The momentum of the Mountain Court had suddenly quieted down, like a fire dimming.
A gaze filled with shock and confusion poured down upon a man. The young man who had removed his hood had an impressive appearance. Moreover, he possessed the ability to bring down cliffs with a single hand axe.
The black-haired, gold-eyed knight wielded the hand axe.
Rumors about him had long spread across the continent, making it rare for anyone not to guess his identity. The only sound was the swallowing of dry saliva in the stillness.
Ian Fercurus, a celestial being who had been showing the most impressive feats recently.
The repeated appearances of the Dark Cult had sent the continent into a state of fear. Monsters mentioned in myths from thousands of years ago had emerged in various places, and terrifying beings, including the retinue of the evil deity, had started to gain infamy.
And the dignified individual who stood against those horrific demons was none other than Ian Fercurus.
Trials always give birth to heroes. This was an unchanging truth.
The more precarious reality became, the more humanity longed for the presence of a hero—the savior within calamity, the key to breaking through this unstable situation.
Without a doubt, the chosen one of this century was one.
Although his skills might not match those of the continent’s formidable powers, his accomplishments were genuine. Whether in skill, mental fortitude, or luck, it didn’t matter.
Ian Fercurus had never once disappointed humanity.
Therefore, he had become a figure of influence. Any strength or political power he held was utterly meaningless at this moment.
Thousands of spectators were watching.
He was establishing the authority of the papacy in opposition to the Dark Cult. Even in the Holy Kingdom, there was no reason to harbor ill will toward the young knight who could be seen as the vanguard.
The pope’s previously fierce demeanor, as if he could strike down the man at any moment, had quieted for reasons connected to Ian.
A faint groan escaped the lips of the elderly priest after his excitement had settled. He stroked his white beard and solemnly admonished the young man for his audacity.
“Ian Fercurus! I have heard of your fame. As a companion of the criminal and a betrayer of the Holy Kingdom, you indeed have the right to raise a challenge.”
At first glance, his tone seemed to acknowledge Ian. However, the essence of admonishment always comes at the end, and the pope was no exception.
“However, the atrocity of insulting the authority of the sacred court!”
With a thud, as the elderly priest stamped his foot, the mountain screamed once more.
Some of the terrified crowd trembled and fell to the ground. The sight of the entire mountain shaking was overwhelming.
A mere human had stomped his foot once.
Yet, the towering mountain that was hard to gaze upon trembled and let out a groan.
It could only be explained as a divine miracle. It was a phenomenon that undergirded the authority of the Mountain Court.
Yet, the man facing this incomprehensible miracle remained unfazed.
His golden eyes were silently fixed upon the pope, standing high above.
“Why do you seek to commit an unforgivable sin, young knight! The authority of this court has been protected through long pacts and sacrifices. Stubbornness or coercion cannot justify granting the privilege to liberate a criminal!”
“I do not intend to disregard the law.”
The pope, whose countenance had been filled with rage at Ian’s words, was suddenly struck with curiosity.
The Holy Kingdom, with over a thousand years of history, had complex laws and doctrines that had earned much recognition for their authority.
It was absurd to consider granting privileges just because someone suddenly showed up to demand them.
Such an act would shake the foundation of trust built over a thousand years.
However, just as the Lady Virgin’s guilt had been preordained, once justification and reasoning were introduced, there was plenty of room to argue and insist.
The keen eyes of the seasoned priest sparked with vague interest.
If a platform for discussion was provided, there was no reason not to entertain it.
He was a politician, but also a clergy member. He did not wish to cost the life of the young man who could be the pillar of the future.
“Then speak, young knight! What more do you wish to say now?”
At this moment, Ian’s gaze met that of the Lady Virgin.
The Lady Virgin had a dazed expression. She encountered the man she loved at the edge of a cliff. It was indeed a very romantic story, yet, unlike her racing heart, her reason was sending cold warnings.
This should not be happening.
Before she could utter “No,” the quiet golden-eyed man declared.
