I’m Going to Destroy this Country

Yeah, the Red.

From the start, Isaac didn’t really like these guys.

Why, you ask?

Not only did they have a strong tendency to suspect their colleagues to the point where that became their main purpose, which Isaac disliked, but…

…He couldn’t like them from the beginning anyway?

From the beginning, the Skeleton King was going to become a Saint and devour this country. As a former and current Demon Lord, he couldn’t like the heretic hunters, could he?

In short, they were natural enemies.

Another reason was that it was annoying how they kept eyeing Eshua like they wanted to become the Pope themselves.

It wasn’t for no reason that the head of the Red family told him to disappear when he took an interest.

Here’s the proof. As expected, they’re really annoying.

‘These bastards dared to suddenly conduct a faith examination without warning?’

[What difference would advance notice make?]

‘It makes a huge difference! It’s whether they gouge out my eyes before or after the examination!’

[…Is there really a difference?]

It’s a huge difference. As different as heaven and earth.

Anyway, they weren’t likable guys.

‘Those jerks. The Blue people are at least honest fools who don’t hit people.’

[…But they did hit people, didn’t they? They said you failed the priest exam and tried to lock you up at home.]

Ah, you’re right. I guess I’ll have to wipe out the Blue House too.

Isaac saw Naiser stretching out his annoying hand.

“Come on, hand it over. The Cardinal’s badge.”

As Naiser approached, Isaac stepped back slightly.

Well, he had to go through this sooner or later anyway…

‘That snake eye. It seems like they said they’d obediently send me to prison, but of course there was a catch like this.’

While he could grasp almost everything about other faiths’ sacred relics, he didn’t interact much with the Red who hunted humans as they were mavericks.

‘Escaping is… impossible, I suppose.’

He may have defeated the Red Pentagon back then, but those were trainees and it was just an exam, so it was possible.

They didn’t use the full range and power of their holy spells since it wasn’t a real battle, and they were unarmed. Their goal was just to take the necklace, not to use their abilities.

Anyway, the badge whose rose-gold color changed depending on one’s faith.

It was a hassle, but Isaac snickered and looked at the badge.

Well, whatever. His soul may be rotten, but his body was a Saint’s.

Faith in that God? Perfect!

And do you know how much scripture I’ve read?

Look, as expected, no prob-…

[Oh my, how dark.]

…It’s pitch black. The rose is completely black.

As black as my future!

But well, this level was still okay.

This kind of simple test was just a reference – no matter the result, it wouldn’t be enough to take him in for an inquisition.

And Isaac is not stupid enough to just show it obediently.

“You think I’d hand it over to you?”

At Isaac’s words, Naiser grinned with seemingly absolute confidence for some reason.

“The result is telling, isn’t it? Why, is it a deep red color?”

His provocative gaze made Whisper extremely angry at the insolent brat.

[Wow, that brat is completely disrespecting you, Master! It’s so pitch black there’s no doubt at all?!]

I think I should burn you black.

But well, whatever. Even evil gods don’t turn completely black, so how could he even imagine it would be black?

As expected, Isaac shook the badge with a nasty smile.

“I can’t give this to you.”

“As I thought! There must be some reason why you’re holding back…”

“So you can take it from me and then claim the Blues lost it?”

“So I can take… huh?”

…What?

Naiser stared at Isaac with a dumbfounded look.

Isaac chuckled.

“Why? This is the one and only Cardinal’s badge, right? If you take it, you can just claim you didn’t receive it! Then you can pin all the blame and a huge compensation on the Blue!”

Hearing that, the Red priests and inquisitors who had been listening looked around in shock.

…They never even thought of that?!

More importantly, that brat actually considered doing something like that?!

‘…What a devious idea!’

Just what kind of thoughts does he normally have to come up with something like that?

Naiser also approached with an incredulous look.

“Are you kidding me? With all these eyes watching, you think I’d claim I never received it? Enough, just hand it over…”

“Huh? But aren’t these all your people? Of course you’d get them to corroborate your story, right? Are you an idiot? Did you lose your brain?”

