TRSDICI 11

Chapter 11

Burn It, or Not?

The place I arrived at while following Roban was a chapel near the entrance of the forest.

Roban cleared his throat in front of the door, trying to act formally, but I moved first.

“W-Wait…!”

Baaang!!

I pushed the door open violently and walked inside. Everyone inside immediately turned to look at me.

“I hope everyone has been praying well. I was too busy swinging my sword to attend this sacred gathering. My apologies.”

“……”

They stared at me with blank expressions.

One fat Cardinal spoke.

“Young man, what kind of rudeness is this? Even if you saved the examinees from the enemies, proper manners—”

I took a deep breath and shouted with all my strength.

“GODDESS ELLA!!!!!”

My loud voice echoed through the entire chapel. The Cardinal who had been speaking to me hiccupped in shock.

“I pray that the mastermind behind this attack is not inside this place. My sword is already covered in enough blood today. I do not wish to see even more.”

I closed the door and drew my sword.

“Please, Goddess… please…”

I muttered while glaring at everyone around me. Cold sweat rolled down their faces.

“Khuhuhu….”

At that moment, one of the Cardinals laughed.

“Do you find my prayer amusing?”

“Ah, my apologies. If I offended you, then I apologize. As I introduced myself earlier, I am Cardinal Varun.”

Varun stood up and lightly bowed his head.

“First, thank you for stopping the enemy attack. Without you, many people would have died, Brother.”

“It was nothing.”

“So I understand your anger. Please ignore Cardinal Bianco’s words.”

“Yes. Since it is you saying it, Cardinal Varun, I will.”

At that moment, a woman with golden hair and blue eyes approached me.

“I’m glad you are safe, Brother.”

“We meet again.”

A Saintess held a position equal to a priest among the clergy.

And since this was an official setting, I spoke politely unlike before.

I really was a very polite man.

“Yes. I also never expected we would meet again here.”

Renika smiled faintly.

Honestly, during the confession earlier, I also had no idea I would see her again. I only heard rumors that she would observe the examination after I submitted my application.

“Then I will leave the rest to you.”

“Of course.”

Renika nodded and looked at the others.

“As everyone here already understands, this attack was not a simple incident. Only people related to this examination knew the location of the Inquisitor test site.”

For some reason, Renika’s voice sounded sacred.

“Of course, many people target our Holy Kingdom, and their information networks are excellent. So perhaps they simply wished to stop the birth of a new Inquisitor who would become the Church’s hammer.”

“……”

“But I cannot understand why they would mobilize that many people just to kill examinees who are not even Inquisitors yet. If this Brother had not been there, the number of attackers would have been excessive.”

Renika continued speaking.

“Because of that, this attack feels as though it was planned in a hurry. As if someone here desperately wanted a certain examinee to die.”

Her blue eyes quietly shone.

“Therefore, from this moment onward, in the name of the Saintess of Truth, I will interrogate everyone here.”

The others swallowed nervously.

A Saintess was personally chosen by Goddess Ella.

That was why, despite only holding a priest-level position, Saintesses possessed more real authority than the Cardinals chosen by humans in the Papacy.

“Very well, Saintess. This attack is not something we can simply ignore.”

Bianco spoke.

“However, while the knights are fine, that man should wait outside. This is a sensitive matter within the Church, so it would be difficult for someone not officially part of the Church to interfere.”

The pig Cardinal looked at me.

Just as I was about to speak, Renika stepped forward first.

“This Brother is the person who contributed the most during the attack. He was closer to the incident than anyone here, and he may have heard information from the enemies during the battle.”

“……”

“And I personally guarantee his identity. Do you still have a problem with that, Cardinal Bianco?”

Bianco looked briefly flustered under her calm gaze.

This time, Varun stepped in.

“I also believe Young Master Kael should remain here, even if the knights leave.”

Varun must have checked my information from the application form because he called me by name.

“If an accident happens during the interrogation, Young Master Kael’s strength may be helpful. And even if we tried forcing him to leave, he probably would not obey.”

I nodded.

“That is correct.”

Varun smiled slightly and looked at Bianco.

“Cardinal Bianco, can you handle his anger? At least from what I can see, nobody here is capable of stopping him.”

When I stared at him, Bianco avoided my eyes and coughed awkwardly.

“Ahem… I suppose that is true.”

Once the situation settled down, I spoke.

“Then let us begin the interrogation quickly. I shall pray to the Goddess and improve my patience in the meantime.”

I joined my hands together and prayed to myself.

Normally, I would have immediately pointed at Baron Scalen and dragged him away, but if I wanted to learn whether there were other masterminds involved, I needed to wait.

‘Patience, patience, patience. Like slowly roasting a sweet potato….’

A sweet potato cooks well in fire, but it also feels like it might burn at any moment.

