The Inquisition Commences

****

Finally, the day of the religious inquisition arrived.

The square before the great cathedral was packed so tightly that there was no room to step.

Though it was a public trial, only a limited number of people could enter the courtroom.

Naturally, most were nobles, and the remaining seats were filled by a handful of wealthy merchants.

Even though they couldn’t witness the trial directly, the enormous crowd surrounding the cathedral showed no sign of dispersing.

They wanted to hear the verdict as soon as it was announced.

That wasn’t all.

People were placing bets on whether the Marchioness Scarlet would be found guilty or not.

“What a spectacle this has become.”

Jeha muttered, looking out the carriage window.

Watching people busily shouting their stakes at the gamblers, he felt a wave of displeasure.

How could they be so eager to wager on the outcome of a trial that would determine a person’s life or death?

Did they have no sympathy at all? The thought filled him with disillusionment.

“Humans are dual-natured. That is what makes them human.”

Paimon said quietly.

Jeha nodded, but his disillusionment didn’t completely fade.

When he stepped out of the carriage and entered the great cathedral, it was overflowing with people who had come to attend the trial.

It seemed as though every noble in Enkarosha had gathered.

“His Excellency, Marquis Belgarga!”

Someone called out to Jeha from the crowd.

Turning his head, he saw the mother and daughter of the Fanucci family pushing through the crowd toward him.

“Madame Fanucci, Miss Fanucci.”

Jeha gave a brief greeting.

Perhaps because of the inquisition, the two were dressed rather modestly.

“If you have no other engagements, please join us. We’ve been given excellent seats.”

Madame Fanucci offered.

As the Pope’s mistress and daughter, they must have gotten the best seats.

Jeha nodded, harboring a rather cynical thought.

In any case, he needed a seat close to the proceedings.

The place the Fanuccis led him to was indeed an excellent spot.

It was the very front row of the spectators’ gallery.

Once seated, the courtroom was right before his eyes.

Jeha scanned the interior. The fairly large courtroom was packed with people.

“Do you think the Marchioness Scarlet really killed those virgins?”

Ainel Fanucci whispered to Jeha, clutching a handkerchief tightly in her hand.

She looked a bit tense.

There was also a glimmer of sympathy in her eyes for the plight of another woman.

Having only seen people busy placing bets, seeing such pure sympathy calmed Jeha’s heart somewhat.

Though he usually found Ainel’s presence bothersome, at this moment he couldn’t help but feel a bit of goodwill toward her.

“I’d like to believe not.”

Jeha answered simply, offering a slight smile toward Ainel.

Ainel Fanucci blushed at his smile and said,

“I want to believe not, too. I hope there are no such cruel people in this world.”

Jeha nodded in agreement.

After a moment, the courtroom began to buzz.

The curtain behind the judges’ bench parted, and three people emerged.

Jeha’s eyes lit up as he spotted Hereis among them.

Perhaps because it was an inquisition where all the nobles of Enkarosha gathered, Hereis was dressed in particularly splendid attire today.

Hereis was so beautiful that even the most extravagant clothes suited him like a painting.

Three archbishops, including Hereis, each took their seats.

The one seated in the center was an archbishop with a long white beard, who looked the oldest.

The archbishop glanced over the murmuring crowd and raised one hand.

Instantly, the hall fell silent.

“We will now begin the trial regarding the heretical acts of the Marchioness Scarlet. As this is an important trial, I ask that everyone maintain silence.”

As the archbishop spoke, everyone nodded.

Having confirmed this, the archbishop looked to the side and said,

“Bring the Marchioness Scarlet to the accused bench.”

As the archbishop’s words fell, a wooden door on one side opened.

Everyone’s gaze fixed on the open door.

From within, a person slowly walked out.

She, presumably the Marchioness Scarlet, wore a black dress and a black veil.

As she walked to the accused bench, she held her back straight and her chin high.

It was clear she was struggling to maintain her dignity.

