Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: Primal (6)
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Although he had helped with Atma's interrogation, he'd deliberately kept his distance, so all Galen had heard were screams.
Even after the torture ended, he hadn't asked any separate questions, and he hadn't even attended Jason's interrogation.
There was no need to. They'd compile and summarize everything and report it first anyway. Just like now.
"The key is those heretics calling themselves the 'Demon Follower Cult.'"
"Demon Follower Cult."
There was only one religion in this world, and only one god worshipped by the church. Miracles truly existed, making it hard for any two-bit cult leader to gain a foothold.
In short, the object of worship for an evil cult was predetermined. Demons.
"Those who conspire with demons for personal gain are called demon collaborators, and some even receive power directly to become demon contractors. Interestingly, though, they don't always worship demons. Some treat them as... tools to exploit."
"...Demons know this and still lend them power?"
"They do. Whether they follow demons devoutly or half-heartedly, the moment they take a demon's hand, they become targets for extermination."
"True enough."
"Demons can just sit back and watch humans fight among themselves. Why not lend the power? To demons, the whole process is mere entertainment."
Anton clicked his tongue with a displeased expression.
"Anyway, that's why cultists are more troublesome than ordinary collaborators. They do things that anyone can see are insane. They know it's a death sentence and go through with it anyway. Why? Because a demon ordered it. Their behavior is so erratic it's hard to predict."
"Sounds like a real headache."
"But doesn't that make them easier to spot?"
Lilia asked cautiously.
"I've heard they're flashy and cause a lot of damage, so they stand out more than sneaky collaborators and get wiped out relatively easily..."
"That's right. Cultists are like cockroaches—they keep crawling out from somewhere. The name 'Demon Follower Cult' has been used dozens of times in the past. It's just a bland term for 'demon-worshipping group.' Normally, it's not a small matter, but not a huge crisis either. The problem is these guys aren't normal."
Anton twisted the corner of his mouth and pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket.
It was a fairly detailed portrait of someone's face.
The moment they saw it, Galen and Lilia recognized the man simultaneously.
"Hey, isn't that...?"
"The guy from back then, right?"
Last winter, the great plague in the southwest. The truth was it hadn't been a plague at all, but poison.
The mysterious figure who had manipulated villagers to offer them as sacrifices and had been at the orc mage's side around the same time.
"His name's probably fake anyway, so we'll just call him Squinty-Eyes. This is the guy who supplied magic cannons to the Speerius Family. I showed the portrait to Jason for confirmation. That's when the Demon Follower Cult name came up. Atma mentioned Squinty-Eyes too."
"If he's connected to demons, procuring magic cannons would be easy. Tricks like the plague make sense as demon orders—no need to question the purpose."
"So Squinty-Eyes is either the head of the Demon Follower Cult... or at least a key leader. He's been tied to all these major incidents."
"Most likely. Now do you see why I said it's a problem?"
Galen and Lilia nodded in unison at Anton's question.
The southwest incident was from last winter. Now it was late summer. Nearly half a year had passed.
Did the church just sit idle without tracking Squinty-Eyes? They'd pursued him relentlessly.
Of course, there were no spy satellites, internet, or CCTV. Finding one person on this vast continent in half a year was laughably insufficient.
Still, they'd found no trace until his tracks unexpectedly surfaced in a prestigious southeast family—and only then did his affiliation with the Demon Follower Cult come to light.
"He's extremely cautious. Yet diligent, pursuing some grand scheme with meticulous planning. Cultists orchestrating something this elaborate and massive are rare even in church records."
"Whatever he promised, pulling a prestigious family to his side makes him dangerous. The real issue is he's using that talent for demons, not humans."
"We need to catch him soon... but it won't be easy, right?"
"Not easy. But the situation's much better than before."
Thanks to Galen and Lilia's heroics. The words went unspoken. Anton gave a faint smile.
"The Speerius Family was basically a warehouse, plain and simple. They stored magic cannons and handed them to suitable candidates. No production capability of their own. They relied entirely on Squinty-Eyes for supply. But he wasn't personally hauling them around like a delivery boy, right?"
"He'd send underlings. Disguised as merchants or whatever."
"Exactly. And Jason knew who those underlings were. We might not reach Squinty-Eyes directly, but digging will yield results."
Having info on the underlings made it easier than hunting for just Squinty-Eyes alone.
But it still felt a bit lacking to call it a major breakthrough.
As if reading Galen's mind, Anton asked an unexpected question.
"Mind if I ask your next destination?"
"Our destination?"
Lilia tilted her head and glanced at Galen. Her eyes said it all: no particular plans. They were in sync, as always.
"Well, we were heading to Lilia's hometown, but things flowed this way unexpectedly. Nothing set in stone."
"Then, sorry to ask, but could you do me a favor?"
"What is it?"
"Deliver this incident's report directly to His Holiness the Pope? The church's communication isn't sloppy, but... if it leaks even slightly, the fallout would be huge."
"Not a problem."
Even if Galen refused, Anton could ask Lilia, and as a church member, she'd agree. Galen, unwilling to part from her, would follow naturally.
