Chapter 54

“Huh?”

Balon, who had been leading us ahead, came to an abrupt halt.

At that very next moment, both Vivian and I realized what had caught him off guard.

A crowd had gathered up ahead.

At first glance, it looked like a group of shoppers trading outside a storefront—but something was off. The voices weren’t casual or friendly. They were sharp, agitated, rising with each step we took.

“Balon, go see what’s going on.”

Vivian ordered, her voice cold but laced with a flicker of tension.

Balon nodded and hurried toward the crowd.

His broad shoulders cut through the throng, drawing stares as he disappeared into the heart of the commotion.

Shouts erupted soon after—louder now, angrier.

It was clear, even from here, that Balon had gotten involved in the ongoing scuffle.

But the scuffle didn’t last long.

Perhaps thanks to his presence, the people began to notice us approaching from behind.

As they parted to make way, we could observe the situation more clearly.

At the center of the divided crowd were four paladins clad in black armor and black robes adorned with white triangular and circular patterns.

They had several citizens kneeling before them.

Fear and despair were etched on the faces of the commoners, some trembling and even shedding tears.

“…The Las Order,” Vivian whispered.

It wasn’t hard to tell that the four paladins were the paladins of the religious order of Las.

Balon was shouting, locked in a confrontation with the paladins, who calmly argued back.

Vivian took a short breath as she observed the scene.

She then extended her hand toward me, as if preparing to dismount her horse.

I instinctively took her hand and helped her dismount.

Her hand was ice-cold.

Even after she dismounted, she didn’t let go.

She didn’t even seem to realize she was still holding my hand.

It was unusual to see her so visibly tense, and I found it surprising.

With her hand still in mine, she walked forward, letting me guide her.

I raised our clasped hands slightly as we walked.

When Vivian reached the paladins, Balon immediately calmed down and closed his mouth.

The paladins, too, fell silent.

It seemed that the red hair alone was enough to identify her as the Lord of Roctana.

Vivian briefly glanced at the kneeling commoners before speaking to the paladins in a cold voice, her tone sharp.

“What is going on here?”

The four paladins snapped into a formal salute, the one used by their order.

“We greet the Sun of Rondor.”

“I asked what you were doing. Answer me.”

The eldest-looking paladin stepped forward.

His voice was steady, void of guilt or hesitation.

“We are hunting witches who deserve to be executed.”

“Do you have any evidence to justify detaining them?”

“There were suspicious circumstances.”

“Such as?”

“…People said eating meat from this shop eased the pain in their bodies.”

A middle-aged woman among the kneeling commoners shouted in distress.

“Th-that’s just… meat! Of course, it helps the sick and starving feel better when they eat something healthy!”

A paladin growled at her.

“Silence. You weren’t asked to speak.”

Vivian sighed, scanning the area.

The shop had been wrecked—wooden planks strewn everywhere, and various cuts of meat littered the dirt. A dark red liquid was splattered across the ground. It was hard to tell whether the bloodstains scattered around were from the meat or the commoners.

I felt Vivian’s grip tighten around my hand.

“If these people aren’t witches, how do you intend to compensate them for what you’ve done?”

“We took ample time to investigate. They’re witches, without a doubt—”

“Lies.”

Vivian cut him off, her tone resolute.

Even the paladin fell silent under the sudden force of her presence.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“…”

“The Las Order’s mission to root out witches may be noble. But harming innocent citizens of my land in the process? That, I will never tolerate. The public is already growing restless. They say your order’s so-called witch hunts are nothing but tyranny.”

The paladin’s expression twisted.

“Tyranny? You dare to slander our methods?”

-Thud.

One of the paladins took a threatening step toward her.

-Grip.

I quietly gripped the hilt of the greatsword strapped to my back.

The paladins flinched.

Their eyes darted to the blue band around my neck, then back to my face.

“…”

“…”

After a moment of tense silence, the paladin who had advanced took a step back.

Only then did I let go of my sword.

Vivian spoke again.

“I don’t make baseless accusations. And frankly, is there anyone who doesn’t know the Las Order has become obsessed with hunting witches lately?”

The paladin replied, holding his ground.

“Witch curses cause immense suffering. No amount of zeal in fighting them is too much.”

Curses.

