The Heroines Who Framed Me Are Clinging to Me

Chapter 56 - Heresy Inquisition (2)

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 56 - Heresy Inquisition (2)

"I'm actually a member of the Blood Cult."

This was back before the assault on the Seven Kill Squad, in a research facility in Eastan.

Lloyd's sudden confession was met with a loud crash.

When he turned, the village chief had collapsed onto the floor, brandishing a frying pan in alarm.

"Wh-what are you saying? You’re part of the Blood Cult?"

"Exactly what I said. I'm in the Blood Cult. Didn’t you notice?"

"You’ve lost your mind! I already thought you were crazy, but you’ve really gone mad now!"

The absurd confession caused a ridiculous uproar.

Yulia, who had been silently observing, sighed deeply.

"Lloyd. Could you at least explain it in context?"

"Sure. I was in the Blood Cult."

"......"

Yulia, staring at Lloyd for a moment, figured there must be a reason behind his words and spoke on his behalf.

"Lloyd was sold as a slave to a high-ranking member of the Blood Cult through an auction. He was forcibly inducted into the cult. As a slave, he had no choice in the matter and was even made to consume their parasitic insect, the ‘Gu worm.’"

"Ugh. I can’t believe you survived eating something like that."

"Yes. I rescued him after he was serving as a strategist because of his exceptional intellect. Officially, I’ve maintained a cooperative relationship with the cult in exchange for getting Lloyd out."

"Hmm."

The village chief crossed his arms and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"As far as I know, consuming that parasite causes people to lose their minds. More precisely, their personality is overridden, and they become puppets of the cult. Yet Lloyd shows no signs of that. In fact, he doesn’t even have that faint, dangerous aura that Blood Cult members usually give off."

"You seem to know quite a lot about the Blood Cult."

"...I have my reasons."

The village chief trailed off, standing up and setting the fallen chair upright before sitting back down.

"So, how did you deal with the parasite? From what I can see, Lloyd is definitely not under the cult’s control. I trust my own eyes."

Lloyd smirked in response to the village chief’s question.

"So, you really can’t tell?"

"I’ve been deceived my whole life, but no, I can’t tell."

"If someone like you can’t see through it, then I doubt anyone else will either. Good. That’s exactly what I wanted to confirm."

With a sweeping motion, Lloyd raised his left arm, revealing the Blood Cult’s symbol clearly etched on his forearm.

The village chief's eyes widened.

"...It’s real."

"Of course. But I’m not being controlled."

"How?"

"That parasite... something else devoured it."

"Devoured...? What does that mean? And why is the mark still there?"

"Well, something far scarier than the parasite is living inside me."

The reason the symbol remained despite not being affected by the Gu worm—Lloyd had already figured that part out.

'It must mean that Ortega, from the perspective of the Blood Cult, is an existence above even their deity.'

Something far worse than the Gu worm was dwelling within him.

No, rather, what was inside him was the very entity they worshipped.

The god of ash and blood.

A being who had seen the depths of evil and transcended, even as a human.

Suppressing the madness that pulsed within his chest, Lloyd calmly continued.

"The important thing is, while I can hide everything else, this mark is hard to conceal."

The Blood Cult was a continent-wide problem.

A threat that had to be eradicated.

If discovered, there would be no questions—execution on the spot.

He couldn’t afford to be caught.

And he needed a plan to ensure that wouldn’t happen.

"Did you try washing it off?"

The village chief’s comment earned him a baffled stare from Yulia.

"I mean, you never know. Maybe if you scrub it, it’ll come off."

"This isn’t leftover food stuck on dishes..."

Lloyd cut off their exchange.

"I tried scrubbing it off. Even used a towel to really scrub in the bathhouse. Didn’t work."

"Then it’s hopeless."

"Can someone please explain what’s going on?"

With a grin, Lloyd made his conclusion.

"Anyway, today I’m going to try something new."

Bang.

A set of vials was placed on the table with a clatter.

"These are potions I brought from Malio’s workshop. Just let me know if the mark disappears, even if I pass out from drinking them."

Thus began the clinical trials.

?

And now, today.

Standing before the Heresy Inquisitor, Lloyd shrugged his shoulders.

"Accusing me of being part of the Blood Cult, just like that? Is this really the level of skill one would expect from a Heresy Inquisitor of the Holy Office?"

It was a pretty deep jab.

Asmael lightly bit his lip, then smiled.

"Are you asking to experience my interrogation skills firsthand?"

"No, that’s not what I meant."

Lloyd’s eyes blatantly rolled.

