Chapter 530
Chapter 530
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 530
Chapter Title: A Useful Guy
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"Let's skip the obvious crap about the devil tempting you. You accepted the temptation because you wanted something out of it, didn't you?"
"Well... I mean..."
"Heh heh heh, should I break the other leg too?"
"No! The truth is!!"
The kidnapper wailed and poured out his sob story.
"The truth is, I wanted revenge! On that bastard who ruined me!!!"
"Revenge, huh?"
"Yes...! Revenge!!!"
It was a pretty tragic tale.
He claimed he'd been a hardworking laborer. But one day, when he tried to buy a house with all the money he'd saved, he got scammed and lost everything.
So he scoured everywhere to punish the scammer, but as an out-of-towner with no connections—just a simple worker—he couldn't do a damn thing. The scammer was some well-connected guy known around the city, so it was game over from the start.
Having lost everything and failed at revenge, he ended up grasping the devil's wicked hand when it reached out.
"No, you fuckwit. But what the hell does that have to do with the kid?"
"That devil! It said it'd give me the power for revenge!"
"If you offered the kid as a sacrifice?"
Yeah, figures.
It probably promised him power in exchange for sacrificing the kid.
"Yes... that's right... It said it'd give me power if I sacrificed the kid—no, the child..."
"Heh heh heh, so you straight-up kidnapped an orphan and handed them over? Even knowing the devil bastard would chomp them down like snacks?"
"..."
He fell silent at my question.
"You fuck! Why aren't you answering again!!!! You wanna see me lose my shit?!"
"Gaaahhhhhh!!!! No! Yes! I did it!"
"Why'd you do it?"
"B-back then... I thought it didn't matter if I borrowed the devil's power, as long as I got my revenge!"
This was a truth I realized when I awakened my Sword Aura: no matter how much black folks were tortured and exploited by imperialists in the sugarcane fields, turning that rage on innocents is a sin no different from imperialism itself.
Similar situation here.
"Then you should've just borrowed the devil's power. Why the kid?"
"...I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"No, hey. Where do I gotta cut next for you to answer? This is fucking frustrating. I don't need your apologies—just tell me why."
"B-because I thought kids' lives didn't matter if it meant getting revenge!!"
This crazy fucker!
"Those orphan brats are fine to kill?"
"...Yes. That's right."
"Good. Very honest answer. Excellent."
He'd borrowed the devil's power for revenge, but devils exist to destroy humans from the start. No way they'd actually help with revenge.
"But the devil wasn't satisfied with one sacrifice. I thought once—just once—would be enough...! But that devil kept demanding more!!!"
"Hmm."
When he first sacrificed the orphan, he thought he'd get the power for revenge. But the devil only gave him a sliver of power.
Then it demanded more from the panicked guy.
He was already guilty of death penalty stuff by colluding with the devil to kill orphans. So he couldn't stop, using revenge as an excuse to keep paying up with sacrifices.
Like sunk cost fallacy.
The gambler who's lost everything but keeps going because of the money already blown.
Still, it must've given him some demonic power.
"Dedalt? This all true?"
"...Yes, human. But I didn't lie. I said sacrifices would give power. Of course, it wouldn't happen from just one. His fault for not reading the contract properly."
Dedalt bared his fangs as he answered.
"Huh? You little shit? Fangs?"
"Wh-what...!"
"You look pissed off or something?"
"I-I'm not pissed!"
I spun my fist around as I asked, and he yelled in panic.
"Heh heh heh, yeah? But you're talking too much, punk."
"T-talking... too much?"
"You approached him planning to screw him over, right? Deny it?"
"Th-that..."
"Left leg. Right leg. Pick one."
"Yes! I planned to trick him! I've told the truth, so no more pain!!!"
I'd recorded all the Q&A on the paper I'd brought. Pretty cliché story. Even without devils, shit like this happens all the time.
But this is exactly the harm devils cause.
Normal people don't go that far for revenge.
It's just that the devil showed up and offered an easy way, leading to mass murder. Humans prefer the path of least resistance.
In a world like this, if devils rise up, it'd be easy for everything to go to shit. That's why the religious folks persecute and suppress them desperately.
