With the academic-year-ending ceremony taking place in a few minutes, the city was already paralyzed by the number of carriages showing up for the leaving students. The reason for that? The teleportation array had been completely booked for weeks, making traditional ground travel the only viable way of transportation.
Well… it was supposed to be.
Even for the commoners and adventurers traveling by foot, leaving the city became a barely bearable process that no one could escape.
Melinda was no different in that regard and opted to get out of the Jade city by the least besieged gate - the one in the East.
Already in her traveling clothes, she put on the convenient ring and changed the color of her hair and eyes to black.
With the real inquisitors investigating within the city, that peculiar color provided certain benefits, including barely anyone daring to have a proper look at the face of the person with the looks basically reserved for the inquisitors.
The exception to that rule seemed to be a maid accompanying Melinda, leading the disguised girl to their destination.
Melinda didn't particularly care about her surroundings, taking full advantage of her prolonged deafness to drift off and let herself be taken to the gate.
She could use the time and silence for creating imaginary scenarios with herself and Zane in the wildest…
"..."
"...hmm…?"
Melinda's train of thought was interrupted by the maid leading her, suddenly stopping and looking to the right with a grim expression.
"...haa…"
Melinda breathed out, putting aside the fantasy to face the present…
"..."
And upon noticing what was going on just to the side at a small square-like area between buildings along the road they were taking.
As she gained an understanding of what was going on, her expression changed to resemble that of her companion.
In front of a handful of a fearful audience, two inquisitors were standing side by side while the third one was walking alongside the line of kneeling men, women, and a single child lined up perpendicularly to the road.
The one by the captives was a black-haired woman with a high ponytail, while the other two were a tall man with short black hair and abyss-like eyes and… an individual fully clad in black leather. Even the mask that the person was wearing had openings for eyes blocked by smoked glass, blurring everything behind it.
"Adi. I'm going to interfere a bit.."
"My lady, if you want me to do something, let me handle it…!"
Melinda leaned toward the maid and whispered, to which the maid responded with a worried expression.
"It's okay. Step in only if things get really bad, and listen in for my commands, deal?"
"...understood… just… could you try practicing what you preach…?"
The disguised girl smirked and winked at the maid reassuringly, letting go of the maid's hand and walking to the inquisitors before the other girl muttered a proper response.
********
When a black-haired girl in an average traveler's outfit stepped onto the square and marched through it, the eyes of everyone present focused on her.
Including all three inquisitors.
"!!!"
The one with abyss-like eyes froze up at first sight of the girl and didn't budge even when his two comrades began to shift in unease and look up to him for instructions that never arrived.
"Clear, clear…"
Meanwhile, the completely unbothered girl with particularly fluffy hair began to walk past the line of kneeling people, pointing her finger at each one and giving her verdict.
"Oi! Are you the bitch impersonating us inqui…"
The female inquisitor stepped towards the girl, reaching out to her…
"Gore's cultist."
…just in time for the girl to say without changing the tone of her voice as she pointed he index finger down at the third person in the line.
*BU-WHAM*
Only this time was the pointing motion followed by the target turning into a thin layer of soot on the ground.
"...!"
"!!!"
"!?!?"
As the gust of scorching wind buffeted the people, the time seemed to stop for all of them.
The sounds of the busy city surrounding them seemed as foreign and out of place as if they were coming from another world.
"Your approach to demon followers is completely wrong, rookies. Humans tempted by Gore will not have any relevant information because he treats our kind the way we treat goblins and orcs. You want to capture Gore's cultist for information, get yourself a demon-crowned elf, or better - a dwarf."
The black-haired girl shrugged her shoulders and explained without being asked, taking a glance at the remaining kneeling captives.
"Humans with Gore's demonic energy need to be eliminated before they will spread it. Immunity for the demonic energy is extremely rare after all."
She continued the lecture, taking another step and…
*BU-WHAM*
…disintegrating another person with a wag of her delicate finger…
"If you want information from a human with demonic energy injected in them, always opt for Spohia's acolytes. Sophia gives equal chances to all races and rewards the smartest and most intelligent with allowing them to become one by slowly devouring their intellect. Isn't that right?"
"!!!"
The girl pointed out, placing one hand on the shoulder of the next kneeling man, causing him to shiver uncontrollably as his expression twisted in pure despair.
"Hey, you. One-eighth succubus, restrain him. We want to learn whether this is just general infiltration or if Sophia and Gore have some specific plans involving this city."
"..."
The girl glanced at the female inquisitor and beckoned her to come closer, but for a moment, the meaning of her words and actions just didn't sink in.
"Wh…?! What did you just call me?! And, for fuck's sake, who are you?! Blake! Is she an actual inquisitor?! Is she actually able to tell demon followers apart like that?! And if so, why can she do that better than YOU?!"
The rage from the statement that could be taken as a serious accusation stirred the female inquisitor into action. She first shouted in fury before backing away from the girl to growl a question at the inquisitor with abyss-like eyes.