Chapter 680: The Sisters (1)
Boom━━!!!
A thunderous noise echoed from the basement of the Holy See State, in the Holy Knights Inspectorate. The sound was caused by an iron table crashing against the wall and shattering.
The table had collided with the wall because a Holy Knight had struck it. After all, only a Holy Knight could send such a heavy iron table flying.
So, why had the Holy Knight slammed the table?
The reason was simple: because of the person standing before him—no longer a Holy Knight, but once a woman among them.
She was a woman who had hidden a dark sorcerer, met with him in secret, and went as far as to defy the gods on his behalf.
"Say it again."
The Holy Knight, now serving as Joanna’s investigator for the Inspectorate, spoke each word deliberately, as if to make her repeat it.
Joanna obliged.
"I said it was the right thing to do."
Crack!
The instant those words left her lips, the Holy Knight reached out, seizing Joanna by the throat and slamming her back against the wall.
The impact resounded as cracks appeared in the wall. If the room hadn’t been built to withstand a Holy Knight’s strength, the wall might have collapsed completely.
“What are you saying? That it was the right thing to do?”
The Holy Knight’s voice came out low, like a growl from a furious beast about to bite.
"Are you saying that you, who turned a blind eye to a dark sorcerer, secretly met him, and stood by him to insult our god, were right?"
His grip tightened around Joanna’s white neck, cutting off her breath. Yet even in that dire moment, Joanna held firm to her conviction.
“I…was doing it…for the Archpriest… It was not…against the god…”
The Holy Knight’s hand tightened even further as he looked into Joanna’s eyes.
Surprisingly, her gaze was clearer than it had been during her days as a Holy Knight cadet.
As if to prove her resolve, Joanna continued to speak, unyielding.
“The Archpriest…and the god…are different… Do not equate the two…”
Her statement defied everything she had been taught as a Holy Knight. Betrayed and disappointed by the changed woman before him, the Holy Knight prepared to exert even more force on her neck—
—when suddenly, a gentle hand clasped his wrist.
The hand was frail compared to that of a Holy Knight blessed by divine power. It was the hand of a nun.
A woman who had sworn to dedicate her life to the god.
“...Sister Della?”
The Holy Knight, surprised, called her name.
Even though he didn’t know the names of all nuns, the one before him was an exception. After all, she was assigned as an attendant to Archpriest Roderick.
“What brings you here…?”
The Holy Knight stared at the nun, confused. This was the Holy Knights Inspectorate—a place nuns could enter only with permission and certainly not during an interrogation.
Glancing at the surveillance magic mirror, the Holy Knight searched for an answer. No doubt his colleagues observing through the mirror would shrug, indicating they knew nothing either.
The nun, reading his thoughts, spoke calmly.
“I came here on my own, so please don’t blame those outside.”
Contrary to her humble role of service and dedication, Della’s voice was surprisingly firm.
It was convincing enough that one would almost believe it without question. Yet before her stood a Holy Knight who had served in the Inspectorate for decades, taught countless Holy Knights, and protected the Holy See State.
Among them had been Joanna.
Thus, instead of easily accepting her words, he asked the nun to explain why she had come to the Inspectorate under such unusual circumstances.
“…Were you sent here by His Grace Archpriest Roderick?”
A straightforward but sensible question. If she said yes, he could simply contact the Archpriest and confirm it.
Lately, he’d noticed the nuns seemed to be overstepping their bounds. Given that the Pater Church entrusted them with difficult tasks, he understood, but it still seemed excessive.
Doubt had crept into his mind.
The nun responded.
“No, I came of my own will.”
Once again, the Holy Knight glanced at the magic mirror.
A nun had made her way here alone. Though she bore the Archpriest’s authority, it was improper for her to be here.
“However, I am here in the capacity of His Grace’s attendant.”
“Could you explain what you mean by that?”
“As attendants, we sometimes have to act on our own judgment. Sometimes, there are tasks that our superiors must not be aware of. This is one of those times.”
The Holy Knight understood.
In this world, there were necessary yet unsavory tasks. The Holy Knights Inspectorate was one such place.
“Could you be a bit more specific?”
“I apologize. I can only say that I came to confirm something with that person.”
The nun cast a glance at Joanna, who was still catching her breath.
The Holy Knight debated whether to grant the nun’s request.
Her request wasn’t particularly odd. While he wasn’t fully aware of the details, he understood that the matter was indeed sensitive.
The Archpriests had been conducting secret meetings for days.
Notably, the topic of discussion was a dark sorcerer known as “that being.”
A dark sorcerer who had killed the Pied Piper—a demon, perhaps even a harbinger of the end—and had for centuries been an outcast from the Pater Church.
While he couldn’t believe it without seeing it himself, the unsettling rumors and tension in the Holy See State made it seem more plausible.
Joanna’s treatment was one example...
