Chapter 038
Ran came to a halt.
'...??.'
Tension filled the air between the three of them, excluding Ortolio, who looked completely dazed, as if he'd lost his mind.
"Inquisitor Ran. You actually made it out alive."
Brahms put on a show of composure, but his legs were shaking so badly he could barely stand. He wondered if he'd been too loud for his own good. Just looking at Ran sent a wave of intimidation through him.
He didn't know exactly who Inquisitor Ran was. He'd only ever heard some vague rumors. But the monster standing before him now had faced numerous holy knights alone and come out unscathed. Whatever had happened, the church building had even collapsed.
'...??.'
Ran's gaze quietly dropped downward.
In the meantime, Ortolio looked like a man who had lost several years of his life—his face was haggard.
Ran quietly clenched his molars.
Srrng.
With a sharp sound, Brahms drew his sword. This time, it was Alvin beside him who was startled. Brahms gave him a subtle look.
"You can't pass through here. Mad Dog Ran. You do realize you've committed an incredible crime, don't you?"
"What did I even do?"
"Ha! Killing holy knights wasn't enough; you wrecked the church and now you're going to play innocent?"
"What? Holy knights? Were those people holy knights?"
"... What?"
Ran, feigning ignorance, turned his head back to look at the collapsed church, then looked at Brahms again.
"They were rampaging, saying they'd destroy the church, so I just thought it was a group of bandits."
Brahms was left speechless.
All he'd ever heard was that Mad Dog Ran held a deep grudge against the Holy Knights, and that they had to be ready for bloodshed inside the church before things got worse. That was why he'd even taken off his silver armor.
Mad Dog Ran shouldn't have come out like this—he should've gone straight for their throats.
"What's with the act now, huh?"
"I only came here because I have business with High Priest Ortolio. See? I'm empty-handed. Bandits attacked me, the church collapsed, I mean, really. High Priest, please say something."
Only then did Ortolio blink. Drool was dribbling from his chin.
Brahms spoke to Alvin.
"Alvin, go fetch Sir Muradin."
"Uh, oh? Y-yes!"
His guard didn't drop. The drawn sword was still trained on Ran. Only now did his black armor begin to feel uncomfortable.
A little later, multiple horse hooves sounded from the distance.
Muradin arrived. About twenty holy knights followed behind him. In case Ran tried to escape, they'd surrounded Brinhill.
"Is that man Mad Dog Ran?"
"Yes, sir Muradin."
Alvin answered quietly.
Muradin didn't dismount but looked down at Ran from above. He pointedly ignored Brahms in black armor and stroked his thick, bushy mustache.
'My god, did Demian lose even with so many?'
Muradin also hadn't received details about Ran. Deputy-Commander Gordon had simply said it was a sensitive matter and asked him to watch Demian's back.
He'd heard that a total of eleven holy knights had been dispatched. He didn't like the idea of causing a ruckus inside the church, but Muradin—whose temperament was more soldier than clergy—had decided to follow orders quietly.
Muradin spoke in a solemn tone.
"State your identity."
"I am Ran, an inquisitor from the Special Unit."
"I am Jim Muradin, in charge of this scene. I've been ordered to escort you to the headquarters. If you resist, summary execution will be enforced. What will it be?"
"I'm happy to cooperate."
Ran extended both arms without a moment's hesitation. Brahms and Alvin recoiled silently in shock.
"Sir Muradin. P-please look over there."
Alvin whispered in his ear, pointing into the distance.
Muradin's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
"The church—why is the church like that?"
Ran repeated what he'd told Brahms.
In an instant, his fellow holy knights had been demoted to bandits, but no one could refute his words. Doing so would be admitting the holy knights had destroyed the church.
* * *
The holy knights, led by Muradin, decided to escort Ran to the capital.
Ran was locked in a prison carriage.
He had experienced many things on the mainland, but he'd never been behind iron bars before.
"Here's some water."
"Thank you."
Alvin handed a glass of water through the bars.
They were traveling via the flat road from Brinhill to the capital.
"Hey, just tell me honestly."
"Pardon?"
Alvin glanced around before pressing his face to the bars and whispering.
"Sir Hildebrandt. Ah, I mean, Demian Hildebrandt. Did you really kill him?"
"I'm not sure I follow."
