Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Search (2)
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Marie was an ordinary girl.
She was a child living with her frail widowed mother.
Even though they lived in the slums, they were ordinary working-class folk who leaned on each other and dreamed of a bright future.
In short.
“-! --!!”
She had done nothing to deserve having a gag stuffed in her mouth and being surrounded by people in deep robes along with her mother.
‘⋯⋯Why? Why⋯⋯?’
Her mind kept forming and crumbling clusters of words that held no meaning.
She had simply wanted to go home after school and make her mother’s favorite tomato soup.
On the way back, her vision had suddenly gone black, and when she came to, she was here.
“Grant us this-”
A sinister voice echoed chillingly through the dark underground cavern.
“Grant us this-”
One of the robed figures pulled something gleaming from their bosom.
It was a sharply honed dagger.
The person holding it slowly approached Marie’s mother, who lay unconscious on the altar.
“Accept this fattened offering-”
Only ominous phrases slithered from their lips.
“-and fill my cup with blood.”
The dagger was then raised toward Marie’s mother.
“----!!”
A scream erupted from Marie’s gagged mouth.
Leave my mom alone.
Don’t hurt my mom.
With that desperate meaning behind her howl, she threw her body forward with all her might.
“-Sacrifice, behave yourself.”
But one of the robed men rushed over and pinned her down immediately.
No matter how hard she struggled, she was just a slum child who barely ate properly. She had no chance against an adult man.
“Watch your mother die nice and clear. You’re next.”
A rotten stench wafted from between yellowed teeth as the words spilled out.
With her head slammed against the floor, a wail burst from Marie’s lips.
Why.
Why were they suffering this?
They had lived diligently. Even without any special talents, they had harmed no one and lived honestly.
Why, why this?
“⋯⋯! ⋯⋯!!”
Marie squeezed her eyes shut and prayed.
Please.
Please help us.
If there was a god who protected humans, please, please⋯⋯
‘Save my mom⋯⋯’
Marie gasped for breath, her head pressed to the floor.
“No one’s coming to save the likes of you. That empty head of yours is probably racking itself trying to figure out why this is happening.”
But in return came words like poison burrowing into her ear.
“You get eaten because you’re weak.”
A mocking sneer gnawed at her brain.
“No matter how much you struggle, if you were born weak, just accept it and get devoured. That’s the natural order.”
With those words, the dagger poised over her mother swung down.
Marie squeezed her eyes shut. Tears streamed from them.
“That hits the spot.”
And then.
With those words.
“Let’s make it so the weak die. You too.”
⋯⋯A voice like that of a god descended.
A flash.
Light swept through.
At a speed like a gust of wind had blown once. A gale that engulfed everything in the chamber.
Then.
---!!!!!
The upper and lower halves of the black-robed humans separated cleanly.
Their faces were all expressionless. As if they died without realizing what hit them.
“-Well done, Lady! We almost had a disaster there!”
“Is there anything I can’t do?”
“⋯⋯.”
“If you’re gonna praise me, do it right. You slacking?”
“⋯⋯Yes, my apologies.”
As those voices exchanged.
“⋯⋯.”
Marie stared blankly at the one who had caused it all.
Silver hair that stood out even in the dark cavern, features like the descent of a goddess.
And above all.
In her hand was not just a weapon, but a miraculous creation shaped like a sword that radiated light in all directions.
Her appearance was, as if.
“⋯⋯A god?”
The god turned to Marie upon hearing that.
The god then tilted her head.
“This kid seems nuts?”
“⋯⋯.”
“Looks like she’s seeing things. Get her treated quick.”
“⋯⋯You really say the wildest things to kids.”
The hero who appeared at the end of her desperate wish.
Was clearly nothing like the figure from her delusions.
◆
Fighting Devil Worshippers is always a horrific experience.
Especially when it’s not just societal dropouts, but ones seriously performing ‘summoning rituals.’
Demons fundamentally feed on someone’s suffering. To summon those bastards, you need an appropriate sacrifice.
Corpse stench. Rotten guts. Withered flesh.
Those are the first sensations that come to mind when tangled with Devil Worshippers.
“Ah, shit, guts on my shoe.”
“Hero, want help getting it off?”
“Nah. Touching it’ll just smear it more.”
“⋯⋯.”
Even seeing the Devil Worshippers who summoned such horrors have their own blood and guts splattered everywhere never gets easier.
Carlyle shook it off and scanned the surroundings.
After rescuing the mother-daughter pair who had nearly become ‘sacrifices,’ the situation became clearer.
‘They really exist.’
