Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Misunderstanding (1)
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The Sun Church, the continent's greatest religious organization, had established its base in the Hespania Mountains for no other reason.
There was a clear cause for why that remote mountain range on the continent's edge was called both a holy site and a forbidden zone.
"Hoo."
At the peak of the Hespania Mountains, right before the 'Demon King's Maw' that periodically spewed forth hordes of monsters, Isabel Sedent unleashed her Divine Power to its maximum.
Kwaaaa-! A golden wave like a vast ocean emanated from her, overwhelming the area, and the monsters numbering in the hundreds were crushed under the pressure, unable to move a muscle.
With a single step forward, thud! Isabel left a deep footprint in the dirt as she advanced.
Though she had a remarkably petite frame for her twenty-seven years, it posed no hindrance to wielding a crescent blade as tall as herself.
Once one could wield Divine Power—and had reached a certain level—their physical abilities far surpassed those of an ordinary person.
Paht!
The moment she kicked off the ground, her sunset-hued eyes flashed dozens of meters in an instant.
Creeeeeng! With a chilling ring, the Special Inquisitor's blade sliced through the monsters in the area.
And then...
Thud thud thud...!
Splattered blood, juices, and chunks of flesh vigorously pelted the Divine barrier enveloping her body.
"Hm."
If she descended further into the mountains, the horde could doom a small nation overnight, yet Isabel exterminated them without a care.
Just a few swings of her blade. Of course, given her limits, she had to hold the line before the Demon King's Maw for three or four hours.
Even accounting for that, it was an undeniably extraordinary level of prowess.
To engage her in close combat, one would need to be at least an Empire Sword Saint.
"G-Good work, Lady Isabel."
"You've worked hard."
The high priests of the Church, who had watched from a safe distance as she massacred the monsters, swallowed dryly and offered polite thanks.
This wasn't even her duty to begin with, so their gratitude was all the more sincere.
"I'll leave the cleanup to you."
Isabel acknowledged their greetings with a light nod. With those words, the priests rushed to the pile of corpses as if they'd been waiting.
Even after death, the lingering malice from bodies once part of a Demon King could harm the mountains long-term.
They had to purify as much as possible.
Isabel glanced indifferently at the priests' purification work before spinning her crescent blade and slamming it into the ground with a thunk!
Sweeping away all those monsters wasn't particularly hard for her, but it still drained her stamina somewhat.
"...Haa."
And this wasn't even her real job, which made it all the more exhausting.
Inquisitors dealt more with fellow humans than monsters, after all.
Yet she had come all the way to the peak of the Hespania Mountains because the one originally assigned had dumped the task on her.
Isabel looked up at the sky, recalling a certain water-blue-haired woman.
The one who had truly lost it starting two days ago.
"...I'll make you pay this debt big time, Israfeel."
Isabel ground her teeth and descended the mountain. Cleanup was for her subordinates anyway; there was no reason for her to linger.
Back at the main temple, she stopped by her quarters to properly store her crescent blade.
Kwang-!
"Get out here already! How long are you gonna hole up in there?!"
"Eek...!?"
She immediately stormed into Israfeel Hael's nearby quarters. Her irritated kick reduced the sturdy locked door to splinters.
Naturally, Israfeel, holed up deep in her bedroom, could only yelp and jump in fright.
Her water-blue hair was messily tousled unlike usual, and the dark circles under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion.
"W-What, Isabel..."
Israfeel guiltily wrapped herself in the blanket, eyes downcast.
But Isabel wasn't one to go easy on pitiful acts. With a frosty expression, she yanked the blanket away.
"...Kyaa! N-No, this is my house!"
"House? Get up already."
"Ack, eek?!"
Clatter...! After a tussle over the blanket, victory naturally went to Isabel Sedent.
Israfeel couldn't match her in raw strength without Divine Power.
"Ow, it huuurts..."
Half-forcibly stripped of her blanket and tumbled off the bed, Israfeel teared up as she looked up at Isabel.
"Ugh."
Even Isabel wavered for a moment at those pitiful tears.
A stunning beauty's tears carried immense power, after all.
"...Haa."
But crocodile tears existed for a reason. Isabel quickly regained her composure and glared down sternly.
As her sunset eyes sharpened, Israfeel shrank back instinctively.
The usually unshakable, admirable woman looking this disheveled pained Isabel. With a heavy sigh, she spoke.
"Time to snap out of it, Israfeel..."
"...Sorry."
Israfeel mumbled an apology dejectedly, but it only frustrated Isabel more.
"I'm not saying this to hear 'sorry.' You don't owe me an apology, and honestly, covering your Apostle duties for a few more days isn't a big deal."
"..."
"...I'm worried. I don't get why you're this out of it. Was it really that shocking seeing Mr. Evan with Lady Heresia like that?"
"...Don't call him Evan like that..."
"Should I use a cuter nickname then?"
"..."
"Yeah, didn't think so."
