Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Slaying the Saintess
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A suffocating silence descended.
Not only the knights and heroes, but even Yorn, who had been charging in furiously, came to a halt and widened his eyes.
No one could open their mouth about what had just happened right before their eyes.
They merely alternated stares between the headless Saintess Yura and Seowoojin standing before her, their gazes filled with disbelief.
"M-MCrazy..."
One of the heroes finally managed to speak.
At that, it was as if a dam had burst—the exclamations of shock began pouring out from everyone.
"Saintess Yura is dead?"
"What the hell? What just happened?"
"Report to the imperial family! The 'Saintess' is dead!"
Seowoojin let out a sigh as he listened to their shouts.
'In the end, I killed her.'
There was no regret.
If it had just been petty provocations, he wouldn't have gone as far as killing her.
But Saintess Yura had crossed the line.
He shook off the red blood staining Karaniel and sheathed it.
"Mr. Seowoojin."
At the same time, a subdued voice came from behind him.
"What have you just done?"
Turning around, he saw Yorn with a rigidly hardened expression.
"I killed a rampaging mad murderer."
That was true on the surface.
But those words couldn't convince Yorn.
"She is the 'Saintess.' An SS-rank hero absolutely essential for victory in the Descent War. And you just killed such a being."
"She was also the one who murdered dozens of knights."
"...Their deaths are regrettable, but they can't compare to the value of a single 'Saintess.'"
Yorn bit his lip and countered Seowoojin's words.
It wasn't wrong.
A hero's power was overwhelmingly superior to that of knights, incomparable by any measure.
As Yorn said, one hero could provide far greater combat strength than dozens of knights.
Especially if that hero was an SS-rank 'Saintess'—there was no need to even mention it.
Seowoojin had just severed a significant portion of the forces meant to oppose the Demon King.
"Is there a way to calm down that crazy bitch?"
"If we'd had just a little more time, I'm sure we would have found one."
"And who pays the price for that time?"
Seowoojin's eyes narrowed.
"The knights couldn't handle her, so we'd have to step in... What if there were casualties in the process?"
Yorn said nothing.
No—he couldn't.
One wrong word here, and the heroes would rebel for sure.
"We came here to stop the Demon King, not to fight among fellow heroes."
With that, Seowoojin turned away.
He had no intention—or reason—to hear a response from Yorn.
"You okay?"
He approached Kang Byung-gyu, who was receiving treatment from the back, and asked.
"...That's what I want to ask you. Are you really okay?"
Kang Byung-gyu looked at Seowoojin with worried eyes.
Saintess Yura's death was no small matter.
The Empire, along with foreign nations like Ier, might unleash a storm of criticism and protests.
One of the greatest forces needed to face the Demon King had been broken.
But Seowoojin merely shrugged.
"Should I have let her be? That would have caused even greater damage."
He had simply killed her to stop the rampaging, murdering Saintess Yura.
That explanation would suffice.
Regardless of his true intentions.
At that answer, Kang Byung-gyu struggled to his feet.
"Why are you getting up?"
His injuries were quite severe.
It was only because his body far transcended human limits that he survived; an ordinary person would have died already.
Seowoojin tried to stop him, but Kang Byung-gyu whispered quietly.
"You could have stopped her without killing her."
Seowoojin was a master who had reached the Superhuman Realm.
No matter that Saintess Yura was an SS-rank hero, the level gap was over 30.
She couldn't have matched him.
And yet, Seowoojin hadn't just stopped her—he killed her.
Kang Byung-gyu harbored doubts about that.
No, the other comrades likely thought the same.
Why did Seowoojin kill Saintess Yura?
"It's not the old Saintess Yura anymore."
But Seowoojin answered nonchalantly.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know what happened to her, but she's much stronger than before."
This was true.
Saintess Yura had wielded power far beyond her level.
Of course, even so, Seowoojin had the skill to handle her easily.
"And..."
Seowoojin lowered his voice.
"There was a reason I had to kill Saintess Yura."
"What?"
Kang Byung-gyu's eyes widened.
"I'll explain that when we're all together later."
He had no intention of saying he killed her because she learned one of his secrets.
Instead, he thought of another lure.
'Saintess Yura's connection to the Apostles.'
That would convince the other heroes.
Seowoojin reassured Kang Byung-gyu that way and turned his head to look at one side.
In the distance, he spotted an elderly man and woman in white priestly robes, along with knights in pure white armor.
'Is that the Bishop?'
Far more ornate than the Ier priests stationed at the Academy, but the same robes.
He didn't look ordinary, and from the stories he'd heard since yesterday, he seemed to be Ier's Bishop.
The man stood utterly motionless, as if nailed to the spot, glaring at Seowoojin.
'No particular aura...'