Finding the Devil Worshippers’ hideout in one go.
Thank goodness they did. A little later, and there would’ve been casualties.
“Carlyle.”
Siona spoke from behind, chuckling in disbelief.
“How exactly did you find this place in one shot?”
“⋯⋯I’m just lucky by nature.”
“Ah, yes, luck.”
⋯⋯The nuance felt like ‘don’t bullshit me.’
“Hmm- Turns out the Hero trusts you for good reason. Might have to ask you myself if I don’t know something.”
“Flatter me all you want, nothing’ll come out.”
“Huh, really gonna ask? How do you know the answer’ll come?”
“⋯⋯.”
“Got some personal worries I’ve been mulling over, maybe start there-”
“-You two, quit yapping and get over here.”
The Hero snapped irritably, dragging something along.
“Let’s shake this one down. Seems like they’ll spill something useful.”
Looking closer, it was a Devil Worshipper with legs crushed below the knees.
“-What are you-! Think you’ll get away with this-”
Those words cut off as the Devil Worshipper’s legs were ground another inch finer.
⋯⋯Gray had stepped on them with a bored expression.
“Aaaah-!”
Before the bone-chilling scream could continue, Gray boredly stomped the Devil Worshipper’s throat.
The scream choked off with gurgling sounds.
⋯⋯Still breathing, though.
“Three rules. I talk, you answer. And every time your answer sucks, I crush one body part. Follow those, and we’ll get along fine.”
“⋯⋯Th, thi-”
As the Devil Worshipper tried to rasp something, their legs were ground another inch.
Gray leaned in, picking at the worshipper’s ear.
“Didn’t say you could answer.”
“⋯⋯.”
“Oh, thinking about it, pisses me off.”
Then the arm was crushed too. For making her feel bad.
Now wriggling like a worm, unable even to cry out, it almost looked pitiful.
“⋯⋯.”
Yeah, that’s right.
That’s the Hero for you.
Seen similar scenes a few times in his past life.
A moment later.
“Aaaaaaaaaa-!”
“Told you not to scream.”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-!”
“⋯⋯Uh, Hero. Even Orthodox inquisitors or Imperial special constables don’t go that far.”
“So? Am I an inquisitor or constable?”
“⋯⋯No, you’re the Hero⋯⋯ Hmm, never mind.”
After an indescribably gruesome time passed.
The Devil Worshipper was definitely on good terms with Gray now.
They’d spilled quite a lot, after all.
Siona pressed a hand to her forehead.
“⋯⋯It was a real demon summoning site. You nailed it exactly, Carlyle.”
According to the now-minced Devil Worshipper’s testimony, quite a few sacrifices had already been brought and killed.
But thanks to the interruption, they hadn’t actually summoned the demon.
“Still, good we stopped it. Could’ve been real trouble otherwise-”
“No.”
Carlyle’s words drew stares from both Gray and Siona.
While they’d been ‘bonding’ with the Devil Worshipper, Carlyle had wandered the cavern alone, investigating every inch.
And.
⋯⋯The look on his face as he examined it was completely different from usual.
What to call it.
Like he’d properly detected a ‘crisis.’
Truth is, you can’t fully trust what Devil Worshippers say.
Even dying ones—they’re pure malice. They don’t do anyone favors.
That’s why Carlyle had independently scoured the place.
And his conclusion from the thorough search.
“The demon’s already been summoned.”
“⋯⋯Pardon?”
◆
Cardinal Felix rubbed her eyes and reached for the small table by her bed.
The communicator was there, blaring its incoming signal.
“Yes, Felix speaking.”
Her sleep-heavy voice answered, and an urgent one came from the other end.
[Cardinal? Good, you picked up right away. Carlyle Bellfast here.]
“Oh, it’s you. How’s field training? Reserved a restaurant for tomorrow.”
[A demon’s been summoned.]
“⋯⋯.”
Felix let out a deep sigh and sat up.
No more sleep.
“Explain. In detail.”
[I need a favor. Can you handle it as is?]
“Depends what it is.”
[It’s about saving civilians. We have to succeed.]
“A lot die if not?”
[I stake my life on it.]
“Fine, whatever. What’s the job?”
As Felix yawned, she could feel Carlyle chuckling on the other end.
As expected of the Gray Cardinal. No one’s more reliable in times like these.
And.
[Oh, right. Don’t cancel the restaurant.]
With help from someone like that, ‘certainty’ arises.
“Huh?”
[We’ll wrap it up by tonight.]
“⋯⋯.”
It was a victory declaration cool enough to fall for.
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