Burn it, or not? Burn it, or not…?

“L-Let us begin quickly.”

Only then did the Saintess and the others begin moving faster.

They brought chairs and sat facing Renika. Cardinal Varun went first.

“Cardinal Varun. Are you involved in this attack either willingly or unwillingly? And did you know about this attack beforehand?”

“I am not involved in this attack. And of course, I had no knowledge of it.”

Renika stared deeply into Varun’s eyes before nodding.

“It is the truth.”

After that, the same process continued.

There were four Cardinals including Varun, but all of them passed the first question, so it did not take very long.

‘It’s burning, it’s burning… the sweet potato is burning….’

But to me, while praying, it felt like an eternity had passed.

“All the Cardinals are innocent. Then the only person left is….”

Renika looked toward Mordin, who had remained silent the entire time.

“Baron Scalen.”

I suddenly opened my eyes wide.

Thankfully, the sweet potato had not burned yet.

“Haha, so it is finally my turn.”

Mordin laughed and sat across from Renika.

“You are also related to this examination, Baron.”

“I see. I never intended to avoid it anyway. I will cooperate sincerely with the Saintess’s interrogation.”

Mordin lightly acted formal.

He looked very confident.

And I knew exactly why he was so confident.

“Then I shall ask. Baron Mordin Scalen. Are you—”

“Wait.”

I calmly walked toward Mordin. Everyone looked at me in confusion.

“It is good to meet you, Baron Scalen. Though you already know, my name is Kael Luminara.”

I placed a hand on Mordin’s shoulder.

“Because the situation is unusual, please forgive my rough behavior.”

“Haha, Young Master Kael. Your tone has been especially rude toward me. Honestly, I find it unpleasant.”

Mordin pushed my hand away with a faint smile.

“Please step back a little. I am worried you may let your emotions cloud your judgment. Interrogations must always be conducted calmly.”

“Clouded by emotions….”

I sneered lightly.

“Do not worry. The Saintess will judge that, not you. Soon, everyone here will learn who is truly in the wrong.”

“……”

Mordin kept smiling as he asked:

“So what business do you have with me?”

“Ah, I simply noticed you possess something that does not suit you.”

I grabbed the pendant hanging around his neck and pulled it out.

It was a pendant engraved with the two-leaf sprout symbol of the Church of Ella.

I put it around my own neck and showed it to him.

“What do you think? Doesn’t it suit me far better than it suits you?”

“……”

Mordin froze like a smiling statue.

“T-That!”

At that moment, Bianco shouted.

“What are you doing?! Even you should maintain at least basic manners!”

I quietly turned my head and looked at Bianco.

The moment our eyes met, Bianco sucked in a breath.

Silence filled the room for a while before Mordin spoke again.

“Young Master Kael.”

I looked at him.

“Speak.”

“If your business is finished, please step back. At this rate, I may become nervous and fail the interrogation properly.”

“Ah, I see. My consideration was lacking.”

I stepped ten paces back behind the Saintess.

“Is this enough?”

“It is.”

Mordin smiled gently.

But I noticed a small crack in that smile.

This time, Renika spoke again.

“Then I will begin the interrogation immediately.”

“Yes.”

“Baron Scalen. Are you involved in this attack either willingly or unwillingly? And did you know about this attack beforehand?”

Mordin took a deep breath and slowly answered.

“No. I know nothing about it.”

Renika stared deeply into Mordin’s eyes.

The scale-shaped Stigmata on the back of her hand faintly glowed.

After watching him for a long time, Renika sighed softly.

“…It is the truth.”

After a brief silence, Renika slowly stood up from her chair.

“Everyone may step back. It seems there are no heretics here after all. We should request proper assistance from the Papacy.”

Renika turned and walked toward me.

I only moved my eyes slightly and observed her expression.

“Haha! As expected!”

Bianco approached Mordin.

“I knew it was not you, Baron. Please ignore that man’s rudeness.”

Judging from the atmosphere, Bianco had probably been receiving support from Mordin for quite some time.

And Mordin must have used Bianco to increase his influence inside the Church.

‘You grabbed onto a rotten rope.’

Even so, I gave him one last chance for the Saintess’s sake.

“Cardinal Bianco. Come over here.”

“Hah, what now? Are you planning to hit me?”

I sighed and answered seriously.

“You rotten idiot really lacks awareness too. I said move away, you stupid bastard.”

“W-What?!”

Just as Bianco’s face turned red and blue with anger—

Crack!

Mordin’s body suddenly grew larger, and the priest robe he wore exploded apart.

In an instant, he became over three meters tall, his head nearly touching the chapel ceiling.

Swoooosh!!

At the same time, a massive fist flew toward Renika’s back.

Renika sensed the killing intent and reacted quickly, but since she was not specialized in combat, there was no way she could dodge such speed.

