Chapter 289: translated
I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.
Chapter 289
Luca opened the chapel door.
This chapel, reserved only for high-ranking priests and holy knights working within the Vatican, was not as large as he had thought.
However, the furnishings inside were elaborate and expensive: soft and luxurious chairs for the aged high-ranking priests' comfort, pure gold candlesticks that delighted the eyes, a massive statue of the Dre Goddess, and a pulpit made from 300-year-old sandalwood.
Seeing this lavish interior, which raised devotion as much as its high price, made Luca feel uncomfortable.
This was because in this sacred space, his sins seemed to be even more prominently highlighted. Luca crossed the sunlight streaming through the ornate stained glass and headed beneath the pulpit.
Kneeling under the pulpit, Luca closed his eyes.
"The back of one who offers a prayer of repentance is always cast in shadow."
The old man's voice filled the chapel. Luca continued praying without turning around.
"No matter how much you try to wash away your sins with light, they always remain at your feet. In other words, we must live our entire lives in repentance."
The voice grew closer, but no footsteps were heard. Not only was the man's gait light, but the thick carpet also muffled his steps.
Luca felt the man standing behind him. Luca stopped praying, rose, and turned around.
Seeing the white priest's robe and kind eyes, the characteristic simplicity of a priest was evident.
However, amidst that simplicity, a different dignity emanated from the sparkling ruby ring and the white biretta, wearable only by the Pope. Luca showed the knight's salute to the Pope.
"I greet Your Holiness."
The Pope did not acknowledge Luca's greeting and passed by.
A shadow fell across Luca's back. This was because the Pope had climbed onto the pulpit and was looking down at Luca. Luca remained in his salute.
"Just as shadows have depth, so do sins. Sir Luca, can you gauge how grave a sin your reckless actions have caused?"
Luca could not respond. This was because the Pope had not acknowledged his greeting.
"You were defeated in the sacred temple in the name of the Goddess. In these chaotic times, the authority of the church has plummeted, and those questioning whether you are truly the Goddess' chosen holy knight have emerged."
Luca trembled. It sounded as if the Pope was considering a method to restore the Dre Order's authority instead of immediately dismissing Luca and destroying his honor.
"Sir Luca. Look at me."
Luca dropped his salute and looked up at the Pope. A shadow fell behind him, making it difficult to see his face properly.
"I trust you. You have the duty to fulfill the great vision of the Dre Goddess."
"...I understand."
"The Imperial Province has been rotten to its roots for a long time. Isn't it prophesied in the scriptures? That rotten gold will lead the common people into the flames of hell. In other words, the Emperor will lead the Goddess' people into a world full of devils. And that day has now arrived."
Luca believed in the scriptural prophecy.
Indeed, the Imperial Province was decaying, devil appearances were increasing, bandits were rampant, and the world was filled with evil. All of this was exactly as prophesied in the scriptures.
"In a world full of evil, heretics are bound to emerge, and they always thrust the most painful dagger into the Goddess' followers. I was just wondering who that might be."
Luca was afraid of the Pope's words. The tongue of one standing at the pinnacle of the Dre Order was heavier and sharper than Luca's sword. The moment that tongue moved, all of Luca's honorable moments would surely sink into the mud.
"Sir Luca. I will give you another chance."
"...Speak."
"Is it true that Caesar is harboring a devil?"
"Though I haven't seen it directly, perhaps–"
The Pope sharply cut off Luca's words.
"Sir Luca. I will ask again. Is Caesar harboring a devil?"
The Pope was asking a question with a predetermined answer. Luca only needed to state the prescribed response.
"...Yes. That is correct."
"As expected. Caesar was a devil worshipper."
The Pope came down from the pulpit and stood before Luca. Only then was the sharp gaze hidden within the Pope's kind eyes revealed.
"Being defeated by devils and devil worshippers is part of the process of advancing to victory. Use the past defeat as a stepping stone and go behead the devil worshipper. Isn't it absurd that devil worshippers are roaming about in the sacred place that makes the Goddess' weapons?"
Luca bowed his head.
"Yes. Understood."
"Then go and annihilate Caesar. You can do it, can't you?"
Luca recalled Caesar's previous actions. Caesar's incredible movements and sophistication, toying with Luca like a plaything, did not seem something he could easily overcome by challenging again.
"I will summon all the baptized."
The Pope passed by Luca without saying a word. An empty chapel. Only the conversation between Luca and the Pope.
Luca sensed that the responsibility for everything that would happen would fall on him, not the Pope.
Luca's eyes, filled with many thoughts, followed the Pope walking away.
***
People seemed unable to comprehend how to view Caesar, who had toyed with the baptized. Since Caesar won in a duel invoking the Dre Goddess' name, the Dre Goddess would…
There were stories that someone had raised their hand, and rumors circulated that the devil had given Caesar an evil power to defeat Luca and Nel. The rumors were diverse, but eventually converged into a single narrative.
"Has it already been a week?"
"That's right. It's truly remarkable. I couldn't sit still like that for a week."
"It's also strange for Giggs. Apparently, the sound of hammering hasn't stopped for over a week?"
"Indeed. Even if he's a Master, he can't just hammer for over a week."
"Is he really becoming a devil?"
"...According to rumors, Giggs is making a magic sword."
"Really? So what about Caesar..."
"There are rumors that he's fallen for the devil's temptation. Otherwise, how could he hammer for over a week?"
Rumors breed anxiety, and anxiety breeds fear. When people are driven by fear, they always tend to think of extreme methods, and most extreme methods involve violence. Crowds gathered in front of Giggs' house.
"Isn't the devil inside?! Open the door quickly! Caesar!"
"Have you really fallen for the devil's temptation?!"
