What happened?
Why are the Inquisition Knights all lying on the ground?
Icot forced himself to remain calm and composed, approaching to inquire about the situation.
“It was me.”
Joen said sullenly.
He lifted his head to gaze at Icot, his originally clear and bright brown eyes gradually becoming covered with a layer of gray, gloomy coldness.
“Bishop Icot… this is the Inquisition, not a gang, right? Why do I see them torturing these women?”
Before Icot could speak, Joen took the lead, coldly throwing out his question.
Icot pretended to be surprised: “Is that so? I understand. Thank you for correcting these indecent behaviors within the church for me.”
However, he changed his tone.
“Joen, you don’t need to sympathize with them so much. They are all demon collaborators, sluts working for demons. According to Imperial Law, demon collaborators have no human rights.”
“The people they have killed through trafficking with demons are countless. Now suffering a little torture is merely repaying one percent of their past sins.”
Joen was not fooled by this argument.
If he hadn’t participated in the church’s process of capturing demon collaborators as an apprentice paladin, he might have somewhat agreed with this ‘repaying sins’ argument out of disgust for demon collaborators.
But now he had seen it, and he understood more clearly.
The Holy Knights’ standard for catching demon collaborators was not ‘conclusive evidence,’ but ‘since the higher-ups gave the order, there must be a reason.’
Superiors passed responsibility down to subordinates, and subordinates fantasized that the responsibility belonged to the superiors.
As long as no one who found it intolerable raised an objection, this shoddy cycle could run smoothly for decades or centuries.
After a few seconds of silence, Joen frowned deeply.
“Mr. Icot, I now suspect you are arresting people indiscriminately. I want to review these cases. Where are the files? I want to see their files!”
“Nonsense!”
Icot’s face turned ashen.
He pretended to be angry, using a scolding to skip over the topic of ‘files.’
“Joen! Are you trying to protect demon collaborators? They have all confessed! What are you still arguing about? If you don’t believe me, ask them yourself! Do they admit to the crime of consorting with demons or not!”
Joen immediately turned around, his eyes fixed on the beautiful young woman behind him whose eyes were dazed and whose legs were covered in blood.
“Madam, don’t be afraid. Tell me, did they force a confession out of you through torture? If so, I will definitely see justice done for you.”
She began to tremble as if in shock.
When the young woman heard the words ‘see justice done,’ her body, covered in bloodstains, shook like a sieve.
Her breasts, which should have nurtured humanity’s future, were pockmarked with unhealed bite marks; her tender cherries had half of one burned off.
Her face was mournful, her voice choked with sobs.
“No, I confess… Don’t ask anymore, please don’t ask! Just let me die quickly…”
Joen gazed into the young woman’s eyes.
In that clear yet empty lake of her eyes, there was only sorrow.
He could only try to make his voice softer and warmer, carefully consoling her:
“Madam, don’t be afraid of them. I can protect you. Please trust me. If you have grievances, tell me, and I can clear them all for you.”
But the young woman trembled even harder, shaking her head desperately.
“No… I did indeed consort with demons. I should not have spoken disrespectfully of the Goddess, I should not have slandered the church, and I should not have attacked the Holy Knight. I was bewitched by a demon, my sins are heavy…”
“Just burn me to death! I only seek death, only to quickly atone for my sins…”
Joen consoled her for a long time but saw no effect, finally feeling discouraged.
He had to go ask the other nine.
However, their states were similar to that young woman’s; they only repeated confessions of their ‘consorting with demons’ crime.
Joen didn’t understand whether they didn’t believe him, or if they truly thought that way.
“Joen, do you understand now?”
Icot said with a smile.
“They are guilty. That is something agreed upon by them, us, and even the gods.”
“You may look down on your colleagues’ methods, but this is indeed the best way to root out demon collaborators.”
“I admit that humiliating and torturing demon collaborators is wrong, and it does not conform to Church Doctrine.”
