Chapter 37

Game Category [Post][Casual Chat]
Title: I want to kill that damn Execution Hound…

Six hostages… the crimes they’ve committed… seriously…

Judge, I sentence you to ten days without walkies!!!
(Special penalty—it’s the one my puppy Meongsoon fears the most…)

❤️ Likes: 10

Comments

👤 Savior 1
All the newbies are gonna bail at this rate, ffs.

👤 Savior 2
You know why this is such a pain? Because you have to do this crap not once, but N times.

👤 Savior 3
LMAO this is 100% a dev’s revenge mission after getting wrecked by the Judge and even losing their underwear.

👤 Savior 4
Ten days without walking a dog? Isn’t that abuse?

└ Savior 1 What’s your damage, man? Trying to be all moral?
└ Savior 4 It is abuse.
└ Original Poster Okay okay, I was wrong… I take good care of Mongsoon, I swear…

Almost like it had read my mind, a familiar post floated by as I passed the hostages and looked toward my teammates.

Dad had called out to me so many times, his voice practically trembling with worry.

And sure enough…

There he was—tightly bound in red chains.

‘Damn.’

There were drag marks all around the boundary line, like he’d tried to get away. His footprints were all over the place.

The struggle must’ve been intense.

‘I didn’t hear a thing, I was too tense.’

A flicker of guilt washed over me.

Not just Dad, either—Laura and Antonio were chained up too, and they were both pope candidates like me.

Even Usher, that bastard, was tied up.

‘I bet he ran to the front row to enjoy the chaos and got caught. Classic.’

I clicked my tongue.

— Defense attorney!

At the sound of my name, I turned to see the judge, his three heads glimmering with excitement—very different from earlier.

— We’ll begin the next trial soon. Do you need a break?

— Humans are so fragile!

— Totally weak!

‘What the hell does “cunning” have to do with anything?’

These Judges weren’t human, so naturally they didn’t tire. Humans, though? Yeah, very different story.

‘They’re really hyped up, huh…’

Their non-human ears twitched wildly in anticipation.

— You’re the first defense attorney in three hundred years to persuade us. Impressive.

— You may take pride in it.

— You have our permission!

…Huh? That phrasing felt weirdly familiar.

‘Wait a sec… don’t tell me this is… a special event?’

This chapter was notoriously difficult and tedious, but once in a blue moon, an event would trigger that reduced the number of hostages.

Just like now.

‘I didn’t think I’d actually get that RNG roll…’

— For such an outstanding human, there is one special rule. At the Judge’s discretion, one more person may be released.

— Yes, released!

— You’re welcome!

Naturally, I turned my gaze toward the hostages.

‘Yo, getting to do this four times instead of five? I’ll take it!’

Trying to talk your way through this was honestly brain-melting.

Apparently they all had the same thought. Instead of quietly watching with hopeful eyes, the hostages started shouting.

“Me! Please, choose me!”

“I want out of here!”

“Please, save me!!”

They sounded like baby birds chirping for food, mouths wide open in desperation.

Then someone suddenly raised a hand.

“Alright, alright! First things first, let’s give a big round of applause to our young and dashing de—defense attorney? Ahem. Anyway! This person’s gonna save us!”

Apparently the others agreed, because they all began to clap.

“You were amazing!”

“Please save us!”

“I have three kids, please…!!”

And just like that, I froze.

‘…They’re clapping.’

Strangely, they were clapping the backs of their hands together.

It wasn’t like their hands were tied… the posture just felt off.

A chill ran down my spine, but I forced myself to ignore it.

‘Okay. Okay…’

This wasn’t the end. Not yet.

Game Category [Post][Casual Chat]

~Paranormal Class~
“The Judge’s Law”

(excerpted)

…You’ve made it this far, comrades. What a damn grind, huh? Dealing with that mutt-brained freak isn’t easy. Have a drink.

Honestly, convincing the Execution Hound is tough, but if you just pick the right dialogue options, someone can get through it.

Still, everyone dies here.

There’s a reason people say, “Just die once and find out.”

So what’s the catch?

There’s a trap that newbies or first-timers almost always miss.

It’s nasty.

Blame the devs and their twisted minds.

Let’s talk about how to dodge the final trap.

“They said we can release one more person?”

I pretended to tremble, as if scared, and asked nervously.

‘Now that my teammates are watching, I’ve gotta act the part.’

Even if the performance didn’t matter anymore, the image still did.

“T-then… does it have to be a hostage?”

The Judge gave me a slightly puzzled look—but surprisingly, he agreed.

— We allow it!

— A special exception!

— Huh? That was always allowed, wasn’t it?

— Shut up, stop barking like a mutt.

— But I am a dog?

As they broke into some kind of skit, I ignored them and declared firmly,

“Good. Then… send back the youngest child in our team!”

As I glanced behind me, Laura flinched, clutching a child in her arms.

The older kid nearby reacted the same way.

‘The kids should go first.’

There weren’t any children among the hostages. Thank goodness. Luck like this was rare.

“Everyone, I’m sorry. But we’ll start with the youngest one, okay?”

Hearing that from the youngest person here seemed to shut down any arguments.

Despite their clearly displeased expressions, the hostages held their tongues. They knew I was their only hope.

I beamed brightly.

“Don’t worry, I promise I’ll save you all!”

* * *

“Candidate…!”

Laura’s voice trembled as she called out to Nemesia, her eyes glistening with tears.

“Thank you. Thank you so much… I don’t even know how to repay this kindness.”

The name of the pope candidate who had chosen Holy Knight Laura was Mel. Age nine.

To be honest, she wasn’t even considered a serious contender for the papacy—more like a leftover wildcard.

She had barely made it through Zone 9, a rundown old temple that was essentially the game’s garbage bin.

Her candidacy had been pure luck. Honestly, even that luck seemed questionable.

From the moment Laura was assigned to Mel, she had pitied the child.

Because from any reasonable adult’s point of view, this “competition” was nothing short of cruel.

Under the guise of some noble cause, was it okay to sacrifice a child?

Laura still didn’t have an answer.

“T-th-th-thank y-you…!!”

Oh, first time I’d heard her voice.

Mel had a congenital stutter.

Even with treatment from the priests, it hadn’t improved—probably because it was psychological.

Still, she mustered the courage to say thank you.

Nemesia smiled sweetly.

“Mm-hmm, go straight back, okay? Since you don’t have a Guardian, make sure to ask a Holy Knight to escort you back to your room.”

“Okay…!”

Mel turned and stepped through the portal. Laura couldn’t take her eyes off the child until she disappeared.

Watching silently from the side, Antonio finally spoke up.

“Impressive~ Most people would’ve taken the spot for themselves, wouldn’t they?”
 

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Translator: Japchae