193
Nagging
‘earthly···.’
Imperial Knight Jarn muttered, holding his sword firmly.
Although nothing could be seen because it was obscured by the dense forest, the distinct presence beyond was so thick that I couldn’t turn my head.
“···Shouldn’t this be taken down?”
I turned my head at the terrified voice and saw the royal knight with a sad face.
He was a man who was particularly proud of being a royal knight. He was a man who always stood in the front, singing strange songs with overflowing pride.
That guy was afraid.
Jarn looked around hurriedly. Everyone was either looking for God or retreating. It was like the atmosphere of a defeated army.
We haven’t even faced the enemy yet, and we’re already in this state- Jarn bit his lip in the gloomy situation.
The imperial knights do not run away from their enemies. Demons were only their prey, not something to be feared.
This was a story I had heard countless times, like brainwashing. I even took an oath every day. However, that presence was enough to erase all of that.
Jarn checked his surroundings. Everyone was scattered and searching, so there were two Templars, three Inquisitors, and three men who looked like soldiers.
There should never have been a retreat for an Imperial Knight. Jarn nodded. As the other Imperial Knights lowered their swords.
Kkeeeeek-.
A wyvern’s howl was heard from above.
A moment later, someone fell from above. The man landed lightly and shook his collar. It was Marshal Balhar Khan, who had been out of contact after a short command.
Unlike his usual cool-headed appearance, which made it seem like not a single drop of blood would come out even if he was stabbed, he gave off a very unstable feeling.
Marshal Balhar Khan furrowed his eyebrows as he confirmed the direction of the strong presence. He muttered softly, ‘···We must catch that bastard now.’ However, his eyes were not filled with confidence.
Marshal Balhar Khan waved his hand. The surrounding imperial knights fell to their knees.
“Assemble everyone. Let’s move in.”
Marshal Balhar Khan gave a heavy order.
What have you been doing until now, and now you show up and give such crazy orders? Heading there is no different from suicide…
Jarn swallowed the question that was on the tip of his tongue. He motioned slightly behind him.
Beep, beep, beep, it was a siren’s vinyl whistle that could be heard from far away.
Imperial knights and Templars also gradually became speculative.
In such a heavy atmosphere-.
“Brothers… This is cheap. Let’s do it secretly.”
Berman and Kel, who were carrying the luggage from behind, nodded to Dylan’s whisper.
“···I will get rid of the dung fly in front of me.”
Dylan said confidently, pointing to the royal knight in front of him with his chin.
‘What confidence···.’
However, Dylan was strangely trustworthy and Berman trembled.
***
‘···Oh my god.’
Brighton looked for God in a small way. The Bible in his hand was trembling.
He couldn’t take his eyes off it.
It was definitely Aaron. Why was Aaron, the Honorary Vice-Abbot, here? Why did he end up like that?
The shell that covered half of the face beyond the body was clearly evidence of a demon. And the presence it gave off was also-.
There was an abundance of undeniable evidence.
Aaron was the arch-demon.
The great demon that the Knights of the Temple and the Imperial Knights are currently seeking.
‘How could this happen······.’
Brighton fell forward, his legs giving out, the corpse of a demon servant cut in half before him.
It was a strange shape, resembling a wolf, but with human toes. Brighton bit his lip and pushed him.
My hand slipped on the black blood and I fell again. My face was buried in the intestines. The horrible cold and the disgusting smell brought me back to my senses.
I quickly raised my head. Aaron was still leaning against the tree, still.
Is he dead? – Brighton muttered softly. Then he frowned at the fact that his voice was small.
“Aaron, Honorary Vice-Abbot! Are you alright?!”
Spit flew out of Brighton’s mouth. Cold rain flowed in through it and clogged his throat.
There was no answer. There was only the sound of falling raindrops.
Brighton forced himself to stand up, his legs weak. He slowly approached Aaron.
There were quite a few corpses in between.
What happened here?
Brighton, who was standing in front of Aaron, looked down at him. Aaron, who was always looked up to because he was so big, now looked especially small.
It was as if he was curled up like a baby that had left its parents’ embrace.
Brighton crouched down before him.
