Chapter 304 – Retribution
A few hours before the large-scale strike march prepared by Leon began.
Jun led the (former) Resistance members to the imperial palace.
Is it because of the cold morning dew? Or is it because of the current situation that is so sudden?
The gang members were shaking their bodies the entire time they were walking down the street.
After some time, we arrived at the imperial palace…
“Now, pay attention!”
“Everyone, please line up in front of us.”
“For is going to feed the disobedient child honey chestnuts, so hurry!”
A saint and a hero, and I don’t know who they are, but a nun with beauty and nobility that rivals the previous two.
It was only after basking in the warm light emitted by the three people that the members of the organization were finally able to relax their anxiously cowering bodies.
The priests who were waiting nearby gave them each a cup of warm tea and carefully lined them up in front of the saint, warrior, and angel.
The young men in their prime, who had been circling around the three so beautiful people as if they were fascinated by their appearance, were the first to stand in front of the three.
The saint, the warrior, and the angel asked the three young men with solemn expressions.
Have you ever committed a serious crime such as murder, arson, or rape?
The young men trembled, but then shook their heads and said that they had never done anything like that.
The saint, the warrior, and the angel asked once again.
Then, have you ever directly assisted terrorism?
Two of them thought for a moment and nodded as if they had given up, while the other looked around and shook his head and said that he had never done anything like that.
Just as the two young men who nodded at him were about to say something to one of them,
“Woo! If you lie, it won’t work!”
The nun, who looked soft in many ways, hit one of them with her dainty fist.
At first glance, it seemed like a reward rather than a punishment,
Boom!
“Aaaaah!”
The reality was completely different.
A heartfelt scream rang out along with a very heavy sound.
The two young men and the gang members behind them thought as they looked at one person whose neck seemed to have been pushed inward.
Even if that nun looks soft in many ways, let’s not lie.
After reading that thought, Elysia nodded her head in satisfaction and pointed somewhere around her with her finger and spoke to the three young men.
“Everyone, please go there and be guided by them.”
“Hey, warrior. Do I really have to go there?”
A young man gathered his courage and asked a question, even though he was shaking his neck in fear of honey chestnuts flying in.
This is because I was very reluctant to go to the place the hero pointed out.
Of course, where the hero points…
Wiggle! Wiggle!
With a huge height of about 2 meters and muscles that wriggle as if they were alive,
Priests who were seriously suspected of being of giant blood were waiting for them.
Although they didn’t show any flashy blades or creepy murderous intent, for some reason they seemed more scary than the knife-wielding robbers in the eyes of the three young men.
“Is it so? Then, would you like to go over there and be guided by them?”
Click! Click! Snap!
“… No.”
The holy knights, clad in ferocious armor and with a crazy faith that looks as if they could easily cut down a few people, place their hands on their weapons as if to give it a try.
The three young men calmly headed to the place where the giant priests were.
“You go that way too.”
“Oh, yes. By the way, warrior. “I have one wish: that you would hold his hand just once.”
Boom!
“Two people over there. “Take this person with you.”
After that, about 30 gang members followed them.
For your information, they were also young people in their prime.
Rattling
After all the young people who were standing in the front row, fascinated by the appearance of saints, warriors, and angels, left, women, children, and the elderly began to appear one by one.
They shook their heads not only at the first question but also at the second question,
I nodded only after hearing the third and final question, ‘Did you indirectly assist terrorist activities?’
“Then, everyone, please go that way.”
The women, children, and the elderly, who were trembling and barely able to answer the questions, continued to look closely and headed toward the direction indicated by the warrior.
The pretty and handsome priests waiting there welcomed them with kind smiles.
As we were divided according to the answers, the members of the organization slowly began to understand the purpose of the questions.
The church would ask such questions in order to vary the punishment depending on the severity of the crime.
“Holy shit! Come here!”
Wow!
“Shut up! “Stay calm!”
A gang member who was anxiously watching took the female gang member next to him hostage.
I guess I’m doing it to get out of this situation.
Well, the method was good. It was good…
“You guys, this woman got hurt!”
“You just need to be quiet.”
Even if the opponent was bad, it was too bad.
Even before the hostage taker’s threats were over, a supernatural ability that caused various abnormalities poured into him.
The Holy Knights transported the hostage taker, who was suddenly unable to blink.
