Chapter 44
In this world, the presence of two moons made it even harder to move stealthily at night.
Occasionally, like tonight, both moons were covered by clouds, making the night relatively darker.
Such nights were perfect for assassins, thieves, and spies—those who needed to move in secret.
Del Maria also sprang to her feet, waiting for the moment when the clouds veiled both moons.
By the time she stepped into the open clearing, Elmondo, commander of the Heretic Purging Unit, and his subordinates were already there.
“You’ve arrived, Lady Del Maria.”
“Yes.”
“This is a place to punish vile heretics. How could I possibly miss it?”
“…Don’t forget that the Church is still waiting to reestablish a formal trial.”
Feigning ignorance, Del Maria brought up official procedures, but everyone present had gathered with the shared intent of creating an ‘unforeseen incident.’ Had that not been the case, there’d be no reason to meet at such a time and place.
“So, what’s the exact plan? I hear that Isabel, sent by Cardinal Thomas, and some Free Knight have been sniffing around.”
“They’re not here. I’ve had eyes on them. Rest assured.”
“And what if they’ve tricked us somehow?”
“Is that so? Come to think of it, don’t those heretics over there… hmm, those ropes look loose. They could free themselves at any moment and attack the guards.”
Perhaps tired of playing pretend, Del Maria began to show her true intent.
“I’ll be taking five of the smaller heretics. The rest… are yours to handle, Commander Elmondo.”
Elmondo’s face brightened.
“Is that so?”
“Still, we don’t know who the Church might send, so let’s not waste time or leave behind any strange evidence.”
“Of course, of course.”
Del Maria and Elmondo exchanged curt nods. Del Maria personally selected five children and disappeared.
Their location was a remote camp, far from Stanmore city. With no one else around besides the camp, it was hard for anything that happened there to be known.
“Now then, let us begin the sacred act of communal repentance.”
The gagged villagers were separated by gender and hung on pre-planted wooden stakes, facing each other.
“Mmmph! Mmmmph!”
Blood vessels bulged in the eyes of those tied to the stakes. Their red, bloodshot eyes radiated both fury and dread—but that was all they could do.
Elmondo took a poker heated in fire and pressed it into the side of one man tied to the wood.
“Grrrrghhhh!”
As he writhed from the searing pain, a woman—his wife, perhaps—screamed voicelessly, tears pouring down like a waterfall. Watching her reaction, Elmondo removed the poker and calmly spoke.
“No amount of repentance can change the total weight of sin. And thus, the suffering of repentance cannot be reduced. But… will you take his place?”
Despite such devilish cruelty, the Enchin villagers could do nothing but cry.
“What’s this? Cat got your tongue? In that case, I’ll make the decision for you…”
The still-red poker slowly turned toward the woman’s face.
That was when it happened.
Fsshh!
A streak of light pierced the darkness.
Elmondo felt a sudden burning pain near his wrist—like fire licking his skin.
“Wh-What… Aaaaagh!”
His hand and the poker both fell to the ground with a dull thud.
For a moment, he stared at them—until blood spurted out, and a horrified scream tore from his throat.
At that same instant, deer, wolves, boars, and all sorts of animals burst out from every direction, trampling tents and knocking over torch stands in chaotic frenzy. Amid the chaos, a lone figure appeared.
“I’ve seen all kinds of things… but this one ranks near the top.”
A voice clicked its tongue. A man wearing a Purging Unit’s hood stood with sword drawn.
Even as he emerged, Elmondo writhed on the ground, clutching his bleeding wrist.
“What are you doing?! Capture that bastard! Do not—absolutely do not let him escape!”
Still clinging to a shred of composure, Elmondo waved his still-intact hand toward Karl. The Purging Unit soldiers responded swiftly. Their movements were leagues above those of common rural guards.
But Karl was a Superior-grade knight who had roamed countless battlefields. Drawing their attention and manipulating space and time was nothing new to him.
With dazzling movements that concealed his true aim, Karl took a few wounds on purpose while guiding the soldiers toward one side.
Meanwhile, the Druid descendants quickly freed the villagers and led them away.
It helped that all of Elmondo’s forces had been focused on Karl in his blind rage, and the rampaging animals continued to sow chaos.
“One man, and you’re all fumbling!”
Barely managing to stop the bleeding, Elmondo charged forward. Karl met him with a flash of light.
“Urk!”
Elmondo panicked at the sudden charge. He swung his sword in his left hand, but Karl’s blade had already pierced his abdomen.
“Grrgh…!”
Twisting the blade as he pulled it free, Karl severely damaged Elmondo’s organs. Blood poured from his mouth.
Karl cut down the disoriented Purging Unit soldiers around him to buy more time, then dashed at full speed toward the forest.
The Heretic Purging Unit could do nothing to stop him.
***
Deeper into the forest’s edge, Karl said it was time to part ways.
“Sir Karl, where are you going?”
“This is finished. I’m heading after Del Maria—Lady Isabel’s target.”
“Ah…”
Two Inquisitors.
