Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Chapter 55: Mages and Clergy (3)

Inquisitors were priests tasked by the Church with rooting out black mages. Once they began an interrogation, they would stop at nothing to extract the answers they wanted.

Though Gerhen didn’t know of their methods or secret techniques, at this moment, one thing was painfully clear—that high priest had no intention of seriously interrogating the wandering mage.

-Is it true?

-It is not true.

-So he says.

How could this be considered an inquisitor’s interrogation? Even a naive parent questioning their child’s wrongdoing would be stricter than this.

What is this special treatment?

Gerhen was taken aback. From what he knew, inquisitors were fanatics, ready to erase all notions of compromise at the slightest hint of black magic. That was why he hoped to provoke the high priest into doubting Risir, aiming to shift the balance of power in his favor.

Convincing an inquisitor once they had developed doubts was harder than putting out fire on oil. Nothing would have been more reassuring than seeing the inquisitor pressure Risir.

Yet, of all the misfortunes, the inquisitor was placing complete trust in the black magic suspect.

Everything was going completely against his plans.

“That attire...isn’t she an inquisitor?”

“Judging by the red cross on her insignia, she’s not just any inquisitor. I think she’s a high priest...”

“What was that ridiculous exchange just now, though?”

“...Maybe she sensed something from him?”

It was no coincidence that Gerhen had waited for Risir outside the Tower, near the busiest part of the front gate. He wanted to draw as many eyes as possible.

The most important part of this scheme was to accuse Risir in front of as many witnesses as possible. The goal was to turn the ever-shifting tide of public opinion.

The crowd of onlookers started murmuring among themselves.

“I knew he had a special ability, but to be recognized by a high priest at first glance?”

“...And he’s supposed to be one of the black mages?”

“What do you think?”

“Are you asking me who I trust more, the inquisitor or the black mage? Oh spare me. I wouldn’t be able to talk my way out of an inquisitor’s questioning like that.”

“Heheh. I guess I sounded stupid.”

“Oh no, I don’t think you’re the one sounding stupid here...”

The crowd was intrigued by the inquisitor’s unprecedented favoritism toward Risir.

At this rate, instead of swaying public opinion, he would only hasten its turn against him. Sensing the threat, Gerhen quickly devised a plan and sprang into action.

“How perplexing. Is that all?”

“Yes. From what I can tell, he is not lying.”

Just as the high priest was about to explain the reasoning behind her judgment, Gerhen sensed he had steered the situation to where he wanted it. He interrupted her.

“Your blatant defense only casts doubt on your true intentions.”

As a skilled political player who had risen to represent the noble faction, Gerhen wasn’t naive enough to be intimidated by the high priest’s position and make a mistake.

In terms of public standing, both a master mage and high priest held equal weight.

Things might have been different if this were about heresy or cult-related matters...but this was a mage tower. It was one of the few places where the Church couldn’t just act freely.

Despite securing a reason for the Church’s involvement at Master Didoa’s request, the high priest was still an outsider. If Gerhen used his position to exclude her, she had few means to counter.

“Defense? It seems you are suggesting that I am defending a heretic for some personal agenda.”

Naturally, she was not someone easily swayed, especially given her position as a representative of the Church’s stance. She quickly retorted to Gerhen’s sharp words with a response just as cutting.

-You trying to say I’m defending a black mage?

-I never said anything like that, but aren’t you being a bit overly sensitive? That sounds even more suspicious.

As the conversation teetered on the brink of descending into a mudslinging match, Gerhen took a step back, smirking deviously.

In prompt response, several individuals stepped forward to speak.

“High Priest. As Master Gerhen already mentioned, this case has taken a new turn.”

“We do not know what Master Didoa may have told you, but for us, this matter is far from resolved.”

“As proud members of the Tower, we intend to handle this case independently to the best of our abilities. I respectfully ask for your understanding.”

These were masters of high standing even within the noble faction. Having a closer connection with Gerhen, they were basically on the same boat as him.

If Gerhen ends up fucked, I’ll get fucked along with him!

With that mindset, they wholeheartedly backed Gerhen’s words.

“...”

Their calculated rhetoric made the high priest look out of place, as though she were an outsider meddling in the Tower’s affairs for a specific, dubious purpose.

Some students saw through Gerhen’s scheming and felt disillusioned, but they couldn’t voice it openly.

This was a public gathering with many students present. To side with the high priest here would mark them as traitors to the Tower, branded as supporters of the Church.

While Gerhen’s cunning plan had suffered some setbacks, it was certainly still in motion. Yet despite that, he felt a sense of urgency.

Damn it. How did things end up like this...

Though he had somehow managed to regain some control, the situation had worsened far beyond what he had anticipated.

This should have been a chance to easily corner Risir. But with the high priest’s involvement, the situation had become as precarious as walking on thin ice.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“Master Gerhen is detaining Risir and...”

“It’s about you-know-what. Master Didoa went out to talk with a high priest of the Church and...”

The crowd of spectators was still growing, and Gerhen’s mind worked faster than ever.

His sharp political instincts sounded a warning—if he wanted to push further, he had to be prepared to see it through to the end.

And he was. After all, he wouldn’t have considered bribing a black mage to commit perjury otherwise.

But the problem lay in the situation itself. The unexpected and significant variable of a high priest siding with the suspect had made taking that final step far too risky.

I have to back off, even if it means taking some loss.

Gerhen was convinced there would be another chance later.

But just as he was about to step in and smooth things over...

“So, what exactly are you trying to say?”

The chaotic atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Even the high priest of the Church and the influential noble faction within the Tower were treading carefully, hesitant to speak. Yet, in the midst of their silence, an unexpected voice cut through—very boldly at that.

Risir.

He fixed his gaze on Gerhen, speaking with clarity.

