Chapter 211: Chapter: 210 Executing the heretic.[2]

"Hm?"

Crypian slowly stood up after hearing the deep voice from outside the chamber. His eyes narrowed slightly as the words echoed in his mind.

’Punish the heretic? What exactly did that mean? Had someone broken one of the Church’s sacred laws?’

These thoughts lingered in his head while he watched Sebastian step toward the doorway.

Behind the prince, the nobles also hurriedly rose from their seats. Chairs shifted across the floor while uneasy whispers briefly spread through the chamber before quickly dying down again.

Crypian remained standing near the table for a moment before finally taking a step forward as well.

At the entrance, Sebastian had already reached the door and calmly taken over from the old butler.

"It has been a while, Sir Cassian," the prince said with a polite smile, though the confusion in his eyes was obvious.

"But what exactly do you mean by heretic? Everyone gathered here are nobles of the Holy Empire, so could it be that you mis...."

A calm voice suddenly interrupted him before he could finish. "We are here for the heretic, Your Highness. And we have made no mistake."

The voice was soft and gentle. Yet the moment it echoed through the doorway, the entire atmosphere inside the chamber turned solemn.

Crypian instantly recognized that voice.

The Saint.....this voice belonged to the saint. He had heard it once before during the Saint’s visit to the Royal Arcane Academy.

"The heretic is here right now." The words fell quietly, but they struck the room harder than a hammer.

Crypian’s brows slowly furrowed. ’Who?

Who could possibly be called a heretic here?’

Sebastian’s expression also darkened slightly.

"But Your Holiness," the prince spoke again carefully, "who exactly are you looking for? And may I know under what charges the Church has come here today?"

For a brief moment, silence followed. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Then Commander Cassian stepped forward.

The heavy sound of his armored boots echoed across the floor outside the chamber while his cold eyes swept across everyone inside.

"As per the evidence gathered by the Church," his deep voice rumbled through the hall, "the heretic has insulted the sacred scripture of the Goddess herself."

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere inside the chamber instantly froze.

Several nobles visibly stiffened. One of them even lost color in his face. Even Duke Ryane’s sharp expression darkened slightly.

Inside the Holy Empire, there existed one absolute forbidden rule. Never disrespect the scripture of the Goddess.

That law stood above almost everything else. To insult the sacred text was no different from directly insulting the Church itself.

And the punishment for that crime was always the same....Death.

Sebastian slowly let out a deep breath.

"I see..." he said quietly before lifting his eyes again. "Then may we at least know who this heretic you is?"

At that moment, Crypian finally reached the doorway. From there, he could partially see the figures standing outside.

Rows of heavily armored paladins lined the corridor like statues. The pressure coming from them alone was enough to make anyone’s blood turn cold.

And standing at the very center was a man wearing crimson armor.

His body was massive. Broad shoulders. Tall enough to tower over almost everyone present.

Even his hair carried a metallic crimson color beneath the light of the corridor lamps. His sharp face showed no emotion as he stood there like an unmoving wall of iron.

Commander Cassian. Beside him stood another figure dressed entirely in pure white robes.

The moment Crypian’s eyes landed on him.

The Saint’s long golden hair flowed softly behind him while his pale skin seemed to glow faintly beneath the light.

His face looked calm and gentle, almost unreal. For a brief moment, the entire hallway felt silent around him.

Then the Saint finally spoke. "The heretic... is Crypian Thorne."

The words exploded inside Crypian’s mind like thunder.

"What?"

Both Crypian and Sebastian spoke at the exact same time.

Shock instantly appeared across the faces of the nobles. Some even took an unconscious step backward.

But before anyone could properly react, several armored paladins immediately stormed into the chamber.

"Capture him," Commander Cassian ordered coldly.

The soldiers moved without hesitation.

Crypian barely had enough time to take half a step before two paladins grabbed both of his arms from behind with overwhelming force. Another kicked directly behind his knee.

Bang!

Pain shot through his leg as his balance instantly collapsed. His knee slammed heavily against the floor.

The stone floor cracked slightly beneath the impact.

"What are you...."

Before Crypian could even finish speaking, another paladin forced his shoulders down violently.

Cold metal gauntlets locked around his arms like iron chains. Everything happened too fast. The nobles stared at the scene in complete shock.

Even Sebastian’s face had darkened completely.

Then, in front of everyone present, Commander Cassian suddenly lowered himself onto one knee before the Saint.

"We have captured the heretic, Your Holiness."

"It’s a misunderstanding!"

Crypian finally managed to process what was happening, and the moment he did, he immediately struggled against the paladins holding him down.

"I’ve never said anything about the sacred text of the Goddess... there must be some kind of mistake...."

"Silence!"

Commander Cassian’s voice exploded through the chamber before Crypian could finish. The pressure behind that single word instantly froze the room again.

Cassian slowly turned his cold gaze toward Crypian while still kneeling before the Saint.

"You dare interrupt while the Holy Saint is speaking?" he said in a low dangerous voice.

To the Church’s followers, the Saint was no different from a living divine figure.

Even speaking out of turn before him was considered disrespectful by many devoted believers.

Cassian’s expression darkened further.

"Do not pretend to be innocent," he continued coldly. "The Saint already possesses all the evidence of your crimes."

His sharp eyes narrowed.

"Accept your death willingly, heretic."

"But....guh!"

Before Crypian could protest again, one of the paladins suddenly drove his armored fist directly into Crypian’s stomach.

The impact knocked the air out of his lungs instantly.

Pain exploded through his entire body as his eyes widened violently.

A string of saliva fell from his mouth onto the black floor beneath him while his body bent forward from the blow.

"What the hell is even happening?"