I've Changed My Mind

I've changed my mind.

Luminara Manor.

Benedict, the head of the house, stood in the garden staring at the piles of treasure and coin purses laid out before him, lost in thought.

"Hmm…. So what exactly is all this?"

Scriben answered promptly.

"This side is the reward sent by the Papacy for Young Master capturing Jealousy of the Seven Deadly Sins. And this side is the commission fee from Cedric Territory for slaying a demon."

"Heavens…."

It hadn't even been that long since Cael had left the manor laden with money.

Yet in that short span he had not only taken down Jealousy of the Seven Deadly Sins and a demon, but returned with yet another fortune?

Cael, just what in the world are you doing out there….

Benedict felt both pride that his son was performing so well as an Inquisitor, and a quiet worry. Was the uneasy feeling that Cael might one day leave them forever simply unfounded?

"Hoho, Aren dear. Look at this. All of this is money your brother earned fair and square."

"Yes. Brother really is amazing. It seems he's growing stronger at an incredible pace."

Still, seeing Lillian and Aren smile so often these days made Benedict glad.

Yes. What good is fretting over the future? There's a mountain of work to do right now.

Benedict decided to savor the present fully. Cael would fulfill his role as an Inquisitor; Benedict would fulfill his as head of the house. That was all.

"Young Master Cael has arrived!"

At Steward Cedric's shout, the retainers formed ranks before the main gate.

The gates swung open and Cael and Bella stepped through. The servants burst into applause.

Clap-clap-clap-clap-clap!!

It was the kind of fervent welcome reserved for a returning hero.

Considering the money Cael brought back had raised the quality of their meals and daily lives, the reaction was only natural.

Even I, the head of the house, have never received a reception like that….

Want to be the head of the house yourself? Hm?

Title or not, Cael's standing within the family right now seemed higher than anyone else's.

"Haha, thank you, everyone. The eldest son of House Luminara has returned safely."

Cael waved to them.

Benedict watched the scene with fresh eyes.

Once upon a time, not a single retainer in the house had welcomed the delinquent Cael. He may never have bullied others, but he caused nothing but trouble, and people had kept their distance.

But look at them now.

The retainers' eyes shone with admiration and respect as they gazed at Cael.

Barely half a year ago, such a reaction would have been unthinkable.

You've found the right path for your talents.

Just then Cael stopped in front of Benedict. The applause faded and silence settled over the garden.

Cael smiled faintly.

"I'm home, Father."

When had that small troublemaker grown so tall?

His only wish had been for the boy to grow up healthy—yet Cael had far surpassed that modest hope.

Benedict forced down the surge of emotion and smiled.

"Welcome ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠home, Cael."

The moment Father finished greeting me he turned toward the manor and gave an order.

"Everyone, move those things inside. There's a great deal to sort."

"Yes, my lord."

The retainers began hauling the treasures from the garden into the house.

Mother approached me.

"Cael, are you hurt anywhere? I heard you fought a powerful foe."

"As you can see, I'm fine."

"Thank goodness."

She patted my shoulder ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lightly, then glanced at Father.

"Don't mind your father. He's simply embarrassed."

I nodded.

"I know. He couldn't very well shed tears in front of so many people."

"……."

Father's footsteps stopped dead.

"Hoho, that's true enough."

"Ahem! Lillian, come inside already. The air is turning chilly."

"It's only pleasantly cool…."

"Ahem-hem!"

Mother laughed once and followed after him.

Aren smiled at the sight.

"Those two are always so sweet together. It's nice to watch."

I looked at Aren.

In my previous life, Aren would already have been captured by the Evil Book Society by now, suffering through the experiments that turned humans into demons.

After that he would have become a demon himself—unable to die, wandering the continent forever.

"Brother?"

Aren tilted his head under my gaze.

"It's nothing. More importantly, are you still training with the sword?"

"Yes. I want to become strong like you, Brother, so I've been training longer than before."

Indeed, Aren's palms looked rougher than they used to.

"Good. Don't slacken. At the very least you need to be able to protect your own body."

"Understood, Brother."

"Right."

Just then—

"Young Master, Young Master."

A voice called up from below. Standing there were Lark and Lami, the siblings we had taken in from the slums.

Lami held out a neatly folded black priest's robe with her small hands.

"Steward Cedric said to give this to you, Young Master."

"Thank you."

"Yes, hehe…."

