Chapter 33

This space was different—other than the pope candidates and their Guardians, all the civilians had their feet bound to the ground.

“I tried to free them, but I couldn’t get the chains out of the floor.”

Of course not.

Those civilians were… hostages.

‘They said this was the Second Space, right? This isn’t good…’

I’d rushed ahead with that damn Usher, but it seemed we’d ended up in one of the farthest rooms.

“Please, please, help us!”

“At least free our legs!”

The civilians, gripped by panic, cried out desperately.

But the ground ignored them and moved on its own.

The chained civilians were dragged together by the ankles, their iron restraints pulling them toward the center. Then, a glowing line etched itself in a perfect circle around them.

A translucent wall rose up.

Bang! Bang!

The thuds of fists pounding the barrier were pitiful, but there was no way for the civilians to escape.

‘How many pope candidates and Guardians are here, anyway?’

There was me, Daddy, and Usher. Then there was a man wrapped in bandages, a female holy knight, and what looked like her candidate—a child.

‘That makes five.’

Not good.

Which meant… the remaining group would probably have at least five to seven more.

— Attention, dear guests of the Second Space. Please be patient. The First Space is nearing its end.

“Oh my, what’s this now?”

Usher whistled casually.

“What could be happening next? I hope our clever little candidate survives… boohoo…”

The man in bandages let out a sob-like murmur. The female knight, cradling her candidate, said nothing.

“No place to run, huh.”

Daddy muttered softly, almost like he expected me to have an answer.

‘Well, they do think I’m the Pope.’

It wasn’t that surprising.

I subtly shook my head.

“…If you’ve come this far, there’s no dodging it.”

Honestly, the only way to avoid it would’ve been to not take the trial at all. And that ship had long sailed.

— To liven up things for our dear Second Space guests, here’s a little entertainment.

With that voice full of malice, one of the walls in the space lifted with a rumble.

And then—

“Aaah… hic… sob…!”

There stood a child, trembling and weeping with a mouth wide open.

To my shock, it was none other than that bratty troll of a pope candidate—Gidehme.

He was clutching onto a railing. Beyond him stood a massive courtroom-like space.

— No defense?

— None.

— None at all, huh.

In the judge’s seat was a creature with three dog heads.

Its body was humanoid, but it had the heads of three dogs—just like the mythological Cerberus.

As for the defendant’s seat—there wasn’t one.

The accused floated in the air, tightly bound.

— Then we’ll proceed with the verdict.

— Execution.

— Execution!

I let out a quiet sigh.

‘Never thought I’d see that mutt’s mug in person.’

[Game Category] [Post] [Strategy Guide]

[Monster Encyclopedia #25]
~Paranormal Class~

“The Judge’s Law”

Grade: Arkhon

◆ A hostage civilian is judged by a three-headed judge. The player must take the role of a lawyer and “defend” their life.

What does this game not make us do at this point? If you’re here, you’re already screwed. Just accept it.

◆ This monster appears only in the “Angel’s Interview” when a fanatic is present—it’s a special type of aberration.

If your assigned hostages are decent people, you’ll be fine… but come on, how many people are truly good?

If you fail to defend them properly, the civilian gets taken away.

‘First the Judge, now this guy too…’

I expected it, but actually seeing it was a headache.

You had to persuade that thing or your assigned hostage would die.

In other words, our job was to stop that mutt from killing the civilian.

There was one other trick to getting through this…

— You stole!

— A thief!

— Kill them! Execution!

— Lawyer! Why are you silent?!

…You could abandon the hostage.

“I have no intention of defending.”

Most likely, the designated defender was supposed to be Gidehme. But the large knight behind him answered instead.

Gidehme stood where the defense attorney should’ve been, but the holy knight responded without permission.

Still, the judge said nothing, which meant it was probably arranged.

‘Well, the kid’s clearly in no shape to speak.’

The knight shamelessly rested a hand on Gidehme’s shoulder and declared:

“We’ll abide by the ruling.”

— Excellent! Another execution!

— Execution!

“P-please!! Please spare me…!!”

The woman suspended midair trembled and sobbed.

‘Wow… even holy knights can be utter scum, huh.’

Here’s something you might not know—

They said this was a way out, not a trial to pass.

There’s always a reason why shortcuts seem easy.

[Game Category] [Post] [Strategy Guide]
[Monster Encyclopedia #25]

By the way, if the mutt-faced judge accepts your hostage sacrifice, they’ll say one-for-one—you leave, one hostage dies.

But—

It’s a lie. Don’t fall for it.

Once you “leave,” the place you end up in is not freedom—it’s where your abandoned hostage, now turned into a monster, will be waiting for you. Instant death.

This cursed game only gives you one true answer: save the hostage.

Etch that into your brain.

From the looks of it, the First Space group had already sacrificed almost all of their hostages. That woman was the last.

‘So they really planned to dump her and bail, huh?’

Tch. I should’ve gotten here sooner.

Sure enough, Gidehme’s Guardian raised a hand.

“Your Honor.”

He spoke with a calm confidence.

“We’ve dealt with the last one. As promised, let this pope candidate—this child—leave as well.”

— But of course!

— We always keep our word.

— Duh.

Each dog head spoke in turn.

Then, a blue portal opened beside Gidehme and the knight.

One of the dog heads chuckled and pointed at it.

— Go on, then.

The holy knight grabbed Gidehme’s shoulder, gently but firmly.

Gidehme couldn’t take his eyes off the sobbing woman.

“Candidate, what are you doing?! We need to go! Get a grip!”

“J-just a moment. But, that person…!”

But the knight pulled Gidehme down from the railing. He was about to carry the struggling kid away when—

“Wait!”

I stepped forward.

That’s when it happened.

A large hand landed on my shoulder. Thick legs and boots blocked my path.

‘What the—?’

The hand on my shoulder? Of course, it was Daddy.

But the one standing in front of me with those boots… was Usher.

“Don’t do anything reckless, candidate.”

“…The hell.”

I couldn’t help but blurt it out.

You of all people are telling me that?

Why the hell are you blocking me now?

Before I could speak, Daddy wrapped me protectively in his arms and asked:

“What business is it of yours?”

Still standing in my way, Usher only shrugged.

“Well, isn’t it a holy knight’s duty to protect their candidate?”

Whatever whim made this guy step in, it sure as hell wasn’t out of concern.

Daddy and Usher were now locked in a silent stare-down.

But this wasn’t the time for that.

“Daddy.”

I patted his hand gently a few times, then stepped forward.

“It’s not dangerous!”

That was enough. Usher didn’t stop me again.

“Hold on!”

Thankfully, the hostage hadn’t been dragged away yet.

“Respected Judge!”

I shouted at the top of my lungs, and the giant dog-headed judge turned to face me.

Its eyes were blood-red.

I instinctively flinched—but that was all.

“I object!”
 

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Translator: Japchae