Chapter 10: Confession Magic(3)

I stood at the center of the magic circle, transported to an ancient temple.
Stone statues in armor stood waiting.

The trial begins.

Three judges loomed at the circle’s vertices, pointing their axe, spear, and sword at me.

To those outside the circle, they’d be invisible.

The judges demand his truth.

“Derek Minster. From now on, you will confess your vile thoughts without hesitation.”

Camillia’s golden hair shimmered brilliantly as she crossed her arms, gazing down at me coldly.

“First, why did you kill the Holy See’s knights?”

The massive weapons held by the statues descended toward my head.
The moment they stopped just above me—

“Urgh…!!”

A crushing gravity pressed down on my entire body.
It felt like an elephant was stomping me, as if my bones and organs would burst.

Confess, sinner.
The empire’s judges have no mercy.
…

The statues spoke in turn.
Confession Magic? This is no different from an electric chair!

“I…”

As my pained voice groaned, the Princess slowly closed her eyes.
She knew the horrific pain even a sinner must endure.
But her blue eyes snapped open at my next words.

“I’m really not the culprit of this incident!!”

An answer she hadn’t expected from someone she assumed guilty.

Hm?
Oh my.
…

The statues turned to the Princess, visibly baffled.
Their helmets hid their faces, but their confusion was clear.

“…”

Her wise eyes went blank for a moment.
Lips slightly parted, she slowly asked, “You’re really not involved…?”

“You’re using Confession Magic and still don’t believe me?!”

Her flowing golden hair clung to her red lips.
Camillia’s mind went dark, overwhelmed.

Your junior overdid it.
Indeed. Calling us without clear evidence these days?
…

The ancient statues tossed out remarks like relatives at a holiday gathering.

She’s the spitting image of the former emperor.
I thought having a daughter would soften her, but blood runs true.
…

The silent judge was the first to retract his axe.
Following his lead, the others lowered their weapons, letting me breathe faintly.

“Wait. We’re not done. Let me ask more precisely.”

Camillia clutched her throbbing forehead, then resumed with regal authority.

“Derek Minster. Second question.”

In the misty ancient temple, she knelt beside my crumpled form.

“My investigation shows you were a drunken troublemaker in your estate before becoming warden.”

“…And?”

My face pressed to the ground, I couldn’t look at her.
Only her softly swaying golden hair caught my eye.

“Why did such a man suddenly take the post of a backwater warden?”

At her second question, the statues fell silent.
They aimed their weapons at my crushed form again.

The heavy gravity surged back.
Most sinners would tremble with learned fear.

But amidst the creeping pain, I smirked.
This was my chance to land a blow on this world’s absolute.

“If I answer satisfactorily, will you lift the magic?”

“Yes.”

I stared up at her with sharp eyes, mocked as sinister, making her tense.

“To reform calamity-level prisoners. They must change their hearts for the empire you love to survive!”

The statues stared at the Princess again.
My reason was not just honest but laudably noble.

A loyal vassal?
As the first Imperial Judge, I’m moved.
…

The former emperor wouldn’t have struck down such a man.
Camillia, do you want us to behead a loyalist with our hands?
…Regrettable.

Even the silent statue looked at her with pity.
For the first time, her face flushed red.

“Y-You former judges must be mistaken! There’s ample evidence he’s a villain…!”

Now she doubts our competence.
It’s about time we retired from this.
…

Some judges clicked their tongues.
Unable to watch, they fully withdrew their weapons, folding the trial.

“Then, finally! What’s with that sword at your waist?! It’s the one the Saintess killed the lord for!!”

Flustered, Camillia shouted in a voice more like a twenty-three-year-old than a princess.
I answered with a resigned expression.

“I didn’t know it was from the Saintess. It was in the sparring ground’s cabinet; I thought it was a former warden’s.”

The truth.
The temple fell deathly silent after my hollow words.

The sound of a statue scratching its head.
Despite being long-dead, only their awkward coughs echoed.

You okay? I didn’t put my full strength into it.
Understand our Princess. Her harsh upbringing made her paranoid.
…Sit.

These damned statues are worse than her.

The Princess stayed silent for a while.
Only one in ten royals had failed Confession Magic in history.

She seemed shocked to be that one.

“I’m sorry. I made a grave mistake.”

She admitted her error honestly.
Though my sinister face seemed to cause her cognitive dissonance…

She personally helped me up.
Despite her cold demeanor, her touch was warm.

“But understand my position. That sword was decisive evidence.”

“I get it. If it belonged to someone the Saintess killed, suspicion is natural.”

“Don’t worry too much about the pain. This is just a magical space.”

“So the pain vanishes once I’m free?”

She nodded calmly.

“Yes. You spoke before the shock carried to reality, so you’ll be fine.”

“What are these statues?”