The word made my chest tighten for a moment.

Even though I’d stood firm beside Vivian until now, his words shook me.

‘You will fall in love with someone you mustn’t.’

The word of the old woman rang in my ears once again.

I glanced at Vivian.

Then quickly shut my eyes, brushing away the thought.

No. What I felt for Vivian wasn’t love.

It was guilt. A sense of obligation, maybe.

But the way she lingered in my thoughts like a curse—of that, I was certain.

“Say whatever you want, but I refuse to watch the Las Order harm my people any longer.”

A cheer rose from the crowd, hidden among the masses.

The paladin’s expression didn’t falter, but he repeated himself.

“This is the will of the Order. Even you, my lady, cannot oppose it.”

“There are still boundaries. You come into my lands, ignoring our laws—that cannot be allowed.”

I looked at Vivian, frustrated by this endless loop of a conversation.

Her fury was steadily rising.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself.

Then said loud enough for everyone to hear:

“Vivian, shouldn’t we just kill them all?”

Of course, I had no intention of actually doing that—or letting things escalate that far.

But I knew sometimes… a little threat went a long way.

The paladins looked taken aback, glancing at each other.

“They’re trespassing and ignoring your authority. If they won’t listen, we should exile them—or kill them. That makes them enemies, doesn’t it?”

I continued.

“There are four of them. We’ve got fifty. Let’s just get rid of them. Even the onlookers are on our side, and they’ll stay quiet about it afterward.”

From the crowd, I heard whispers: “Kylo Allen...”, “a Northerner”, “a barbarian,” but despite the insulting titles, it was clear they were siding with me.

The air grew heavier with pressure.

Even those who had watched from a distance began stepping forward, adding to the tension.

“…Ma’am, first of all, you should get up. Come on.”

“…Balon… Is that you? You’ve grown so much.”

Apparently ready to escalate things himself, Balon helped the kneeling civilians to their feet.

He seemed to know the woman from before.

The paladins shook as if to stop him, but in the end, they were unable to order the civilians to kneel again.

The lead paladin, perhaps desperate to regain control, turned to me and snapped:

“…Who the hell are you? Just a mere knight dares to threaten us? Do you really think you can walk away unscathed?”

I laughed in his face.

“You don’t know who I am?”

“…Uh?”

Vivian also looked up at me.

“I’m not from this land. I’m not under your Order’s jurisdiction. No matter how powerful you think you are, you can’t just kill me. My life isn’t as cheap as yours.”

“…Who exactly are you?”

“If I die, this land will once again be swept in the war. Do you really think the Las Order can make that decision?”

From behind, I heard Willas and Martin chuckle.

I could almost hear them muttering, “He’s insane.”

I glanced at Vivian.

The gratitude in Vivian’s gaze as she looked at me was unmistakable, a stark contrast to her earlier demeanour.

That expression alone made it worth the threat.

But she didn’t press the paladins further.

We had split the roles—good cop, bad cop.

“I apologize. You may not know this, but… this man is Kylo Allen. The eldest son of the Allen family, currently here as… a guest in our land”

The paladin’s face twisted with recognition.

“…I’ve heard of him. Had he removed his helmet, I might’ve recognized that black hair.”

“I apologize for his harsh words. Let’s pretend the threat never happened, shall we?”

The paladin begrudgingly nodded as if unwilling but unable to refuse.

Sensing the shift in power, Vivian pressed her advantage.

“Still, I meant what I said. I won’t continue to tolerate this. I came down to the city today specifically to discuss this matter. Is the bishop at the Las Order’s temple?”

“…He is.”

“Then take me to him. I’d like to have a word.”

The paladin looked around.

Although Vivian managed to smooth over my threats, the citizens still glared at the paladins with barely contained hatred.

It was something I hadn’t known, but the Order seemed to have accumulated no small amount of resentment from them.

Even those who had once feared them were now venting their anger, emboldened by Vivian’s presence.

Seeing the mood shift, the paladins finally backed down.

“…Understood. This way, please.”

.

.

.

While Vivian had a private audience with the bishop in the Church, I, a few boy soldiers, and the Paladins from earlier stood guard outside the door.

An unspoken tension rippled between us.

Willas kept glaring up and down at them, while Martin continuously made quiet jokes.