Unlike before, Lark and Lami had put on healthy weight and looked clean overall.

I asked Lami,

"Is the work manageable?"

"Yes. Everyone is kind, and I'm happy that I can be of help to someone."

Lami grinned brightly.

"I see. And you, Lark?"

"I still make a lot of mistakes, but learning itself is fun. And most of all, Lami smiles a lot more."

Lark ruffled Lami's small head.

"That's enough. Go keep learning. I have things to do."

"Yes, Young Master."

Once the siblings left, I turned my gaze elsewhere.

Scriben, who had been standing there blankly, offered a formal bow.

"Welcome back. Good fortune of House Luminara, walking treasure vault, light that banishes the dark."

"Skip the flattery. Do you have something to say? Out of money again?"

Scriben pushed up his glasses and replied.

"No, Young Master. You have already supplied us with ample funds. We need not worry about money for the time being."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Well, you see…."

Scriben stepped closer and continued.

"Sowing season is almost upon us, yet the blight Baron Skallen spread across the fields still hasn't been resolved. The people are at their wits' end."

I clicked my tongue.

"That bastard again."

"Yes. That bastard again, and again, and again."

"This won't do. Looks like you'll have to head down to hell and beat the crap out of him for me."

"Haha, another joke, I presume?"

"Does it sound like one?"

Scriben looked into my eyes and answered,

"No."

"Right?"

"Yes."

Sweat beaded on Scriben's forehead as he pressed on.

"Previously, Young Master, you said you would let me live for one month. There are still a few days left until that month is up."

"Then you can live a few more days and go after that."

"Please spare me, Young Master."

I nodded.

"I was joking, actually. You've done good work, so I'll extend it another month."

"Thank you, Young Master."

"So what did Father say about it?"

Scriben lifted his head.

"Lord Benedict said we must first find a way to cure the blight. Until then, absorbing Skallen Territory is impossible. And I share that opinion."

"Same here. We can't even solve our own people's worries—how could we look after anyone else?"

In that case, I couldn't put it off any longer. I would have to go meet him.

"I'll be back, then. I'll find a solution and return."

"Yes. Take care, Young Master."

Just as I was about to leave the manor—

"Cael."

Father, who had somehow come back outside, called me to a halt.

"Yes?"

"If it isn't something that cannot wait even a moment, rest at least one day before you go."

"I'm fine. I rested on the way here and back."

Of course, the consecutive fierce battles had left me tired, but this level of fatigue was familiar from my previous life.

"Cael."

"Yes, Father."

"Not everyone is as tough as you. And you yourself look as though you haven't slept properly of late. Night will fall soon enough and you'll end up camping anyway—wouldn't it be better to sleep comfortably here first?"

Father was as grave as a massive stone for the first time in a long while.

I glanced at Bella beside me.

"Deacon Bella, have you lost weight?"

"Hehe, I lost some baby fat. Proof that I'm becoming a proper lady now!"

She did look as if she'd shed baby fat, but she also had dark circles under her eyes.

Well, on top of assisting me she had been studying magic—of course she was short on sleep.

Hmm.

I had almost forgotten. I was no longer a villain. No one was hunting me anymore.

So there was no need to charge around as if the world were on fire.

Come to think of it, that stalker bastard is the whole reason I used to live like that, isn't he?

Or was he? Besides Ludian and the Holy Empire, I seemed to have had plenty of enemies in my past life.

Anyway, unlike my previous life, I was not walking alone this time.

Sometimes it wouldn't hurt to look around at the people walking the same path.

"I'll rest a day like Father said, then go."

"I'm sor—"

"No arguments. I need to recover my strength too or it'll interfere with the next plan."

"Yes…."

"First let's eat. Have them prepare plenty of meat."

"Thank you, Inquisitor!"

"Sure."

Look at me, so considerate and understanding….

Praise me.

Around the same time, members of the Evil Book Society sat around a table in a certain building within the Holy Empire.

Nemesio, the Great Apostle of the Holy Empire, spoke.

"I have gathered you apostles because there is something of great importance to convey. Please relay this later to the apostles who could not attend."

The apostles nodded silently.

"Then let us get straight to the point. Not long ago, new words of the Demon God were inscribed upon the Primordial Evil Scripture."

Just as the Church of Ella possessed the Original Bible, the Evil Book Society possessed the Primordial Evil Scripture that recorded the Demon God's teachings.

