Chapter 55
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Honorary Scribe
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On the wall, skeletons clacked their jawbones around the fallen people.
Just then, the Inquisitor ascended the stairs to the top of the wall.
With her characteristically emotionless eyes, the Inquisitor stared at the skeletons on the wall.
‘Devil, cursed, unholy one, judgment.’
The moment she saw them, words she had heard since long ago surfaced one by one, as naturally as breathing.
The Inquisitor then bent her knees, lowering her stance. Without a conscious thought, she had already drawn her greatsword and held it in her hand.
*Clack.*
At that moment, the skeletons turned their heads to look at the Inquisitor.
Without a shred of hesitation, the Inquisitor plunged into their midst.
The greatsword, wreathed in a brilliant light, was an inescapable judgment delivered upon the dead.
‘…’
Even after dispatching all the skeletons, the Inquisitor’s breathing remained steady as she looked up at the sky.
*Tap, tap, tap.*
Heavy raindrops continued to patter against her armor.
The Inquisitor found the sight of the raindrops shattering against her armor amusing.
Just then, a particularly large raindrop struck her sharp nose. She spun around, following the scattered droplets.
As she felt a pang of disappointment watching a droplet vanish into a puddle, she noticed something lying face down on the ground.
It was the Abbot.
‘…!’
The Inquisitor instinctively took a step back.
Only after teetering precariously on the edge of the wall, as if about to fall, did she realize the Abbot was unconscious.
At that, the Inquisitor crept closer, quiet and careful.
She walked on her tiptoes, as if to avoid waking him.
Looking down at the Abbot, the Inquisitor fiddled with the handle of the mace at her waist for a long while.
When a thick raindrop landed on her head, the Inquisitor let out a sigh, shook her head, and crouched down. Then, she tentatively reached out a hand and bestowed a blessing upon the Abbot’s head.
*Cra-ack.*
Just then, she saw a flash of blue light in the distance.
And opposite it, some hideous creature.
‘…A devil.’
The Inquisitor gazed at the wall for a moment, thought of someone, and without hesitation, leaped off the wall.
*Thud.*
The moment her feet hit the ground, a sharp, tingling pain shot through her.
At that, the Inquisitor crouched on the spot, unable to move for a long time.
***
I headed for the wall.
A heavy fatigue and the wet mud kept trying to drag my feet down, but I forced myself to push through it.
‘That damn beggar of a skeleton.’
Thinking of the skeleton, I unknowingly licked my lips.
Contrary to its imposing demeanor, the creature hadn't given me anything.
It really was nothing but bones, just as it looked. Even those bones had turned to dust when I shattered its skull, washing away in the rain.
For all its yammering, it was worse than a goblin.
It is a villain's duty to provide adequate compensation for the trouble they cause.
Feeling unjustly cheated, I picked up the black hood the skeleton had been wearing and wrapped it around myself, but it was just a worn-out hood that felt like nothing special. It was even too small, barely covering me down to my waist.
I considered tossing it, but without it, it would feel like I’d done volunteer work, so I just kept it on.
‘Guess it’s a good thing it at least blocks the rain.’
The black hood’s waterproofing was surprisingly effective; when I put it on, not a single drop leaked through.
And so, cutting a ridiculous figure with only my lower body soaked, I arrived at the wall, lost in thought.
The wall was quiet.
As I carefully climbed the slippery stairs, I saw people collapsed all over the rampart.
‘Sleeping outdoors in this weather.’
I clicked my tongue and looked over their faces.
They seemed to have gone through a rough time, but for the most part, they all looked fine. Breaking the skeleton's skull must have lifted whatever was affecting them, as their expressions weren’t bad.
*CR-AAAASH!*
Just then, a flash of blue light erupted from beyond the wall.
‘Looks like it’s not over yet.’
Since the Inquisitor was nowhere to be seen, I figured she must have gone to deal with the devil.
I grabbed the edge of the wall and leaped off.
*Thud.*
The mud and water on the ground splattered violently, leaving a large footprint.
I shook my leg slightly and headed toward the flashing blue light.
