Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Heretics (2)
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"What the..."
Priest Goldina of the White Shadow Cult felt pure bewilderment at the utterly abnormal situation.
He had thoroughly controlled every possibility related to the plan.
He had anticipated most potential issues and prepared countermeasures for nearly all of them.
As proof, even Councilor Ran, who wielded immense authority in Bondales, was dancing in their palm.
Thus, the ritual should proceed without interference—and if any arose, it would be part of the plan.
...But this changed everything.
He had certainly believed he'd accounted for every contingency.
But the current situation was beyond that.
It was only natural.
"You saw that, right!? I would never dream of deceiving you, O exalted one!!!"
When planning, who anticipates betrayal by the key figure set to gain the most from the plan?
That wasn't thorough—it was just idiotic.
"Dangaleon... what in the world..."
Goldina, priest of the White Shadow Cult, blasphemously uttered the true name of the being he served and interrogated him.
Even that was the result of holding back, holding back, and holding back some more. Otherwise, guttural curses would have flown first.
It was a grotesque display of mental fortitude befitting the cult's infamous reputation.
He desperately tried to interpret the situation in a 'rational' way.
Ah!
Suddenly, he cried out as if realizing something.
"You've trapped them! Everyone, prepare for battle!"
The demon immediately responded to the cultists' steadfast faith.
"You bastard-spawned fuck!!!"
Goldina finally lost it and bellowed.
"This ritual was for you!!! Didn't you praise us with glee? What the fuck is this bullshit now!!!"
Ooooh.
Fuck.
What is this?
What the actual hell?
Shakan's eyes widened at the rare spectacle.
White Shadow Cultists.
Never thought he'd live to see those lunatics flustered.
And losing all dignity, brawling vulgarly with a demon, no less.
This was the moment the heretics, hiding in their secret lair to perform their wicked ritual, were exposed.
A powder keg on both sides.
In a situation that could explode into catastrophe any second, they chose the role of meek spectators.
Even the other heretic groups.
The absurd scene unfolding before them united their hearts.
"That's not Dangaleon!!! Everyone, stay calm! Prepare for battle methodically!"
Goldina, having lost his reason, summoned all his forces.
One figure tried to calmly soothe him.
The demon in the crystal orb, Dangaleon, coldly explained how formidable Shakan and Maldad were, persuading the cultists.
His persuasion was so logical that every cultist except Goldina lost their will to fight.
He capped it off with a threat.
A true demon—carrot and stick in perfect measure.
"..."
Goldina's pupils churned like the surface of boiling water.
He was rational.
Rational enough to discard human values for efficiency and gain.
Even as rage boiled his brain, he refused to be ruled by emotion—proving it once more.
Thus, Goldina used his steadfast reason to take the optimal action.
"You worthless, spineless demon scum. My curse will devour you someday!!!"
Stab.
The dagger meant to torment a sacrifice for his master's pleasure pierced the cultist's own throat precisely.
With his curse, Goldina took his own life.
"..."
The remaining low-level cultists.
They lacked the priest's level of reason and madness.
They didn't know survival here meant torture followed by death.
Clang.
The cultists tossed their weapons and raised their hands.
Unmistakable surrender.
Thus, the situation ended.
Priests of the White Shadow Cult were nightmare incarnate.
Fighting them demanded more than superhuman resolve, even from the strongest.
Yet Goldina's corpse lay pathetically, staining the floor with blood.
"What the actual fuck."
The word slipped from the battle-hardened warrior woman's lips in a daze.
Not just her—Councilor Ran, Crimson Tower Lord's disciple Valrod, and demon hunter Maldad were at a loss in this unprecedented resolution.
Only Rishir, familiar with such scenarios, calmly stepped forward to free the bound victims.
Seeing him, the others snapped to and began cleanup.
Ran Fellos, councilor at just over thirty, was the idol of Bondales' young nobles.
Her unflappable poise in council was her trademark.
"...So, is everything resolved now?"
Yet Ran Fellos glanced timidly around.
The priest leading the cultists had taken his own life; the rest were bound.
The bound victims were still out of it, but confirmed unharmed.
By her standards, the incident was wrapped up.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Shakan. Valrod. Maldad.
Same by theirs.
But what about that guy?
They all side-eyed Rishir.
"...Why's everyone staring at me like that?"
Why do you think?
Their gazes shifted to the crystal orb in Rishir's hand.
"Don't call me that."
"There's something like that?"
Whoa.
What a backstabbing bastard.
Gathering even souls to screw you over.
No wonder it's a demon.
The cultists and Ran's group stared at the orb in disgust, vowing never to heed a demon's voice if they ever had to deal with one again.
"Tch. First time looting."
The white-robed cultist soaked in blood.
Rishir, eyeing him with distaste, steeled himself and reached into his bosom.
The demon's wicked(?) whisper from the side.
Rishir was tempted.
But with eyes on him, he hesitated.
Still tempted.
"Ugh... the power in the demon's whisper...!"
Drawn by the overwhelming force against his will(?), Rishir pulled a ring and pouch from the cultist's bosom.
They stared at him in revulsion.
Looting a White Shadow Cult priest's belongings.
No fear of curses or backlash?
Ran's group started to warn him, but—
They gave up at the orb's gleeful chatter.
Fine.
Do what you want.
"This it?"
A letter appeared in Rishir's hand.
He handed it straight to Ran.
Ran unfolded and read it immediately.
"..."
Ran, grave-faced, shared it with Valrod.
"This is..."
Valrod to Shakan.
Shakan to Maldad.
Finally to Rishir.
Having passed it around, they nodded at each other.
"We need to find someone to decipher the letter right—"
"Tomorrow, they'll hold a secret meeting in Bondales—"
...Huh?
Rishir's opinion clashed with the others.
Gazes focused on him once more.