episode_0047

047 – Rust takes the stand #2

“Deacon Fred, where is Archbishop Archibald?”

“Well, Your Majesty is very busy right now─.”

“Archbishop Archibald. I know it’s in this room. Let’s go in.”

I entered the archbishop’s office located in the mansion.

Archbishop Archibald was organizing his documents with a calm expression and did not even look at me.

He opened his mouth and spoke.

“That was a very good defense. No one would have thought that there was someone who could postpone the trial on the spot. Coram Deo, you spoke without fear in front of that bull-like man.”

“If I could do it, of course you could too. But you didn’t. Why did you do that?”

“Hyde, I think you overestimate me.”

“I think so. Isn’t this the daughter you gave birth to? Why did you throw it away? Under no circumstances should parents abandon their children!”

Sze-.

Archbishop Archibald looked at me at my words.

His eyes were still as sharp as a bird of prey.

“Okay, that’s the part you’re angry about. Under no circumstances should parents abandon their children. Hyde, is it really me who wants to say that? Or is it your parents?”

“… … .”

“You said you were an orphan. In any era, there was no world for orphans. Your life must have been very difficult and harsh. Like a baby naked in the cold winter.”

Sze-.

Archbishop Archibald stood up.

Then he turned his back on me and looked out the window at the setting sun. Because of the archbishop’s height, a long shadow was cast, and as it obscured my face, the man added:

“I was an orphan too. All I had was a name. I also have a family. It’s like you have a Psyche. Let me ask you one question.”

Sze-.

The Archbishop now turned around and made eye contact with me.

Although he was similar in height to me, I somehow felt like I was being looked down upon by someone.

“Hyde, if someone took that precious Psyche from you, would you be able to forgive him?”

“You should forgive. Just as the Lord forgave mankind.”

“Yes, that’s what a proper priest would say. I said that too. But, Hyde, humans are not as straight as you think. As expected, you are different from me.”

“I think so too.”

In these few days, Archbishop Archibald and I have not once come to a consensus. This man and I were different.

It was okay to think of it as water and oil that cannot mix.

Soon Archbishop Archibald sat down on his chair and spoke.

“Now you have to worry about your life too. If you can’t lead Rust to the court, the very existence of Hyde and the Agarpe Estate will be in danger.”

“Don’t worry. I am confident about that.”

“Rust, do you think that strange man will stand trial? No, the man I saw was a terrible conservative. It’s impossible. But Hyde, you’ve tried hard enough. Even if I were to go back to the same age as you, I wouldn’t be able to do that.”

# # #

“Rust, are you really going to stand as a defendant?”

“The public trial is in two days.”

“We must also pay attention to the movements of heretics.”

There were many stories about public trials in the newspapers.

Paying attention to the possible movements of heretics, Durgien’s soldiers began arming themselves, and the knights also checked the sharpness of their swords with solemn expressions.

It really looks like they are preparing for war.

“Rust, will he really appear?”

“You’ll be caught as soon as you show up, so why show up like you’re crazy?”

“Let’s watch Lady Milione and that wooden monk hang together.”

No, why are you hanging my neck?

What am I guilty of?

From what I heard, it seemed that if I couldn’t keep my promise, I could be sentenced to death for perjury and deception.

He made the troops move, armed the knights, and twisted the schedules of busy people such as Archbishop Coramdeo and Sir Parmas.

In the first place, it was a great thing that the trial was delayed based on my words, a mere monk.

Actually, this may be due to the identity of the defendant, Milione Archibald, rather than to me being great.

“There are two days left.”

I told the time to Milione Archibald, who was in prison. I also put in a newspaper, but Milione was just curled up in the corner.

It reminded me of the cat we all raised together at an orphanage. It was a cat that lived in the yard of an orphanage and was good at following people.

But I started to feel uneasy, wondering if I had eaten something wrong, and from some point on, I just curled up like that and just lay in the corner.

“Soon after that, he died quietly in the warehouse. It is said that cats hide themselves before their lives end because they do not want people to see them die.”

