Even though the Overseer, like the Overlord, was a noble, an Inquisitor had no reason to show deference to him unless he was also a member of the Church.

The bishop intervened at the Inquisitor’s discourtesy.

“Enough. Stand down. Are you not aware that you’re interrupting my conversation?”

The Overseer, mindful of the black-robed figure, turned to the bishop and asked, “Who is he? I don’t believe we’ve met before.”

“He’s a trainee Inquisitor assigned here as a replacement for Patrick, the First-Class Inquisitor. The Papal Seat sent him to take over.”

The word trainee immediately soured the Overseer’s mood.

“A trainee? Then he’s not even a full Inquisitor yet…”

“He’s a trainee, but he’ll soon be working officially in this region. Don’t underestimate him just because he’s young—he’s more experienced than you might think.”

Was that why he was so rude?

The Overseer eyed the Inquisitor with disdain before asking, “What is his name?”

“He’s known within the Church by the moniker Needle.“

“Needle? That’s an unusual nickname. What does it mean?”

“I hear it comes from his skill with sharp, needle-like weapons. As for his actual name…”

The Inquisitor suddenly interjected, his voice cutting through the conversation.

“There’s no need to share my name.”

His rudeness drew a scolding not from the Overseer, but from the bishop himself.

“I’ve noticed you lack tact. This is my jurisdiction, and you’re still a trainee. Act like one. Why do you keep disrupting a perfectly good atmosphere?”

At the bishop’s reprimand, the black-robed Inquisitor slightly bowed his head.

“I was too rash. My apologies.”

The bishop turned back to the Overseer with a sigh.

“Forgive him. As you can see, he’s still young and hasn’t learned proper decorum. Like many Inquisitors, he lacks social grace. Please be patient with him.”

“It’s no trouble at all. He’s an aspiring Inquisitor, after all. It’s understandable. If anything, I was the one who was too careless, comparing the Church’s sacred relic to something as trivial as an elixir machine.”

“Ha-ha, think nothing of it,” the bishop replied, chuckling.

Then, his tone shifted slightly.

“Still, it is somewhat similar in a way. Elixirs are indeed miraculous creations. While life and death are ultimately determined by God, elixirs have demonstrated almost divine powers in certain cases. However…”

His expression grew stern.

“Miracles are reserved for God and the Church. No matter how extraordinary an elixir might be, comparing it to a sacred relic of the Church is beyond inappropriate. That is, as you know, heresy. Don’t you agree?”

Realizing his mistake, the Overseer bowed his head lightly.

“I spoke thoughtlessly. I apologize.”

“Let’s not stray from the topic. What you said earlier is true—the Grail is said to have miraculous powers, even the ability to raise the dead. I’ve heard this as well. And… I’ve also heard that it truly exists.”

Since it came from a member of the Church, the statement should be taken with some caution. Yet in this setting and atmosphere, the bishop wouldn’t lie, solidifying the Overseer’s conviction.

‘So the Grail really does exist. For the bishop to mention it directly means it’s real. Letting that man go was the right choice after all.’

As the Overseer smiled to himself, the trainee Inquisitor broke in again without hesitation.

“You seem awfully fond of talking about the Grail.”

Disrupting the mood once more, the bishop raised his voice.

“Did I not tell you to hold your tongue? Didn’t you just apologize for this same behavior?”

The black-robed Inquisitor, emboldened by his impending promotion, ignored the bishop’s displeasure.

“I’ve stayed silent because this isn’t my place to speak. However, Your Grace, there’s something you need to know.”

“What is it?”

“Earlier, the Overseer lied to us.”

“What? A lie? What are you saying?”

The Overseer, caught off guard, stiffened at the Inquisitor’s words.

“What are you talking about? Trainee or not, this is an insult. Are you accusing me of lying to members of the Church?”

Even the bishop came to the Overseer’s defense.

“That’s absurd. What sort of lie could there have been?”

Their conversation had been brief—mainly about the prisoner and the Grail. Yet to an Inquisitor, detecting lies even in such limited dialogue was hardly a challenge.

“While I may still be a trainee, I’ve accompanied numerous full Inquisitors in interrogating countless sinners. Based on my experience, I found the Overseer’s words about the prisoner highly suspicious.”

The next words struck the Overseer like a dagger.

“Do you truly intend to execute him?”

The Overseer’s expression faltered, his shock evident.

The bishop, too, looked unsettled.

