Picus – Part 04
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Translator: Kell
“Your fighting style’s too dull, adjudicator!” I blocked her shovel with my sword.
Brushing my sword aside, the adjudicator distanced herself. She shouldered her shovel and looked at me as if I was garbage.
“If I knew you’d escape from that pit and come all the way here, I would’ve killed you back then,” she said. “Just the thought of a foul Beastfallen corrupting this beautiful temple disgusts me. This is sacrilege. Now die!”
Corruption lunged forward once more. I already made the mistake of losing an arm. Thinking a close-range combat would be too dangerous, I dodged her attack and rolled out into the hallway. It would be difficult to swing a shovel around in the narrow corridor.
That’s what I thought, at least.
Corruption followed me out into the hallway, a smug look on her face. “Heh. You just cornered yourself.” Bending down, she pointed the tip of the shovel towards me.
There was enough distance between us, about ten paces. I didn’t need to be alarmed, but I quickly dropped to the floor.
An explosion rocked the hallway, followed by the sound of blade hissing through the air. Something zipped past overhead at an incredible speed.
“I missed?! Damn vermin!”
I saw a fine chain right before my eyes. It wasn’t there before. I followed it with my eyes, towards the adjudicator, then the iron plate lying on the floor. The piece of metal looked exactly like the tip of the shovel.
The moment I realized what it was, I chuckled.
Damn. First there’s the priest’s transforming staff, and now a shovel that can be fired using gunpowder?
“The Church sure has some fascinating toys!”
I knew she couldn’t cut my arm off with her slender arms. But if she used the power of an explosion to fire a sharp object, it was a different story. She didn’t follow up her attack because she needed time to refill the gunpowder and wind back the chain.
As she reeled in the chain, I quickly grabbed it. Then there was a hissing sound. Smoke rose from where I held the chain. My flesh was swelling and melting. I screamed.
Corruption cackled like a child. “You’re as stupid as an actual animal. Did you really think I didn’t have anything to prevent the chain from being grabbed? The chain is coated with a flesh-dissolving poison. If you don’t let go of it now, you’ll lose your only functioning hand.”
She pulled on the chain, and it began slipping through my dissolved flesh. I couldn’t hold on to it. I let go of the chain and immediately stepped on it. The adjudicator clicked her tongue in annoyance, but this was just me buying time.
As I looked around for a way out, I spotted the grim reaper behind the adjudicator—the priest with his scythe at the ready.
How did he get free? Then I remembered Lily. Right. I gave her the keys.
I thought she was dead.
The gleaming blade of the scythe touched the woman’s slender neck.
“Secrecy… you traitor!”
With an animalistic snarl, the adjudicator shifted her body to narrowly avoid the reaper’s scythe. On her hand was a trowel sharpened like a knife. She tried to stab the priest as she spun around, but the weapon cut through thin air.
Scythe in hand, the priest leapt with his usual elegance, and landed just outside Corruption’s range.
“It is over, Corruption,” he said. “You can no longer escape. If you do not resist, I promise you will not suffer.”
“Your treachery is clear now,” the priest said. “I am here under the order of His Excellency to judge your heretic actions.”
Suddenly, the torches illuminating the basement went out. Darkness enveloped the area. Even I, a Beastfallen, could barely see anything. Only the priest could move freely under these conditions.
“The Church hereby revokes your right to live. You will be executed at once.”
“You’re not killing me that easily!”
There was a boom, and light filled the room, catching us off guard.
It was a blank from her large shovel. Even without the tip of the weapon reloaded, it could still create an explosion by striking gunpowder. Corruption left the basement, and the priest followed her.
I tried to go after them, but I stumbled.
“Fuck. My leg.”
The blood loss was starting to affect me now. I struck my trembling leg in frustration.
“Big brother!” Lily rushed over and tried to help me up.
I was grateful, but there was no way she could lift my body upright.
Then someone lit up the torches. When I looked up, I saw freed captives gathering in the corridor, looking down at me with frightened eyes. They were all young women.
My brows furrowed. Most of them were probably victims of Corruption’s hobby. The adjudicator clearly dragged them here under some excuse and planned to bury them alive.
What should we do about them?
“Lily, take them out through the cave. If you go down the river, you should come to a small village. There’s Knights Templar there. Tell them what happened and ask them for protection.”
“But what about you? W-We have to go!”
“I came here to pick up my boss. I can’t turn back now.”
“B-But… I can’t go alone…”
“You have a lot of friends with you. You’re the only one who can get through the cave safely. Protect them.”
“I will… protect…”
“No!” one of the women jumped out. She held Lily to her chest as if to protect her. It was none other than Liza. “Are you out of your mind? How can you ask a little girl to protect us? Besides, this was all your fault! Because of you, my husband was tortured!”
I glanced at the group of people and saw Credo being supported by one of the captives. Like the priest said, he was tortured severely that he couldn’t even stand on his own.
“Now you brought Lily to this place?!”
“Mom, no! I… I asked…”
“Hush, child!”
Liza didn’t bother listening to Lily. It was the child that got them out of their cells, but she chose not to think about that.
“Look, big guy. We’re not going to move from here,” she continued. “If we lock ourselves up from the inside, no one can get in. The Gravedigger is being sentenced to death, isn’t she? Then it would be best to just wait for the Knights Templar’s arrival.”
“Do you think Corruption’s lackeys will just leave you alone?” I said.
Liza stared at me blankly.
“If I were Corruption, I’d kill you all before you could testify against me. Wouldn’t it be smarter to get out of here before that happens? You know, while the priest still has her attention.”
A murmur spread among the prisoners. Not one of them was that optimisitc.
“B-But Lily can’t…”
Lily clenched her fists, firm resolve in her eyes. We had no time to lose. The child knew this was no time to be arguing.
“I’m sure you already know this, but even if you all worked together, you’re no match for Lily’s sense of hearing and smell. This little girl will be the first one to notice if the enemy’s closing in. Case in point: Only I and her noticed them coming!” I ripped my clothes and used it to tie my sword to my hand.
Lily was glaring down the long corridor, her fur standing on end.
“Bathe them in booze and oil and set them all on fire! Don’t let a single one survive. Kill them all!”
I heard footsteps, and men came rushing in, swords in hand. The captives idling around fled back to their cells in fear.
Liza pulled on Lily’s hand, but the little Beastfallen shook off the woman’s grip and ran towards me.
“Lily!”
“I’m gonna protect you… and dad… and big brother!”
“You dummy! You don’t have to worry about that. Come here, quick!”
Lily didn’t listen. Red eyes were glaring at the men coming down the stairs. Repeatedly, she took shallow breaths, her whole body trembling in fear.
Footsteps were gathering. Countless of them. The hallway seemed to suddenly narrow. There were so many rats swarming that it felt like the floor was contracting.
The men retreated back at the bizarre sight. If I were them, I’d have backed off too. Twenty rats were more than enough to cause chaos. But there were more than a thousand of them right now.
“I hate bad people,” Lily said. “Go away!”
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