The Inquisitor Who Might Die (2)

People say no news is good news.

The idea is simple enough. If you haven't heard anything bad about someone, you can assume they're well, and that in itself is good news.

With elves, however, the saying was useless.

If I heard news of my elf, I worried. If I didn't hear news of her, I worried just as much. How was I supposed to know what sort of wickedness she might be getting up to when I wasn't looking?

For the past three days, I'd made a habit of occasionally stepping outside to see whether she was quietly going about her work in the front courtyard. Once I'd confirmed it, I would return indoors.

Today, though, I couldn't simply turn around and go back.

“Let go.”

The instant I heard the elf's voice, my blood ran cold.

I didn't even have the presence of mind to worry about the way she was mercilessly hacking apart my favorite shrub.

The force behind her words, and the look in her eyes, told me she was ready to reduce someone to a pulp.

An inquisitor would be no exception.

If a murder took place in my estate—and the victim was an inquisitor—I would be branded a heretic who kept a demon enslaved in his household. There would be no possible excuse.

I couldn't allow that!

Besides, who could see someone about to be murdered and simply walk past?

“Inquisitor!”

My voice came out as a shriek.

Both of them turned toward me.

Doing my utmost to look composed, I descended the steps from the mansion entrance and placed myself between them.

“I hadn't expected you quite so soon. Couldn't you have sent word in advance?”

I gave a light laugh and smiled as I spoke.

The inquisitor released the elf's wrist.

He cast her another uneasy glance before turning to bow politely to me.

“A servant of God ought not to expect a grand reception. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Theorad Deharem.”

“No need to stand on ceremony. Before God, we're all merely His creatures. But tell me—how should I address you?”

“Hamtarshin Ravello. I'm the inquisitor sent by the bishop.”

“I see. Now, about…”

I let the sentence trail off and looked into the elf's eyes.

A moment earlier, she'd been glaring murderously at the inquisitor. The instant she met my gaze, her expression changed.

Tears welled in her eyes.

Am I supposed to be relieved by that?

I swallowed my unease and continued.

“Has my slave behaved rudely toward you? From where I stood, the two of you seemed to be having quite an intense exchange.”

“Ah. I apologize for presenting such an unpleasant sight. However…”

Hamtarshin glanced at her again.

“This lamb you've taken into your household, my lord… I don't believe she's an ordinary slave.”

Suspicion flickered in his eyes.

He was perfectly welcome to have suspicions.

He just couldn't afford to express them in front of this particular elf.

It's not only your life you're putting in danger. Mine's at stake, too!

I screamed silently and turned back to her.

The tears in those beautiful red eyes made me feel guilty, but I couldn't let the inquisitor's doubts grow.

I had to put an end to them here.

“You insolent bitch!”

I scowled and slapped her across the cheek.

Smack!

Her head snapped to one side.

Before she could recover, I raised my voice again.

“How dare you behave so rudely toward an inquisitor, a guest in my home and a servant of the God of Light? Haven't I tolerated enough from you already? How long do you intend to disgrace me?”

For a moment, the elf stared up at me, dazed.

Then her expression changed. She knelt and clutched the hem of my trousers, apparently recognizing the treatment as the abuse she wanted.

“I'm sorry, Master! I was wrong…!”

“Hmph. Worthless creature. What a fool I was to pay so much for a worm like you.”

“I'm sorry…! I'm so stupid. All I know is how to get pregnant with Master's seed…!”

“…What?”

Why are you adding things I never said, you crazy bitch?!

I turned toward Hamtarshin in horror.

He was staring at me with unconcealed disgust.

A chill ran down my spine.

“Inquisitor, it's not what you think. There's been a misunderstanding…”

“There's no need to make excuses. Having relations with a slave isn't a matter for the Inquisition, unless the behavior becomes excessively debauched. If the Church arrested every lecherous noble in the Empire, there wouldn't be a noble left.”

“No, really, that's not—”

“Enough. I'll overlook it, so don't trouble yourself further. You must have summoned me here for another reason.”

I wanted desperately to correct the misunderstanding.

But perhaps I could deal with it later.

As the inquisitor said, he had come to the estate for another reason.

Even if I hadn't been the one who requested his visit.

And with the elf watching, that reason was the very last thing I wanted to discuss aloud.

“Of course. Whatever you require, I'll gladly provide it, on the honor of House Deharem. You need only ask.”

“Your assistance will be necessary, though the procedure itself is straightforward. The purpose of this inquiry is to expose lies and uncover the truth. There are only two things you need prepare.”

“Two?”

“Yes. First, gather together everyone suspected of being involved. Then provide a place where I can speak with them privately.”

Somewhere private…

I knew just the place.

“Our ancestors built a small church on the estate grounds. It has a confessional, so perhaps we could conduct the questioning there.”

“Oh! As a servant of God, I would be delighted. To build a church on his own grounds—your ancestor must have been a man of extraordinary faith.”

“Generations of my family have served the God of Light.”

I smiled in return.

Or tried to.

The elf was still gripping the hem of my trousers, and the strength of her grip made it difficult to keep my smile steady.

