Chapter 150: The Pope’s Command Is Worthless (2)
At his words, the atmosphere froze.
He threatened to kill those who disobeyed.
It became unclear whether the ragged figure before them was truly the Saint or a bandit.
I shall obey the Saints command
Before his arrival, the man who had been slaughtering the villagers like a devil now submitted obediently to the command.
At this sight, the villagers collapsed in their places.
Sniffle Thank you! Thank you, Holy Saint!
Thank you for saving us
It was absurd to be grateful when they had done nothing to deserve their plight.
If anything, they were owed an apology.
Ray then addressed the inquisitor.
Tell the Inquisition to immediately halt all activities. If anyone talks back or disobeys, say its my command. If they still dont comply, Ill utterly destroy the Inquisition. Make sure you convey this properly.
The inquisitor, about to say something, swallowed his words and replied.
Understood
To the rest of you, retreat immediately and gather in Selonia.
Leaving only those words behind, Ray quickly departed from the village.
Unless they were out of their minds, they wouldnt dare stir up trouble in other villages.
He needed to act quickly to revoke this absurd command.
The Popes excessive behavior was becoming intolerable.
Every time he returned from a difficult mission, the Holy Kingdom had created new problems.
He felt like giving a round of applause for the never-ending issues.
After rushing for a couple of hours, Ray arrived at Gehel, where the guards at the gate greeted him.
What place do you think this is, coming here to beg! Get lost!
As they spoke, the guards pointed their spears at him.
Showing a hint of his suppressed divine power, their attitude changed quickly.
Upon closer inspection, his white hair and blue eyes resembled those of the Saint.
Quickly sheathing their spears, they adopted a formal stance and asked.
Goodness! Are you perhaps the Saint?
Im not a Saint, just a beggar.
Im sorry! You looked so different from usual that I didnt recognize you. How did you come without any escort? Please come in!
Ray smirked and stepped through the gate.
The guards immediately surrounded him and escorted him inside.
Where is the Saint right now?
Lady Iriel should be in her office. Ive heard shes been very busy lately. Haha.
As Ray engaged in small talk with them, he pondered.
Do they not realize whats happening on the outskirts?
Unlike the rural village he had first visited, Gehel was alive with activity.
Had the inquisitors not visited here?
It seemed improbable. Given that it was a command from the Pope, cities would have been the first to receive visits from the Inquisition.
As a major city near the capital, with Iriel present, they wouldnt execute heretics on the spot, but even so, Gehel appeared too vibrant.
Upon reaching the lords office inside the castle, Ray knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
A gentle voice responded from within.
Come in.
At her invitation, Ray swung the door open.
Iriel looked surprised by his ragged appearance.
Ray! Have you finally returned?
Phew I took my time dealing with those filthy ones thoroughly.
Ray grumbled, appearing even dirtier than a beggar.
Iriel covered her mouth, smiling at him.
What about Proxia?
Ive left them in no shape to recover. Even if some remnants survive, they are no longer a concern.
Iriel was taken aback by his statement.
She knew he was powerful, but the idea of him single-handedly wiping out Proxia, a formidable force, hadnt crossed her mind.
She had assumed they would be, at best, severely weakened, but this exceeded her expectations.
Considering that trade and diplomacy, previously hindered by Proxia, might now resume, she felt as though new paths were unfolding for the Holy Kingdom.
Iriel winked at him teasingly.
Well done. Youre quite the charmer.
Ray dismissed her flirtatious jest with a wave, as if swatting away a nuisance, and his expression turned serious.
But theres a problem.
A problem?
You probably know already, but the Pope has mobilized the Inquisition. The real problematic nobles are busy shifting blame onto the people, so innocent villagers are dying. At this rate, the Holy Kingdom is going to shut down.
He spoke of the Holy Kingdom as though it were a shop that could simply close its doors.
Iriel nodded at his words.
Internationally, it will shut down. Slaughtering the people and then preaching faith wont look good to neighboring countries, diminishing the Holy Kingdoms stature on the continent.
So, I need to ask you for another favor.
What favor?
Theres an inquisitor from the Inquisition here, right? Tell him to order a complete withdrawal of the Inquisition.
Instead of responding, Iriel looked at him as if he were out of his mind.
Do you even realize what youre saying?
I do. Skip the objections and just issue the order in my name.
The Popes command? How do you plan to
The Pope who issued the command is a problem, but the Inquisition, which executes innocent people as heretics, also needs to be held accountable. Hehehe.
Iriel shook her head, watching his sinister smile.
For her, it was impossible to comprehend what he was thinking.
Always realizing things too late, she could say he was deep in schemes, but seeing that sly grin, she didnt want to admit it.
Several nobles who had been assassinated were replaced by lords from neighboring territories.
