Chapter 54: Witch Hunter – 2

“Uh?”

Valon, who had been leading us, suddenly came to a stop.

At the same time, both Vivian and I realized what had startled him.

A crowd had gathered up ahead.

At first, I thought it was just people busily trading in front of a shop, but I soon realized that wasn’t the case.

The loud, agitated voices of the people grew louder with every step we took.

“Valon, go check it out.”

Vivian commanded in a cold tone.

A rare tension flickered in her voice.

Valon nodded and quickly ran toward the crowd.

His large frame pushed through the people and gradually disappeared into the center of the commotion.

Before long, even louder shouting erupted from the crowd’s center.

It was evident from this distance that Valon had become involved in some kind of altercation.

***

Thanks to Valon’s intervention, the people began to notice our presence as we approached from behind.

As they parted to make way, we could observe the situation more clearly.

At the center of the divided crowd were four knights clad in black armor and black robes adorned with white triangular and circular patterns.

The four knights had several citizens kneeling before them.

Fear and despair were etched on the faces of the commoners, some trembling and even shedding tears.

“…The Las Order.”

Vivian whispered.

It wasn’t difficult to identify the knights as paladins of the Order.

Valon was shouting at the paladins, his voice full of anger, while they argued back at him in calm tones.

Vivian took a short breath as she observed the scene.

She then extended her hand toward me, as if preparing to dismount her horse.

I naturally took her hand and helped her dismount.

Her hand was cold as ice.

***

She likely wasn’t even aware that she was still holding my hand.

It was unusual to see her so visibly tense, and I found it surprising.

As if being guided by me, she continued forward, holding onto my hand.

I raised our clasped hands slightly as we walked.

When Vivian reached the paladins, Valon immediately calmed down and closed his mouth.

The paladins, too, fell silent.

It seemed that the red hair alone was enough to identify her as the Lord of Loctana.

Vivian briefly glanced at the kneeling commoners before speaking to the paladins in a cold voice, her tone brimming with hostility.

“What is going on here?”

The four knights saluted in the style of the Order before answering.

“Hail to the Sun of Rondor.”

“I asked what you are doing here.”

There was no hesitation or remorse in their voices.

“We are hunting witches who deserve to be executed.”

“Do you have evidence for detaining these people?”

“There are suspicious circumstances.”

“What kind of circumstances?”

“…People said that eating meat from this shop relieved the pain they felt in their bodies.”

A middle-aged woman among the kneeling commoners shouted in distress.

“Th-that’s just meat! Of course the pain would go away if starving people ate meat to nourish their bodies!”

A paladin growled at the woman.

“Silence. No one asked you.”

Vivian sighed and looked around.

The shop had been ransacked, with wooden planks strewn everywhere.

Various meats lay on the dirt-covered ground.

It was hard to tell whether the bloodstains scattered around were from the meat or the commoners.

I could feel Vivian’s grip on my hand tighten.

***

“If these people aren’t witches, how do you intend to compensate them for what you’ve done?”

“We took sufficient time to assess. They are undoubtedly witches.”

“—That’s a lie.”

Vivian interrupted, her tone resolute.

The paladins fell silent under the sudden shift in her demeanour.

“Do not lie to me.”

“The act of the Las Order in hunting witches is noble, but I cannot tolerate the harm done to my innocent citizens in the process. The public is already outraged by the havoc you’ve caused in your witch hunts.”

The paladins’ expressions darkened.

“Calling it havoc is an insult. Do not disparage our actions.”

-Thud.

One of the paladins stepped forward, as if to intimidate Vivian.

-Swish.

I placed my hand on the hilt of the twin swords strapped to my back.

***

Their eyes darted to the blue band around my neck, then back to my face.

After a moment of silence, the advancing paladin stepped back.

Only then did I release my grip on the sword.

Vivian spoke.

“I do not disparage anything without cause. Who doesn’t know by now that the Las Order has been fervently hunting witches of late?”