As if there’s no need to ask questions like you.
“As expected, not everyone was taken.”
“They probably tried to take him away. “That guy just didn’t follow.”
When Jun, who was watching the scene, said that, Paul next to him corrected his words.
Seeing that they were glaring harshly at the hostage taker as they were being dragged away, it seemed like they had a very bad relationship.
“I guess he’s a very bad guy, right?”
“That’s right. He joined the organization not for revolution but to enjoy terrorism. “I tried so many times to drive him out by causing trouble, but he failed every time because he found his own way to survive.”
“Are there similar guys among them?”
“Hmm. “I can see about five.”
After asking a nearby priest to point out the five people, Jun once again began examining the documents he had lifted with his third hand.
For reference, the identity of those documents is a friend’s memorial prepared by the Resistance.
A member of the resistance who was hiding his identity and working at the imperial palace kept it, so he had someone pick it up as soon as he arrived at the imperial palace.
As Paul said, there was no solid evidence, only a list and track record of the Demon King’s Church, but after a quick glance, it seemed very useful.
It would have been such a shame if I hadn’t seen it because it was incinerated.
The person who had run the errand did not show the Resistance token he had received from Paul and instead asked for proof, so the friend’s fee was almost incinerated by a member of the Resistance.
If I hadn’t checked the radar later, it would have just been incinerated.
“That…”
“If you want to ask something, please ask honestly. “I don’t like things being dragged out for no reason.”
When June said that, Paul stopped looking at him and asked him.
“I understand. Then I can ask. What punishment do you plan to impose on our members? “It’s shameful to say this, but everyone participated in the revolution for their own reasons, so the punishment should be mild…”
“There are not that many people in this world who commit crimes for no reason. Most people commit crimes for their own reasons. And you are terrorists. Even if there are unavoidable circumstances, aggravated punishment cannot be avoided.”
What would happen if we gave them a mild punishment?
If you’re not careful, you might say, “Huh? Even if you commit terrorism, the only punishment you get is that. Then, the mindset of “Should I try it too?” Was able to sprout in people’s consciousness.
No, it will definitely sprout.
Even in a very affluent society, there are bound to be people who are dissatisfied with that society.
“Once that consciousness sprouts, it almost never goes away. What would happen if a sprout that didn’t disappear grew? They will become terrorists like you. “The only way to prevent such a thing is to severely punish prophets like you so that they cannot even think about terrorism.”
With those words, Jun closed his mouth.
At the same time, an uncomfortable silence came.
“… Why on earth did you bring us here? Just do what you want and let them die.”
After a while, Paul broke the silence.
His words and gaze were full of resentment toward Jun.
Because it was a natural reaction, Jun did not make any excuses or offer comfort.
They just calmly recited the punishment they would have to endure in the future.
“Those who indirectly participated in terrorism will work in the religious order for the rest of their lives. And that too without even the slightest daily wage.”
“… What, what? What now…”
Paul couldn’t forget his words with his eyes wide open.
It’s worth it. How severe is the punishment?
Life imprisonment, which is reserved for the worst criminals, and not receiving fair compensation for one’s labor.
Is there any other punishment this cruel?
“I will provide food, clothing, and shelter here with minimal mercy.”
“That’s punishment? Just protecting them…”
“Next! Those who directly assisted terrorism. They also serve their entire lives under the care of the Order. That too in the labyrinth.”
The mortality rate in the Labyrinth-Demon Castle is still over 50 percent.
In other words, half of those who directly aided terrorism were sentenced to death.
I haven’t committed a serious crime like murder, arson, or rape, but I’m being sentenced to death.
There was no such aggravated punishment.
“It’s no different from just being an adventurer…”
“Next! Those who have committed serious crimes such as murder, arson, and rape. These are death sentences. And to set an example, they will be executed in front of the public.”
“That… Is a proper punishment.”
“What are you talking about? “Everything, including this, is proper punishment.”
Jun said that and left the place.
The punishment was so severe that I didn’t want to say anymore.
I heard “Thank you” Coming from behind, but I guess I was mistaken.
――――――
Approximately 4 hours later.
“It will be like this.”
“… I see.”
Jun once again spoke of what he thought was too severe a punishment.
To scare the foolish leader of a terrorist group.