“……A trial of honor.”
Silence once again struck the clearing.
Some of the crowd covered their mouths in shock. As astonishment rippled through them, the expressions of the pope and the priests stiffened.
A trial of honor.
It was a term rarely heard in recent times. At least within this court, no one had uttered those four characters for quite some time.
It was synonymous with “suicide.”
“I request a trial of honor.”
“……Think again.”
The suggestion was gasped out.
A bead of sweat had already formed on the pope’s forehead. The old man’s distorted face mirrored his inner turmoil.
“Is your future not still bright?”
“I request a trial of honor!”
Yet even against the pope’s pleas, the man raised his voice.
His burning golden eyes fixed on one of the priests standing on the second step. The priest wearing a sun-shaped mask flinched under that intense gaze.
“Isn’t this a right guaranteed by the law? I was informed that a doctrinal trial is the lowest priority trial. If there is a request, the proceedings should naturally be adjusted accordingly!”
“Y-yes, that is true, but….”
Stammering an answer, the priest of knowledge had to cast a furtive glance behind him.
The towering peak was nowhere to be seen. Yet, the presence of the prominent figure seated there pressed upon everyone like a mountain.
Even fragments of that status were enough to leave the priest breathless.
It was impossible.
As long as that person existed, a “trial of honor” could not take place. It was a fundamentally meaningless attempt from the start.
The outcome was already determined.
How could he have made such a foolish judgment?
Although he had come here alone, Ian Fercurus was not by himself. Countless powers intertwined with him were watching the Holy Kingdom.
What if a young celestial being from the Empire were to be killed during the trial process of the Holy Kingdom?
It could provoke unnecessary diplomatic disputes. Rumors even said that this man was a close confidant of the Emperor.
At that moment, the extending hand of salvation came from an unexpected figure.
“……I refuse.”
It was a low declaration.
Once again, the attention of the entire assembly shifted. At the center was a silver-haired woman.
Her voice, wrung with sobs, was ragged like a torn cloth. Yet, the tone was clear and pure, making it hard for anyone to doubt the deity’s love for her.
Her rose-tinted eyes regained their light, shining with fervor.
“I refuse! Today, I am the only sinner brought forth for the religious trial! If I refuse to appoint a representative, a trial of honor cannot take place.”
“……Lady Virgin.”
“NO!”
In desperation, the Lady Virgin cried out as if she was about to break.
That tone was more akin to a plea.
“I cannot… I cannot lose you too. If it’s just me who dies, then it will be over…!”
“The sinner to be judged today is not just you.”
A momentary confusion flickered across the Lady Virgin’s face, but Ian took a step forward without further explanation.
The gazes of those standing high above all crashed down like a torrential rain.
“Am I not also to be judged in the religious trial?!”
“Your trial has been postponed. Unless you create another problem…”
The solemn expression of the pope shook as it fell apart.
At the end of that gaze hung a hand axe, the weapon that had just destroyed part of the venerable Mountain Court.
An additional crime had just been committed.
But the Lady Virgin also showed no signs of retreat.
“It is impossible! Even if I am brought to a religious trial, it is a separate matter! The trial process cannot be changed without my permission!”
“Is there a particular regulation stating that?”
With a sudden burst of anger, the fallen Lady Virgin rose once more with a newfound fury.
She was a woman filled with resentment and despair. Yet, no matter what, she stood up and raised her voice, acting desperately.
“Even if there are no separate regulations, it is an interpretive legal application that can be broadly applied! There is not enough room in the law text to write such obvious content!”
“I have been told that in the absence of adequate supplementary provisions, the interpretation of the law should favor the sinner.”
“I’m saying I don’t want it!”
Unable to contain her frustration, the Lady Virgin harshly pounded her chest. Tears that she thought had dried up sprang forth once more.
Gurgling, gurgling. Kneeling, the Lady Virgin managed to suppress her sobs as she let out a whimper.
It was a heart-wrenching appeal.
