"You asked those questions deliberately while conducting the trial, didn’t you?"
After the religious trial ended, Reina approached me as I quietly watched the situation unfold and asked in a low voice.
"If you asked whether he had raped her, it would prove that man’s innocence."
"That’s right."
During the trial, I had subtly shifted the issue.
Daevon had not raped Kate.
So I deliberately avoided saying the word rape and steered the trial toward the implication that he had defiled Kate.
Thanks to my questions, Daevon could offer nothing but testimony that put him at a disadvantage.
"If Daevon had insisted from the beginning that he hadn’t raped her, the result would have been different."
"Why didn’t he say that from the start?"
"Because he has plenty to feel guilty about."
Daevon had not raped Kate, but he had run around with John’s gang and committed rape numerous times.
What would happen if a man with a record like that were suddenly asked, ‘Did you rape that woman?’
His anxiety would keep him from making a sound judgment.
He had bragged to his gang that he’d fucked a nun, but inwardly, he must have been terrified.
Whether it was rape or not, defiling a nun of the Church of the Sun guaranteed castration.
"Did you plan all of this even before the Inquisitor arrived?"
"Well, that was part of it, but Claudia’s help was important too."
"That woman’s?"
Perhaps because they were bitter enemies in the original story, Reina’s expression soured at the mention of Claudia.
"More precisely, things went smoothly because of a mistake she made."
"What mistake did she make?"
"She used the [Scales’ Needle] on me."
I knew the weakness of the [Scales’ Needle] through [A Lewd Nun’s Circumstances].
First, it did not work on someone with holy power as high as Reina’s.
Second, when used on a target with a high mental stat, the [Scales’ Needle] judged everything as truth.
I was certain of the first point because I had seen it firsthand through Reina in [A Lewd Nun’s Circumstances], but the second was different.
It had only been mentioned in passing, so I did not know precisely how high one’s mental stat needed to be.
‘With my mental stat at 161, it should normally be enough. But the other person is Claudia.’
As befitted one of the game’s final bosses, Claudia was a prodigy beyond human standards.
Considering her abilities, I had not been entirely sure whether a mental stat of 161 would suffice. But because she had mistakenly used the [Scales’ Needle] first, I was given an opening to take control of the situation.
‘I understand why. How could some young man from a rural village have a mental stat that surpassed even a Hero’s?’
Once everything was over, I intended to thank Isabelle separately.
If my mental stat had not risen thanks to her, I would never have achieved this much.
"Really, I married well."
"Tch. I worked hard beside you too."
"Yes, yes. Reina deserves a lot of credit too."
"Hehe."
Reina’s sulky expression immediately melted away at my praise.
It showed just how deeply she loved me.
"I suppose it’s about time I made my move."
"What are you going to do now?"
"Yeah, it’s time to lay the groundwork. Stay by Isabelle’s side in my stead, Reina."
"Okay~"
After entrusting Isabelle to Reina, I went to the village chief, who was bewildered by the village’s circumstances.
. . .
"Ian, what in the world is going on?"
"All I can say is that this came suddenly for me as well."
Ian explained to the village chief how the religious trial had come to be held. However, he mixed in the lie that Kate had reported Daevon to the Inquisitor.
After all, aside from him, no one in the village had dealings with the church. There was no chance the lie would be exposed.
The village chief would never dream that Ian had orchestrated this entire situation.
"That bastard is driving me mad."
"Fortunately, it was treated as Daevon’s individual crime, so we should have avoided the worst outcome."
"Is that why you presided over the trial?"
"Yes. There were many worshippers visiting for the Ceremony of Light, weren’t there? It would not have been strange for them to be enraged at a village where a nun was violated. For the village’s safety, I begged the Inquisitor to let me conduct the trial. Since I, an honorary believer, took charge of it, their resentment toward the village should have diminished."
"Well done. You did very well. You saved our village."
"It is nothing compared to everything you have devoted to this village."
At Ian’s reply, the village chief’s anxiety melted away like snow.
The village chief was gradually coming to realize that being with Ian put him at ease.
"And please keep this to yourself."
"Is there something else?"
Ian leaned close and whispered into the village chief’s ear.
"The Inquisitor asked about those who had been close to Daevon. It seemed she meant to condemn in advance anyone who might harbor the same desire to violate nuns."
"So did you tell her?"
"I answered based on what everyone knew. However, I deliberately did not mention John’s name."
"John knew Daevon?"
"Ah, you didn’t know?"
Ian answered with an awkward smile.
"They were gathered in a group in front of the forest, so I assumed you knew."
"Tell me who was in that group."
