A Priest's Life as a Villain

Chapter 013

"Mad Dog Ran. I've heard about you from Bern."

The two lightly clinked their glasses together.

The tension among Walter's party eased. It was their first time seeing another inquisitor; it was fascinating, and Ran's handsome face sparked a strange curiosity.

Walter, however, remained vigilant.

'That was definitely a killing intent.'

He feigned composure as he spoke.

"Don't those higher up dislike when inquisitors stick together?"

"Probably?"

"So, our senior here must have some urgent words for me, then."

Walter leaned back, slanting his body against the back of his chair.

Ran stared at Walter with an emotionless face.

They exchanged no trivial conversation. Walter's subordinates felt the air between the two growing colder. Their eyes darted back and forth, preparing for any sudden developments.

"Viola Rel. Are you searching for her on orders from above?"

Walter's air of leisure vanished for an instant. His pupils flashed yellow.

"Bern told me this. That all the actions of inquisitors must be classified to outsiders."

"That's been a thing of the past for quite a while now."

"Hmph, the civil war's almost over, and everything's gone to hell."

"Let's not change the subject."

"I don't really see a reason for me to answer you, do I? Somehow, I just don't feel like it. My gut tells me you're dangerous."

"You're not very perceptive, are you?"

Someone let out a short snort. Walter shot a sharp glare in that direction. Ran continued.

"I'm looking for Viola Rel as well."

"? Why?"

"It's a personal matter. I can't say more than that."

"A personal matter with Viola, huh. Now you've got me curious."

Walter licked his lips. He grew increasingly interested. He tried to recall any possible intersection between this man and Viola.

'I've got nothing.'

Ran's gaze demanded an answer from Walter. It was a nuance that he'd said everything he needed to.

Walter nodded and finally spoke.

"I was ordered to bring Viola Rel to the Special Unit. That's all."

Even after hearing the answer, Ran didn't seem particularly moved. He didn't take Walter's words at face value.

A few clear facts remained. Walter spoke first.

"So, both of us are looking for Viola Rel?"

"With the lord as an obstacle."

Walter slid his glass slightly toward Ran.

"That young lord, whoever she takes after, sure acts prickly."

"Is there really any need for everyone to jump into the den just to catch one fox?"

"Oh, that sounds interesting. Fine. Then let's clear up one last thing. Take care of whatever personal business you have. But Viola—I'm the one taking her."

"You're surprisingly flexible for someone with a soldier's background."

The two toasted. For now, it was a temporary alliance.

* * *

That night, Ran and Walter's gang prowled the residential area of Rel.

Once the two masked inquisitors in black appeared together, everyone they passed was frightened out of their wits.

"What sort of mask is that?"

"Oh, this? It's a buffalo. Supposedly symbolizes salvation."

The party cut through a narrow alley as if well-acquainted with the terrain. Their steps halted in front of a low house.

At a nod from Walter, malik and Edwick abruptly flung the door open and barged in.

Moments later, screams rang out from inside.

"By the way, Ran. Impressive. How'd you know there was a demon living here? Or do you know something I don't from lack of experience?"

"When visiting unfamiliar areas, I check the demon registry in advance. Just a habit."

Walter nodded in admiration.

There was a commotion inside, then soon Malik came out dragging a woman. Her arms were bound. Edwick came after, dragging an unconscious man by the collar.

When the woman saw Ran and Walter, she staggered.

'Deren's mother.'

Ran didn't carry any demon registry. Deren had told him his great-grandmother on his mother's side was a demon. The boy's mother must have some demon's blood, if only a trace. That was all. He caught the faint whiff of demonic energy wafting up to his nose.

"Looks like we've found the right one."

As soon as Ran spoke, Walter abruptly grabbed the woman's chin.

"Name."

"P-please spare me. I don't know anything. I—?"

When he raised his free hand as if to strike her, the woman finally broke into tears. Her pitiful sobs spread through every corner of the residential district.

'Those lunatic bastards!'

Toby, who had been trailing Ran and Walter, hid behind a tree and stifled his mouth, mumbling.