“So, why are you telling me that story now?”

“Lady Milione looks exactly like that right now. Of course, unlike the cat, Lady Milione will not die.”

“That man, Rust, is really on the defendant’s stand? So you’re saying I can live? You can summon Rust?”

well-.

I don’t know that either.

Frankly, it was close to impossible for Rust to stand as a defendant. The knights are all lined up waiting, so you want me to step into that position?

“Rust probably won’t appear.”

“So, Hyde, you lied?”

no.

If you think about it, it’s not a lie.

Well, I don’t know how to explain this, so I decided to just gloss over it.

“But thanks to my defense, you got four days, didn’t you? I will use the remaining time to somehow overturn Lady Milione’s death sentence.”

Sze-.

It was when I spoke with confidence.

Milione raised her head.

Because she was imprisoned, she couldn’t even take a bath, so her appearance was scruffy, but her beauty still didn’t lose its shine.

Of course, it wasn’t as good as Psyche, my only love.

“Hyde, why are you doing this?”

“What do you mean?”

“If I die and Archbishop Archibald falls, wouldn’t it be a good thing for you? You are a person of Agarpe. Are you trying to mock me?”

“No. Before I am an Agarpe person, I am a priest. My dream is to become a better priest than anyone else. If you, the innocent, die like this, how can I tell you about my dream with pride?”

“What would you do if I were not an innocent person? What if I’m a fucking idiot who kills people? What if I were to strangle you as soon as you were released?”

Sze-.

Milione got up from his seat and approached the iron bars. When I looked at it up close, its eyes seemed to be burning with something, and it looked like it was angry.

“Even if I were truly a villain deserving of death, would you be able to say that you would defend and protect me? Tell me.”

In fact, Milione was not as innocent as she said. Maybe he really is a criminal who deserves the death penalty.

But all humans were like that.

All humans were sinners.

Sinners who were destined to be thrown into hell from birth.

“Milione, even if you are a sinner who deserves to be thrown into hell, you can be forgiven. If you’re really anxious, you can just touch the “Holy Grail.” Isn’t it a miracle that grants human wishes?”

Holy Grail.

If you touch it, you can return to being a new person.

However, Milione Archibald’s impression was crumpled like paper.

“I was wondering what you were trying to say. Don’t you know that the “Holy Grail” you speak of is broken?”

“The Holy Grail was broken?”

What does this mean again?

Why is my Holy Grail broken?

I have never been so embarrassed in the past few days.

Soon, Milione muttered “Ah, was this a secret?” and spat.

“In the first place, what’s the use of keeping it a secret if you’re going to die soon? The Holy Grail kept in the royal castle’s treasure hall was shattered. That’s why Kkondae went to the royal capital not long ago.”

Is it real?

Five years ago, when I was rolling around at this time, there was no story like this.

The Holy Grail is broken.

why?

That was the same as saying that the Holy Grail Chance could not be used again. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll have to touch the Holy Grail again—my plan seemed to be in vain.

It’s shocking in many ways.

Two days passed with that feeling.

# # #

“Isn’t it much more than last time?”

“I think there are well over 3,000 people.”

“At this point, I wonder if I’ll even be heard.”

The crowd of people was amazing.

I once went there to the opening of a newly built department store, and I remembered that people flocked there and made noise, just like they do now.

“The judge is entering.”

The jurors, including Archbishop Coramdeo and Lord Parmas, began to enter the prepared podium again.

They all looked very authoritative and had a majestic appearance that gave a feeling of overpowering others.

“Then I will pray and begin the trial.”

Coramdeo, in keeping with the rumor that he was impatient, started the trial right away without any further formalities.

He said to me as he looked at the defendants tied up like prisoners.

“Monk Hyde, where is Rust, the defendant you promised?”

“Judge, how much do you know about possession and demon possession? From now on, I plan to invite the living spirit of Rust into my body.”

“You want to possess a living person in your body? Is that possible?”

“If you refer to the newly written novel “Non-Virgin,” you will see that if you read the 5th line of the second paragraph, the spell used by Non-Virgin Cassie when she makes a contract with the devil is written.”