“Meritorious vassals who served the founding emperor. Only those who were royals in past lives can use them, I hear.”

“Past lives…?”

I steadied my staggering body, studying the Princess as she regained her composure.

“So this space allows the use of past-life powers?”

“In a way.”

The moment she confirmed it, I looked down at my battered body.

Her words meant…
I could use the powers from my first and third regressions here.

“I’m sorry. If you’re released, I’ll find a way to compensate you.”

“No need.”

I gripped my tattered hand tightly.
My wrist’s nerves twitched, recalling memories.

“Compensate me here.”

“How, here?”

She tilted her head, looking around the temple with only us and the statues.
My next words startled her.

“Let’s have a match.”

No one had ever dared say that to her.

—

“What did you say you want to do?”

Her face was more shocked than when I confessed.
Her haughty eyes widened like a lion cub’s.

“I knew the Minster family was vile, but not this vile.”

She spoke calmly, but her voice was slightly raised.
Did she think I was plotting assassination?

“Not a duel. Just a sparring match.”

Hearing “sparring,” she realized she’d been uncharacteristically rattled.
Turning away, she met the statues’ gazes, who, despite their helmets, were clearly smirking.

The former emperor’s charm was like this.
Blood runs true.
…She’s adorable.

Camillia glared coldly at them.
Her imperial aura silenced them at last.

“Sparring… I can do that. But will that satisfy you?”

“Yes. It’s vital to me.”

“As the North’s strongest, I want your direct ‘guidance.’”

“Such zeal is always welcome.”

Perhaps because she learned I became warden to reform prisoners, she softened her icy demeanor.

“Fine. How shall we do it?”

“Rough. Whoever wins, by any means, ends it.”

“You’re quite angry… I accept.”

She sighed briefly, pointing to the statues for my unarmed self.

“Ask the former judges for a weapon.”

The silent axe-wielding statue beckoned me.
I realized his armor was the one I wore as Knight Commander in my first life.

…Choose your weapon.

His massive hand revealed ancient weapons.
All top-tier artifacts used by the founding emperor or his equals.

Bastard sword.
Zweihänder.
Battle axe.
…

All impressive, but I chose the smallest: a dagger with a rusted blade but intricate crow engravings.

The first Black Knight Commander’s. Perfect for assassination.

“I’ll use this.”

The other statues eyed my choice oddly, but the axe statue nodded silently.

…You know your opponent’s weakness well.

Camillia stood in the temple’s widest space.
I approached, gripping the dagger.

“Ready?”

She returned to her haughty expression, her eyes adjusting her strength to spare my battered state.

“Yes. Please guide me.”

She raised Landruin, calmly yielding the first move.

“Then learn well.”

Not “I’ll learn,” but “learn well.”
She tilted her head at my arrogant words.

As she assumed I was still dazed from Confession Magic—

Clang!!

She retracted her thoughts, stunned by my sudden dagger strike.
The arrogance was hers for yielding the first move.

“Don’t be shocked by a surprise attack. As an heir candidate, you must always be prepared.”

My eyes shifted from scheming vassal to chilling assassin.

“I’ll engrave that lesson today.”

Her words about past-life powers included my third life as an assassin lord.

When I cut down countless nobles and knights, seeds of calamity.

In my past life, Camillia’s assassination triggered the civil war ending.
The culprits were the Black Knight Commander and the Holy See’s assassins.

Today, I’d teach her their methods.
As a perfectionist, she’d learn well.

“You… hid your strength?”

“Assassins always hide their strength.”

She pushed me back with her spear, creating distance, then swung it.

Boom!!

Her strike cracked the ground like a blooming flower.
But no matter how strong, a blow that misses is useless.

Before her spear hit the ground, I was already aiming for her throat.

“Urgh…!!”

She barely blocked with her shoulder.
But as I was pushed back, I slashed her arm.

“Don’t swing a spear widely against a dagger. It only gives skilled assassins an opening.”

I warned with snake-like green eyes.
Clutching her wounded arm, she stared at me, dazed.

“…”

“Staring blankly like that, you’ll get backstabbed by the next assassin.”

Her lips trembled at my relentless advice.
Her pale face was long flushed, her pride deeply wounded.

“Fine. No more holding back.”

She unleashed the same spirit as the emperor who conquered the continent.
Her perfectionist’s competitive fire blazed.

“I’ll treat this as real combat.”

“Good. Fight like it’s everything, Your Highness.”

I spun the dagger deftly, exuding confidence.
She responded with a bold pledge.

“Of course. If you win, I’ll grant any wish.”

Releasing her full power, a massive lion’s form appeared behind her.

Nice wish.

My wish is for you to rule the empire peacefully for a long time.
So I can enjoy my noble life in comfort.

With that desire, I charged.
Toward the only one who could protect the empire.