*CR-AAAASH!*
There, Knight Adela and the devil were fighting fiercely.
The devil’s upper body was swollen like a giant, ancient tree, its form made grotesque by patches of black fur. In its center, a man’s face was crudely pasted on, like a bad photoshop job.
Adela was trying to close the distance, cutting away the branches the devil extended with her aura-infused sword.
However, the devil’s resistance was stronger than expected.
‘Where’s the Inquisitor?’
I scanned the area and saw the Inquisitor sitting under a large tree, resting.
The Inquisitor had plunged her greatsword into the ground and was sitting beneath it, taking shelter from the rain.
Upon spotting me, the Inquisitor gave a slight bow of her head. I returned the gesture and went to her side.
“Is it okay not to help?”
At my question, the Inquisitor gestured toward Knight Adela with her chin and shook her head.
‘Is she saying Knight Adela told her not to help?’
That seemed to be the gist of it.
I sat down behind the Inquisitor.
If she was determined to have a fair one-on-one fight, I had no intention of stopping her.
‘A one-on-one with a devil… Knights are a strange bunch, that’s for sure.’
Suddenly, I thought of Ben, who had returned to Bolt Castle with the Penell family soldiers, and nodded to myself.
Anyway, there were a lot of weirdos among the knights.
*Poke, poke.*
The Inquisitor offered me a cake that had become a soggy mess from the rain.
‘Where in the world was she keeping this…’
Not particularly wanting to eat it, I tore off a small piece and put it in my mouth. Despite its sogginess, it was sweet.
The sweetness spreading in my mouth helped clear some of the fatigue from my mind.
The Inquisitor put the rest in her mouth.
She worked her puffed-out cheeks slowly but diligently.
I narrowed my eyes and observed Adela.
She had a habit of her elbow twitching right before she put power into her sword. It also looked like she put too much force into her legs, as her calves would twist slightly…
I stored these small details in my mind.
I hoped I’d never have to use them, but life rarely goes as planned.
Just as one might carry cash in their wallet for emergencies, I committed her movements to memory.
It was a rare opportunity to observe a knight’s aura so freely and in such detail, so I focused intently.
‘The concentration of her aura seems particularly weak, doesn't it?’
The thought suddenly occurred to me, and I recalled the auras I had glimpsed in the past.
Back then, seeing an aura would only make me curse ‘Vile bastards!’ under my breath, but now that I had some experience wielding it, I had a different impression.
‘No, hers isn’t weak. If anything, it’s above average. It’s more like…’
Compared to others, the concentration of my own aura was unusually dense. As if I was unleashing in a single burst what others would portion out evenly…
—That’s stating the obvious.
Taking it as a compliment, the Tenant affirmed with an arrogant tone.
‘…You quick-shot bastard.’
—I believe I told you I don’t like that one either.
I didn’t bother asking him if it wasn’t better to use it sparingly over a longer period.
Just as this bastard could read me, I could read him to some extent, so I could guess his answer.
He wasn't satisfied even with the current output.
*CR-AAAASH!*
*You impudent devil!*
*Grind—.*
Knight Adela flared her aura powerfully, and in response, the devil shot out dozens of branches at once.
I pushed aside my thoughts and focused on the battle again.
From the looks of it, Adela couldn't handle this alone. I needed to find a weak point before jumping in.
‘The more branches there are, the thinner they get. The force behind them differs depending on their thickness.’
I deduced this from the change in Adela’s expression depending on their thickness.
“Oh— did you just see that branch fly out of its mouth?”
At my question, the Inquisitor nodded and pointed to her own forehead.
“You mean they fly out of its forehead too?”
The Inquisitor nodded again.
“That’s going to be a tough one to deal with.”
The Inquisitor nodded at my response, and I nodded back.
Just then, Adela, who had been struck in the face by a branch, let out a yell and swung her aura in a long arc.
A blue line was drawn straight across, and a magnificent scene unfolded as countless branches were sliced apart, scattering like flower petals.
It was a spectacular sight, but it didn't look good to me.
