Chapter 60
Chapter 60
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Chapter 22: Dark Forest (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A forest where almost no light penetrated.
The ground was not soil but a sticky swamp.
Its form, tangled with filth, emitted a stench so foul it made one's head throb just looking at it.
In the depths of the swamp forest, where razor-sharp grasses grew everywhere, something enormous pulsed.
Flesh-colored and egg-shaped, with grotesque veins stretching out in all directions.
"It's grown so much."
A man stood before it.
His disheveled hair and hollow eyes, bloodshot and weary-looking.
Yet the man didn't seem to feel fatigue at all. He simply gazed at the massive egg-shaped thing with a smile like he owned the world.
"I told you not to open your mouth. It really stinks."
Beside the man, a strikingly beautiful woman pinched her nose.
She brushed back her blue hair, which fell to her waist, and took a step away from him.
As if he hadn't heard her, the man just grinned disgustingly.
The woman couldn't understand why she was here.
Out of all the people, why her?
'I want to go home and soak in warm water.'
Staying with this unwashed madman would contaminate her too.
"Just hold on a little longer, baby! The day you escape that stuffy place isn't far off! On the day you awaken, the time to fulfill our mission will come!"
"Would it kill you to speak quietly?"
"You're the noisy one. A mere tool like you. Just stay here and guard quietly."
The man left with a mad smile.
The woman trembled with rage at the sight.
If not for orders from above, she would have killed him right there.
No, she would have snapped his neck the moment they met.
'Why did they tell me to help that filthy thing?'
And this horrific egg.
Knowing what was inside made her skin crawl.
Even though her hands were stained with much blood, incubating something like this— was it right?
It shook her very sense of self.
'The higher-ups must have their reasons.'
The woman decided not to think further.
Thinking would only stress her out.
And stress was the enemy of skin.
'When I get back, I'll get a full skincare treatment. Definitely!'
She rubbed her smooth forehead and vowed.
When Jamie returned to his room, Vena was nowhere to be seen.
"Sara must have taken her."
A moment of silence for Vena, who was probably somewhere in the mansion receiving Sara's endless affection.
"By the way, telling me not to pay attention to Bayril. What does that mean?"
He hadn't explained properly.
Jamie was simply curious about Bayril's reaction during his conversation with his mother, Sears.
"Is there some bad rumor?"
Well, if it was something he could tell, Sable wouldn't have hidden it.
Should he ask Sears?
"Hmm..."
Their relationship didn't seem great.
Still, she would answer if he asked.
Jamie knew well how much his mother loved him.
It was just a bit burdensome.
He hadn't had separate time at the marquisate, but he could make some.
Jamie set aside thoughts of Bayril and recalled Sable's joking words.
"Where the hell is Mirene Forest? Do you know, Black?"
Kki-gik?
Black poked out from his shoulder, shaking his round head side to side as if to say he didn't know.
"Well, what would you know."
Jamie scratched Black's fur with his finger, and Black rubbed his wings against it happily, grrr-grrr.
As if he thought he was a cat.
He seemed pleased to be pampered after so long.
It had been a while since Jamie had summoned him, so it made sense.
"They've arrived!"
"The Archbishop of the Pyro Church has arrived!"
At that moment, noisy voices came from outside.
As Jamie stood, Black flapped and landed on his head.
Looking out the window, a group was approaching the mansion.
With hawk-like vision, it was the archbishop's group that had left the church earlier.
'They're finally here.'
Knock knock knock.
"Young Master. You need to prepare."
A maid had arrived just in time.
Jamie permitted her to enter.
"It's been a while, Archbishop."
"The marquis looks well too. Glad to see it."
"When was the last time we met?"
"I remember it as last winter."
Bell Marquis and the Pyro Church's Archbishop Sefira were greeting each other after a long time.
Drex and Sable had already come out to welcome them, and Jamie had arrived at the main hall holding Sears's hand.
"Oh! Who's this!"