I'd guess the idol wars felt something like this.
Anyway, this is perfect for the report. The saintess'll love the story.
Interrogation complete.
"Dedalt. You leave a body when you die?"
"...I've taken some sacrifices, so yes."
"Good."
Then I can kill this one too.
Interrogation's done anyway. No reason to keep him alive if a body's left behind.
"And what's your name?"
"Nix..."
The kidnapper's name was Nix.
I grilled him on all his details.
"Heh heh heh, Nix. Good. Where'd you work?"
"E-east docks..."
"And the scammer's name."
"Mellendo... the guy called Chatty Mellendo! Infamous scammer everyone in the east district knows!"
"Shut up, punk. Like you're hot shit."
"Urk."
Anyway, got the devil and kidnapper's info.
Motive, crime process, all recorded.
Perfect. This is solid.
"The true name of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword is the Life-Saving Sword."
I stood and yanked the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword from the wall. Its black blade reflected the blue flames Hildegarth had lit.
"The Life-Saving Sword saves lives."
The true path of Fusion Confucianism is non-killing and life-saving.
In the meaning of the Four Sages and Eight Righteous Paths, and Hongik Ingan.
Eradicate suffering to widely benefit the world.
"If I cut down the impure and bury them forever, allowing the innocent to live—that's the path to saving lives, isn't it?"
The blade is sharp. Sharp enough to carve out the impure. Those who've carved out their hearts must not be forgiven.
"Thus, the Heavenly Demon Kim Katt asks: Dedalt, Nix. Have you atoned?"
"A-aton—"
"—You have no right to atone."
—Slash!
I swung lightly, severing Nix's head. As it thudded emptily to the floor, Dedalt turned to smoke to escape.
"Y-you madman! I'm getting out of heeeeeere!!"
"Die."
With sword aura, no problem.
—Slash.
The blade rippling with blue sword aura cleaved Dedalt's smoky body. Thud. All that remained was his bisected corpse.
Statement taken, recorded. Their value's zero now.
Dedalt leaves a body, and Nix is a lowlife worker with no citizen ID, so no one'll bitch if I handle it myself.
Perfect cleanup.
I never planned to let them live anyway. Can't leave loose ends if they sniffed out Hildegarth's identity.
"Hey! Hilde!"
"Yes! Mr. Katt! All done?"
"Yeah! Go call the city guards! Say something like the Brass Celestial Society junior priest took down a devil hiding in the city! Can you handle it?"
"Of course! Just trust me, Hildegarth!"
—Whoosh!
Hildegarth, face half-shaded, turned to smoke and vanished.
The Cardia saintess sent official docs to the city, so they'll cooperate.
"Fucking assholes."
With two bodies—a devil and a criminal—amid the blood-soaked scene, nothing'd be an issue.
I looked around.
Small bone fragments sticky with black blood scattered everywhere. Hard to believe he did this for "revenge." Looked like over ten victims.
—I could almost hear the kids' screams.
I sat on the table, waiting for Hildegarth.
Wearing armor today, so ID's no problem.
Soon, footsteps approached.
—Thud thud.
City guards came down, lanterns raised, faces grim. They screamed the moment they saw the basement.
"U-uwahhhhhh!!! What the hell is this!"
"Devil's work! Definitely the devil!!!"
"Human bones...! No! Kids' bones!!!"
"Gaaahhhhhh!!!!!! Unbelievable!!!!!"
As expected, they freaked at the kids' bones.
"U-uwahhh!!"
"Hey! Move that guy over there! Don't contaminate the scene!"
Some puked and cried.
Yeah, it's gruesome. I'm used to it, but their reaction's normal.
Even tough stomachs take mental damage from this.
"Good to see you, city guards."
"Y-you're the Brass Celestial Society... priest?"
I stood, showing my armor and pulling out my junior priest ID.
"Kim Katt, junior priest of the Brass Celestial Society. Under orders from our Order's saintess, I was investigating the infiltrated devil on my own. Over there—that's the devil and his worshiper's corpses."
"Devil's corpse... Gasp! A devil's corpse!!!!"
"Unbelievable, aaahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Get the captain!!!"
—Uwheeeek!!
