Chapter 109: It Seems a Bit Too Extreme

“Who did you say?!!!”

The thunderous shout exploded through the church, echoes crashing against the stained glass and shaking loose fine dust that fell in soft flurries.

The bishop froze at the sudden outburst. His eyes swept over Anasha’s flushed face, then caught sight of the Regulation Squad members behind her—each wearing expressions as if they’d seen a ghost. Cold sweat instantly broke out across his back, and he stumbled backward unconsciously.

His grip tightened on his staff, fingers turning pale. The cold metal did nothing to steady the panic rising in his chest. His voice trembled:

“Uh… Fakenna. Is there… a problem?”

A problem?

It was a massive problem!

Less than half an hour ago, they had been locked in a deadly battle with Fakenna in a narrow alley in the southern district. They had fought with everything they had—yet could only watch as that man casually left with a few trusted subordinates, even glancing back at them before departing.

And now the Church was telling her that this man was their target?

With a sharp “swish,” Anasha almost instinctively snatched the dossier from the bishop’s hands, her fingertips trembling from the force.

The rough parchment edges pressed against her palm as she brought it close, reading every word carefully.

Fakenna, commander of the Third Army Knight Order, leading seven hundred knights in rebellion.

“You expect us to deal with seven hundred frontline knights?!” Anasha suddenly looked up, her voice trembling with shock, barely containing her anger. “A rebellion of this scale—shouldn’t it be handled by the local garrison? Since when does the Regulation Squad deal with this kind of thing?!”

When she saw the number written on the document, her mind went blank.

Before setting out, the mission she had received was to purge heretics hidden within the city. She had assumed it would be unarmed fanatics or perhaps a few rogue spellcasters.

But what was written here in black and white were seven hundred battle-hardened, well-equipped Imperial knights.

Her gaze swept over the six Regulation Squad members she had brought.

Some gripped their swords so tightly their knuckles turned white. Others frowned deeply, disbelief written all over their faces.

Seven people against seven hundred knights—

It was nothing short of suicide.

Anasha glanced down at the dossier again, a cold sneer forming in her heart. Having served in the Regulation Squad for so long, she knew all too well how official documents worked.

If it said seven hundred, the real number was likely even higher.

Even if it truly was “only” seven hundred—just a hundred experienced knights would be enough to overwhelm their squad.

And this was seven hundred.

They were the Regulation Squad—specialists in dealing with heretics, beast races, and cultists—not a force meant to confront large-scale regular armies head-on.

They were human, not invincible gods.

This level of mission was far beyond what she, as the leader of the second squad, could handle.

Behind her, the Regulation Squad members had also come to their senses. Frustration and anger surfaced on their faces.

Back in the alley, they had already pinned down Fakenna. He hadn’t brought all his subordinates—it had been a rare opportunity.

If they had held on just a little longer, they might have captured the leader, and the entire rebellion would have collapsed.

But instead—

That sudden appearance of Peretti had disrupted everything.

This woman of unknown origin, dressed in a strange dark cloak, always carried an unsettling aura. They had long suspected she was a heretic from the Gluttony Church.

If Anasha hadn’t held back from making a final judgment, they would have already taken action.

As these thoughts surfaced, everyone’s gaze turned toward Peretti in the corner.

She had her head lowered, fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt, trying to appear as if nothing had happened. Her tone carried a hint of innocence and appeasement:

“Hey, don’t look at me like that. I’m innocent too, okay? I was just passing by—I didn’t expect to interfere with your business…”

The Regulation Squad members gritted their teeth, their eyes filled with distrust. But with Anasha present, they couldn’t act rashly against someone whose identity hadn’t been fully confirmed.

Seeing the tension, the bishop hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. A flattering smile spread across his face as he waved his hands repeatedly:

“No, no—of course we’re not asking you to act alone. We understand that this is far too difficult for the Regulation Squad. We will dispatch active-duty knights to assist you and face these rebels together.”

“Assist?” Anasha raised an eyebrow, her tone laced with sarcasm. “If the Church can mobilize knights, why not handle it yourselves? Why drag the Regulation Squad into this?”

She didn’t believe for a second that the Church was acting out of goodwill.

The bishop’s eyes flickered, his smile stiffening. He stammered:

“Well… matters involving a Knight Order rebellion are best handled by the Regulation Squad—it’s… more appropriate. Of course, once the matter is resolved, the Church will provide generous rewards.”

Anasha’s inner sneer deepened instantly.

She understood the scheme.

Behind Fakenna’s rebellion, there was undoubtedly something unspeakable. If the army were to suppress it directly, it would expose internal scandal, causing public panic and possibly raising suspicions about corruption within the Church.

But if it were labeled as a heretic rebellion and handed over to the Regulation Squad—

The problem could be resolved quietly.

The Church could distance itself completely.

And she, as the executor, would even be rewarded.

On the surface, it looked like a win-win.

In reality, it turned the Regulation Squad into the Church’s blade—used to cover up the truth and become complicit.

Labeling Fakenna as a heretic was merely to make the executioners feel slightly better about what they were doing.

But Anasha was no fool to be manipulated.

“What exactly is hidden behind this mission?” Anasha stepped forward, her gaze sharp as a blade, locking onto the bishop’s face, not missing a single flicker of expression.

“This… this…” The bishop avoided her gaze, his voice faltering. “Ah, these are power struggles among the important figures in the city. I’m just a small bishop—how would I know?”

“I’m not taking this mission.”

Anasha’s tone was decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

The moment the words left her mouth, she suddenly thought of Irene.

Before departure, Irene had tried every excuse to avoid this mission and pushed it onto Nar. At the time, Anasha had thought she was just being timid—

Now it seemed Irene was a genius, likely having anticipated something this absurd.

When she got back, she would definitely ask Irene how she had seen it coming.

The bishop’s expression changed drastically. Forgetting all pretense of composure, he shouted urgently:

“That’s not allowed! You’ve already accepted the mission—you must complete it! If you insist on refusing, I will use my authority as a bishop to order you to carry it out!”

“Don’t like it? Too bad.”

“I’m the leader of the second squad of the Regulation Squad. I only take orders from the squad captain, Duni Isaacson. Not from you. Even if the Pope himself were here, he wouldn’t have the authority to command me.”

“But he’s in rebellion!” the bishop shouted, nearly jumping in agitation.

“He’s no longer the commander of the Third Knight Order—he’s a rebel! A rebel threatening the safety of the Empire!”