My Goddess is Good at Pretending

Chapter 577: Justice is Served

The townspeople and villagers of Mirstone Town lived under the cruel reign of a corrupt mayor and his circle of wicked nobles. These nobles amassed their wealth and power, growing fat on the toil and suffering of the common folk who were too weak and fearful to fight back.

When Sacred Sakura’s disciples arrived, they found many people with hollow gazes of despair and hearts full of fear. The disciples spoke nothing but brought swift action to investigate further and gathered enough information to punish the wicked.

In the name of the Goddess, the disciples seized the mayor and his accomplices during the nobles’ disgraceful orgy in the dead of night, dragging the sinners out to the town square where justice would be served in the morning under everyone’s eyes.

As the sun rose, casting a pale light on the town square, the atmosphere was thick with tension and grave anticipation. The Sacred Sakura’s disciples stood before the gathered crowd. Their robes gently swayed in the morning breeze. In the center of the town square, the mayor and his accomplices knelt down in a tied-up state.

The townspeople and villagers, timid at first, soon gathered to watch. The fear that had shackled them began to crumble.

"Mayor Hungan and the wicked accomplices, we shall recite your sins." Lucius announced, his voice calm but stern. "For more than a year, you have bled this town and surrounding villages dry, imposing unbearable taxes, stealing from the people’s harvests, kidnapping young ladies, trading illegal drugs, the despicable prostitution business, and hoarding wealth meant to sustain your citizens. You took bribes and aligned yourself with those who thrived on suffering, condemning innocent families to starve while you feasted in your hall."

The mayor’s eyes flickered with a mixture of defiance and fear, but he said nothing. His accomplices also remained silent. Although there was a hint of anxiety, they seemed to know that the reinforcements would soon come to save them.

In their hearts, they blamed their luck and foul coincidence. Sacred Sakura’s envoys visited their town without any prior notice and caught them red-handed.

Lucius turned to the mayor’s accomplices. "Baron Kaito, Baron Arin, Viscount Masaru, and Captain Renji... each of you played your part in this cruelty. You aided the mayor in his schemes, exploiting the weak and driving honest men and women into despair. You seized their wealth, you destroyed their homes, and you threatened violence upon those who dared to speak against you. The blood had been shed, and more than three hundred innocent people were killed by your own hands."

The crowd murmured as their anger was evident. Some in the square could still feel the loss of their land, their loved ones, and their trampled dignity by the men who now faced the Sacred Sakura Holy Land’s judgment.

"But the greatest sin is your betrayal of the sacred trust between the ruler and ruled. You, who were given power to protect and guide by the Great Yan Empire’s Emperor, used it to oppress and destroy. You turned the laws of this land into weapons for your own gain, and in doing so, you invited the wrath of the Goddess."

At the mention of the Goddess, the crowd fell silent. The mayor, his face was paled uncomfortably, while his accomplices trembled.

Lucius lowered the scroll and faced the condemned sinners. "The Sacred Sakura Goddess sees all... and today, her justice will be done. You are guilty of these sins. Your actions have brought ruin upon this land, and for that, there can be no forgiveness."

With a simple motion, Lucius raised his hand high and beckoned to the other disciples. "The punishment that you deserve is a death sentence. A public execution!"

"W-wait! The Emperor won’t let this matter go! Sacred Sakura will only move to resolve the great evil’s matter, and you are not moving under the will of the Sacred Sakura Goddess! The Flower Gate Sect will not let a brat like you get away!" Mayor Hungan snapped and shouted in desperation as the execution blades were raised by the Sacred Sakura’s disciples.

"How dare you to mention her divine title with the filthy mouth of yours?!" Lucius snapped in anger and punched the major right in the face.

"We shall inform the Emperor about this, and someone more appropriate will replace you to rule over this land. We will not hide nor escape. If your backers have the guts to face us, we will investigate them further. If they’re proven guilty, we won’t tolerate the human with the demon heart." Bai Yuchen pressed the mayor back to the ground.

"Stop!" The mayor’s powerful backers arrived with an elite force sent to protect their interests. Clad in gleaming armor and carrying the banner of the nobility and Flower Gate Sect’s insignia, they surged into the town square to rescue their puppet ruler.

"Elder Jun! Save me and kill these fakers! They’re pretending as Sacred Sakura’s disciples!" Mayor Hungan called out in desperation.

"Flower Sect Gate’s people. Should we assume that you backed up such wickedness for this intervention?" Bai Yuchen frowned as he confronted the newly arrived haggard elder directly.