Pure chaos and horror. The guards puked and teared up again at Dedalt's body.
"Where's the priest...?"
Then someone who looked like the captain came down.
"Right here."
"Gasp! This scene...! Priest! What the hell!"
He screamed and dry-heaved too.
"Calm down. I've exterminated the devil and his worshiper. Oh, one more thing. Are you the one in charge?"
"In charge... you mean?"
"A devil infiltrated the city. Kids were massacred. Are you the one handling this case?"
Best to talk to the head for smooth processing. Everything's wrapped up. I just relay.
"..."
The captain scanned the scene, frowning.
"Oh, gods... Looks like I can't handle this at my level. Priest, sorry to trouble you, but please come to the office and give testimony."
"Heh heh heh, naturally."
"You lot! Preserve the scene! Special lockdown now! I'll call reinforcements—control the area!"
"Yes sir!"
"This way, priest!"
I followed the captain upstairs.
"Mr. Katt. What about me?"
Hildegarth was waiting topside.
"Go home for now. See you tomorrow."
"Ah! Date confirmed! Seeing you tomorrow...! Heh heh heh, yes! I'll head back!"
As I sent her off, the captain paused.
"No. Priest, please wait here. I'll fetch the senior captain right away. Better to discuss this on-site."
"Whatever's easier. Go ahead."
"Yes!"
The captain mounted his waiting horse and left. Nothing to do, so I went back down to chat with the guards.
"T-to think such horror...! Priest! Thank you! Handling this alone!"
"It's my job."
"As expected...! We heard Brass Celestial Society followers are devoted, but you're incredible!"
"Heh heh heh, interested? Come to the church."
We killed time with chit-chat until the senior captain arrived.
He was high up—the men saluted sharply. Fancy uniform too.
Someone said he's second-in-command of the city guard.
Perfect talker for org number two.
"Y-you're the priest...?"
He asked solemnly.
"Yes. Kim Katt, junior priest dispatched by the Brass Celestial Society saintess. You the senior captain?"
"Ooh, yes. Priest. Saintess's orders... What's this about...?"
"Confirm the scene first."
"Understood."
I showed him around.
Gave a quick rundown on exterminating the devil and worshiper. He trembled as he listened.
"Such atrocity! Even the gods can't forgive this!"
"Naturally. Oh, and I have private business with the senior captain."
"Private... business?"
"Yes. Work-related. Best if we talk alone."
I whispered, and he nodded.
We went upstairs, rented a quiet inn room nearby. Inside, I pulled out the interrogation summary.
"What do you want to discuss...?"
"Look at this."
"This is?"
"Document of how this junior priest tracked, captured, interrogated, and judged them."
He got it instantly—a small smile flickered, then he schooled his face and pretended to read.
"Ooh...! Amazing! So clearly documented! But showing me this secretly here...?"
"Heh heh heh, think there's no reason?"
His eyes gleamed with greed.
Time for a deal.
Any incident like this drags with verifications and shit. Even if I investigated, they gotta do theirs.
But I'm done with the investigation.
And solved the case too.
"This was an official mission from our Order's saintess to me. Here's her order."
"S-saintess's order..."
"I don't have much time. Can you process it as per my document? I don't care if some credit goes to you."
Trading credit for proper handling.
"A-ah, understood!"
He shot up, bowing.
"We'll process as you documented! Probably done by day after tomorrow! Thank you, priest!"
"Heh heh heh, I gotta report to the Order, so I trust you'll handle it well."
"No worries! For the credit, we'll make it smooth! Come to the office in two days! We'll hand over the docs!"
"Looking forward to it."
"Loyalty! Thanks for aiding city security, priest!"
Isekai admin is amateur hour compared to modern Earth.
Prestige of a renowned church's junior priest.
Saintess's authority. City guard senior captain's stamp for legitimacy. Turned my investigation official quick.
You give to get. They handle nice since I gave credit.
Guards just eat my work for their records anyway.
Official city doc's perfect for saintess report attachment.
Even I think I handled this like a pro.
"Good."
—With authority, you gotta use it.
Today's motto.
Junior priest role'll help big time ahead.
Nothing smoother than church clout for clean processing.