'The two masked men—one's the Mad Dog and the other, the Executioner.'

The men dragged the woman away. The two inquisitors exchanged a few words, then one of them left first.

Toby widened his eyes. It was midnight, so his vision was dim. The distance was far, so he couldn't make out the details.

The inquisitor in the mask with the long snout did not leave, lingering in place.

'Who's he waiting for?'

Toby struggled over whom to follow. He could return to the mansion, but he didn't really want to.

Come dawn, a religious trial was to be held in the village square. Unless there was some special circumstance, most demons captured on charges became examples—summary executions.

Rel's people had endured a harsh civil war. Their nerves were worn thin by constant shock. The anxious public morale put the young lord's position in jeopardy.

'? I should tell the lord in advance so she can act ahead of time.'

It was time to muster up courage. Resolute, Toby pulled his hood low.

'Huh?'

While his mind wandered for a moment, the previously solitary inquisitor had vanished.

As Toby panicked, looking side to side, a chill ran down his spine. The shadow at his feet was suddenly spreading, much larger than before.

His hair stood on end.

"Why are you following me?"

"Waah!"

The voice came from behind his back. Toby jumped and collapsed to the ground, his chattering teeth clicking together.

"Wh-who-who is it?"

He muttered weakly into the air, and from the deepest shade cast by the shadow, the inquisitor suddenly popped out. Only then did he realize the elongated part of the mask was a bird's beak.

Toby's eyes widened. The inquisitor removed his mask.

"? Mad Dog?"

"Did the lord order you to tail me?"

The moment he heard that, his senses returned. Brushing himself off, Toby coughed, feigning dignity.

"Ahem, q-quite the fuss I made over nothing."

As Ran approached, Toby flinched, unconsciously stepping back. There were two full heads' difference in height. Simply standing face-to-face was intimidating.

"Can't you secretly tell just me where Viola Rel is?"

"I-I don't know either!"

"A shame."

Ran rummaged inside his coat, pulled out a rolled parchment, and handed it to Toby.

"What's this?"

"Give it to the lord. Then, goodbye."

"W-wait! What'll happen to that woman?"

Ran only gave a faint smile. He put his mask back on and melted into the darkness.

* * *

The religious trial was held two days later, at noon.

"So this is the witch hunt I've always heard about."

"A-are they really going to burn someone alive?"

Murmurs flew among the people massed in the square. The people of Rel had never witnessed a religious trial before. Many had only heard rumors of the inquisitors' cruelty.

"Who would've thought the Revolutionaries would crawl all the way to Rel. This place is done for."

"Shh. Watch your mouth. The trial isn't over yet. Just because she's a demon doesn't mean she's with the Revolutionaries."

"How naive. As long as she's a demon, whether or not she's a Revolutionary doesn't matter."

Deren's mother, Iyav, was bound to a makeshift execution platform. Hay was piled thick under her feet.

Iyav had collapsed from dehydration several times as she pleaded her innocence. She looked haggard. She'd cried so much her eyes were swollen shut. She had no more tears left to shed. She looked soulless, like someone who'd given up on life.

"They say they make crimes out of thin air. What does the Special Unit stand to gain by going this far?"

Camus and Toby watched the wretched sight, sticking to the outskirts of the crowd.

"Isn't there really anything we can do, my lord?"

The Empire of Astana claimed separation of temporal and spiritual power, but in reality, the state and the Holy Church were closely entangled. Complicated interests interwove.

Just as the two inquisitors newly arrived in Rel had paid their respects to the lord, so too the lord had to show due deference to them.

The Special Unit is the blade of the Church. No noble, no matter how high, dares cross the Church recklessly.

Toby studied Camus's face. In his experience, if Camus knew all this, she would normally be rampaging furiously.

But Camus looked calm.

'Why is she so composed today?'

It almost seemed like she was thinking about something else. Even with Toby tilting his head beside her, he appeared distracted, unable to focus.

"The religious trial of the demon Iyav begins!"

A hush like the grave fell over the crowd.