The paladin stood firm and replied.

“A witch’s curse causes unbearable suffering. No effort to eradicate it is too extreme.”

Curse.

That word sent a chill through my chest.

Even though I was standing beside Vivian, opposing the paladins, I couldn’t help but feel unsettled by his words.

I glanced at Vivian.

***

Then, I quietly closed my eyes and tried to dispel my thoughts.

No.

My feelings toward Vivian were not love.

They were a form of guilt, or perhaps a sense of obligation.

Yet, the relentless emotions that clung to me like a curse were undeniable.

“No matter what you say, I will no longer stand by and watch the Las Order torment my people.”

The surrounding citizens cheered at Vivian’s declaration, their voices rising from the crowd.

The paladin, however, remained stoic, repeating the same stance.

“This is the will of the Order. Not even a lord can oppose it.”

“Regardless, there are limits. Coming onto our land and completely ignoring our rules is unacceptable.”

As this frustrating back-and-forth continued, I glanced at Vivian.

Her anger was steadily building.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself.

Then I spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.

***

“Vivian, can’t we just kill them all?”

I had no intention of actually doing so, nor of escalating the situation.

But I knew a little intimidation could sometimes work wonders.

The paladins looked taken aback, glancing at each other.

“They’ve come onto your land and are doing as they please. If they refuse to listen, expel them or kill them. At this point, they’re enemies.”

I continued.

“They’re just four, while we have fifty people here. Let’s just get rid of them. Even the onlookers are on our side, and they’ll stay quiet about it afterward.”

The crowd murmured phrases like “Kailo Alan,” “the Northerner,” and “the barbarian,” but despite the insults, it was clear they were siding with me.

The growing oppressive atmosphere confirmed it.

Even those who had been watching from a distance began stepping closer, adding to the pressure on the paladins.

“…Ma’am, please stand up. First of all.”

“…Valon, you’ve grown so much.”

Valon, as if to make a statement, helped the kneeling citizens to their feet.

The paladins couldn’t even order them to kneel again, only flinching in response.

The lead paladin tried to turn the situation around by barking at me.

“…Who are you? Do you think a mere knight can cross us and walk away unscathed?”

I smirked at his threat.

“Don’t you know who I am?”

Vivian looked up at me.

“…What?”

“I’m not from this land. I’m not under your jurisdiction. No matter how mighty your Order claims to be, you can’t kill me without consequences. My life isn’t as cheap as yours.”

“…Who are you?”

“If I die, it will lead to war on this land. Do you think the Las Order can handle that?”

In the distance, Wallace and Martin chuckled.

I could faintly hear whispers calling me insane.

***

The gratitude in Vivian’s gaze as she looked at me was unmistakable, a stark contrast to her earlier demeanour.

That look alone made it worth issuing such a threat.

However, Vivian didn’t push the paladins further.

We had naturally fallen into the roles of good cop and bad cop.

“I apologize. In case you aren’t aware, this man is Kailo Alan. He is the eldest son of the Alan family, currently here as… a guest in our land.”

“…I’ve heard of him. If he had removed his helmet, I would’ve recognized him by his black hair.”

“I’ll apologize for his harsh words on his behalf. Please consider the earlier threat null and void.”

The paladin begrudgingly nodded as if unwilling but unable to refuse.

Vivian seized the shift in the atmosphere and pressed her advantage.

“However, I am sincere in saying that I can no longer tolerate seeing such incidents. In fact, my visit to the city today was to discuss this matter. Will the bishop be at the Las Order temple?”

“…Yes, he will.”

“Please guide me. I want to have a conversation.”

Although Vivian managed to smooth over my threats, the citizens still viewed the Paladins with unkind eyes.

It was something I hadn’t known, but the Order seemed to have accumulated no small amount of resentment from them.

Even those who had once feared them were now venting their anger, emboldened by Vivian’s presence.

