Ch.406What Have You Been Doing?

I and the other party members spent time in the reception room of our lodging, waiting for those who had gone outside to return.

Lacy explained details about the Holy State to me like a tour guide, while Lena nestled in my arms with a look that suggested she already knew everything, munching on snacks.

Nigel and Leonore listened with interest at first, but as the conversation grew more tedious, they sat on a sofa playing cards together.

Actually, perhaps only Leonore was enjoying it.

As the tower of silver coins in front of Leonore grew taller, Nigel’s head drooped lower and lower.

That’s what happens when you play card games you barely understand.

He’s the type who would be ruined if he ever went to a gambling house.

“The Holy State’s territory consists of six major cities including the capital Alhebron, and numerous smaller cities. Five cities are jointly operated by two church branches excluding ours, and depending on which churches manage them, each city develops a different culture. This city is… managed by the Church of Grimnir and the Church of Ceres.”

“So in other words, it’s a city of wisdom and magic, earth and death?”

“Put bluntly, yes.”

So that explains the state of the back alleys.

One god rules over selfish mages, serious criminals, and the mentally disturbed, while the other presides over death itself.

Indeed, it was exactly the kind of city where two thugs would kill each other and return to the earth first thing in the morning.

—-

Lacy seized this opportunity to pour out comprehensive knowledge about the Holy State.

It was rather interesting to listen as if reading a setting guide, so I responded appropriately while attentively listening to her explanation.

“While the respective churches handle matters concerning major cities and their affiliated villages, the capital Alhebron works differently. Though our church oversees the city’s operation, the punishment of criminals is carried out by their affiliated church according to their own doctrines.”

“So the same crime receives different punishments depending on which church the person belongs to?”

This isn’t territorial or personal jurisdiction, but more like… church jurisdiction?

“Yes. A case that might end with imprisonment in the Church of Ausrine could result in a death sentence in the Church of Astraea. Similarly, spousal infidelity that might be settled with a duel between spouses in the Church of Volberg would result in castration or chastity devices in the Church of Imela, depending on gender.”

“That’s peculiar. Then what about criminals who don’t believe in any god? Which church’s standards apply to them?”

Do they simultaneously execute all eleven forms of punishment?

“A criminal who doesn’t believe in any god? What a strange notion. Such a concept cannot exist. Since those who don’t believe in gods aren’t people, the term ‘criminal’ doesn’t apply to them.”

Lacy smiled sweetly while uttering these chilling words.

“Such individuals ‘never existed’ in the first place. Don’t you think it’s strange that non-believers would exist in the Holy State?”

That sounds like those “1000 days without accidents” workplace signs.

So they erase non-believers from existence?

“…All hail Elpinel.”

“Hehe. Don’t worry, we don’t force our religious views on foreigners.”

Lacy chuckled as she brushed back her snow-white hair.

If being a foreigner makes me safe, does that mean if I moved to the Holy State, I’d be subject to erasure unless I converted?

—-

Bells returned shortly after lunchtime.

Upon returning to the lodging, Bells immediately sought out Lacy, looking more somber than when he left.

As if bringing unpleasant news.

“…The division between churches is more serious than expected. Traveling around the city, I noticed priests avoiding even sharing the same space, while paladins cause friction everywhere from minor disputes to duels.”

What a mess.

Lacy seemed to share my sentiment as she slightly furrowed her brow.

“Is that so… That’s troubling. While it might be fortunate for me, I can’t rejoice considering the hardships the believers must endure due to their conflicts. What about the audience request?”

“…Both churches refused. They said that since Lady Lacy is still a regular priest until the official hearing concludes, meeting you privately would violate regulations.”

Bells trembled with clenched fists, clearly frustrated.

“Hmm… Well, I expected as much. I didn’t have high hopes for that anyway. Thank you for your efforts.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you…!”

“That’s impossible. Sir Bells has never once disappointed me. This situation… is merely the expected outcome. Please don’t worry and get some rest.”

Lacy comforted the frustrated Bells in a gentle tone.

Seeing her like this, she truly seems worthy of being a saint candidate… if only she could fix her extreme ideology, she might have become a saint long ago.