As I got closer, a pungent smell wafted out. The smell of blood, water, and urine mixed together to create a stench that only a demon could give off.
Knock knock knock.
Heavy raindrops pounded Brighton.
Aaron’s appearance resembles that of his son.
‘Aiden-.’
Brighton muttered the muffled name.
The wrinkles in his eyes became even deeper.
***
“What are you talking about! Aiden is the devil!”
Brighton screamed.
Brighton, who usually kept his voice low due to strict family rules, sounded a bit awkward, but he didn’t have the presence of mind to pay attention to him.
“Cardinal Brighton. Your adopted son is now being questioned by the Holy Inquisitor on suspicion of demonism.”
“Aiden is the devil! There’s no way that kid could be! There’s definitely something wrong with him!”
“······Cardinal Brighton.”
“I need to see your face right now! Get out of my way!”
“Cardinal Brighton!”
Brighton’s heads turned at the shout of the Knight of the Temple.
The Templar’s face was filled with annoyance. He had the same expression a priest makes when he gives a blessing to a commoner.
Brighton took a deep breath and calmed down.
It was no use talking to the Knight of the Temple. With someone like that, it would only make things worse.
It was well known how harsh the interrogation of the Holy Inquisitors was. A child as fragile as that would not have lasted even a day.
I had to meet Gaju as soon as possible.
Brighton ran out of breath.
However, the head of the household’s response was cold.
“I’ve been worried that something like this would happen ever since you took in an orphan whose origins I don’t even know. That’s why I told you before. That rude, rootless child will come back to haunt you one day, so get rid of him quickly. Tsk.”
Brighton grabbed his knees hard as he blurted out words that even strangers wouldn’t be able to say.
“······There must have been a misunderstanding. Aiden would never do that. He’s a good kid who waits for me to finish work late and eat stew with me. That’s impossible.”
Brighton raised his voice in front of his family for the first time in his life.
“Shut your mouth, Brighton. This isn’t just your problem. Have you forgotten what our family sacrificed to put you in the position of Cardinal? That position is not yours.”
Brighton bit his lip. A bitter taste filled his mouth, but he felt no pain.
“Don’t ever come near that place.”
Brighton looked up. The white-haired, noble-looking man’s face was filled with annoyance.
It was the same expression as the knight of the temple earlier.
Brighton was dragged out by my sister and brother.
Brighton looked at the tightly closed door for a moment and then turned around.
I was thinking of asking the Pope, whom I had only met a few times.
It was just the last gasp of someone falling off a cliff.
The Pope surprisingly readily agreed to the meeting.
Brighton knelt before the Pope and begged.
The Pope set one condition for him.
“Believe in God until the end.”
Brighton thought for a long time, then nodded.
***
“Only until this candle goes out.”
Brighton accepted the candle handed to him by the Holy Inquisitor.
There was a half-burned candle on a silver candlestick covered in rust. Brighton felt unnecessarily impatient as the wax dripped down the side. “With a new candle…” As he spoke, the divine investigator turned around.
The rusty iron door was wide open. There was something in the center of the moonlight streaming in through the small window.
It was like meat hanging in a butcher’s shop. Full of the smell of blood and mold.
Thump. The door slammed shut. Brighton came to his senses.
That wasn’t lean meat.
Brighton approached slowly, shivering.
I lost strength in the middle and started to crawl.
As soon as he reached the front, he heard a small breathing sound. Brighton hurriedly recited a prayer. A bright light appeared in Brighton’s hand.
I saw my son’s face. With his protruding fangs, pale skin, and red eyes – he was the epitome of a vampire.
Brighton stopped as he raised his hand. Could this light······.
“Ugh···.”
The wandering red eyes stared at Brighton. It seemed as if it was about to say something, but the gag in its mouth muffled its words.
“Yes, Aiden. There was a misunderstanding, right? You wouldn’t have done that, would you?”
Brighton was talking and talking. He read Bible verses, prayed, and pleaded.
Again, his son spoke. He couldn’t hear because of the gag, but he was calling for himself. He tried to take the gag off, but it was iron and wouldn’t come off. Brighton’s fingernails broke and bled.
His son’s red eyes flashed. Brighton was startled and pulled his hand away, then gritted his teeth.
