episode_0092

092 – Hyde clashes with the king’s children #6

Buzz, buzz, buzz.

Five o’clock in the afternoon.

When you have to be busy preparing dinner.

Many people gathered in the square of the church.

Everyone gathered there was looking around with curiosity and interest.

When Atalanta finally appeared among the people, her expression became more colorful.

“The Duke of Atalanta really showed up, right?”

“Why did you wrap yourself up like that?”

“I think I know why.”

Atalanta was wrapped in cloth like a strict Muslim.

It’s as if he doesn’t even want to show his skin to people.

The scars he was proudly showing off also disappeared.

Sze-.

Atalanta stood in front of the people.

“I, Atalanta, offer a public apology to Psyche Agarpe and her husband, Hyde… ! I’m a coward who made a surprise attack even after the game was over… !”

Atalanta coolly apologized for her mistake.

I thought it would drag on slowly or be dull, but I was surprised.

Of course, I knew very well that this was not a story that came from a truly remorseful heart.

I guess I’m just saying this because I want to quickly end this crappy situation.

In my view, Atalanta is a person who has no concept of ‘apple’.

however-.

This scene seemed to be shocking enough to people.

“That Atalanta is apologizing?”

“Isn’t this really the first time something like this has happened?”

“… Is it some kind of play?”

People who are embarrassed.

They said a word to Atalanta in front of her, and Atalanta’s face turned red as if she were on fire.

“Keuugh-.”

He was shaking and looked very angry.

Atalanta’s expression became even more distorted when Kusan, a man wearing a robe and a hairpin, applauded.

“My sister Atalanta is finally losing her temper. Now then, how about being a little more generous and getting married? Because a woman’s happiness lies in getting married and having children.”

Kusan, second in line to the throne, was a shark-like person who knew how to bite someone who showed hurt.

Cusan was telling Atalanta not to think about succeeding to the throne, but to get married and take care of her children.

“Kusan, you!”

Atalanta seemed very angry at Cusan’s provocation and glared at him so intensely as if she could kill someone with her gaze.

However, Lord Cusan, second in line of succession, only shrugged his shoulders.

“Of course, this is something you say when a man appears who wants to marry you. I might live like this for the rest of my life as an old maid and die of old age.”

Kusan guy.

You’re just talking arbitrarily.

Do you know that this is just for your benefit?

Sze-.

I stepped forward.

“As a priest who is more faithful and pious than anyone else, Hyde has a duty to mediate disputes fairly. Atalanta. Do you truly admit your mistakes and swear to repent?”

“… … !”

Atalanta glared at me.

That gaze was extremely harsh.

Atalanta seemed like she wanted to rip my head out right now, but in the end, Atalanta nodded.

“… Yes!”

“Then apologize to Psyche over there.”

Sze-.

I pointed to Psyche standing among the people.

People who saw that were surprised.

“Didn’t you say you were seriously injured?”

“How are you recovering so quickly and moving around?”

“Amazing.”

The evaluation of Psyche is rising.

I felt good because my wife received praise.

Praise more!

Sze-.

Finally, Psyche and Atalanta stood facing each other.

The atmosphere is full of tension in many ways.

Atalanta, who hesitated for a while, spoke first.

“… sorry. Ever since I was young, I’ve been the type of person who can’t live with losing. For Domarian, defeat means death. Will you forgive me like this?”

“If I do not forget and forgive others’ mistakes, the Lord in heaven will never forget or forgive my mistakes.”

Sze-.

Psyche held Atalanta’s hand.

“I will forgive you if you tell me that something like this will not happen in the future.”

People were amazed when they saw that.

“They say Psyche Agarpe has an angelic heart, and it seems to be true.”

“How can I forgive that? Honestly, it was a despicable act.”

“It will be a great article.”

As the people’s noise grew louder, Atalanta’s tremors grew stronger.

There was probably nothing more humiliating in her life than today.

but-.

It’s not over yet.