Anyway, as she said, the probability of securing an audience was slim from the start.

The city’s leaders, mere archbishops, wouldn’t risk defying a cardinal’s will to meet with Lacy.

Rather, we should be suspicious of anyone who agrees to meet and approaches us with goodwill.

Like fishermen casting bait, they might be trying to lure us into a trap.

—-

“Haschal, we’re back!”

Millia and Demian returned around evening time.

As we were heading down to the dining hall for dinner, Millia appeared before us with arms full of food, smiling.

Demian was also carrying bundles that appeared to contain clothes and souvenirs.

There were also supplies we’d need for traveling to the next city.

“I was wondering when you’d return. Looks like you had quite a good time?”

“Sorry, we got a bit delayed while exploring.”

“As long as nothing happened. This neighborhood might be fine during the day, but who knows what could happen after dark.”

It had been several days since we arrived in the Holy State, so news of our entry must have reached the cardinals’ ears by now.

If there were those who wished to prevent us from reaching the capital, they would likely begin acting soon.

“Well, something did happen…”

Demian muttered, scratching his cheek with a somewhat troubled expression.

Wait, did they cause some trouble while they were out?

“…What happened to make you react like that? It would be better to ‘confess’ before I begin the ‘interrogation.'”

If you confess now, I might forgive you with just 24 hours of training punishment.

“Well… we took a wrong turn and ended up in some back alleys. It was a pretty rough area. Men tried to grab Millia, and women were clinging to me.”

“It was an unpleasant place.”

Millia’s expression darkened as if recalling the incident, similar to when she heard rumors about Demian and me bathing together.

…I can guess what happened just by looking at her face.

“It was awkward to push them away forcefully, but then Millia shoved an arrow into the jaw of a man trying to put his arm around her shoulder. The arrowhead came out through the top of his head.”

“Man? That was a kobold. Right, Demian?”

Millia grinned as she moved closer to Demian, staring at him intently.

Her pupils contracted sharply, with a strange, eerie gleam.

…Come to think of it, I did say something like that before.

I told her if she found it difficult to kill people because they’re human, she should think of them as kobolds or something similar. She’s still doing that?

“Kobold…?”

Lacy tilted her head, not understanding Millia’s meaning.

“Yes, Haschal told me that creatures who commit evil acts according to their desires aren’t people but kobolds. Right, Haschal?”

“Uh… I guess I did say that…?”

I just said that so she wouldn’t be traumatized by her first kill.

“Ah, so that’s what you meant. Kobold, kobold…”

Lacy, who had been muttering to herself, broke into a bright smile.

“I see. That’s a truly righteous mindset. Befitting your title as Imela’s Arrow, Lady Millia, you possess piety and righteousness comparable to a paladin.”

No, not at all.

“Me, a paladin? No, I’m not that level.”

“There’s no need to be modest. Despising evil, hating evil, refusing to forgive evil, and exterminating evil are the fundamental virtues a paladin should possess. You have that clear-minded spirit within you, Lady Millia. Though the god you serve differs, Elpinel would surely cherish you as well.”

Lacy seemed quite taken with Millia’s kobold theory.

Specifically, the part about not treating evildoers as human beings at all.

Especially going beyond merely thinking “this person doesn’t deserve to be human” while knowing they are human, to fundamentally not even recognizing them as people in the first place.

“…Anyway, after one person—”

“One kobold, right Demian?”

“…After one kobold died, all the other ko…bolds in the vicinity charged at us. Even the kobolds who had been clinging to me drew daggers and attacked. Millia killed them all.”

…So they turned the alley into a sea of blood.

Well done, truly. In an ambiguous sense.

“About twenty of them, I think…?”

“Twenty-five kobolds. I counted them all. Maybe I should have cut off their ears… I heard adventurers cut off kobold ears as proof of extermination. I should have brought them to show you.”

…If you had been walking around with twenty-five pairs of human ears, you would have been arrested before reaching the lodge.

Anyway, they must have been quite loyal gangsters.

Considering they kept attacking until all twenty-five were slaughtered.