Hero’s Downfall Report

30 – Devotion to the Sword (5)

The sword is a weapon that protects oneself and harms others. To voluntarily lay down such a tool and step back means not only refraining from harming others, but also giving up defense for oneself.

“I surrender myself to you.”

The devotion to the sword contained deep respect, admiration, reverence, and worship. That’s why no matter how much of an emperor, general, or noble one may be, devotion to the sword couldn’t be imposed lightly. Obedience and respect were enough with a pledge of loyalty.

The very ceremony itself took place in a highly dramatic setting. The case that King Ioannis II received from his own mother, Nikki Brien, is particularly famous.

But even that falls infinitely short when compared to the praises received by the Seven Heroes from all over the world.

* * * * *

The statues of the Seven Heroes stand in the center of a park, in the middle of a field.

The statues were massive, adorned with all kinds of precious metals and jewels, shimmering with sacred fire.

However, this splendor served merely as a tool to emphasize the greatness of the heroes. The sculptors knew exactly what they were revealing and what they should lay bare.

Thus, even from a distance, Cain could recognize the chaste paladin, William.

Clad in full armor, wearing the emblem of the Order of Mercy on his tunic, gripping a mace in both hands, he stood solemnly.

He was helmetless, but the shining diadem on his head was the device that revealed why he was a paladin.

The statues were erected on a gentle slope, and countless swords were thrust into the ground.

Imperial swords, heretical scimitars, rapiers from the Eastern and Southern Kingdoms, daggers, broken swords, and even halberds and spears, axes, tridents, and staves.

They had been in the ground for over a decade, but they still gleamed like new. No one had been specifically tending to them. Those swords knew how to kindle the sacred fire themselves.

As Cain approached the statues, he watched flames shooting up from a broken wooden staff, consuming impurities without leaving a trace.

“Is there a god? Do miracles exist? If you have doubts, come to the Park of Sword’s Reverence. See. Abandon your doubts. Go back with certainty.”

Around the statues, people prostrated themselves, kneeling in prayer. There were those who wailed, those who sobbed, those who tore their clothes, and even those who scattered gold coins into the air.

But no one paid attention to anyone else. Those here were people who had come a long way to soothe the burden of their heavy conscience. The pain and suffering they carried were too great, making it difficult even to lay down their grievances.

They were all just reciting their soliloquies in a crowd. Yet, people found solace in this place. What they wanted was not a listening ear but a place to speak their hearts openly and loudly.

Not in a lonely room alone but under the open sky, on solid ground, in the presence of the Seven Heroes, holy fire, miracles, and the scene itself—a sacred place where they could utter their monologues.

Just to say those words, they had come from afar. From every corner of the world.

That alone gave meaning to their journey, and the murmurs imbued with meaning became sacred and reverent self-confessions.

Cain and Lily were sitting on a bench in the shade of a tree, a little away from the scene of enthusiasm.

In this vast and glorious sanctuary, filled with families sharing lunch, pilgrims catching their breath, and devout individuals nodding off from exhaustion, they were the only ones who couldn’t even muster a smile.

There was no room for laughter. They couldn’t be happy without any hindrance. Pure joy was no longer attainable.

Once you know, you can’t live as if you didn’t. You can close your eyes and plug your ears, pretending not to know, but it’s just fleeting deception.

“I feel strange,” Lily said, her tone subdued.

“Me too,” Cain replied.

A chuckle escaped. Cain looked at Lily and felt relieved to see her faintly smiling.

But it bothered him that Lily kept touching her shoulder and neck. Since being caught in the web of the tongue, she had developed the habit of constantly wiping that area.

Cain thought about saying something, but decided against it, fearing it would sound like nagging. Instead, he expressed his own feelings.

“That statue standing over there is clearly a hero of the world. What we saw… no. Even before that monstrous appearance, it was far from the image that Father Haspel described as purity.

But the people standing there, crying and laughing and confessing their sins. They have no idea about that. If we reveal the truth, what will happen to them? When I think about it…”

Just what Cain and Lily have seen so far is enough to tear this sanctuary apart. If the secret buried by Father Haspel is revealed, the faith of those countless people will shatter into pieces.

Lily seemed to be thinking the same thing. She leaned her shoulder against him quietly. Cain somehow found her gesture pitiful. Like a bird resting on a slender branch…

“No.”

