The Medieval-Modern Man with a Gamer Mindset

27. Trial by Combat

Trial by combat. It was a name that even the original owner of my body, who loved to play, remembered clearly.

It was nothing special… It was a judicial procedure carried out with the absurd logic that if one was truly innocent, God would help them. The suspect who wanted to clear their name would be subjected to various trials, and if they overcame them , they would be declared innocent.

Modern people might feel a strange familiarity with this logic and procedure. Perhaps that familiarity and guess are correct. The witch hunts that were carried out against wealthy widows in the early modern period were also a form of trial by combat.

Of course, the trial by combat that I proposed was not as vulgar and obscene as the witch hunts. This place was not Earth in the real Middle Ages, and my opponents were heretics who had committed heresy in a medieval-like world where God existed .

I had given them a chance to prove their innocence when they could have been burned alive. It was like granting an appeal in this barbaric era, something that would have been absolutely impossible for anyone but a modern person.

However, our suspects’ reactions were not very refreshing. They were all hesitating and watching each other, even though they had been given a lifeline.

Sertel, to whom I had even thrown a sword, was a prime example. The man who had been raging at the knights just a moment ago had become docile as soon as he saw a way to survive.

Sertel did not even pick up the sword that had been thrown to the ground. Instead, he took a few steps back and cleared his throat.

“I will give this important opportunity bestowed upon me by the Lord to others. I will be the last.”

Although he spoke as if he were doing me a favor, his intention was easily guessed. He had originally joined the monastery because he didn’t want to starve to death. It was obvious that he intended to let the others deal with me first and wait until I was exhausted.

The other monks, who had noticed this plan, began to glare at me. If it had been someone else, they would have flinched and lowered their heads, but Sertel didn’t. He stared at me defiantly, as if he had no shame , and backed away.

I curled my lips and accepted Sertel’s proposal. I had no intention of dissuading him from falling into his own trap.

“Alright. I understand. However, if no one comes forward, I will consider it an admission of guilt and execute everyone immediately.”

Only after this stern warning did the monks’ hesitation end. Their bodies, which had been trembling indecisively, stiffened. However, the most significant change was in their expressions.

Soon, when the monk who had stepped forward on Sertel’s behalf picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground, I burst out laughing.

“That’s not the expression a monk should have. Do you truly believe you have committed no sin and hold that sword?”

My opponent was Batis, who had been stabbed in the wrist by my dagger. Batis tore off the hem of his robe and wrapped it around his wound, then gripped the sword with his other hand.

Constricted pupils, bloodshot eyes with burst capillaries, and a distant gaze that seemed to be looking at something far away.

However, even amidst the chaos in his mind, his murderous intent was evident. Batis, who had already killed someone, aimed the tip of his sword at me without hesitation.

“If God approves, I will win. Isn’t that what the ordeal is all about?”

“Indeed.”

There was no need for a long conversation. The moment he wounded me, Terbear and the knights would move. Furthermore, judging from the fact that he couldn’t move when I revealed my stigma, it was clear that the bearer of the stigma held an important position within the religion.

Even if you win, you will be excommunicated.

“Then let the ordeal begin.”

I gripped the sword with both hands and stepped back with my left foot.

***

Narva’s declaration of the ordeal shocked everyone.

Not only Terbear, who loved his younger brother dearly, but also Sertel, who was confident in his swordsmanship. Moreover, Narva was only a twelve-year-old boy. While cunning and deceit could be honed if one had a treacherous nature, martial arts were different.

No matter how talented one was, it was impossible to win without a fully developed body. Even great techniques were built upon the foundation of a mature physique.

The knights were the ones who understood this fact better than anyone else. While they continued to surround the monks with contemptuous vigilance, they cautiously approached Terbear and spoke.

“Lord Terbear, we will intervene if necessary.”

“Thank you.”

Even those who cared for Narva the most were like this. The only exception was John. When Terbear and the knights decided to intervene, only John looked at Narva with a dubious expression.

‘My Lord… I don’t think your skills are ordinary.’

Batis, who faced Narva with his sword, was also filled with contempt. Although he couldn’t use one of his hands properly, his opponent was just an immature child.

Furthermore, there was another reason he had to fight.

Batis glared at Narva, feeling the heat rising in his chest. To be precise, he was looking at the cross-shaped stigma engraved on the back of his hand.

‘That arrogant bastard received the stigma of Lux Stella?’

Batis. His life had been a misery.

Born as the fourth son of a serf, he had no land to inherit and could not even get a decent meal, so he ran away from home. After that, he wandered around, working as a day laborer, and when he became hungry enough to eat people, he voluntarily entered the monastery.

And after a life filled with hardship, adversity, and starvation, he found hope in serving Lux Stella. He believed that if he received Lux Stella’s favor through his vows, a better life awaited him.

However, even the benevolent and great Lux Stella was resolute when it came to vows. Even Batis, who had lived as a monk for nearly a decade since taking the vow of abstinence, was not granted any miracles other than good health.

Batis no longer clung to life. Instead, he simply faced reality.

‘Is this your justice, Lux Stella? Do you cast aside those who have served you?’

Batis, who was born a lowly serf, had not received the stigma even after living as a monk for over ten years. On the other hand, Narva, who was born into nobility and raised with everyone’s love, received the stigma as soon as he took his vows.

This harsh reality made Batis bare his teeth. Batis slowly paced sideways, keeping the tip of his sword pointed at Narva, like a predator waiting for its prey to let down its guard.

Then, Narva also looked at Batis and took a calm step forward. Unlike a beast crouching and bristling its fur, he walked gracefully, as if he were going for a stroll. Narva seemed to be absolutely confident that the tip of the sword would not reach him.

The moment he saw that, Batis completely lost his grip on reason.

