Special Side Story (4)
From the moment we stepped into the back alley, I didn’t really care what would happen.
I fully anticipated a trap and I also fully suspected that people would be lying in wait.
But…hmm.
I didn’t quite expect this.
“Why not just let us go? This will only make your punishment worse.”
I should’ve known from the moment they shoved us into a building, claiming that the person controlling them was inside.
As soon as we entered the pitch-dark area, a heavy iron cage fell down from above with a bang.
‘Honestly, we should be glad it didn’t hit us.’
And just like that, we were trapped.
“What a load of crap! I could just…I could just deal with you right now!”
“We better wait for master to come back first!”
One of the bandits lit a candle.
The flame flickered, and only then did the dark space begin to brighten.
“…”
And then I saw them.
Countless people, all around our cage.
Not regular people…powerless people trapped in iron cages like ours.
“But I mean, if she’s running around with that knight, she’s no longer a priest, right?”
“That means we can touch her, right?”
“I doubt there’ll be divine punishment.”
It was funny. They didn’t dare stick their hands through the bars because Alois still had his sword so they just whispered from a distance.
When I looked up, I noticed Alois’ neck was tense and he was barely holding back his anger.
“You better stay put!”
“We’ll be right back so don’t even think about doing anything foolish!”
To that, I simply waved my hand.
“You are threatening me, but you are covered in blood so it’s a little hard to be scared.”
“…Agh! I’ll see how much longer you bastards can stay calm!”
When I spoke in a relaxed manner and ran a hand through my hair, one of them shouted furiously.
Once most of the guards left, leaving only a couple behind, Alois finally spoke.
[It looks like…this is going to be the perfect vacation.]
He was speaking in a foreign language.
[From the looks of it, this place is a hub for human trafficking.]
His eyes gleamed dangerously.
I wet my lips.
The guards watching us looked confused at the sudden foreign language, but Alois just tucked his longer hair behind his ear and smiled brilliantly.
“Very interesting.”
Yes, it really was.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulled him down to my height, and kissed him.
There was no romance or sweetness in the air, but I didn’t mind. I just followed his faintly flickering figure in the candlelight with my eyes.
“Shall we tear apart then? Beautifully, gloriously?”
I exhaled quietly and whispered softly into the small space between us.
Flusters, the guards kicked the iron cage.
“What the hell are you whispering about?!”
The loud noise made the captives around us shrink back into the corners of their cages and their anxious eyes locked onto us.
I turned my head and looked around.
Everyone, from children to young men with ‘market value’, men and woman of all ages were gathered together in a splendid display.
A slow sigh escaped my lips.
As I rested my hands on my hips and leisurely scanned the surroundings, the men who had captured us became even more frantic.
“They clearly don’t understand their situation! Let’s drag the woman out!”
“Yeah, this punk needs to get a good beating too to come to his senses!!”
There were only two or three of them, yet they acted so bold.
As they rattled the chains on the door like they were trying to open it, I stepped closer and asked.
“Are you going to open it for us?”
“You…!”
“It’s okay. You don’t need it.”
Alois drew his sword.
A muffled gasp echoed from around us.
He lowered his eyes.
Because he knew very well how dangerously his crimson eyes gleamed in the dark.
And then—
He simply sliced through the iron bars.
“A…aaagh!!”
“You shouldn’t trust cheap iron like this on.”
The sword in Alois’s hand was a priceless sword, a gift from another king when he ascended the throne.
Its power was so lethal that it could cut through almost anything.
“Alright then. When will the guys who went to fetch your bosses come back?”
I passed under Alois’s arm and stepped out while he held up the collapsing bars with ease.
Once outside the cage, I casually looked around.
Unsurprisingly, the bandits were quickly subdued by Alois. From the start, they weren’t even at a level where they could stand against him.
Still, maybe because it had been a while since I’d last seen Alois move like that, the feeling was strange.
‘Strange or not, I better focus on dealing with this place first.’
I walked up to another cage and peered in through the bars.
The people trapped inside huddled together in a corner, their terrified eyes darting toward me in quick glances.
“It’s all right.”
I made sure to hold the candle up high.
So that my priest robe was clear to see.
“I’m going to save you now.”
Who knew how long they’d been trapped here as their eyes were void of light but slowly, their eyes began to glow with life again.
