“…Partner?”
Wait, that’s what’s surprising to him?
Focus on the cultist detection thod, please!
Though it’s ridiculous, I get it. The Church of Righteous Radiance considers fighting cultists their destiny.
Everyone likely assus they have so thod of identifying cultists, and after all, Helena did say I’d received a blessing directly from the Righteous Radiance.
So, it’s believable.
But a saintess marrying a man who’s surrounded by a harem of won?
Now, that is unacceptable.
While polygamy and polyandry are permitted, there are always exceptions.
If the woman holds a noble status, the man is often expected to be considerate—either not taking other won or, if he does, only taking one as a concubine.
For a saintess, she’s in such a high position that if she told him to sell off his slave concubines, no one would dare criticize her.
Yet here he was, with three exceptionally beautiful slave won, and even Iona, who may not surpass the Saintess in beauty but was still stunning.
How did he manage that???
It’s a natural reaction to have.
But I couldn’t respond to this directly. I was told not to speak first and to keep my head bowed until asked.
Following the basic etiquette I learned in a hurry, I bowed respectfully and waited. Soon enough, Rodrigo seed to rember sothing and looked thoughtfully into the air before speaking.
“Yandel… Yes, I’ve heard of you. You’re the one who exposed those vermin, dealt a severe blow to those cultists recently, and even led the battle at Solaris to victory.”
“It is an honor that Your Majesty rembers.”
“…Now that I think about it, I recall the first ti I heard your na; I was told you discovered cultists while dueling, unable to tolerate an insult to your beloved.”
“That’s correct. However, as an alchemist, she couldn’t accompany to Solaris.”
“Impressive! I heard you were born a commoner, yet you’ve proven yourself more than most noblen! Indeed, such a hero deserves it! Hahaha!”
Rodrigo burst out laughing, even clapping his hands. Fiona, standing beside him, covered her mouth and laughed politely, showing a seemingly harmonious relationship between the couple. �
…So far, so good, but exposing Fiona might be tricky.
I sighed internally and bowed a bit deeper, as if overwheld with gratitude.
“That’s enough. I’d like to see your face, Yandel. Raise your head.”
“As you command.”
Only then did I lift my head. Rodrigo studied intently before letting a slight smile cross his lips.
“Indeed. Not quite what I was in my youth, but impressive nonetheless. Very well, with my curiosity satisfied, let’s move on to the main point. Yandel, you claim to possess a thod for detecting cultists?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Is it the sa thod used before, involving the sacred artifact?”
“That’s one detection thod, but by now, they’ve likely found ways to counter it. This ti, I plan to use a new blessing granted directly by the Righteous Radiance.”
Though it’s actually a power bestowed by Fafnir’s arrangent… Solaris did say I could invoke her na freely, so I should make use of it.
I subtly checked Fiona’s reaction; despite my ntion of a new blessing, she rely stared intently without showing any suspicion.
She’s either not foolish enough to reveal any cracks over this or has prepared a way to disguise herself against the Righteous Radiance’s divine power, just as I suspected.
Rodrigo, oblivious to my thoughts, laughed heartily.
“Well! This is intriguing. What kind of blessing is it that gives you and the Saintess such confidence?”
“If I strike a cultist, I can inflict a deeper wound.”
“…Hm?”
“If I strike soone just hard enough not to kill them, and they die, they’re a cultist. If they survive, they’re innocent.”
I spoke confidently, but the reaction was lukewarm.
“That sounds… like a witch hunt.”
Rodrigo looked uncomfortable. I noticed that other high-ranking officials and knights in attendance were also looking a bit skeptical.
Sigh. Charging forward with pure bravado won’t work, I see. Of course, it’s a bit absurd, even to .
But at tis like this, it’s best to be even bolder.
“It’s true, Your Majesty. If soone were to bring a suspected cultist, I’d gladly demonstrate.”
“A demonstration, you say… Well. While I may not question a miracle of the gods, as a leader representing humanity, I must ask: how is this different from you rely striking harder? Couldn’t this just be a ruse to brand soone you dislike as a cultist?”
“I understand Your Majesty’s doubts, given that we’ve only just t. But if not , what about Sir Havel?”
“Are you asking if I trust the Swordmaster?”
