Chapter 241
Marquis Levant, who had been writing something on a document, reported to Inferinos in a businesslike tone.
“He’s old and won’t be useful for long, so we’ll send him to the Deadly Bloom cultivation farm and use him as fertilizer.”
It was worse than execution. Indeed, this place was hell.
Unlike a space where over a thousand people were gathered, all surrounding sounds faded away.
Taking advantage of the courtroom’s silence, summary judgments continued.
“Next. Sinner, Burden Bolcam.”
“Ye-yes…!”
Satisfied with the vigorous reply, Marquis Levant read out the contents of the document.
“38-year-old male. Occupation: chimney sweep. Grew up under poor parents without much deviation, and currently lives a wretchedly impoverished life. Timid by nature, has never harmed or wronged anyone, but is stingy in helping others due to his own harsh life. Regrets emptying his entire 15 silver allowance into the relief offering box at age 10 and has not made any offerings since. Is that correct, you lowly human?”
“Y-yes, it’s correct.”
Burden replied, feeling ashamed.
In a religious country, not making offerings was a highly criticized act.
Inferinos’s judgment immediately fell.
“Guilty. 50 years of labor re-education.”
“…!”
Not only Burden but also the citizens of the Holy Theocracy turned pale and murmured at the sentence.
“Huh, offerings… Fifty years for not making offerings…?”
“Wh-what do I do…?”
“I-is that such a great sin…?”
Then Marquis Levant corrected their misunderstanding.
“How brilliant, Your Majesty. A human with fundamentally good nature, who even voluntarily donated at a young age, can absolutely not be forgiven. We will utilize his expertise and assign him to cleaning the outer walls of the execution pit.”
“…!”
The man named Burden was also dragged away. The next in line was a middle-aged man.
“Next, Sinner, Jorven Ibol.”
“That’s me…”
“43-year-old male. Occupation: carpenter. An ordinary and honest family man. Actively participated in raising three children, dutifully cared for his sick mother-in-law, and had such a good relationship with his wife that he never cheated. Furthermore, before marriage, he steadfastly maintained premarital purity even when his current wife, then his next-door elder sister, pursued him first. Is that correct?”
“Yes…”
For the first time, Inferinos spoke at length.
“Not performing the lust of the Seven Deadly Sins but rather violating the purity of the Seven Heavenly Virtues, your crime is grave. Guilty. 200 years of labor re-education.”
“He seems to have a strong back, so I’ll send him to the Bloodstone Mine, Your Majesty.”
Two judgments based on bewildering logic were delivered.
At this point, people seemed to be realizing, one by one, that the judgment criteria were not normal.
<What in the world are they doing?>
At Agnes’s question, I lowered my voice and replied softly.
“This is the ‘Judgment Site of Exhorting Evil and Punishing Good.’ It encourages evil and punishes good.”
<Ha….>
The line moved forward one step at a time. The next person stepped up to the judgment stand.
“Sinner, Ligenya Elit.”
“Yes.”
The young woman in a maid’s uniform clasped a cross tightly and answered demurely.
She seemed like an ordinary, devout woman, so her fate would probably be no different from those before her.
Everyone had that intuition and felt disheartened.
“31-year-old female. Occupation: lace weaver… but with an incredibly peculiar characteristic?”
Incredibly peculiar characteristic?
“Serial killer. An 8-year veteran, with blonde males as primary targets. Weaves lace from victims’ hair as trophies. Currently possesses 78 types of coasters, 39 types of handkerchiefs, 7 types of gloves, and 1 type of tablecloth. Is this your story?”
“Yes! It’s me…!”
Ligenya Elit replied joyfully, her face flushed.
As horror pervaded the air, the judgment was delivered.
“Not guilty. Treat her as an honored guest and release her. She is a truly essential talent for the human world.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Two handsome incubi approached the serial killer, ready to serve her.
It was then, just as the purpose of exhorting evil and punishing good was about to be fulfilled.
“Wait.”
“Your Majesty? Is there a problem?”
Inferinos, who had stopped the murderous maid, waved his hand once.
The defendant’s seat, which had resembled a round altar, changed its form.
[
A gigantic, horizontal scale replaced the defendant’s seat.
[‘Scales that Judge Souls’ watches the situation with an unpleasant gaze.]
At Inferinos’s nod, the incubi linked arms on either side of the murderous maid.
She was lifted and dragged as if being escorted onto one of the scale’s pans.
Thud!
The serial killer’s sin was immeasurably heavy.
As the massive pan struck the ground, the earth cracked as if a weighty boulder had fallen.
Inferinos opened his mouth indifferently.
“It’s tiring to judge so many sinners individually. If their sin is heavier than the honored guest’s, they are innocent. If lighter, 100 years of labor re-education.”
“How bold, Your Majesty.”
And so, judgment proceeded with the altered rules.