The Paladins, sensing the atmosphere, eventually backed down.

“…Understood. Please follow me.”

***

While Vivian had a private audience with the bishop in the Church’s sanctuary, I, a few companions, and the Paladins from earlier stood guard outside the door.

Unseen tension passed between us.

Wallace kept glaring up and down at them, while Martin continuously made quiet jokes.

Valon and I simply stood with stern expressions, staring straight ahead.

How long had we been like this?

The middle-aged knight eventually let out a long sigh.

***

“Fighting like this with youngsters at my age… it’s unbecoming. Let’s put an end to this pointless standoff.”

Valon and I turned to the middle-aged knight as he extended his hand.

“My name is Leopold.”

He said.

I shrugged and ignored his hand.

Leopold frowned at my reaction and questioned.

“Is there really a need to go this far?”

Valon answered in my stead.

“An outsider came to our land and harmed our people. Do you think we’d want to get friendly with you? That shop you lot were harassing earlier—the lady who owns it? She’s a kind person who used to share her food with my siblings.”

Martin chimed in.

“And besides, with Lady Vivian opposing you, how could we just casually get along with you?”

Leopold clicked his tongue in frustration, shaking his head as if exasperated.

“Your lord doesn’t know better. If she understood how vile witches are, she wouldn’t act this way.”

Wallace retorted.

“Who’s stopping you from hunting witches? Like Lady Vivian said, we’re doing this because innocent people are getting caught up in it.”

The knight remained unmoved, his conviction apparent in his unwavering gaze.

“Innocent people or not, it has to be done.”

He said firmly.

Valon stared blankly at him, repeating his words as if to confirm.

“…What?”

Leopold turned his eyes to me, who had been silent all this time, and continued speaking.

“Because witches are like that. Their very existence is incompatible—they shouldn’t be allowed to live.”

His words shook me deeply.

I couldn’t help but think of the old crone who once cursed me, calling herself a witch.

The crone I had personally executed.

***

“Kailo Alan, our start may not have been ideal, but… I bear no grudges against you. In fact, I’m rather grateful.”

“…?”

“You’ve undoubtedly severed the heads of witches sent by our Church. You were the executioner of Rondor, weren’t you?”

“…You seem to know a lot about us.”

“We have more ways of obtaining information than you’d expect. Of course, that’s a given when hunting witches.”

“Anyway, among those you executed, there may have been some innocent people… but there were certainly witches as well. For that, I’m grateful.”

Leopold spoke sincerely, his tone weighted with conviction.

The emotions conveyed through his gaze left me unable to offer any rebuttal.

Perhaps it was because my own feelings were already so conflicted.

The crone’s voice echoed in my mind, over and over.

And so did the impulsive emotions I’d felt toward Vivian.

Instead, I responded quietly.

“…You must really hate witches.”

“Do you like them?”

I thought of the crone and answered.

***

“…Who likes witches? But I don’t exactly feel the burning hatred you do.”

“You’d feel the same if you were cursed.”

“…Have you been cursed?”

“Of course. That’s why I’m doing this.”

I asked with a strange sense of tension.

“…What kind of curse?”

The experienced knight looked at me for a long moment before closing his eyes tightly and shaking his head.

“…I’d rather not talk about it.”

***

Vivian had a long conversation with the bishop of the Las Order.

The bald bishop, appearing to be in his forties and somewhat plump, listened intently to her.

But through his thinly slit eyes, Vivian sensed a faint madness.

Every time the word “witch” came up, that hidden fervor flickered.

If her identity as a witch were discovered, she could imagine how that madness would be directed at her.

It was like walking straight into the jaws of a predator.

Vivian hid her trembling as best she could and continued speaking.

This was something she couldn’t have done two years ago.

The bishop initially stood firm, but as Vivian’s words lengthened, he began to show signs of considering her proposal.

“…Very well. Perhaps we’ve been too alarmist.”