Bang! The door burst open.
At that moment, the entrance to the prison swung wide and people flooded inside.
They spotted Alois and me freed, the bandits already subdued, and instantly drew their weapons.
“You f**kers!”
“How the hell did you get out?”
“Stop them before they cause more chaos! I don’t care if they’re dead!”
Unlike the ragtag bandits from earlier, these ones were properly dressed and armed and looked well trained.
‘Alois alone can handle them but still…I don’t want him to get hurt even if it’s unlikely.’
I’d have to step in.
I let out a loud laugh, unfitting for the tense scene, and stepped on the bars as I walked toward Alois.
“There’s no reason to hold back, is there? They’re involved in illegal trafficking and trying to kill you of all people.”
Alois added deliberately,
“Your life matters more than mine. Its worth is beyond measure.”
Honestly, the way he could still say things like that in this situation…
“You only have one man on your side and you’re acting so arrogant. Today, I’ll make sure you crawl and weep like a worm.”
At that moment, a man stepped forward, pushing his way through the crowd.
The air around him was noticeably different from the other bandits.
His attire made it obvious and the surrounding bandits could clearly tell. Even the captives were frightened and shrank back, retreating into the shadows again.
‘…I guess this is the guild master himself?’
Good then. I don’t have to bother looking for him anymore.
“Oh? You’re a priest? My, my…with a face like that, it’s such a waste to live as a monk…well, it doesn’t matter. Immoral is quite the flavor. I don’t believe in God anyway. I’ll have a taste before you’re sold.”
“…”
Wow. He said all that in front of my husband. It sounded more like he was saying, ‘I want to die before the law punishes me’…I guess I should pray for his life.
“Alois, calm down.”
There were too many of them.
And too many hostages they could use.
A reckless fight here would only end badly. And in this stalemate, I knew a very simple way to resolve this.
“Hoh…you want us to spare the man, and you’ll crawl over on your own? But, oh no. I have no intention of letting this man leave here alive. You see, I bet he can fetch a fair price when I split it, but with a temper like that… tsk, tsk.”
The man glanced at the sword in Alois’s hand, then looked at me and grinned wide.
“You said you’re a priest, right? From where? From what I hear, you snuggled in with that knight and ran away.”
As he came closer, a draft coming through the doorway made my robe flutter.
My hair fluttered along with my pristine white robe, rippling through the air.
“…Red eyes, and an unpleasant-looking pink hair. Where have I heard this combination before…”
At his muttering, I opened my mouth.
“I’ve been late to introduce myself.”
The easiest way to resolve this situation…
“I am Emilone, Saintess of the Grand Temple, and the companion of this kingdom’s king.”
…was none other than my identity.
Crack—.
I could almost hear the sound of people freezing in all directions.
Because I was the kind of opponent that brute force could never overcome. So what if you don’t believe in God? I am the one beloved by Him.
“Now then. Can you continue what you were going to say?”
The pure beam of light that sapped their fighting spirit was my greatest weapon.
I pressed down on the man’s shoulder and his complexion drained white, his lips quivering and then he collapsed.
‘Compared to fighting demons, this really is child’s play.’
Alois thrust his sword into the ground with a tilt of his head, and those frozen in fear rushed to free the captives.
A mix of reverence, awe, and confusion shone in their eyes. I was used to it. With a graceful smile, I pressed my foot down on the man who had held them captive.
At the same time, knights burst in from the doorway.
They were the paladins and royal knights Alois had quietly summoned on our way here.
“Surrender, all of you!”
“Victims, this way!”
The paladins spotted me and hurried over in a flurry, while the knights knelt before Alois.
From the other buildings, more criminals were dragged out. The eyes of the man, who seemed to the guild master, went wide with panic.
He raised his voice.
“This isn’t right…! Regardless of what is, you can’t just handle things like this! Maybe we did some bad things, but we are a properly licensed guild! This should be resolved through a trial, not by arresting us like this! Even if you’re the Saintess, the rules must be followed!”
**Next chapter is the last chapter of [Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth], finishing the side stories and the entire story as well. Stay tuned.
- Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 139 - October 3, 2025
- Honey, I’m Going on Strike – Chapter 33 - October 3, 2025
- Honey, I’m Going on Strike – Chapter 32 - September 30, 2025