Ch.52Saint Commotion (3)

“Mmph… mmph!”

“…Kuk.”

Jeanne’s hands and feet are bound with rope, her eyes covered with a blindfold, and her mouth gagged.

Simon, who led the suppression forces, looks down at Jeanne, the culprit behind all this, grinding his molars.

“After causing all this trouble…! Tie her up well so she doesn’t escape!”

“…Yes, sir!!”

As expected, the cult followers were completely annihilated.

Not in the military sense, but in the literal meaning of the word—annihilation.

The soldiers achieved an overwhelming victory, but the memory of the cultists’ resistance until the very end prevents them from savoring their triumph.

This wasn’t a victory; it was a slaughter.

[Kill me! I said kill me!!]

‘Crazy woman…’

After eliminating all the interfering cultists and leaving only the witch, this witch charged at us with madness in her eyes, screaming wildly. Armed with just a single dagger.

Of course, she was immediately subdued by the soldiers and her entire body restrained, but this woman continued making a fuss about martyrdom until her mouth was gagged. Fitting for the leader of cultists.

“Don’t let anyone get close to this woman. No, throw her in prison and bring me the key.”

“Yes, understood!”

This false saint—no, witch—is extremely beautiful. Even Simon, who has encountered countless women, was momentarily entranced.

Even with a gag in her mouth and a blindfold over her eyes, her beauty doesn’t diminish; rather, it blooms in a strange direction, exuding a decadent charm.

It’s easy to predict what might happen if soldiers who rarely interact with women see such a defenseless and beautiful woman. To prevent any unfortunate incidents, Simon issues orders to his men.

“And what about the soldiers who arrested this witch?”

“They’re resting in their tents. The military doctor says they’re mentally and physically exhausted.”

“…Is that so? Take good care of them; they’re our comrades.”

“Yes, sir!!”

The soldiers who arrested this witch immediately collapsed with dizziness, and their faces turned deathly pale while unconscious.

We called for a military doctor to examine them, and they were mentally and physically exhausted… Well, that’s understandable. They went through a hellish experience filled with cultists.

Those who don’t know the reality might mock them or point fingers for being unmanly, but the soldiers here won’t do that because they know how horrific it was. I feel the same way.

“The report… sigh.”

Once things are somewhat settled, Simon dreads the thought of writing the report.

Simon’s orders from Claude were to disperse the mob, send them back to work, and capture this false saint alive.

He perfectly accomplished the latter, but failed miserably at the former. Not a single one was left alive; they were all killed.

Lord Aras must have trusted me with this task… For my first battle with full command to end in such failure—first impressions are always crucial, and I’ve surely lost points with the Duke. Damn it.

……….

“…Huh?”

Claude is reading a reformed report with only the necessary information concisely written, rather than a traditional report filled with flowery language.

“They killed them all?”

The content of the report is horrific enough to cause stomach pain.

Setting aside the fanatic behavior of rioters who continued moving despite being stabbed or losing body parts… the rioters were counted at roughly 500 people… and they killed every single one of them?

“All rioters were entranced by the false saint and unable to make rational judgments… Their morale didn’t decrease at all despite being hit by weapons, and they all resisted to the very last person—”

What nonsense is this?

Of course, humans are animals willing to die for their beliefs… but not all of them would choose death. Especially 500 pre-modern, uneducated peasants.

“Could the commander have been negligent?”

That’s Ines speaking beside me, also reading the report.

Ines seems equally dumbfounded by this outcome, her voice filled with bewilderment.

“That’s possible… but this person was recommended by Aras.”

In a normal situation, I would first suspect the commander’s negligence or incompetence. But this commander was designated by Aras as his successor.

It’s unlikely, given that Aras, who has better military insight than me, appointed this person. There must be something else going on.

“All… entranced by the false saint.”

Scanning through the report again, the phrase about being entranced by the false saint particularly stands out.

It’s not impossible.

Fanatical belief bordering on brainwashing is like a drug to people.

Even in modern times where everyone receives higher education, people still fall for cults. It would be even easier to brainwash uneducated people.

This false saint, Jeanne, was an orphan of unknown origin and a devout believer who went to church to pray every day, right?

That means she possesses considerable theological knowledge. Even cults need basic theological knowledge… Hmm, the possibility leans that way.

“The false saint, who raved about martyrdom until the end, has been arrested and is being transported to Dijon, so please prepare… it says.”