Above all, Sister Della’s reasoning was persuasive.
For the sake of a sacred cause, sometimes one had to bear the dirt of the world. For her, as an attendant and nun, taking on such a role was not unusual.
Everyone in the Holy See State knew about the alliance between Archpriest Roderick and the sisterhood.
And many within the Holy Knights Inspectorate supported Roderick.
The Holy Knight himself was one of them.
In the end, he decided to grant her request.
It wasn’t strictly by the rules, but he judged it would be fine for a brief moment.
“Thank you. May I speak with her alone?”
She wished to speak privately, without anyone else present.
The Holy Knight agreed.
“Not for long.”
“That will be enough.”
“And please keep me informed about your discussion.”
“I promise.”
Satisfied with Sister Della’s assurance, the Holy Knight left the room, moving beyond the interrogation chamber and even past the wall of observers.
Leaving Joanna and Sister Della alone.
“It’s been a while, Knight.”
Sister Della greeted Joanna with a smile.
...
“It’s been a while, Sister.”
Recovering from being strangled and slammed into the wall, Joanna straightened herself and returned to her seat, though her legs trembled slightly from the lingering shock.
The nun noticed.
“Are you all right?”
Was she truly asking about her well-being?
Joanna thought so and replied.
“I’m fine, there’s no need to worry.”
“...”
“I’m just a bit tired, so please don’t mind it.”
“Then I am relieved. I thought you might be concerned about someone else.”
Joanna hesitated.
Though physically and mentally exhausted from prolonged questioning and her worries about Oliver, she was still sharp enough to detect the hidden jab in the nun’s words.
On high alert, Joanna couldn’t help but ask.
“Is this… a Good Knight-Bad Priest strategy?”
The Good Knight-Bad Priest strategy.
One of the interrogation techniques used by the Holy Knights. A stern Holy Knight would exhaust the subject with intense questioning, then a compassionate priest would comfort them, gaining their trust and coaxing information out.
Surprisingly effective, despite its predictability.
Sister Della smiled.
“It’s understandable you’d think that… But no, you need not worry. Besides, you know they wouldn’t use us for such tactics.”
The nun’s tone carried a hint of self-mockery, and Joanna couldn’t deny it.
Such tasks belonged to the priests and Holy Knights.
Nuns were assigned to serve and dedicate themselves.
An unspoken rule formed over the Pater Church’s long history.
Though no one explicitly commanded it, everyone followed that rule.
The priests guided from above,
The Holy Knights maintained order in the middle,
And the nuns served at the bottom.
“So, there’s no need to be on guard. In fact, part of why I’m here is out of my own curiosity.”
“...Curiosity?”
“Yes, curiosity about you, Joanna.”
Joanna studied the nun’s face. She didn’t seem to be lying.
She could only guess at the nun’s reasons, but thankfully, Della soon offered an explanation.
“You’re a woman who became a Holy Knight.”
“Oh…”
Joanna let out a quiet exclamation. That reason made sense.
“As you know, it’s rare for a woman to become a Holy Knight.”
“I won’t deny it.”
Joanna acknowledged the difficulty of becoming a Holy Knight as a woman.
It wasn’t impossible, but she had to be exceptionally talented and work even harder than most men.
Therefore, female Holy Knights were often seen as geniuses and highly regarded.
Just like Joanna.
“Yet the others mock you and grab you by the neck,” Della murmured, a trace of disapproval for the Holy Knights evident in her tone.
“Given his perspective, he has a reason to do so.”
“Oh, are you defending the person who threatened you?”
“It’s not defense, it’s understanding.”
“Understanding?”
“Yes, as you know, most Holy Knights are raised and trained from a young age to embody the ideals of a Holy Knight.”
Joanna explained the training that Holy Knights undergo.
As she said, Holy Knights were raised from a young age, selected by temple priests across the continent for their potential, and brought here to the Holy See State to undergo rigorous training. The process usually began as early as eight or nine, rarely past thirteen.
They were mere children, their values yet unformed. From then on, they endured strict—some would say harsh—training. Their bodies were tempered like steel, strengthened through relentless trials, all supported by the healing power of holy law. They were taught to endure pain, schooled in interrogation techniques, strategies, tactics, and proper conduct—all without a single day’s rest.
But above all, their education in mental discipline was rigorous.
A Holy Knight was to be a shield for humanity, a proud staff to uphold order, wielded by the Holy See to guide mankind in the god’s stead. These ideals were drilled into them every day from the moment they entered training until they finally became Holy Knights.
The training was so close to brainwashing that most Holy Knights never even realized it. Joanna herself might not have realized it had she not met Oliver.
“Why can’t we interpret the scriptures ourselves?”
“What is the purpose of faith if we can’t think and make our own judgments?”
“I’m returning these scriptures to you. I have no further need of them.”
