“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.
Am I seriously going to be convicted of my crimes based on that old guy’s debate with a mirror?
This trial system is total crap.
I’m smart enough to know that in situations like this, the defendant usually gets some sort of chance to explain themselves, right? Like a defense or something!”
“Player, good morning. What would you like for breakfast toda—oh… this is….”
With a high-pitched screech, the familiar soprano voice rings in my ears.
“Malice Cathedral… iron chains of the magic-sealing ore… Oh, a trial by divine judgement, I see. Understood, I grasp the situation.”
“Well, that’s good. Navi, got any ideas for getting out of this mess?”
I mutter quietly, just enough for Navi to hear.
Meanwhile, the church members keep shouting about divine judgment, death magic execution preparations, and other nonsense.
“As expected of you, Player. To anticipate this situation and still inherit the ‘rights’ from Grellod Majarme….”
“Rights…?”
Oh, the land rights.
“Yeah, the rights, the rights. Isn’t this messed up? I properly inherited them from the old lady!”
“Heh, exactly. You inherited the rights that the Cult of the Insects held for 500 years… one of the few means by which humanity can resist the higher races.”
“…????”
Higher races…? What is this guy talking about?
“It seems the Church of Malice wants to torture you to extract those rights. They see this as the perfect chance to reclaim the rights that Grellod took from the church 500 years ago.”
… So it really is about the land!
Of course, this world is a crappy medieval fantasy with old-fashioned values. I guess land is more important than I thought.
“What a terrifying thing… To think another reincarnator, along with the Cult of the Insects, would conspire to offer you, a reincarnated hero invited by the Seven Gods, as a sacrifice to their abhorrent deity. And on top of that! You killed the kind-hearted Grellod, who had long cared for the homeless in Holga Village, and tried to steal her land… truly deserving of divine judgment!!”
It really is about the land!
Wait, that old guy just smiled.
Hmm, he’s got the villain vibe going on.
The church elder slowly approaches me.
“The homeless… we of the church already know… You inherited it from Grellod, didn’t you? Our holy saint has already heard everything from the omniscient Seven Gods. If you surrender it quickly, we won’t have to torture you; we’ll just kill you swiftly.”
These guys… they’re seriously this obsessed with the land?
They’re hardcore. Medieval farming nuts, I swear…
Heh, fine by me. Their determination is admirable.
It would be rude not to meet their passion head-on.
But this time, I’m not acting as a Cursed One, but as Kasuya Takihito the Homeless.
I’ll try something a little different.
“Well, homeless one, the time has come for your miserable life to serve the gods in some small way. Confess. Surrender your rights. Prepare for your audience with the goddess of death.”
“What do you think a god is?”
“…What?”
“I asked, what do you think a god is?”
“Skill activated: Curse Infusion.”