It was natural that no one met the conditions for acquittal.
<Insane. They’re doing this seriously as if it’s some grand ritual.>
Well, they’re demons, aren’t they?
In an instant, hundreds of people were found guilty and dragged off to the labor camp.
Among them were Hestio Risenel, number 57, Hilde Marcelion, number 102, and Iphail Celetino, number 129.
“Sinner, Hestio Risenel. Step onto the scale. …Guilty. To the bone sorting room.”
“Sinner, Hilde Marcelion. Step onto the scale. …Guilty. Since you seem to be a 7th Divine Power Tier awakener, I’ll send you somewhere particularly harsh. To the Demonic Beast Breeding Ground.”
“Sinner, Iphail Celetino. Step onto the scale. …Oh? Come to think of it, you have blonde hair, don’t you? Shave your head completely and give it to the honored guest, then to the Bloodstone Mine.”
My companions were all scattered. I made sure to memorize the locations they were assigned to, just in case.
As the number passed 200, Inferinos yawned and pontificated gravely.
“Why does the Scales of Sin not budge? It is lamentable that there are so few evildoers in the human world.”
<Bullshit.>
Ligenya Elit, serving as the counterweight on the scale, claimed to possess 78 types of coasters, 39 types of handkerchiefs, 7 types of gloves, and 1 type of tablecloth as trophies.
In other words, she was a serial killer who had murdered 125 people.
To rival her, one would have to be active in the same field.
For instance…
“Sinner, Ash Knight. Step onto the scale.”
An assassin, perhaps.
“Ye-yes. Alright.”
Ash stepped onto the large pan.
The distance was too great to see his face, but I could tell he was radiating a colder aura than usual.
Thus came the moment when the serial killer and the Night Eagle First Corps Assassin would compete in the magnitude of their sins.
Screech…
The scale, which had not budged until now, finally began to move. In the direction that the pan carrying Ash descended.
“Gasp.”
“Hmph.”
People gasped at the appearance of another killer.
“Wh-what?! There’s a bigger veteran in this field than me?!”
As Ligenya Elit recoiled in shock, the arms of the scale nearly reached equilibrium.
Just a little more, and he might have surpassed the serial killer. However.
Screeeech…!
Just before reaching equilibrium, the scale’s tilt changed direction. Ash’s side rose high up again.
“Phew, of course.”
The murderous maid beamed with pride, as if she had protected some great honor.
Ash, on the other hand, gathered his cold aura and returned to normal.
Somehow, his shoulders seemed to rise and fall significantly once, as if he had sighed in relief.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt that.
<Ash, that guy, he was uneasy just now.>
Perhaps for some, this place was where their existence and life were judged.
In any case, Ash’s sin was lighter than Ligenya Elit’s.
Why would a Night Eagle First Corps Assassin be inferior to a mere serial killer?
The reason was revealed by Marquis Levant’s subsequent explanation.
“For an assassin, you were quite selective about your jobs. Mostly choosing to kill child abusers… Because of humans like you, there’s a lack of talent in the human world.”
“Yes, yes. I deeply regret it.”
“Your willingness to admit your sin is good. I hope you pay your dues well. So, the labor camp where you’ll be exploited for 100 years…”
It was then that Ash raised his hand and spoke boldly.
“Can I request a place?”
“Eh? Request?”
Not only Marquis Levant but even the people were surprised by his unimaginable brazenness.
But even more surprising was that Inferinos, who had been listening to the conversation, played along.
A solemn voice descended from above, like a revelation.
“The Demon Realm favors professions involving ‘killing.’ Speak.”
“I wish to go to the Demonic Beast Breeding Ground.”
“To volunteer for a harsh place. Very well. If you endure it well, I will reduce your sentence to 80 years.”
“Thank you.”
Ash was dragged to the same place as Hilde.
Agnes spoke to me.
<That guy is quick-witted, as expected. He chose the labor camp to keep the group as least dispersed as possible.>
“Indeed.”
<By the way, what will you do? The chances of winning against the Demon King… Honestly, I don’t think there are any.>
“…Yes.”
It was an undeniable truth.
I recalled the 98th regression of the original story, when Tesillid last saved the world.
Even Tesillid, who had achieved perfection as a strong individual, needed several years of preparation to defeat the first Demon King.
Because subjugating the Demon King was not something that could be achieved with military might alone.
Agnes advised in a low, cautious tone.
<You should consider rescuing just your companions and fleeing, Aillet.>
That wasn’t the end.
<If push comes to shove, even just you.>
[‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ expresses agreement in silence.]
“…”
I did not reply.
Because the various scenarios and plans that came to mind were not yet organized.
Before I knew it, the turn had passed 300. After walking about forty more steps, it would be my turn.
Then.
“Sinner, Tesillid Argent. Step onto the scale.”
Privilege for Possessors