Balon and I simply stood with stern expressions, staring straight ahead.

How long had we been like this?

The middle-aged paladin eventually let out a long sigh.

“Fighting like this with youngsters at my age… It’s unbecoming. Let’s put an end to this pointless standoff.”

Balon and I turned to the middle-aged paladin as he extended his hand.

“My name is Leopold,” He introduced himself.

I shrugged and ignored his hand.

Leopold frowned at my reaction and questioned.

“Is there really a need to go this far?”

Balon answered in my stead.

“An outsider came to our land and harmed our people. Do you think we’d want to get friendly with you? That lady you lot were harassing earlier… She’s a kind person who used to share her food with my siblings.”

Martin chimed in.

“And besides, with Lady Vivian opposing you, how could we just casually get along with you?”

Seemingly exasperated, Leopold shook his head, clicking his tongue.

“Your Lady doesn’t know better. If she understood how vile witches are, she wouldn’t act this way.”

Willas retorted.

“Who’s stopping you from hunting witches? Like Lady Vivian said, we’re doing this because innocent people are getting caught up in it.”

The paladin remained unmoved, his conviction apparent in his unwavering gaze.

“Even if innocent people are harmed, it must be done.”

He said firmly.

Balon stared blankly at him, repeating his words as if to confirm.

“…What?”

Leopold turned his eyes to me, who had been silent all this time, and continued speaking.

“Because they are witches. Their very existence is incompatible—they shouldn’t be allowed to live.”

“...”

His words shook me deeply.

I couldn’t help but think of the old woman who once cursed me, calling herself a witch.

The woman I had personally executed.

“Kylo Allen, our start may not have been ideal, but… I bear no grudges against you. In fact, I’m rather grateful.”

“…?”

“You’ve undoubtedly severed the heads of witches sent by our Church. Weren’t you the executioner of Rondor?”

“…You seem to know a lot about us.”

“We have many ways to gather information beyond what you might expect. More so, when it comes to identifying witches.”

“...”

“Anyway, among those you executed, there may have been some innocent people… but there were certainly witches as well. For that, I’m grateful.”

Leopold spoke sincerely, his tone weighted with conviction.

The emotions conveyed through his gaze left me unable to offer any rebuttal.

Perhaps it was because my own feelings were already so conflicted.

The old woman’s voice echoed in my mind, over and over. And so did the impulsive emotions I’d felt toward Vivian.

Thus, I responded quietly.

“…You must really hate witches.”

“Do you like them?”

I thought of the old woman and answered.

“…Who likes witches? But I don’t exactly feel the burning hatred you do.”

“You’d feel the same if you were cursed.”

“…Have you been cursed?”

“Of course. That’s why I’m doing this.”

I asked with a strange sense of tension.

“…What kind of curse?”

The experienced paladin looked at me for a long moment before closing his eyes tightly and shaking his head.

“…I’d rather not talk about it.”

***

Vivian had a long conversation with the bishop of the Las Order.

The bald bishop, appearing to be in his forties and somewhat plump, listened intently to her.

But through his thinly slit eyes, Vivian sensed a faint madness.

Every time the word “witch” came up, that hidden fervor flickered.

If her identity as a witch were discovered, she could imagine how that madness would be directed at her.

It was like walking straight into the jaws of a predator.

Vivian hid her trembling as best she could and continued speaking.

This was something she couldn’t have done two years ago.

The bishop initially stood firm, but as Vivian’s words lengthened, he began to show signs of considering her proposal.

“…Very well. Perhaps we’ve been too alarmist.”

“People are more afraid of the chance you might take them away than they are of the witches being nearby.”

Vivian said.

“Why would that be? We only target witches. If someone isn’t a witch, there’s no reason to fear.”

“Unless they are performing sorcery right in front of you, even you can’t be certain who’s a witch, can you?”

“Lady Vivian, you must be careful with your words. It might sound like you’re defending those heretical witches.”

“I’m not willing to stand by and watch my people suffer because of baseless suspicions.”

“…”

Vivian took deep breaths whenever she could, trying to stay calm.

And each time, the bishop’s sharp gaze shifted toward her.

She kept reminding herself not to betray her fear.

She mustn’t reveal her identity as a witch.

“…In any case, understood.”

