Heavenly Inquisition Sword

Episode 1249. What is the punishment for cheaters in the Empire?

Two months ago.

Londinium Imperial City Petropolis.

The Great War of Shastra Parakti.

8 o’clock in the evening.

The priests who had been kneeling and praying in front of the statue of Shastra Parakti rose from their seats one by one.

As time passed, everyone gathered together except for one priest.

The priests waited in silence until the last priest finished his prayer.

Because they live together, I can’t leave them alone.

Maybe 30 minutes passed?

Someone tired of waiting whispered to the person next to him.

“Prayer is much longer than usual. Could it be that he fell asleep?”

Evening prayer time for priests did not exceed 30 minutes at most.

But now, that priest hadn’t moved for nearly an hour.

Priests are also human, so they often fall asleep while praying when fatigue accumulates.

In the end, Priest Vivian, the youngest, approached the priest who was secretly praying for the seniors.

Priest Vivian examined the face of the priest who was praying, and then returned to the other priests.

“Well, I think you are in a state of ‘mystical unity’.”

“…”

At Priest Vivian’s words, the other priests did not say anything for a moment.

For priests, ‘mystical union’ means meeting with Shastra Parakti.

A year ago, the fifth ‘person who received an oracle’ came out, but another ‘person who received an oracle’ came out?

Never in the history of the temple has an oracle descended in such a rapid cycle.

Priest Hamish, the fifth ‘oracle-bearer’ in less than a hundred years, spoke quietly.

“I’ll check and come back.”

Following Priest Vivian, Priest Hamish walked quietly in front of the statue.

But what is this?

Priest Hamish, who had approached the praying priest, suddenly knelt beside him.

Then, holy light emanated from the bodies of the two priests.

This is a phenomenon of ‘God’s presence’ that goes beyond ‘mystical unity’.

Surprised, the priests followed the ritual and quickly lined up behind the two priests.

The two priests, bathed in holy light, rose from their seats and turned to the priests.

Eventually, the fifth ‘one who received the oracle’, Hamish, opened his mouth.

“Listen to me, my daughters. Everything is decided by the gods. Neither good nor bad is your destiny, nor is it your responsibility. I have heard your prayers and will meet you in the Forgotten Temple.”

Sishit, who was standing next to her, said.

“My agent from the ends of the earth, everything is decided by the gods. Neither good nor bad is your destiny, nor is it your responsibility. I have listened to the wind of the South House Gounyi [南宮姸] and will meet you in the forgotten temple.”

As Sishit finished speaking, the brilliance disappeared.

Hamish and Sishit, who were standing idly by, collapsed at the same time as the divine power escaped.

***

Current.

Priest Hamish, who was closely examining Count Elio Lagoa, spoke cautiously.

“I heard that Count Helio Lagoa was originally a noble from the north. If it’s not rude, may I ask where you are from?”

“The ‘mountain tribe’ of the Alba Nubes Mountains.”

“ah!”

“oh!”

An exclamation flowed from the mouths of Priest Hamish and Priest Sishit.

Priest Hamish, who came to his senses, hurriedly lowered his back and said,

“Meet the apostle of Shastra Parakti.”

“See the apostle.”

Sisht, who had been staring blankly, hurriedly bowed.

The paladins who were paying close attention to the conversation between the three also bowed their backs.

Elio, who was scratching his head with a puzzled face, asked the priests.

“Am I right to buy?”

Then, Priest Sishit replied with a bright smile.

“Yes, Shastra Parakti said the Count was his agent. So, the apostle is right.”

“Me?”

“yes. Actually…”

Priest Sishit told me the contents of the oracle he received from the Great Temple of Shastra Parakti two months ago.

“…You said you came from the mountains of Alba Nubes, right?”

“yes.”

“Alba Nubes has the meaning of ‘end of the earth’ in ancient language. So, the Count is Shastra Parakti’s agent, or apostle.”

“According to the oracle… is it that I must go to the Forgotten Temple and meet Shastra Parakti?”

“yes that’s right.”

“Where is the Forgotten Temple?”

“It’s in Ishika, the southern Adriatic kingdom.”

“Wow! Are you far away?”

“Originally, this is the temple of Shastra Parakti, where Ishika’s temple was first built. However, as people gradually moved to the middle of the country, which was a good place to live… Ishika also fell. That’s why Ishika’s temple is called the Forgotten Temple.”

“Is Shastra Parakti calling the priests to meet like that?”

“no. This trust is the first of its kind. He just met me during prayer, I didn’t tell him where to come. Because of that, Daeshinjeon was turned upside down.”

“We can meet while praying, but why did you ask me to come to the forgotten temple?”

Then, Priest Hamish spoke cautiously.

“The high priest said that perhaps Shastra Parakti might manifest on this earth.”

“Is God showing up in this world?”

“When you call a priest to a specific place, you can only interpret it as a manifestation of God… Of course, it’s not definitive. We are not gods.”

“All right. But what does it mean that I listened to the wind of Gowoon from the southern house?”

“It’s an oracle given to the apostle, so wouldn’t it have something to do with the apostle?”

At Priest Hamish’s words, Elio tilted his head.

Did you hear the wind of ‘Southern House Gowoon’?

He himself has been active in the north all along, so why is he a ‘Go-woon from the south’?

He hadn’t even thought of it as a reference to Namgung-yeon.

This is because the other world and Gangho are so far away that even dreams cannot reach them.

