Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: The Guy That's Getting on My Nerves
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Opening the door revealed a red-haired boy sitting in the darkness inside.
'His name was Ruby, right? This guy's been nagging at me. Should I deal with him here?'
Yol kept his expression neutral and spoke.
"How is Brother Jayden doing?"
Ruby shook his head with an arrogant look.
'There's no way he's really doing a vow of silence...
That pale, plump skin that looks like he's never done a day's labor in his life, those clear eyes that seem like they've never known sorrow—looking at him just makes me want to smack him. His long hair, reaching down to his back, scattered dust with every movement.
'Should I let him be for now? He might cause a scene.'
Yol clasped his hands over his chest, adopting a pious priestly demeanor, then said,
"To treat the devil's wound, we need to move him to another room. If it's alright, could you step aside, Brother Ruby?"
Ruby silently moved to the side.
Yol called in the monks waiting outside and had them load Jayden onto a stretcher. They were the ones Abbot Manoli had specially recommended as tight-lipped.
Glancing at Jayden by lantern light, his bloodless white face was drenched in cold sweat. The wound on his nape was even more inflamed than when he'd first seen it.
'I thought he'd last until tomorrow, but he might not even make it through tonight.'
Yol led the way with the lantern, while Ruby stuck close to the stretcher and followed. Looking down, Yol saw the boy was barefoot.
'His feet are covered in sand. And his hair too—did he go outside without me knowing?'
Before opening the main building's door, Yol extinguished the lantern and picked up a brazier with embers instead. The corridor went pitch black for a moment.
As one monk opened the door, sand-laden wind poured in. The monastery gates had been smashed, so even inside the walls, the wind was fierce.
In the pitch darkness where even the main building's lights were out, Yol felt the ground's unevenness with his feet and pressed forward. It was a path of gravel laid so one could find the annex even without light.
Mixed in with the wind's howl came the faint clinking of chains from somewhere. Looking back, the monks carrying Jayden were following slowly like pilgrims on a holy journey, and Ruby was stuck right by the stretcher.
'Did I hear wrong? Anyway, that kid's got good night vision. Not stumbling at all.'
Yol and the monks reached the annex's side door first.
Yol made a gesture asking Ruby's permission, then entered alone. If Soph screamed, he planned to subdue Ruby immediately.
Using the excuse of lighting candles with the embers from the brazier, Yol closed the door for a moment. Fortunately, no sign of Soph's voice came from anywhere in the dormitory. The wind was blocking most noises.
'Perfect weather for killing.'
Yol opened the door again. The monks carrying Jayden entered first. Then Ruby followed and stood by the door.
"Have we arrived? The wind's especially bad tonight. Even this short distance, it's easy to get lost."
Yol held up the candle as if checking headcount, while observing Ruby.
Still that arrogant expression. He detected no danger signals from the boy. And yet, he felt uneasy. A feeling he'd never experienced in his assassin days.
'Reminds me of that witch trial five years ago. I killed twenty-one innocent women. But the inquisitor believed every one was a witch without doubt. Then I got poisoned by the real witch disguised as a courtesan while drinking. She tried to kill me without even knowing who I was, and died for it...
Yol led everyone to an empty room with the candle ahead.
No sound came from the next room where Soph was tied up. She might have sobbed a bit, but even that was absent.
'Maybe I tied her too tight and she suffocated.'
The monks moved Jayden from the stretcher to the bed. Ruby didn't lift a finger, just silently watched. As if he had no interest in Jayden at all.
Yol said,
"I'll prepare the treatment, so stay by the priest's side."
Ruby nodded. His eyes stared straight up at Yol. In the candlelight, Ruby's pupils gleamed red like his hair.
'Seven years ago, one of the paladins from Pharen's Holy Knights Order saw through my identity. He attacked without a moment's hesitation. Swinging a rusty sword like it was a holy blade under an angel's blessing—that's how it looked. I felt this same unpleasantness then...
Yol left only the candle and exited with the other monks. They walked down the corridor out of the annex.