‘Foolish.’
Those were just thin branches; she didn't need to exert that much force. Whether she was agitated or simply hadn't realized, Adela had used more power than necessary.
Just then, a few branches struck Adela’s armor. This time, they were as thick as an adult’s forearm, and Adela staggered heavily.
‘She’s exhausted.’
Adela’s aura had noticeably weakened.
The devil seemed tired too, as the speed of its branches slowed, but their number remained high.
—Take that thing.
‘That’s an order. How arrogant of you, Tenant.’
I muttered a curse and got to my feet.
Even without the Tenant’s words, I had been planning to intervene anyway.
As I stood up, the Inquisitor looked up at me with wide eyes.
“She looks like she’s in danger. I think we should help.”
The Inquisitor gestured toward Adela and shook her head, but I nodded.
At that, the Inquisitor nodded in return and rose to her feet.
“How dare you! You mere devil!!”
Just in time, Knight Adela, sent flying backward by a trunk-sized branch, let out a shriek.
It was the perfect moment to jump in.
‘I wonder how many seconds it’ll last this time.’
It seemed I was starting to enjoy this, and I smiled bitterly.
***
‘It should be getting weaker.’
Knight Adela bit her lip and readjusted her grip on her sword.
Unlike other devils, this one’s power didn’t seem to be waning; if anything, it felt like it was gradually getting stronger.
‘No, is it my own strength that has weakened?’
*Hooo…*
Hot breath escaped Knight Adela’s lips.
Her rain-soaked body felt as heavy as lead, and the sword, already weighty, felt even heavier.
‘Refusing the Inquisitor’s help was a mistake.’
At the time, she had been confident she would win, so she had refused the help to avoid sharing the credit.
The anxiety that had seeped in from her failure to establish her standing in recent events had eroded her rational judgment, leading to a poor decision.
‘And that Aron fellow…’
Worse, even when she, a knight, appeared, the people had been murmuring and looking for someone else. That had caused her emotions to explode, leading to this foolish choice.
But asking for help now was something her pride would not allow.
‘No, I will not lose.’
Just as she steeled her weakening resolve and swung her sword forward again.
*Thwack-!*
‘…Damn it!’
A thick branch that had slipped into her blind spot struck Knight Adela squarely in the abdomen.
Her thick iron armor wasn’t pierced, but the impact was fully transmitted. For a moment, Knight Adela’s stance faltered.
In that instant of defenselessness, a particularly thick branch shot toward Knight Adela’s front.
‘Dammit!’
Finally realizing her mistake, Adela opened her mouth.
“Help…!”
In the face of death, pride was not a consideration.
Just then, a giant red back appeared before her.
A man in a red cuirass blocked the thick branch in her stead.
*KABOOM!*
A roar that seemed to shake the very ground erupted, but the man’s back did not waver.
As the man was pushed back, two long lines were carved into the earth.
‘Who?’
Knight Adela stared at the man’s back with questioning eyes.
The man slowly turned his head.
When she met his unusually deep eyes, which seemed at odds with the scars etched on his face.
“Move!!”
‘Huh?’
The shout that erupted from the man’s mouth left Adela momentarily stunned.
“I said, move aside!”
Realizing the shout was directed at her, rage at his impudence began to boil inside her…
“Ugh!”
The man was pushed back, colliding with Adela, and she stumbled and fell.
The man’s back, sprawled on top of her, was so large and heavy that she felt as if she were being crushed by the world itself.
As a primal fear began to rise from her inability to breathe.
“That’s why I told you to move.”
The man, his lips twitching in what looked like a forced smile, extended a hand.
It was a clear act of disrespect, but since her own mistake was undeniable, Adela swallowed the words that had risen to the tip of her tongue and got up by herself.
His hand, left hanging awkwardly in the air, was shaken by his other hand before the man turned his head toward the devil.
“I will open the way for you.”
At the man’s words, Adela hesitated for a moment before nodding.
She was not in good condition. This was no time for pride.
Just then, beyond the man, she saw the Inquisitor approaching the devil, radiating a white light.