"You don't have to lie to me. I mean, I wasn't that close to him anyway."
Alvin shrugged.
"Well, fine. Make it that way. Those 'bandits' who attacked you..."
"If you're talking about the church's bandits, they must've been crushed when the building collapsed. I barely made it out myself."
"You're kidding—Sir Hildebrandt was crushed to death by falling debris?"
"Were those people really holy knights, like you?"
"Huh? Um, well, not exactly."
"There's been some kind of misunderstanding, so I'm cooperating quietly for now—but the Special Unit won't sit quietly once they hear how I was treated."
Ran demonstratively raised his cuffed wrists. The chain rattled.
Alvin just cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Well, we're just following orders, so please understand."
"What did I do that I'm being chased by the holy knights?"
"Uh, well... I'm just an apprentice, you know?"
"The Special Unit doesn't go around arresting innocent people like this."
Alvin scratched his head in embarrassment. This wasn't why he'd volunteered as the carriage guard.
"Even if you say that to me—I mean, ahh."
"What's your name?"
"Huh?"
"Your name."
"Alvin. Alvin Artuan. The Count of Artuan is my father. I'm the fourth son."
"Oh, Count Artuan. We've met before."
"Really!? You met my father?"
Being in the Special Unit meant accumulating all sorts of knowledge. Since his days as a priest, Ran had been known for his keen mind. Maybe he was born with it, or maybe it came naturally through years of persuasion and interrogation, but he'd become quite the conversationalist.
Ran pulled a vague fragment from his memory and embellished as he went. Talking a young apprentice holy knight into opening up was easy for him.
"... It was a long time ago, but I remember it fondly."
"I never thought there'd be such a connection!"
At some point, Alvin found himself listening to Ran's every word. The stories about his father, which he'd never heard, were fascinating.
"Alvin!"
Alvin jumped. Brahms was glaring from behind, now changed back into his silver armor.
"What are you doing there?"
"Oh, nothing! The man said he was thirsty, so..."
"Tch. Don't waste time. Hurry up. Fall in."
Ran jerked his chin, signaling Alvin to go. Alvin reluctantly got up, looking disappointed.
The holy knights sat in a ring around the large campfire.
Muradin took the center seat.
"Deputy Gordon never even considered Demian might fail. Our job was just to cover things up so no weird rumors spread around Brinhill."
They still hadn't reached an agreement on how to handle Ran.
Some argued he should be dealt with on the spot, instead of being brought to the capital.
Brahms was among them.
"He clearly knew Sir Hildebrandt."
He'd been inside the church with Demian—he remembered Ran's eyes, voice, and the atmosphere between them clearly.
It was as if Ran had been expecting Demian.
"I know that too,"
Muradin sighed, concern in his voice.
The real issue was High Priest Ortolio. He'd been there, openly, and it was true that he had ties with Mad Dog Ran. He was notoriously rigid within the church organization, and if they dealt with Ran rashly, no one could guess what rumors he'd spread afterward.
More than anything, getting tangled with the Special Unit would be a headache.
"If rumors get out of hand, we'll be the ones in trouble."
"So you're just going to take him with us anyway?"
"Brahms. Do you know specifically what crimes that Ran has committed?"
"Well, uh..."
"Is there anyone here who knows? Including myself?"
Muradin sounded as if he'd made up his mind.
"There's no justification. We have no justification to kill Mad Dog Ran."
He was already nearing retirement age. Honestly, at this point, he didn't want to stir up any messes. Whether he was killed, or whatever else happened, as long as they brought him in, Gordon would deal with it.
"We're not the Special Unit. We don't treat lives so lightly. Nor are we simply soldiers—we don't blindly follow orders."
Muradin grinned, showing his teeth.
Even he thought it was a passable excuse.
* * *
Morning came.
The holy knights resumed their march. It would take another day and a half to reach the capital.
Muradin, since they had traveled this far, decided to visit a few small villages along the way.
'I should show my face to the high priests serving as local lords.'
He was to receive a high priest title in recognition of his service after retiring. The role of provisional lord was much sought after by many high priests.
Rattle, rattle.
Ran's prison carriage was at the end of the procession.
"Ahem."
Alvin held the reins of the horse pulling the prison carriage. He repeatedly stole glances at Ran, clearly conscious of him.