As Walter declared this, he rolled off a litany of Iyav's crimes. The gist was that she had colluded with the Revolutionaries and volunteered to become a host for demon beasts. He cited her hiding her son after hearing inquisitors had arrived in Rel.

Iyav was born and raised in Rel. Not even her closest neighbors knew she was a demon until now. No one believed the Iyav, who spent all day on household chores, had any ties to the Revolutionaries. Everyone knew it was pure fabrication—but no one dared protest.

"Now confess, Iyav."

Ran got up on the execution scaffold, whispering into Iyav's ear.

"Iyav. Do it for Deren. You're his mother, aren't you?"

Iyav's lifeless eyes slowly rolled toward Ran. Tears, dry until then, began to fall again.

Walter also ascended the scaffold and softly spoke to Iyav.

"Sinner. I'll give you a chance for mercy. Confess. Confess and tell us everything you know. Reveal every demon in the entire Rel region. Now. Here."

Iyav looked back and forth between the two masked inquisitors, trembling. If she knew even a little, she would have scraped it from her insides to spit out everything.

"I... I really don't know anything. I, I'm not with the Revolutionaries...?"

Her voice was hoarse, as if metal was lodged in her throat.

Walter and Ran exchanged glances and both shrugged.

Walter pressed his face close to Iyav.

"Demon bitch. Did you forget that quickly? I told you just to do as you're told. Why can't you listen?"

"??."

"Iyav. Think of your family."

Walter flicked Iyav's cheek with his rough hand. Then he raised his head to readdress the crowd.

"The sinner says she has something to confess before the Lord, in the sight of all!"

Everyone in the crowd stopped talking and focused on the scaffold. Silence fell.

Iyav squeezed her eyes shut. She bit her lip so hard blood pooled beneath.

'Say there is someone behind you.'

That's what the two inquisitors had told her.

Whether she wished it or not, the lines they'd prompted rolled off her tongue. Shock spread through the crowd.

Walter reached out to cut her off, shifting the tension.

"Sinner! Now, before all, declare to the Lord who is the shameless culprit that led a powerless woman astray into the pit of evil!"

"T-their name is...?"

At that moment, Ran clamped his hand over her mouth. He nudged Walter in the side, gesturing somewhere with his chin.

The faces hidden behind the masks crossed in subtle conflict.

A bit apart from the crowd, Camus was propping up Viola.

* * *

That evening, Ran and Walter left Rel.

Clatter, clatter.

Ran, Walter, and Viola.

The three rode in a carriage together. Ran sat next to Viola, while the burly Walter took up one full seat, facing them.

No one spoke. Only the noisy rumble of the carriage wheels broke the silence.

Resting his chin in his hand, idly staring out the window, Ran furtively glanced at Walter and Viola.

'Didn't they say the two of them used to be a thing?'

During their brief time in Rel, perhaps having bonded, Walter had unloaded his story to Ran.

Starting with the fact that Rel was his hometown, that he'd fought in the civil war with the 1st Legion, all the way to how he'd joined the Special Unit. Ran already knew it all, but listened without interrupting.

But that he'd been in a romantic relationship with Viola before—for the first time, Ran was so surprised he even coughed in shock.

'Ugh, I shouldn't have ridden together. This is unbearably awkward.'

Walter's subordinates flanked the carriage on horseback in escort. Ran suddenly felt envious of them.

Walter hadn't said a word, just sat with arms folded, staring holes into Viola. Viola, for her part, avoided his gaze by looking out the window.

Ran felt suffocated. Unable to bear it, he finally spoke.

"So, Walter. Before we reach Gerinhild, I'd like to discuss some matters with Viola alone."

"Ah, don't worry. I've arranged a place for us to stay the night ahead of time. Do it there."

"Fine by me."

Every time the carriage jolted, their bodies bounced. Ran turned to look out the window again and quietly let out a sigh.

The carriage was moving in the opposite direction from Gerinhild.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Who would have thought that Walter and Viola were ex-lovers.
Also, there are glimpses of comedic relief in-the story. Not overly comedic, but enough to ease the tension.
Also, Ran is weak against women.
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