Chapter 83

The gift that the church messenger presented...

It turned out to be a large wooden box.

...Or was it not that big? It could be said that it was the size that could be carried with both hands, but with some effort, it might be possible to hold it with one hand.

Such an awkwardly sized wooden box.

The most accurate description would be that it could fit a person's head...

"What is this?"

Moreover, there were two of these wooden boxes.

"It's a special gift prepared for you. It contains the best present to soothe your anger and convey our sincerity!"

"......"

"Please inspect the contents. I'm sure you'll be delighted and eager to form a bond with our church."

"......"

With such confidence, I became curious about the contents.

Just how do they plan to win my favor?

Curiosity couldn't be suppressed.

I decided to check the contents of the wooden box.

First, I opened the box.

"......This is...!?"

What came out was all white.

...Is this salt?

Is the box filled with salt?

"Please rest assured. The item we wish to present is not salt."

The messenger explained as if making a defense.

"It's a kind of packing material. The gift is a perishable item, so it has been preserved this way."

"A perishable item...?"

I stuck my fingers into the salt in the box and gently dug through it.

Is the real gift buried in this salt?

After digging a little, I immediately felt something with my fingertips.

Something hard? At the same time, a nauseating odor rose from the gaps in the salt I had dug up.

This smell, which made me want to vomit the moment I inhaled it.

Is it a smell of decay?

"Oh...!? Ohhhhhhh...!?"

What I dug out from the salt was...

A human head.

Just the head, with no body below the neck. No arms or legs.

Just the head.

It must have been cut off with a blade or something and pickled in salt, then transported here.

Is this a decapitated head?

"Why would you bring a human head...!? No, more importantly...!?"

Being presented with a severed head is shocking enough, but there was an even greater shock for me.

This wasn't just any severed head.

If it were the head of someone I didn't know, I could treat it as just an object.

But this...

The owner of this head was someone who had a significant connection to me in life.

We had spoken to each other.

This severed head... this face...

"Riber...!?"

A companion from my childhood, with whom I had worked together to survive.

We parted ways after the ceremony to receive skills, and I hadn't seen him for a long time...

No, to be precise, I had met him once recently...

"Have you recognized it? This is the severed head of the former hero Riber, who received punishment."

"Punishment...!?"

And, "former" hero...!?

Ignoring my shock, the messenger, seeing this as a good opportunity to win me over, spoke rapidly and enthusiastically.

"We have already heard about the insolence this one showed towards you! He made unreasonable demands and, when refused, flew into a rage and attacked. He nearly threatened your life, but was defeated in retaliation."

"Ah...? Yeah...?"

No, I can't think straight, I'm too confused.

Is this Riber's head? If it's just the head, does that mean Riber is dead?

Where is the body? Is the body still alive? No...!?

"You must have been very angry. Being threatened by unwarranted violence and hating lawless people is understandable. The problem is that the one who committed the crime was a hero belonging to the church. If this incident tarnishes the church's reputation, it would be detrimental to both of us."

"No, wait. My head is a mess. Wait...!"

"That's why we took this action to show that we have no ill intentions towards you and to demonstrate that this was a personal act of the former hero Riber! We immediately stripped him of his hero title and executed him. We brought you his head to confirm this fact!"

So, wait...!?

"To show that we have no ill intentions towards you, the Pope has instructed us that you may do as you please with this head! You can crush it in anger or display it to spread the fear of defying you! And there's one more thing!"

Right.

The messenger brought two wooden boxes. There was another one.

The first box contained Riber's head.

Another one?

What is it!?

Is there another person's head in there!?

Stop it!

I don't even want to imagine whose head it could be!

"Please inspect this head as well!"

He took out another head from the other box!?

Stop it! Whose head is it this time... who?

Indeed, it was a gruesome severed head, but I didn't recognize the face?

"Do you not remember? It's understandable. You only met this man once, five years ago."

"Five years ago, once...?"

"He was the priest who handled your blessing ceremony."

Upon hearing this, I realized.

I do remember...?

The contemptuous expression when he told me, "You have no skills."

"We investigated the records and identified him as the one who handled your ceremony. Allowing someone of your caliber, the strongest skill user, to slip through and be distanced from the church is a grave sin deserving of death! We executed him to set an example and prevent such incidents in the future!"

They killed a person for this.

Indeed, I had a bad impression of this person.

I hadn't thought about him recently, but if I did, it would never be with pleasant feelings.

I would rather keep this memory sealed away.

But even so...

I never wished for him to die!

"We have eliminated the former hero Riber and the incompetent ceremony priest to show our sincerity. With these two, who had direct grudges against you, out of the way, any lingering resentment should disappear! You can now join the church without any reservations!"

"To kill these two for such a reason...!?"

"Riber had lost his skills for some reason, so he would have had to resign as a hero anyway. This useless 'no skills' person can now serve as a bridge between you and the church with his death. It's a fitting end for someone who was useless!"

The messenger spoke confidently, without any doubt about their righteousness.

"Please hold a grand ceremony for your appointment as a hero and announce that all justice lies with the church! Of course, it must be kept secret from the King of Centorian, who seems to view our church as an enemy, but once he learns that you have defected, he will change his attitude!"

"Are you saying I will do as you say?"

"Of course! We, the church, who have been entrusted with the power to grant skills by the gods, are the true embodiment of justice... Gah!?"

My fist struck the messenger's face.

He was thrown back and slammed into the wall, causing a crack.

"Ugh!? Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh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