Episode 283
Actually, I didn’t hit this middle-aged man for no reason.
Although about 10% of it contained personal feelings, that was all. The remaining 90% was for other reasons.
“Well, those guys even used violence against Uncle Andre… … !”
“Who was that shouting just now?”
I asked, deliberately keeping my tone low. Unfiltered, he reveals the momentum he has honed as a martial artist.
Is there anyone here who has received an extremely sharp punishment?
The way a warrior has refined his life is completely different from the primal form of an animal.
I saw residents flinching and closing their mouths.
Most of them were probably incited and taken in by this guy named Andre.
In such a narrow village and a closed society, going against the trend means being permanently alienated from the village.
In other words, although they came together, at least half, and possibly more, may be dissatisfied with the current situation.
So how do we reverse this trend?
The method is simple.
All you have to do is change the trend.
Of course, I don’t know whether this will actually work or not.
“Is it you? “You white-faced bastard.”
Is it because it is in the north and doesn’t get much sunlight? Most of the residents here had white faces, but among them, there was one with an especially pale face.
He slowly avoids my gaze, but when our eyes meet, he flinches and trembles. Then she immediately tried to hide herself in the crowd, but had no luck.
I grabbed a rock that was rolling around nearby, probably the one that hit Ramon or Araksad in the face, and hit it right on the back of the guy who was trying to hide.
Kwasik!
“Aaaah!”
With a tearing scream, the white-faced bastard fell to the ground.
“From now on, everyone I point out will pop out. If you want to run away, you can run away. “There are a lot of rocks around here.”
“My back, my back… … .”
“Don’t freak out because we’re sticking together well. “Before I get hit one more time.”
“… … .”
Then the guy who had his mouth shut let out a silent cry.
“… … .”
I could feel the fearful gaze of the village residents. Did he think it was a bad development? Araksad, who had been watching quietly, approached.
“Luan.”
“Please leave it to me from now on. “I think my role as a senior is over.”
As Araksad reversed what he had said to Ramon, the Lizardman’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“… hmm. i get it.”
Meanwhile, I was watching the situation inside the building and weeding out the windbreakers I identified.
There are six people in total.
They were all men.
He was also young.
“Ji, what on earth are you doing now…?” … ?”
The one who finally opened his mouth was an old man holding a hoe with hands like old trees, and he had not said a word when people around him were pushing Ramon and Araksad.
If you had to classify it, would it be neutral or moderate?
Of course, that’s my feeling.
I asked.
“Elder, do you know these guys?”
“uh? Well, so… … .”
“Please answer me. “It’s important.”
I said in a slightly forced voice.
It may be seen as being rude, but I think this is the right response.
This is because for some people, scolding someone in a nice way works better than giving them a nice reprimand.
Whether that’s human nature or not is none of my business. That’s just from experience.
Therefore, I personally judge Corrupted’s response, which was completely calm and accommodated all of their convenience, to be a failure.
Of course, it would have been unavoidable.
Even if the response was the same, their reaction would also have been different depending on whether it was done by a person or a different species.
The old man who was looking at the guys I caught soon tilted his head.
“… Umm. I think I know at least five people. “They are the ones causing a lot of trouble, with Victor in the middle.”
“Trouble?”
“exactly. Breaking the village’s common equipment several times, scaring others, and harassing the residents’ dogs and cats for no reason… … .”
“Ohh.”
“I’ve heard you say often that you want to leave this boring town.”
So, it means that they are the ones who act like gangsters even in this small town.
This alone gives me half-confidence, but it’s still not enough.
“Who is this guy who said he didn’t know his face?”
“That’s the young man.”
The person the old man pointed to was one with a particularly gloomy appearance among the six.
The Viktor group that was caught by me also looked confused when they saw him, but it seemed like they didn’t know.
I reached out to the sullen man.
Of course, his resistance returned, but he calmed down after another slap to the cheek.
“Does anyone know this man?”
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
I grabbed the sullen man by the scruff of his neck and lifted him up to show him the surroundings. It was as if he had grabbed the neck of a neighborhood cat.
The eyes of the villagers instantly focused in this direction.
“Well, this is my first time seeing you… … .”
“I know. “He’s someone I’ve never seen before.”
Did they also sense that the atmosphere was slowly becoming strange?
While the villagers were whispering, a middle-aged woman raised her hand.
“Uh, he’s a boarder who’s been staying at our house for a while.”
“lodging? “Is there an inn in this town too?”
I’m not ignoring it, but in general, for an inn to be established, it needs to have a steady stream of visitors.
I didn’t think there would be many people who would come to this cold land.
“It’s not a formal inn business… … . I have a room at home and I know how to cook. “Sometimes when a peddler stops by, I give them a room and cook them food.”
“aha. “Then how long has it been since this guy came?”
“About two weeks… … ?”
“It’s not a short period of time, but it means no one has seen this man except the boarding house owner?”