---

The small church belonging to House Deharem.

“Is that the inquisitor? I've never seen a priest wearing a sword before.”

“Neither have I. He looks rather frightening.”

“I'm sure he isn't a bad person. He serves the God of Light, after all.”

The servants Havid had assembled sat together on the church's long pews, whispering among themselves.

I took a seat at the very back, where I could see all their heads.

The elf settled down beside me as though she belonged there.

So much for sitting comfortably.

“I am Hamtarshin Ravello, dispatched by the Church of Balance in service to the God of Light.”

The inquisitor's voice echoed through the chapel.

The whispered conversations fell silent.

Hamtarshin seemed to enjoy having everyone's attention. He gave the congregation a benevolent smile.

“I've gathered you here so that we may come to understand one another. When falsehood enters a conversation, it deceives the listener and makes understanding impossible. Such dishonesty violates the precepts of the God of Light. It is wrong even by the standards of ordinary human conduct. I intend to correct that wrong in His name.”

He opened his eyes wider, his expression growing stern beneath the kindly smile.

“Each of you will enter the confessional in the order I've given the head steward. Those who have committed no wrong and whose hearts are pure need not fear. They shall receive a blessing. But anyone who has polluted their life with lies will face punishment.”

It was a rather elaborate way of saying that lying would end badly for you.

I cleared my throat, suddenly uneasy.

Fortunately, the inquisitor paid me no attention.

“I'll enter first. You may come in one by one.”

He smiled and stepped into the confessional.

Havid walked up to the altar before the cross. With his usual precise, disciplined movements, he unfolded a sheet of paper.

“Please enter in the order I call your names. Once the questioning is complete, leave the church and return to your regular duties. Now, first: Karashin. Then Maltao. Iran, after that…”

Name after name followed.

Naturally, mine was not among them.

Havid had insisted that the head of the family could not possibly be responsible for the offense. The inquisitor had looked displeased at the suggestion, but eventually consented to leave me off the list.

There was nothing to be gained from this inquiry anyway.

No one could have seen the elf urinate against Father's statue that night. And the elf herself wasn't about to confess. She was enjoying being insulted by me far too much to spoil that arrangement.

Eventually the whole affair would pass as an unfortunate incident.

Still, I had prepared for the possibility of trouble.

The movable stone control plate for the monster-hunting weapon was tucked inside my coat.

If I presented it as evidence at the right moment, I might be able to clear my name.

“Mm… Master, I'm sleepy…”

While I was making calculations in my head, the elf rested her head on my shoulder.

Her brilliant silver hair spilled across it.

For an instant, I tensed, wondering whether she expected me to scold her.

But her eyes were already half-closed. She genuinely looked exhausted.

She had been working in the front courtyard since early morning, pruning under the blazing sun.

If you can call hacking apart my favorite shrub “pruning.”

According to the fairy tales, elves loved trees.

At this point I couldn't tell whether the stories were wrong or this elf was.

Whatever. Leave her alone.

I had no desire to pick a fight with her.

I took out a book and began to read.

Beside me, the elf dozed off. Soon her eyes closed altogether.

Her soft breathing blended with the low murmur of the other servants. Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, scattering colors like an aurora across the chapel.

It was warm.

Quiet.

Peaceful.

This is exactly what I wanted.

All I'd ever hoped for was a tranquil life with a gentle, innocent slave who would depend on me.

Not a madwoman who demanded abuse the moment she opened her eyes.

But there was no gathering up water once it had been spilled.

I let out a small sigh and returned my attention to the book.

About three hours passed.

At last, Levera, the final person on the list, came out of the confessional.

She walked past my seat without raising her head and left the church.

Huh?

Levera was a good girl.

Normally she would never leave the chapel without greeting me.

Is she upset about something?

I couldn't tell, but something was clearly wrong.

In any case, the questioning appeared to be over. There was nothing left for me to do here.

I closed my book and was about to thank the inquisitor for his efforts when he emerged from the confessional, brushing off his robes.

“I believe you know who the culprit is.”

His low voice filled the now-empty chapel.

He approached me, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, and looked down at me with an air of superiority.

“You used a slave to defile your own father's memorial. And then you lied about it. Are you not ashamed to lift your eyes toward heaven?”

…Huh?

What?

How does he know I made the elf urinate on Father's statue?

Cold sweat broke out all over my body. I couldn't force an answer past my lips.

Hamtarshin continued.

“I cannot ignore such conduct. As an inquisitor, I have no choice but to regard you as a suspected heretic and conduct a formal interrogation, Lord Theorad.”

“Ah… well, you see…”

My shoulders trembled.

I'd been caught.

Beside me, the elf slowly opened her eyes.

Without thinking, I glanced toward her.

Her expression was blank, but her lips were moving.

I couldn't hear her voice.

Even so, I could make out the words.

How annoying. Keep it up.

And somehow I understood that those words were aimed at Hamtarshin, not at me.

The thought chilled me to the bone.

At this rate, Hamtarshin might become the first inquisitor to die inside the very church where he had come to conduct an inquiry.