## Chapter 885 – Illegal Slave Traders

And so, I drove the carriage towards the capital.

Of course, I couldn’t go in one go, so I made sure to stop by a church along the way. There wasn’t a church near Reitas, the southernmost point, but heading north, I would eventually find one.

This church was the one.

The one where the paladin who investigated Tutan was stationed.

The paladin, who was investigating groups holding religious gatherings with doctrines similar to the Paradise Ascension, tracked Tutan as he tried to leave, and discovered that Tutan had ended up working in Sangulla.

But this paladin, filled with faith, couldn’t do the kind of undercover investigation I did to gather detailed evidence. That’s why I was assigned the task.

And I succeeded in the end.

I reported the fact.

“Thank you, Paladin Helot. Thanks to the information you provided, we were able to expose the crimes of the Sangulla bastards and carry out appropriate punishment and arrests.”
“Oh! So they’ve been caught! I knew it! He was a heretic after all!”

Paladin Helot grabbed my hand, seemingly overjoyed.

I told him everything that had happened in Sangulla, from human trafficking to corpse smuggling, and even the existence of the New World Advent Society.

“So… they were conducting illegal human trafficking behind the scenes… A truly terrible story! And smuggling corpses out secretly!”

As expected, he couldn’t help but be shocked.
Because that’s exactly what happened.

Not only did they kidnap and sell people, but they also killed them at will and smuggled their bodies elsewhere.

“Thank you. I wouldn’t have been able to find out so much on my own. I’ve heard rumors about the paladin appointed by the Saintess. It seems you were appointed because you had the ability to do so.”
“There’s no need to thank me. I only investigated based on what the paladin had already uncovered. You did almost all of it. I just used the available information to go undercover.”

The paladin had been investigating the suspicious Tutan all along. I simply used my physical abilities and infiltration skills to uncover the crimes. Of course, having evidence also allowed me to torture them.

“You’re a truly humble paladin! But as I said, if I had investigated myself, I wouldn’t have been able to do it so perfectly. It’s a relief that the paladin has dealt with this so decisively.”
“Hehe, I’m glad you think so.”

Anyway, it’s good that Paladin Helot is happy. His pursuit of Tutan ultimately led to the resolution of the situation.

Thanks to him, over a hundred innocent citizens were freed, and over a hundred human traffickers and heretics were killed. As a paladin, he must be proud.

“By the way, do you happen to know anything about the Sangulla manager?”
“I tried to find out about that personally, but… it was very difficult. I couldn’t find out anything. All I found out was what was written in the information the paladin had.”

So he doesn’t know either.
Well, would a guy like that show his tail?

Fortunately, I stopped him from recovering the funds, but it’s a shame I couldn’t catch him.

“He’s actually the ringleader, you know. It’s a shame.”
“Still, you wiped out dozens of heretics and a human trafficking ring. That alone should be enough to tip the scales. And you rescued innocent people too.”
“I suppose so.”

That’s enough.

“Then, Paladin, let’s go. I’ve brought Tutan.”
“That heretic…!”

And so, I went with the paladin to see Tutan. Tutan was completely restrained and in a terrible state.

I brought him in a sack to show the paladin.

“Paladin, I’m currently carrying out the Saintess’s orders. It would be good to kill him, but we must first transfer him to the Order’s interrogation room. We need to interrogate him in more detail. So please refrain from directly punishing him. It would be problematic if he died.”

After informing him of the precautions, he nodded with difficulty.

“Ugh… I understand. I know, but my brothers and I have a hard time controlling ourselves. If his evil deeds hadn’t been proven yet, I could have endured it, but now that they have been proven, it’s very difficult to bear.”

Oh dear.

“If I get excited, can you stop me?”
“Of course. I will stop you.”

With that, I went with Paladin Helot to the supply warehouse in the corner of the church. I put him in here before entering the church.

“Come out!”

—Thud.

I immediately untied the sack and turned it upside down, and the ruined Tutan tumbled out.

“Cough! Cough!”

He started coughing, and Paladin Helot, recognizing him, shouted in excitement.

“You heretic! I know what you’ve been doing! I knew it from the moment you started attending those suspicious gatherings in the city! All that awaits you is infinite pain, and even when that pain ends, there will be no salvation! There is nothing after the pain! You will receive back double the pain you inflicted on innocent people!”

Fortunately, Paladin Helot didn’t do anything rash. He just pointed his finger at the ruined Tutan and spewed out curses.

—Shivers…!

Perhaps the only unusual things were that he was trembling and trying to roll his eyes back.

“…Ugh.”

Tutan, who had barely enough energy to breathe, could only cry silently.

“It’s terrible. This heretic from the New World Advent Society believed that the slaves they sold were serving the New World. He firmly believed that when their god descended, the slaves who were sold would also go to the New World. This bastard has been doing such terrible things. He even believed he was doing good.”
“That’s impossible!!!! Selling innocent people into slavery and calling it a good deed!!! Do heretics not even have basic common sense!!!! Even with a little thought, they should know that it’s wrong!!!! A New World created by enslaving innocent people is nothing but hell!!!”

Rage.

“Heretics can’t think straight like that.”
“That’s exactly it!!! It’s really infuriating! You piece of trash heretic!”
“Kugh…!”

Anyway, I strengthened my friendship with the paladin, had a final conversation, said my goodbyes and thanks, and left the church. He offered to treat me, but I politely declined, saying that the mission was my priority.