Archbishop Sefira spotted Sears and widened his eyes. Then he approached her with a delighted face.
"Isn't this Lady Sears?"
"It's really been ages, Archbishop!"
Sears lightly hugged the approaching Sefira.
Sefira looked at her face intently with a half-moved expression.
"You've changed a lot from before."
"Hehe. Have I aged badly?"
"No. You've become even more mature than before."
At Sefira's praise, Sears pouted like a child. To her, Sefira was like a mentor who had always doted on her since childhood.
Sefira smiled proudly, then noticed the two children behind her.
"And these children?"
"My son and daughter. The older one's 7, the younger 3."
"Heavens— that wild girl has become a mother of two already?"
"Wh-what do you mean wild girl!"
Sears cried out in flustered voice, then hurriedly turned to Jamie and Sara with a non-explanation explanation.
"The archbishop is just joking, so don't believe him, okay?"
Of course, Mother.
I can tell even without seeing.
Jamie couldn't say that, so he just smiled awkwardly.
Sara, not knowing what "wild girl" meant, just tilted her head.
-Master's mother must have been a tomboy when young.
'Doesn't she still give off that vibe?'
Jamie roughly replied to Vena's telepathy.
Jamie stepped beside Sears and greeted Sefira.
"I'm Jamie Welton of the Welton family. It's an honor to meet the Archbishop of the Pyro Church."
"The pleasure is mine, young brother. And this one?"
"I'm Sara Weltonnn..."
Sara, a bit shy, hid behind Jamie and finished her introduction in a tiny voice.
At her cute display, Sefira burst into hearty laughter.
"Haha. It's like seeing Lady Sears as a child."
"A-Archbishop, really."
Sears blushed and turned her head in embarrassment.
"Hahaha. Come to think of it, it must be seven years since I last saw my daughter."
"Yes, Marquis. Time is cruel."
"I should have visited. I'm truly sorry."
"Seeing you now makes it all good, doesn't it?"
"I was planning to visit the church soon anyway. How are the children?"
"Yes, they're well. Please come soon. They're waiting eagerly."
Jamie, who had met Riki earlier, pretended not to know and looked away.
"We'll catch up on old times later. I have urgent matters to discuss with the archbishop."
"Ah, yes. I'm fine."
"Thank you. Shall we go?"
"See you shortly."
Sefira followed the marquis to his study.
Sears watched their backs and muttered.
"Something's up, right? Don't you think?"
She asked her clever son for confirmation.
Jamie couldn't say "A demon appeared," so he vaguely agreed.
"Why not tell us?"
He tilted his head in thought, but nothing came to mind.
Sears looked at her son and daughter.
"Shall we have tea time after so long?"
Seeing the archbishop, an old connection, had brightened her face considerably.
Jamie smiled back.
"Sure!"
He was curious about her relationship with Bayril anyway.
'I'll ask naturally.'
What exactly had happened between Sears and Bayril?
Jamie took her hand and headed to the garden.
Meanwhile, he listened to the voices in his head.
-Another one was hit last night.
-I swear by the goddess, I cannot forgive them. We must eradicate that wicked group.
-Agreed. Isn't that why we're meeting today?
It was Bell Marquis and Archbishop Sefira.
The moment they turned, he had swiftly attached part of Black like a listening device.
They wouldn't notice Black's presence.
Jamie smiled.
"Something good happen?"
Sears asked at her son's smile.
It must have shown on his face without him realizing.
But was this the first or second time?
Jamie quipped wittily.
"I'm just excited for tea time with Mom after so long!"
"Oh my. Mom's touched!"
Sears hugged Jamie tightly.
Jamie made a pained face.
-Master. Your face looks weird.
'Shut up.'
Jamie just hoped Sears would let go soon.
The marquis set down his teacup and opened his mouth.
"Has there been contact from the Grand Cathedral?"
"It arrived just last night."
Sefira set down his teacup and replied.
He stroked his white beard and relayed the Grand Cathedral's message.