Cain shook his head. He didn’t want to deceive himself even in this sanctuary.

“I just want to lean on something, anything.”

He took a deep breath and cleared his mind.

This is just a distraction. He can’t let his guard down. He is about to meet Heinrich, the interrogator. Even though he was recommended by Father Haspel, that’s Haspel’s perspective, not Cain’s.

I must regain consciousness. My judgment must not be clouded. My emotions must not become my attitude. Cain repeated the words two, three times.

And so, I could quite gracefully listen to Lily’s words, which were honest and delicate.

“When I first came to the Security Bureau, I just vaguely thought that I would do something good. I even had childish thoughts of illuminating the darkness and establishing justice.

But… I didn’t expect it to be like this. I didn’t know it would be this deep and wide. Even I feel fear at not being able to be free.”

Lily let out a quiet sigh.

“I didn’t know either. But one thing is certain.”

“What is it?”

“It’s not going to be a particularly pleasant story.”

“I want to hear it.”

“This is not the end.”

Lily fell silent. Cain soliloquized while looking at the seven statues. Like those who howl in front of them, but much more quietly. Only secretly audible to Lily.

“It’s not the end. The more you know, the more you unravel, the things you believed to be beautiful and ideal gradually shatter little by little. Wow. Even at this point, it’s amazing that I’ve come this far… But still, I can’t stop. I can’t stop. Because it’s our job to uncover even the things we don’t want to know, the things that no one tells us.”

Lily’s hand fumbled and found Cain’s hand. Cain gently held her hand. The wandering hand quiets down with relief and holds its breath in silence.

“But still, something. It will get better. It will get better… I came this far thinking that. But. At some point. I felt like I was running in the air.”

“When did I have such thoughts.”

There were too many times when such thoughts occurred. When I fought with assassins and risked my life. When I lurked in the alley in the drizzling rain. When I was beaten up and thrown into a ditch, looking down and having a snow fight with the sky, which seemed to be mocking me…

Cain picked up the words he had said every time.

“What am I doing? I’m here, sacrificing my life. But the world doesn’t change. What meaning does what I do have?”

A silence of about ten breaths.

Lily clasped her hands together, turning her palms up and interlocking her fingers with Cain’s, as if embracing his hand, as if wanting to reach deeper, even a little closer.

“I… I know this might be going off-topic, but…”

“What is it?”

“Could it be that we could mean something to each other?”

Cain couldn’t find the words to respond. He couldn’t look into Lily’s eyes directly, fearing he might fall in if he did, fearing he might get consumed by the fiery blossoms.

“Just thinking about it as looking out for the person in front of me, as colleagues. Isn’t that enough?”

The wind chose an inopportune moment to blow. It wasn’t a strong wind, but it was enough to scatter petals and carry the fragrance far away.

Still, there was a silver lining. Pretending something had entered his eye, he could blink it away. And it was easy to come up with a witty joke.

“You sound just like Director Bernice.”

Lily withdrew her hand from Cain’s and lightly pinched his knuckles.

“Starting to dislike me?”

“No joke. She used to say that a lot. ‘Hey, you guys! We’re family, family! Families can fight, tear each other apart, even stab each other in the back, but at the end of the day, we’re still family!’ She used to say that like a broken record.

And she really meant it. You’ve seen me joking with her, right? When I was a rookie, she personally trained me.”

“Really?” Lily laughed, covering her mouth. “I couldn’t have imagined.”

“Well, she had her moments. Maybe it’s age, or maybe she was always like that. I also learned from Director Bernice that we should treat each other like family. Oh, by the way, the Blumberg Twins Corporation, the one Bum and Bom established? I know about it just in case we might need it later.”

“What?” Lily seemed genuinely surprised, but it was still too early to be shocked.

“And the story I told the monk earlier. That’s a real business going on. It’s a company operated by the Security Bureau, so they’re definitely doing well in at least one job. There are some businesses like that, you know? If not, where would they get the money?”

“Wow. So, these clothes too…”

Lily looked down at her glamorous outfit.

“This might be a business in the southern branch. Fabrics and jewelry, I suppose. I may have spoken too negatively, but getting to know things isn’t always gloomy and sad. Sometimes you come across interesting and surprising little things. Well, if there aren’t such things…”

‘Cain couldn’t last long.’ Cain couldn’t finish his sentence. What couldn’t last long was either the world or himself.

