#068. The Revolutionary Order is Too Kind (3)

#068. The Revolutionary Order is Too Kind (3)

Originally, the Revolutionary Order had no intention of providing Ian with this level of support.

“The Sodom Guild’s contribution is too great. With the damage inflicted upon the nobles and the subsequent decrease in donations to the Order, wouldn’t it be wise to bestow upon him a Saint title, prestigious in name only, and have him tour the provinces to boost morale in each diocese, while simultaneously using it to incite attacks against heretics?”

“Indeed. Far too many children of those holding important positions within our Order are also Saint candidates. If there are no familial relations, no one could possibly object.”

“If the security is too tight, there will be no attacks, and if it’s too meager, the dioceses will not willingly loosen their purse strings if we use the pilgrimage as a pretext for a fundraising tour.”

“How about forming a unit with expendable recruits? Discard them once used, so the Saint’s power base doesn’t solidify, and they will obediently follow our lead, shocked by the harsh realities of our line of work.”

“Hahaha. Excellent.”

The six influential figures of the Revolutionary Order sought ways to profit by making Ian a scapegoat.

Of course, they also considered the possibility that Ian might not comply.

“Ian’s mother is that Theresa, who is beginning to make a name for herself as the strongest in the Westwood area. She wouldn’t simply cast her child into the Order’s headquarters without a second thought.”

“So they have their own ambitions. In that case, how about we compromise to this extent? The Order will support Sodom from the shadows. Considering their antagonism towards the nobles, they’ll feel a great need for it. Since the nobles who suffered damage are in dire straits and unable to donate, there won’t be any problems even if we antagonize them to that degree.”

“We’ve relieved the troublesome nobles of their power and strengthened our own Order. We can certainly extend the favor of accepting them into our fold.”

“Let’s grant them a five-year tax exemption. If they are aware of the grace they received during the Royal Court Trial, the King will surely acknowledge it.”

“Of course, after five years, we must devour the well-nurtured Sodom. When the nobles’ donations become abundant once more, we’ll compare which purse is larger, Sodom’s or the nobles’, and decide whether to leave them with only bones or strip them bare.”

“Hehehe. I’m eagerly anticipating what will happen in five years.”

“Indeed.”

So, they prepared a trap disguised as a concession.

If the Order could be a reliable patron, who could possibly refuse?

Especially since they had alienated both beastmen and nobles, making them practically isolated.

That was all they were expecting.

That was the only picture they had in mind when they approached.

Yet Ian’s demands were entirely different.

“The Order can abandon them, but cannot dismiss even one new Inquisitor. How foolish.”

“The obstinacy of a fool.”

“It is foolishness to not see even five months ahead, let alone five years.”

“But there is faith.”

“He said he would bear the responsibility together.”

“In this barbaric age, where purity is a weakness, it is a luxurious conviction.”

“That is why it is upright.”

A course that stirred emotions even those power-sodden elders had long forgotten.

That uprightness did not end with his faith in Maria.

“Do you recall the boy’s reaction to the order to kill Ronohue?”

“He answered that he would do it without a moment’s hesitation.”

“They are a kind who value integrity over expedience.”

“An endangered species, then.”

“All the more precious because of it.”

“How does he expect to survive in this harsh world with such obtuseness? Like a babe left by the water’s edge, I simply cannot send him away.”

“The plan, hastily reshaped, was to diminish Sodom’s immense power by destroying Ronohue and them together, then to exploit Sodom’s popularity with the power of the Order…”

“How could we possibly do that after seeing him like this?”

They were human too.

No matter how power-mad those elders were, beneath their inhuman greed lingered a longing, a sliver of yearning, for a purity they could never reclaim.

Even if I am corrupted, I want my child, at least my grandchild, to be raised differently.

A common sight among the human rabble who wield power, these depraved elders.

Ian was not their child.

But he was a fine young man, the kind of son of whom one would be immensely proud.

Wouldn’t he be a splendid man, capable of a marriage that would be the envy of all, no matter the woman he wed?

“Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to properly demonstrate the Order’s strength this time, to establish the hierarchy.”

“What if we send both Holy Maidens?”

“A good idea. Support requests may be pouring in from the Northern Front, where they are holding back the Mazoku, but that is their job, after all.”

“I was also displeased with them not listening to me due to getting full of themselves. I should use this opportunity to sort that situation out as well.”

“The Hero Party, too, will pour even greater effort into the front lines due to Ronohue’s failure, so they will surely fill the Order’s gap.”

Even amidst all this, their machinations, their awareness of the power struggles and diplomatic tensions within the Order, straddled the line between shrewdness and vileness, deepening Holy Maiden Kasha’s anxieties.

“Headquarters will not permit me and the Holy Knights to return to the Northern Front, is that correct?”

“Yes. They said if you urgently wish to return to the front lines, you must bring back news of Ronohue’s demise as soon as possible. But support will be greatly increased as planned, so they say you need not worry about failing to subdue Ronohue.”