“ character. The time has come to exorcise the curse of Rust from Lord Atalanta. The reason I have gathered people here is to make Lord Atalanta reborn as a new person in the true sense!”

Sze-.

I pointed to Atalanta.

“Atalanta! You need to make a pilgrimage of repentance among the crowds! With that, you will be able to break the curse of Rust and become a new person!”

“What?”

Pilgrimage of repentance.

People were excited about that story.

Some didn’t even seem to understand the story.

“What is a repentance pilgrimage?”

“I don’t know. I feel like I heard this somewhere─.”

It seems that Kusan was also taken aback by this story.

Cusan, who had been happily playing around with Atalanta just a moment ago, asked with a nervous expression.

“… Hyde. Are you out of your mind?”

“What’s the problem? According to the laws of the Great United Kingdom, priests of Elohim are entitled to sentence sinners to a “pilgrimage of repentance.””

I spoke confidently.

Soon, Milione, who had been yawning bored throughout this strange apple, shook her head as if she was dumbfounded.

“The last time that law was enforced was 300 years ago, when the Bronze Plate Priest was the highest-ranking priest. Are you going to bring it up and insult the heir to the throne? Aren’t you completely crazy?”

Are you crazy?

Milione, this is not what I want to hear from you.

In fact, unlike the words of disgust Milione was spouting, he was smiling as if something interesting had happened.

It’s the same for all people.

They seemed perplexed and very interested.

“The idea was to strip criminals naked and make them run around the city, I guess?”

“Is it real? Are you going to strip His Holiness Gregory’s adopted daughter naked?”

okay.

My story must be like a dream.

When I was reading a book in the Agarpe family library and found out that this kind of punishment actually existed, I was so dizzy that I thought it was a dream.

From the time I decided to become a priest in these dark ages, I had carefully read about clergy rights.

You need to know things like how many vacations you can take per year.

“According to church law established with the establishment of the United Kingdom, the Bronze Priest can sentence sinners to a “pilgrimage of repentance.” Ball of Atalanta. You will have to go around downtown Barakán in 10 minutes!”

Sze-.

It was then.

Kusan, second in line to the throne, stood before me.

“I thought it was a joke, but did you say too much? Do you think you can deliver such a sentence to the heir to the throne and be safe?”

“Kingdom and priesthood. Which of the two should be used more honorably? Wasn’t the reason the Uniger royal family fell because everyone kicked out and killed the king who didn’t listen to the priests’ orders?”

“What?”

Kusan didn’t say anything, as if he was embarrassed by my words.

I guess it was because I presented a straight argument and was not allowed to respond with any words.

United Kingdom of Pope Gregory -.

It was a country of priests.

In the kingdom of priests, the most important thing was no longer royal blood or noble titles, but church law.

But what if the heir to the throne now ignores the priest’s words?

What if the denomination supports it?

Pope Gregory II had forgotten the legitimacy of the war and the throne and was tantamount to becoming a cowardly usurper.

It was then.

“Fuck this! A pilgrimage of repentance! Are you asking me to do something like that? Hyde is a dog! You didn’t say anything like that! Kill it! You!”

Atalanta got angry at me.

Can this truly be the image of the woman who said she would apologize to me earlier?

“You seem to think that just because you received a little special treatment from His Holiness Gregory means something! I am the Pope’s daughter! I’m receiving more special treatment than you!”

“Even if she is His Holiness’ daughter, isn’t she still a stranger with whom she is not related by blood? There are even heartless fathers in the world who abandon their blood-stained daughters into the hands of witches. It is simple to punish the adopted daughter who committed a crime.”

Atalanta looked like she couldn’t understand what I was saying.

Soon, several people left the place in a hurry, probably on their way to ask Pope Gregory about the current situation.

# # #

“The sinner Atalanta is ordered to make a pilgrimage of repentance─and the priest Hyde, who caused trouble in the Holy Land, is demoted to a priest of iron defeat. More than-.”

“No way!”

