The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

For the First Time, a Not-Guilty Verdict Under the Flawless Judge, Sigrid

The God of Order, Ordo, had delivered a judgment.

The Slave Reaper was not a criminal.

The deity rebuked the congregation for wrongfully accusing an innocent man.

With the verdict rendered, they should have released the defendant and sought his forgiveness. Yet, the people remained frozen in shock.

Even former Pope Antonius.
Even Myra, who had condemned her own judgment.
Even Elise, who had dreamed of freedom.

All of them, wide-eyed, unable to accept the ruling.

Why?

It was the first question that came to mind.

That the Slave Reaper was a villain was a fact as absolute as the truth itself.

There’s no smoke without fire—if he hadn't committed so many vile acts, how could he have earned the title Reaper?

Every result has its cause.

Yet, here they were, their very god denying the reality they had built.

"Hic… Hhic…"

A stifled sob broke the silence.
Sigrid, trembling, let fat teardrops spill from her eyes.

Her carefully constructed poker face had shattered.

Under normal circumstances, the sight of a crying girl might stir sympathy, but Karami merely let out a dry laugh.

"Isn't she a complete psychopath?"

She wasn’t apologizing for her mistake.
She was crying because she couldn’t brand him a criminal?

What was this, some kind of achievement hunting?
A "Convict 100 Criminals" side quest?

She must be disappointed that she couldn’t add the Slave Reaper to her collection. Should I feel guilty enough to commit a crime just for her sake?

Of course not.

While everyone else stood in disarray, Karami seized the moment.

"What are you all waiting for? Announce the verdict already."

"T-this can't be… Something must be wrong!"

"Wrong? Are you doubting your god?"

"Th-that’s…"

To deny a divine ruling in a nation that had built its judicial system upon divine authority was the same as questioning their god.

Of course, the reality was that Ordo had neither made an error nor denied the truth.