"I-Is that true?"

"Heavens…! Isn't this the first time since Eldoras appeared a hundred and two years ago?"

The apostles each expressed their shock.

"Yes. He was the strongest human in the history of the Ordeval Continent, and a Holy Knight who slew countless demons. Of course, in the end he incurred the great Demon God's wrath and died a miserable death."

"……."

"At any rate, allow me to convey the words written in the Primordial Evil Scripture…."

Nemesio opened the copied scripture and spoke with solemn reverence.

Nemesio gently laid the scripture upon the table.

"That is the entirety of the Demon God's words."

Silence settled over the room for a moment. Then one of the apostles asked,

"Does 'Luminara descendant' refer to Cael Luminara—the one who killed Apostle Skallen?"

Nemesio nodded.

"Most likely. Come to think of it, Apostle Skallen had been targeting House Luminara. Perhaps this was never mere coincidence."

"Then the fact that his name appears in the Primordial Evil Scripture—does that mean he will become a powerhouse on the level of Eldoras?"

"That I do not know. He may become even stronger than Eldoras, or the words may hold a meaning we do not yet understand."

Nemesio regarded the apostles with a grave gaze.

"What is certain, however, is that he will become a great threat to our Evil Book Society."

The apostles nodded in agreement, and Nemesio continued.

"In fact, Cael has already killed Apostle Skallen and dealt with Jealousy of the Seven Deadly Sins. For all we know, he may have accomplished even more that we are unaware of."

"……."

"Therefore, from this moment on, the Evil Book Society designates Cael Luminara as a Heaven-Defier."

"Heaven-Defier" was the title given to those who posed a grave threat to the Evil Book Society.

It already included Holy Knights and Holy Maidens of the Holy Empire, among certain other beings.

"For now, continue as usual—but as the Demon God commanded, remain especially wary of Cael Luminara. We never know when he may appear before us."

"Yes."

"Then this meeting is adjourned. May you all grow stronger than before."

When the Great Apostle rose, the other apostles departed as well.

Bella and I rested a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠full day at the manor before setting out for the next plan.

With the fatigue completely gone, my mind felt noticeably sharper.

Still, leaving the territory does make me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠uneasy.

I had killed Baron Skallen, the man who wiped out my family in the previous life—but I never believed he was the only one who would target us.

More precisely, they'll be after me rather than the family.

By now the Evil Book Society would be on guard against me as well.

But would those vicious bastards ever face me head-on?

Absolutely not.

They might strike at the family while I was gone, forcing my hand.

Yet I couldn't simply stay cooped up in the manor forever either.

Father and Aren are here, but even a single apostle of the Evil Book Society would be more than they could handle.

So I needed to plant one strong person firmly in the family for peace of mind.

And the man I'm going to find right now is perfect for the job.

In my previous life he had been the villain known as Avarice of the Seven Deadly Sins.

A single nick from his dagger was fatal, earning him the moniker "the Viper."

He was strong enough that stationing him with the family would be a tremendous help.

The problem is whether he'll accept it quietly.

He wasn't yet called Avarice of the Seven Deadly Sins, but he was far from docile.

Still, if I handled him well I could at least get a cure for the blight ravaging the fields out of him.

He was a master of poison and therefore highly skilled in medicine; he had even mastered alchemy.

Well, in the end he died by my hand too….

I only hoped he hadn't crossed the line yet.

After two days of hired carriage travel we arrived at Viper Territory.

It was a small barony, yet the presence of the Viper head of house made it a place no one could ignore.

Hmm.

The territory was relatively well-ordered, and various medicinal herbs were being sold along the streets.

Yet a fog seemed to hang over the residents' faces; there was no vitality.

They walked their paths without sparing anyone a glance—even though I was wearing a rather conspicuous priest's robe, not a single person looked my way.

Creak—

While walking the streets I stopped at an alchemy shop called "Lunatic."

The display cases were filled with various herbs and potions; it felt like a small workshop.

"……."

The proprietor sat at the counter but offered no greeting.

Broom-like hair hanging to his shoulders. Eyes sunken like pits.

That was Alturo—the man who would one day be known as Avarice of the Seven Deadly Sins, the Viper.

Personality's exactly the same as back then.

I browsed the shop casually before speaking.

"Proprietor, stop staring and bring me some water. I've come a long way and my throat's dry."

"……."

