Hero’s Downfall Report

54 – Report on the Fall of Humility (2)

The empire is wide. It is full of cities and castles, each boasting their own charm and characteristics. However, nowhere does it feel as alien and artificial as Nikapolis.

You might ask, since buildings were built by humans, they are naturally artificial. However, even an architect with a poor sense of aesthetics will consider harmony with the surrounding landscape and the building.

There was nothing like that in Nikkapolis. Castle. Residence. Roads, wells, infrastructure, etc., Everything was meticulously organized for a single purpose.

Surveillance and vigilance.

There is a tall fortress in the center of the city. It was so high and strong that you could look down on the inside of the city just by walking along the railing.

The expression ‘as if you were looking at the palm of your hand’ was not an exaggeration. At least, that’s what Cain thought, as he watched the entrance of the alley with a telescope.

Every block of the city, every alley, even inside the window. Everything looked the same. Cain thought that the reason why even the people of the empire used the old name ‘Emmaos’ instead of the official name ‘Nicapolis’ was because of this reluctance.

During the time of Emmaus, the city was wide and low. He said it was a free commercial city without any guards. However, now that it has become Nikapolis, it is no different from a huge quarantine facility.

A facility to confine the illegitimate children of the empire.

The city can be roughly divided in half. East and West. There isn’t much to see in the west. About 60% is a civilian area and 40% is a military facility. Barracks. Supply depot. Guard barracks, border checkpoints, etc.

This is Emmaus, where goods and troops are supplied to the front-line fortress, so these are facilities that must be provided. The Southwestern Border Guard Headquarters building is also located in the western sector.

But the one on the right is completely different. First of all, there is nothing that can be called a proper house. The walls were so thin that they would collapse if you hit them with your fist, and the roof was so thin that if you threw a brick at them, they would break through.

People’s clothes are short and thin. It was similar to three people sharing one set of tops and bottoms. It was barely able to cover the area, and even that would flow out helplessly whenever I ran or used strength.

Nevertheless, the reason they did not look lewd or vulgar was because their bodies were completely covered in dirt. White salt and brown dirt clumped together on the blackened skin. Even the hair was no exception. It was just extremely dirty, dirty, and unclean.

Cain looked at their faces and skin. It contained the external characteristics of the imperial people and western pagans.

A man who appeared to be over 40 came to Cain’s side.

His skin was rough, perhaps because he had been exposed to the sun and dry land for a long time, but his attitude and appearance showed that of an imperial nobleman. Just as a herring is a herring and meat is meat no matter how much it is dried in the scorching sun, Tullius, the mayor of Emmaus, is an unavoidable nobleman.

“They are the Samaritans. Of the empire… “It’s people.”

What Tullius really wanted to say would have been ‘illegitimate sons.’ If they had been in a bar in the western district rather than the parapet of the fortress in the middle of the city, he would have said something outrageous without hesitation.

Cain lowered the telescope without saying anything. Tullius burst out laughing.

“It looks like you have sympathy! I understand. Everyone is like that at first. But if you go down and stay in the eastern region for just 5 minutes, you’ll start to think they’re people you can’t deal with. That’s also true for everyone. They are just from an empire… “They are completely different races.”

“What if it’s a different race?”

“Neither Western pagan nor Imperial. So, it would be correct to say that they belong to a small puppet state called ‘Samaritan’. Language. Habit. Pray. Behavior… “None of them were properly civilized or barbarized.”

Civilization would refer to imperialization, and barbarism would refer to the customs of western paganism.

“Isn’t discrimination against Samaritans prohibited under any circumstances?”

“It is a merciful order from His Majesty the former Emperor. God bless him.” Tullius, who made the sign of the cross, added a little seriously.

“I understand that a little differently. If an Imperial spits at my feet, I’ll punch him, but if a Samaritan does that, I’ll slit his head off. “I understand the meaning of the provision prohibiting discrimination against Samaritans not to give them ‘preferential treatment’ over others, but to ‘not punish them more’ than imperialists.”

Cain thought it was fortunate that Maria and Lily were not here. They were about to go look at the body of a dead person. Instead, Cain was tasked with examining the overall situation from the city walls.

The mayor treated not only Maria but also Cain and Lily politely. Even though I knew that they were not security agency agents but mercenaries hired by the Inquisitors, I treated them that way.

Just as there is a difference between touching the earl’s guard and touching the elector’s guard, the mayor did not want to have a conflict with the church at this point.

“Anyway.” The mayor cleared his throat. “Do you see what looks like a small lake over there, next to the white domed building? A couple of palm trees… Yes. “That’s where it is.”

Cain lifted up the telescope and looked. It was exactly what the mayor said. The small lake, which was originally blue, still had dark red blood. Like ants stuck to melted candy, Samaritans filled the lake.

He was crying and pumping water with a bucket. As if he would not throw away even the last drop of his ‘mother’s’ blood in vain.

