“The evidence is simple—the ritual seems to require a living person. Ever since the year after the death of the monster, incidents of vagrants disappearing have occurred around Blackwater Town.”
Wright took a stack of papers from his pocket and spread them out on the table.
On the very top was a report from five years ago about a local missing person.
“This is a document managed by the sheriff.”
Mayor Lauren glanced over the document, his brows furrowed.
“It was the Goddess’s will that placed it in my hands.”
Wright replied with a smile.
“Next is the compilation of missing person reports from the Mine over these years. Father, I recorded each person, their appearance, and where they disappeared. Even if I didn’t witness it myself, I have substantial evidence to prove that Baron is unavoidably connected.”
Wright pushed the papers forward.
Everyone leaned in.
The records were exceptionally detailed, even including sketches of missing persons from the past two years.
Several residents, including Tide, also gathered, their faces growing grim.
Of course, they had heard rumors about travelers disappearing nearby, but most believed it was the work of monsters or evil spirits.
They never expected…
They shrank back fearfully to the side away from Huo En.
“Wright, when did you record all this?”
Lauren was incredulous.
“After closing the shop at night. When I was a soldier, I guarded the city gate for a time. In order to catch those Contaminated by Dark Energy, I learned to sketch every person I saw.”
Wright explained calmly.
Kairui’s face was pale, his right hand unconsciously fingering the Magic Staff hidden in his sleeve.
From the moment he killed that vagrant, from the moment he learned what his father had done, he knew this day would come.
‘Surely the Sword of Judgment hangs above the head of the sinner.’
—Martial God Chronicle, Chapter Six, ‘Judgment’
He often saw that sword.
Drinking could slowly dull his pain and blur his vision, making him feel as if he could escape guilt.
He knew Wright hated him.
He always knew.
When Wright first arrived in Blackwater Town, he was a coachman.
That day, Kairui was chatting with Naili when Wright beat him up while he was drunk.
Wright hit hard.
Kairui just assumed he was a relative of the vagrant and even prepared himself to pay with his life.
He never blamed Wright—just waited for death.
Maybe death was a release.
He never imagined Wright would later become a baker and live a quiet life.
For a while, Kairui even thought he’d just been too drunk and misremembered everything.
Until now, when the sword that judges sinners finally fell.
“What does all this prove?”
Kemel still refused to accept this so-called evidence.
After all, there was no direct proof.
“You shouldn’t have involved the child.”
Wright said, almost regretfully.
“What?”
Huo En looked up in shock at Wright.
“The child killed a traveler.
He went before the City-State Court, and there’s a Trial Record for him in the court archives.”
Wright continued.
“The judge already declared the young master not guilty. The vagrant was the one who provoked him first. You can see it clearly in the Trial Record.”
Kemel argued loudly.
Many present knew about Kairui’s involvement in the killing years ago.
“In the Trial Record, the Judicial Advocate you hired twisted the truth, and your young master remained silent.
In fact, you used the vagrant for the ritual, then threw his corpse into the Mine.
He saw the whole process.”
Wright looked at Kairui with composure.
“He shouldn’t have been involved—he was too fragile. Once the formal trial process begins, a skilled—or even a newly appointed—inquisitor could easily extract everything from him with a little pressure, exposing you all.”
He pulled out a sheet and placed it before Father Aescher.
“Father, the townsfolk found a Contaminated by Dark Energy in the Mine. This is a profile, including a portrait. His last known location was near the Baron’s Castle. This, I can testify.”
“You wish to testify?”
Aescher’s eyebrows rose slightly.
“No one else in this town can serve as a witness. So it must be me.”
Wright’s expression remained calm.
“Of course, I know the rules. I’m willing to accept the Judgement Gem’s examination, to stake my life to complete the chain of evidence, if necessary.”
At that moment, all eyes were fixed on him.
It was as if everyone was meeting him for the first time.
It couldn’t be said that he had always been pretending—his character and kindness were not acts.
He was more like a stone by the roadside at the gate of a home.
When you think you know its size and shape completely, one day it’s dug up, revealing a vast, mountain-like body that had lain hidden beneath the earth.
Still a stone—silent and simple—yet now, utterly unfamiliar.
“Was that vagrant your relative?”
Baron Huo En finally spoke.
“No.
We had no connection.”
Wright replied.
“Were any of the dead your relatives or friends?”
“Perhaps.”
Wright answered again.
“I came here to find out.”
“Who is he?”
“My youngest son.”
A faint, tired yet contented smile appeared on Wright’s face.
A bitter smile tugged at Huo En’s lips as well.
He had always thought, if his deeds were exposed, his judge would be a cold-blooded assassin or an unyielding enforcer of the Temple.
He never imagined it would be such an obstinate, seemingly useless stone.
He lived silently, gathered evidence silently, even waited until the rigid, decrepit Old Sorcerer passed away, and until the arrival of Aescher, renowned for his sense of justice.