Naiser’s outstretched hand stopped mid-air and clenched into a fist.

Like during the Red Pentagon exam, this guy…! He really knows how to piss people off!

In the end, Naiser gave up trying to take the badge by force.

“Fine! Forget about the badge!”

Isaac snorted derisively.

As expected, if he did this, they wouldn’t brazenly try to take the badge. And if he could just leave the prison now… Oh no.

Isaac almost bit his tongue at the red glow rising in front of his eyes.

With eyes flashing, Naiser leaned against the wall, summoning something.

Not a weapon…

What responded to Naiser’s summon, or what he summoned from the wall using divine techniques, was a structure protruding out.

Kugugu!

It was a stone altar. A structure attached to a stone statue and base, with a striking female statue wearing a crown of thorns.

And the moment he saw that sacred altar, Isaac was rarely shaken.

‘The Judgment Altar?’

There was no way he couldn’t recognize that.

When Isaac was studying the Empire’s history, he saw it dozens, no, hundreds of times in the important parts.

≪Blood Fate Judgment≫

Also known as the ‘Fate Judgement Altar’.

It was the decisive judgment altar leading to the inquisition for heresy. If the simple test was just a reference, this was an altar that branded and definitively judged heretics.

If the simple test raised suspicions and made someone a suspect, they had to stand on this altar.

Or it was used to identify mavericks disguised as humans on the battlefield.

But for nobles, just being taken to this altar was an insult in itself. It meant being condemned as a heretic.

And for someone of Isaac’s pedigree to be taken to this?

‘Is that bastard insane?’

Unless they were extremely certain, even they could be attacked for this. They could even be counter-attacked if the result differed.

[But aren’t they certain?]

Right, dammit, that’s the problem!

‘Anyone to help me…?’

There’s no way, is there?

But then, the Red priests who had brought Isaac to his subordinate approached.

“Don’t worry, young master Isaac.”

“!”

Oh! These guys, after receiving the scouting offer, are they going to help me?

Well, they’re just Red priests doing their teaching duties. Unlike those insolent inquisitors, they’re on a different level…

“With your sense of responsibility and character, there will be no problem! Instead, prove your innocence proudly and use that to pressure the Red!”

You bastards. Are you selling out your faith because you want the Knight Commander position so badly?

More importantly, what if he can’t proudly prove his innocence?

If he can’t argue either way, he’ll just be confirmed as a heretic, won’t he?

‘Tsk, if only we weren’t in Red territory, I could try something.’

Then Naiser gestured to the stone statue, telling Isaac to get on.

“If you have faith, the goddess will close her eyes and shed tears of repentance. But if you’re confirmed a heretic, instead of tears, her eyes will open wide. Those who simply wear human skin cannot shed the tears of repentance that only humans can shed!”

In other words, if the statue opens its eyes, they’ll take him for an inquisition without asking any further.

“Come on, if you’re really a Saint candidate, get on boldly!”

Isaac let out a scoff.

“Why should I bother listening to that?”

“If you don’t want to end up like someone whose name has been erased from the Blue, then you should go up.”

Isaac narrowed his eyes at that.

‘…Someone whose name has been erased from the Blue?’

However, seeming to not feel the need to concede anytime soon, Isaac turned away.

Of course, if the outcome is favorable, he might even use this as an excuse to attack the Red, but for now, it’s better to avoid.

“Consider yourself lucky today. Just by bringing that up in front of me without any evidence, you’ve made a big mistake against Eshua.”

As Isaac tried to leave unexpectedly, Naiser’s mouth curled up slightly.

As expected!

That arrogant little brat trying to escape?

The risk is great, but where is there more definitive evidence than this!

‘There’s an issue with his faith!’

Why does he think Naiser came this far?

-Eshua is showing an astonishing appearance at the Pentagon. At this rate, Eshua will soar.

-If we don’t break him now, we won’t be able to catch him. Is there a way to bring him down?