"At the very least, you should explain your reasoning. It’s not like I was just wandering around the Holy Office without a care in the world, only to suddenly end up in this terrifying place."

Heresy Inquisitor Asmael.

He was an unexpected variable Lloyd hadn’t considered.

At best, Lloyd thought he’d be interrogated by someone beneath the Holy Emperor—some high-ranking priest consumed by ambition, angling for power.

Someone whose dreams had likely been crushed by the sudden rise of the Saintess.

'The Holy Office is probably split into two factions right now.'

One faction, begrudgingly or not, gathered around the Saintess—the "Orthodox Faction."

And the other, opposing the Saintess, forming the "Anti-Saintess Faction."

The leader of the Anti-Saintess Faction, who was most likely allied with the Blood Cult and the Second Princess, was Lloyd’s true target.

But finding such a person wouldn’t be easy.

Whoever they were, they’d be hiding their allegiance to the Blood Cult within the Holy Office. An external figure like Lloyd would have a hard time uncovering their identity.

'That’s why I decided to get captured.'

The fall of the Seven Kill Squad.

The only people who would have a problem with that were members of the Anti-Saintess Faction.

Lloyd figured if he got arrested, he’d be brought directly to them.

But here he was, facing Heresy Inquisitor Asmael.

A man who had devoted everything to Deus, with no concern for Holy Office politics.

Whether he supported the Orthodox or the Anti-Saintess Faction was unknown.

He could be loyal only to the Holy Emperor.

An exception.

Lloyd needed to figure out why.

Even if it meant taking a bit of a risk.

"In summary, I’m just curious why an upstanding believer like me has been imprisoned."

Lloyd’s flippant tone only made Asmael’s smile deepen.

"Are you claiming to be a follower of Deus?"

"That’s right."

"Really? Because I don’t feel any of Deus’ grace from you. I hate liars. As does Deus. Have you at least been baptised?"

Asmael’s smile pricked at Lloyd’s skin like needles.

'What kind of ridiculous monster is this...?'

Holding back the urge to scratch his arm, Lloyd also smiled back.

"I haven’t been baptised, no."

"Then how are you one of Deus’ lambs?"

"Well, there’s no child born on this continent who isn’t blessed by Deus in some way. Even if they don’t believe, they carry Him within their hearts, don’t they?"

It sounded like a convoluted argument, but it was the official doctrine.

This was exactly the kind of teaching Deus’ followers used to spread their faith.

It was something Lloyd had learned from Aria.

"That’s..."

Asmael fell silent.

Sure enough, this devout follower was weak against theological arguments.

Sensing an opening, Lloyd pressed forward.

"So, why exactly are you interrogating me? Shouldn’t you at least give me a reason?"

"...I overheard something."

"Something?"

"Since you’re right, I’ll explain."

Easy. Too easy.

As if his mind had gone blank for a moment, Asmael started talking obediently.

"Not long ago, a messenger arrived at the Holy Office. Messengers come from time to time, of course, but this one had a particularly strange aura. He went to report to one of the high priests."

As he spoke, Asmael twirled around and walked toward the tools on the wall.

Lloyd hastily licked his sleeve.

Clank, clank.

Like a seasoned surgeon, Asmael carefully selected a tool as he continued.

"After tracking him, we traced the matter back to you. I thought you might be connected to that individual. I don’t know exactly what’s happening within the Holy Office, but I suspect it’s something significant."

Lloyd had gained a lot of information.

Far more than he had expected.

Which only made him more anxious.

"Are you really supposed to be revealing this much?"

"Deus said..."

Step.

Asmael took a step closer.

In his hand was a thin, scalpel-like blade.

"If you’ve made a mistake, repay it in kind. Since I falsely suspected you, I’m merely returning the favour by providing information."

"Well, that’s a relief."

But why the blade?

Sensing Lloyd’s confusion, Asmael smiled.

"And Deus also said, 'Do not listen too much, lest it be your undoing.'"

"...Crazy bastard."

"Why the swearing? Brother, you’ve simply heard too much."

"You’re the one who told me."

"You asked, didn’t you, brother? Of course."

Step.

Asmael stopped right in front of Lloyd, slowly raising the scalpel toward Lloyd’s left arm.

"I don’t kill recklessly. Deus told us not to. But."

Ssssss.

The scalpel slowly sliced through the fabric.

"I am destined to set those who stray from Deus back onto the right path."

Snip.

The fabric around Lloyd’s shoulder was cut open, falling to the sides.

Asmael’s smile stretched from ear to ear.

"I’m curious to see just what kind of person you are, brother."

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]