CH 275.1

Under the blue sky of early summer, a stage like an outdoor concert was set up in the central square of the royal capital.

(So that’s the Saintess huh)

I think while sitting in the cockpit of the Old Lady, who was kneeling on one knee in the southeast corner of the square, looking over the heads of many people.

She was a girl about the age of a high school student with a princess cut, smiling and shaking hands with an ostentatiously dressed old man. That’s probably His Majesty the King.

『I’d like to introduce you to your escort Knights』

After they had left, the Prime Minister announced with a wand of loudspeaker magic in his hand. With that, the A-class Knight on one knee at the side of the stage slowly stood up.

(Come forth! Viking!)

I, the godfather, shout the name of the Knight in my mind.

The deep blue breastplate opened smoothly, and the pilot inside stepped forward and bowed. It is Corneal, dressed in her formal attire, wearing his Epaulette and Aiguillette.

(He looks different than usual)

To be honest, he doesn’t have the best face.

However, his confident and cool smile gave him the air of authority of the number three knight of the Kingdom. It was hard to believe that he was the same person as that 『Skewering Windwhirl』 who walked around the sideline with a perverted expression.

The introductions continued, and then B-class Knight stood up in the southwest corner of the central square, opposite the Old Lady.

(That looks cool)

Who appeared from inside was a beautiful boy who was beyond compare. He was the son of a nobleman who had been my classmate at pilot school.

The mere sight of him was enough to send the ladies into a frenzy, and when he bowed with a graceful gesture, the women erupted.

I, who knew his secret, sniffed at the scene.

(He’s gotten more attractive)

It must be Corneal’s influence.

The noble kid is a virgin, but not a virgin*. This boy who’s in the category of beautiful boys has been skewered and spun many times by his superior.

(Alright, the ceremony is over)

The Old Lady and I are here because we are the guards of the missionary who is bringing 『Sin and Punishment』 to the Eastern country. However, our name wasn’t called like the noble kid.

I guess that’s the difference between the knight order of the Kingdom and a privately owned knight order.

(I don’t like giving a greeting in front of many people, so it was fine by me)

If I was just going to sit in the cockpit, there was no need for me to wear my formal uniform.

Practicing how to smile and bow in front of the mirror late at night, just in case something happened. I would like to have that effort back.

After that, a mini-skirt marching band of girls with plump thighs led us south down the main street until we got outside the royal capital. There, for the first time, I met with the missionary.

「I have heard of the activities of the Knight of the merchant guild. It would be a great honor to have you as my escort」

A middle-aged man with a sturdy body came to shake my hand with a smile.

I shook his hand back and greeted him, but I couldn’t help but feel that I had met this person before.

「Do you think it’s surprising that the missionary of Sin and Punishment is a man?」

He probably guessed that from seeing the expression on my face as I dug through my memories. He must have been used to being told so because he never stopped smiling.

I stopped scooping my brain with a shovel and redirected my attention to him.

(Well, the truth was because I was expecting Plain-chan)

She has a crimson butterfly mask and an impressive skill with a whip. She also has a sense of not missing a customer’s boiling point when dripping hot wax that melts like butter.

With her shocking debut in the Divine tournament, she is the most popular name of the 『Plain Queen』.

When I told him so, the old man, the missionary, explained to me.

「She is an excellent Queen, but she is not fit to teach others」

It seems that when younger students ask her to teach them, she just says, 『Let the darkness of your heart take over you』 and no one can understand him. I guess she’s a natural genius rather than a theoretical person.

I heard that this old man is in charge of training the queens at Cassabell.

(SM play is now available in many stores. Still, the reason why Cassabell is head and shoulders above the rest is probably due to the power of this old man)

As I was nodding my head, I heard a voice calling out for the missionary old man from the side.

When I turned around, I saw a young man in a concierge’s uniform running toward me, looking impatient.

「Please excuse me. I think there’s been some trouble」

The old man apologized and started talking to the young man. I couldn’t hear him well, but it seemed to be about the Queen’s education.

