Chapter 253
Chapter 253
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 253
Chapter Title: Destination (3)
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Demian stared at the door with a bewildered expression.
He had anticipated that killing a giant like Slara would have significant repercussions. But he hadn't expected them to be this massive.
"The people from headquarters are all rushing here right now."
The murmuring voices from outside were growing louder in real time.
Just as Radiance had said, more and more people were gathering outside.
-Demian Haksen! Show us your face just once!
-Slara is dead! Slara's dead! Demian Haksen killed her!
-Hahaha! To think that wicked woman would die!
The people's voices grew clearer and clearer. Yet despite their cheers, Demian only felt exhaustion.
'I avoided the imperial palace just to dodge the hassle...'
He wondered if he had come to a place even more troublesome than the palace.
"Oh my, it looks like it's too late to run now. The crowd gathered faster than expected."
Radiance turned to Green Wind as she spoke.
"Green Wind, I have a favor to ask. Please take me and Demian Haksen to the Holy Palace."
"Sister..."
"Didn't I just say it was His Holiness's order?"
Radiance's voice turned icy once more. Green Wind swallowed dryly.
"Everyone, gather around me."
Demian and Radiance drew close to Green Wind. Agnes asked Radiance something.
But Agnes stayed put. Instead, she spoke with a regretful expression.
"Sir Demian, please go."
It was a gathering of the Five Great Saints. Agnes's status was too low to accompany them.
"Then, let's head out."
Green Wind summoned her holy power. At that moment, Malta came rushing over in a hurry.
"Me too! Take me too!"
"Why you, Sir Malta?"
"I have a request for His Holiness."
Green Wind looked puzzled. But she asked no further.
"We're really leaving now."
A gale began to swirl around the four of them. A storm obscured their vision.
Moments later, when the winds cleared, the four were no longer in the workshop but somewhere else.
The Holy Palace.
They had arrived at the heart of headquarters.
'It's still amazing no matter how many times I see it.'
The sect Green Wind belonged to, 'Bound Wind', consisted of Holy Knights who could transform holy power into wind.
The Holy Knights of Bound Wind were famous for their bizarre movement technique that turned their bodies into wind.
But only Green Wind could transport others along with her.
"Shall we go in?"
Radiance took the lead. The three followed her into the Holy Palace.
As they entered, they saw a throne atop layered stairs.
Seated on the throne was an elderly woman whose face was etched with deep wrinkles.
"Demian Haksen, it's a pleasure."
The Holy Sovereign greeted Demian Haksen.
* * *
The Holy Sovereign looked much gaunter than when he had last seen her after a long while.
It seemed her health had deteriorated significantly from offering silent prayers for a week.
'There's one more person here.'
The Holy Palace wasn't just occupied by the Holy Sovereign. There was also a middle-aged man present.
Dark circles layered under the man's eyes made him look utterly fatigued.
'Black Snow.'
The lord of the Mixed Blizzard and one of the Five Great Saints.
He was renowned as the second-in-command following Blue Flame among the Five Great Saints.
'Mute Night isn't here, it seems.'
Thinking of another of the Five Great Saints, Demian bowed to the Holy Sovereign.
"Your Holiness, it's been a while."
"It's not been that long since we last met, has it? Less than a year, right?"
The Holy Sovereign smiled as she continued.
"I've heard so many rumors about you in the meantime. That you went to the Mercenary King, won the empire's Helian Tournament... and even that you killed Slara."
"I've been living quite busily."
The Holy Sovereign burst into laughter at Demian's jest.
"To reach Master Class and kill Slara in less than a year... Forgive me, but I thought the empire was spreading false rumors. But seeing you in person like this..."
Surprise gradually dawned on the Holy Sovereign's face. She spoke in a tone of disbelief.
"You're... truly incredibly strong now."
The Holy Sovereign was not a knight. She had never wielded a weapon in her life.
But Demian knew. The Holy Sovereign possessed an uncanny insight akin to that of the Empire's Greatest Sword.
"Black Snow, how strong is Sir Demian right now?"
Black Snow bowed his head at the Holy Sovereign's question and replied.
"He is at a level that doesn't fall short even compared to us Five Great Saints."
The Holy Sovereign showed even greater astonishment.
"To possess the power to subdue Slara at such a young age... I can scarcely believe it even seeing it myself."
"I share Your Holiness's thoughts. In fact, until just moments ago, I believed it to be an absurd lie."
Black Snow turned his gaze to Demian. His dark eyes pierced straight at him.
"But the world is vast, and those blessed by the divine are even more numerous. Didn't the Empire's Greatest Sword leave behind many unbelievable tales? Not to the extent of Demian Haksen, of course."
The Holy Sovereign nodded at Black Snow's words.