I rested for a day in the city and set off towards the capital again.

I drove Illyong and Ilyong along the cool forest path, checking on the condition of the captured heretics at every mealtime. They were all barely alive, and it wouldn’t be strange if they died at any moment.

“Hmm, good.”

Fortunately, there hadn’t been any deaths yet.

I had only tortured areas that wouldn’t endanger their lives, so if I managed them well, there shouldn’t be any problems. I also gave them water and food once a day, and bought antibiotics and fed them when I stopped by the city.

It would be troublesome if they died from inflammation, you bastards.

“Ugh…!”

But Tommy, who had received the harshest punishment, was on his last legs.

“Manageeeer…! Manager…! How could you do that to the manager…! I’ll curse you…! I’ll curse you! On the day the New World descends, you will receive the most terrible punishment!!! Our god will cast you into hell!!”

He seemed to have gone completely insane, repeating the manager’s name and pouring out curses on me. Judging by his physical condition, it wouldn’t be strange if he died today, but he still seemed to have plenty of energy, so I didn’t think he would die. Of course, that’s just talk, he wouldn’t die just because his limbs were crushed.

Still, I managed to find out everything worth knowing while coming here.

He almost worshipped the manager.

The manager is an old but still upright man whose name is Sulas, and he is commonly referred to as the manager. Of course, it’s likely a pseudonym. These guys tend to fabricate their identities.

His whereabouts are always vague, but Tommy claims to have received his teachings a long time ago. So he can’t see him often, but he worships him. You could almost call it respect.

But judging by the nuance, the manager seems to have a higher position than the senior preacher who gave orders to Tutan… Tutan didn’t seem to know much about the manager. This is a contrasting point.

Could it be a different organization?

“Hehehe, if you make other people’s lives hell, you should know that you’ll go to hell too. The same goes for the manager. Isn’t that right, Tommy? This is the New World.”
“Shut up, you cruel thief! How!!! How can a human do such a thing! Such a terrible thing!!!!”

He’s the one who did terrible things.

“That’s what you did. A fool should know his place. You evil heretic.”

More than that, this crazy bastard, I crushed all his joints, but his fighting spirit hasn’t been broken. He’s truly a genuine fanatic.

“Kugh…!”

Tommy wailed.

“You’re the same!!!”
“Huh?”
“Kidnapping is a crime? Then what about what you did to us! To our unit members and the employees of Sangulla! And what you did to the manager! You’re the same as us!! No, you’re worse!! At least we didn’t commit such massacres!! It’s not us who are evil, but you ignorant, uncivilized, and despicable people!!”

What did you say?

“You’re all the same, so why are you doing such evil things so brazenly! You’re the same!! You cursed bastard!!!”
“It’s completely different, you fucking moron.”

Oh my god.

“They say we’re the same because we stopped them from kidnapping and selling people and punished them, you fucking bastard. Yeah, that’s why you guys are fucked.”

Like this, criminals never think about what they’ve done.

If they get punished for stealing, they hate the person who reported them, the police, and the law. Because they think stealing is natural, they think the reporter screwed them over, and they resent the police and the law for imprisoning them to oppress them.

And then they go ballistic when they get robbed.

Their brains are just wired differently.

“I should have sold that manager bastard as a rent boy like you said. I should have shoved a knife up his ass to make him come to his senses. I regret not doing that.”
“How dare you say such a thing!!!!!!”

Tommy shook his head violently, flicking his tongue like he was shooting poison needles, expressing his anger.

Because his bones and muscles in his limbs were crushed, he couldn’t move anything but his head, so he was doing that crazy thing.

It looked like a sunken colony.

I need to gift this bastard to the Order’s interrogation room quickly.

* * *

“Ugh! Home is the best. I feel like I can finally rest properly.”

Winia got out of the carriage, stretched, and smiled brightly.

“This job was quite rewarding.”
“Should we call this rewarding?”

Liz unnie said, and Karin chuckled and turned her neck.

“Wasn’t this the most paladin-like thing we’ve done so far? It’s rewarding enough. We destroyed a human trafficking business and a unit. Isn’t it a good thing if you think about the victims?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Well, it was fun. I got to do some swordplay for the first time in a while.”
“I also enjoyed checking my skills.”

I’m glad they’re satisfied.

“Blackie, are you going straight to the church?”
“Yeah. I need to hand these guys over first. I wrote the report while coming here.”

I only recorded the facts in the report. I just left out the fact that I pocketed half the money from the vault and the information about Hilde. And I added my personal thoughts to the last chapter.

“Okay, okay. Anyway, good job, Blackie. This job was just the kind of thing for you to go crazy about.”
“That’s… well, yeah. I couldn’t help but go crazy.”

Fusion Confucianism will never tolerate such things.

“Were you very angry?”
“I couldn’t not be, with this.”
“But you’ve calmed down now, right? I’ll let you play with my boobs when we get back. If you have any emotions left, let them all out on my chest.”

Winia said, touching my face.

“Hehehe, yeah. I will.”

That’s all it takes.

“Katt, have a good trip!!”
“Yeah! Hilde, go inside too!”

Hilde said, unloading the luggage with Karin and Liz unnie.

“Katt. Is it okay if you don’t see Risha and Ari before you go?”
“It’s better to meet them after I finish my work. I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay. Have a good trip. I’ll be waiting for you after I shower?”
“Okay.”

I immediately drove the carriage containing the captured prisoners towards the church.