Chapter 13
My target—the Holy Light Church, Inquisition Hall.
As soon as I entered the Holy Light Cathedral, every believer I met stopped to greet me. I was in such a hurry that I rushed right past them. In their eyes, I probably seemed colder and more aloof than usual today.
I passed through door after door until I stood before the great doors of the Inquisition Hall. Two knights blocked my way.
“Saintess, you cannot go in right now.”
“There is no place in the Church I cannot go.” I pushed past them, shoved open the great doors that were several times my height with a creak, and rushed inside.
All the tribunal members were standing high above, looking down. It felt like a hundred pairs of eyes were staring at me. I don’t know if the atmosphere became silent because of my arrival, or if it was like this to begin with. A few people were whispering.
I ignored them. My eyes saw only Qifeng, standing in the middle of the hall. She looked at me with frightened little eyes. It looked like she hadn’t suffered any mistreatment, which was a great relief.
“Fei…”
Really, asking the obvious.
I walked straight towards her. At the same time, Bishop Schneider’s voice boomed from above—“Saintess, we are currently in session, trying Qifeng for the matter of violating the precepts. If you wish to participate, please move to the observers’ gallery.”
Move to the observers’ gallery? Do they think I’m here to watch a play? Hmph. I couldn’t be bothered with him. I reached Qifeng’s side, grabbed her hand, and said without thinking: “Come with me.”
“Eh???” Qifeng stared at me, stunned.
“Saintess-daren, what do you think you are doing?” another Cardinal—Terestic—asked.
It’s just a trial for Qifeng. Do they really need so many bishops to show up in person? Eh? Wait, there are probably more than just two, aren’t there?
But don’t think I’ll be scared.
I turned around, clasping Qifeng’s hand tightly behind my back.
“Are you finished with the trial or not? I’m taking Qifeng with me now.”
The Inquisition Hall burst into an uproar.
I heard Bishop Schneider say clearly: “This is simply preposterous. The trial is not over!”
“Then just announce the verdict directly.”
“What—”
“What exactly did Qifeng do wrong? To make so many of you target her?”
“Saintess-daren, we are not targeting anyone.” Another bishop—Eostia—produced a thick book of precepts and said: “According to the precepts of the Holy Light, for an outsider to approach the Holy Light Secret Chamber is a taboo among taboos.”
“This matter had my permission. How many times do you need me to repeat that?”
“Yes, Lady Saintess, you are not at fault in any way. But the precept that ‘outsiders approaching the Holy Light Secret Chamber is a taboo’ is targeted at Qifeng. As an inspector of the Holy Light Church, she clearly knew that outsiders approaching the Holy Light Secret Chamber was forbidden, yet she did not stop it. Furthermore, Qifeng herself has admitted that she did not admonish you at the time,” Bishop Eostia said.
I glanced back at Qifeng. She lowered her head and nodded.
“If she had admonished you and you did not listen, she would not be blameworthy. But failing to admonish is a dereliction of her duty,” Bishop Schneider said.
“Ha?”
“We cannot allow Qifeng to enjoy special privileges just because she is the granddaughter of the late Archbishop. Considering that this matter did not cause any terrible consequences, our tribunal has unanimously decided: sentence Qifeng to twelve lashes of the whip, to serve as a warning to others.”
I spoke without hesitation, and the tribunal was once again in an uproar. fix
“I’m sorry, Saintess, what did you say?” Bishop Eostia asked.
“I believe twelve lashes is already a light sentence,” Bishop Schneider said.
“No. You will not hit her even once.”
My attitude was resolute. Facing the hundred-plus people of the tribunal above me, I did not back down an inch.
“How can you disregard the precepts of the Holy Light Church?… This is simply preposterous!” The elderly Cardinal Terestic was so angry his beard was trembling.
Qifeng tugged on the corner of my clothes from behind, saying in a weak, soft voice: “Fei’er… just forget it… I am partially responsible for this. Why don’t you just let me accept the punishment? Don’t… don’t have a falling out with the Church because of me.”
“Silly girl, you shut up.”
I scolded her, and she immediately and obediently went silent.
“You listen to me. In this world, only I get to bully you.”
“Eh…?” Qifeng looked at me, incredulous, her cheeks flushing red.
I pulled Qifeng’s hand and took a step forward, speaking to everyone present: “I am the Saintess of the Holy Light. I am going to pardon someone now. Please, flip through those precepts in your hands. Is there anything in there that tells you what you should do?”
The moment my voice fell, a brilliant pillar of light descended from the sky, landing askew and striking my body.
“The… the Holy Light!?”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Bathed in the pillar of holy white light, I spoke in an icy tone: “If there isn’t, then add it in—don’t block my way.”
I walked away, dragging Qifeng by the hand.
Ignoring the objections of everyone present.
For the third time, the entire Inquisition Hall was in an uproar.
“Preposterous! Th-this is too preposterous!”
“The Saintess is in her rebellious teenage phase right now. What can you do about her?” Bishop Bahr sat in the observers’ gallery, shrugging with his hands spread.
I realized he’d been watching the show the entire time today. But then again, it’s thanks to him reminding me that Qifeng was in trouble that I was able to rush over in time. Otherwise, Qifeng would have been punished with twelve lashes before I even knew it.
Qifeng obediently followed me. Under the watchful eyes and murmurs of the crowd, I pulled her by the hand to the great doors of the Inquisition Hall. Two knights blocked our path. It’s not that they were blind; guarding the door was their duty. I could understand why they looked a bit lost, seeing me approaching them so menacingly.
“Move,” I said, expressionless.
The two knights looked at each other, but in the end, they chose to obediently step aside. It seems the authority of the Saintess still wins out, hmm?
My hand reached for the door, only to find it wouldn’t open.
“Fei’er, it seems… it’s locked from the outside,” Qifeng said, after trying it herself.
Eh? Who is playing tricks at a time like this?
“Qifeng, step back,” I said softly.
I was already furious. At this point, I couldn’t care less! Facing the great doors, I summoned my pure white, long-handled hammer.
Qifeng looked at me in terror—“Fei’er, surely you’re not?… This is the Holy Light Church!”
Yeah.
This is the Holy Light Church.
…So what?
As I raised the hammer high, I heard a group of people howling behind me.
“Don’t—Saintess-daren! You mustn’t smash it—! You definitely mustn’t smash it—!”
I ignored them, took the hammer, and smashed it fiercely against the great doors.
BOOM—! Following the massive sound, it was dead silent behind me.
I watched as the twisted, deformed great doors flew open. My mood lightened considerably.
“Let’s go.”
I took Qifeng’s hand and stalked away.