"Why... why did you do this? I need a reason not to kill you."
"The reason is that we can meet the great one. We can kill them."
"All our weapons are gone. How are we supposed to kill the great one?"
"I'm here. I think I can do it."
Grenadier 19 sighed and stopped struggling. She closed her eyes, choosing to escape the reality that she had become a prisoner, even if Number 0, that bastard, had forcibly turned her into one.
Everyone fell silent. They were bound by iron chains and lying on a flatbed cart, but Number 0 seemed unable to bear the loneliness.
"I originally wanted to leave you here and deal with those people myself, but every one of you is so... stubborn. I was afraid you'd kill everyone down there and then die here yourselves."
"Isn't that good? We can atone, and these sinners must atone for failing to serve the Emperor faithfully."
Another grenadier answered Number 0 coldly. It was obvious that he was furious, considering the beating he had taken from those cultists.
"No one is a sinner. They did nothing wrong. They just wanted to survive."
"We were born sinners!"
Number 0 shook his head. Clearly, he did not agree with that view. He wanted to say something more, but the angry grenadier gave him no chance to interrupt and launched into an impassioned explanation of why they were sinners, and why those people who had not resisted to the death were traitors as well.
He struggled fiercely, trying to raise his body despite the chains locking him down, so he could look at Number 0.
"Please wait a moment."
Number 0 twisted his body somehow and freed himself from his restraints. He stood up and loosened the chains around everyone