The Bishop was just an ordinary old man.
He exuded the scent of holy power, but that was it.
He didn't seem capable of doing anything to Saintess Yura.
Rather, the woman standing behind the Bishop was the odd one.
'Who is she?'
Seowoojin hadn't heard about Cardinal Lupera, so he knew nothing of her.
Yet his gaze was drawn because he sensed a strange energy.
It wasn't demonic energy.
It was closer to its opposite, holy power.
But not the clean, pure kind...
'Similar to Saintess Yura.'
Turbid holy power.
The same type of energy as the corrupted, irreverent Saintess Yura.
"It's you, isn't it?"
Seowoojin smiled as he looked at Lupera.
* * *
"What did you say?"
The Emperor doubted his own ears.
"The 'Saintess' supported by Ier has died, Your Majesty."
Even Agna, delivering the report, found it absurd.
Reports had suddenly come in that the 'Saintess' had gone mad, and before any response could be made, she was dead.
And by Seowoojin's hand, no less.
As Crusiel's leader, Agna wanted to lose her mind and jump in frustration.
An enormous variable she hadn't anticipated had occurred.
"The culprit is D-rank hero Seowoojin. He is currently confined to his lodging."
The Emperor let out a hollow laugh at Agna's continued report.
"What happened?"
To grasp the situation, he needed the exact sequence of events.
So Agna began detailing everything that had transpired at the Academy.
How much time passed like that?
Having understood the full situation, the Emperor furrowed his brow and spoke.
"It seems the Bishop's visit was for this reason."
"I believe so as well, Your Majesty."
"But why would they do such a thing?"
Ier had no reason to, and shouldn't.
If it weren't for the impending Descent War, it might make sense.
That damned Holy Kingdom had always stood in opposition to the Empire.
But not now.
With the colossal enemy known as the Demon King before them, to plot a scheme within the Empire?
It didn't make sense unless they wanted everyone to die together.
"We have mobilized all Crusiel agents to investigate, not just domestically but those dispatched to Ier as well."
They were going all out, so uncovering the reason shouldn't take long.
"Use every means available. I grant permission by imperial decree."
"I obey your command."
Agna bowed and exited the audience chamber.
Left alone, the Emperor sighed with a troubled expression.
"This is problematic."
The 'Saintess' rampaging mad was an issue, but the greater problem was that Seowoojin had killed her.
The justification was perfect.
It was to stop her from slaughtering knights while out of her mind.
But behind the 'Saintess' stood Ier.
That Holy Kingdom suspected of orchestrating this incident.
"What if they did this anticipating everything?"
They wouldn't just sit idly by.
They would surely take action, and it was obvious that wouldn't be good for the Empire.
"Shadow Duke."
At the Emperor's call, Shadow Duke Strain revealed himself.
His appearance was as natural as if he'd been there from the start.
Still wrapped in black shadows over his entire body, he emanated a heavy aura.
"What do you think?"
The Emperor asked Strain's opinion.
"Wouldn't it be best to investigate Seowoojin?"
An utterly unexpected response.
"That boy?"
The Emperor tilted his head, questioning the reason.
"He already has many suspicious aspects. And this incident—slashing the 'Saintess' without hesitation..."
"Does it bother you?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The shadows rippled, affirming it.
"According to him, it was to protect the others."
"He has reached the Superhuman Realm."
That single phrase served as the answer.
The Emperor gazed at Strain for a moment, then nodded.
"I'll leave Ier to Agna. You investigate the boy. And if anything more suspicious turns up in the process..."
The Emperor trailed off.
After a brief pause.
He continued in a resolute voice.
"Execute him. I leave it all to your discretion as Shadow Duke—no one will be able to object."
"I obey your command."
Strain vanished into the shadows.
"A blade that defies its master's will must be broken."
No matter how fine or exceptional a named sword.
A blade that rampages wildly and wounds its master's hand must be discarded.
To the Emperor, Seowoojin was such an existence.
"I tried to control him with 'Luden Gardo'... Tsk."
Unfortunately, it seemed the branch had to be pruned before the fruit could ripen.
The Emperor rose from his throne adorned with countless jewels.
"Is anyone there?"
"You called, Your Majesty?"
The chamberlain waiting outside the audience chamber hurried in and bowed.
"Ier's Bishop hasn't left yet. Summon him to the divine palace—I wish to see him."
"Shall I summon him immediately?"
"Yes."
"I obey your command."
For now, he planned to meet the Bishop and talk.
They wouldn't reveal their thoughts, but their reactions would give him clues.
With that in mind, the Emperor began to leave the audience chamber.
Thud—thud—
His footsteps echoed through the quiet chamber.
As if sensing the colossal calamity approaching.
The Emperor's steps were unbearably heavy.