Chapter 57: His Highness the Prince
Leon slowly explained the entire situation, including how he had accepted Captain Martin Bouvier’s commission to go to the old junk shop for a transaction, retrieved the money and handed it back to the captain, and then received an errand fee of two hundred and fifty Fenni from the captain.
Aaron Dias and Bishop Beckett listened in silence.
Afterward, Aaron spoke thoughtfully: “Inquisitor Set, do you know what everything you just confessed implies?”
“I am willing to take responsibility for my confession just now,” Leon replied with a taut expression.
“Then you should understand that this already constitutes dereliction of duty.” Bishop Beckett stepped in front of Leon and said, “After clearly knowing that Caron Eso was suspected of the grave crime of heretical transactions, not only did you fail to report it to the Church, you even participated in it?”
“Reporting to my superiors,” Leon said earnestly, “given the authority Director Eso held in the Inquisition at the time, no one could oppose him at all.
Moreover, he controlled numerous informants suspected of heretical dealings.
Even if I had taken the stolen goods to report him, it would have been difficult to serve as decisive evidence.
The only outcome I could foresee was being bitten back instead, and then suffering terrifying retaliation during the investigation.”