“People are more afraid of the chance you might take them away than they are of the witches being nearby.”

Vivian said.

“Why would that be? We only target witches. If someone isn’t a witch, there’s no reason to fear.”

“Unless they are performing magic right in front of you, even you can’t be certain who’s a witch, can you?”

“Lady Vivian, you must be careful with your words. It might sound like you’re defending those heretical witches.”

“I’m not willing to stand by and watch my people suffer because of baseless suspicions.”

“…”

Vivian took deep breaths whenever she could, trying to stay calm.

And each time, the bishop’s sharp gaze shifted toward her.

***

She kept reminding herself not to betray her fear.

She mustn’t reveal her identity as a witch.

“…In any case, understood.”

The bishop finally said.

“From now on, we will only act when there is clearer evidence. We’ll reduce the actions that frighten the citizens of Loctana.”

Vivian sighed in relief and responded.

“Thank you for understanding.”

“However, we will still patrol. We cannot stop monitoring suspicious individuals or hunting for witches.”

“Understood.”

This much would satisfy Elena.

Vivian decided not to provoke further.

She knew the true meaning of her actions, even if she wrapped them in excuses.

As Elena had requested, she was protecting the hidden witches.

***

Vivian found herself wondering how many other witches might be hiding in this city.

How many lives had her actions saved?

As she rose, thinking the negotiations had concluded, the bishop called out to her.

“Lady Vivian?”

“…Yes?”

For a moment, her heart sank.

The bishop maintained an uncomfortable silence, then smiled.

“…Since we’ve agreed to your request, may I ask something of you as well?”

It felt impossible to refuse.

Vivian, remembering her promise to Elena, nodded.

“…Please, go ahead.”

“It’s not difficult to spread our doctrine. However, it’s clear that there are those who would hate witches.

We have no intention of forcibly imposing our beliefs on unbelievers. That said, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. For that reason, we’d like to appoint a key figure from the castle as an overseer.”

“…An overseer?”

***

“An overseer to uncover the presence of witches, if you will. Witch hunters, perhaps. Think of it as a measure for ensuring safety. After all, that is our duty.”

Witch hunters.

It would be a lie to say the name didn’t strike fear.

Witches are executed the moment they are discovered.

The weight of that statement pressed heavily on her.

The bishop continued without caring about Vivian’s emotions.

“That should be fine, right? Surely, even you, Lady Vivian, would feel displeased if witches were roaming the castle.”

It was the opposite.

As a witch herself, the existence of witch hunters was even more troubling.

Vivian hesitated for a moment, then squeezed out an excuse.

“I want to accept the proposal as well. However…”

“…However?”

The bishop’s expression darkened.

“…However, as you know, my position in Rondor Castle is precarious. Many rivals are targeting me. I’m afraid my opponents might accuse me or my people of being witches. The Church’s mission must not be misused for political schemes, don’t you agree?”

The bishop nodded deeply, as if he completely understood.

“Ah, I see, that makes sense. I hadn’t considered that. Of course, we are only focused on identifying witches… But ultimately, entrusting someone with this role—someone who doesn’t fully believe in our doctrine—might lead to biased decisions. Expecting a perfectly fair approach from such a person would be too much, wouldn’t it?”

“Exactly, so—”

But the bishop didn’t seem ready to abandon his proposal.

“In that case, how about entrusting this role to someone who stands apart from all this political chaos?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Someone who is not known as your ally but has saved your life on multiple occasions. Someone who doesn’t seem overly involved in political matters. Come to think of it, he is perfect.”

Before the bishop could elaborate further, Vivian already knew who he was referring to.

Vivian’s expression hardened fiercely.

Instead of fear, a hint of anger welled up.

Her heart began to race faster and faster.

Still, the bishop didn’t close his mouth.

Someone who believed in God seemed to fear nothing.

“Kailo Alan.”

The bishop smiled.

“Wouldn’t appointing him as a witch hunter resolve everything?”