Chapter 28: There Is a Way, Though…

“Please… Lord Santana… I beg of you… Please stop those people…”

Cazeros clung to my hand, pleading with desperation.

In this moment, her eyes brimmed with tears, her face etched with profound sorrow bordering on anguish.

“I know this is an outrageous request… But… But I cannot simply watch such a scene unfold. How could they… How could they commit such acts in the name of the Church? They are people too… All precious children of the Lord…”

Unable to continue as her emotions overwhelmed her, Cazeros’s words trailed off, followed by heavy teardrops streaming down her face.

These were not mere tears of sorrow, but rather tears carrying an immense burden of agony and complexity.

The shock and fear from witnessing the atrocious events.

Pure empathy for those who had perished.

And profound anger towards those who had perpetrated such horrors while invoking the name of God.

Expressing all these emotions through her tears, she implored me to put an end to this dreadful situation unfolding before her eyes – a situation that would undoubtedly continue to transpire.

However…

“…”

“San… Santana…?”

In response to her entreaty, I slowly shook my head.

“I’m sorry, but no matter your request, this is not a matter we can involve ourselves in.”

“But…”

“Our purpose for being here is solely as travelers en route to our destination. As non-residents, we have no grounds to meddle in the affairs of this city.”

“But… surely…”

“I understand your heart, Cazeros, but there are matters we can address and others we cannot. Regrettably, this is a situation we must leave be.”

“…Kkhh… Hukhh… Hukhukk…”

Cazeros bit her lip, her small tears falling as she heard my words.

However, despite being the one making the request, she must have already recognized the impossibility of our involvement.

Regardless of my own wishes, intervening in this matter was simply unfeasible.

As outsiders with no connection, our ability to act was severely limited. Moreover, as excommunicated individuals, we needed to swiftly depart for the Dragonian Empire.

Especially with Emperor Mattis’s passing, any ill-advised meddling by those without ties could embroil us in an irreversible catastrophe.

Nevertheless, Cazeros’s plea stemmed from her inability as a holy knight to condone the events she had witnessed – events that had undoubtedly occurred numerous times before and would continue to transpire.

And although I had rejected her request based on practical considerations, witnessing her state…

I was once again reminded of Cazeros’s noble character.

‘Despite the dire circumstances, she seeks to uphold goodness without regard for personal gain… As I have always felt, she is truly a remarkable woman, this Cazeros…’

In my past and present lives, I had never encountered someone so purely dedicated to the well-being of others.

While countless individuals could be considered more outwardly charitable, when scrutinizing their underlying intentions, none could match Cazeros’s sincerity.

Truthfully, such conduct should be expected of those in the clergy, yet few were truly capable of embodying it with their entire being and soul.

‘Had someone like Cazeros held a position of authority, this tragedy might have been averted. She would have been more than capable of preventing such a calamity.’

As I harbored these thoughts while lamenting the incompetence and corruption of the Church that had led even Cazeros to question her faith and relinquish her holy knight status, I grasped her hand in a gesture of consolation as she remained consumed by grief.

“…I’m sorry for being unable to provide a better answer.”

“Hukhh… No… Honestly… I was somewhat aware… No matter how unforgivable the atrocity, we as outsiders have no grounds to intervene…”

Cazeros wiped her tears as she replied with evident difficulty.

At that moment…

“Excuse me… Could you elaborate on what you just said?”

“…Pardon?”

Suddenly, a voice spoke up from beside us.

Startled, Cazeros and I turned to see…

Polena, whose presence we had momentarily forgotten, still standing by our side, regarding us with an expression of curiosity and anticipation.

“My apologies, I did not mean to eavesdrop, but… From what I overheard, it seemed you two mentioned having a way to address this. Is that true? Do you truly have a means to put a stop to these horrific acts?”

“…”

“…Haah…”

Realizing that Polena had overheard our entire conversation, Cazeros’s face registered bewilderment, while I could only heave a deep sigh.

“Putting the ‘way’ aside for now… As I mentioned, we are mere travelers passing through this place. As transient outsiders staying for a day or two at most, we cannot become deeply involved in the affairs of this city…”

“Those words… Does that imply you do, in fact, have a way?”

“Ah… No, separate from whether a way exists or not, this is fundamentally not a matter we can take part in…”

“Existence or non-existence of a way. That is all I ask. Is it truly possible? To put an end to this insane descent into hell that occurs multiple times a day?”

Polena’s words carried an unspoken pressure as her crimson eyes flashed.

Her demeanor gave me the impression that, as before, I could not evade providing her with the truth.

And so…

“…Haah… Yes, there is a way. However, it is an exceedingly difficult method. Crucially, to execute it would require having substantial connections and insider knowledge of this city’s affairs, which we lack. Without such prerequisites, even attempting it would be impossible.”

While a method existed, our status as outsiders precluded us from realistically pursuing it, let alone having the grounds to do so.

However…

After hearing my explanation, Polena’s eyes lit up with a glimmer of joy as she excitedly responded.

“If those are the only conditions, then it is truly… possible? To prevent such abhorrent situations from recurring?”

“…Well… I suppose… so…”

To be honest, if the conditions of possessing connections within the city and access to the information I required were immediately met, I did have a few methods in mind to effectively address the situation.

However, as I had been reiterating, regardless of that, I had neither the intention nor grounds to involve myself in this matter.

Although Polena’s words had sparked a glimmer of hope in Cazeros’s eyes, lingering here any longer was inadvisable. Moreover, unlike Cazeros’s compassionate nature, I did not favor taking actions without potential gains.

As I contemplated how to politely disengage from this woman, she suddenly spoke up.

“In that case, let us strike a deal.”

“…Pardon?”

Caught off guard by Polena’s abrupt statement, I responded quizzically.

Regarding me with a smile, Polena elaborated.

“My request is simple: put a stop to the ongoing merciless persecution of the so-called ‘heretics’ taking place in this city of Munhel.”

Her voice carried a sense of conviction.

Intrigued, I inquired of her.

“…And in exchange, what would you offer us?”

Since she had proposed a ‘deal’, there had to be reciprocation.

Truthfully, in our current situation, I had no intention of acting solely for monetary compensation. Nevertheless, I posed the question.

And in response, Polena smiled as she placed a hand upon her ample bosom and spoke in a radiant tone.

“I shall offer myself.”