A Native of the Svita Kingdom, Annexed and Destroyed by the Beidos Empire
McGuy Zaborg was born in what was once the Svita Kingdom, before it was annexed as a vassal state by the Beidos Empire.
Though from a vassal state, he held Beidos citizenship and operated a small trading guild inherited from his father.
Thanks to decent business acumen and strong networking skills, he had managed to steadily grow his guild.
Additionally, he owned a mine allocated by the empire.
It was also noted that McGuy had a particular fondness for women, with rumors suggesting he had multiple mistresses beyond his wife.
If necessary, he wasn’t above engaging in illegal activities. He bribed officials and even Inquisitors, skillfully weaving connections to his advantage.
Far from being a hero, McGuy epitomized the archetype of a corrupt merchant leader.
In fact, he seemed more akin to a villain or a classic antagonist.
"What am I supposed to learn from this guy?"
Oscar leaned back in his chair, biting down on the beloved pipe of the Inquisitor-General he now inhabited.
The previous protagonist, the Great Chieftain Yastora, had been a paragon of virtue who sacrificed himself for his tribe—a figure brimming with qualities worth emulating.
But McGuy?
He was a coward who skulked in the shadows, quietly hoarding benefits for himself.
The type of person Oscar despised most.
Because, in McGuy, he saw himself.
Of course, there was one notable detail about McGuy that stood out.
When Oscar first saw him at the execution platform, the crowd had erupted in wild cheers at the sight of heretics being executed.
McGuy, however, had not joined in.
Instead, he had worn a grim expression and left the scene, as if unable to stomach what he was witnessing.
Perhaps, in this land steeped in madness, McGuy was one of the few who retained some measure of humanity.
Even so, he was still an unremarkable figure. Could there really be anything to learn from him?
“Sir, it’s time for your inspection.”
Pondering alone wouldn’t yield any answers.
Perhaps meeting McGuy in person might provide some insight.
Luckily, today’s schedule included inspections.
Oscar climbed into the carriage, guided by the Inquisitors.
The duties of the Inquisitors were straightforward:
If higher authorities pointed out heretics, they would arrest them first and foremost.
If no specific individuals were designated, the Inquisitors would patrol for suspicious activity and apprehend those who seemed questionable.
Anyone confirmed as a heretic would be executed on the same day.
Those who were merely suspected would be labeled as "Heretical Suspects" and forced into labor.
Adult men were often kept alive as laborers under the suspicion category, but women and children were typically executed immediately.
Heretical suspects were assigned to hazardous tasks, such as mining. McGuy’s mine was one such example.
Through his connections with high-ranking officials, McGuy had secured a steady supply of heretical suspects as laborers—far more than other mine owners.
Thud!
As the carriage rattled along, Oscar’s brow furrowed as he reviewed the records of mine owners.
It appeared McGuy had paid enormous bribes to the Inquisitors to ensure a steady influx of workers.
Even the Inquisitor-General’s body he now inhabited had received an absurd amount of gemstones from McGuy.
Hero? Humanity?
How could someone who forced so many people into deadly mining work under such inhumane conditions be called a hero?
It was incomprehensible.
“Where shall we begin today’s inspection?”
The lieutenant sitting beside him asked the question casually.
“Let’s start with McGuy’s mine.”
Oscar decided it was best to see things with his own eyes.
“Oh, McGuy’s mine. A fine choice, sir.”
The lieutenant smirked slyly, evidently assuming this was a trip to extract more bribes.
The corruption was nauseating.
Even without knowing much history, Oscar could now understand why this nation had fallen and faded into oblivion.
After a long journey, the carriage arrived at McGuy’s mine.
As Oscar stepped out, he saw a middle-aged man hurrying toward him, his belly bouncing with each step.
“Aha! Inquisitor-General, what an honor to see you!”
McGuy wiped the sweat from his forehead with a cloth, flashing an awkward smile.
“If only you’d given me some notice, I could’ve prepared a more extravagant gift, haha.”