'Different from the witch five years ago, and the paladin seven years ago.'
Yol sent them ahead first and cracked open the door to Soph's room.
'Too many things nagging at me.'
Soph was still face-down in the exact position and spot he'd tied her. No groans, so he thought she might be dead, but she lifted her head at the sound of the door.
No trace of fear on her face.
'This woman's weird too. She's clearly terrified, but it doesn't show. Is that another sign she's a witch? If she's a real one, that's a problem. They don't die easy by fire. Might as well test it by burning her.'
As soon as Yol exited the annex, he locked the door with a thick wooden bar. He had one monk lock the outer windows from outside and ordered the other two.
"You, bring two barrels of oil from the kitchen. You, bring as much firewood as you can."
The wind was stronger, but since it was wooden, a good dousing of oil would burn it clean.
Easiest job in his recent missions. Like a lump of meat that walked right in, just needed a bit of salt.
'But why am I so uneasy? Yol, what's bugging you so much?'
Yol waited in the darkness for the monks to return, reviewing the situation so far.
'The bad luck's over. As long as I don't let my guard down until the end...'
At that moment, Yol's heart sank.
'Let my guard down? I already have. I smelled devil on those guys just now. That means they didn't luckily escape the Red Desert—they broke through the devils I commanded to get here!'
Yol had to recall his conversation with Cardinal Lorenzo.
'When I said I mistakenly killed Father Danel, I thought he regretted losing a rival on his own. No! What was Lorenzo's expression then? Think back.'
Yol clutched his head.
'Lorenzo feared I'd eliminated someone he shouldn't have touched! That fearless old man wanted Danel alive. Why? Something to gain from Danel? Or a bigger power behind him? Who? Emperor of Rom? Holy Emperor of Rotican? Cardinal Pietro? No. Bigger.'
Yol breathed raggedly like a drowning man flailing.
'When Jade left Gerba, Danel was with him! When leaving Rom, alone. And now appearing together: Priestess Soph and that arrogant brat. Name's Ruby... Ruby... Ruby... What is that kid? Why's he with them?'
Yol pictured the scene of carrying Jade to the annex earlier. Ruby had walked beside the three monks carrying the stretcher on Yol's orders.
'Right. He never got in front of me.'
The kid had stayed at Yol's back until the very last moment. And watched his hand movements with unsettling focus.
'Protecting Jade while guarding against my surprise attack. He already knew I was the enemy. That's why he stayed put.'
It felt like an answer was on the tip of his tongue but wouldn't come, leaving Yol frustrated.
Just then, Abbot Manoli was approaching the annex from the main building.
'What does that old man want, coming to interfere?'
Yol hurriedly sorted his thoughts.
'Enough. Forget it. I worried too much. Lorenzo wouldn't know about some kid, and Danel was just an ordinary old priest stabbed to death—what am I overestimating? The kid might handle a devil or two, but not enough for me, appointed ruler of the Red Desert, to worry...
Abbot Manoli came up beside him and asked,
"Is everything going well?"
Yol replied offhandedly.
"Yes. It'll be done soon."
Yol checked that his dagger was still in his bosom.
"No mistakes, now."
"Yes. None will be made."
"The other brothers won't misunderstand when they see it burning?"
"I'll think of something vague to brush it off."
"Me?"
"Then should I?"
"Heh heh, really. You said you'd handle it...
Manoli grumbled so the end wasn't audible. Yol's anger surged, nearly drawing his dagger to slit the old man's throat.
"We can only hope the weather covers everything."
Manoli said.
Yol nodded in agreement.
'Right. Good weather for killing you too.'
Yol decided that if things went south, he'd give himself the special gift he'd been saving.
'This might be the day St. Santarimo Monastery vanishes.'
This was his third identity switch, and it would probably bring the greatest thrill. This time, he might even use his 'true form.' The monastery would disappear whether he wanted it or not.
He wouldn't be able to control his strength.
Saf lay face-down, bound by ropes, lost in thought.