Knowing that the Marchioness was innocent, Jeha couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.

The Marchioness Scarlet stood at the accused bench.

The judges were positioned looking down at her.

Countless eyes watched her.

Though she must have been under immense pressure, her posture did not waver.

“Marchioness Scarlet, you have been brought here today accused of heretical acts. Do you confess to the charges?”

The white-bearded archbishop asked bluntly.

“I cannot confess. I am innocent.”

The Marchioness Scarlet spoke clearly.

Although the black veil only revealed the outline of her face, from her voice one could tell she was a very young woman.

“Very well. The Marchioness Scarlet has pleaded innocent. Now it is time to hear the witnesses. Bring in the witnesses.”

The archbishop commanded.

Then, the wooden door on the opposite side opened, and a group of people filed in.

At the front was a middle-aged man in a black priest’s robe.

He was likely the inquisitor who had accused the Marchioness of heresy.

The witnesses lined up at the witness stand.

Among them was the maid Jeha had met.

She looked very nervous.

She wasn’t the only one.

Every witness’s face was hard and rigid.

To Jeha, who already knew the Marchioness was innocent, their hardened expressions seemed to reflect guilt.

“Witnesses, state your status and name in turn.”

The archbishop ordered.

Then the inquisitor standing closest to the judges’ bench spoke first.

“I am Casto, an inquisitor of heresy.”

Inquisitor Casto, introducing himself, was the only witness with a confident face.

“I am Jeremy Richter, one of the stewards managing the Marchioness’s domain.”

A man who looked like a low-ranking official introduced himself in a stiff voice.

“I am Paul, a servant working at the Marchioness’s castle.”

An elderly man spoke with a trembling voice.

“I am Hanna, a maid working at the Marchioness’s castle.”

Hanna also introduced herself in a trembling voice. She hid her hands, which were covered in dried blood from biting her nails all night.

The archbishop nodded after confirming that all witnesses had introduced themselves.

The trial began in earnest.

The first to speak was Inquisitor Casto.

“Having been dispatched to the Marchioness’s domain, I was carrying out my sacred duty of discovering and purging heretics. During that time, I found a woman suspected of witchcraft and interrogated her. After confirming that she had used evil magic, I was about to have her burned at the stake. Then, that witch begged for her life, claiming she knew the real witch. The woman she accused in exchange for her life is none other than the Marchioness Scarlet standing there.”

The inquisitor pointed exactly at the Marchioness Scarlet with his finger.

Casto continued in a somewhat agitated tone.

“The fact I learned while interrogating the witch was shocking. She said that the Marchioness Scarlet, in order to maintain her youth and beauty, secretly kidnapped and killed young virgins from the domain, then bathed in their blood.”

Though this was already known to some, as the inquisitor expressed it, the audience showed reactions of lament, sighs, and surprise.

Seeing the reactions, the inquisitor seemed to gain more confidence and continued in a strong voice.

“At first, I didn’t believe it. But I had to verify the facts. So I secretly interrogated the employees working in the Marchioness’s castle. As a result, I became convinced that all the accusations against her were true. The Marchioness Scarlet not only kidnapped and killed virgins, but also committed the evil act of bathing in the blood of those poor girls! If this is not heresy, then what is?!”

“Priest Casto, accusing a noble of honor is no small matter. You must present clear witnesses and evidence. If it is revealed that you have made a false accusation, you will be executed for insulting a noble.”

The archbishop said in a stern voice.

Inquisitor Casto, with a confident face, pointed to the witnesses standing beside him.

“Here are the witnesses. Please listen to their testimonies. Of course, I have also brought evidence. The evidence is none other than the corpses of the women brutally murdered by the Marchioness!”

At the mention of bringing the corpses themselves, the audience gasped.

Sensitive women covered their mouths with handkerchiefs and squeezed their eyes shut.

“Then let us first hear the witnesses. Witnesses, give your testimony in turn.”

The archbishop said with a stern face, turning his gaze to the witness stand.