I intentionally ended my sentence ambiguously, and only then did the atmosphere around me change slightly.
I waited for the flow to pick up before speaking.
“This man must be a church member.”
“Ooh, don’t be ridiculous! “I’m a church member.”
I hit the back of the noisy guy’s head with my palm to calm him down, and then continued speaking.
“If you think about it, there are more than one or two strange things. “Chief Snero, who was so responsible, good-natured, and an example to others, became a member of the church.”
Of course, we have no idea whether Snero is responsible, good-natured, or an example to others.
I don’t know, but I don’t need that kind of truth at this moment.
The important thing is that Chief Snero, no matter what his intentions, is a very prestigious figure among the village residents.
If so, there is no need to force that part. Rather, I will respect you.
I continued speaking while facing the residents who were paying attention to my mouth.
“… However, it is a different story if there is someone who is trying to persuade you.”
“… “No way.”
“That young man tricked the innocent village chief… … ?”
Actually, I am not an innocent person at all, but I kept my mouth shut.
The point at this time is not to make a fuss, but to maintain a calm expression as much as possible and remain silent.
Even if they were led to the conclusion I wanted and according to my plan… … .
So that you can think for yourself and feel like you have come to a conclusion.
“It’s one of the church members’ tricks. “Let’s first recruit the most influential people before they engulf the village.”
“Well, this is the first time I’ve heard of it! “I am an herbalist who came to pick perennial flowers that only grow in the northern part of the country.”
Bah!
When I put my fist into the man’s face, he calmed down.
I threw the completely collapsed young man forward, then went and crouched down in front of the five trembling young men.
And he tilted his head crookedly.
“Hey. “Did you know what this guy was up to?”
“yes yes?”
“Weren’t we supposed to eat together? “That’s why I acted as a windbreaker by instigating the commotion.”
“Well, that’s not true!”
“This is my first time seeing you. yes.”
Seeing how polite they are makes me laugh heartily.
Does this make sense?
Anyone can see that Araksad, who was standing here just now, looks much scarier and more intimidating than me.
This is true even if you look at the racial differences between lizardmen and humans.
Even at first glance, the difference between a veteran warrior with scars etched all over his body and me, who has only just started training in the last few months, is bound to be big.
However, these guys are rude to Araksad, don’t hesitate to swear at him, and even throw stones at him… … .
On the other hand, for me, my liver and gallbladder are all lying flat as if they are going to be drained.
Does Corrupted know?
For them, they tried to blend in with human society as much as possible and treated them with kindness in order to be recognized… Rather, it produced bad results.
“It’s your first time meeting me, so are your hands and feet in perfect harmony? “It’s better to give a straight answer.”
“It’s true!”
“We were just so scared of this race that we had no choice… … .”
He may have guessed what he said in advance, but he protests and shouts as if he was waiting for my words.
Even a hillbilly seems to know that if he hangs out with a church member, he’ll be screwed.
The old man who was watching this intervened again.
“for a moment… … .”
“yes?”
“Even though those children are delinquent, they are natives born and raised in this village. “No matter what, there’s no way they would sell their hometown, right?”
“Oh, that’s right. Even though Victor is immature, there is no way he would have been close to a church member… … .”
A middle-aged woman with an anxious expression helped out.
Judging by his nickname and his appearance, it seemed like this Victor was the baby’s parents.
“and… I’m sorry, but your response is also too violent. “It is true that the outsider is suspicious, but isn’t there still enough evidence to be certain that he is a member of the church?”
Words that could not be easily refuted came out one after another.
Of course, it was a fully expected reaction, so I nodded calmly.
“That is correct. “Then shall we call an expert?”
“expert?”
“Sister Lasbeth.”
I muttered in a low voice, as if I was reciting something, but I was still confident.
I think you could hear my voice.
It rattled.
After a while, the door opened rather roughly and Verita appeared.
“Brother, did you call me?”
“yes.”
Since it was a public place, I used polite language.
I revealed myself and pointed to Verita.
“He… … ?”
“As you can see, he is a monk of the 72nd religion. “He is an outstanding person whose abilities and achievements have been recognized not only by the 72nd Church but also by Heros.”
“72nd school!”
At this point, the atmosphere changed drastically.
The anxiously fluctuating air current disappeared, and a gaze of envy and adoration landed on Verita.
Aside from what’s on the inside, this girl’s appearance is that of a beautiful and gentle nun herself.
Verita, who received my pretense, smiled slightly and said.
“Words of high praise.”
“By the way, he was the one who uncovered the fact that the village chief was corrupt by communicating with a church member.”
“… … !”
Verita must have been listening to what we had to say inside.
This means that he is a talented person who can respond well even if the story is presented in a somewhat forced manner.
Berita said, as all eyes gathered, she put her hands together and prayed.
“It was a pity. Chief Snero was a faithful believer in the 72 religions, but he fell for the trick of a wicked heretic.”
“S-Chief Snero can’t do that… … .”