“It seems I’ve offended you for some reason, sir. So let’s take this chance to settle things for good.”

Gerhen’s expression twisted with a mix of shock and fury.

The high priest of the Church and the Tower’s masters were locked in a tense standoff around him. In such a charged atmosphere, he had never imagined that a mere wandering mage—a bastard, no less—would dare to voice his opinion so boldly.

“Tulan. That woman is a black mage who deceived the mages of the Tower. And because of me, her entire scheme was exposed, leaving her with nothing but failure. If she has anything to say about me, her words will be driven by only two things: deceit and hatred.”

“Are you suggesting that I, of all people, am being swayed by the deceit of a black mage?”

Gerhen’s gaze hardened, laced with quiet intimidation. Yet Risir brushed it off like nothing, continuing as if he hadn’t noticed.

“Sir Gerhen, you are a respected master of the Gray Tower. Surely, you wouldn’t accuse me based solely on the ramblings of a black mage.”

Gerhen clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, feeling humiliated by this insolent bastard who dared to overstep his place. But he couldn’t afford to let it show.

If he tried to silence Risir through sheer authority now, it was certain to backfire. He wasn’t the only one who had understood the implications of choosing such a public setting for this confrontation.

“Surely, you must have had other evidence, and another plan. Otherwise, you would essentially be condemning me for the crime of exposing a black mage. As such, I will exercise my right to demand an explanation.”

Risir had spent years surviving under the scrutiny of a noble house. He knew exactly how to navigate a moment like this.

He made his stand with a polished tone and impeccable manners, exuding a dignity on par with any highborn.

Before long, the entire crowd was focusing on Risir’s words.

At this moment, he was neither an overstepping wandering mage nor a bastard. He was a speaker with the right to be heard.

All eyes followed his gaze—straight to Gerhen.

Every escape route Gerhen had prepared was crumbling at once. He was cornered. And whether he liked it or not, there was no way forward now but to see this through to the end.

“How very bold.”

Gerhen struggled to feign calmness as he pulled out an item he had prepared.

“Does this mean you’re confident enough to prove your innocence?”

He was reluctant to use this item in front of the high priest, but now was not the time to worry about such things.

“That is...”

***Meltas and Fienne immediately recognized the item Gerhen had taken out.

It was a box containing two unusually-shaped feathers—no, a single feather that had split into two.

It was the feather of the mystic creatures called Purity Birds. Though its exact nature had yet to be fully understood, the feather turned black in response to an individual’s ‘karma’.

Purity Feathers mainly came in three types: tail feathers, wing feathers, and body feathers.

The nature of Purity Feathers, which reacted to karma, grew stronger the closer they were to the heart of the Purity Bird. The Church often used this property when evaluating a priest’s potential.

The tail feather was the most commonly used, as even a clergyman who had lived a life of integrity would cause the tail feather’s pure white to dull slightly upon touching it. It took at least high priests to maintain the feather’s whiteness even when in contact with wing feathers.

“This...is the tail feather of a Purity Bird. If you are truly innocent, this feather will prove it.”

Fienne and Meltas immediately saw through his words as sophistry. Karma wasn’t the standard by which to judge a black mage.

But his words carried a subtle persuasive power. The introduction of the Purity Feather alongside black magic piqued the curiosity of those watching.

Once again, all eyes in the room turned to Risir.

His two companions watched him in silence, nodding with encouragement and belief. If anyone could prove their innocence, even through the twisted means of the Purity Feather, it would be him.

Risir nodded slightly in return, reaching for the box Gerhen had extended.

***Gerhen inwardly smiled, a sense of victory washing over him as Risir’s hand slowly reached out.

Though Risir seemed confident enough to approach the Purity Feather without hesitation, it was all in vain. The feather he was about to touch was not a tail feather, but a body feather disguised to look like one.

Gerhen himself admitted it was a shallow trick, but it didn’t matter. He knew that in situations like this, what truly made a difference wasn’t reason or logic but sheer momentum.

The body feather was so delicate that even the Saints of the Church couldn’t maintain its pure white hue. The moment it touched Risir’s hand, it would surely darken and burn to black, leaving a powerful, undeniable impression on the onlookers.

It’s done.

Gerhen inwardly celebrated.

Risir touched the feather, lifted it up, and...

“...”

...And nothing happened. Even after enough time had passed for everyone to feel certain, there was still no change.

Murmurs began to stir among the crowd.

“...No!”

Gerhen shouted without thinking.

There didn’t need to be a violent reaction. Even a slight darkening of the feather would have given him enough confidence to handle the situation.

But the feather held onto its pure, flawless whiteness, without offering even the slightest hint of change.

“Something—something has to be wrong!”

Flustered and desperate to act, Gerhen did something he would never have considered under normal circumstances. He instinctively grabbed the other half of the feather left in the box.

Fwrr. The feather darkened, burning black before vanishing without a trace.

“...”

“...”

The whispers in the crowd instantly died down. All eyes shifted from the still-white feather in Risir’s hand to Gerhen’s empty hand.

“...”

Even Gerhen himself stood there speechless, staring at his hand in disbelief.

***“...Hah.”

Bardros let out a dry chuckle after watching the whole scene. Certain that Gerhen had tampered with the tail feather, she was ready to step in and speak on Risir’s behalf if needed...yet what was with this absurd turn of events?

In any case, Badros figured there was no issue in intervening at this point. She approached Risir and took the Purity Feather from his hand.

She was about to speak and bring order to the situation—until she felt something off and checked her hand. The tail feather, which had been pure and untainted just moments ago, now seemed slightly faded.

Could it be a trick of the light?

***

[Title : what the fuckity fuck is wrong with this tail feather?]

Post : isn’t it just about raising your divine power?