Alturo stared at me a moment, then wordlessly disappeared into the back and returned with a cup of water.

He set the cup on the counter.

"Here."

"Thanks."

The cup held ordinary water—no scent, no color.

But what is avarice? Being excessively stingy about something.

In short, he was the type who hated even giving a guest a free cup of water.

And yet this man will become the villain known as Avarice of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Moreover, I hadn't even bought anything, yet he handed over water without complaint?

This was no ordinary situation.

"Hey, proprietor."

"Speak."

I set the cup down and fixed him with a serious stare.

"I'll kindly give you a chance. Bring me fresh water, or die by my hand. Choose."

Alturo frowned.

"You think I put something in it? Why would I do such a thing to a priest I've never met?"

"I wouldn't know the reason. So what's it going to be?"

"……."

Alturo watched me for a long while. Our gazes locked in silence.

At last he reached for the cup.

"If you're that suspicious, I'll fetch another."

The moment he was about to take the cup—

"Wait."

I seized his wrist hard.

"I've changed my mind."

"What?"

"Either you drink it yourself, or you come with me to the Papacy. Of course, your head and body will part ways first."

Alturo heaved a long sigh.

"Honestly. For a priest you're awfully suspicious. And you were the one who asked for water first."

"But I never asked for poison."

"…Ha. Fine. I'll drink it myself."

"Do that."

I released his wrist.

He rubbed the reddened wrist, then took the cup. Without hesitation he drained it and set the empty cup down on the counter with a thud.

"Satisfied?"

I nodded.

"You must have been quite thirsty."

"So what business do you have with me? Doesn't look like you came to buy anything."

I studied him a moment, then said,

"I had business with the proprietor, but it just vanished. Sorry for suspecting you. Force of habit—I'm an Inquisitor."

"…So you were an Inquisitor after all."

Alturo shrugged.

"I don't know what you suspected me of, but if it's cleared up, fine."

"Appreciate the understanding. By the way, isn't the shop a bit warm? Might want to air it out."

"Hm, is it? I don't feel anything."

"Well, if the proprietor says so. I'll be going then."

I walked out without a shred of lingering attachment.

The moment the Inquisitor closed the door behind him, Alturo let out a deep sigh of relief.

That was close.

He had indeed mixed a sleeping drug into the water he gave the Inquisitor—strong enough to drop most knights instantly.

The only reason Alturo himself was still standing was his abnormal resistance to poisons.

He had even calculated the dosage carefully in case he was forced to drink it himself, just as he had a moment ago.

Still, the effect is so strong that even I'm getting a little drowsy. Better brew an antidote and take it.

Alturo went into the back of the shop and began skillfully pulling out herbs one by one.

His resistance meant he wouldn't actually pass out, but the Inquisitor might suddenly return to check on him.

Even if that happened he was confident he could hide any sign of fatigue—but it was better to eliminate variables.

I was prepared to knock the Inquisitor out and run if necessary, but thankfully it worked out.

When the Inquisitor first entered, Alturo had been certain the man knew something.

There was no other reason an Inquisitor would specifically visit this shop.

But the man must have decided he was wrong, because he left again.

Of course, his suspicion had been correct.

"Hmm?"

While diligently mixing the antidote, Alturo suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

Why is it so hot?

The shop had been cool, yet at some point it had grown stifling. At first he thought it was his imagination, but his body temperature was clearly rising.

It's not the sleeping drug I drank.

It could make him sleepy, but it had no such side effect. He knew better than anyone—he had made it himself.

…Wind?

Hot air was circulating inside the shop. Outside, he could even sense faint, wavering mana.

Don't tell me…! The Inquisitor's doing?

It was mana without killing intent, and the sleeping agent had dulled his sharp senses, so he noticed it late.

Damn it! He never dropped his suspicion!

Rising body temperature accelerated blood flow, which meant the drug would take effect that much faster.

Stagger—

Alturo lost his balance for a moment and leaned against the table.

Shit…! That's why he turned and left so cleanly? To make me drop my guard for a second?

Cold sweat poured down. His eyelids grew crushingly heavy.

It felt like being trapped in a steam room while half-asleep.

"At least this…."

He grabbed a handful of the still-unmixed herbs and shoved them into his mouth.

But before he could even chew—

Ah… I'm fucked….

Thud—

He finally lost the thin thread of consciousness he had been clinging to and collapsed to the floor.