Chapter 7: Three women’s thoughts

A grand and spacious cathedral, symbolizing the authority of the church.

Chloe, elegantly dressed in her holy vestments, was walking along the wide path.

As Chloe walked, her mysterious green hair fluttered.

She carried herself with such an elevated and dignified air that her short stature was unnoticeable.

Those she met respectfully greeted Chloe.

Chloe responded by clasping her hands together.

Chloe finally reached the prayer room, and just before she entered to offer her prayers,

someone ran up and stopped behind her.

Chloe turned her head to identify the source of the sound, then smiled faintly.

“Hello, Dana. Have you been well?”

“Thanks to the Goddess’s grace. And you, Lady Chloe, have you been well?”

Dana greeted Chloe with a bright smile.

Dana, her pink hair neatly tied, was dressed in an Inquisitor’s uniform.

However, holding a holy symbol of the Goddess and a book instead of a weapon, she looked more like a priest than an Inquisitor.

“What brings you to me?”

At Chloe’s question, Dana quickly scanned her surroundings.

Confirming that there was no one around to overhear her conversation with Chloe, Dana carefully began to speak.

“I came to convey Lady Meria’s message. She said it was very important to tell you.”

“Oh, Lady Meria? What kind of message is it?”

“She asked that if your thoughts align until the very end, Lady Chloe, you would please respond by saying yes.”

“Ah…”

Chloe made a small sound and nodded.

This was because the question Meria wanted answered was clear.

It was the question of whether she would agree to the disbandment of the Inquisition Department, which created an atmosphere of fear, caused bloodshed contrary to peace, and exhausted even the faithful in the process.

Of course, Chloe’s answer was already decided.

This was because Chloe also believed that it was not the path to follow the true teachings of the Goddess.

Having lived her entire life looking only towards the bright direction where the Goddess resided,

Chloe did not know what lurked in the darkness behind her.

What entered Chloe’s vision were only those who prayed in the light, looking in the same direction.

Thus, Chloe believed that was true peace.

She did not see those who held weapons and shed blood behind her back, in unseen places.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Chloe rummaged through her sleeve.

What Chloe soon pulled out was a small ornament.

Carefully holding the simple silver ornament, Chloe extended her hand towards Dana.

She placed the ornament onto Dana’s cupped hands, which were respectfully waiting.

The meaning of a high-ranking cleric handing over an ornament from her holy vestments was clear.

‘I trust you.’

Hearing Chloe’s answer, Dana carefully clasped the ornament and smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Lady Chloe.”

“I am merely doing what I must.”

“Still, I’m glad our intentions align, Lady Chloe.”

Seeing Dana’s bright smile, Chloe also smiled.

Although they didn’t reside in the same place,

Dana, whom Chloe had come to know through Meria, was always amiable towards Chloe.

And Chloe had soon grown fond of Dana.

Dana, having received the ornament that Chloe gave as her answer, looked around once more.

Confirming that no one was still around, Dana lowered her voice slightly and whispered to Chloe.

“Honestly, more than anything, I think it’s a real relief that Deron, that brute, is gone.”

“Ah, now that you mention it, Deron was expelled from the Inquisition Department, wasn’t he?”

“Yes. It’s thanks to everyone’s efforts. Oh, I’m not happy about it! It’s not right to be happy when a fellow Inquisitor is expelled, is it?”

Chloe chuckled, finding Dana’s flustered waving of her hands cute.

Realizing she had already made a mistake, Dana sighed once and continued speaking.

“I’ve always thought Deron’s methods weren’t good. I believed our job was to show them love and help them find a better life, embracing them into the Goddess’s embrace.”

“That’s right. We are all children of the Goddess.”

“But Deron denied them even that chance. He didn’t correct the branches that grew wrongly; he simply cut them off. I don’t think that’s right.”

Dana murmured as if complaining.

To her, the Inquisition wasn’t about severing the roots of heresy,

but rather about identifying heretics and rehabilitating them.

She too had been blinded by looking only at the bright light.

After a brief silence, Dana gasped in surprise and covered her mouth.

This was because she felt she had spoken too much ill in front of Chloe, a high-ranking cleric.

Not knowing what to do, Dana bowed her head towards Chloe.

“The subject for your next confession is set then.”

“Hehe, mine too.”

“Anyway, thank you for making time despite your busy schedule.”

“Don’t mention it. Oh, by the way, has your younger brother officially become a cleric, Dana?”