Booom!!

That was why I jumped forward and blocked Mordin’s fist with my sword.

A heavy force traveled directly into both my arms together with a deafening explosion.

I spoke to the Saintess, who was swallowing nervously.

“Excellent reaction. Now step back.”

“Ah….”

Renika nodded.

“Please be careful.”

She quickly jumped backward.

Only then did I redirect the force from the punch and spin around while swinging my sword.

Whoooosh!

Mordin widened the distance and dodged my slash.

Then he silently watched me with sticky killing intent in his eyes.

“Cardinals, this way!”

The two knights remaining inside the chapel did not interfere and instead helped the Cardinals escape.

Thankfully, they understood their own limits.

I briefly exchanged glances with the knights before looking back at Mordin.

“So you drank demon blood.”

Mordin’s skin had turned the unique gray color of demons.

Those who drank demon blood mixed the demonic energy inside the blood with their own mana and used it as power.

I had seen that appearance in my previous life too.

Even now, half a year earlier than back then, Mordin was already capable of using demonic power.

Mordin looked at the pendant hanging around my neck and spoke.

“How did you know that pendant could deceive the Saintess’s eyes?”

Because you told me in my previous life.

This pendant was a demonic artifact capable of deceiving the eyes of the Goddess.

He used it to rise all the way to the position of Bishop.

“Your subordinates told me.”

“That is impossible. No matter how much torture they suffered, they would never speak about me.”

Of course not.

Because the “Akseo Society” was that kind of group.

The Akseo Society was a religious organization that worshiped the scriptures of the Demon God and opposed Ella.

And Mordin was one of its Apostles.

“H-Huk…!”

At that moment, Bianco collapsed beside Mordin, his face pale white.

Mordin clicked his tongue.

“Useless fool. A person should only be stupid in moderation.”

Mordin raised his massive hand.

A shadow quickly covered Bianco.

“N-No…!”

Bianco could not finish his words.

Crunch!

With the sound of something being crushed, Bianco’s body was smashed flat beneath Mordin’s palm.

When Mordin lifted his hand again, sticky blood clung to it.

“As expected, you truly have no mercy.”

I frowned deeply.

“You turned the man who supported you into a pancake.”

Mordin looked at me strangely.

“Are you insane?”

“Who are you calling insane, you crazy bastard?!”

“……”

“Did you want our territory that badly? No… to you, our territory was merely a stepping stone. What were you trying to reach after stepping on it? A world for demons desired by the Demon God?”

Mordin’s eyes turned cold.

“You truly know far too much. What exactly are you? According to my expectations, your strength should not be at this level either.”

“If you are that curious, then it is only natural that I answer!”

Sharp wind wrapped around my sword blade.

“I am the madman who returned from hell to kill you.”

Mordin let out a sigh.

“I was foolish for expecting a proper conversation.”

“It is unfortunate that you only realized it now.”

“……”

Dense killing intent rose from Mordin’s eyes.

The next moment, he kicked off the ground and swung a giant fist directly toward me.

I lowered my waist deeply and slipped into Mordin’s range.

Then I swung my sword toward his chest.

Normally, Mordin would have stepped backward to dodge the slash.

Whoooosh!

But instead of retreating, Mordin swung his other fist toward me.

Seeing that, I thought:

‘Is something wrong with his head?’

I slashed open Mordin’s chest and quickly turned my sword sideways to block his punch.

Even so, I could not fully stop the monstrous force and was sent flying through the air, rolling several times across the ground.

Thankfully it was not a direct hit, so my bones did not break, but my body still throbbed painfully.

“To think you even reacted to that… honestly, I’m impressed.”

Mordin spoke with interest while watching me stand up.

“But in the end, there is an overwhelming difference between species.”

Mordin touched the blood flowing from his chest.

“Even injuries that would heavily wound a human regenerate quickly with demonic power.”

Mordin revealed his vicious teeth.

Demons possessed physical strength and regeneration far beyond humans.

And Mordin, who drank demon blood, was no different.

‘In my previous life, that regeneration made the battle much harder.’

No matter how many times I cut him, his wounds regenerated as if nothing had happened.

That was why, in the end, I had no choice but to keep cutting him until his regeneration finally reached its limit.

“You will properly pay for ruining my plans—”

Mordin suddenly widened his eyes.

“Huh?”

I quietly laughed while looking at his confused face.

“Is something wrong? Do you suddenly need to take a shit?”

“Why isn’t it regenerating…?”

Normally, the wound I inflicted should have healed already.

But fresh blood was still flowing from Mordin’s chest.

“W-Wait. Don’t tell me this is….”

Mordin examined the wound before looking at me with trembling eyes.

“Divine power?”

I chuckled.

“Why? Did you think I came here to meet you without a plan?”

(To be continued)