“What are you saying? Are you implying the Overseer plans to release Seong-min?”

The Overseer’s face hardened.

‘Damn it. How does he know?’

The fact that it was an Inquisitor who had seen through him made future problems inevitable.

While the Overlord, his liege, wouldn’t personally reprimand him over a mere prisoner, the Church could use its authority to conduct an inquisition against him. Avoiding punishment seemed unlikely.

‘This is bad. I underestimated him because he’s a trainee, but he’s far more troublesome than I thought.’

The Overseer hesitated briefly.

‘He’s still a trainee. If I push back hard enough, the Church won’t have a way to verify whether I lied or not.’

In critical moments, a single decision could determine life or death.

After a brief deliberation, the Overseer steeled himself and put on a shameless facade.

“This is slander. How could I possibly let someone who has blasphemed against the divine live? It’s absurd.”

The Inquisitor’s gaze grew even sharper.

“You’re lying again.”

“Why do you keep saying that? On what grounds?”

“The truth will be revealed in the interrogation to come. Overseer, remain where you are.”

“Who do you think you are? This is my domain, under my authority! In my castle, who dares to interrogate me?”

As their voices rose, the bishop intervened, unable to bear it any longer.

“Enough! Both of you, enough! You, come with me.”

The bishop led the trainee Inquisitor out of the office and quietly asked him,

“What was that about? Are you suggesting that the Overseer lied earlier?”

The Inquisitor’s response was firm.

“Normally, I would interrogate him directly to confirm. But with his attitude, there’s no need. He has no intention of killing the prisoner. My instincts are almost certain.”

“What? He has no intention of killing him?”

The bishop was perplexed. After all, it was the Overseer who had captured the prisoner.

“But why?”

“Think about it. Who truly desires the prisoner’s death? Is it the Overseer, or is it the Church?”

“But would he really release the man when we’re already here? What sort of audacity would that take? And what reason could he possibly have to let the man go?”

“The Grail.”

“The Grail? What are you saying? What does the Grail have to do with this?”

“Have you forgotten who first brought up the Grail, something even the Church had long since dismissed? Whether or not the Grail exists, no one knows for sure. But the one who first spread the rumor was none other than the prisoner. If anyone knows the truth, it’s him.”

Hearing this, the bishop’s expression turned icy.

The Inquisitor continued.

“What I’m saying is that it’s possible. A proper interrogation of the Overseer will reveal the truth.”

“He is the lord of this place. How do you propose we interrogate him?”

“If he refuses out of fear, we charge him with heresy. He’ll have no choice but to decide—submit to interrogation or be branded a heretic.”

“But…”

“You don’t need to overthink this. If things go wrong, who will face the consequences from the Holy See? Not the Overseer—it’ll be you, Bishop. He’s not part of the Church.”

The Inquisitor’s reasoning was sound.

The bishop’s face darkened as he deliberated, weighing his options.

After some time, the bishop made his decision.

“Fine. I’ll trust you on this. I cannot afford to be humiliated by this matter.”

When the two returned to confront the Overseer, he had already guessed what was coming.

‘I don’t know what they talked about, but it’s nothing good. In that case…’

The Inquisitor addressed him with a stern expression.

“As an Inquisitor, I strongly suspect your intentions. Will you submit to interrogation? If you are innocent, the truth will come to light.”

As lord of the castle, and as someone who was far from innocent, the Overseer had no intention of complying.

‘I absolutely cannot submit to interrogation. They’ll uncover everything through my blood.’

“I was the one who captured the man. On what grounds do you propose to interrogate me? This is an insult to me and blatant overreach by the Church. I refuse to submit to any interrogation.”

The bishop remained silent as the Inquisitor issued a verbal warning.

“Be careful, Overseer. Your stance is dangerous. No one escapes the judgment of the Inquisition. Refusing this interrogation will be considered heresy.”

“Heresy? Ha! Who do you think you’re calling a heretic?”

The Overseer drew his sword.

The Inquisitor coldly asked, “Are you not only refusing interrogation but also planning to oppose this Inquisitor?”

“If you’re going to force this interrogation, you’ll have to cut me down first.”

“Then peaceful resolution seems impossible. I hereby charge you with the crime of refusing interrogation and pronounce immediate judgment.”

“Immediate judgment? Ha, what nonsense!”

The Overseer raised his hand, flashing the ringed middle finger toward the Inquisitor.

“Why don’t you take a bite of this?”

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