Fallen Apostle Volume Two Chapter Three: Anti-Climax (1)

"We have gathered here today to ensure that the sanctity of Her Holiness Yves is upheld. As a shield that our Goddess has chosen, an Apostle's duty is to serve and protect. The goodwill and happiness of the people will always be the priority of Her Holiness and a shield that cannot perform its duty must be severed.

"We live in service of the Halo that protects us all."

Father Barat bowed his head in solemn prayer.

"I beseech Your Holiness to Bless me with the wisdom to pass fair and accurate judgment. The trial of Level 1 Missionary Leonidas will now begin."

Father Barat raised his head, his pious devotion receding in favor of his usual stern expression.

"Apostle Leonidas, you are accused of being responsible for the deaths of three of Her Holiness' subjects. House Lady Beccerth, as well as Butler Lacroix and Bennett under the charge of Sir Gauteron, all have deaths tied to you.

"What do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

Leonidas responded, his deep voice resonating through the Sub-Shrine. He didn't waver, nor did he hesitate.

It was clear that he was either quite confident in his innocence, or he was just very good at lying.

There was a slight shift to the atmosphere after Leonidas spoke. The several gazes that had been trained on him from the very beginning turned fierier.

There likely would have been an outburst already if the Apostles weren't reined in by the lingering presence of Goddess Yves.

"Lying before the altar of Goddess Yves is punishable by death. Not just any death, but Death by Purification. Are you certain?"

Leonidas' gaze narrowed. Father Barat hadn't stepped out of line and was still following his duty. However, the framing of his words seemed tinged with the smallest hint of bias. It wasn't something that Leonidas would miss with Scholar's Eye still activated.

Coming to this conclusion, his mind began to spin, digging through the information he had on hand. He didn't quite know why Father Barat would be against him.

The position of Father was very special. They held no real power, but they were ultimately the freest. Even Deacon Bruthers couldn't easily deal with Father Barat if he wanted.

Being a Father meant one was tasked with being a representative of the people and also a bridge to Blessings. It was the only position not chosen based on merit or strength, but rather on true Faith.

This was to say that if Father Barat was biased against Leonidas, it was unlikely to be due to his being bribed by the Rardin family. In this case, it meant that Father Barat had compelling evidence on hand that had swayed him in one direction already.

Death by Purification was the Apostle equivalent of Death by Fire. The Blessings bestowed to you by your God would burn you alive, shredding you apart from the inside.

It was the absolute worst punishment possible and was usually only used when an Apostle betrayed their God. To emphasize this now, Father Barat was drawing an obvious line in the sand.

"I am certain," Leonidas said coolly.

Something in Leonidas' mind suddenly clicked. A puzzle piece that he had been missing fell into place and many things he hadn't understood before now revealed themselves with added clarity.

He met Father Barat's gaze, unmoved and unbothered. A certain underlying pressure originating from War Cry laced his words.

And, although the pressure of this Sub-Shrine, not to mention the chains that bound him, suppressed this to nothing, it still had the effect of making Leonidas' words feel more forceful.

Father Barat's expression didn't waver. He met Leonidas' gaze for a moment before reaching down and unfurling a scroll.

"248 days ago, Sir Gauteron Rardin, Knight of the Rardin family and handler of many of their smithy businesses, swears under Oath of Purification that he assigned two of his butlers to the task of overseeing your escort off of his property.

"His testimony describes a failure on your part as an active Squire, details of which do not matter. In this failure, you lost the favor of Sir Gauteron and were thus cast from his lands and were given time to remove your mother's grave.

"To ensure that you complied, Sir Gauteron sent his two servants to investigate and handle the matter. Sir Gauteron testifies to the fact that he never saw Lacroix or Bennett after issuing this command.

"Do you have anything to refute about these statements?"

Leonidas, who had had his eyes locked onto Father Barat from the very beginning, listened to these matters calmly as though they weren't reiterating the lowest point in his life. Even hearing Gauteron's testimony didn't make him quiver in the slightest. He had debts that he had yet to collect, and before he left this town, he would be certain to collect them all.

"There's nothing worth refuting," Leonidas replied.

Gauteron's statement didn't accuse him of anything because it couldn't, it was entirely circumstantial. Being defensive here would only make him look bad. Gauteron had been careful not to mention the three-day limit he had given Leonidas and had worded his actions in a manner that protected him from having to tell lies that could be refuted.

Leonidas could already imagine what Father Barat would say next. And as expected, he wasn't disappointed.

"Let the record show that Missionary Leonidas has not refuted the claims of Sir Gauteron."

The atmosphere shifted once more. The likes of Apostle Maw and Milon edged to the front of their seats almost as though they could see their trap closing in.

They had never imagined that they could use this method to deal with Leonidas. But it wasn't until just two days ago that Gauteron came to them with this information, hoping to make a contribution.

Gauteron had spent the last half year sitting on pins and needles, knowing that there would likely come a day when he would have to pay for his actions.

He never bothered to tell his family, although he had a connection with the Rardins, because if one had to choose between offending an Apostle and a Knight, the choice was obvious.

Gauteron might have been a Knight, but in truth his only worth to the family was in his business acumen and savvy, something that could be replaced much more easily.

Due to his low standing, he didn't understand enough about the dynamics between Apostles to know that the moment Leonidas had become an Apostle, he already sat opposing the Rardins. If he had known this, he would have taken action long ago!

Now he had been given his chance. Not only would he get rid of this looming fear that had weighed on his heart for months, but he would also gain great rewards from the family. He couldn't lose.

"On that very night, 248 days ago, there were many witnesses to your state of being. There are reports of a ragged half-beast man, covered in dirt and grime, and covered in what seemed to be dried blood. These reports also speak of a large, wrapped package on your back, one you've never allowed anyone to see within.

"Do you have anything to refute about these statements?"

"No," Leonidas replied.