Hundreds of smaller branches were shot at the Inquisitor, but they all disintegrated in the light she emitted.
They looked like insects flying into a giant flame.
Soon, the man began to run, and Adela bit her lip and followed behind him.
She didn't trust the man, but she had the fleeting thought that he could at least block a branch for her.
The man didn’t cut the incoming branches but pushed or deflected them.
Since he couldn't use an aura, that was his best option, but it was surprisingly effective. The branches flew in a straight line, so if he pushed them aside, they didn’t come back.
Her face grew hot with shame at her own foolishness for only trying to cut them.
*Thud-.*
The man deflected a thick branch with his forearm, pushing it aside. It was a clean, flawless motion.
‘Who is this man?’
He seemed familiar, but she couldn't recall where she had seen him.
However, since the man was clearing a path just as he’d promised, Adela pushed aside her questions and focused solely on gathering her aura.
Soon, the area was so filled with deflected branches that it felt as if she were trapped in a world of wood, when—.
“Now!”
The man suddenly stepped aside.
*C-craaack-.*
As the man pushed through the branches to the side, the devil's face came into view right in front of her.
‘He really broke through.’
Adela thrust the aura she had gathered to its absolute limit.
A thick blue point was imprinted on the creature’s forehead, and then.
*Rustle-.*
The branches that had filled the area lost their power and fell.
As the world of wood collapsed, a heavy downpour greeted her.
But Adela didn't stop there; she twisted her wrist and completely crushed the devil’s face.
Its forehead split open, and black blood soaked the ground.
Its features crumpled and twisted grotesquely.
A cry of agony escaped its mouth, but no sound came out, only broken twigs.
The moment she tried to pull out her sword—.
“Damn it!! It’s dangerous!”
Adela’s vision went black as a massive impact followed the deep voice.
‘Was I careless?’
One should never let their guard down with a devil until its head is severed…
Still, through her fading vision, she saw the devil crumbling.
‘Now, more than that Aron fellow…’
She lost consciousness with the thought that she had, at least, slain the devil.
***
‘Did I hit her too hard?’
I looked at the unconscious knight and wondered for a moment, but knights were tough, so she’d probably be fine.
Just then, the Inquisitor began to smash the devil’s already-halved head with her mace.
Like a child playing with a ball, the Inquisitor was completely absorbed in her game of head-mashing.
Not content with simply turning it into a pile of meat, the Inquisitor crouched in front of it and began some detail work.
With that, her round and tempting backside was exposed right in front of me, and—.
“Ah! Damn it! The devil’s last-ditch effort…!”
The Inquisitor fell forward with a thud.
Just in case, I opened both their eyelids and waved a finger in front of their eyes. Neither of them reacted. They seemed to be sleeping soundly.
With no prying eyes for one reason or another, I approached the devil with a light heart.
‘He was a tougher one than I thought.’
Making a brief assessment, I picked up the hideous thing that had fallen.
It was similar to the last one, yet different. After a moment of thought, I lightly tossed it into my mouth.
‘…I’m gonna be shitting blood again.’
With that silly thought, I picked up the two unconscious figures and headed for the castle gate.
The rain was letting up.
The sky was slowly beginning to brighten.
***
“…So you’re saying I should just leave him as he is?”
Baron Pulpuchu furrowed his brow at the somewhat convoluted explanation and asked again.
“Yes.”
At that, Nova, who had bowed her head, answered in a firm voice.
‘Why would she tell me not to properly treat such a talent?’
Baron Pulpuchu pressed his fingers against his temples.
But he couldn't just ignore Nova's words; he had never lost anything by following her advice so far.
‘To think that the man who single-handedly defeated the skeleton that took down my soldiers is a mere guard squad leader!’
What an idiotic placement.
But to just leave him as he is…
“What is the reason?”
The Baron suppressed the questions that rose to his throat and asked with a dignified air.
“…I’m not certain, but it appears he is being pursued by someone.”
“Pursued?”
“Yes.”
