Gospel of Blood

The arrest of members of the Rose Society was a long and complicated process.

Of course, "long" and "complicated" were only in terms of the swift judgment of the Holy Court. In fact, the Inquisition, which had always suppressed evil with thunderous means, had hardly ever spent more than 24 hours on a divine judgment.

Especially here in Borde, the power center of the Church in the southwest of the Crescent Kingdom.

From the moment the city gates closed, Rose Society, as an underground gang, was already like a turtle in a jar.

The time had come to early morning, the thunderstorm had ended, and the wind and rain were gradually subsiding.

Above the canopy, the heavy dark clouds were still churning, presenting a kind of gloomy dark gray in the night.

In the Rose Manor, however, the lights were brightly lit. More and more members of the Rose Society who had been arrested here, numbering at least five hundred, could be seen at a glance.

They were all tied up with their hands bound by sacred chains, half kneeling on the ground.

Behind them, piles of oily firewood were piled up. Although the heavy rain had just stopped, under the effect of magic, these firewood piles remained dry.

Several Judgment Knights held torches, ready to ignite the firewood. The flames of the torches were a pale gold, the judgment flames capable of burning souls.

These were the flames of divine judgment for enemies, criminals, heretics, and evildoers, notorious throughout the Myria Continent. Anyone existing beneath these flames would have their souls utterly destroyed.

Looking at those pale gold flames, some members of Rose Society turned pale, some looked dazed, but... more people glared angrily at the Judgment Knights.

All extraordinaires knew the procedure after igniting the flames of judgment. It meant the beginning of divine judgment, and the only choices left to them were two—

Either to be reduced to ashes in the flames of judgment.

Or to sign the most stringent contract of judgment, becoming a Judgment Knight, fighting for the court until the last moment of life...

Even death was not the end, their soul power would be reclaimed by the Judgment Spear of the Holy Court, becoming part of the foundation of the Holy Court.

As for those ordinary people without extraordinary powers, their fate was only one—to be consumed in the flames of judgment.

"Lord Rajiv, except for those who were killed in desperate resistance and a few who escaped to the inner city or outside the city before the gates were closed, most of the remaining members of Rose Society are here."

Before the second-tier judgment knight Rajiv, a probationary knight respectfully reported.

"Most...? Moreover, why are there so few peripheral members of Rose Society?"

Rajiv quickly seized the loophole in his subordinate's words.

The probationary knight hesitated for a moment, then whispered in Rajiv's ear.

After a moment, Rajiv's gaze sharpened, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"What? The Demon Hunters are obstructing? And they even attacked the Inquisition Troops?"

"These faith-corrupted fellows... don't they know what they're doing?! Is it an order from the Church?!"

"No... it's not. According to the judges, they seem to have been hired."

The probationary knight spoke cautiously.

"Hired?"

Rajiv was stunned, then suddenly enraged.

"Who dares to hire them? How dare they take on such employment?"

"It seems... it seems to be the Castell family."

"Castell?"

Second-tier knight Rajiv was slightly surprised.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the parchment in his hand.

"If I'm not mistaken, it seems that quite a few peripheral members of Rose Society have close ties to the Castell family, and the president of Rose Society... has some dealings with the heir of Castel."

"Humph! These decadent noble families, colluding with gangs, oppressing the common people, I haven't even gone to trouble them yet, and they dare to come to me..."

Beside him, several other second-tier judgment knights nodded in agreement.

"Castell... if I remember correctly, isn't that one of the families His Excellency the Grand Knight specifically instructed us to focus on?"

"They... seem to be suspected of involvement with the Cult of the Evil Gods. His Excellency the Grand Knight has been suspicious of the Blood Demon case that night, and the High Priest seems to be hiding something."

"Humph, for the sake of his own future interests, he actually allied with such filthy families. His Excellency the High Priest has really grown old."

"Just hiring won't involve the Demon Hunters in the Holy Judgment. Since Castell is behind it, there may also be the shadow of His Excellency the High Priest..."

"After this trial, it must be reported to His Excellency the Grand Knight. His Excellency the High Priest completely disregarded the sanctity of faith and the authority of our court!"