Did he ever think of using a kitchen knife on himself while baking a cake?
Did he ever have the urge to rush to the Temple and confess to the Old Sorcerer during prayer?
But he couldn’t.
He didn’t know the truth.
He had to wait—wait for a chance to judge himself, to confirm whether his own child had died here.
He couldn’t even imagine what Wright felt, kneading dough alone each morning, making bread in silence.
“My wife died the day the monsters attacked.”
The Old Sorcerer told me he had a Ritual of Resurrection.
But to complete it, the Soul had to remain intact.”
Huo En continued, almost talking to himself.
“Back then, the Demon King was still alive, and all Souls would be drawn away. I didn’t want her to leave me, so I used the Old Sorcerer’s method…”
“Feeding a Soul with another Soul, strengthening my wife’s Soul to resist the pull of Demon King’s castle.
I carefully placed her body in a Ceramic Coffin.
As long as she awoke, I could hear her voice and rescue her instantly. Haha.”
Huo En chuckled softly.
At first, he often dreamed such dreams—even during the day, he would imagine opening the Ceramic Coffin, and his beloved wife smiling and embracing him.
Li Qiuchen nodded silently.
No wonder the Contaminated by Dark Energy lacked Souls.
Their Souls had been extracted, and their bodies transformed into the infected.
“Killing means little to me. Disposing of the corpses meant tossing them into the Mine. I didn’t expect some to be infected by Magic Corruption. And the ritual had problems.”
Huo En patted Kairui’s shoulder in consolation.
“The Souls of the dead, tainted with blackness from underground, clung to me and my son Kairui.”
Aescher’s eyes flickered.
Li Qiuchen leaned forward slightly.
He knew what this meant—Contaminated by Dark Energy.
All these years, apart from one freak, he had never seen anyone escape from Magic Corruption.
Once entangled by Magic Corruption through a ritual, becoming Contaminated by Dark Energy was only a matter of time.
Some with strong will or power could resist or delay the process, but in the end, all would succumb.
“Loss of control became more frequent—especially the hunger for the Souls of the dead, the urge to kill.”
Huo En went on.
“That’s why Kairui snapped and killed the traveler.”
“Did the ritual succeed?”
Aescher asked quietly.
“No. We followed the Old Sorcerer’s instructions precisely. The ritual should have succeeded that night four days ago. The Black Crystal flashed twice, which meant it worked twice. But my wife never woke up.”
Huo En gazed upward.
Jocelyn, tasting grilled meat, slowly swallowed and turned to meet Li Qiuchen’s gaze beside her.
Both of them had eyes full of shock and relief.
Li Qiuchen, especially, felt fortunate.
If the ritual had been done by those three women, his place of resurrection would likely have been discovered or controlled by them.
No wonder the process of engraving marks on his Soul had suddenly grown frantic—Baron Huo En’s resurrection ritual for his wife had disrupted their plan, making his rebirth unpredictable.
“Messenger of the Goddess, now, please deliver a fair judgment.”
Wright insisted on the process, speaking solemnly to Father Aescher.
***
Taya Cultural Notes:
[On Souls]
In the Taya Continent, the essence of the Soul has always been one of the core issues debated by various schools.
Each has put forth distinct explanations based on its own theoretical framework:
Mainstream Magic Association (Elemental Structure Theory)
“The Soul is not a vague concept, but a precise magical structure composed of countless microscopic ‘Consciousness Elements.’ It follows strict magical laws; its stability depends on the integrity and harmony of the structure. Resurrection is theoretically possible, but any tiny error or interference can cause the structure to collapse.”
Excerpt from ‘Consciousness Elements: The Fundamental Magic Structure of the Soul’
Time Temple (Mark of Time Theory)
“The Soul is a unique imprint left by life in the river of time. It is not a substance, but the sum of one’s experiences. When the time of life ends, the imprint merges with the current and becomes eternal. If the Soul is recognized by the Goddess, it can return.”
—Holy Canon of Time, Chapter Six
Elves of Moonshadow Forest (Life Reflow Theory)
“The Soul is like a leaf of the Golden Sacred Tree—born, growing, withering, and eventually returning to nourish the Sacred Tree, giving rise to new shoots. A forcibly retained leaf will ultimately rot. The cycle of nature cannot be broken.”
—Elder Council of Elves, Flow of Life Injunction
Temple of the God of War (Will Manifestation Theory)
“The Soul is the manifestation of will, continuously strengthened through training and battle. A strong will can exist long after leaving the body; a weak will dissipates quickly.”
—Holy Words of the War God
[Note]
A traveling scholar of the Osses School commented after reading the classics of various sects:
“What’s interesting is that every religion describes the Soul as incredibly fragile, yet at the same time treats resurrection as a reward for loyal believers. Isn’t that contradictory?”
“I wonder—those who are blessed by the Pope and brought back to life, are they really the same person?”