At Nova’s crisp reply, Baron Pulpuchu scratched his head. Having left most of his duties to Nova and taken a backseat lately, his mind wasn't working as sharply as it used to.
‘If he’s being pursued, isn’t he dangerous?’
The question arose, but the Pulpuchu family, with only one knight to its name, was not in a position to be picky.
“I offered him a higher position, but he refused them all. In fact, he seemed to find it rather bothersome.”
‘Did I give Nova authority over personnel matters?’
Baron Pulpuchu decided to just nod along.
In any case, it was far better to give it to Nova than to any of the other fools.
‘A powerful man with a mysterious past who shuns high positions…’
It sounded like a story that might be told as a joke at a gathering of nobles.
“Yes, in that case… assign a fine woman to him. There is nothing that can tie a man down like a woman. If he wishes, give him two… no, up to three.”
As he spoke, Baron Pulpuchu mentally reviewed the eligible women in his domain.
Just then, Nova’s expression changed subtly.
‘Was she always this expressive?’
He had known Nova since she was a child, but today was the first time he realized she had so many expressions.
“He is an honorary monk.”
Baron Pulpuchu, who had been internally shortlisting suitable women, widened his eyes at Nova’s words.
“An honorary monk?”
“Yes, an honorary monk of the church.”
“Honorary doesn't matter, does it? Even monks have a mistress or two on the side.”
Like a true nobleman, Baron Pulpuchu hid his surprise and replied.
“I have heard that he is extremely devout and keeps women at a distance. He especially despises women with large chests…”
Nova's expression was a bit strange, but Baron Pulpuchu nodded.
‘A powerful man with a mysterious past who dislikes high positions and is so devout he avoids women…’
Baron Pulpuchu tapped his fingers on the windowsill.
“But an honorary monk? Didn't you say he dislikes positions?”
“It is likely because it is honorary. It seems he accepted it because it comes with rights but no responsibilities.”
At that answer, Baron Pulpuchu let out a low hum.
‘Rights without responsibilities…’
To Baron Pulpuchu, that phrase sounded incredibly sweet.
“And so, I understand that the church does not make any particular demands of him.”
“Is that so? The church has clearly recognized the man's value. But he is a citizen of my domain. I cannot stand by foolishly and do nothing…”
Baron Pulpuchu trailed off, thinking about what to say next.
Casedic Castle, with only one knight remaining, was desperate for even a single strong individual. Even if he wasn't a knight…
The Baron pondered what position to grant him.
Most positions naturally came with responsibilities as well as rights.
Just then, he looked at Nova standing before him and organized his thoughts.
‘Yes, Nova is still unmarried. A beauty like Nova is a rare find…’
Looking at Nova’s somewhat anxious face, a brilliant idea struck him.
An opportunity to grant a position and tie him down at the same time…
“I will appoint him as Honorary Scribe.”
Baron Pulpuchu said it decisively, as if he would not accept any objections.
“…Pardon? But such a position does not exist.”
“That doesn't matter. I am the lord. Besides, since you, the Scribe, are acquainted with him, won't he be more comfortable accepting it?”
Seeing the usually expressionless Nova's eyes widen in surprise brought a sense of satisfaction to Baron Pulpuchu.
Nova then bowed her head, and Baron Pulpuchu let out a snort of laughter.
“By the way, where has Vivian gone? Vivian!”
The Baron called for the young lady.
At that, Nova politely stepped back.
‘Honorary Scribe… this turned out better than I expected.’
However, Baron Pulpuchu did not notice the corners of Nova's lips turning up as she left the room.
***
On the wall, quite a few people had regained consciousness.
The ones who were rummaging through the pockets of those still passed out met my eyes and shot their hands up in the air.
‘Savage medieval bastards.’
I gave each of them a kick before moving on.
Only then did they start waking up the others who were still unconscious.
“Ah, Jojang-nim!”
Berman, his face etched with fatigue, raised a hand and greeted me.
As if they had planned it, the men were all huddled together.
“Jojang, where have you been!”
Kel grumbled as he held the umbrella he was using over my head.
“It’s fine. I’m already soaked.”
