Chapter 81 – Divine Judgement (Start)

On this day, the usually peaceful town of Ricca had once again erupted with an incomparably lively scene. However, this time, it was not for the sake of celebrating a seldom come by festival, nor was it even for the joyous celebration conducted for a bumper harvest.

Liveliness was because the people were many. Ricca town, this small common town that had already been accustomed in welcoming the frequent Adventurers, had on this day, successively welcomed a good few distinguished guests. Unexpected guests.

The reason why these few people were unexpected guests was honestly because these few people, during normal periods, would usually never appear at the small town. Their emergence today truly astonished everyone.

In the early morning, when the sky had just lit up, there were a group of people that had in advance, dressed up in a gorgeous and tidy get-up, different from the usually casual Adventurers, and sitting in a horse-drawn carriage. After bringing about a large expanse of dust, they had then appeared at the small town.

Amongst them were females and males. Their mannerisms and speech all didn’t seem to be people of the countryside. After getting off of the carriage, they had even inquired the surroundings of the matters pertaining to Priest Dennis.

The curious amongst the townsfolk had asked about their identity. The other side claimed that they were from the Adventurers Guild, and coming to this Ricca town was for the sake of investigating whether the accusations of Priest Dennis were true.

“Did you hear? Priest Dennis committed a crime! Just then, that group of people you saw, they had come from the small city to investigate. Tsk tsk. In normal times he always seemed quite good-natured. Never expected that he wasn’t a good person.”

“Maybe not though. The guy’s a Priest, if his character wasn’t good, then how would they have let him become a Priest huh? Don’t tell me that when the Goddess chose him to be a believer, they never discovered it?”

“That’s why I said ah, that it might not be true. They even said that they had come here to investigate. If there really is evidence, would they still need to investigate, am I right?”

Within Mort’s Inn, a few townsfolk were just having an energetic discussion on this matter.

On a table next to them, by lucky coincidence was a group of Adventurers. When these people heard the opinions of the townsfolk, one of them couldn’t help but sneer and say: “investigation means that it’s not true? Let me tell you. The Priest you guys call Dennis is exactly a rotten egg. We’ve just come back over from the city and we’re not familiar with the situation here. But within the city, everybody is all scolding Dennis, saying that he’s the scum of Priests.”

“Everybody’s all scolding Dennis? Why?” because this place was too far from the small city, and the location was rather desolate, thus regarding the matter of Priest Dennis plotting against a squadron had still not been circulated to this place. Hearing that there was an inside story, a few people had congregated over, listening to what the Adventurer had to say.

“Why? Was it not because this Dennis had instructed the Adventurer, called Lancas, behind the scenes to betray his own teammates during a venture? Presently, that group of Adventurers has arrived at the Adventurers Guild to accuse him. That group of investigators just then, had come over here to rightly investigate this matter. However, as I see it, what’s there to investigate, there’s a good dozen of witnesses. This matter absolutely can’t be fake.” that Adventurer was increasingly furious the more he spoke. “In any case, that Priest called Dennis is absolutely a bad guy. This kind of person, actually being regarded as a Priest at the Shrine is simply a discredit to the Shrine!”

“Yeah, yeah!” the other Adventurers all parroted by the side.

“What? Lancas betrayed his own teammates? Priest Dennis was the instigator behind the scenes?” because this matter was truly outside of everyone’s expectations, thus momentarily, the whole of Mort’s Inn was sunk amidst of shock.

Nobody had noticed, a party of white gowns had coincidentally at this time, passed by the front entrance of Mort’s Inn. Hearing everyone’s discussion, the leader alone wrinkled his brows.

“Milord, should I go stop them……”

“Leave it. The effects are already out, we still need to think of how to resolve this at the source.” the leader spoke softly before then raising an arm, the people following closely behind him, their footsteps became increasingly more faster.

The Baron’s castle.

“Baron sir, there’s people seeking an audience. They say……they say they’re envoys dispatched from the Church of the Agricultural Goddess, wishing to meet you.”

The Baron had just eaten and was just reading in the study. Suddenly hearing his subordinate make a report, he couldn’t help but be alarmed. “Envoys of the Church? Quickly invite them over……no no, it’s still better that I personally go greet them!”

The Church, was a type of special existence that was above and outclassed that of royalty. As a lowly Baron, a Feudal Lord whose fiefdom wasn’t large, the Baron naturally didn’t dare offend the Church. No need to mention that he was a lowly Baron, even if it was the King of a nation, when they met directly with the Church of a higher class, they still had to meet them with reverence.

However, because the matter had arrived too suddenly, not even a advance notice, the Baron tidied his clothings as he walked out while continuously feeling curious within.

What in the world has happened ah? For what reason, have the Church unexpectedly dispatched envoys to this place eh? Although being unduly humble was indecent, but he himself had quite the few merits. The Baron was even more clear that his fiefdom nominally seemed to be large, but in all honestly, under the jurisdiction of territories, it only merely had the town of Ricca. In his mind, to unexpectedly have the Church hanging around in such a place truly made him both overwhelmed by the favour, as well as terrified.

After all, his town already had a constructed Shrine. If there was any matters, they could entirely order it through to the Shrine, and then again from the Priest at the Shrine to him.