Though the assassinations stopped, the nobles tension did not subside.
The security remained impenetrable, and it seemed unlikely to assassinate anyone guarded by knights in their chambers.
Unknown to them, this was all the work of the Seven Messengers.
Acting on information they had gathered independently, they started eliminating assassins, allowing the nobles to avoid the fate of being killed without a trace.
Ray, having heard about the Seven Messengers from Iriel, nodded in satisfaction.
It was an organization he had nurtured.
Though they acted without orders, unlike some dimwitted followers who merely obeyed commands, their handling of the situation pleased him.
Understanding the situation and noting the absence of some nobles, Ray immediately headed for Selonia.
He planned to gather them as soon as he reached the castle.
The current state of the Holy Kingdom was utterly rotten.
The Inquisition, after a thorough investigation, should have been punishing irredeemable heretics, but instead, they were killing people without substantial evidence.
This resulted in the targeting of powerless citizens, while the nobles lived in luxury, creating a farce of the Holy Kingdom.
What of the Pope and the nobles?
The Pope, who could naturally issue such absurd orders, and the nobles, busy saving their own skins, were creating a spectacle befitting a truly Holy Kingdom.
With operations that even a small country wouldnt dare undertake, it was no wonder the country was in decline.
But that doesnt mean the common people could start a rebellion.
Power in this other world was firmly centered around the nobility.
This included magic, swordsmanship, and divine power.
For commoners, the astronomical cost to learn these skills was unthinkable.
Of course, there were cheap swordsmanship books and magical theory texts sold in markets.
But to instigate a revolution with those was highly impractical.
It could take decades, if not centuries.
The noble families possessed treasured manuals of swordsmanship and enlightenment, and the nobles were well-versed in these arts.
Knights and magicians trained in family swordsmanship techniques might not have been as proficient, but they still posed a significant barrier to those learning from market-bought texts.
As the world was structured in this way, the common people suffered without being able to voice any opposition.
Therefore, someone powerful who could speak up for them was needed.
At that moment, he himself seemed the most qualified for the role.
Even if it meant overturning the Holy Kingdom, the current situation had to be shown as wrong.
Without an escort, he arrived in Selonia after a three-hour journey.
Unlike at Gehel Castle, the guards at Selonia Castle immediately recognized him.
Gasping for breath, the guards kneeled.
Goodness! Holy Saint!
Open the gates!
Ray waved his hand to acknowledge the guards salute and hurried into the castle.
Upon entering the building belonging to the Inquisition, he kicked open a door.
All Inquisition members, assemble!
Who dares
Startled by the sudden commotion, some were about to draw their swords.
They refrained only after recognizing Rays face and feeling the immense divine power emanating from him.
The highest-ranking Inquisition member present approached.
Holy Saint, I am Deos, the chief judge of the Inquisition. We have met a few times at banquets.
He knelt formally on one knee.
Ray remembered seeing him occasionally at banquets, though they had never formally introduced themselves.
Ray looked around, his brow slightly furrowed.
The interior was more lavish than his own mansion, and their luxurious clothes reflected their prosperity.
Their plump figures, typical of Gaias devotees overseeing abundance, contrasted with the suffering common people plagued by famine.
They seemed more worried about gaining weight than being concerned about the starving people.
Phew Its worse than I thought.
This brief glimpse revealed their lifestyle, and by contrast, the hardships of the common people, clearly showing how they squeezed the citizens to maintain their way of life.
Despite Deoss introduction, Ray didnt respond.
To be precise, he saw no need to.
Why bother formally acknowledging the very people who were leading the Holy Kingdom into ruin?
Ray scanned the room filled with kneeling Inquisition members.
Heres an order. Immediately assemble all the inquisitors in Selonia without exception.
Deos and a few others shook their heads at his command.
Im sorry, Holy Saint, but this is a command from the Pope himself, sealed with his insignia. Even if you are the Saint
Its not possible?
Thats right. This is beyond our control.
Phew Think about it. Does this really look like its for the good of the Holy Kingdom? Innocent people get caught and punished without any evidence, while you, the perpetrators, laugh and chat here?
Were just following orders.
Ray scoffed at this feeble excuse.
Enjoying orders, huh? Basking in wealth and glory under the Popes shadow.
Deoss eyebrows twitched at Rays blunt words.
Even if it was from the Saint, being admonished by such a young lad was irritating.
His response became more defiant.
Impossible.
At his obstinate attitude, Ray purposefully unleashed his divine power.
Even normally suppressed, his immense divine power, now fully unleashed, regained its original intensity, as if directly touched by Gaia herself.
Whoosh-!
Such a force was beyond what ordinary clerics could handle.
Ugh
Argh
The pressure was so immense that they could only muster groans of struggle.
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