"Damn it! Open the door right now!"
Stones flew in front of Caesar. Caesar opened his eyes and glared at the crowd who threw the stones. People were terrified by Caesar's fierce gaze and stepped back.
"Wh-what?! What are you going to do by glaring?"
"Aren't you going to open the door?!"
The citizens, believing in their numbers, courageously began throwing stones again.
"This is our hometown! It's not a place for devils!"
"Devil, retreat!"
Caesar surveyed the people throwing stones. He saw a few people gathered at the very back, whispering.
Caesar enhanced his hearing to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Everything is going according to plan."
"We have the justification."
"If Caesar attacks the citizens, we can definitely prove that he has been consumed by the devil, but..."
"He's not moving."
'Yes, the Pope won't stay still.'
Having defeated a baptized person right in the middle of Dre, the Pope won't remain passive.
He'll try to somehow brand Caesar as a devil worshipper and kill him. Is this not a typical pope response?
He's truly skilled at inciting the masses. Caesar closed his eyes. He has no intention of raising an axe against ordinary people.
And Caesar believed he had sufficient reason to receive their anger.
In fact, Giggs has become a devil, and Caesar is protecting him.
It's entirely natural for people to be anxious, and if they want to release that anxiety this way, Caesar is willing to endure it.
The citizens wanted to throw stones at Caesar but couldn't. All the stones had lost their bottoms. Nor could people approach Caesar.
They thought they were safe because Caesar was enduring now, but if he crossed the line, they would end up hospitalized like Nel. Another five days passed.
"Devil worshipper Caesar, kneel right now!"
Caesar opened his eyes. In front of the angry crowd, groups of holy knights had gathered. Caesar looked at the man at the front. It was Luca.
"Making a magic sword in the sacred land of the Dre Goddess! Are you thinking of becoming the king of devils?!"
Caesar looked at the three holy knights standing next to Luca. He knew all of their faces.
Unyielding Yo-heum. Infinite Nivia. Recovery Mila.
All baptized individuals.
Caesar stood up and raised his left eye.
"All the baptized have gathered. This is quite a rare sight."
The baptismal sword is divided into seven pieces.
The blade: Brutal Luca. The guard: Unyielding Yo-heum. Among the three gems embedded in the guard, the emerald: Swift Nel. The ruby: Infinite Nivia. The sapphire: Recovery Mila. The handle: Unblemished Knight Tatiana. Lastly, the pommel: Hero Yan.
Nel is hospitalized after being defeated by Caesar, Tatiana's unblemished piece is in Gloria's hands, and the Nameless piece containing the pommel is currently being purified by Giggs.
So all three remaining individuals have gathered. The reason they could all gather was likely using the people's suspicions as a pretext.
"Since you can't win alone, now you're going to attack in a group?"
"We heard you sold your soul to the devil and gained evil power. Nel's defeat was because of that."
"Where's the evidence?"
"Shut up! Don't try to deceive us with your wicked tongue!"
Caesar sensed urgency in Luca's words. Ten days ago, Luca was still a rational person who could communicate.
But now, Luca was irrationally condemning Caesar.
"If there's even a speck of goodness left in your soul, kneel before me and receive the salvation of your soul!"
"Salvation of the soul means you want me to die, right? Would you do it if you were me?"
"You're already corrupted beyond redemption."
Luca was ready to charge immediately.
"Those who have received the Goddess's blessing! Draw your swords!"
At Luca's command, the holy knights, including the baptized individuals, all drew their swords.
Caesar frowned. He didn't particularly care about dealing with the baptized individuals, but the holy knights were problematic. It would be troublesome if the holy knights bypassed Caesar and entered Gigg's house.
Suddenly, Raven's voice came to his ear.
-The purification is almost complete. Buy me some time.
"What? Really?"
-Okay. Please give me 30 minutes.
"That's not bad."
-But there are anti-wizard traps scattered everywhere here, making defensive magic almost impossible.
Oh, I didn't think of that.
-I'll try to cast a buff magic on Gloria to somehow block them, but it'll be difficult if too many Holy Knights come in.
The difficulty has risen considerably, but it's not bad. Isn't this saying that we just need Caesar to draw aggro for about 30 minutes?
"I heard that Nel of the Swift is half-paralyzed and choosing the next baptized one. Is that correct?"
The Holy Knights flinched at Caesar's words.
"In other words, the person who knocks me down will become the baptized one. Right?"
The Holy Knights' gazes crossed. These Holy Knights gathered here are the elite of the elite.
They knew that Holy Knights with mediocre skills would not be a match for Caesar, which is why Luca carefully selected these Holy Knights.
In other words, these were people who had made quite a name for themselves within the Dre Order, and they were the Holy Knights closest to the baptized ones. Caesar looked at the Holy Knights with a sly smile.
"I don't know who might defeat me, but I won't go down easily."
The Holy Knights looked at each other, then charged at Caesar with a roar.
"Aaaaaaah! Kill him!"
"Kill the devil worshipper!"
The Holy Knights rushed at Caesar like madmen, even without Luca's order. Luca was bewildered.
"S-Stick to the plan! Kill the devil while we're dealing with Caesar!"
But even Luca's command was ignored by the Holy Knights.
Only one seat remains for the next baptized one. The one who will occupy that seat will surely be the one who strikes Caesar down, and no one wants to give that opportunity to another.
Caesar laughed like a devil and swung lefty.
Clear Field Form 3
Dragon's Rising
"Aaaaaaaaaagh!"
The Holy Knights in steel armor were caught in a powerful whirlwind and launched into the air. Luca stared at the charging Holy Knights with a dumbfounded look.
"Who will take Nel's place?! Hahahahaha!"
Caesar's despicable laughter spread through the whirlwind.