After thinking about it for a while, no answer came out, so Elio just brushed it off.

“thank god. I was also on my way to Adria Kingdom. You’re telling me to go to the forgotten temple and meet Shastra Parakti, right?”

“That’s right.”

“I see.”

He was going to get information about Ushas Undra (Golden Temple) while reporting to Shastra Parakti about what had happened so far.

Rachel’s tavern.

Baron Howard Solon, who was sipping his drink with a worried face, leaned over to Fabian.

“Isn’t it too late?”

He thought a problem had arisen between Count Elio Lagoa and the priests of Shastra Parakti.

Are you suddenly an apostle of Shastra Parakti?

Even though he didn’t even look like a follower of Shastra Parakti, the apostle went too far.

“It won’t be a big deal.”

Baron Howard Solon was troubled by Baron Fabian Cloud’s carefree attitude.

“This isn’t going to be as simple as you think. Do you know what the terrifying thing about paladins is?”

“I know very well that they are better than normal mana users.”

“It’s not just that swordsmanship is excellent. Paladins are not afraid of death. It is considered an honor to die fighting heretics. Even at the place of death, it rushes like a moth to a fire. Even if your opponent is a Grand Master. Do you know how tiring that is? You could carry death with you for the rest of your life.”

“That bothers me a little. It’ll work out fine though. Could Lord Lagoa be the true disciple of Shastra Parakti?”

“Do you believe that?”

“To be honest… I don’t know.”

“I don’t think so. You don’t even look like a follower of Shastra Parakti. Are you, by any chance, a follower of Shastra Parakti?”

“Not at all. Lord Lagoa is one who relies on himself. To him, God… means nothing.”

“Look at that. Such a person cannot be an apostle of Shastra Parakti.”

“I heard and saw it. Certainly not.”

Fabian agreed with Baron Howard Solon’s words.

To Count Elio Lagoa, who watched from his side, God was just a transcendent being.

Count Elio Lagoa, who killed such an existence, couldn’t believe in God.

“So they say it’s a big deal…”

Then the tavern door opened and Count Elio Lagoa, a priest and a paladin entered.

Judging by the cheerful expression, it seems that the atmosphere was resolved through conversation rather than a fight.

Count Elio Lagoa approached Baron Howard Solon, who was staring at him with a bewildered face.

“One hundred gold.”

“yes?”

“You bet a hundred gold.”

“Ah, did it end well?”

“Don’t you see? You came back together smiling. Give me the money.”

Baron Howard Solon bowed his head at Count Helio Lagoa’s urging.

“sorry. There is no money like that.”

In an instant, Elio’s face contorted.

He secretly liked that he earned 100 gold, but he said he had no money.

“what? Betting a hundred gold with no money? Are you a cheater?”

“Oh no. I will make money somehow.”

“When are you going to make a hundred gold? To the subject who was kicked out of the family of marquis.”

“I will make it by doing the work of an adventurer. I’ll give it to you as soon as I find the treasure.”

“Damn it. If a hundred adventurers go, one of them will find the treasure, but at what age?”

“…”

Baron Howard Solon’s head fell further down.

He was ashamed and wanted to find a mouse hole.

He yelled for 100 gold in anger, but the money he had in his hand was less than 20 gold.

Even so, it would be fair to say that he was penniless since he had to spend it on the travel expenses of the Abyss.

The severed relationship with the family of Marquis Solon, the main family, came painfully today.

“I hate cheaters the most.”

That’s true.

Having suffered for a long time after being scammed in Gangho, he was terrified of fraud.

“It’s not a scam… I’ll pay you back as soon as I collect the money. I am serious.”

Elio stunned for a moment and hit the table with his fist.

‘bang!’ Hearing that, not only the mercenaries but also the priests and paladins looked at Elio.

“Sincerity is not in words, but in money! Don’t you know that wealth has a heart?”

“I know. sorry.”

“You, no, you cheated with money that I don’t have. that’s right? out of it?”

“That’s right.”

“What is the punishment for cheaters in the Empire?”

“I cut my tongue and tattoo it on my forehead. Please forgive me. Not really on purpose.”

“so?”

“yes?”

At Elio’s sudden question, Baron Howard Solon raised his head.

“So what are you going to do?”

“I will do my best to pay you back as soon as possible.”

“He’s trying to cheat again. This guy is very fraudulent. Fabian, do you think this man can pay back a hundred gold soon?”

“I can’t pay it back. I can’t repay you unless the Marquis of Solon helps you.”

Fabian flatly denied it.

The salary of a baron from an aristocratic family was 30 silver, so how long did he collect 100 gold?

It was really a lot of money that could only be earned by finding treasure in the Abyss.

The odds of finding the treasure quickly in the Abyss are dire.

So, Baron Howard Solon’s promise was just his wish.

Elio turned his head to Crea this time.

“What do you think, Mr. Crea? Can Baron Solon pay off the hundred gold any time soon? Can you vouch for that?”

“Bo guarantee?”

“You are Baron Solon’s party. So, can you guarantee Baron Solon’s promise?”

“I can’t. I won’t be able to pay it back.”

Crea muttered inwardly, ‘I can’t until I reach out to the Marquis of Solon’.

Baron Howard Solon’s head fell further down.

Elio looked down at him and said.

“You are my servant until I pay you a hundred gold. If you don’t like that, pluck out your tongue and get a tattoo on your forehead. What do you want to do?”