CH 29

Chapter 29 Pursuit(3)

Translator: BaeBae Editor: BaeBae

Juan inspected the fallen knights. It looked as if they’d been given a painless death.

Able to kill armoured knights this quickly, it seems he had underestimated Anya’s skill.

‘Maybe it’s the clothes she’s got on.’

Unlike before, Anya was wearing a comfortable looking black leather suit. Juan could feel a small dose of mana from there.

“The fog suddenly thickened so I was wondering what was going on. Here’s some present for you. Do you like it, dear?”

“Why is this the only way you give out presents?”

“Well, you don’t seem like the type to like sweets.”

Juan didn’t say anything.

“I was watching what you were doing before. You’re letting them live instead of killing them. They’re all the empire’s dogs. You don’t need to keep them alive. I swear the murderous aura from you before wasn’t a lie….Why? Did you suddenly feel pity for them?”

“………..”

“It’s alright, if you don’t want to answer dear. I actually find your silent, withdrawn attitude charming anyways. But I never thought of you to show pity to others. So, I was a little curious what the reason could be, that’s all. You….”

Anya paused and smiled wide as if she was asking ‘are you curious’.

“What.”

“There’s still too many things about the empire that you don’t know.”

Juan found the remark amusing, considering he was someone that had governed the empire in the past. However, he felt her words were true to a certain extent.

As time went on, Juan felt there were too many things about the current empire that he didn’t know. Including the knowledge that he once ignored.

“It’s hard to hate what you don’t know. That is why dear is becoming weak.”

For more,

Anya asked from behind his back.

Her complexion pale, she was coughing as if she was close to death.

The wet clothes on her made her already petit figure look even more small.

‘Not really. This was common back in the day.”

In the past, gods adjourned meetings and made species extinct or gave birth to new ones.

Gods were violent and spontaneous. The strong didn’t need to fear or respect the weak. It was natural that they were simple minded.

Once upon a time, the Honsluin tribe existed.

Out of all the species they were the strongest and ruled the empire having it split into three kingdoms.

But one day, they went up against the gods and in a week, their species were exterminated.

The only one who survived was Vares Valte, who later became Juan’s comrade.

Those who lived through those times, had to experience some of the most grotesque incidents.

Compared to then, Juan felt this was mild.

“It sounds like you also have come from a heartless place. Can’t say I’m surprised… There would be purification incidents everywhere outside the border I imagine?”

“Purification?”

Anya lifted her finger and pointed to the village well. Her broken finger was tied onto a splint.

“If there’s anyone in suspicion or have committed or involved themselves with heresy, the whole village is interrogated. I don’t know what you call it outside the border, call it looting if you want. Or the nobility’s pocket money gathering game, instinctual action, stress relief. I heard the west has got it the worst but time to time, you see this in other regions as well. And this is only done to the poor populace to make sure it doesn’t become a problem.”

“They killed them just to hide traces of their looting?”

Juan observed the evidence around the village. If what Anya said was correct, a whole village was butchered for looting and boredom reasons.

Physical body to equipment, it was said the emperor’s ‘grace’ touched upon every bit of a paladin. Even his voice boomed with authority and power that made people cower.

This paladin was head of the White crow holy knights, assembled specifically to track down Lars Raude, one of the six apostates. They were famous for being one of the most strict and persistent holy knight orders.

Any wrong behaviours or replies, it was common to see heads mashed until it was below their shoulders.

“Nothing in this village either.”

The paladin stated while he looked down at an elderly corpse who was the last one interrogated.

While all the soldiers thought they had dealt with purification missions before, only now they were realising they had never experienced a ‘proper’ one.

The paladin first blockaded all exits, then started with the weak and the young, interrogating by breaking their fingers and gouging their eyes.

So extreme there were a few soldiers that declined to participate in the interrogation.

They soon found themselves at the bottom of a well, dead.

“These are folks that opted to leave the emperor’s protection. There is no need for sympathy.”

The soldiers went silent.

“Inquisitor Kato’s orders are still in effect. Lets move to the next village.”