepared had a greater impact on Vlad than expected.vDVKS4C
XcL9JJsIt was true that there was an unknown voice in the boy’s soul.xDu
12s1“…It’s true.”2Lyg1
kCT6zPh“It came with an ominous omen.”NE1YDf7
11sQHEWith the third answer, Vlad became a knight with an ominous omen.5H4sp
A1fVFrom now on, all his achievements will be questioned.NRpZP
B2cA“Perhaps you hear a voice after being struck by lightning? Was there a revelation from some unknown being?”iMmxk
0Gt9vMkPedro’s grayish eyes gleamed.bGt7F
2vRg0No matter if you say yes.IG7v0
d7etMGNo matter what the answer to this question, Vlad’s wounded and battered reputation will not shine as brightly as now.lkCfY
xOZ“…”7jfbqHJ
1bk8mVlad couldn’t easily respond to Pedro’s questions.J0sn
2W0GVlad was almost delirious seeing a new form of malice he had never experienced before.IQN3T
dg5Dpwe“Why don’t you answer?”aVWt9L
9lK3LwqWhen Vlad began to hesitate, unable to give an easy answer, even the people in the audience began to whisper little by little.AvAk9
KaQ1To be precise, it was a clamor that arose from influential people in the city who shared the same views as the bishop.5poPK
24B“If you ask me if I heard a voice…”aadE
JQNNWTVIf you say yes, you’ll be considered an evil being, and if you say no, you’ll be lying.NTX69
6XQLNo matter what I said, it was an irreparable dilemma.Ps4h8K
LaMl[Say it’s true.]INpPB
OJTSaid the voice, watching Vlad who was hesitating.5JA
BRlVF8The voice knew that in this case, telling a lie would be more fatal.wPsFb0
RC1DnwIt would be better to at least make the excuse that I briefly lost consciousness due to the aftermath of being struck by lightning.lndUWr
pVBSEn7‘But…’eZIb9Pa
dDwjKL[If you say no, it would be a lie. If that happens, there won’t even be a chance to make excuses.]VSC7V
IQDThe worst-case scenario would be when the identity of the voice is revealed in front of everyone.PcCqVzY
NVsHowever, the voice had already made a decision from the moment it entered the courtroom.8G6
etIxQ[Don’t worry, just do it. I’ll never let my identity be revealed.]IU7SX
k2lL“…”xaTA
cXZXInquisitors doubting him and a bishop forcing him to respond.T1b1p
3cf82TfVlad, facing a dilemma, had to find some kind of answer.bQbt48
eAxqSQUBoom!Ofio
QFxS“Stop!”iC8u
FTx9tGcAt the moment Vlad was about to speak, a loud noise was heard from the entrance of the church.IdMB
GEnThe cold winter wind began to blow in from the open entrance.OpW59t
exN5“Stop the trial!”RLkHh
tz5People standing at the open door.gNSss
v3F2LgAn elderly priest gasping for breath and a deacon who still looked young.xuX7
Io4nG3And even Gregory, who breathed a sigh of relief behind them.sWR7F
iSoB“This trial is not fair!”tkE3
Frjx5Finally, latecomers but not too late have arrived here.SLbYqsC
E0ghgM“You can’t let unauthorized people in!”bjb90uo
3SNbSzjThe guards blocked the sudden intrusion of the man, but were surprised when they saw the white robe he was wearing.oigXJ6n
u3JK5pGBecause the clothes he wore showed that he was a faithful servant of God.70NvCz
zSbgBVj“How dare you speak of your qualifications for the trial in front of me!”KaRkIJ
wXqgJ2Pedro’s flow was interrupted by the sudden interruption, and he looked at the man who burst into the courtroom with shining eyes.X1V
7vLHowever, the man who had just entered the courtroom was fully qualified to say that the current trial was not fair.WA6H
Hcpe“I am the one who grants the name of Mr. Vlad the Knight!”pkreJ
m2ND4wVlad of Soara.Wkc4uBV
IjeThere was someone who picked up the name that was lying on the ground without anyone knowing it and placed it in front of God’s name.2QHX
ilP“If there were any doubts about his name, it should have passed through me first!”P97Rec
U2cTqQWhen Vlad heard that he was his guarantor, he turned his head and looked to where the entrance was.tOY2E
Nc7sWhThere was a man hurrying to the judge without even being able to shake the snow off his beard.PNi
VDeWRCUWith the support of the young deacon, he took one tired step at a time.1g1399
n0p5“Priest…”moAOic
Fz00“Don’t say anything from now on.”YJw9lH
8zsAndreas stood next to Vlad, still panting.oLJ10
eTJDThere was still a cold aura in each of his breaths.yQ68
FTL“I will speak for you.”Lf5tQ
Af9tkYIt was an unfair judge and a biased trial.6jixZ
PPUZYBut now that the boy has just lifted the weight off his shoulders, the trial begins to take on a new balance.kKZ5Iuu
7QiL0K“At last, you came here.”kWRkLN0
xRIygThe face of the person he most wanted to see at that moment appeared in Pedro’s grayish-white eyes.l0D2V
UPuWIt was the guarantor of the boy and a faithful priest recognized by everyone in the North.u0XF
Hce5“Long time no see. Bishop Pedro.”Ah9hzJ
Bop3xaKA man who followed the example of the knight and crossed the snowy cold of the North Wind.8AAcpP
zTGj7Oz“Priest Andreas Greetings.”UVc
qeYlBgXPriest Andreas.HU9s
vOeJw9iHe was a man who was willing to step onto the scale for the boy he had vouched for.LTW
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