“…It is fortunate that support will be increased, but I can easily imagine the hardships the Northern Front will face in the meantime. To think of how many soldiers must die before we can reclaim a front that has been pushed back…”

Though Holy Maiden Cecilia of the Scourge treated Holy Maiden Kasha of Benevolence like a docile dog blindly obedient to authority, there was a reason for Kasha’s obedience.

For every time she smiled and lowered her head, the support and devotion the Order showed to the Northern Front would increase, even if only by a little.

The Order headquarters sent them as a form of exile, those who went against the Order’s doctrines or could not be controlled, but Kasha was a child who had survived thanks to their aid.

One raised by the grace of her homeland.

How could she forget her homeland?

“…Wait. Is someone outside the door?”

“Ah, that is…”

Feeling a presence, she opened the door to find Cecilia looking flustered and Ian looking solemn.

“I was going to ask the old men together to let Ian choose a sacred object to give to him before he left for the north… Not bad thinking for a second-rate Holy Maiden!”

“Cecilia. It’s not right to denigrate others because you’re embarrassed.”

“Ugh. Sorry…”

The denigrating saintess, making a face like she was about to cry at the Saint’s scolding, reflecting on her actions.

Kasha couldn’t help but sigh at the pathetic farce.

“How much of the conversation did you hear just now?”

“That the Order would be diverting reinforcements intended for the northern front to the Ronowe subjugation, all because of me.”

“You heard everything. Please, keep this quiet. You’ve already displeased them. If news that shouldn’t leave these walls leaks out, Sodom Village will suffer terrible political retribution.”

Kasha liked Ian.

She didn’t want this naive and noble boy to experience the harshness of power any further.

Such experiences were better left to adults like herself.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

“Saint Ian?”

“Please arrange another meeting with the high-ranking members of the Order. I have something important to say.”

“Saint Ian. Please don’t. No matter what you say to them, it won’t do any good.”

“But many people will survive.”

Kasha’s eyes widened at Ian’s words.

The sincerity she usually hid behind a practiced smile, the truth that peeked out from her large eyes that seemed to pierce through one’s very soul, was now fully revealed.

Eyes so clear and honest, gazing deep within, captured Ian’s true intentions.

“Just how much are you willing to sacrifice, as a person…”

“Is it a difficult request?”

“…No. I can certainly arrange it. And thank you. On behalf of every soldier in the north, I offer you my sincere gratitude.”

Kasha’s suspicions were confirmed at the second meeting that followed.

“Return the reinforcements allocated to the Ronowe subjugation to the northern front.”

Ian’s request delivered a tremendous shock to the elders.

“You’re the one who would benefit from the reinforcements.”

“How can a person be so foolish? One should at least know how to accept help and say ‘thank you’ when someone looks out for their future.”

Ian shook his head.

“If countless people bleed and die so I can be comfortable, I won’t be able to find peace for even a moment. Every moment will be a shortcut to ruin, an agonizing torment that destroys my soul.”

An altruism that wouldn’t compromise with injustice.

A greedy sense of justice that knew no submission.

Now even the elders understood Cecilia’s assessment.

This was the kind of boy Ian was.

A child with a truly sacred soul, befitting a Saint.

‘If the northern front collapses, the kingdom is doomed to a four-part bad ending. Whether through persuasion or brainwashing, I need to rally the kingdom’s strongmen and push back against the northern front. Otherwise, the kingdom will fall before Part Four even begins.’

For Ian, this world was a game divided into four parts.

Part One: Destroying the dungeons near the Sodom Guild.

Part Two: Destroying Gomorrah and the Guild Alliance.

Part Three: Destroying Ronowe and the Hero Party.

Part Four: Destroying the Demon Lord’s army on the Northern Front.

If he failed in even one part, there would be no peace for Sodom Village.

It is, of course, a ‘must-win condition’ that cannot be conceded.

But those who are not Players cannot possess such a condition.

Thus, it is upright justice and noble conviction.

[Brainwashing Activated]

[Designated Targets – 6 Skilled Individuals]

[Command – Please, for the peace of the Kingdom, grant my request.]

The followers of the corrupted power were deprived of the chance to repent and reflect upon their sins.

The sight of Ian writhing in agony, tormented by the heinous crimes he claimed to have committed, rekindled a light within the elders that had long been extinguished.

As the sun shone upon the hearts of these elders, once devoid of light, their hearts, frozen like permanent permafrost, began to thaw.

“How could we disregard the will of the noble Saint Ian. For the first time in ages, at my advanced age, I feel a warmth in my chest.”

“He concerns himself with the future of humanity while embracing his own hardship. Our ignorance in blaming him is a sin. Fear not, young lamb. Your will shall be done.”

The Compassionate Faction and the Martial Faction.

All sided with Ian.