The son squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. His red eyes stared at Brighton.
Brighton was in the church from the beginning of my memory. I also knew his son who followed Brighton to the church.
That no one has ever been interrogated by a Holy Investigator and come out alive.
The longer I lived, the longer I suffered.
The son turned his head and bowed. It was a greeting they used when they were going somewhere far away.
The light in Brighton’s hand lost its power.
“There will be a way… There will be a way. I am a cardinal! Yes, I am a cardinal. I will do it somehow….”
Brighton was talking nonsense. Yes, he was a cardinal. He was the highest-ranking official in the world, if not the Pope. It was a heavy position that he hated, but somehow he could bear the weight of it.
At that moment, the candle went out.
Moonlight filled the room again. Aiden’s red eyes grew redder. His fangs became sharp like daggers.
Brighton looked at the candles, then at his son, then at the closed iron door.
Did you drink human blood?
The question was stuck in my throat and wouldn’t come out.
Knock knock.
“It’s time.”
A voice full of boredom broke the silence.
The son turned his head again and bowed deeply.
Even though he was gagged and couldn’t speak, he could tell what his son wanted.
That day, for the first time, Brighton did not pray.
***
Thud.
Cold raindrops ran down Brighton’s forehead and soaked his eyes.
Brighton took a deep breath and looked down at his hand. It was covered in black blood, as if he had buried it while pushing the body earlier.
“Haha. You were the devil. Is that why you hated reading the Bible so much? You didn’t even pray. You just slept during worship.”
I forced a smile, but the corners of my mouth wouldn’t go up. The hand I held out was trembling.
Soon, Brighton’s hand reached Aaron’s neck. Aaron’s neck was really cold. It was thick. There were many scars. Someone had cut into it with a saw, and there was a lot of dried blood. It must have hurt a lot.
A small breath escaped between Brighton’s parted lips.
“······Then is Inquisitor Joanna a devil too? Doesn’t she hate worship even more than you? I’ve never seen her pray.”
I couldn’t get a pulse. I wondered if he was already dead. I became anxious. I became impatient.
“···I don’t know. What the devil is, what God is. Why does the Bible of the church seem wrong, and the Bible of the heretics seem right? Is it right to tie up people and throw them into a lake or a fire pit under the suspicion of heresy? ···Is there really a God? I really don’t know.”
The rain was pouring down. My eyes stung so I closed them, but when I opened them, more rain was pouring down. My vision was blurry.
He put strength into his hand. Aaron’s shaking head became steady. His head turned and I saw eyes that I had not noticed before.
The red and yellow pupils overlapped.
The eyes were bright yellow, like those of a devil.
It was a rather rebellious look that suited Aaron.
“······I don’t know why you can’t even close your eyes.”
Brighton took a deep breath.
Even though I read the Bible countless times, I still didn’t know much. No, I felt like I was getting more stupid. To the point where I couldn’t trust my own son.
The regret that had been buried raised its head. He couldn’t even count how many times he had imagined that day. Could there have been another way? Brighton had thought about it countless times.
And to this day, I still haven’t found the answer.
“I am ignorant, so I will not judge.”
Brighton shut his eyes tightly at that.
He himself could not know.
So I thought I’d find an answer.
“Please answer-.”
Brighton desperately sought God.
The sun rose brighter than ever.
***
“···Please shine. So no matter how dark the path is-.”
A creepy sound brought me back to my senses.
When I opened my eyes, I saw the abbot praying, holding my neck.
Her hair, which was usually neatly combed over, was tangled and covered in black blood, as if she had smashed her face into a corpse.
The abbot continued to pray, speaking in tongues, with tears streaming down his face. He had been shouting so loudly that his voice was hoarse.
I blinked.
It wasn’t a nightmare.
‘This is fucking crazy.’
I couldn’t understand why this situation happened every time I closed my eyes and opened them.
Just a moment ago, two incompetent mercenaries were holding swords to his neck, but this time, the abbot was praying while holding his neck.
To say that it was fucking ridiculous was an understatement.
A mercenary with a knife to his throat and an abbot praying fervently. I was wondering which of the two was the worst, and I chose the latter.
