A seat for the Archbishop was prepared in the center of the square. The high-backed chair was clearly the seat of honor, arousing the townspeople’s curiosity.

It seemed unlike their usual ruler, Aaron, who was not accustomed to displaying his authority.

“Everyone, show respect to His Excellency the Archbishop!”

The murmuring immediately subsided at the booming voice announcing the Archbishop’s arrival.

Footsteps echoed through the air filled with silence.

Last time, the Pope himself had visited Tudra, and now the Archbishop, who managed and supervised the capital’s temple, had arrived.

He must be here to personally inspect the Tudra parish, suggesting that the series of incidents surrounding the priest were quite serious.

The Archbishop took his seat as he observed the people’s expressions hardening.

Soon, Aaron and his knights appeared, bringing the priest with them.

Upon seeing the Archbishop, his lifeline, the priest immediately shouted, forgetting all dignity.

“Your Excellency! Save me! Please clear my false charges and punish these barbaric people!”

“My threat to tear your mouth is still valid.”

When Aaron leaned close and whispered, the priest’s loud pleas abruptly stopped.

Though annoyed by the priest who had abandoned his conscience, Aaron refrained from further scolding him, anticipating the interesting events ahead.

Aaron positioned the priest in front of the Archbishop.

The crowd’s piercing stares converged on one spot as they formed a circle around them.

Disliking the atmosphere that resembled an interrogation of a criminal, the Archbishop raised his eyes fiercely.

“What exactly are you trying to do?”

“I brought you here to witness the process of rooting out corruption.”

“Corr…uption?”

The old man’s eyes flashed dangerously, but Aaron paid no attention as he crossed his arms casually. Then he raised the corner of his mouth toward the priest who was looking at him in disbelief.

“Let me recite the charges. First, when the Mrangel people attacked, he abandoned the townspeople and escaped alone to the prayer room. Second, he failed to properly verify the identity of a volunteer, causing a loss to our military strength. Third, he stole military supplies for personal gain.”

The murmuring grew louder with each enumeration.

The first charge alone had earned him resentment. The fact that he had fled to save himself rather than help the townspeople had been discussed repeatedly until now.

To think he had committed such despicable acts even during military service—stoning him to death would hardly be enough.

As the crowd’s mood turned hostile, the priest looked around anxiously and hastily offered excuses.

“I went to the prayer room to pray to God to save the townspeople! I was fulfilling my duty—how is that a crime? And how could I possibly identify an infiltrator who was deliberately planted? Your Excellency! Please consider my circumstances!”

“You’ve lived quite a comfortable life.”

Aaron scratched his forehead and sneered.

He felt like sealing the priest’s mouth with wax as he babbled whatever he wanted.

“You repeated in the military camp what you did in the estate. When an assassin appeared, you abandoned the wounded and fled alone. And you took expensive medicines with you. Is that the duty of a clergyman?”

“That’s…”

“Furthermore!”

Aaron, whose anger was gradually building, stepped forward.

Exuding an eerie aura that overflowed with authority, he circled the priest once.

Unhurried steps but unforgiving eyes.

His gray eyes clearly revealed his impatience to execute judgment immediately.

The priest visibly shrank amid the anxiety caused by this dissonance.

“There’s one more crime. Priest, you were in league with the kidnapper, weren’t you?”

“K-k-kidnapper? Speak clearly!”

“Sister Mannea kidnapped my wife and injured her. If I hadn’t arrived in time, she might have lost her life.”

The townspeople, who had only seen the nun’s benevolent side, were shocked.

Some shook their heads in disbelief, while others gasped with their mouths open.

“I clearly explained that Sister Mannea had nothing to do with me. Didn’t you yourself say it was personal revenge stemming from her grudge against Marquis Teneri? What is your purpose in bringing this up again in front of everyone?”

“Let’s say it’s to remind you of your incompetence in properly managing everyone from volunteers to nuns.”

“I’m not God—how could I know everything about everyone! Baron, stop these absurd accusations immediately!”

He shouted angrily, emboldened by the presence of the Archbishop and the Holy Knights.

Aaron smirked, knowing that regardless, the priest remained guilty.

He wanted to delve deeper into the matter, but suppressed his desire due to the lack of evidence.

It was clear that the priest had opened the way for the Mrangel people to enter Tudra. However, he hadn’t secured material evidence for that yet.

Therefore, he intended to apply military law to the crimes already committed and settle the matter.

At Aaron’s signal, Rombon escorted Lucilia, who had been waiting behind the knights, to the front.

Lucilia placed her right hand on her chest and bent her knee in respect to the Archbishop.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“Hmm! Indeed.”

He pretended not to care and turned his head away. While it appeared to be contempt for a witch, Lucilia knew better.

His behavior, seemingly reluctant to associate with a witch, was a calculated act. He was nothing but a swindler who had conspired with the Pope to make an innocent saint the seed of discord.

Having resolved not to live in silence anymore, she was ready to show courage.

Lucilia turned her back on the Archbishop and faced the townspeople.

“I agree with what the Baron has said. We cannot entrust our souls to someone who disregarded the townspeople and the wounded.”

Her eyes, tinged with the soft light of the evening glow, turned toward the priest.

After steadying her breath, Lucilia questioned him with a rather firm voice.

“You asked how you could possibly identify an infiltrator? No, you should have vouched for the volunteers’ identities at the temple. That was your job, Father. Do you know how many Caldman soldiers died because of your negligence?”

“I knew nothing about it!”

As he continued to deny everything, the Archbishop raised his hand. He refuted in an arrogant tone, as if he were a judge.

“The Baroness is making one-sided accusations against the priest. As a member of the Baron’s family, her testimony lacks credibility.”

The Archbishop pronounced each syllable slowly.

Then, as if there was nothing more to hear, he clicked his tongue irritably and stood up.

“If there are any crimes, the Papal Council will investigate thoroughly and punish accordingly. Priest Michael, let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

As the priest smirked and strutted arrogantly, the thoroughly angered townspeople rose up all at once.

Everyone, without exception, added their voices despite their fear.

“There’s a witness! He deserted the battlefield with medical supplies, blinded by greed!”

“That’s right. The woman who was a volunteer has already confessed!”

“I heard it clearly too! She said she sold the medicines on the priest’s orders. Father, you cannot leave like this!”

Once voices began to rise, they spread like wildfire. Eventually, even those who had been observing joined in to protest vehemently.

This was why Aaron had instructed Ension to spread rumors about the priest beforehand.

“Father, you recognized that woman too. Say something!”

“Please, Baron, bring that volunteer woman as a witness right now!”

“I heard she’s being held in the dungeon under the lord’s mansion. Please bring her here, will you?”

As Aaron fixed his gaze somewhere, a woman slowly walked forward from among the crowd.

“I…”

Her voice trembled so finely that she could barely pronounce the words, but it was enough to draw everyone’s attention.

“Before the Baron left for war, he came to the market with the Baroness. At that time… I tried to harm the Baroness.”

The woman carefully touched her belly, which she had once pretended was full-term.

Lucilia smiled inwardly with satisfaction. At the time, the woman had genuinely resented her, so she hadn’t appeared to be brainwashed.

She had told Aaron about this, and thanks to his efforts, they had been able to uncover who was behind it.

People who had actually witnessed the incident recognized the woman and frowned. They were on edge, wondering what harm she intended to cause by coming here.

Though the threatening atmosphere might have silenced her, the woman continued speaking composedly.

“At that time, I believed my baby had died because the witch had cursed me. Someone encouraged me to believe that.”

It was easy to deduce that the villain was the priest.

Sharp gazes flew simultaneously and fixed upon the priest.