Despite the villagers’ conflicted expressions, Karl simply ended the conversation.
“You all should stay hidden in the shelter until this is over.”
Everyone bowed deeply to express their gratitude.
“Sir Karl, you are the savior of us all. If you ever need help, contact us through the Condor. No matter where we are, we’ll come if you call.”
Nana spoke on behalf of the tribe, and the others followed with another deep bow.
At that moment, a faint, visible hue of wind swirled around Nana and floated toward Karl’s head. Karl suddenly felt lighter.
[Linked Quest: Rescue the Captured Descendants of the Druids (25/25)]
[Quest Complete: Passive Skill ‘Blessing of the Wind’ acquired]
There was no detailed explanation, but he certainly felt lighter, probably thanks to this “Blessing of the Wind.”
“The wind blesses you, Sir Karl. When you move, let your body follow the breeze. You’ll find it makes things easier.”
Trying Nana’s advice, Karl let his body relax—and nearly fell flat on his face.
“This’ll take some getting used to.”
“You’ll adjust quickly. I wish you good fortune in battle, Sir Karl.”
Waving goodbye to the Enchin Tribe, Karl headed toward where Isabel was.
With every stride, it felt like the air resistance in front of him disappeared.
***
Isabel followed Del Maria in secret as she split off from the group.
After arriving in Stanmore, Del Maria walked deep into a back alley and entered an isolated house. She dragged along children with their mouths and eyes covered, hands tightly bound.
Isabel didn’t barge in immediately.
‘Charging through the front door is too risky…’
Safe houses often had traps for intruders. Like one infiltrating a cult’s shrine, Isabel carefully scouted the house’s exterior.
Sure enough, she concluded that the front door was the worst option.
Isabel quietly slipped a dagger into a crack between bricks. Using one hand to grip the wall and the other to wedge the dagger, she climbed the three-story building.
Once she reached a balcony on the third floor, she quietly opened a window and slipped inside.
Judging by the clothes hanging inside, this seemed to be Del Maria’s personal room—simple furniture in an ordinary space.
‘It’s surprisingly normal.’
After confirming there was nothing unusual, Isabel crept into the hallway. As she cautiously inspected it, her sharp intuition caught something off.
“….”
She had already circled the exterior, noting the building’s size.
She had measured a room’s size just before exiting into this hallway.
And now, the hallway was suspiciously short for the building’s length.
Reaching the end of the hall, Isabel found a brick worn unnaturally smooth. After brief hesitation, she pressed it. One hand already gripped her mace.
Clack-clack-clack…
A scraping sound echoed as the wall slid open.
“Who’s there?!”
Del Maria’s sharp voice rang out from downstairs.
And at that moment, Isabel saw it.
“Ah…!”
A mountain of skulls.
“Oh Lord… how could something like this…”
As she muttered to God, Del Maria flew up the stairs and stood behind her.
Isabel realized: the hundreds of scattered skulls were all from children.
‘The devil wasn’t somewhere else after all.’
Isabel slowly turned, divine light surrounding her mace.
There stood Del Maria, smiling wickedly, iron rods in hand—her own light shining just as brightly.
“How could someone like you receive the light of Essus…!”
“Maybe it turns out this power doesn’t come from your god at all?”
“Blasphemy!”
“Still clinging to that?”
Watching her giggle, Isabel felt overwhelming confusion.
She was clearly evil. So why did Essus still shine on her? Why didn’t He revoke His light after all these deaths?
While Isabel’s mind wrestled with this chaos, Del Maria’s rod came swinging at her.
BOOOOM!
Steel clashed with steel, power with power, shaking the entire building.
Both wielded strong Divine Power, and their clash was enough to rattle the house.
Their strength was comparable, and Isabel’s weapon skills were slightly superior—
—but her shaken faith left her trailing by a hair.
‘Why…?!’
She kept asking herself.
Why did Essus not strip His light from someone so vile?
Her mind’s chaos affected her body. Her movements dulled, and the flame of faith flickered.
‘Am I worse… than that demon?’
Isabel couldn’t understand.
“This can’t be! The Lord would never grant His power to a monster like you!”
“Confused, are we? But think—if your god is truly just, why are the candidates for saintly title appearing outside the Church instead of within it?”
“God’s plan… isn’t something humans can fully understand.”
Del Maria frowned at Isabel’s textbook answer, though she still smiled.
“Fine. I’ll send you off—ask Him yourself, if such a plan even exists.”
Their weapons clashed once more. While Isabel’s faith wavered, Del Maria’s light remained as strong as ever.
Isabel tried to gather herself and fight back, but doubt clouded her mind. Del Maria relentlessly targeted every opening.
With each passing second, Del Maria’s light shone brighter. In contrast, Isabel’s dimmed.
Eventually, Del Maria’s rod began to land blows across Isabel’s body.
Pushed back until her back touched the wall, Isabel watched the shining rod come down toward her.
She couldn’t dodge.
She couldn’t block it.
‘Is this the end…?’
She felt a pang of regret.
Had Karl managed to save the Enchin villagers?