Unlike the former, the latter could not be squeezed.
“Now we even have home visit worship services.”
I grumbled and pushed his hand away.
“······Aaron, Honorary Vice-Abbot?”
The abbot looked at me with more clear and burdened eyes than before and stammered.
“You have the wrong person.”
“Aaron, Honorary Vice-Abbot!”
The abbot suddenly rushed at me. I was startled and swung my fist. Bam! Unfortunately, it was my left hand.
The abbot who had been hit once stepped back slightly. After a moment of coughing, he neatly pushed back his disheveled hair.
His stubborn eyebrows were revealed. The abbot, who had briefly adjusted his attire, opened his mouth as if he had something to say.
‘···Did you get caught?’
I glanced around at the hesitant abbot.
It was as if the shell had been shed, and the body was covered in red and black, and nearby, there were torn corpses strewn about.
Besides, there was little reason for the abbot to be in such a deep forest. He was most likely tied up with a knight of the temple who had come out as a service.
I looked at the abbot and thought about it.
What to do if you get caught.
The abbot slowly opened his mouth. I looked at him and released my right hand. My mouth was parched and dry. I was tired now and didn’t want to exert myself any more.
The silence continued and my weight increased.
Pitter-patter.
Cold raindrops pounded on my head.
However, the words that came out of the abbot’s mouth were different from what I expected.
“Hey, what’s wrong with your hand?”
The abbot’s gaze was fixed on my left hand. His eyes were wide, as if he was really curious.
“Huh······. Are you curious about that now?”
The tension that had built up due to the unexpected question disappeared. I laughed in vain and coughed.
“Wouldn’t you be curious?”
When I looked down at him, I saw a baby’s hand.
‘I guess you’re curious.’
I think I should have asked this too. I sighed and scratched my cheek.
“I think I was lacking vitamins. Or iron. Something like that.”
“Why do you have a sword stuck in your right hand? Is it not enough to train every morning? Even so, sticking a sword in your palm… It must be bad for your health.”
The abbot kept spouting out words that were annoying even to hear.
“Don’t you know? It’s a trend in the capital these days, and all the stylish people walk around with a sword in each hand.”
I waved my hand roughly.
The abbot returned with his usual stern face and strained his eyes. His eyes, which had become clearer than before, were very burdensome.
“That’s fine. Didn’t you promise me? To attend the service on the holy day. How can the sub-abbot not attend the most important holy day of the year? Even if it’s an honor, you’re the sub-abbot. How can you skip the service?”
The nagging poured out one after another. There was no space between them, as if there was a script. My head was spinning from the nagging that poured out without a moment’s rest.
Should I pretend to lose consciousness and hit him hard right now? I held back because I thought that would lead to interest on my nagging. It was a time of high interest rates.
I checked my physical condition while trying to ignore the nagging.
Before I closed my eyes, my body was in terrible shape, but now it was quite clear. I seemed to be the cause of the abbot’s cracked voice and the fatigue on his face.
“Didn’t you tell me last time how important the Holy Day is? But since you, the sub-abbot, don’t attend the service, what about the others? And to celebrate the Holy Day, you and Joanna…”
‘Have your healing skills improved?’
I muttered, glancing sideways at the abbot who was still nagging.
Of course, since he was a gentleman who prayed as if he was breathing and worshiped as if he was eating, his skills had no choice but to improve.
I was afraid that I would die from nagging if I left it alone any longer, so I hurriedly retorted.
“I also worked hard to celebrate the sacred day. Look at those. I cleaned them all up. Isn’t the sacred day originally a day when the strongest one leaves out the rest?”
I pointed at the people around me as if I was rebelling. They were all bad guys. The Holy Days in the Bible must have been similar.
“What kind of impure expression is that? It’s not wrong, but······. Anyway, that and worship are separate things.”
The abbot nodded, his face momentarily looking uneasy.
“Phew-.”
“Don’t get up. I treated you, but you’ve lost too much blood. You need to rest.”
“It doesn’t seem like a good place to rest.”
I laughed bitterly and forced myself to sit up. At the end, only my right hand could move, but now I could move all of it, even though it was creaking. This was more than enough.
“I see. Drink this.”