The judgment knights were angry.

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As supervisors of the Church, it was also their duty to oversee the qualification of the clergyman.

"Enough, let's discuss this matter after His Excellency the Grand Knight captures Sebastian Flameheart. Let's begin the trial."

Leading the way, Rajiv stopped his colleagues from continuing their discussion.

With that, he looked at the gathered members of the Rose Society in the manor, his voice solemn.

"According to the report, Rose Society harbors wanted heretical demi-humans, smuggles hand crossbows, controlled blades, awakening seeds, and other contraband, colludes with the Blood Demon Cult, is involved in several Blood Demon cases in Borde, the president of Rose Society, Sebastian, has connections with the Adam Cult active in Coria, and has ambiguous relations with the highly wanted criminal of the Holy Court, the Pure White Witch... Evidence is conclusive..."

"According to Chapter 66, Verse 13, Volume 4 of the Sacred Code... Rose Society is confirmed as a secret evil organization, assessed as extremely dangerous, and the level of purification is immediate execution!"

After saying this, he looked at the people of Rose Society.

"Of course... our Lord has always been merciful, and evildoers will eventually receive their due punishment, but repentant individuals can also have a chance to live."

"Those who have fallen into the abyss of evil, make your choice, to be purified by the Lord's Fire of Judgment, or to repent and spend the rest of your life atoning?"

"Spit! Dogs of the Holy Court! Bastards!"

An angry curse came from the crowd, immediately drawing the angry gaze of the Judgment Knights.

"Kneel!"

A Judgment Knight kicked the cursing man to the ground.

Rajiv followed the voice and saw that the one cursing was a male demi-human, tall and strong, with a hideous appearance, and two black wolf ears on top of his head were particularly eye-catching.

"He is Luff, the second-in-command of Rose Society, highly regarded within Rose Society, and also the chieftain of the demi-human remnant taken in by Sebastian, the president of Rose Society."

One of the Judgment Knights hurriedly introduced to Rajiv.

"Werewolf? Huh... remnants of bloodthirsty cultists that worshipped the extinct Bloodborne royal family as their totems... it seems that Rose Society is indeed related to the Blood Demon!"

Rajiv sneered.

After saying that, he withdrew his gaze and looked at the other members of Rose Society present.

"The stubborn ones, stay still. Those who want to repent, step forward!"

Hearing the words of the Judgment Knight, the captured members of Rose Society were in turmoil.

After a series of angry curses, rebukes, sighs, or tears, about half of the members stepped forward.

But none of the demi-humans and the extraordinary chose to move.

Rajiv was not surprised by this, in the face of life and death choices, the vast majority of people still hoped to live, even if what the Holy Court offered was only a path of slow death.

This was also the reason why local Inquisition Troops were able to continuously replenish their strength.

In fact, as a newly formed underground gang, having half of their people choose death already surprised Rajiv quite a bit. In the years he had dealt with cults, there were not many who chose to die even in the face of such proportions.

This was indeed worthy of some admiration for Rose Society, and even Sebastian, the president of Rose Society who was being pursued by the Grand Knight, had some admirable qualities.

The ones who persisted in their beliefs were always worthy of admiration.

Of course, admiration aside. As evildoers, they must be punished!

"Put the sacred chains on those who want to repent, and execute judgment on the rest of the guilty!"

Rajiv commanded.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, a clear voice broke the silence.

"Hold on!"

The Judgment Knights turned their heads, only to see a huge procession coming from outside the manor, led by a carriage adorned with a black eagle emblem.

On top of it, sat a beautiful girl in a white dress.

Around her, there were hundreds of Demon Hunters following!

Seeing that black eagle emblem, Rajiv's face instantly turned ugly.

His gaze fell on those who were only first-tier Demon Hunters, his expression turned cold, waving his hand he ordered.

"What are you still waiting for?"

"Take down Charlotte de Castell, the heir of the Castell family colluding with Rose Society!"

"Take down all the Demon Hunters who obstruct the divine judgment!"

"If something goes wrong, I'll take the blame!"

Rajiv stood tall, his powerful second-tier aura sweeping across the scene.