'Beishuper recognized me. Said I'm a devil. White horns...
She mulled over Beishuper's words one by one.
White horns that emit light to drive out devils.
Blue hair close to sky-blue.
Only one devil had such features.
The being who knows all devils' names.
Saf bit her lip and prayed.
'God, if I'm a devil, kill me now.'
The door burst open.
It was Ruby.
'He always shows up when I pray. Coincidence?'
Ruby snapped the ropes binding Saf like cutting a thread. Then he removed the cloth gag from her mouth.
"You okay? Hurt where they tied you?"
Ruby asked.
"I'm fine..."
Saf replied glumly.
Earlier, when Ruby had come, he'd untied Saf's ropes but made a proposal instead of freeing her fully.
Pretend to stay tied up.
'Or I might have to kill all these monks here to save you two. You don't want that, right?'
Saf agreed.
Ruby loosened the ropes just enough without fully untying. Her role was to stay face-down until he returned. When Yol reappeared, her heart had dropped, but he'd assumed she was tied and left.
"How's Father Jade?"
Saf asked.
"Unconscious now."
"Unconscious? Why?"
"Devil's poison, they say. Won't last the night."
Ruby replied flatly.
"Where is he?"
"Next room."
Saf tried to stand quickly but collapsed. Even loosely tied, her legs were numb from the prolonged position.
"What? Legs hurt?"
"They'll move soon. Wait."
"No time. Those guys are gonna torch this place soon."
"Torch? What do you mean?"
"Let's go to Jade's room first."
Ruby picked Saf up.
Saf felt as light as a down pillow in the giant's arms.
"Put me down! I'll walk myself!"
"Shut it! In this dangerous spot, if you complain about a man's touch, I'll toss you right in front of the guy who tied you."
"How can you say that? You're awful! You're no angel, are you? How'd you fool Father Jade?"
"You dare question my identity so casually? Want me to tell you what happened to those flower-fed idiots who said that 500 years ago? Retract it before I rip out your horns and shove 'em up your nose."
"Can't! You're no angel! If you were, recite a Bible verse!"
"Didn't memorize that stuff! The Bible's just people writing down whatever angels blabbed a thousand years ago anyway."
"That's blasphemy!"
Ruby dropped Saf like tossing trash.
She thought he'd flung her in anger to crash hard on the floor, but she landed softly on a straw mattress.
Beside her lay Jade, unconscious.
"And those angels who said it? They wouldn't remember either."
Saf was already ignoring Ruby's words.
The wound on Jade's nape was festering.
"When did Father get this? Why leave it like this?"
"About half a day ago. Not left it—too busy to tend it."
Ruby crossed his arms, peering at Jade over Saf's shoulder.
"That Yol guy said earlier no medicine can cure it."
"Yol?"
"Introduced as Puol to us. Lie. Overheard him plotting with the abbot to kill us. Pathetic sight—I almost smashed them, but thought he could treat Jade, so held off... My expectations were wrong."
While Ruby spoke, Saf had already prepared for treatment.
"Hmm, as expected. Knew you could treat this? Been onto that light from your horns being magic...
"Quit yapping and fetch water!"
Saf said.
"Who're you to order me around?"
"Not an order—a request for cooperation."
"What if I say no?"
"It's to treat Father Jade—say no?"
"When did I say that was no? I said no to listening to you."
"Fine, got it. Then don't. You've helped enough already. I'll handle the rest, so you just watch and do nothing."
Saf staggered up from the bed. Her legs still shook. Ruby reached out to block her.
"Take back 'not an angel,' and I'll help."
"If you're bargaining to help, don't need it. And that's separate from this."
Ruby glared incredulously, then waved his hand.
"Fine, you flower calf! Jade first, so I'll let it slide—but once treatment's done."
Ruby stormed out, threatening.
"In case you forgot what I said: rip your horns and shove in your nose...
Even after Ruby left, his mutters carried through the door. The wind drowned out the rest of the curses.
Saf let out a short sigh.
'He's too scary.'