At the same time, in Maru Village.
The village was in an uproar due to the sudden arrival of uninvited guests.
“What’s this? Are they visitors?”
“Wow, look at them all dressed up. Fancy folks.”
“Maybe they’re here to hunt wild boar or something?”
The uninvited guests were dozens of inquisitors from the Holy Nation, clad in shining white armor.
The villagers were curious about their purpose but didn’t seem too concerned.
“Everyone, may I have your attention!”
“Oh?”
“Looks like they’re finally gonna explain why they’re here.”
One of the knights stepped forward, holding a scroll of parchment.
“As you may already know, we are inquisitors from the Holy Nation.”
“What’s an inquisitor?”
“You know, those old geezers who go around preaching that ‘humans are the superior race’ nonsense.”
“Ah, that lot. Got it.”
“We have come to this village for one reason.”
Rustle.
The parchment unfurled in the knight’s hands, its golden seal glinting in the sunlight, giving off an aura of sanctity.
“Under the orders of the Holy Pope, we are here to root out a witch who is said to be hiding in this village.”
“A witch?”
“A witch, here?”
“Yeah, right. That’s gotta be a joke.”
Though the idea of a witch lurking in their village was startling, the villagers remained calm.
And for good reason.
Claiming a witch was in Maru Village was hard to believe for anyone who lived there.
The village had been isolated for years, with no outsiders visiting for ages.
This isolation had forged strong bonds of trust among the villagers.
Everyone knew who lived next door, what time they woke up, and even what they ate for breakfast.
In a place like this, suspicion among neighbors made no sense at all.
“This is no joke. We have received credible information that a ‘witch’ resides in this village.”
“Hey, inquisitor guy, what nonsense are you spouting now…!”
One villager, unable to hold back his frustration any longer, stepped forward.
The man, an elderly but fiery-tempered villager named Hekson, grabbed the inquisitor by the collar, his face red with anger.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Do you honestly believe this is right? How long have we villagers lived together, side by side? You expect us to start doubting each other now?”
“It seems you’re under some sort of delusion.”
“Urk?!”
With a cold expression, the inquisitor shoved Hekson back.
Being just an ordinary old man, Hekson stumbled and crashed into a nearby fruit basket with a thud.
“Hekson!”
“Hekson, are you alright?”
“What kind of holy messenger behaves like this?!”
Bang!
“Silence!”
“…!”
“I’ll say it again—this is no joke. There truly is a witch in this village.”
“Once we inquisitors learn of the presence of such an evil being, it is our sacred duty to cleanse them, no matter the cost.”
The inquisitor’s zealous declaration filled the villagers with unease, their murmurs growing louder.
“That’s ridiculous. There’s no way a witch could be in our village.”
“Hekson! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. I’ve survived this long; I won’t die that easily.”
“That’s not reassuring when you’re bleeding!”
“Just a nosebleed.”
Thankfully, Hekson was alright.
Though old, he was still spry and got up without any major injuries.
“But… with how adamant they are, could there really be a witch…?”
“Hekson, you were the one saying it’s impossible! Even if a witch did exist, what would be the point of hiding their identity and living here for decades? There’s no benefit to it.”
“Exactly. Our village doesn’t have any special products or resources. It’s just a quiet, boring place filled with old folks.”
“…Hearing it put like that makes our village sound so unimpressive, huh?”
“Haha, true! What a plain little village!”
As expected from people who had lived together for so long, the initial doubt and tension among the villagers quickly faded, giving way to laughter and camaraderie.
“Are all rural villages this idiotic?”
“I’m beginning to wonder if they’ve all been bewitched by the witch’s dark magic.”
“May the Lord have mercy on these ignorant fools.”
The inquisitors, however, grew visibly more irritated as they watched the villagers’ relaxed and jovial reactions.
“Um, inquisitor sirs, perhaps there’s been some kind of mistake—”
“Mistake?”
“C-Commander?!”
Before the villager could finish their sentence, another knight stepped forward—someone who had remained silent and observant until now.
Unlike the others, this knight wore armor adorned with a golden insignia, marking him as the commander of the inquisitors.
“There are no mistakes in the intelligence gathered by the Holy Nation’s network. Think carefully—who in this village lives apart from the others, or who has arrived here most recently?”
“…Wait a minute. Now that you mention it, there is someone who comes to mind.”
“Oh?”
From among the crowd, a villager cautiously raised their hand and hesitantly stepped forward toward the inquisitors.
It was a familiar figure—a tall, lanky woman known for running a private shop at the edge of the village, Ellie.
“Ellie?”
“Why is Ellie stepping forward all of a sudden…?”
“Wait, no way.”