The abbot took something out of his bosom and handed it to me. It was a clear glass bottle with the emblem of the order engraved on it. The opening was also made of gold.
‘···High-level potion?’
I blinked for a moment. If it was a high-level potion, it was worth calling. There was even a rumor that if you sprinkled it on a severed arm, it would grow back.
Anyway, it could be considered the best among health tonics.
Handing over such a high-level potion without any hesitation-. He was quite the nag.
“Oh my, what is this···.”
It would be rude to refuse the offer, so I quickly accepted it and put it in my mouth.
I didn’t like the abbot’s smile, but I took it in right away. Judging by the gentle heat radiating from it, it was clear that ginseng had been added.
I put my tongue in and licked the inside. My hazy mind became clearer. The heavy fatigue melted away a little. I felt like I could kill nine more.
“This is the fifth worship service.”
After drinking everything and putting the bottle down, the abbot muttered quietly. It was a typical scammer’s tactic.
“Worship is not money. It is sacred.”
“Do you know how much the Bible costs?”
“I’m not interested.”
The abbot’s gentle eyes were extremely irritating. The abbot’s characteristically refined madness seemed to have deepened.
“What brings you here?”
I changed the subject of conversation. The abbot’s expression hardened for a moment at my question, then relaxed.
“Um… I came out for a walk. It seems like I’ve been staying in the castle too much lately.”
The abbot had no talent for lying.
‘I guess you came out with those knights of the temple.’
But to treat the target, the great devil, with all sincerity… If they heard that, it would be a story that would grab them by the scruff of the neck.
The abbot, who had hesitated for a moment, suddenly stood up. He adjusted his attire and put his hair back on.
He was the abbot of the monastery. He was a strict, uncomplicated, and correct priest.
“You stay calm.”
“···Where are you going?”
“Because there are people who came with me.”
The abbot pointed behind him with his finger.
The forest was already gloomy, but now that I looked at it, it seemed even more sinister. Something could be felt beyond the thick trees.
I thought of the Master of the Sword and the Sword Master Daiso, but the feeling was strangely different between the two.
It was much darker, darker and deeper.
I didn’t feel good.
In this case, it would have been right to run away as far as possible, but given the abbot’s personality, that was not possible.
Plus, we had to deal with the evil guys using negative tactics before they could return to Cassidy.
I nodded and relaxed my body.
Although there was still a little pain, I was able to move around somewhat.
This was enough.
“Let’s go.”
“···It won’t work!”
The abbot was startled by my words and refused. It was a stubborn refusal that was so hurtful. I held back the fist I was about to swing because I knew why.
“You can’t fight, right? What if you meet a monster on the way? I’ll give you about twenty worship services for cheap.”
“It’s okay because you won’t meet demons if you pray. And don’t talk about worship like it’s currency. That’s blasphemous. And fuck. That’s a blasphemous word too.”
“If I pray, I won’t meet you… What kind of nonsense is that?”
“You didn’t meet anyone when you came. This is a proven theory. And please be a little more polite. You are the honorary vice-abbot, so what’s a dog? I don’t expect you to be educated, but…”
“That’s because I caught and killed them all, so we didn’t meet. For now, let’s go. If you die, I’ll become the abbot. I don’t like that.”
The abbot licked his lips, seemingly speechless.
After a while, the abbot sighed and opened his mouth.
“······Just because the abbot dies, the vice abbot doesn’t become the abbot. The religious order isn’t some kind of gangster, and if someone dies, the subordinates won’t come up and do anything. And aren’t you an honorary vice abbot?”
The abbot kept nagging at me.
‘I’ll pretend to lose consciousness and hit him a few times…’
I deeply regretted it. Suddenly, the famous saying, ‘When you think it’s too late, that’s when it’s fastest’ came to mind.
He frowned and twisted his body. He gave a brilliant performance as if he was possessed by a ghost, but-.
“Aaron, Honorary Vice-Abbot. Have you been drinking? You’re not attending the service, but drinking instead. When you return, you’ll have to go through a special service period······.”
I took a deep breath and turned my head.
“Anyway, let’s go. Let’s finish quickly and rest.”