“Huh? But earlier…”
Kel muttered, looking wronged.
“By the way, what are those?”
Brick asked, pointing toward my sides.
‘Ah, right. These.’
Just then, Dylan came out and looked back and forth between the two people I was carrying, blinking his eyes as if making a calculation—.
“…Isn’t that the Knight and the Inquisitor?! Hy… Hyung-nim! Are we finally doing it? The time has come! Our Hyung-nim is taking over Casedic Castle!”
Dylan bellowed, drew the sword from his waist, and made a great show of it, exclaiming, “I pledge my loyalty!”
At that, the men around him wore strange expressions and began to finger the weapons at their waists. Their fervor was more than a little burdensome.
‘Doing it… like some kind of gangster…’
The baseless declaration made me clear my throat.
“They passed out fighting a devil, so I brought them back.”
The men nodded at that, but they still kept their hands gripped on the hilts of their weapons.
Ska even made a strange hand signal to the Bread Hats.
“That’s enough. All of you, go and clean up.”
Sensing that they might actually start something if I let them be, I waved my hand dismissively. At that, the men nodded and scattered.
Afterward, Knight Adela, having regained consciousness, scowled and looked around before disappearing without a word of thanks. She clearly wasn't raised right.
The Inquisitor shot up the moment she heard the Abbot’s voice, gave me a deep nod, and vanished. I assumed it was a gesture of thanks.
Once things seemed somewhat sorted out, I picked up Hana, who still hadn't woken up, and headed for the barracks.
As I opened the door to our quarters, a club suddenly came flying at me.
I dodged it and was about to throw a punch when I realized my opponent was Kanna and barely stopped myself.
The startled Kanna bowed her head and pointed at me with both hands. I waved my hand and then pointed at Hana, who I was carrying.
Kanna nodded and extended her hands toward Hana. Hana instantly became fresh and dry, as if she had been through a spin cycle.
‘She has a spin-dry function too? But why was a mage using a club…’
After finishing her spell, Kanna fell forward with a thud.
I clicked my tongue and looked around.
Nova was passed out on the table, and on that same table were three ice heads, and nothing more.
A large puddle of water had formed beneath the ice heads, suggesting she had originally intended to make full bodies. The sight of just three faces lying there was not a pleasant one.
I grabbed Kanna by the scruff of her neck, tossed both her and Hana into Hana’s room, and headed for my own.
Exhausted, I collapsed face-first onto the bed.
I unbuckled my sword so I could draw it at any moment and placed it by my head.
Only then could I comfortably close my eyes.
***
The moment I opened my eyes, I reached for my sword.
Only after my hand was on the hilt could I breathe.
As I caught my breath, I noticed something was off with my body.
I frowned and checked myself over—.
“Achoo—!!”
A sneeze escaped.
***
“General, a letter bearing the sigil of the White Leaf Guild has arrived for you.”
‘I told him not to call me General…’
Bermunt clicked his tongue as he looked down at the man prostrated before him.
It was no use, no matter how many times he said it.
He, and these men, were all ghosts who could not forget the past.
Bermunt gave a slight wave of his hand.
At that, the man respectfully placed the envelope before him and retreated.
‘In the end, it was all just an empty shell.’
Bermunt forcefully suppressed the memories that the word ‘General’ brought to mind.
They were so heavy that even a moment's lapse in concentration would leave him feeling crushed, unable to breathe.
He acted as though he couldn't forget the past and longed for it, but amusingly, both his and the man’s faces were glistening with oil.
His skin, which had been dry and cracked in the desert, now had a healthy sheen.
After staring at the envelope for a moment, Bermunt extended a brown hand covered in black tattoos and tore it open—.
*CRACK!*
Bermunt’s fist shattered the thick desk in a single blow.
His thick arm trembled in the air.
“Aron.”
A moment later, a man’s name slipped through Bermunt’s thick lips.
“So that’s where you were.”
…My comrade, whom I will chew to pieces.
‘The Fifth Fallen Star of the West,’ Bermunt, bared his sharp canines.