"It's a shame Blue Flame isn't here. He'd have been thrilled to see how splendidly you've grown, Sir Demian."
The Holy Sovereign spoke with regret. But Demian felt relieved instead.
That old man would have swung his fist at Demian on sight, demanding to test his strength.
"That wicked woman Slara was one of the pillars of Pandemonium. Not just the empire, but our Order lost many talents to her."
The Holy Sovereign's expression darkened slightly.
"Among the previous Five Great Saints, one even lost his life to Slara. She committed unspeakable atrocities against his remains."
Slara was no ordinary archfiend.
Over more than a century of life, she had slain countless people.
Among them were numerous famous powerhouses whose names anyone would recognize.
"The Church pursued Slara relentlessly but gained nothing. To witness her subjugation... I never dreamed I'd see it before my death."
The Holy Sovereign rose from her throne. She slowly descended the stairs.
"Y-Your Holiness!"
Green Wind tried to stop her in alarm. But the Holy Sovereign rejected Green Wind's hand.
"Demian Haksen."
Having fully descended the stairs, the Holy Sovereign stood before Demian. She grasped his hand with her wrinkled one and spoke.
"Slara was a blasphemy against the divine in her very existence, a stain on our Order. But thanks to you, we could execute that horrific heretic."
The Holy Sovereign's head slowly lowered. Everyone among the surrounding Five Great Saints was stunned.
"Thank you. Truly, thank you."
Only after repeating her thanks several times did the Holy Sovereign raise her head.
"How should we repay this deed?"
"It wasn't done expecting repayment."
The Holy Sovereign shook her head.
"You executed Slara in the stead of the divine. It is right that we, who follow the divine will, offer fitting recompense. Moreover, you are the Order's Honorary Holy Knight."
Demian felt greatly satisfied inwardly at the Holy Sovereign's words.
'As expected, she has magnanimity.'
In truth, his earlier words were mere polite formality.
Demian had no intention of refusing whatever the Church offered.
"Then..."
It was just as Demian began to speak. Suddenly, Malta stepped forward and shouted.
"Your Holiness! I have something to say!"
"Malta, can it wait? We're discussing Sir Demian's merits right now."
"It's related to that!"
Malta knelt and cried out.
"Demian Haksen came to the Order to repair his holy sword! The Spirit-grade holy sword we provided him before was damaged in the battle with Slara!"
"Is that true?"
The Holy Sovereign looked at Demian in surprise. Demian gave a wry smile and nodded.
"But there's a problem beyond repair! As Your Holiness knows, Spirit-grade holy swords require reforging each time they grow, don't they? Well, the one provided to Sir Demian has grown too much."
"You can breathe before speaking."
At the Holy Sovereign's words, Malta took a ragged breath.
"To reforge this one, we need substantial materials, but the rare metals in storage are nearly depleted! Since Your Holiness is discussing Sir Demian's merits, I request support!"
"Support... Would that suffice as recompense?"
"Your Holiness! Our Sacred Church's metallurgy is the finest on the continent! Even the empire can't match us! Shouldn't we reward him in the field we're most confident in?"
"What do you think, Sir Demian?"
The Holy Sovereign asked Demian.
Demian glanced at Malta for a moment. Malta gazed at him with desperate eyes.
'I was thinking of asking for spirit elixirs...'
Demian fell into thought.
Spirit elixirs were better the more you had, but the situation was different this time.
Currently, Demian possessed fragments of a Dragon Heart and an Elixir.
There were scarcely any spirit elixirs on the continent comparable to those two.
'I'll be busy absorbing just these two for a while...'
Even if he received a new one, he couldn't consume it right away. In that case, taking another form of reward wasn't bad.
Moreover, Demian knew well how tremendous the utility of an excellent weapon could be.
"I approve."
"Since even Sir Demian agrees, Malta, your request is granted. Go to the warehouse and take all the rare metals you need."
The Holy Sovereign permitted it readily. But Malta shook his head.
"Your Holiness, I'm not asking for rare metals!"
"Then what do you need?"
"Please grant us Divine Iron!"
The moment Malta uttered that name, the Holy Sovereign's expression hardened.
It wasn't just her. The other Five Great Saints reacted the same.
"Sir Malta! Don't speak nonsense! How can someone who knows what Divine Iron is make such a request!"
"I know. It's the item bestowed upon the Founding Holy Sovereign by the divine."
The Founding Holy Sovereign, Bartoleo.
The first to awaken holy power, a superhuman among superhumans with the legend of shattering a demon dragon's skull with a single mace.
The mace he used then was the divine artifact 'Morpe', said to have been granted directly by the divine.
Uniquely, after the Founding Holy Sovereign's death, Morpe is said to have melted like water.
That melted Morpe was the true nature of the 'Divine Iron' Malta spoke of.