The Sacred Sakura’s disciples, though few, stood their ground. The battle might ensue but they were never afraid of trouble.

"That might just be a misunderstanding. Although you are the most powerful sacred sect, you should not act recklessly in the other’s land. This bastard is proven guilty and he will be punished by Flower Gate’s laws. Please hand them over to us." Elder Jun explained a little with a kind smile.

"Since you know we are from the most powerful sect, then why are you so arrogant? If we wish to execute the wicked, are you going against our final decision? Hey, we’re trained to eliminate the great evils and never take care of the small, trivial matters. Elder Kitsune might want to tell us something... there is perhaps a fragment of great evil in the Flower Gate Sect? This is interesting, keke!" Bai Yuchen put his elbow on Elder Jun’s shoulder, patting the other party’s chest in a taunting tone.

"This is unreasonable! You are defaming Flower Gate Sect’s name!" Elder Jun slapped the rude boy’s hand and prepared to fight.

"Capture them all!" Lucius issued the command, and all the disciples immediately unleashed their techniques. The envoys from the Qinlan Sect also rushed to capture the villains.

Bolstered by the righteousness of their cause and the villagers’ cries for justice, the disciples fought with overwhelming dominance. The villagers, inspired by the courage of their saviors, took up arms, joining the fight against their oppressors.

Although some villagers were injured as a result, they laughed with relief and joy when the corrupted mayor’s backers were also captured by Sacred Sakura’s team.

As for the proven guilty sinners, the execution blades finally swung down upon their necks, granting them a swift death.

As the dust settled, peace briefly returned to the town. But this peace was fragile, and everyone knew the Great Yan Empire would not stay silent for long. Soon enough, the imperial force arrived.

Their intent was not to save the wicked nobles since the guilty were already dead. They were there to resolve the matter peacefully and ensure that chaos would not spread.

The empire’s envoy, a man of authority, surveyed the scene with his eagle-like eyes.

The Great Yan Empire could not allow lawlessness to go unchecked, even in pursuit of righteousness. But, the empire would never dare to offend the Sacred Sakura Holy Land! As for the Flower Gate Sect’s matter, it would be handled and investigated by the imperial force and Righteous Alliance.

Amidst the outcry of many people, praising Sacred Sakura Holy Land and Sacred Sakura Goddess’ mercy, Lucius, his fellow disciples, and Qinlan Sect’s envoys left Mirstone Town as the rest would be handled under imperial force’s care.

"..." Lucius looked at his hands, faintly smiled without him realizing it. Remembering how terrible the nobles treated the mages in that world, he turned the tables in this world.

Under Sacred Sakura’s banner, he and the mages, the former witches, held a higher status. They could punish the wicked, serving justice, as they pleased.

"Your smile is pretty creepy, Brother Lucius. Something bothering your mind?" Bai Yuchen put his divine spear on his shoulder, feeling strange about his martial brother’s weird smile.

"No, it’s nothing. I just feel it’s really refreshing to punish the wicked nobles. It’s been years of hardship for us to be oppressed by those greedy humans. We protected them, and yet, they backstabbed us and hunted us..." Lucius murmured and sighed in relief.

It was the past, and the witches, now mages, could live happily and peacefully under the Sacred Sakura Goddess’ care.

"..." Zhuan Mei observed Lucius from behind thoughtfully. It was probably her first time seeing Lucius get a little emotional. If she thought about it, she barely knew anything about him, and it frustrated her because he was so secretive, cold, and reclusive!

"Well..." Bai Yuchen could tell there was a complicated and intricate incident behind that statement. He did not want to probe deeper, so, he quickly changed the topic. "Although the matter was taken over by the imperial force, we still need to investigate the Flower Gate Sect. It would be dangerous if a great evil took its root there."

"We need to return to Sacred Mountain and seek the guidance from sacred shrine priestess first. We should never try to uncover the great evil’s matters on our own. This is a different quest. Do you remember Elder Kitsune’s warning?" Lucius shook his head.

"Ugh, you’re right. Let’s return first. Qinlan Sect’s envoys, especially Zhuan Mei, you should come with us to report this matter." Bai Yuchen rubbed his head.

"Alright." Zhuan Mei nodded in agreement. She already become half Sacred Sakura’s disciple, so she had to return and report it as well.

She also dragged her master, Qinlan Sect’s Yin Peak Elder, Zhao Yuqi, to come with her. Since they came as a team, then they should not leave her alone. Moreover, they could use this opportunity to strengthen their diplomatic relations with Sacred Sakura.