The Lord Demon King is Unfathomable!

Chapter 1686 475: Another Big One Is Coming

Dusk approached, and the bell tower of the church rang out the night's bell sound, while crowds still gathered near the soup kitchen by the city gates.

The autumn chill was seeping into this city, recently a survivor of war, but thankfully the large pots of rolling hot soup, and the rich aroma of wheat dispersed the cold from the people and their worries about the future.

Most citizens' faces showed a dull pallor, yet there was at least a trace of vitality in their eyes.

Holding rough clay bowls, they gathered in groups of three or four, swallowing the hard-earned food while exchanging the latest rumors in hushed tones.

"Hey, have you heard?"

A well-informed, skinny man spoke first, lowering his voice with pride, as if sharing an earth-shattering secret.

"This morning, Princess Erin personally went to the Cathedral to confront the black-robed Grand Inquisitor face to face! My cousin's neighbor delivers candles to the church, he slipped in through the side door, saw it with his own eyes!"

"Confrontation?!"

"What's happening?"

The crowd's eyes lit up, faces filled with curiosity.

"What else could it be?" An elderly woman huffed, muttering tensely, "Isn't it just to report military intelligence? Alno, don't spread false rumors recklessly or you'll catch the ear of those black-robed gentlemen from the Judicial Court!"

Reporting military intelligence was the Judicial Court's version.

Although the church's happenings could be concealed, daylight inevitably seeped through the windows that day.

To prevent people from fabricating even greater rumors through whispers, the Judicial Court crafted an official version of the rumor.

It must be said, they were somewhat inexperienced in handling such matters.

If there weren't those with hidden intentions, this approach might be viable. But if faced with ill-minded individuals, it undoubtedly sets a target for collective assault.

"What military intelligence! The war has been over for so long, what military intelligence is there?"

A man's voice entered the fray, his index finger gesticulating exaggeratedly, recounting the version he heard from others.

"The version I heard isn't like that! I heard that the Inquisitor suspected Princess Erin, claiming she exuded an impure energy, and wanted to judge her on the spot!"

His words were like a stone thrown into a pond, immediately stirring waves of ripples amongst the surrounding crowd.

So much so that a few squatting far away came closer, faces full of disbelief, eager to hear more.

"Judge Princess Erin? Are they crazy?"

"What gives them the right! The Princess is our savior!"

"Exactly! Princess Erin burned her own life to save us! What did those sermon-chanting guys do?"

"What's going on? Tell us quickly!"

Faced with the crowd's barrage of questions, the excited man became clueless, as he too was only repeating hearsay, unaware of the details.

He now worried that the crowd growing larger might attract the Judicial Court's people, and what then?

Just as he felt bewildered, a seemingly unremarkable middle-aged man suddenly put down his bowl and spoke silently.

Unlike the heated fellow, his voice was simple and crisp, directly hitting the mark.

"Not just judgment..."

"The version I heard was that the Grand Inquisitor publicly employed the Divine Artifact 'Judgment Cross' gifted by His Holiness the Pope, in front of all the priests and knights!"

His words fell over the crowd like a bomb in the pond, not merely a stone.

"Judgment Cross?!"

"What exactly is that?!"

"A... Divine Artifact used to punish heretics, specifics I'm unclear about, all I know is that ordinary Demons are no match for it. Not just Demons, even those harboring ill intentions cannot look directly at its shining light."

The middle-aged man described slowly, narrating unknown details as though he was present at the scene. Though he claimed "the specifics are unclear," it seemed he knew everything.

"...When the light shone, it appeared as though a second sun emerged in the sky. They intended to burn Princess Erin with the sacred light to prove her guilt. However, unfortunately for them, our Saint Sis was sharp-sighted, his judgment not only failed to prove Princess Erin's guilt but instead proved her purity!"

The striking imagery rendered many present holding their breath, as if following the middle-aged man back to the scene.

His depiction was so vivid, even describing the expression on the Judgers' faces, which convinced everyone his version was the truth.

As it indeed was.

Any lie avoids detailing descriptions as once details are said, irreconcilable flaws remain.

Conversely, if one speaks as though present, unchallenged by anyone, then he likely genuinely was.

Or at least knows some unknown information.

The middle-aged man narrated the story to the end.

Including the Inquisitor's refusal to apologize demeanor, the Court Manager's indifferent sarcasm, and Erin leaving the church, enduring disgrace for the greater good...

After a brief silence, the crowd finally burst into uncontrollable uproar.

Doubt and anger roiled like Hell's lava, they dared not speak loudly but vented their frustration in suppressed voices.