Thus, the turmoil within Herman finally came to an end.
With Chancellor Stisser and Queen Dowager Pamela arrested, and the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Legions simultaneously declaring loyalty to the Emperor, Herman quickly regained stability and entered a period of reconstruction.
But that did not mean the matter was over.
Herman was temporarily preoccupied with domestic political and economic rebuilding, yet news that Chancellor Stisser had slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Royal City residents and transformed them into flesh puppets spread across the entire continent!
When people saw footage of those fearless, pain-insensitive soldiers launching frenzied assaults—only to be crushed beneath the Inquisition's steel violence—everyone was shocked.
On one hand, they were shocked that Stisser had truly dared to commit such a monstrous act. On the other hand, they were equally shocked by the terrifying strength of the Inquisition. Anyone who saw the battlefield footage could conclude that if it had been their nation's army facing such an undead horde that feared neither death nor pain… they likely would have faced total annihilation.
From that perspective, it seemed the Inquisition had saved the world yet again…
But it wasn't over.
Because shortly after the news spread, the Inquisition made a shocking announcement—they believed Bishop Oz of the AL Church was connected to Stisser, and therefore demanded that Bishop Oz submit himself for investigation by the Inquisition!
If he refused to come, the Inquisition would capture him directly!
The announcement caused an uproar across the world.
Only then did people remember that the Inquisition's large-scale assault on Herman had originally stemmed from Chancellor Stisser cooperating with Bishop Oz to issue a warrant against the Inquisition!
If that were all, perhaps it would have been one thing. But now that Stisser had slaughtered the Royal City's residents and turned them into flesh puppets—such horrifying abominations—the situation was entirely different.
Many began instinctively suspecting whether the AL Church was somehow involved.
After all, Stisser was merely a chancellor. Where would he have obtained such technology?
But if that technology had come from the AL Church, then everything made sense!
Of course, this was merely a conspiracy theory circulating among the populace—but it suited many people's appetites. In the past, perhaps people would not have smeared the AL Church like this. But circumstances had changed.
In just a few short years, Lisas had collapsed under demon invasion. Then Sest had nearly been destroyed by a massive demon army. Now Herman had fallen into chaos. Each event had shaken the continent. Yet in every crisis, it was the Inquisition and Duanmu Huai who ultimately eliminated the demon lords and resolved the catastrophe.
What the hell had the AL Church done?
Of course, the world did not have only the AL Church; there was also the Hani Church. But the Hani Church worshiped bizarre, neurotic creatures called Hani—like the Flying Spaghetti Monster religion. No one expected faith in them to change anything. The issue was that the AL Church constantly proclaimed that Goddess Alice loved humanity and would save the world.
And that raised the question.
The Inquisition had always declared its mission to protect humanity and defeat all threats to it—and they had indeed done exactly that.
But… what about the AL Church?
In just a few years, so many nations had faced crises. Why had the AL Church seemed like a corpse?
Of course, it wasn't that AL bishops had done nothing. But their efforts largely consisted of treating the wounded and preaching. They had not done anything that could be said to have saved the world.
Without comparison, their contributions might have seemed adequate.
But without comparison, there is no harm.
Once compared, the harm appears.
The AL Church wanted to accuse the Inquisition of slander. Unfortunately, the existence of the flesh puppets had been witnessed by all. Generals from Lisas and Sest, as well as Emperor Shira of Herman, had vouched for it with their honor. Under such circumstances, the AL Church found itself unable to argue.
And in truth, they were not entirely innocent!
Ordinary believers did not know, but the upper echelons of the AL Church had long been collecting technologies or artifacts around the world that they believed might disrupt the world's balance. Without the knowledge of various nations' leaders, they had secretly removed numerous technologies that could have dramatically advanced entire civilizations.
As one of the candidates for High Pontiff, Bishop Oz had certainly engaged in such work. If he had possessed flesh puppet technology and passed it to Stisser…
Well, in the eyes of his colleagues, that was not entirely impossible.
"I told you, it has nothing to do with me!!"
Inside the audience chamber beneath the AL Cathedral, Bishop Oz stood red-faced, glaring at the others and shouting.
"I had no idea Stisser possessed such technology! If I had known, I would have confiscated it!"
At this moment, Bishop Oz truly had been driven into a corner.
Among the four candidates for High Pontiff—including himself—Oz had originally been the most likely to win. Of the other three, one was merely the former High Pontiff's daughter, elevated through nepotism. Another was a madman obsessed only with Goddess Alice and nothing else. The last, though over a hundred years old, had repeatedly failed in prior elections—clearly a perpetual runner-up.
Because of this, Oz had enjoyed the highest prestige and the most supporters within the AL Church.
But once the flesh puppet incident emerged, many quickly distanced themselves from him.
Faced with Oz's defense, however, the others remained unmoved.
"It's meaningless, Bishop Oz."
The elderly man seated in a wheelchair—twice Oz's age—grinned coldly.
"You should understand that if you leaked such technology to Herman, it was your dereliction of duty. And if you failed to discover that Herman possessed technology capable of disrupting world balance and did not confiscate it, that too was your dereliction of duty."
"...…"
Oz was furious but speechless. As the old man had said, whether the flesh puppet technology was connected to him or not, it was still his failure.