The conversation they'd had yesterday had made quite an impression.
"Here, take this."
During every rest break, Alvin handed food to Ran.
"Alvin. That armor suits you."
Ran commented offhandedly. Alvin's face blushed. The silver armor was the symbol of a holy knight.
"I always dreamed of becoming a holy knight since I was little. I joined before I even had my coming-of-age ceremony."
"How old are you?"
Ran asked while chewing on some dried fruit.
"Fifteen this year."
"The Count of Artuan must be proud."
"Still just an apprentice, though."
"Have you ever heard this saying: 'Don't look to the distant horizon—step first on the sand before you'? "
"Um, no. I haven't. What does it mean?"
"It means that to reach any goal, you must endure many trials and hardships. My hometown was a coastal city, so I grew up hearing this proverb over and over. Everyone's beginnings look humble, Alvin."
"Whoa?! That's cool. Where's your hometown?"
"... Salisbury. Have you heard of it?"
Alvin, excited, nearly shouted, then hurriedly covered his mouth. He looked around nervously, but thankfully, no one was paying attention.
He whispered quickly,
"Salisbury's famous for beautiful women, isn't it?!"
"Well, yes, you could say that."
The signal to move came from the front. Alvin left, disappointed yet again, and mounted his horse.
'That kid...?'
Brahms, from a distance, watched Alvin chatting with Ran.
He still had a nagging feeling.
Muradin's visits to various villages delayed their return even further.
'We'll reach Gerinhild by tomorrow morning.'
It was the middle of the night.
Ran peered through the iron bars at the world outside. In the darkness, his gaze suddenly sharpened.
Their party was staying at Rohos Village, near the capital. Muradin had announced this would be their last stop before returning. He and the holy knights were being treated as honored guests by the acting lord and were resting inside a building.
"Ran!"
At the cheerful voice, Ran relaxed the tension around his eyes. Alvin was coming over, awkwardly pulling up his trousers after relieving himself.
Alvin had volunteered to watch Ran.
"Sorry, I was in such a hurry. I've been holding it for a while."
"It's fine."
"Keep telling me the story. You'd reached the part where Sir William took Selene hostage and was surrounded."
During every spare moment, Alvin listened to Ran's stories. Ran knew a lot. The curious boy was now completely engrossed in Ran.
As Ran spoke gently, Alvin listened with a solemn expression.
The tragic love story of Sir William the holy knight and Lady Selene, daughter of the Duke of Nordmann, was famous. The Duke of Nordmann was one of the rebel leaders, so their story was passed on only in whispers. Some even claimed it was pure fiction.
'I can't believe Ran actually met Sir William during the civil war.'
Ran vividly described his impressions of Sir William.
There was no reason to doubt him. Even the old, now defunct traditions of the holy knights, which Ran said he'd learned from William, matched what Alvin had heard.
"I had no idea you even knew Sir William. Ran, just how much have you experienced?"
"There used to be a better reputation for inquisitors. Back then, I traveled all over and met many kinds of people."
"I see. I guess the Special Unit isn't what it used to be, same as the holy knights, huh?"
Alvin looked a bit sad. He leaned back against the iron bars, knees drawn up. Starlight fell on his face.
Ran watched him quietly.
"Why did you want to become a holy knight?"
"Me? Oh. Well, you know—unless you inherit an estate, second sons of nobles have to find some way to make a living. And being a holy knight of justice... it's a good thing to be."
Alvin's gaze remained fixed on the night sky.
"I didn't know. I thought the holy knights were the most righteous and noble in the Empire. Turns out they're not much different from anyone else."
'...'
"Still, the holy knights you remember seem so romantic. Just hearing about them makes me happy."
Some say,
'All the real holy knights died in the civil war.'
"... Alvin."
Ran's voice was heavier than usual. Alvin turned to look at him.
"Do you think I killed Demian?"
It wasn't just his voice—his eyes had changed too. In that instant, Ran looked less like a caged man and more like a beast bared its fangs.
Goosebumps ran over Alvin's whole body.
"Huh? Wh-what are you—?"
Ran drew closer to the bars, reaching a hand toward Alvin.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Every fucking character that you get attached to will die.
Fuck. I have taking a liking to Alvin. I hope he doesn't die.
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】