Ch.464Your Body Does Not Belong to You.

“Retreat? Are you serious, Lord Perlman?!”

“If the Archbishop learns of this…!”

The Paladins of Astraea showed their bewilderment at the order from their commander, Perlman.

It was understandable. How could these faith-hardened paladins comprehend an order to withdraw in the face of an enemy?

Had it been a peer rather than their commander who uttered those words, they would have reprimanded him immediately.

“…I will not accept any objections. Retreat. I will speak to the Archbishop myself.”

Fortunately, the high paladin called Perlman was not a weak commander who would bend his will to his subordinates’ resistance.

After issuing another stern warning to the paladins, Perlman sheathed his sword completely and stood straight, facing me with an utterly defenseless posture. As if daring me to strike him down.

“Retreat?”

I smirked as I pulled my sword tip closer.

Since I’d decided to play the role of a Ka’har, I needed to come on strong here.

“You think I’ll just stand by and watch?”

In truth, that was exactly what I planned to do.

If I had intended to slaughter them, picking them off one by one while their forces were scattered would be the best strategy. But I wanted to break Astraea Church’s will, not their necks.

Massacring them in such a crude manner would only pile up resentment.

They would fight to the death, down to the last person. That would be troublesome.

So to stop them, I needed to crush their maximum strength head-on, destroying their very will to resist me.

“Well. Would someone renowned as a warrior among warriors target the back of a man who has sheathed his sword?”

Perlman turned his back to me completely and began walking toward the paladins.

Even though he knew full well that if I charged now, he would die without even being able to resist.

I admire his guts. That much I like.

Though it’s hard to forgive them for swinging their swords at citizens, regardless of Astraea’s doctrine or their superior’s orders.

“Ha, you speak eloquently. Fine. I’ll allow you to withdraw. I’d appreciate it if you’d retreat all the way back to the Holy City while you’re at it.”

As I relaxed my stance, Perlman turned to face me and nodded slightly, as if he had expected this, and responded.

“…That would be difficult. Whether you wish it or not, we will meet again soon.”

“Looking forward to it.”

I saw them off with an arrogant smile and a slight nod.

Though the paladins under Perlman’s command still looked unconvinced, they grudgingly extinguished their holy light when their commander pressed them.

The first step of my plan was about to conclude.

“Who gives you the right…! Who gives you the right to run away?!”

A harsh roar erupted from the center of the crowd gathered behind.

A voice filled with anger directed at the Paladins of Astraea. The tone suggested they couldn’t accept the paladins retreating unscathed.

“Comrades! Draw your bows! We must exact blood payment for those who have fallen—!”

“Shut your mouth.”

I whirled toward the voice, drawing a dagger from inside my clothes and hurling it.

Toward the man who had stood up and was shouting, inciting the protesters.

Yeah, I knew someone like this would show up. It would be strange if they didn’t.

– SHWAAAK!

With a sound that tore through the air, the black iron blade shot like a bullet.

The dagger grazed the bastard’s ear and collided with the building behind him, exploding with a violent boom that shattered the wall.

– KRRRRRUMBLE!

The pile of shattered bricks collapsed with a crash.

Dust billowed up. Through the hazy view, the building with its collapsed wall exposed its innards.

“Uh, uhhh…”

Whether his eardrum had burst from the explosive sound alone, the instigator clutched his ear and collapsed with a dull groan.

He must understand well. If the thrown dagger had been even half an inch closer, his head would have disappeared without a trace.

“He attacked us…?”

“Didn’t he come to help us…?!”

The startled citizens unconsciously took a step back.

Yes. They couldn’t help but be surprised. Despite being filled with enough fighting spirit to riot, they’d probably never before witnessed a wall crumbling from a single dagger thrown by a person.

Perlman glanced at me and quickly withdrew with his paladins while the citizens’ attention was focused on me.

Toward the cathedral of the Church of Astraea that towered on the other side of the city.

Good. Everything’s going according to plan so far.

I glared at the protesters who had frozen under my intimidating presence, my expression cold as ice.

The first step of the plan—forcing the Paladins of Astraea to retreat—had been accomplished cleanly.

Now, it was time to take the second step.

“Who told you to open your mouths?”

It was time to shake down these protesters.

—-

“I told you. This city has become mine. Was that difficult to understand?”

It means you are no longer free.

I addressed them in a tone cold enough to freeze, still holding Durandal unsheathed, emanating even more killing intent than when I had faced the Paladins of Astraea.

