Chapter 504: Chapter 504- Purge

At his command, the guards hurried off, returning moments later with crates of wooden torches and buckets brimming with water.

The court watched in tense silence. Even the other commanders stayed put in their place, observing the proceedings without intervening. The Queen leaving the decision to him was one part; the other part was that they had enough faith and knowledge about the Divine Paladin to know that he would not act impulsively.

He definitely had something up his sleeve.

Reinhardt instructed the guards to keep the things beside him and then, in front of the attentive gazes of everyone, lit a fire on the branch he was holding.

At once, flame bloomed. It was anything anyone had ever seen. It was crimson, just like all fire; however, it also held a pale emerald glow to it.

The moment the fire came to life, the air in the Audience Hall suddenly turned ancient. Everyone, whether they be powerful knights or ordinary citizens, could all feel a vastness and purity coming off from those flames.

Seeing the crimson-emerald fire, Reinhardt nodded in satisfaction.

"This is the Fire of the Willows, the flames that bloom on the branches of the Divine Tree Yggdrasil . It has the ability to burn corruption, and only corruption. It doesn’t hurt those who are innocent."

He flashed the flames in front of everyone. Then he turned towards the Saintess, asking her if she was willing to verify his words.

The latter did not hesitate. She stepped forward, extended her hand, and laid it directly in front of the flame.

Perhaps it was her trust towards Reinhardt, or perhaps it was the faint resonance that echoed with her holy powers, but there was no doubt or suspicion within her eyes.

The moment the Saintess put her hand over the fire, everyone strained their eyes, imagining her flesh getting burned.

However, as time passed and seeing that there were no changes to the Saintess’s expression or the smell of flesh burning, shock started to emerge in their eyes. She stood there perfectly calmly, her white robes fluttering gently in the warm draft, her expression soft with wonder.

"This flame is extremely pure, and its properties are similar to holy energy. It does not harm the righteous. It cannot."

While she muttered that to herself, her voice was clearly heard by everyone present in the hall. Immediately, a ripple of shock coursed through the assembly.

Reinhardt did not waste time. Right after the Saintess, he swiftly turned towards Earl Malmond.

"You... touch the flame." He commanded.

"W-Wait... Please spare my..."

"If you touch the flame, I’ll spare your life."

Before the other party could talk unnecessarily, Reinhardt cut him off, sparing himself and others from hearing his incessant begging.

Earl Malmond gulped and did as he was told. Shakily, he extended a finger towards the flame.

The moment he touched the flame, it was as oil meeting fire; his entire body caught ablaze.

"AAAAARRGGHHHH!!"

His screams tore through the hall. The Fire of Yggdrasil devoured him, burning his flesh along with the very corruption embedded into his soul by demonic pacts and years of evil. Unable to bear it, many nobles shifted their eyes.

Soon, under the powerful purging power of the fire, Earl Malmond was turned into nothing but ash. Even though he conspired with the demon, a high noble just died. Yet, ignoring that, Reinhardt continued with his explanation.

"As you saw for yourself, this fire does not hurt innocents; it is also the reason why the Saintess was not burned. The fire reacts to the corruption of demons. Those who have accepted demon seeds or who conspired with evil cannot hide from its judgment."

Gasps and whispers rose among the crowd. However, Reinhardt wasn’t done yet. He stepped toward the boxes the guards brought and picked up a torch. One by one, he pressed the torches to the flame.

Each torch caught fire instantly, blooming with Yggdrasil’s wrath.

"Here, grab one," he said without looking back.

Several royal guards stiffened; nonetheless, they hurried forward, carefully holding the torches. The heat wasn’t so fierce as they imagined; it simply prickled their skin, and even that sensation disappeared completely.

"Since you all can hold the Fire of Yggdrasil without getting burned, it already proves your innocence." Reinhardt smiled towards them and continued to light the torches one after another.

If it was simply about purging evil, Reinhardt too possessed divine fire, or the Saintess’s own holy powers would do the job. However, their powers could not do this. It was bound to their bodies and will.

However, the Fire of the Willows was different; it could be shared. In other words, all the fire on the torches was Yggdrasil’s fire, and it would continue to burn no matter the distance or place, as long as it wasn’t put out.

This was something his own powers could not replicate, and the reason behind why he took all that trouble to visit the Spirit Realm and ask the Spirit King Antares for his aid.

"You all, take the torches. Light every last one with this fire."

The royal guards obeyed swiftly, moving in lines as they ignited torch after torch. Soon, dozens of torches roared with the same Yggdrasil’s conflagration, their emerald embers casting a faint emerald hue across the hall.

"Now then... shall we begin?"

Reinhardt eyed the nobles. He wasn’t just looking at the ones that were pointed out by the now deceased Earl Malmond. No, he was looking at the entire assembly.

Right now, all the high ranking and influential people were gathered in one place. There could not be any better opportunity to get rid of all the tumours corrupting their kingdom from within all at once than today.

"Take a torch. Touch the flame and prove your innocence. If you all haven’t collaborated with the demons, then you have nothing to fear."

Like an executioner, he gave his verdict. His voice was cold and left no room for argument.