Rodrigo, who hadn’t expected Havel to be ntioned, blinked in surprise, but then seed to conclude that he could trust Havel and nodded emphatically.
“Of course, I trust the Swordmaster. He is the Empire’s sword, its guardian, and the only Swordmaster on the Eurelia Continent. But what does he have to do with this matter?”
“We need the Swordmaster’s keen eye. Just as Your Majesty said, we need soone to verify whether I’m simply striking harder or if the result differs despite identical strikes. Sir Havel would be able to discern it all.”
Rodrigo silently observed Havel, who, feeling his gaze, bowed slightly and responded.
“It is true, Your Majesty. I can discern precisely how deeply a blade cuts and whether it strikes with the sa force as before.”
“Is that so? It sounds absurd to , but if you say so, then it must be possible.”
Accepting Havel’s words quickly, Rodrigo raised his voice.
“Guards! Bring a cultist under interrogation and another suitable petty criminal here imdiately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
With a resounding reply, a knight stationed in the corner left the audience chamber in a brisk stride.
After so ti, the knight returned, slightly out of breath, dragging two tightly bound n.
“Wh-where am I…? Please, I’m innocent! Spare !”
“Hahaha… When the day cos, all of you will be swallowed by Him! Slaves! Commoners! Nobles! Royals! And those hypocritical priests! The so-called noble magicians! The ignorant knights! You’ll all be lted down into one glorious amalgam! Why reject His blessing? Oh, make one with you, O God of Tainted Unity! Draw to Your holy seat!”
One of them, looking sowhat rough and terrified, darted his eyes around wildly.
The other, bloody and bruised, laughed madly, hurling curses in every direction.
There was no need to guess—the latter was clearly the cultist, oozing with evil energy and blasphemous words.
It was as if a swarm of insects was crawling over my skin, laying eggs within. Truly revolting.
Most of those present frowned at the cultist’s rant, but Rodrigo, who had orchestrated this, continued calmly.
“He’s the archbishop of the God of Tainted Unity. We captured him months ago after he dared to commit an act of terror here in the Imperial Palace.”
“Y-Your Majesty! I’m innocent! I rely stole a few coins from so drunkards…”
“Silence. I did not give you permission to speak. If you wish to avoid losing your tongue as well, follow instructions quietly.”
“Gulp…”
With Rodrigo’s stern command, the petty criminal clamd up, and Rodrigo looked at with a spark of interest.
“Now then, can you demonstrate? I’ll allow the use of magic. Or, if you prefer, you may borrow a sword from one of the knights.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed slightly and summoned a small blade with a simple ice spell.
A faintly shimring, translucent blade emitting a chill. Seeing this, the petty criminal began to tremble.
“P-Please! Have rcy! I promise I’ll live honestly from now on… Please…”
“Shh. His Majesty ordered silence. And I’m not aiming to behead you, so just hold out your hand.”
“Yes…? Oh, alright.”
Despite his trembling, the petty criminal extended his hand as instructed. I swung the ice blade at it.
Swish!
“Gah!”
The petty criminal let out a gasp, but it was just a superficial cut, barely grazing his skin.
A single drop of blood trickled down his hand, and that was all.
I held up his hand to Havel for inspection.
“What do you think?”
“Impressive. Though I’ve heard you’re a magician, to wield such a precise cut without any aid shows remarkable skill.”
“Ah… I ant the injury, not my form.”
“Hmm.”
Havel examined the man’s hand closely, then nodded toward Rodrigo.
“The wound matches the force applied. Anyone else could achieve the sa result if they replicated the exact cut.”
“I see. Then, that leaves the cultist…”
“Haha! I am Him and He is ! Together, we are an eternal being that shall consu the world!”
“Hm. It seems he won’t offer his hand willingly. Sir Havel, may I ask for your assistance?”
“Leave it to , Your Majesty.”
With a quick nod, Havel seized the cultist from behind and forced his hand open.
Using the full strength of a Swordmaster, it was a rough approach, but for a deranged cultist whose powers had been sealed by divine energy, it was undoubtedly effective.
As I raised my ice blade toward the madly chanting cultist, I swung with the sa stance, angle, and force as before.
“Huh?”
Havel’s eyes glimred with curiosity as he watched from close up.
Splurt!
Blood erupted from the cultist’s hand in a dramatic spray.
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