It was necessary.

Without intimidating them like this, controlling them would be impossible.

City residents who had taken up arms and rushed out at someone’s instigation.

Most of them were probably ordinary city residents, but among them, instigators with evil intentions were hiding like tumors.

It would have been convenient if I had the discernment to pick out those bastards…

Unfortunately, lacking such ability, I had no choice but to forcibly restrain them.

To resolve the situation, I first needed to somehow stop this mad fighting.

After that, I could find the shadowy figure who instigated this riot and tear them limb from limb for public display.

…Of course, now that blood had been spilled and resentment had built up, the problem wouldn’t end just by finding and eliminating the instigator.

Let’s say they learn that their protest was someone else’s plot. Would they stop?

Not likely. There must be quite a few casualties on the protesters’ side.

Even if they lose their cause, hatred doesn’t disappear.

They would fight to the end to avenge their dead.

That’s why I declared this a conquered territory.

If they want revenge, they’ll have to get my permission first.

The moment they realize that’s impossible, their anger will turn toward me.

Instead of rioting, they’ll try to kill me first.

Though that would be impossible.

After absorbing their anger for a while, once I drive away Astraea’s main force when they arrive…everything should be resolved smoothly.

The citizens who couldn’t resolve their grudges would live with sorrow and anger in their hearts, but at least they would live.

Better than dying, right?

—-

After reviewing my plan, I took out a cigarette, put it in my mouth, and pointed Durandal at the citizen militia.

As if I would cut them down if they moved even slightly.

“You are my prisoners and property. In other words, slaves. How dare such creatures speak without their master’s permission? I don’t think you want to be torn apart.”

I carefully examined the citizen militia while spewing insults along with cigarette smoke.

Most of them were young men wearing armor provided by the Church of Kranus.

There were some women and boys mixed in, but not many.

The skewed composition…does it mean the entire city doesn’t support the militia’s cause?

“Slaves…? What do you mean by slaves…?!”

“Crazy, what is he saying…?”

My inflammatory words must have been quite shocking, as the citizen militia began to stir all at once.

I scrutinized their faces with sharp eyes, carefully observing their expressions.

I was hoping to spot those who showed dismay rather than confusion or anger, or those who, like the man who fell earlier, would protest and try to incite those around them.

I planned to investigate such individuals first.

“Lord Median, what are you saying? Making the city residents slaves? Wasn’t that just a false pretext to drive away the Paladins of Astraea?”

But the one who protested was not from the citizen militia but from the Paladins of Kranus.

…Right, these guys were here too. I forgot.

“False pretext? I don’t remember saying such a thing. You assumed that on your own.”

I approached the Paladin of Kranus while flicking away my cigarette ash.

Twirling Durandal with my right hand as I moved.

Perhaps sensing my approach as a threat, wariness began to frost over his face.

“In the first place, what is a Paladin of Kranus doing here? Engaging in all-out war with the Church of Astraea—this can’t be an order from the central diocese in the Holy City. Is this the local archbishop’s independent decision?”

No matter how I thought about it, the Paladins of Kranus joining the citizen militia was likely the independent action of the Arad diocese.

The Church of Kranus, having completely lost its political influence with the Cardinal’s suicide, wouldn’t take such a reckless move as directly confronting the Church of Astraea.

Unless they wanted to completely ruin the church.

“…Yes. The Archbishop of Arad Diocese, Lord Radenis, commanded it. To save those crushed under the harshness of the scales and show the mercy of Kranus.”

See? I knew it.

“Mercy…”

I sneered, mocking him.

Mercy, my ass. Their true intentions were obvious.

To restore the “purity” of the Holy State through conflict—something like that.

Just like their former Cardinal, Erich.

The low-ranking paladins might truly have acted out of compassion, but it’s different for someone of archbishop rank.

Someone at the level of archbishop couldn’t possibly be unaware of what would happen when they provoked the Paladins of Astraea.

Let’s say they drove out the Church of Astraea from Arad. Would that be the end?

Before they could even enjoy their victory, the main force of the Church of Astraea would arrive. How did they plan to stop that?

The only way to prevent that would be for the central diocese of the Church of Kranus to intervene and block Astraea’s main force, but that would immediately start a religious war.

Perhaps this Archbishop Radenis desires such a war, like Erich did.

…These bastards haven’t come to their senses even after their Cardinal died.