What has happened that would surprisingly make the Church personally dispatch envoys down?

When the Baron arrived at the exterior of the castle and the grand gate was opened, he had discovered a party of white gowned Priests just standing outside; headed by what appeared to be a highly solemn Priest.

When that Priest saw that the Baron had personally come out, he had immediately and humbly observed the proper etiquette; giving his proof of identity for the Baron to see.

Because the party were the envoys dispatched by the Church, the Baron naturally did not dare to be careless. Glancing at the proof once, he had then promptly returned the courtesy: “so it’s Priest Anastasius¹. May I inquire as to why you have travelled here……”

This Priest Anastasius was precisely the Rank 5 Priest that the Church had dispatched. All along the road, he had heard no small amount of people commenting on the matter of Dennis. He had long had a bit of anger. Seeing the Baron mention it, he immediately explained the duty assigned to himself this time. Afterwards, he did not enter the castle. After explaining the reason for coming, he had then set off in hurrying towards the Shrine in town.

This was the style that the Church of the Agricultural Goddess did things. Although the power of the Church outmatched the power of the secular many times over, in terms of working, they still carried out orders to the concept of not letting anyone, to the utmost, in picking out a fault with them. Even if it was to conduct a divine judgement in a small down, because the Baron was the Feudal Lord of this territory, they would thus still come here first to give a notice, to at least consider it as giving sufficient courtesy.

Following on, it was to carry out the responsibilities of the Church. And when the Church carried out their responsibilities, any given person was not allowed to obstruction, otherwise, the Church would then regard them as hostiles.

Watching the Priest leave, the Baron stayed at his location. He endlessly played back what Priest Anastasius had spoken about.

When all was said and done, he was a Baron, after just a ponder, he had then pinned it on Rumont. Because Priest Anastasius had more or less spoken of the details regarding Dennis’ matter, the Baron that knew that Rumont had entered the ranks of Howard’s squadron, had naturally quite quickly, figured out and understood the entirety of the matter.

As for the result of understanding clearly, the headache he had not felt for a long time, had acted up once again.

After several turns, the Baron’s face was increasingly gloomy.

The relationship between himself and Dennis was ordinary, but a Rank 4 Priest was even unexpectedly played to such a state by Rumont, the Baron couldn’t help for the life of him but raise the vigilance of his own mind.

“This Rumont, he really makes people uneasy ah.” after a while, the Lord Baron scolded the phrase in a low voice, before then turning around and returning to the castle.

Soon after, a horse carriage had departed from the castle. And at this moment, within the Shrine in Ricca town, it was also already in quite the disarray. The matters pertaining Priest Dennis had long been circulated. A large sensation had been attracted within the Shrine.

Although the region of Ricca town wasn’t considered too large, but in any case, the scale of this Shrine was not at all small. Hence, besides Dennis the presiding Priest, there were still a few other personnel that were dispatched from above for interim practice down here———internship Priests.

Apart from Miss Eleni, the other internship Priests had currently assembled together, softly discussing the matters pertaining Priest Dennis.

As for the many people that came to prayer, after they had heard of the rumours, they had also been affected. Although it wouldn’t shake their beliefs, the situation was becoming all the more serious every day.

This was what Anastasius and his party had sensed after they had arrived here.

“Your honourables are?” an intern Priest had saw an unfamiliar group of Priests within the Shrine, being a bit surprised he had walked over and inquired. The town had only circulated that the Adventurers Guild investigators had arrived to the town, and nobody had ever mentioned the people from the Church. Thus, the appearance of the group of Priests had surprised everyone immediately.

“I am the Rank 5 Priest Anastasius. I’ve been dispatched by the Bishop to come here and preside over the divine judgement. Which one of you is Priest Dennis?” Priest Anastasius inspected everyone and asked.

“Priest Dennis is within his room. Sir, you’re saying that you need to preside over the divine judgement, trialing Priest Dennis right?” hearing that there would be a the emergence of a divine judgement in this small town, everyone all thought that the situation could truly be serious. Being even more serious than they had imagined.

And with Anastasius’ rough hinting, two accompanying Priests had immediately, with the guidance of the Priests from the Shrine, gone within a certain room and “invited” Priest Dennis out.

“You are Priest Dennis then? I am Anastasius, I’ve been dispatched by the Bishop to conduct a divine judgement for you. The divine judgement will be carried out in two hours. During this time, you will be under the strict monitoring of us. Alright, I neither want to say anything else. In regards to the matter of the whole story, I’ll make it clear during the divine judgement. Now, take him away, we’ll temporarily watch over him.”

Anastasius commanded with a voice and again there were a few Priests that stepped out, before detaining Dennis and leaving the room.

And Anastasius then turned his body over, facing directly to the intern Priests that had gathered in the Shrine. “When the divine judgement begins, you all need to participate. Currently, please all head to the baths and change. Two hours later, the Goddess will come and test everybody’s fidelity to her.” saying this, without seeing everyone’s reactions, he had then turned his body around and left with the lead of person in-charge of the Shrine, who had long hurried over.

Two hours later, in front of the Shrine at Ricca town, it had welcomed the first ever divine judgement.

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^{1. [安尼塔斯 – An Ni Ta Si]↩}