When Alter Archibald read the scroll, Atalanta was greatly astonished.

She had just been completely abandoned by Pope Gregory.

It must have been quite a shock.

“I will go directly to the Pope and talk to him! Now something is wrong with this!”

“His Holiness Pope Gregory said that he would not meet anyone today after leaving this shrine. He also ordered that if he did not follow the Pope’s orders, Duke Atalanta would be deprived of all his positions.”

“… What?”

“Then, knights, tear the clothes of the sinner Atalanta!”

Sze-.

Armed knights approached and tore Atalanta’s clothes to pieces.

Atalanta, who was almost half-naked in rags, covered her proud and majestic appearance with torn clothes and arms.

“You guys!!!! What are we going to do now!!!! Yes these guys!!! How dare you know who I am!!! I am Atalan, the third in line to the throne─.”

Sze-.

Soon the knights struck Atalanta with short whips.

“Sinners must continue their pilgrimage procession!”

Huh, mate!

“Quaaaagh!”

Atalanta screams.

The knights continued to hit Atalanta with their whips, and Atalanta finally slowly moved forward like an ox driving a cart.

People were whispering as they saw that.

“I can’t believe Atalanta is going through such rough times. As I live, I see all sorts of things.”

“Hyde, that poisonous bastard. Aren’t you afraid of being hated by His Holiness the Pope? I guess the path to success as a priest is blocked.”

“Let alone your way to success, your life may now be in danger.”

You idiots.

What is Pope Gregory afraid of?

The only thing I truly fear is the Lord Elohim and His righteousness.

Rather, Gregory should have been afraid of me.

For I am the judgment of the Lord Elohim itself.

I’m not the one who should be criticized.

Atalanta, who made a mistake, and Pope Gregory, who neglected her and used her as he pleased.

anyway-.

Atalanta took a circle around the Barakhan Shrine.

Meanwhile, people were spitting or throwing mud at Atalanta, saying “dirty bitch!” or “Shame on you!”.

“It smells terrible!”

“This bitch will be the first one who doesn’t look bad even when she’s completely naked like this! This is why I hate even Rust and keep my distance from it!”

“They say he’s the heir to the throne and he looks good! Now you’re really married!”

How will Atalanta react to this one-sided insult?

Surprisingly, Atalanta, who used to be cruel and arrogant, was completely intimidated and trembling.

“da… shut up… ! you… Just wait and see… ! I will remember your face… ”

“Sinners, keep your mouth shut!”

Whoa, whoa!

“Ouch!”

That’s what it means to be human.

If you receive a lot of criticism from numerous people at once, even if you have a strong personality, your spirit is bound to break down.

Atalanta began to cry miserably, covered in mud and dirt, and seeing that, people criticized Atalanta even more.

“You piece of trash!”

“Die!”

“You barbarian bitch!”

“She brags about being a princess and she looks good!”

The crowd was almost crazy as they saw the man they had thought they would look up to for the rest of their lives rolling on the mud floor as if he was touching his hand.

Their brutality was pure madness, and now people pulled her hair and threw stones at her, as if they didn’t even care that she was the daughter of a ruler.

The knights stopped the crowd, but the crowd was too large.

Puk, puk!

“Ugh!”

Atalanta stopped walking after being hit by a stone.

Of course, the Pope’s knights who followed her did not tolerate it.

“Sinner, keep moving!”

Twaaa!

A strong whip hit my back.

Atalanta stumbled and fell, and people cursed even more.

“Don’t be lazy!”

“You don’t punish me just for risking it!”

“No one loves an orphan and barbarian like you!”

“Die like this, die!”

A situation where people are throwing stones and whips at random.

Atalanta began to bleed after being hit by a stone on her forehead and face, and finally screamed in rage as if she could not bear it anymore.

“Kwaaak! Oh, you fucking bastards!!!”

From that point on, Atalanta vomited blood foam and eventually fainted.

But people thought she was playing tricks and kept throwing stones.