A ripple of unease passed through the villagers.
Ellie, who cared about nothing but money, had raised her hand.
The faint possibility of what this could mean crept into everyone’s minds.
“Ah, even from a humble stream, a dragon may rise. Your wisdom is appreciated.”
“Before that, I have a question,” Ellie interrupted, her tone sharp.
“Yes, of course. What is your question?”
“If I understand correctly, there’s a bounty on the witch’s head, isn’t there?”
“That is correct.”
“Would you be willing to give me half of that bounty?”
“Ellie, you…!”
“What are you saying right now?!”
The villagers’ reactions grew increasingly frantic.
Sensing that the villagers were hiding something, the commander struck the ground with his gauntleted fist, silencing the crowd with a loud bang.
“Please maintain order. I would hate to have to name all of you as ‘heretics.’”
“Wh-what do you mean by that…?!”
“To be named a heretic,” the commander clarified coldly.
His words left no room for misinterpretation: resisting or opposing the inquisitors would lead to immediate “cleansing.”
“Anyone who defies the will of the inquisitors is a heretic.”
“That’s absurd! You’re just making things up!”
“Of course, we’d prefer not to take such measures. So I suggest you all hold your tongues.”
The commander silenced the villagers with his forceful declaration, labeling any dissent as heresy.
Then, he turned back to Ellie, continuing their conversation.
“Half the bounty, you say. You’re proposing to negotiate with us inquisitors. How can we trust you?”
“You of all people should know,” Ellie replied coolly. “Merchants will do anything if the price is right. In this world, there’s nothing more reliable than money.”
“…Ha, bold and straightforward. Very well. We’ll give you half. Now, share your information.”
“Gladly.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Ellie pointed in a specific direction.
Her finger was aimed at a small, secluded hut on the outskirts of the village.
“That’s where the witch lives.”
“…Hmm. They say the darkest place is under the lamp, and to think the witch was this close all along.”
“Well? Are we done here?”
“Yes, thank you for your cooperation. From now on, leave the purification work to us inquisitors. You all stay right here and remain calm.”
With that, the commander gave his order, and the inquisitors began readying their weapons, each one preparing for battle.
Ellie, wearing an unreadable expression, quietly slipped back into the crowd of villagers.
“Is everyone ready?”
“Yes, Commander!”
“We are now heading to the den of the vile witch. Move out!”
Bang!
The commander’s sharp strike split the decrepit door of the hut cleanly in two.
Crack, crackle.
The old wooden door crumbled without resistance, revealing the interior of the hut.
Inside the hut, there was no one to be found.
Only a small desk, a chair, and a single worn book that suggested someone might have once lived there.
“…There’s no one here.”
“What’s going on?”
The unexpected emptiness left the inquisitors both confused and on edge.
Then, without warning, one of the inquisitors standing guard outside vanished into thin air.
“…What?”
Exactly one second later, a massive, muscular figure appeared in his place.
The newcomer stood with one boot firmly planted on the now-prone body of the missing inquisitor.
“Hah… I was wondering why there were no monsters near the village today.”
“Who are you?!”
“Me? You’re asking me who I am…?”
Unlike the increasingly tense inquisitors, the man scratched his gleaming head lazily, his tone casual and disinterested.
“The name’s Alex. Nice to meet you, I guess.”
“Do you understand what it means to attack an inquisitor of the Holy Nation?”
“Eh, vaguely?” Alex replied, clearly unfazed.
The commander, his face darkening with anger at Alex’s flippant demeanor, growled, his voice filled with authority.
“Everyone, prepare yourselves.”
Crack.
The commander’s expression twisted further as he continued in a commanding tone.
“From this moment on, I hereby declare this man a heretic.”
“And that means…”
“Indeed.”
Silver swords and gleaming spears.
The inquisitors, weapons in hand, charged at Alex with determination etched on their faces.
“It is time for purification.”
At the commander’s signal, sharp blades and pointed spear tips surged toward Alex’s bulky frame.
“Whoa, whoa! Hold on a second!”
“If you surrender, we will grant you a swift death, heretic!”
“Haha! I guess I am a heretic—after all, I’ve mastered the second stance of royal swordsmanship!”
“…Just die. And die painfully.”
“C’mon, you have to admit that was funny!”
They stabbed, slashed, and sliced with precision and speed, their attacks relentless.
Alex, who had been maintaining an air of nonchalance, finally started to sweat as the assault intensified.
“…Wow, you’re all really angry, huh?”
“You will regret raising your hand against the Holy Nation, heretic.”
Seeing the scales tipping against Alex, the commander himself unsheathed his blade and joined the fray, charging directly at Alex.