“Are you talking about putting your own blood on a prepared mask and reciting a special prayer?”

Coramdeo, how do you know that?

It seemed like he had seen my stain, “non-virgin.”

Thanks to you, the story will go quickly.

“The name of that devil is Rust… ! I am a pure priest, but I will sacrifice myself especially to put him in this defendant’s seat… !”

Sze-.

I took out the plain mask I had prepared in advance and then cut my palm with a sharp dagger. It hurt. Rust’s mask was completed by rubbing his bleeding palm on the mask to create a cross.

“What will happen in the future is something that should not be imitated carelessly. Everyone, be careful, Rust, because you never know what he might do when he takes over my body! Well then, let’s go!”

Pot-!

I put on my newly created mask.

And at the same time, my body trembled like a rat struck by lightning.

“Aww, wow, wow!”

Barr, barr-.

The only one who reacted to this situation was Lady Milione.

“Rust! Rust is coming! Rust is taking Hyde’s body! Rust!”

It was like that.

Now Rust was possessing someone else’s body.

After flopping around on the floor like a shrimp being roasted alive, I finally got up.

“Aaaa━──!!!”

It would be best to start off with a light shout.

Thanks to my lung capacity, which I trained by holding my breath for 5 to 10 minutes a day since I was in daycare, I was able to make louder noises for longer than anyone else.

A group of 3,000 people suddenly became quiet.

I stood in front of him and shouted.

“Hello, disgusting trash from Firenzo! All you idiots do is eat and eat! Nice to meet you!”

“Mo, your voice has changed, right?”

“Is it someone else?”

The people who had been silent began to stir.

My acting, which has been refined over many years, has allowed me to excitingly portray a dual personality as if another person exists, to the point where it has never once been overlooked.

Soon Archbishop Coramdeo asked me with unwavering suspicion.

“You are Rust? A person steals a person’s body. Do you think that is possible? Hyde, aren’t you acting in a mask?”

“Khahaha! I am Rust, the ruler of the power of the air! Greedy Archbishop Coramdeo, do you really not recognize me? The day you humiliated your half-sister, I was there with you—!!!”

“What? W-what are you talking about! What are you talking about! Yes, what a humiliation!”

Archbishop Coramdeo, who looked solemn as the judge, was visibly embarrassed. You can’t help but be surprised that you revealed a secret that no one but yourself knows.

When the surroundings were agitated, I quickly added my words.

“Coram Deo! Can’t you still hear the sorrow of your sister Merga! What did you do after raping your pretty 17-year-old sister at the time? Didn’t you strangle your sister because you were afraid your crime would be revealed?”

People tend to be embarrassed when the sin they wanted to hide is revealed.

Psyche suddenly came to me and said, “You are Rust, right? I know everything. If I said ”, I was confident that I would be embarrassed for about a second.

I would be like that too, but can a degenerate like Coramdeo get over this situation?

“Sophistry, sophistry! Everyone, don’t listen to this! Don’t believe it! Rust, he is a man who deceives people with his cunning tongue! Of course this is a lie! Where did you get this, a frame-up with no evidence!!!”

“The evidence would be in the Woodenbelt family’s villa in Florence. Dig into the sunflower garden! Then your sister Merga’s body will come out. The bronze cross of Coram Deo that she held in her hand at that time. At that time, that guy was a bronze priest.”

I said the above and looked at Parmas.

When the knight Parmas asked “Your Majesty Coramdeo, is this real?” Coramdeo broke into a cold sweat and did not know what to do.

It was then.

The man sitting in the audience stood up.

It was Archbishop Archibald.

“Coramdeo, didn’t you say that your sister was kidnapped by Walpurgis witches and went missing 30 years ago? I’m going to dig up a sunflower field to clear your case of false accusation. Someone go~!”

If you go there, you will find a body.

I spread my hands wide to the left and right and asked Coramdeo.

“I am omniscient and omnipotent. Do you believe me now, Coramdeo?”