-Come to think of it, there were rumors that his faith was low.

-If there’s an issue with his faith, doesn’t that mean he can’t become Pope?

Naiser smiled triumphantly.

As a fellow Saint candidate, he must bring that guy down!

However, Isaac just snorted when he saw that look.

‘What is he going to do by bringing that up… huh?!’

Suddenly suspended in mid-air, Isaac’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.

Wondering what was going on, he turned his head, but behind him was Naiser… holding him up?! What?!

Shit, what?! Lifted?

By this bastard?!

Isaac flailed about 50 centimeters above the ground.

However, the physical difference between a 10-year-old and 16-year-old can’t be ignored.

Isaac thrashed about like a freshwater eel out of water, but Naiser chuckled as he approached the altar.

“Don’t struggle. It’ll be over in a second.”

Aahhh! Damn these depraved clergy!

This is child abuse! Abuse, I tell you!

And as Isaac was dropped onto the pedestal floor, a pattern emerged on the altar.

After that, Isaac couldn’t even move, let alone use his strength. It was clearly to prevent escape.

Even Whisper was unusually flustered.

[Master!]

As the holy power began to thoroughly monitor his entire body, even Isaac was unusually flustered.

No, this is really dangerous.

I’m really going to get eliminated!

Isaac’s flustered expression and Naiser’s confident look crossed paths.

‘Now, goddess statue, open your eyes! With this, I can eliminate the Saint candidate and the Blue!’

Yes, eliminate…

Drip.

…Eliminate?

“Ooh! Tears from the stone statue!”

What?!

Naiser checked the statue with a dumbfounded expression. The goddess statue had her eyes closed but was shedding tears.

Naiser’s expression could only freeze.

No matter how many times he looked, they were tears.

No, if it were just regular tears, he wouldn’t say anything.

‘…Blood tears?’

When one with faith stands on the altar, the goddess statue sheds tears. Normally it’s clear tears, but the higher the faith, the thicker they become, and at the highest pious level, she sheds blood tears.

However.

“…Aren’t blood tears only possible for Cardinals?”

Naturally, the inquisitors who came thinking they would conduct a heresy trial froze as well.

But they were not the ones who were truly flustered.

‘…Damn it. Why is that thing crying??’

Isaac’s pupils were shaking violently.

Isaac knew about that goddess statue as well. That goddess statue couldn’t be manipulated.

And since the pattern for Cardinals had already turned black, that goddess statue should have opened her eyes wide, indicating a judgment of heresy.

So why…?

It was a good thing, but there was no way his faith could be maxed out. At which point, Isaac realized the presence in his pocket.

‘Could it be this guy?’

Could the Skeleton’s faith be detected?!

[Well, zero faith plus 100 equals 100.]

That’s possible?!

[That judgment altar isn’t necessarily just for humans. From our perspective, you’re already at the 10th level, looking towards the transcendent levels. Someone like the Demon Lord would be an object of faith.]

Isaac burst out laughing in delight.

‘Yeah, that’s right! Even gods are seen as objects of faith, so why not the Demon Lord?’

[Or it just could be the influence of the Saint’s body.]

Anyway, great! I was wondering how to deceive them about my faith, but I can apply this!

Stupid clergy! With this, you all are now gum! Just try to get out of here!

However, the situation was what it was. All the inquisitors’ chilling gazes could only turn toward Naiser.

“You weren’t certain about this…?”

“More importantly, even young master Naiser can’t produce blood tears, yet…”

Upon hearing those whispers, Naiser froze.

In the end, thinking this was impossible, Naiser grabbed Isaac again.

“You, try it again! You must be holding something of the Saintess’s!”

“Pfft! What’re you talking about, you guys confiscated all my belongings when I entered the prison! You even searched my body!”

But then, something happened.

As Naiser’s force pushed Isaac back, the Skelly attached to Isaac’s cloak was momentarily pushed out of the altar’s range.

And then, an astonishing thing occurred.

Flash!

The goddess statue shedding blood tears suddenly opened her eyes wide!