“Shahahahazar al-Dur was found there. In the early morning before dawn. The low dome-shaped building next to it was her residence and an educational center for teaching Samaritans. This is why Shazar was called Rabbi, or Master, in the barbaric language. Some of her Samaritans even call her ‘her mother’. That’s an accurate expression. Their spiritual support and… “She is also a woman’s ‘mother.'”

Cain turned his eyes and looked at the market. There was sarcasm on her lips. The mayor must have noticed her gaze and immediately smiled kindly.

“Of course, if she were a hero of the Empire, her story would be different. They say you can’t fake blood. Lady Arianne of Humility, one of the seven heroes of the Empire recognized by the Pope and the Emperor, also lives there. Ah. It comes out over there. Excuse me. “He is white.”

The mayor nodded her head. Cain, who thought she was a rude person in many ways, turned his gaze to Arianne.

She was a woman whose face and skin were whiter than her eyes. Even her eyes were white. It would be more correct to say that she was born in an ice cap rather than in a hot desert.

Even her hair was pure white. On the other hand, her skin was red. This is probably because the skin is so white and delicate that the red and blue veins are visible. She looked as if all color had been drained from her body.

When her Samaritans saw her, they let out a shrill cry. She pointed, and then she raised both her hands above her head, screamed, and bowed repeatedly.

“What are you saying?”

“Mesiah.”

The mayor burst into laughter. “In their language, it means ‘savior.'”

It would be right to say Messiah, not Messiah. Cain muttered to himself. The snow-white woman had only a brown cloth wrapped around her body. Her white hair was long enough to reach her waist. However, her lips shined redder than the red roses of the desert. She seems to have applied something.

Arianne spread her arms and shouted something. Although they could not hear what she was saying at all, the Samaritans listened to her quietly. Soon, the Samaritans dispersed. Arianne also entered the building.

“Let me tell you a secret. There are two mayors in Emmaus. Me, who presides over the west, and the hero mother and daughter who preside over the east. But now that the mother is dead, her daughter will take care of those barbarians alone. Well, I even defeated the demon lord. Those swarms of flies… “

“That seems likely.” Cain closed the telescope. “There is rotten meat spread across the street, so how can you stop getting attracted to flies?”

The guards looked at Cain with very disapproving eyes, but the mayor just laughed for a while. Just like the strong people who want to be good people, or more precisely, good people.

“Ha! He seems like a very interesting person. You guessed it right. Because this is a trash can. There is only one reason why the Samaritans do not leave the city, even though they know there is nothing to do in it. “It’s the same as the reason why the hero, Sahri, came into this den of wild dogs despite having done such great service.”

The mayor stepped away from the railing as if he had nothing more to see. Guards escorted him.

“Trash in the trash can!”

Even after the figure disappeared downstairs, the sound of laughter continued to run up the stairs. Cain shook his head and looked west.

I first checked the location of the post office. The location of the modified carriage could also be confirmed among the rows of carriages. However, if omnidirectional surveillance was possible, it seemed like I should avoid walking to the post office.

Next, we looked at the headquarters building. It was easy to recognize because it was a grand building with extravagant decorations, similar to the relatively recent imperial architectural style. Lily and Maria were also seen talking about something in the yard of the building.

There is nothing more to see here. If you really want to see more of the difference between the west and east sides of the city, I don’t know. Instead, Cain decided that if he went to the capital, it would be right to at least report on Emmaus’ drinking water source.

The wells in the west, that is, where the imperial people lived, were clean and well maintained. Stone walls were built and covered, and the springs that produced carbonated water and hot springs were all located on the west side.

On the other hand, there were no wells in the east. There are only two springs located in the open air. Of course, it is as big as a small lake.

And if it had been a small well rather than a spring that wide, it would have been insufficient to serve as a source of drinking water for 20,000 Samaritans.

But, if someone maliciously throws a corpse. Just as Cain is now looking through a telescope, people cannot help but flock to one spring. What if bodies were thrown in both places? The city’s drinking water supply will inevitably have to rely on wells in the west, which are numerous in number but have limited capacity, and then the city…

While thinking about other things for a moment, Cain felt a strange premonition. He was a security agency agent. He lifted the telescope and looked where his intuition led him. A white house with a domed ceiling. I saw a pure white woman standing in the shade next to the pillar.

Cain adjusted the telescope. So much so that you can see their expressions. Soon, the woman’s face appeared. She looked thin, dark, and tired, as if she hadn’t slept well.

The woman looked straight up at Cain. Cain was shocked for a moment. Perhaps the sunlight sparkling on the lens might have caught Lady’s attention.

Cain closed the telescope. He put it down gently on the viewing stand and walked down the stairs. It was time for her to hear what Lily and Maria found out.

But the woman’s expression caught her attention. She is,

She was smiling. As if there could be no greater happiness than this anywhere in the world.

Cain went down her stairs.