“But Joen, think about these colleagues. How many of their brothers, sisters, and family members have died at the hands of demons?”
“Driven by the burning hatred for demons in their hearts, they lost control and retaliated against demon collaborators. I think it is understandable.”
“You hate demons so much, yet you do business with Demon King Lia?”
Joen countered.
“For everyone’s livelihood, we swallow our pride and bear the burden.”
Icot let out a long sigh, revealing a lot of sadness.
“Joen, my own sister died at the hands of demons, and was sold out by these demon collaborators. I hate Demon King Lia more than anyone.”
He then turned his gun back on Joen.
“But to ensure the brothers and sisters of the church have enough to eat and wear, and don’t suffer or live in poverty, I can sit at the negotiating table with my enemy and deal with them insincerely.”
“Joen, why can’t you consider the bigger picture? Think more for everyone, consider more, and stop being such a troublemaker?”
Joen once again felt how powerless his words were.
He even wanted to punch this underground trial hall to pieces.
How did the one not considering the bigger picture become him again?
Clearly, he just wanted to oppose some wrong things and do some right things.
Why could these people always come up with high-sounding reasons, stand on the moral high ground, and accuse him?
Silence.
Only silence.
“I don’t care.”
Joen finally chose the behavior he had previously looked down on—relying on violence and playing dirty.
“I’m going to see the files no matter what. If you don’t let me see them, I’ll fight my way into the archive room to look.”
Icot’s cunning eyes rolled within his narrowed slits.
He said soothingly and kindly:
“See, you’re getting anxious again. Did I say I wouldn’t let you see them?”
“It’s just that even though you’ve been promoted, you’re only a full Holy Knight now, and you don’t have the authority to access the files. This doesn’t conform to the rules you value most, right?”
Joen didn’t speak, just stared intently at Icot.
“In fact, if you get promoted one more level, you can choose whether to join the trial hall and become an Inquisition Knight.”
“As an Inquisition Knight, you can openly access the files.”
“How about it?”
Like an old man having a heart-to-heart with his grandson, Icot patted Joen on the shoulder with a serene smile.
“Joen, to be honest, I really admire you. You’re young, have a sense of justice, and are full of drive.”
“I look forward to you using your will to reform the church into something greater.”
“How can I get promoted? I don’t have much patience. Better make it fast. Otherwise, I might not be able to hold back.”
Joen’s face was expressionless.
His tone was not a threat, but simply stating a very simple fact.
Icot sensed the meaning behind it.
He said in a deep tone:
“Just perform meritorious deeds.”
“Like this time, I will give you a good opportunity to earn merits.”
“Fine.”
Joen said coldly.
Hearing Joen agree, Icot breathed a huge sigh of relief inwardly.
He secretly rejoiced:
‘Good thing things hadn’t reached the point of no return. As long as this kid was still willing to go on missions, then he had ten thousand ways to dispose of him.’
After all, Yousitina had been in the Empire Capital too long and had been in the special service industry for so long, perhaps she had been somewhat assimilated by humans.
When faced with a Holy Knight coming to her door, she couldn’t bear to give up the luxurious enjoyments of the Empire Capital, so she didn’t resist.
That was understandable.
That being the case, Icot happened to have a suitable ‘demon’ candidate in hand.
She had just arrived in the Empire Capital a few days ago.
This time, choose a newly arrived, unassimilated demon.
She knew the rules well, even coming to the church to pay respects first and giving him gifts before choosing a place to settle.
However, she seemed to be hiding from someone’s pursuit.
During these days in the Empire Capital, she had been living incognito, not eating humans, not daring to break the law, pathetically terrified.
She found a nine-to-five clerical job, diligently muddling through each day.
She didn’t even bother to resist when bullied by colleagues.
But Icot knew that she was a veteran chosen great demon of the shadow demon race, with strength even more unfathomable than Yousitina.
Having her deal with Joen was absolutely a sure thing!
She also had a name that sounded like that of a strong person—
Maive!