"Your Holiness, the Spirit-grade holy sword 'Dawn' provided to Demian Haksen is the masterpiece of my life! I forged it using meteorite iron from the heavens! And that magnificent blade has grown through countless fierce battles!"
Malta spoke in an excited voice.
"Among Dawn's opponents was Slara too! It withstood that monster without breaking! I've never seen a holy sword grow as much as Dawn!"
Malta slammed his head to the ground and shouted.
"Your Holiness! I'm not asking for all the Divine Iron! Just a little... the amount of a wine cup will do!"
At Malta's actions, the Holy Sovereign's dilema deepened.
"Your Holiness, no."
Green Wind opposed once more.
"Demian Haksen is not formally affiliated with the Order. Granting him a Spirit-grade holy sword was already excessive grace. Supporting Divine Iron on top of that is absurd."
"Green Wind's words have merit."
The Holy Sovereign nodded. Malta's face twisted in anguish.
"But... Demian Haksen killed Slara. For such a merit, giving a bit of Divine Iron seems fine."
"T-That..."
Green Wind was speechless at the Holy Sovereign's words, which sounded half-approved, and offered no rebuttal.
"Sister! No, Radiance, what do you think?"
Green Wind urgently looked to Radiance, as if borrowing the authority of another Great Saint.
"Hmm... I think it's a bit excessive too. Divine Iron, of all things."
"R-Right?"
"But he subdued Slara. That much should be okay, no?"
Green Wind's eyes shook wildly.
"Wh-What about you, Black Snow?"
Green Wind called on Black Snow without giving up. Black Snow yawned as he replied.
"Divine Iron is too much."
"Right?"
"But since he caught Slara... I don't mind."
Despair settled on Green Wind's face.
"Then, since the other Saints approve..."
The Holy Sovereign cleared her throat and said.
"We shall provide Divine Iron for reforging Demian Haksen's holy sword."
* * *
After the Holy Sovereign's command, the Five Great Saints departed the Holy Palace.
Green Wind, greatly shocked, left with slumped shoulders.
"Please don't hate that child."
Suddenly, the Holy Sovereign said to Demian.
"She may seem inflexible, but it's because she loves the Order too much."
At her words, Demian recalled killing Green Wind.
Even as her heart was pierced and she lay dying, Green Wind had cried out the Holy Sovereign's name.
"How could I hate one of the Five Great Saints? That would only invite trouble."
"I'm glad you don't."
The Holy Sovereign smiled at Demian's joke.
"Why did you ask me to stay?"
Unlike the Five Great Saints, Demian remained at the Holy Sovereign's request.
"I have one more thing to ask."
Demian looked puzzled.
The Holy Sovereign paused briefly before asking Demian.
"Does this make you feel a bit relieved?"
At the question, Demian fell silent. After much deliberation, he spoke.
"Not at all."
When he had just killed Slara, it felt refreshing. But only for a fleeting moment.
In the end, killing Slara couldn't save his sister from his previous life. What Demian had done was mere self-satisfaction.
"Killing the likes of Slara changes nothing."
Moreover, there were still too many scum left to kill. Far too many trash who had toyed with his family were still breathing.
The Weapon Master was one.
The Weapon Master had taken his father's soul. And stuffed it into a dog's corpse.
His father screamed in agony amid rotting flesh devoured by maggots.
Why?
Because he hadn't been chosen by Erebos. Because Demian had taken Erebos from him.
Out of petty jealousy, he desecrated his father. Thrust him into a pit of torment.
"Your Holiness, it's far from over. There's still so much trash left. Until I kill every last one of those vermin..."
Demian's eyes flashed with killing intent.
"I will never stop."
* * *
"......"
The Holy Sovereign gazed silently at Demian.
She possessed the power to pierce through a person's essence.
The last time she saw Demian Haksen, she had seen blood-soaked earth and a black knight.
The black knight wept tears of blood as he mutilated his own body.
And the Demian Haksen now in the Holy Sovereign's eyes was...
"......Nothing has changed at all."
Demian Haksen asked at her murmur.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing."
In truth, the Holy Sovereign had been hesitating whether to provide Divine Iron to Demian Haksen.
But this exchange had dispelled her doubts.
If this wounded lamb could find salvation, what was a bit of Divine Iron?
"Do you have any other requests? Anything at all, speak."
Perhaps because her heart had softened. Despite knowing it excessive, the Holy Sovereign couldn't help asking Demian Haksen.
"Ah, then may I make one more request?"
"Of course."
Demian Haksen told the Holy Sovereign what he needed. Hearing it, she blinked repeatedly.
"Is that really all you want?"
"Yes."
"It's too easy a request..."
"It's essential for me."
The Holy Sovereign felt a bit deflated.
She had steeled herself to grant any wish, yet it was something like this.
"Follow me. I'll guide you now."