The bishop finally said.

“From now on, we will only act when there is clearer evidence. We’ll reduce the actions that frighten the citizens of Roctana.”

Vivian sighed in relief and responded.

“Thank you for understanding.”

“However, we will still patrol. We cannot stop monitoring suspicious individuals or hunting for witches.”

“Understood.”

This much would satisfy Elena.

Vivian decided not to provoke further.

She knew the true meaning of her actions, even if she wrapped them in excuses.

As Elena had requested, she was protecting the hidden witches.

Vivian found herself wondering how many other witches might be hiding in this city.

How many lives had her actions saved?

As she rose, thinking the negotiations had concluded, the bishop called out to her.

“Lady Vivian?”

“…Yes?”

For a moment, her heart sank.

The bishop maintained an uncomfortable silence, then smiled.

“…Since we’ve agreed to your request, may I ask something of you as well?”

It felt impossible to refuse.

Vivian, remembering her promise to Elena, nodded.

“…Please, go ahead.”

“In the past, there were devotees of our sect at the Castle of Rondor. You’re probably aware. Lord Roderick, Rosmael, Grindell, Maesna… all met their end in war.”

“…?”

“Is that why, perhaps? These days, incredibly few who hold our beliefs can be found at Rondor Castle. I find that to be truly…”

The bishop stammered, searching for the right words.

“…Pitiful.”

That was undeniably the case.

The war had taken countless lives.

Just as it had swept away the family of executioners of Rondor, it had claimed the lives of the few knights who believed in the Las Church.

“I fear, Lady Vivian. What if a witch is indeed residing in the castle, and you are unable to notice? I’m concerned about the influence that may have arisen from that. You may not realize it, but if a witch were to hide among the elite, it could lead to the suffering of countless.”

“…”

Vivian resisted the urge to swallow. She suppressed her emotions with all her might, fearing she might appear tense.

“What exactly are you suggesting?”

“It’s difficult to ask you to propagate our beliefs. In fact, I have no intention of forcibly imposing our beliefs on others. That said, it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone who despises witches. For that reason, we’d like to appoint a key figure from the castle as an overseer.”

“…An overseer?”

“Yes. An overseer to uncover the presence of witches. Calling them a Witch Hunter wouldn’t be inappropriate. Think of it as a measure for ensuring safety. After all, that is our duty.”

Witch hunter.

It would be a lie to say the name didn’t strike fear.

Witches will be executed the moment they are discovered.

The weight of that statement pressed heavily on her.

The bishop continued without caring about Vivian’s emotions.

“That should be fine, right? Surely, even you, Lady Vivian, would feel uncomfortable if witches were roaming your castle, right?”

It was the opposite.

As a witch herself, the existence of witch hunters was even more troubling.

Vivian hesitated for a moment, then squeezed out an excuse.

“I want to accept the proposal as well. However…”

“…However?”

The bishop’s expression darkened.

Vivian finally swallowed hard and said,

“…However, as you know, my position in Rondor Castle is precarious. Many rivals are targeting me. I’m afraid my opponents might accuse me or my people of being witches. The Church’s mission must not be misused for political schemes, don’t you agree?”

The bishop nodded deeply, as if he completely understood.

“Ah, I see, that makes sense. I hadn’t considered that. Of course, we are only focused on identifying witches… But ultimately, entrusting someone with this role—someone who doesn’t fully believe in our doctrine—might lead to biased decisions. Expecting a perfectly fair approach from such a person would be too much, wouldn’t it?”

“Exactly, so—”

But the bishop didn’t seem ready to abandon his proposal.

“In that case, how about entrusting this role to someone who stands away from all this political chaos?”

“…Uh?”

“Someone who is not known as your ally but has saved your life on multiple occasions. Someone who doesn’t seem overly involved in political matters. Come to think of it, he is perfect.”

Before the bishop could elaborate further, Vivian already knew who he was referring to.

Vivian’s expression hardened fiercely.

Instead of fear, a hint of anger welled up.

Her heart began to race faster and faster.

Still, the bishop didn’t close his mouth. It seemed a believer had nothing to fear.

“Kylo Allen.”

The bishop smiled.

“Wouldn’t appointing him as a witch hunter resolve everything?”

– – The End of The Chapter––

 

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