Clang!

The first clang echoed as their blades clashed.

Batis’s black narva was striking the wrong floor, not the proper narva. It even sparked slightly. Narva, on the other hand, had lightly deflected Batis’s sword and was waiting for his next attack.

Batis gritted his teeth and regained his composure.

‘He’s using both hands, and I’m injured and using one hand. Of course my center of gravity is easily disrupted!’

The second clang continued faintly.

As Batis swung his sword, Narva countered by suddenly thrusting his blade. However, it was not a stab aimed at the throat or a vital point. Narva drew a large circle as he stabbed.

And Batis’s sword was attached to the circle like a magnet and blocked.

“!”

The blade that had been blocked by the blade had lost its original direction. Batis’s sword, which had lost its initial momentum, was dragged away without resistance. In the end, Batis could not withstand the strain on his wrist and dropped his sword.

Clang.

The third clang. The sound of the sword hitting the ground replaced everyone’s astonishment. Narva retrieved his sword and tapped the ground with the tip, wearing an arrogant smile.

“Are you afraid to show your true abilities because you’re afraid you’ll die if you get hurt?”

Ironically, those words moved Batis. Batis groaned and picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground. However, he no longer had any excuses to encourage himself.

Batis knelt down and cried out in a hoarse voice.

“Lux Stella, why? Why… not me, who has lived by my vows!”

At that moment, a sharp sneer dominated the sanctuary.

“Have you really lived by them?”

Everyone’s gaze turned in that direction. It was Narva again.

“…You wouldn’t know.”

“What vows did you make? Abstinence? Honesty?”

“You little punk… Are you mocking me for receiving Lux Stella’s favor?”

“No. You made an oath to God. But you seem to take abstinence and honesty too lightly.”

“Th, this…! How frugally I’ve lived!”

“If He were a truly great God, He would know the difference between what you don’t do and what you can’t do. You said earlier that you entered the monastery because you had no money or anything. So you made a vow of abstinence? Oh, please.”

Narva cut off Batis’s last cry and raised his sword.

“Not doing something because you don’t have it isn’t abstinence.”

Moonlight, caught in the cracks of the bars, shines in. It was clean moonlight, untainted by a single drop of blood. Narva looked down at Batis’s rolling head and clicked his tongue.

“That’s just being poor.”

When the headless body finally collapsed, Narva’s gaze had already turned elsewhere.

“Next.”

“…”

“Whoever wants to prove their innocence to God, come forth.”

Narva said so and raised his left hand. It was to show the stigma engraved on the back of his hand. However, it was much different than when blood had been gushing out just a moment ago.

“For your information, I am keeping my vows faithfully.”

A faint light began to linger on the stigma. However, most of the monks did not notice this and rushed forward, grinding their teeth.

“How dare you act so superior when you’ve set such unequal conditions!”

“Oh, Lux Stella, please do not punish those who harm those who have received your grace!”

They were furious at the dwarf’s attempt to teach them and rushed to grab their swords. Only Sertel looked at Narva with an ashen face, his heart pounding.

Sertel pushed aside the monks who were trying to grab their swords and spoke.

“M, My Lord Narva. I will step forward now.”

“Oh my.”

However, Narba nonchalantly spread out his surcoat.

“Surtel, I thought highly of your abilities. You had ample opportunities. And yet, isn’t it you yourself who squandered those opportunities?”

“Y-Your Highness.”

The temple’s oath.

Solidify the Lux Stella faith by annihilating the old gods of Isekai and those who are enthralled by their power.

‘I shall postpone my divine trial until the end. You accepted that proposal not to spare me…!’

Only now did Surtel realize Narba’s true intentions. Even this was possible because Surtel was the only person who knew what Narba had sworn to Lux Stella.

“F-From the very beginning…!!!”

I suppose that from the moment Narba suspected that the monks had used the power of Isekai, he had no intention of letting them live. In that case, why did he organize the divine trial instead of simply denouncing them?

Perhaps Surtel would never know the reason for that, even as he lay dying.

“This is what happens when you try to play it safe until the very end.”

The only being who could answer his questions was mocking Surtel.

***

The temple’s oath.

It was a simple enough oath, but it had a major drawback: the risk was too great. One had to engage in mortal combat with powerful hordes of pagans who had survived the invasion.

If your mind can’t keep up, your body will suffer.

“Next. Let he who will prove his innocence before God come forth.”

There was no need to face those venomous traitors who had somehow survived. Of course, it would be good to strike them down if possible, but there was no need to stubbornly reject the easy path.

Right here, there were plenty of sacrifices that would allow me to fulfill my oath.

“Ugh.”

“Next.”

These cowards fear retribution and cannot harm me.

“H-Help me!”

“Prove your innocence before God.”

On the other hand, I am free to swing my sword. In this way, my devotion is easily proven.

And the proof was my Stigmata, which had begun to glow a bright blue.

“The Stigmata… they’re glowing…”

“Lux Stella is revealing who is right!”

Terbear and the knights cheered at this sight. In contrast, the monks slowly began to realize the predicament they were in. But it was already too late.

When the corpses had piled up by the dozen, I pointed the tip of my sword at the last survivor and declared,

“Come forth.”

“….”

“Prove your innocence before God.”

“Y-Your Highness…! P-Please!”

“Or else.”

Lord Topa. A knight who had served my father loyally and watched over me to the end. The two surviving soldiers, whose names I did not know, had also remained faithfully by my side until the end. Unlike these wretches, there were surely monks who had lived diligently.

“Do you confess your sins?”

Finally, Surtel gripped his sword, his face ashen. He looked nothing like the arrogant pup who had flaunted his swordsmanship.

To that sight, I offered up a heartfelt prayer.

Lux Stella, one more has ascended.