“Normally, you would have been able to overcome it. However, I understand that the village chief recently lost his family and is in despair. “The crack in the heart that was created as a result would have been perfect for an insidious cult to dig into.”
“ah… … .”
“that’s right. “You lost your entire family to snow trolls just three weeks ago.”
“I thought it would be okay because it looked fine on the outside.”
Voices from all over added a touch of truth to our lies.
Even those who were dubious about my violent words and insistence seemed to have moved over to this side after the appearance of Verita… … .
This was because the 72 religions were treated almost like state religions in the empire.
In fact, in most parts of the empire, the title of [Heros’ formal hero] would be much more praised than the reputation of [Monk of the 72 Religions]… … .
In rural areas like this, things are a little different.
Is the power of religion particularly powerful? From the beginning, the village chief had the 72 Rosarios.
It’s ironic, but considering he even had a rosary, Chief Snero may have even taken on the role of pastor in this village.
Anyway, the effect of Verita’s appearance was better than I expected, but I watched the five drops without showing it too much.
These guys’ expressions had been stiff ever since Verita appeared.
I walked in front of him, squatted down, and whispered in a low voice.
“Yes. I don’t really care whether you tell the truth or lie. “There is a way to know everything anyway.”
“yes… … ?”
“The nun here is also an inquisitor.”
“… … !”
The face of the guy named Victor widened.
“If we talk about Oh Sun-do-soon together in the interrogation room, we can find out everything. “I mean your true colors.”
“… … .”
“If you’re so proud, you won’t mind being interrogated, right?”
Then, among the five, the one who looked particularly stupid looked at me and asked.
“What happens if you are found to have conspired?”
“Nikolai! What are you saying… … !”
“It will be as you wish.”
“yes?”
“You said you didn’t want to live in this town? Collusion with a church is a serious crime. Since the Empire made concessions to the 72 Churches on this matter, it has the right to independently interrogate and judge heretics. Now we can go to the Holy See. Please take a look at my beloved hometown. “It will be the last time I see it.”
“Church, the Vatican?”
“That can’t be… … .”
The faces of the five children turned dark at once.
What I said is true, but there is no time right now to transport these scoundrels to the Vatican.
So what I said was a lie… … . I saw Verita. Did that guy understand the true meaning of this?
Berita said as she caught my gaze.
“Brother, everything you said is correct, but God tells us to be tolerant of the mistakes of youth. Of course, this only applies to those who have the will to repent.”
“Well, that means… … ?”
“If you are reporting this right here and now, I will finish it on my own terms without submitting a separate report to the Vatican.”
“… … !”
After that, it was all smooth sailing.
The five guys dragged their feet and revealed that they had incited the residents.
“Unbelievable.”
“I can’t believe there was a church member hiding in this small town…” … .”
Residents seemed very shocked… I spoke in a calm voice.
“Good residents have been the victims of the church’s disgusting instigation.”
“yes?”
“Otherwise, people who are working hard even in remote areas of the empire would not insult the hero of Heros who is contributing to the peace of the empire, right?”
Residents look at each other at my words.
After a while, someone spoke.
“… yes?”
“Those guys made me lose my head for a moment.”
“Hmm, disgusting religious bastards.”
The characters who seemed ready to go to war with the Corrupted just a moment ago have now quietly put down or hid their weapons.
Araksad and Ramon blinked blankly at the change in attitude.
‘It’s so clever.’
To be honest, most of these residents are hateful, but as Ramon said, you can’t beat them all.
This means that for now, this is the best.
Eventually, Berita spoke with the old man as a representative and asked all the residents.
“… Is it over?”
Ramon said, still with a dazed look on his face.
“for now.”
“great… … . “I never thought we could solve it with words like this.”
“It’s a holdover rather than a solution. “For now, it’s like turning off an urgent complaint.”
I’m not saying this out of humility, this is the truth.
Unless the residents’ attitudes change, conflict with the Corrupted will occur again.
“Even so… … .”
As Ramon was spitting and talking, I realized that there was still someone left who hadn’t left.
He was a boy of very small stature.
“Hey, over there!”
“what’s the matter? “Little friend, do you have something to say?”
“Well, there’s something I want to ask you…” … .”
Is it a timid nature?
Just by looking at the impression, it doesn’t seem like that. Rather, his eyes are strong. Does it feel like a street leader with one or two people in the neighborhood?
However, my body was shivering slightly, and it didn’t seem to be just because of the cold.
“That kid… … .”
Berita muttered.
I was also feeling puzzled, and even though it was my first time seeing this kid, he seemed somehow familiar.
After a while, I realized why.
“… “Have you seen my brother?”
“… … .”
The moment I heard the word younger brother, what came to mind was the kid I saved from beyond the stone gate, but in fact, he was a member of the church. This is a child who exploded by self-destruction.
“The name is Daniel… … .”
The boy was a family member of that church member.
fantasy,