"It was some time ago, so my memory is hazy, but Tom’s son was among them too."
"Torm? That pig bastard?"
"Yes. And besides the Daevon I mentioned earlier, there was a tall man and a man who looked like a rat."
Clench.
‘John, you little bastard!’
At Ian’s answer, the village chief clenched his fist hard to swallow his anger.
He himself had suffered and struggled for the sake of the village, while his son had formed a gang with such rotten scum.
‘The tall one must be Kaelen, and the rat-faced one must be Finn.’
Kaelen, a former mercenary, had been made captain of the village watch because of his formidable strength, but many people cursed him behind his back.
He had a vile temper and beat his subordinates at the slightest provocation. He also had a history of beating his mute wife to death.
Finn, a merchant, was even worse.
Despite being a middleman trader, he sold goods to the village at exorbitant prices, and rumor had it that some of the things Finn sold were drugs.
There was no need even to mention Daevon, who had lived off prostitutes, or that pig Torm.
‘Just like his mother, he’s no help to me at all.’
How would the villagers look at him when the village chief’s own son was associating with garbage like this?
Truly, there was not one thing about his son that pleased him.
"Village Chief, are you all right?"
"I’m fine. Thank you for your concern."
"Please take care of your health. You are this village’s pillar. If you fall, it is the same as the village falling."
"That’s right. This village will survive only if I hold firm."
And compared to that, what about Ian standing before him?
Not only did he know how to respect him, he was genuinely helpful.
He even knew how to sacrifice himself for the village.
"It is fortunate that I have you. Without you, things would have truly become dangerous."
"You are the one who brought me here, Village Chief."
"Ha ha, that’s true. It may have been the best thing I’ve done in recent years."
The village chief gradually came to rely on Ian.
His trust in Ian was now growing greater than his trust in his own son.
. . .
"Thanks to you, we were able to preserve our church’s dignity."
As soon as I arrived at the chapel, Vanessa expressed her gratitude.
"I merely did what needed to be done."
"That is not so. I will properly reward you for this matter."
A murderous glint appeared in Vanessa’s expression.
She must have been that enraged over what had happened.
"Furthermore, I will compensate you for the harm you suffered because of Sister Kate’s accusation."
"It is all right. I will calmly accept it as a minor disturbance. My wife will not dwell on it either, so please do not concern yourself with it."
"No. Goddess Helia teaches us to repay others according to the help we receive. For our sake, you must accept compensation."
"If you put it that way, I have no choice."
It was an answer worthy of Vanessa, such a stickler for principles.
I pretended to deliberate for a moment before requesting the reward I had already decided upon.
"May I take custody of Daevon?"
"Custody of that man?"
Vanessa looked quite flustered by my request.
"May I ask why?"
"I intend to sell him as a slave."
The Church of the Sun did not particularly oppose slavery.
Most slaves were criminals or debtors.
As long as they were not prisoners of war or slaves acquired through kidnapping, it was generally tolerated.
"A criminal of that caliber would fetch a high price from the nobility."
That was also why I wanted custody of Daevon.
Religion, regardless of time or place, had been used as a political tool.
A criminal who violated a nun?
Any noble trying to curry favor with the Church of the Sun would torture Daevon before a crowd.
To demonstrate that he was a noble devoted to the Church of the Sun.
It was barbaric, but considering this world remained at a medieval level, it was only natural.
"I intend to use the proceeds for Sister Kate’s sake."
"You need not concern yourself with Sister Kate."
"No. As an honorary believer, I feel a certain degree of responsibility as well. I am only doing as my heart leads me, so please do not give it another thought."
"...I am moved by your devotion to the faith every time."
"I only give back as much as I have received. It is nothing special, so there is no need to be moved."
"I could ask for nothing more if the villagers were all like you."
"I will strive to become that kind of person."
"Hehe, speaking with you always puts my mind at ease. If you have time next time, would you like to join me for tea and refreshments?"
"I would only be grateful if you invited me."
By now, Vanessa and I had grown close enough for her to extend a personal invitation.
‘All that effort has paid off.’
With the convent head’s permission, I could expand Reina’s range of movement.
I could have her guard Isabelle, of course, and involve her in my other plans as well.
But that was not what mattered right now.
"Lastly, I would like to see Sister Kate. Where should I go?"
"Sister Kate is currently in the confessional."
"Thank you. I will be on my way, then."
"She is likely still struggling because of her emotional wounds. Please take good care of her."
"Yes. For her sake as well, I will pray to Goddess Helia with her."
With that answer, I headed for the confessional where Kate was waiting.
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