229: Heretical Contamination

Chapter 225: Heretical Contamination

The Commander gave Godwin a small bungalow near the command post to use as an office.

Godwin was quite pleased with this.

His office was quite simple, with most of the items handled by himself.

The furniture inside was all second-hand, salvaged from other places.

Landscape paintings of wilderness ranches and unknown towns hung on the paneled walls.

These were left by the previous owner.

Lookout Fort's position was not simple.

Even if the Undead problem on the border had been properly resolved,

this fortress would still be key to connecting Qingfeng Valley.

Of course, it would also be an obstacle to prevent the Baron of Qingfeng Valley from encroaching on Amn.

The residents living here were wild and violent.

Here, there was only money, fists, and sex.

Godwin was from Falcon Earl's territory, so he would never be a savage.

But he was happy to become a Lookout Fort local for some information.

In contrast, Karl Bofils, a local, seemed more like an outsider.

This small peddler from Lookout Fort was not bound, but rather frozen in place by fear.

His knuckles gripped his arms tightly, and he looked like he wanted to vomit.

However, according to what Udo told Godwin, he had already vomited everything he possibly could.

Godwin leaned against his desk—an ordinary, plain wooden desk—with his hands resting on the pockmarked surface.

He kept his lips tightly sealed, watching his interrogation subject.

The small peddler looked strange.

This wasn't because the man was so terrified he was almost incontinent, nor was it because of the bruises left by Udo's enthusiastic “conversation” before the interrogation.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the man had a strange aura about him.

Godwin remained silent for a long time.

His fingers tapped lightly on the desktop.

The sunlight after the rain slanted through the glass window onto his face.

In another situation, this scene would have felt peaceful and warm.

Karl sat there, trembling, his skin ashen like a dead man.

Finally, Godwin cleared his throat.

“Do you know how many lives I've ended?”

The small peddler looked flustered for a moment, as if the question might be some kind of trick.

He hastily shook his head.

Godwin snorted.

“Can't guess? In fact, I'm not sure myself. Definitely hundreds.”

“If you count all the decrees with my name on them, maybe a thousand.”

“Many people have died, sir. It's a heavy burden on one's conscience.”

Godwin's words were not false.

This involved what he had done under another Son of the Wolf.

That should have been the content he was most reluctant to recall.

But gradually, he began to feel that these unpleasant pasts could be used as a weapon.

The small peddler seemed to be racking his brain for an answer.

Perhaps, speaking was painful for him.

His swollen cheeks and blood-stained lips spoke of Udo's work.

Godwin shook his head, withdrawing his hands from the desktop and clasping them tightly together.

“Imagine, sir,” he said, “I have killed so many people, I've lost count.”

“Elsewhere, this would make me some kind of monster.”

“But in eastern Amn, it has made me a respected hero.”

“What kind of world do we live in?”

The small peddler coughed a few times with difficulty, but his words were unclear.

He tried again, moving his jaw painfully.

“Continue,” Godwin encouraged.

“You, will you kill me?”

“Yes, you should have figured that out.”

“Perhaps you can do something to save your life.”

“Though I can't think of what that might be right now.”

The poor merchant began to weep softly.

His thin chest heaved with suppressed sobs, and a flicker of impatience crossed Godwin's stern face.

He said, “So now you have gained some privileges.”

“I can have my colleague take over this interrogation. Do you wish for that?”

The small peddler controlled his emotions, although his face still wore a mask of pain.

“No, sir,” he said.

“Very good.”

Godwin reached behind him and pulled out a piece of paper covered in Udo's clumsy handwriting.

“How did you fall, sir?”

Godwin asked, flipping through his subordinate's summary of work as he spoke.

“I am a good citizen, sir,” Karl said brazenly, “I have always been loyal to Earl Bull.”

“I have always been loyal to Mother Earth.”

Godwin let out a cold laugh: “You are spreading heresy in this locality.”

“Who taught you? Was it someone named Ingabado?”

The small peddler truly looked puzzled.

“I am a loyal follower of Mother Earth,” he said again, “Father Juan can testify for me.”

“I go to the temple for mass every two weeks.”

Godwin tiredly ran his hand through his hair.

He needed some sleep; perhaps he should have Udo extract all the information.

Last night, before the heavy rain, Letizia sent a secret letter.

According to the letter, a follower of Mother Earth was secretly spreading heresy.

Godwin did not believe this was persecution of the Mother Earth Church by the Bastet Church.

So, he summoned Udo and had him take people to investigate the matter.

This newly promoted warrior naturally became Godwin's subordinate.

His assigned task was clear: to find the black sun caravan's informants.

Godwin wanted to use this to hunt down the cultists.

Although the Commander had stated he would no longer deal with this matter,

he also did not stop Godwin's investigation.

“You were found possessing certain items. They are believed to belong to a certain evil deity.”

“Mother Earth above!” the small peddler insisted, as if the name itself confirmed his innocence.

“I don't think you're taking this seriously,” Godwin said, raising an eyebrow. “Perhaps I should call my assistant.”

“No!” the merchant cried out.

His scarred mouth became almost fluent out of pure terror.

“Truth! Mother Earth, truth!

Those charms cleared the path, allowing us to reach heaven, to the Goddess.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Radiant Goddess, Daughter of Illusion, will come; he will guide us.”

“Mother Earth does not have such a name; what you are saying is heresy.”

The small peddler hastily shook his head.

“I have seen her, Daughter of Illusion, glowing, magnificent!”

“You've been deceived.”

“Glowing, magnificent!”

Godwin paused, thinking carefully.

Udo's notes contained no record of this.

This in itself was not surprising.

The warrior favored brutal interrogation methods.

But this method was notoriously flawed.

No matter how its users claimed its efficiency.

“What other names do you know?”

A light flickered in the merchant's eyes, as if the prospect of survival had suddenly brightened somewhat.

“Three Crowns, Strife, Guide; we worship, we clear the path.”

“What about black sun?”

The merchant's expression widened, revealing a pained smile, like a person recognizing a long-lost relative.