Chapter 290: The Grand Inquisitor Alice

Years ago, somewhere in human territory, a group of inquisitors struggled to make their way through a dense, stifling forest.

There were a dozen of them, all dressed in the order’s imposing armor, though at that moment little remained of the intimidating presence that usually accompanied it.

They pushed through the undergrowth with effort, dragging their feet, exhaustion etched into every face.

Many of them limped, others wore improvised bandages stained with dried blood.

And several more carried their more badly wounded companions.

Days of continuous marching and only a few hours of rest had begun taking their toll, leaving everyone visibly worn down.

Everyone except one.

At the front of the group walked a woman with dark blue hair and green eyes, keeping her back straight and her stride firm.

She was the only one who seemed immune to the exhaustion consuming the rest.

Nothing in her bearing revealed the fatigue of those days of marching; for her, it was as if the effort had never even happened.

And behind her, a young inquisitor, much smaller and clearly a rookie, quickened her pace to catch up with her, gathering the courage to speak to her.

"Grand Inquisitor Alice," the girl said, her voice trembling. "I... I beg you, please let us rest... many are at the limit of their strength and I don’t think they can keep this pace much longer."

Alice didn’t even bother to look at her.

"No," she replied coldly, not stopping her stride. "Our priority is determining our location. We’ll rest once we know exactly where we are and which direction we need to head. Not a second before."

"But..." The young woman hesitated, but pressed on anyway. "We’ve been walking without direction for days..."

Alice stopped dead.

And finally turned toward her, with a furious look that made the girl instinctively take a step back.

"And whose damn fault do you think it is that we’re in this situation?" Alice asked, her voice low and cutting. "Answer me. Whose mistake activated that teleportation trap and left us stranded in the middle of nowhere?"

The young woman lowered her head instantly, unable to hold her gaze.

A heavy silence settled between them.

"...Mine," she murmured finally, her voice barely audible. "It was my fault, Grand Inquisitor."

"Exactly," Alice confirmed without the slightest mercy. "And now all of us are paying the price for your incompetence."

She turned back forward.

"So shut your damn mouth and keep moving... the last thing we need is to stop here and run into another one of those demi-human groups."

"..."

"If the men have to fight them in their current state, this will end in a massacre. And if that happens, it’ll be your fault again."

The young woman clenched her fists, eyes burning with frustration and shame, but she didn’t give up.

"Please, Grand Inquisitor, just look at the state they’re in," she insisted once more, raising her voice. "If we keep pushing them like this, they won’t get anywhere... a short rest, that’s all, I’m begging you."

Alice stopped again.

This time, she glanced over her shoulder, assessing the group. And though her expression didn’t change, it was undeniable the girl had a point.

The men were wrecked, and pushing them further past their limits wouldn’t make them move faster; it would just make them collapse.

Alice let out an almost imperceptible sigh.

"Fine," she conceded reluctantly. "We’ll camp here."

The relief was almost tangible in the air.

"But," Alice added, turning toward the young woman harshly, "you’re not resting. Since you care so much about the group’s wellbeing, you’re going to check the perimeter."

"Huh?"

"Make sure there’s no threats around while the others recover their strength... consider it a reminder of the consequences of your mistakes."

The girl swallowed, but nodded without protest.

"Yes, Grand Inquisitor," she said with resignation. "Understood."

And without another word, she headed back into the trees to carry out the task, leaving the rest behind.

"We’re setting up camp here!" Alice announced to the group in a firm voice. "So rest while you can, because the moment I give the order, we’re moving out again."

The inquisitors obeyed instantly, collapsing wherever they could, pulling off their boots, checking their wounds, silently grateful for that unexpected respite.

Alice stayed apart from the group, keeping watch over the surroundings.

And it was then that one of the inquisitors approached her.

At a glance it was obvious he was older than most of those present, though far from being an old man.

"Grand Inquisitor," he said quietly, positioning himself beside her. "May I have a moment?"

"Speak."

"It’s about the new recruit," the man said, looking toward where the girl had run off. "I think you’re being too hard on her."

Alice didn’t look away from the trees.

"What are you talking about?"

"Yes, she made a mistake, no one’s disputing that," the man said calmly. "But it was a rookie mistake, and she’s been carrying it ever since... all you have to do is look at her to see she’s already punished herself more than enough."

"Precisely because she’s a rookie she needs to learn that her mistakes have consequences," Alice shot back, frowning.

"Alice—"

"I’m only doing this for her own good and the group’s," she cut him off. "One painful lesson now is worth more than a grave later."

"I know..."

"If you think I’m too harsh, that’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it, but I don’t intend to change how I operate. And if she’s not capable of withstanding this order’s discipline, then maybe she should consider leaving it. There’s no room for the weak here."

The veteran watched her for a long moment, then let out a tired sigh.

"You know, Grand Inquisitor, someday you should learn to be a little less rigid," he said, slowly shaking his head. "Rigidity breaks before it bends... and not everything in this world gets solved with a heavy hand."

"That’s not going to happen," Alice replied without the slightest doubt. "Harshness is the only thing keeping this order alive."

The man didn’t press further, knowing it was useless.

He simply gave a slight bow of his head and withdrew, leaving the Grand Inquisitor alone with her watch and her unbreakable coldness.

Alice stayed like that for a while, her gaze fixed on the thicket, until hurried footsteps broke the silence.

It was the young recruit, running back through the trees, panting, though this time her face didn’t reflect fear, but something resembling hope.

"Grand Inquisitor! I bring good news!" she exclaimed upon arriving, trying to catch her breath.

"Speak."

"I checked the perimeter, just as you ordered, and... the forest ends not far from here!" she reported enthusiastically. "And beyond it there’s an open plain, and in the distance, I was able to spot a town."

"Well done."

For the first time in days, something resembling relief flickered briefly across Alice’s face.

A town meant information, supplies, and a way back.

She then turned immediately toward the group, her voice ringing out with renewed authority.

"On your feet, everyone! Rest is over!" she ordered. "There’s a town to the east and we’re going to reach it before nightfall! Move out!"

And despite the exhaustion, despite the wounds, the inquisitors rose with renewed energy, clinging to that first sign of hope in many days.