"They said they'll dispatch two Holy Enforcers."
"Heavens. The Pope made a tough decision."
"With Sir Ras, that'll make three in total in Uptown."
The Pyro Church's Grand Cathedral recognized the severity of this [Demon] incident.
They sent two Holy Enforcers to wrap it up quickly before it escalated.
"Who did the Pope send?"
"I haven't been informed yet. Probably those stationed there."
"Makes sense. They're all busy."
Holy Enforcers were the Pyro Church's top forces, paladins.
Two of them were master-level warriors wielding archbishop-level authority within the Grand Cathedral.
"I'm grateful you're looking after Uptown."
"Don't say that. Everyone thinks of Uptown as the Pyro Church's second holy site."
"Truly thankful for that."
"Anyway, we can't just wait for the two Holy Enforcers from the Grand Cathedral."
"Of course. Even now, my troops are raiding their possible hideouts."
"I heard you almost caught their tail."
"The inspector worked hard, but they slipped away. Regrettable."
"The inspector— your aide as well, right?"
"Yes."
Sable was overseeing the [Demon] case.
"A truly capable man. I thought he was no ordinary fellow last time too."
"Well, yeah."
"How did you recruit him?"
"Long story. I'll tell you when there's time."
"Looking forward to it."
Sefira chuckled and sipped his tea.
Then, as if remembering something, he dropped his smile and asked.
"How's Sir Onyx these days?"
At the mention of Bayril, the marquis's expression hardened.
Sefira was slightly flustered by the reaction.
"What's wrong?"
"No, nothing. Just a bit."
Bell Marquis sighed lowly, recalling Bayril.
He thought of last night's conversation.
'I'll be away for a while.'
'Because of Sears? Or...'
'The latter.'
'You fool. What would your father in heaven think seeing you like this?'
Despite the marquis's scolding, Bayril just repeated apologies. And that dawn, he vanished.
"..."
As the marquis didn't answer, Sefira smiled perceptively.
After a brief silence, the marquis came to his senses and smiled faintly.
"Sorry. I got lost there."
"No need. Human emotions don't bend to will."
"True. Anyway, our top priority is exterminating the [Demons]."
"Keep that in mind."
"Let's remind them of the nightmare from 50 years ago."
"The goddess surely desires it too. But what if they flee into the 'Ariazad Great Forest'?"
Ariazad Great Forest.
Uptown was one of the border cities of Seldam Kingdom, bordering Bloni Kingdom.
As allies, they didn't station heavy guards against each other.
No, even if relations soured, they wouldn't.
Between them lay a massive forest called Ariazad.
One of the world's six forbidden zones, teeming with ferocious monsters.
Those monsters never left the forest but showed no mercy to intruders.
Thus, no need to guard each other. Any war would require crossing it.
The problem was criminals often hid there. But entering was a death sentence, so most ignored it.
"If they go into the Great Forest, we won't need to worry. The place itself is an execution ground."
"They might lurk in Mirene Forest."
"If in Mirene Forest, my soldiers can handle them."
The archbishop looked satisfied at the marquis's confident reply.
"Speaking of which, how are the apostle and saintess who came this time? Friends of my grandson, I heard."
"Haha. Truly kind and cute ones."
They chatted briefly about Riki and Anna, then returned to specifics on future plans.
Around then, Jamie stopped eavesdropping.
Instead.
"Mom."
"What's up, my son?"
"Can I ask something?"
He looked at Sears with innocent sparkling eyes.
At her son's cute face, Sears nodded with loving eyes.
"Anything."
"What's your relationship with Uncle Onyx?"
"..."
But at the unexpected question, Sears was speechless.
"Can't tell me?"
As Jamie asked again, gauging her reaction, his mother shook her head.
"No, it's not that. Well. Where to start."
She stroked her daughter's head, who was playing with Vena nearby.
"When Mom was your age, that's when I first met him."
She meant Bayril Onyx.
Sears began recounting old memories.