The awkward laugh and exaggerated gestures gave him away.
Oscar, having worked as a security captain, could immediately tell McGuy was trying to hide something.
The unexpected timing of this inspection had likely caught him off guard.
"It’s nothing special. You were simply included in the inspection schedule, that’s all."
Oscar ordered the lieutenant and the other Inquisitors to wait outside for now.
Then, with McGuy leading the way, he stepped into the mine’s management office.
Once they were alone in the quiet space, McGuy pulled a pouch from his coat and nervously held it out.
"It’s a small token, but..."
Oscar silently accepted the pouch.
Peeking through its slightly open mouth, he could see the glimmer of gemstones inside.
It was undoubtedly the same type of bribe that McGuy had regularly paid to the Inquisitor-General before.
Though Oscar had no personal interest in keeping the bribe, he decided to accept it, pretending to act naturally to avoid raising suspicion.
"As you can see, there are no problems with my mine. The heretical suspects you sent are working hard. I’m sure, through their labor, they’ll come to understand the greatness of Celestial God Beidos. Haha."
"Is that so?"
Oscar casually picked up the workers’ registry lying on the desk.
Most of the listed workers were labeled as heretical suspects.
Since the harsh mining work required able-bodied adults, all of them were marked as male.
Except for a few names.
"Emily Bladen? Rachel Stern?"
Names that sounded far too feminine for adult men.
"McGuy," Oscar called.
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Why was he checking the registry? Did he find the bribe insufficient? McGuy’s face was painted with nervousness.
"Here. Here. And here."
Oscar pointed to several entries in the registry with women’s names.
"They’re marked as adult men, but don’t the names seem odd?"
"Th-That’s... is that so?"
McGuy’s face betrayed his unease.
Oscar immediately realized that this was what McGuy was trying to hide.
Falsifying records to classify female heretical suspects as male and bringing them into the mine?
And considering McGuy’s reputation for indulging in women, was this for sexual exploitation?
"These days, some men do have feminine names, you know? Th-That’s probably the case here. Haha."
Oscar’s expression twisted in disgust.
"Are you seriously trying to deceive an Inquisitor of the Empire, McGuy?"
"N-No, I wouldn’t dare—"
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"It seems I have no choice. I’ll need to inspect the workers myself."
Without another word, Oscar stormed out of the management office, heading directly toward the mine’s rest area.
"Wait, please, Inquisitor-General! I-I’ve made an error in preparation! Let me arrange a proper reception for you right away!"
McGuy clung desperately to Oscar, trying to stop him, but Oscar shook him off and kept walking.
This vile man...
Oscar had already felt nauseated seeing McGuy’s reflection of his own flaws, but if this extended to exploiting women—and possibly children—it was beyond tolerable.
Not merely a cowardly opportunist, but a true villain.
Someone from whom he could learn nothing, save what not to become.
With a rough push, Oscar flung the door to the rest area open.
But what he saw inside was nothing like he had imagined.
Huddled together in the room were women and... children.
Wide-eyed, they all turned to look at Oscar, their expressions filled with fear and confusion.
"Inquisitor-General!"
McGuy came running in, panting.
"Ah! It’s the guildmaster!"
"Guildmaster!"
To Oscar’s astonishment, the children rushed toward McGuy, hugging his legs tightly.
Their gestures were filled with affection, not fear.
This wasn’t the scene of exploitation Oscar had expected—it was the opposite.
"S-Sir, I-I can explain!"
McGuy hastily sent the children back to their mothers and tried to offer an explanation.
But Oscar barely registered his excuses.
‘It wasn’t exploitation.’
Oscar had assumed McGuy had smuggled out these women and children for his own selfish purposes.
Given McGuy’s history of hoarding wealth through any means necessary, the idea that he would spend such a fortune to bribe Inquisitors for someone else’s sake had seemed absurd.
But this scene...
Women and children who should have been executed or enslaved were alive, secretly hidden and protected.
...Could it be?
This man...