Isabel snorted derisively, and Israfeel flushed at her ear tips, bowing her head.
Gazing troubled at her, Isabel sighed and sat on the bed's edge.
"At least talk to me, Israfeel. I didn't love seeing those two outdoors either, but it's not worth you falling apart like this."
"...Uu."
"No pretending to regress. Come on, say something. What's a friend for? I'll... listen."
Isabel crossed her arms and waited. What had caused this in Israfeel?
Her family member getting a lover should be cause for celebration, not breakdown. Only Israfeel could explain.
"..."
Israfeel, who had just been dragged out, was already crawling back under the blanket.
This time, Isabel didn't stop her. She just stared intently with a serious gaze—intolerably burdensome for the recipient.
"A-Alright, I'll talk."
Finally, Israfeel raised the white flag. Covering her flushed face with one hand, she hesitated with an "Auuu..."
But Isabel's glare was unrelenting, promising to stare forever if needed. Israfeel gave up.
"...So."
She ruffled her hair wildly and sighed deeply.
She wished she could down a bottle of liquor first, but Isabel's vibe said no way. Blushing furiously, Israfeel confessed the truth.
"I like that kid, Evan."
"?"
Isabel's mind blanked at the blunt words. Too stunned to keep her stern face, her eyes went wide.
It was too bewildering to just nod and say "I see."
"Wha... What did you say?"
Isabel's voice betrayed her shock. As she stammered, Israfeel bowed deeper.
"Like him? Suddenly, what do you...?"
"..."
"?"
Despite spilling such a huge secret, Israfeel still avoided eye contact. Isabel paused, jolted.
Her mind raced. Israfeel's reaction, Evan's two days ago.
"...No way."
No evidence, but her intuition screamed. Isabel's face twisted ferociously.
"Israfeel. You."
No beating around the bush. Bluntly, hoping she was wrong, she voiced her hunch.
"Did you sleep with Mr. Evan?"
"..."
A heavy silence settled in the spacious bedroom.
Israfeel didn't answer. But her sealed lips and awkward gaze said it all.
Isabel's eyes dulled.
And then.
Slap!!!
"Ahk?!"
Without hesitation, Isabel smacked Israfeel's pale back hard with her open palm.
Already thinly clad, exposing shoulders and wingbones, a red handprint bloomed on her skin—but Isabel didn't care.
She exuded even fiercer menace, palm ready again.
"Eek, eeeek...!"
Israfeel scrambled back in terror, but Isabel grabbed her wrist, pinning her in place.
Twisting her lips coldly, she raised her palm demonstratively.
"Listen, Israfeel. Didn't you say otherwise before? That even without blood ties, you'd raise him like your own son—that's why you brought him from the slums here."
"Th-That's, Isabel, you see..."
"Uh-uh, no excuses. Even setting that aside. You slept with the boy you've raised like a son, a brother since he was ten? How do you even explain that?"
Isabel smiled brightly. Lips curved up, but eyes unmoving—a smile that wasn't a smile.
Israfeel trembled in fear. This Isabel Sedent was unstoppable, terrifying.
Whoosh!
Isabel clenched her raised fist, igniting golden flames atop it.
"You've both cherished each other like real family for a full ten years..."
"..."
"...I know that full well, and you pounced on Mr. Evan anyway."
"M-Misunderstanding."
Israfeel paled, waving her hands frantically. She had to defend herself before conclusions were drawn.
"I-I did pounce on Evan, but he enjoyed it too. Right? It wasn't one-sided! For real!"
"Is that all? You incestuous rapist."
"...Wha, what?!"
It was a defense that fell on deaf ears. From Isabel's third-party view, it sounded utterly depraved.
The irony of "he enjoyed it" was too sleazy.
Isabel's face went ice-cold with disgust as she glared down.
"...Eek! Spare me!"
"Not killing you."
Israfeel Hael, who tried desperately to flee only to be recaptured, finally escaped criminal treatment much later.
Only after offering her back's red welts as tribute.
*****
The next day.
Kwang-!
Israfeel's quarters lost its door again. Another kick had broken the lock.
"...Goddamn."
Grumpily tousling his night-sky hair—
the intruder, Evan Lane, scowled fiercely.
"Hey, Israfeel."
"..."
"How long you gonna avoid me? You really wanna cut ties or...?"
He trailed off, dumbfounded.
His red gaze fell on Israfeel, lying in bed with an ice pack.
Groaning from her stinging back, she shot a woeful glance at the wrecked door.
Why did every visitor insist on destroying her door?
"...What the hell! Why are you like that? You hurt?"
"Eek...! It stiiings...!"
But ignoring her, Evan—misreading her sad eyes—rushed over and touched her back.
Israfeel wanted to cry. Their last meeting three days ago had been awkwardly formal.
"Who did this?! Tell me now, I'll smash 'em to bits!"
At Evan's outburst, Israfeel truly felt like bursting into tears.