Send Them to Meet God

The morning dew glittered on the blades of grass. Sovell and his two companions decided to change course that day.

They had set out south from Saynor Manor five days earlier. Now they needed to head east, leaving Wales and entering England to skirt the mouth of the River Severn-the Bristol Channel.

"We're still in Wales, probably somewhere between Magnesia and Bryne. A few more kilometers east will take us into England.

Once we enter England, we'll head southeast and avoid places like Llydaw and Londinium, where the foreign tribes gather."

With a map in hand, the white-robed youth walked on, explaining their next route to the two beside him.

"If we're going straight into England overland, we'll need to be more careful. It isn't a peaceful place like Wales, after all...

But why southeast? Are you planning to go to Gomeria?"

The taller man beside the white-robed youth asked.

"That's right. Our next destination is Gomeria. Ideally, we'll make it safely into Cornwall, where there are ports we can use."

At the mention of "ports," the girl on the youth's other side ventured a guess:

"Ports? Sovell, are we going to cross the sea?"

Sovell explained:

"Across the sea in France, King Bors and his brother, King Ban of Benwick, are both brave warriors of extraordinary skill.

But I've heard they're about to go to war with a powerful lord in central France-in a place called Berry, if I remember correctly.

Lia, you'll still be young when you become king. Some of the older lords are bound to resent you, so we need to make more allies.

After all, better safe than sorry. There's nothing wrong with planning for the worst."

"And this war between three kings in Gaul is a chance to gain two powerful allies!"

"Exactly.

And it isn't merely a chance. It's a very strong possibility.

You and I both have Dragon Kind blood, Lia. To put it crudely, calling us King Beasts in human form wouldn't be much of an exaggeration.

And Kay's fighting skills rank among the finest of Britain's knights.

I doubt those two kings would refuse an alliance with three powerful warriors when faced with a formidable enemy."

Sovell spoke with confidence.

But if they really do reject the three of us, they'll have only themselves to blame for their destruction.

The three traveled east. Half a day later, they had probably crossed into England.

Before Knight Kay even had time to recover from the discomfort caused by the drop in ambient magical energy, they heard several anguished cries-

"You animals! Let go of my daughter!"

Several men pinned a middle-aged man to the ground. His eyes were bloodshot as he watched helplessly while his own daughter was dragged away.

"Lord, have you forsaken your servant?!"

A priest knelt before a collapsed church, sobbing uncontrollably as he watched the faith he had tended for so many years crumble before him. His robe was already covered in patches.

"Mommy! You bad men! Let go of my mommy!"

A blond boy ran barefoot after a handful of soldiers, who were dragging a woman toward their camp. Still too young to pronounce his words clearly, the little boy shouted for them to release his mother.

Perhaps irritated, one of them passed the woman's arm to the man beside him and turned toward the little boy following behind.

Yet when the boy saw the man who had taken his mother approaching, he showed no fear. Instead, he ran faster toward him and beat his weak little arms against the man's leather armor.

"You big bully! Let go of my mommy!"

The man bent down and said to the boy:

"Don't worry, child. We've only invited your mother over as a guest. You'll see her tomorrow morning."

"R-really?"

Looking into the boy's clear, innocent eyes, the man answered with a smile:

"Of course. I'll keep my word. It's just that..."

Shnk-

A silvery blade thrust out through the boy's back. His blood dripped from its edge, steaming in the bitter winter cold.

The man straightened and kicked the lifeless boy aside.

"Tomorrow morning, once we're tired of using her, I'll send her to meet you, brat."

With that, he grabbed the corpse by the head, chopped it off, and used its beautiful blond hair to wipe the blood from his blade.

After all, if he wiped it on his clothes, he would have to wash them. That hair would never need washing again.

Besides, isn't it more fun to destroy something beautiful right before their eyes? Hahaha.

At the thought, the corners of his mouth rose.

But the next instant, his own view suddenly dropped. As confusion struck him, he saw the corpse of the boy he had just killed.

It was now at the same height as him.

"Dying like that was far too easy for a beast like him. Sovell, be a little slower next time."

Those were the last words he heard before losing consciousness. They, too, came from a man. He wanted to curse back, but he could no longer speak...

The ones who had killed him were none other than Sovell and his companions, who had just arrived.

Sovell had struck so swiftly and cleanly that Knight Kay felt the man had gotten off too lightly.

"Torture them? There's no need for that."

"What? You don't think their crimes are enough to send them to Purgatory?

Or have you forgiven them?"

Even upon hearing Kay's words, Sovell's expression remained unchanged.

"No, Kay. You misunderstand.

Their crimes are unforgivable, of course.

And they belong not in Purgatory, but in Hell..."

At that, a storm of fury surged across Sovell's handsome face for the first time, shattering its tranquil composure.

"They!

Those sons of bitches who trample on other people's lives!

Those vile bastards!

They don't deserve to have their souls cleansed!

They don't deserve to be reborn as human beings!

Their presence in Purgatory would defile it!

Bastards like them!

They deserve to burn in flames for all eternity!

Never to be reborn!"

Sovell's voice was utterly resolute, filled with seething indignation.

It was as though he were shouting a challenge at the gods who watched the tragedies of the mortal world with indifference and did nothing!

Even Artoria, grieving beside him for the dead boy, had never seen the youth lose his composure like this.

But then Sovell's tone shifted, turning exceptionally cold.

"But ensuring they're never reborn isn't our task. That's God's business.

As for torturing them, the blood of these creatures beneath even beasts won't bring either of us glory. It'll only dirty our hands, won't it?

And what is our task? Our task is to help these animals along-send them to meet God sooner!"

"Send them to meet God sooner...

Heh. Well said.

I was the one being obsessive."

As he spoke, Kay bent down to help Sovell gather the boy's remains. They buried him there and made a simple grave.

Artoria fetched two branches from beneath a distant tree, arranged them into a cross, and planted it before the boy's grave.

Sovell rested his hand on the cross and offered a final prayer for the boy, then walked toward the people in the village.

Seeing how swiftly and cleanly Sovell had killed, the villagers involuntarily retreated a few steps.

But their retreat did not discourage Sovell. Instead, he took another step forward and called out to them:

"Everyone! Please hear me out!!!"

His words drew everyone's attention, and he continued:

"You, us-all of us have lived on this land for generations, hardworking and brave, devout and kind, seeking no quarrel with the world.

But the dark clouds of foreign tribes hang over our heads.

First came the Romans. Decades ago, our brave former kings drove the Romans out of Britain.

Now those kings have returned to the Lord's embrace. But the New King has yet to take the throne. Does that mean we can only sit here and wait to die!

Are we truly going to stand by and watch those foreign sons of bitches.

Hurt the loved ones we cherish.

Steal the food we worked so hard to grow.

Trample on our sacred faith.

Destroy the homes we depend on for survival.

While we sit here crying into our hands, doing nothing, leaving ourselves at their mercy!!!"