Ch.107Then the Devil Came Through the Front Door (1)

(…) Even after going through all the above procedures, the Inquisitor must seriously consider the following: the degree of active participation.

Demons are incomprehensible beings that persistently dig into a person’s weakest points with temptation, defying understanding and common sense judgment. Was it not the demon who attempted to tempt even the Prophet of Life and Death?

Therefore, the Inquisitor must take into account that ‘before temptation, anyone—absolutely anyone—can fall.’

Sometimes temptation approaches like a natural disaster. Just as suffering from a disaster is not entirely a person’s fault, failing to resist demonic temptation should not be understood solely as a matter of willpower.

Can one overcome a storm through willpower alone?

So, remember that even those who succumb to demonic temptation should not all face extreme punishment, nor should they. Be mindful that declaring, ‘In all cases, severe punishment shall be administered,’ only frightens people. Those who are frightened are more easily pushed toward dead ends and the path of evil!

The judgment of a person in dire circumstances cannot be the same as one making decisions from a comfortable home. Therefore, remember that ‘how such an act could be perpetrated’ is as important as ‘why such a thing happened.’

Distinguish between a single rotten apple spoiling all apples in the box, and a rotten box itself causing all apples placed inside to spoil.(…)

– Guidelines for Judging Wizards and Witches, Magdeburg Inquisition Headquarters

* * * * *

A man lay collapsed with blood flowing from his forehead. He wore simple leather clothing with a dagger at his waist. Kain pointed his sword at the man who was clutching his forehead with a grimace.

“Who are you? Why were you spying on us? I suggest you don’t talk nonsense. Unless you want to become a nameless corpse in the Black Forest.”

The man was about to spout some harsh words, but closed his mouth when the blade tickled his throat.

“Albin… herb gatherer.”

Kain thrust his sword forward. It grazed Albin’s cheek and passed by. Blood splattered.

“Aaaah!”

Instead of responding, Kain pointed his sword at him. The man called Albin frantically waved his hands.

“Ah, alright! I get it! I’m from the guard. I’m from the Count’s guard!”

‘Could he be from Count Bördem’s guard?’ Images of those ragtag men who could hardly be called guards flashed through Kain’s mind.

He could clearly remember how they transformed from guards when on duty to thugs when off duty. Normally, he would have dismissed such claims as nonsense, but having seen and experienced it firsthand, Kain couldn’t simply brush it aside.

“Stand up.”

Kain hooked his sword under Albin’s chin. He flicked it upward slightly. Albin quickly stood up before his chin could be cut.

“Stay still.”

Kain took the dangling dagger from Albin’s waist. Despite the pain from his forehead and cheek, Albin somehow managed to stand straight.

“What is a Count’s guard doing here? More importantly, is the guard’s armament usually this shabby? Do you have anything to prove your identity?”

Seeming to think he shouldn’t back down any further, Albin growled.

“You… think you’ll get out of here unscathed?”

“Albin, was it?” Kain placed the dagger against the hem of Albin’s shirt.

“Choose one of two options. One: become a corpse with a hole in your neck. That’s easier for me too. No one will know I killed you anyway. Two: cooperate obediently and walk out of this forest on your own legs. Three. Two.”

“You bastard. Hey!”

Suddenly, Albin began to huff.

“Aren’t you being too harsh on someone in the same situation?”

“Same situation?”

“Didn’t you also crawl into the Black Forest because life is hard? Seeing you with two women, I’m guessing you have quite a story. Let’s not be so aggressive. Let’s take it easy. What do you say, huh?”

Now he was even smiling obsequiously. It was a dramatic change that was hard to follow.

“You.” Kain asked with suspicious eyes. “You’re a bandit, aren’t you?”

“Do you have to put it that way?” Albin grumbled. “You… living like that, you won’t last long. Even though the Black Forest is vast, rumors travel fast. It’s because I’m who I am that I’m letting this slide, but if it were someone else, you’d be dead already.”

The next moment, Kain swiftly moved behind Albin. He embraced Albin’s upper body with his arm and placed the dagger against the side of his neck. The slightest touch would sever Albin’s neck.

“H-hey… hey!”

“Tell your lackeys to come out.”

“L-lackeys? What do you mean?”

“Everyone hiding behind the trees, come out now. Otherwise, this man dies,” Kain shouted. Sure enough, people emerged from behind the trees.

Five men and women. They carried worn-out knives, pitchforks, crudely carved wooden spears, and even a sickle tied to the end of a pole. One of the women even had a swollen belly.

“Albin!”

But her eyes were fierce.

“Stay back! I’ll gut this bastard myself!”

The response came from an unexpected place.

“Go ahead.”

Maria was sitting leisurely on a tree branch some distance away, though no one had noticed her arrival.

“I’m curious about what’s inside his belly too.”

“What the hell is that?”

One of the group groaned. Maria smiled and opened her palm. She clenched her fist and then produced a throwing dagger.

“I hope you won’t do anything rash.”

The pregnant woman grew agitated again, but a pale-faced man stepped forward.

“Look here. I don’t know what misunderstanding there is, but let’s talk this out. Let’s use words. We’re the Count’s soldiers. If things get noisy, it’ll be troublesome for both of us. Understand?”

Kain glanced at the pregnant woman.

“Does Count Bördem recruit pregnant women as guards too?”

The pale-faced man’s face contorted.

“What? What are you talking about? Count Bördem?”

“You said you were the Count’s soldiers.”

Seemingly dumbfounded, the pale man gaped like a fish. But soon, as if understanding something, he smiled triumphantly.

“You don’t know, do you? Nothing at all. The Count of the Black Forest isn’t Count Bördem. It’s Countess Roberta.”