But he didn’t want to bring up that story again. It was becoming ridiculous, and besides, it would make Lily sad.

“Let’s get up. It’s time.”

The two got up and straightened their positions. Lily quietly embraced Cain’s arm. Now, they looked like a couple leaving the park after receiving comfort and solace.

“Um, just a thought I had.”

“Yeah?”

“If you can’t erase sad and painful memories…”

“Yeah.”

“What about putting on something good? I think it’s fair. Maybe, it’s not too late yet… Isn’t it possible, as the professor said, that there are still opportunities to grasp happiness?”

Instead of answering, Cain stared at the ground. He couldn’t say that he had caught and let go, and therefore, he had neither the courage nor the strength to catch again. Lily’s voice sagged again.

“I’m sorry.”

It’s a misunderstanding. It’s not Lily’s fault. This needs to be corrected.

“No. Thank you. For saying that.”

‘But I feel like I’ve come too far.’ Cain couldn’t figure out how to express that feeling.

Similarly, he didn’t know how to explain that one person couldn’t become meaningful to another. He couldn’t talk about the sadness of the meaning left behind when a person leaves.

– Run away, Kairos.

This time, the words of the shadow felt refreshing. So, Cain turned to speak again.

“Big. That outfit. Suits you well. Beautiful.”

“Bea…!”

Lily’s cheeks turned crimson, even her earlobes. But as if it was nothing special, she raised her chin slightly, saying, “Well, big,” and extended her shoulders, pushing her chest forward.

“Of course, you’d say that, right? I, I’m a pretty woman when I dress up in my own way.”

Not even five steps later, her audacity seemed to shrink.

“But, um, do I look a bit chubby? Shoulders seem too broad, and my figure looks too big and blunt. Actually, I’ve never worn such fancy clothes before, and it’s a bit overwhelming…”

Well, during his time in the knighthood, there wouldn’t have been occasions to wear such clothes. When he attended the academy, he probably couldn’t afford such luxurious clothes, and in the security bureau, he must have worn plain clothes.

“Huh? Not at all. You don’t hide your height, right? So, it’s better to just boldly reveal it like now. It’s more stylish to be glamorous and confident without wrinkles. And it suits you better.”

Lily swept her blonde hair to the side of her ear in one go. Fair, long, and slender neck and shoulders were exposed. The razor-sharp blade that had been concealed by constant irritation was also revealed. Cain felt uneasy inside.

“Speaking of which, the red fabric and yellow silk embroidery seem to go well together.”

The golden hair covering the gleaming scars. Cain intentionally smiled brightly.

“Really? It was a combination I hadn’t thought of.”

“Yes. I’d like to lock you up in a high tower prison just like this.”

Cain hastily looked around. Fortunately, no one passing by seemed to find anything strange. It must have looked like an utterly ordinary conversation between a couple.

“…Why does it naturally lead to that conclusion?”

“Because I want to keep you all to myself.”

“I didn’t say that for you to take it seriously. It’s not a joke.”

“I didn’t say it for you to laugh. It’s not a joke.”

Feeling a chill down his spine, Cain briskly walked away.

Lily twisted her lips into a smile, too bright to be captured in a photograph.

* * * * *

The two entered the Religious Tribunal building.

All weapons had to be surrendered, and there was even a clothing inspection. This was due to the bandits who would sneak in with concealed weapons. Cain and Lily had no trouble, having left their weapons beforehand.

Only the staff seemed a bit uneasy about Lily’s staff, but after some explanation about a sprained ankle causing discomfort, they moved on with a warning not to use it as a weapon.

The monk at the information desk did an overly thorough job, allowing Cain and Lily to secure seats in the front row near the corridor of the viewing room.

The Chief Justice, secretary, guards, inquisitors in red robes, and the plaintiff and defendant entered.

After a lengthy and complex greeting and a prayer dedicated to the double-headed eagle, the secretary explained about the plaintiff and defendant.

Seated at the plaintiff’s table was a sharp-looking man. A long and elaborate title followed, but the conclusion was that he was a wealthy earl without a territory.

Next to him was a priest who seemed to have stretched the title of the earl a bit longer, described as the earl’s half-brother.

The defendant, seated at the defendant’s table, was a woman dressed in black. Still young and attractive, with a hint of wrinkles around her eyes, she was a confident person and also the earl’s sister-in-law.

So, the earl accused his own sister-in-law of being a witch.