However…
"You call it dereliction of duty—aren't all of you just as guilty? The Inquisition is right there. For so long, which of you has taken action against them or that Inquisitor? Sealed him or confiscated him? Isn't the Inquisition the greatest force disrupting balance on this continent? My plan failed, yes—but at least I tried! What about you?!"
"...…"
His words plunged the hall into an awkward silence.
Indeed, as Oz had said, at least he had attempted to deal with the Inquisition. The other three… whenever it came to the Inquisition, they had basically done nothing.
By AL Church standards, all four were derelict—but Oz might at least earn an "Effort Award." The others wouldn't even qualify for a "Participation Trophy."
"This is not the issue right now."
The old man coughed, brushing aside the uncomfortable topic.
"The problem now is that the number of AL believers is steadily declining. We must find a way to reverse this trend!"
As he said, compared to earlier concerns, this one concerned the AL Church's very survival.
After the events in Lisas and Sest, AL's believers had already decreased significantly. The Church had attempted to repair its image. But because of Oz, Duanmu Huai had chosen to confront the AL Church head-on—beginning missionary work directly in both nations.
And the Inquisition's methods were different.
They did not build cathedrals like the AL Church. Instead, they placed statues of the Inquisition in public squares. At most, a few soldiers maintained order. Anyone could approach to pray—no fees required. It was even said that these statues could cure diseases, especially difficult ones. After prayer, they would be healed.
Birth, aging, sickness, and death are eternal human realities. The ability to cure illness is an immense advantage.
Unlike the AL Church, which required summoning priests and paying fees—sometimes even additional compensation—the Inquisition required only that one visit a public square, pray before a skull-and-hammer statue, mutter a few sincere words, and then feel warmth spread through the body as illness vanished!
Simple and convenient. Wasn't that better?
AL priests charged money and sometimes demanded more. The Inquisition, by contrast, asked only for a few prayers—utterly indifferent to what one gave in return. It was almost a "Believe if you want, it's free anyway" attitude.
As a result, many commoners became believers of the Inquisition. The cures were fast and immediate. Combined with no fees and a take-it-or-leave-it attitude, it gained immense popularity—not only among commoners, but even among nobles.
The wealthy might have money, but they did not enjoy owing favors. Rather than owe the AL Church, they preferred this method. Even donating to repair an Inquisition shrine was better than bowing their heads to beg.
In the past, they had no choice.
Now they wanted to be good people!
Of course, whether that was truly their mindset was another matter.
Regardless, the AL Church was now in serious trouble.
Fewer believers. Fewer donations. After the Herman incident, nations began suppressing the AL Church out of suspicion.
Their original foundation had been the common people. But after Lisas, Sest, and Herman, public trust in those three great nations—including the Free Cities Alliance—had collapsed.
When demons invaded, it was the Inquisition who saved them.
As for Herman—the AL Church had even colluded with Chancellor Stisser to oppress them!
Under such circumstances…
Boom!!
Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the chamber, startling everyone.
"What happened?! What's going on?!"
Bishop Oz leapt up in alarm. Before he could react further, a thunderous crash erupted as the tightly shut doors were blasted open. A fully armed AL holy knight was hurled inside, smashing into the wall.
Then, a towering and terrifying figure strode into the audience chamber.
"Y-You—you—!"
"You're Bishop Oz, I presume."
Duanmu Huai stared coldly at the pale-faced middle-aged man and walked straight toward him.
"Since you don't dare come out, I've come to you. In the name of the Inquisition, I pass judgment upon you. Die. Your soul will burn in the flames and be reduced to nothingness!"
As he spoke, Duanmu Huai reached out, grabbed Oz's head, and twisted violently.
With a sickening snap, Oz's head came off like the cap of a plastic water bottle—ripped cleanly from his body!
"D-Devil—!!"
The old man in the wheelchair screamed, clutching his chest. His eyes rolled back, and before Duanmu Huai's aura of terror, he died on the spot.
"In the name of Goddess Alice—!!"
At the same time, a bald priest clutching a doll of the Goddess leapt toward Duanmu Huai.
"I will destroy you, blasphem—!"
Before he could finish, Duanmu Huai backhanded him across the face. The bald man spun fifteen and a half rotations in midair before crashing to the ground like a discarded rag, lifeless.
"Hmph. Trash."
Duanmu Huai shook his hand and looked at the last remaining small figure.
"Do you intend to stop me as well?"
"You came here—what exactly do you want?"
The girl in a hat, ordinary in appearance, stared at Duanmu Huai and spoke without emotion.
"Very simple. I came to find Goddess Alice. I originally intended to ask you how to find her—but now…"
Black flames ignited in his hand. He thrust it forward and tore through space itself.
"That's no longer necessary!"
In the next instant, the space of the audience chamber was ripped open.
At the same time, a woman with golden hair, three pairs of wings, radiant holiness, and a golden scepter appeared before Duanmu Huai.
"You should not have done this, god from another world."
She looked at him coldly.
"What is it that you seek?"
"Very simple."
Duanmu Huai clenched his fist and stared at Goddess Alice.
"Take me to meet the Creator God. I will spare your life."
"…And if I refuse?"
"Refuse?"
Duanmu Huai bared a savage, ferocious grin.
"Before the Inquisition, you have no right to refuse!!"
Before his words had even finished, Duanmu Huai leapt forward, lunging straight at Goddess Alice!
(End of Chapter)