"The Demon Follower Cult matter is that critical?"
"Critical. But not so absolutely vital that it can't leak at any cost."
Anton's response to Lilia's question was surprising. Then why ask for direct delivery?
"Squinty-Eyes will soon realize the Speerius Family is smashed. He might already know."
"Yes."
"He can guess Jason was tortured. And that he spilled about himself and the Demon Follower Cult."
"Probably."
"But he can't possibly guess Atma was tortured too. Gems aren't supposed to be capturable alive."
"Ah!"
Atma was a spirit user, and Galen had the rare ability to suppress spirits—making it a special case.
No other witnesses, and Squinty-Eyes couldn't know Galen's powers. Guessing that would make him omniscient.
"So... we'll pretend to dig into Jason's info on the surface, while secretly investigating Atma's side!"
"Precisely—we'll pursue both, but the point is to keep the Atma angle hidden from Squinty-Eyes as much as possible. That way, he'll let his guard down."
"Can you tell us what info it is?"
Galen, who had been listening silently, asked.
"Of course. No point keeping it from you two."
Anton answered matter-of-factly.
"Jason wasn't an unwilling victim forced to follow demons, but Atma's intentions played a decisive role in the Speerius leadership taking the demon's hand."
"Well, when the family's top elder and a Gem says so, who dares refuse?"
"Exactly. She knew things even Jason didn't. First, the Demon Follower Cult has other collaborators."
"Isn't that obvious...? Wait, big shots?"
With prestigious families already in their pocket, minor collaborators would be countless. Why mention it otherwise?
"Squinty-Eyes hinted at it. 'Several collaborators on par with Speerius. Once preparations are complete, even the church can fall.'"
"We can't just dismiss it as bravado. There was that orc mage, after all."
"Right. A mere prestigious family isn't a dire threat. Even armed with magic cannons, their power has limits."
A prestigious family's forces might have a few Golds at best. Multiply that with cannons, and they still couldn't touch the church. Even without Galen's help, Lilia had sliced through them effortlessly.
"The problem is when those 'collaborators' are Gems themselves—or better, entire families with Gems like this time. Without you two, Michael would've died for sure. If church-aligned Gems start dropping one by one, eventually..."
"A future I'd rather not imagine. But we can't just grab every Gem and interrogate them on suspicion of collaboration."
"Of course not. So we'll monitor current activities and dig into past records for anything suspicious. A full investigation's needed."
"B-Brother is innocent!"
Lilia clung tightly to Galen's arm and cried out. Anton let out a dry chuckle.
"Would I spill this to someone I suspected? Never doubted him from the start—no need to cling like that."
"I'd laugh it off even if suspected."
Galen lightly pinched Lilia's cheek and added nonchalantly.
"The other Gems won't take kindly to it. They must stay hidden... Factoring in Squinty-Eyes getting even more cautious, it's no small task."
"Has to be done. You just deliver the report. His Holiness will decide, but he'll think like me."
"Understood."
"And... there's even more crucial info."
Anton paused briefly before continuing slowly.
"Remember how Atma said she became a Gem?"
"She met a demon and gained enlightenment... Ah."
"Yes, she met one. No contract out of pride, apparently, but Atma met a demon 'directly.' Guided by Squinty-Eyes."
"You pinpointed the location?"
"If so, I'd be forming a subjugation team right now. Squinty-Eyes went to lengths to hide it—blindfolded carriage, nighttime travel near the destination."
But that didn't completely conceal the location.
Even in a sealed carriage, daily travel distance was fixed.
Crucially, the demon wasn't hiding in some crowded city center.
"Ruins somewhere in the great mountain range. Factoring in carriage travel and terrain... from the southeast's western mountains to, at most, the southeast-eastern border."
"Narrowed down, but still vast. Wouldn't take months of searching at least?"
"From magic cannons appearing to reaching Speerius took over a year. Finding the demon in months would be lightning-fast. How long it'll actually take... we'll see."
Anton trailed off and looked at Lilia.
"When the time comes, Archbishop Lilia, your participation is mandatory."
"Of course I'll go!"
Lilia declared without hesitation, full of spirit.
Given her personality, she'd never sit it out—and with archbishops as the only force capable of facing demons, excluding her was unthinkable. No need to debate.
Still, Anton bringing it up was obvious. Galen chuckled.
"You could've just asked me directly if I'd help."
"Ahem."
"Call me. I've crushed evil spirits and collaborators—can't miss the main demon now."
"Sorry for always asking favors. Truly grateful."
Anton's face lit up.
After this incident, his trust in Galen had skyrocketed. Galen's commitment to join was worth more than a thousand troops.
"Anyway, compile the report, and I'll deliver it to His Holiness. Nothing else for me after that, right?"
"Naturally. Rest up."
"Then I'll prepare moderately."
"...Huh?"
"I'm a coward. Don't know how strong the demon is, so I need to polish up a bit more."
"Er, well."
If others said they'd train for months, it'd sound normal.
But for this monster who became a Gem in under two years as a mage—did months mean the same?
Anton felt anticipation mixed with dread about what Galen would be like next time.
Fortunately, he was an ally.