“Yes, yes,” he said, raising and lowering his head again and again. After that, he bowed deeply to me and walked back into the capital.

While watching that back, the old man threw some words in a loud voice.

「Make sure the pain and heat are felt by the one inflicting it. Also, make sure to get it into her head that Sin and Punishment is not a one-sided game!」

I was watching from a distance away, but the way he said it now clicked with something in my memory. A voice emerged from the depths of my mind, accompanied by an image.

『It’s a felony to do business without any proper registration. Get it through your head that this isn’t somewhere like your village!』

A city gate, which is much smaller than the one in the royal capital. There, a guard wearing a breastplate was telling me in a strident voice.

This exchange occurred just after I had arrived in this world. It must have been at the entrance to Landbarn, the first settlement I visited in this world.

(This old man… he’s the gatekeeper at Landbarn!)

A suspicious person without any identification, saying he came to sell potions.

The kind middle-aged guard who permitted me to enter the city and even advised me to register with the merchant guild.

(It doesn’t seem like he realized I was the same guy though)

For me, it’s a memorable event that I’ll never forget. But for the gatekeeper, it must have been a part of their daily events.

(Life is sure full of surprises huh)

Landbarn has already become the Empire’s territory. The old man who used to be a guard there must have lost his job.

Now, he is going to represent his country and tell other countries about 『Sin and Punishment』.

Calling it a torrent is probably an understatement. I would like to hear about his tumultuous life once.

While I was pondering the wonders of the human world, a nearby soldier told me to prepare for the departure.

「I understand」

I replied and got into the Old Lady, while the missionary old man got into the carriage.

Not long after that, the first blue-colored A-class Knight began walking in the front followed by us at the end of the carriage.

And this is the inside of the carriage.

The missionary old man was deeply moved as he looked at the walls of the royal city getting smaller behind him.

(Never in my wildest dreams I’d be chosen to be an emissary to another country)

As Tauro had guessed, this old man was a former guard. With a certain amount of loyalty to the country, he had been guarding the gates and maintaining security.

(A person like me…)

The bitter regret distorts his face.

When the Knights of the knight order were defeated at the Battle of Landbarn and the Imperial Army came storming into the city, he couldn’t stand the fear and ran away first.

It was a cowardly act, even though he was supposed to protect the people. There was no excuse, even for himself.

「Gaaahhh!!」

Memories of that time flashback and he can’t help but scream as his mind can’t take it anymore.

In the end, he was captured by the Imperial soldiers as he left the city.

After his neck and both wrists were shackled with a piece of wooden shackles, he was taken to a conference room.

(It’s too big for an interrogation room. And… is that a stage?)

At the far end of the room, there was a raised platform with five low knee-high tables lined up side by side.

(Ugh!)

He was forced to lie on his belly and the wooden shackles were fastened to the low table.

He was in a strained position, unable to move.

(Just what is happening?)

He exchanged glances with the four other prisoners. The reason he couldn’t speak was because all of them had been gagged.

Eventually, the curtain of the stage was lowered, and after a certain amount of time, it was raised again. What he saw behind the curtain were a dozen men relaxing with drinks in their hands.

(What’s going on?)

He still couldn’t understand what was about to happen.

The only thing that made him realized the situation he was in was the words 『Wickedness to the Defeated』 from a man with a large build with short white hair in front of him.

「I’m a guy! Stop this!」

Memories of the past made him scream in the present.

He remembered vividly the thick, hairy arms grabbing his head and pressing him to the low table.

The steel-hard barrel of the cannon takes its place in his butt, spitting out hot bullets.

「No, please, stop! I beg you!」

Whenever they are wounded, a cure injury potion was poured on them. They were not given time to rest.

As the number of people increased, oral services were also demanded from them.

And this continued until the ceasefire agreement was signed and the prisoners were released.

(That was my punishment. For my sin of running away, abandoning the people)

He broke out in a cold sweat and hugged his trembling body inside the carriage.

This old man was chosen to be a missionary of sin and punishment.

How did he get to where he is today? It is unlikely that Tauro will ever be told about it.