At Chloe’s question, Dana’s face lit up.

She looked happy just thinking about her younger brother.

“Yes! He’ll definitely become a wonderful cleric!”

“Your love is truly deep and pure, Dana. He will surely bestow pure love, just like you.”

“Thank you!”

“I’ll go in to offer my prayers now.”

Chloe and Dana exchanged farewells and headed towards their respective destinations.

Chloe to the prayer room, and Dana to where Meria was.

****

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Meria closed her eyes at the angry voice of the man that pierced her ears.

However, the man’s rage did not subside.

“How can expelling Deron like that make any sense, unless you’re out of your mind?!”

“My ears are not deaf, Sir Thaleos. Please lower your voice.”

“Not deaf? I’d rather you were deaf. At least then there would be a plausible reason for this madness!”

At the sound of his fist slamming Meria’s desk, Meria slowly opened her eyes and looked at the man in front of her.

He was a tall man, taller than average, with a mass of white hair swept back from his unkempt head, scars scattered across his face,

and a body that appeared solid from a lifetime of training, giving him a dignified presence.

It was Thaleos, a knight once renowned in the kingdom.

He was a man who could easily dominate the atmosphere with just the man-sized axe on his back and his massive physique.

However, Meria showed no intimidation towards Thaleos whatsoever.

“Deron was expelled for a legitimate reason.”

“A legitimate reason? That’s only legitimate in your eyes! Instead of rewarding someone who faithfully carries out the Inquisition, you cast him aside like trash!”

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t insult the entire church.”

At Meria’s unwillingness to engage in any conversation, Thaleos sighed, covering his face with one hand.

“Right… so the entire church did this… I cannot understand you people. Have you ever stood on a battlefield? Have you ever faced pure malice? Have you ever experienced a situation where if you don’t get blood on your hands, you’ll shed it yourself? Can’t you consider that Deron was using his immense power to prevent greater bloodshed?”

Thaleos stared directly at Meria.

From Thaleos’s perspective, having personally experienced war and fought against demons,

the church, which expelled Deron, one of the strongest, instead of protecting him, was no different from being insane.

However, Meria didn’t even truly listen to his words.

Instead, she thought that Thaleos was merely a relic of past glory, now that there was no war.

“Sir Thaleos. That era has passed. We cannot remain trapped in the past forever.”

“You…”

“Of course, I respect the heroic image of Sir Thaleos that I have learned about.”

Realizing that conversing with Meria was utterly pointless, Thaleos let out a deep sigh.

He then placed his hand on Meria’s desk and glared at her with blazing eyes.

“I will not let this matter rest.”

“Is the kingdom’s politics attempting to interfere with the church?”

“I also believe that politics and faith should be separate. But this is clearly wrong, and I will use every method at my disposal.”

“I wonder if Lady Haran would agree with that.”

“Haran? Isn’t she already on your side? Well, perhaps not. I can’t tell what that fellow is thinking. Regardless, I will make it work somehow. I’ll be leaving now.”

“Farewell.”

Meria bid Thaleos farewell.

Thaleos, without acknowledging her greeting, strode out of Meria’s office.

Seeing the office door close irritably, Meria let out a sigh of relief.

‘Soon, this kind of thing will be over.’

Meria murmured, retying her black hair.

Meria had always felt that the role of head of the Inquisition Department, which she had somehow come to hold, did not suit her.

In her view, the Inquisition Department was not particularly necessary.

It only created unnecessary conflict and was merely an obstacle to her faith.

Of course, if that were the only reason, she wouldn’t have gone so far as to try to disband the Inquisition Department.

However, she felt a sense of crisis as she saw Deron’s actions becoming increasingly extreme.

This was because she believed that if the Inquisition Department were ever taken over by people like Deron, it would lead to a disaster.

She did not consider why Deron was punishing more heretics.

‘At least it’s fortunate that there are people who understand my intentions.’

The faces of Chloe, Haran, and other high-ranking clerics flashed through Meria’s mind.

High-ranking clerics, including Chloe, had agreed with Meria’s views on love.

And Haran, despite being a member of the government, had readily supported Meria.

‘Haran… if only she had been in the church, she would have become a wonderful cleric.’

Meria was grateful to Haran for helping her.

Haran had volunteered to take on troublesome tasks on her behalf, helping Meria to serve the Goddess and bestow blessings upon everyone.

In the empty room, Meria clasped her hands and began to pray.

Wishing for eternal peace and well-being,

Meria continued her silent prayers.