My instinct is ringing alarm bells strongly.

Normally, it’s common sense to meet traitors in the presence of retainers, but this time, I strongly feel that shouldn’t be the case.

First… perhaps I should meet her alone.

“We should meet with just us, after sending away all other attendants.”

“Huh?”

“That’s right, brother. That would be better.”

However, the plan immediately falls apart.

Chloe and Ines seem to see through my thoughts, suggesting that the three of us meet the false saint together.

“But this is meeting a rebel, so you two should—”

“”Please… can we?””

“—…Fine, but you must behave.”

“”Yes!!””

I can’t resist when they attack from both sides with teary eyes and voices on the verge of crying.

…It should be fine if they behave.

Everyone… might be a bit peculiar inside, but they don’t act that way in front of me.

……….

‘I failed… I failed…’

“Come out.”

I should have been martyred. I absolutely should have been martyred.

Why else would the angels have surrounded those soldiers?

It must have been a sign that I should be martyred by the soldiers.

They were showing me the way, telling me to hurry and be martyred, that I could go to His side if I charged at the soldiers.

But… to be captured like this, unable to achieve martyrdom… No… No… No… No… No… N—

“I said come out!!”

“Mmph…!”

When Jeanne showed no signs of moving despite waiting, Simon irritably grabbed her body and forcefully stood her up.

Normally, a soldier should do this, but as mentioned earlier, entrusting this to a soldier would likely lead to something unsavory, so Commander Simon is personally escorting the prisoner.

“Can’t you hear me… uh… huh?”

Stagger—

“Sir!!”

Simon, who had forcefully stood Jeanne up, suddenly feels intense dizziness.

Fortunately, he managed to brace himself against the wall; otherwise, he would have fallen to the ground immediately.

Soldiers nearby rush to support him after this sudden incident.

“I’m… fine. Kuk…”

‘What is this?’

Outwardly, Simon is trying hard to maintain his composure, but inwardly, he’s extremely confused.

The moment his body touched this witch while he was hostile, his mind scattered like fog with intense guilt, and the emptied parts were filled with piety and holiness instead of his original consciousness.

‘What… who is she?’

But… somehow… he must endure this dizziness.

He needs to personally present this saint to the Duke. Otherwise, he won’t be able to recover his image damaged by the failure of his first operation.

……….

“Mmph! Mmph!!”

“Good work, Simon.”

“It’s… my duty, Your Highness.”

Simon has brought the false saint to the prepared room, but… he doesn’t look well at all.

His face is very pale, and he’s visibly sweating profusely, noticeable even from a distance.

“Um… you should go in and rest quickly. You don’t look well.”

“It’s… nothing. This is my duty, and I must stay by the Saint’s side…”

“The Saint?”

“Ah, no… the false saint… yes, the false saint…”

Seeing that he doesn’t even know what he’s saying, his condition must be truly serious.

“Go in and rest quickly.”

“Yes, yes… thank… you…”

At my repeated command, Simon reluctantly nods and leaves.

He could have entrusted this to a soldier if he was so ill, but he came personally—the failed operation must have weighed heavily on his mind.

Thud—

“Mmph! Mmph!!”

“…”

After Simon leaves, only the gagged false saint’s muffled groans and writhing body can be heard in the room.

Only her eyes and mouth are covered; her ears are fine, so she must know it’s already over, yet she continues to resist even in this state… tsk.

“Stay still if you don’t want to get hurt.”

Swish—

Chloe slowly removes the blindfold and gag from Jeanne.

Her movements are very delicate, showing no intention to harm, as I had requested.

“…Oh.”

As the blindfold and gag are removed, a beautiful woman is revealed.

Her blue eyes are like jewels, and her small closed mouth combined with her small nose exudes a cute charm.

Her blonde hair, though dirty from not being washed, is still remarkably beautiful. Like gold covered in dust yet still radiating brilliance.

“Let’s see… Jeanne, was it?”

It’s hard to believe that such a beautiful girl committed such terrible acts.

Well… appearance and personality aren’t proportional, so it’s possible—

Drip—

“…Hm?”

I expected this girl who had been making such a fuss until just now to say something once her mouth was free.

Begging for her life, or demanding to be killed, something along those lines.

But… this girl, Jeanne, did not.

From the moment her blindfold was removed, she kept her mouth shut, staring straight at me, and then suddenly burst into tears.

…What is going on?