Meeting Oliver had opened Joanna’s eyes, enabling her to recognize that the core beliefs of the Holy Knights, held up as a second form of faith, were in fact dictated solely by the Holy See.
Therefore, she could understand the actions of the Holy Knight who had grabbed her by the throat. To him, having the values of a Holy Knight, his secondary faith, challenged was akin to having his life’s purpose denied.
After all, Joanna had once felt the same.
“So I understand him. I used to feel the same way,” Joanna said.
The nun listened and then spoke.
“Yes, I can see what you mean. In fact, I once dreamed of becoming a Holy Knight myself.”
Joanna blinked, startled by the unexpected confession. The nun had wanted to be a Holy Knight?
“Of course, before I entered the Holy Knight Academy, it became clear I lacked the necessary aptitude, so I ended up in the convent. But I had no regrets. I was still able to serve the god, just in a different way.”
“An honorable path.”
“Yet because of that past, I find it hard to understand your choices. You had a rare opportunity as a woman to become a Holy Knight, but you risk losing it… for a dark sorcerer.”
“...That dark sorcerer fought the Pied Piper, risking his life to save children.”
Joanna recalled how Oliver had trembled with anxiety over the threat of the Pied Piper.
“Would you take a look at this?” he had said, holding up his trembling hand.
To her surprise, he had felt fear, a desire to flee. Yet he stayed. He prayed for courage and moved forward to face the Pied Piper—to save the children.
In return, he was met with nothing but violence, the horrified stares of the very children he had fought to protect, and ultimately, the worst outcome he’d feared.
Joanna’s mind echoed with the words of the demon from her past.
“You don’t even know who he truly is… Are you sure you can handle the truth?”
Images flashed in Joanna’s mind of the Burnt One who had revealed that truth.
She was flooded with a sorrow that was beyond words, overwhelmed by the cruelty of fate.
Oliver was merely born into this harsh destiny. Despite that, he still chose to help others.
And yet, when she saw Holy Knights like herself carelessly judge him, Joanna couldn’t bear it any longer.
Would it not be unbearably tragic if she, who had learned the truth from the demon himself, abandoned him as well?
“I know he did his best. I’ve been watching him since the airship incident. Still, was it truly the right thing to do? Surely, you understand the rules of the Pater Church,” Sister Della said gently.
Joanna gave her a silent nod.
She understood the absolute rules governing the Pater Church, rules founded on the god’s undeniable power.
Those rules shaped the unwavering devotion of the Holy Knights, upholding order in countless nations.
“Our dedication as nuns stems from the same power. The god’s tangible strength…” Della hesitated, then continued, “If you continue to resist, it may impact the children.”
Della’s words struck Joanna in a vulnerable place.
Her house had been reduced to ashes, yet her young siblings had survived and were still here in the Holy See State.
The Pater Church, which valued love, compassion, and forgiveness, had taken them in. But there was no guarantee they would continue to do so.
She recalled how the support funds for the Arkh Orphanage had been cut. And now, the situation was even more precarious—her siblings had no home or guardian left.
“If you cooperate, I will personally ensure the children are well cared for.”
“...So you came to persuade me,” Joanna said quietly.
Della nodded, returning to her main question. “Answer me. Were you controlled by that being’s dark magic?”
Joanna closed her eyes, one by one recalling the faces of her young siblings at the orphanage.
Though they shared no blood, they had been bound by the god’s will.
After thinking of each one, Joanna spoke.
“No, it was my own choice.”
“Are you certain?”
“I can no longer commit sin while using my siblings as an excuse. My decision is firm. If you have no further business here, please leave.”
Della chuckled softly.
It was a cold laugh. Joanna looked back at her, surprised, as Della’s satisfied smile spread.
“Well, that’s a relief. You seem so resolute.”
“...?”
“To be honest, my main reason for coming here wasn’t curiosity or persuasion.”
Screeech...
“Is your conversation not over yet?”
The Holy Knight re-entered, likely thinking the time was up.
Della didn’t look away from Joanna as she continued speaking.
“I came here for the god’s will.”
“Yes…?”
The Holy Knight and Joanna both reacted, though neither knew whose voice it was.
Della answered calmly, as if it didn’t matter.
“To welcome the true prince, as the god has commanded.”
Schwik━━!
At that moment, a sharp metallic sound tore through the air as a blade pierced through the Holy Knight’s back and emerged from his chest.
The blade was unmistakably one used by the Holy Knights.
The Holy Knight had stabbed his fellow Knight through the back.
“What… what is… ugh!!”
“Gah…”
“Stop! Are you insane?! What’s…!”
As the door opened wider, the sounds of clashing blades and panicked cries echoed through the room, followed by another Holy Knight being thrown against the wall.
Against the chaotic background, Sister Della rose and addressed Joanna.
“Let’s go, together. To meet the true prince.”