“Roberta?” Kain repeated. “You mean Roberta, one of the Seven Heroes?”

“How did you even get this far?” The pale man scratched his arms nervously.

“Seeing how you know nothing about the forest, you’re either first-timers or you’re looking to make a quick profit and leave. Wake up. Countess Roberta has a tight grip on the order here. Whatever your story is, don’t even dream of doing business…”

The pale man gasped for breath. Kain had wrapped his arm around Albin’s neck. With one chokehold, Albin collapsed.

Maria jumped down from the tree. She kicked the chest of a man holding a rusty sword and tripped a woman who was belatedly raising a wooden spear. Kain, having sheathed his Imperial sword, knocked down one person after another with his fists.

Only the pregnant woman remained standing. She trembled as she swung the sickle tied to the end of a pole.

“W-what… what kind of people are you…”

Kain strode toward her. She swung the pole in an awkward motion, but Kain easily took away what could hardly be called a weapon.

“Ah. Ugh…”

“Are you bandits?”

Kain asked. The pregnant woman dropped her shoulders.

“…Yes.”

“How did you end up here?”

“We had nothing to eat.”

“Do you know all these people?”

“We were all from the same village. That one lying there is my husband…”

“Why here specifically?”

The pregnant woman looked at Kain with incomprehension. Her eyes were empty. A hollow tone that seemed to say, don’t you even know that?

“Because it’s safe.”

* * * * *

They left the pregnant woman untouched. Instead, they tied the others to sturdy tree trunks. Lily, who had joined them later, looked down at them with her arms crossed.

When Albin groggily woke up, his wife tearfully and carefully cleaned his wounds. Maria tossed them some leftover ointment, and they repeatedly thanked her, bowing their heads.

As Albin woke up, the others also opened their eyes. Having completely given up, Albin readily spilled everything.

“…We were serfs. The Count’s serfs. Don’t ask where from. You wouldn’t know even if I told you. As you might know, there’s been a continuous drought recently, and the harvest hasn’t been good. But Count Bördem only raised taxes. Said the Emperor ordered it.”

Lily squirmed, but Kain shook his head. It would be pointless to tell an ignorant serf that the Emperor had never raised taxes. It would also be futile to point out that they didn’t pay taxes directly to the Emperor but to the Elector of Reinhardt.

“…It was hard enough just paying the exorbitant taxes, and then bandits started coming down from the mountains. You know what’s really annoying? They never take everything at once. They leave just enough for us to barely eat and work. That way, they can keep extorting us over time.

So we repeatedly petitioned the Count to protect us. He did increase the number of guards, or rather loafers, but when we climbed up the mountain, we found out they were the very thieves.

They’re thieves when off duty and guards when on duty. The ones who’ve settled in the mountains were all serfs like us. Being serfs themselves, they knew exactly what they could touch and what they shouldn’t.”

At this absurd story, Kain was at a loss for words. It was a vicious cycle. Serfs becoming bandits to rob other serfs, and those who couldn’t take it anymore also climbing up the mountain…

It’s clear as day that the collectible taxes would decrease. Yet, Count Bördem doesn’t seem to be actively trying to rectify this.

“What did Roberta… the ‘Countess’ do for you?”

“She brought order to the forest,” Albin sighed.

“She established rules. If there’s a dispute, settle it with fists. No weapons, and no killing. If even one bone is broken, that’s the end of it.

Otherwise… everyone takes care of their own food. Don’t covet what belongs to the ‘Forest Brothers.’ Especially don’t touch Berta Village.

But there are good things too. She provided just enough grain and medicine to keep us from starving to death. However, since the same person shouldn’t receive aid twice, she created a kind of organizational system. That’s Roberta’s army.”

“What’s the point of that?”

To Maria’s question, Albin grinned.

“There’s not much point. But somehow… just being under the same flag creates a strange sense of camaraderie. If we were just alone in this dark forest, it would have been truly lonely.

But we’re an army. Countess Roberta’s army. As long as the army is in this forest, there’s nothing to fear. So… you guys seem quite capable. What do you say? Join us. Swordsmen like you would be especially welcome.”

“Why?”

“Outsiders.” Albin sighed deeply.

“Maybe because life’s getting tougher, but ‘real’ ones are coming up. Not country bumpkins like us, but people who were actually skilled somewhere, coming up to do proper business.

The most unruly ones appeared about a month ago, and oh… their behavior is beyond terrible. No matter what we do, we can’t beat them. Those crazy bastards don’t even ‘do business.'”

“Then what do they do?”

“I don’t know their identity or purpose. But they’re incredibly good at fighting. One of them can easily handle ten of us. They occasionally go down to the village to buy supplies, but they’re like wild boars, always looking for a fight.

It got so bad that Roberta told us not to contact them at all. She said not to even go near them. But how is that possible? They have no business ethics…”

Kain and Lily’s eyes met. A suspicious group that appeared a month ago, exceptionally good at fighting, settled here but never left, a armed group—it was obvious. They must be White Blood Knights.

“Where are they?”

Albin shook his head.

“W-what?”

“That armed group. Where are they?”

“No, well, that… even if I tell you where, would you know? You seem to be first-timers here.”

Albin looked up at Kain and chuckled. At such an obvious ploy, Kain silently drew his dagger and placed it on the ground. Albin’s startled wife hugged her husband tightly.

“Untie them.”

Though fumbling, the woman cut the knots binding them. Having been tied so tightly, the bandits massaged various parts of their bodies. Kain glared at Albin.

“Guide us.”

“…You catch on quick.”

Albin smiled slyly. Kain thought his intentions were equally obvious.