The abbot hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
It seems like he was afraid to go alone.
How long had I been walking, listening to the tiresome sermon of the abbot? The bushes ahead parted and someone jumped out.
“Eww!! What the hell! What the hell!”
The man who had found the mother and child of another man suddenly swung his dagger. His movements were so clever that it was obvious that he was a skilled assassin.
The moment I reached out my right hand to him, I saw his face. It was a very frightened weasel. I quickly switched to my left hand.
“······You little brat?! Brother?”
The weasel that was caught and hanging from me was crying. I looked at it.
Red blood was dripping from the dagger, and his entire body was drenched in sweat. He also reeked of urine.
Just then, the bushes behind us parted and two more jumped out.
“Hey, you crazy kid! If you really get rid of the royal knights…. Captain?”
“First, shut up and run! Now… Captain?”
Berman and Kel were similar to Dylan. They were all covered in dirt and scratch marks.
I was out of breath from running so fast, and the steam rose up in wisps as I was hit by the rain. Water droplets formed in the eyes of the two people who noticed me.
They were so excited about having a nice time with their ladies. Why did they come out here?
‘···Is there a bounty on my head?’
I muttered as I dropped the clinging weasel. It seemed worth a hundred gold coins if these cowards were coming.
“Are you okay? That’s good! Captain.”
“No, why are you disappearing without saying anything! Aren’t we screwed up too!”
Berman and Kel quickly ran over and hid behind me.
Berman asked after my well-being in a trembling voice, and Kel kept whining through a blocked throat.
“Big brother! I! I asked you to come! I was worried because you didn’t come! I even swept away an imperial knight for you! Big brother! But······.”
Dylan, who was caught by me, kept squealing. Dylan glanced behind him. The bastard’s trembling eyes were the kind that couldn’t come out of acting.
“Are you my wife? Tell me and go. You stink. Get out of here.”
I clicked my tongue and threw Dylan backwards. Dylan spun around in the air and hid behind the abbot.
“What the….. fall down. Why are you pushing me forward. Wait-.”
“Just stay still! It’s better for religious people to die anyway! I don’t want to die! Just stay still!”
The abbot tried to push him away with a disgusted look on his face, but Dylan squirmed and did not fall.
At that, I clicked my tongue and stared in the direction they came from.
A clear presence was approaching.
‘He was running away.’
I clicked my tongue and released my right hand.
“The captain suddenly disappeared, and the imperial knights and the knights of the temple gathered troops to head to the Kirton Mountains. But Dylan said he had a strange feeling and asked me to go with him, so I came and…”
Berman’s speech was vague.
“so.”
I asked to ease the tension.
“We were all wiped out in the blink of an eye. Dylan had prepared to escape before that, so he was able to escape beforehand, but···.”
It’s total annihilation-.
I don’t know who it was, but they did my job for me.
He was a very noble person.
“Brother! I saw that guy, and he’s slower than before! Blood is gushing from the sword in his chest, I think that’s why. And if he opens his mouth and bites, he’ll crush people!”
Dylan poured out the information in a trembling voice. It was surprisingly useful information, so I turned it over in my head.
At that time, the presence became increasingly stronger.
The air became heavy.
Soon something appeared between the bushes.
No, the bushes disappeared and the bastard was revealed.
His disheveled gray hair swayed as if he had life. Black blood continued to flow from the sword stuck in his chest. A small river formed and flowed beneath his steps.
The old man had a presence that made your legs tremble just by looking at him.
‘You really are walking around with a sword in your chest.’
It was a swordsman Daiso with a cool sword stuck in his chest.
I couldn’t guess what had happened, but one thing was certain.
He was no longer the swordsman Daiso, except for his appearance.
‘This… could kill me.’
I clicked my tongue at the clear death.
My instincts screamed at me to run away right now, and my legs were shaking, but-.
“You idiot! You’re lost! Ao-you idiot! You idiot! I didn’t like you from the start!”
“Please, shut your mouth, Dylan.”
“Captain, are you sure you can win? Captain, isn’t Captain so strong! Please, Aaron needs to have a father. Oh, not Captain, but on Rosa’s ship…”
The stupid and ignorant conversation I heard behind me pushed my back. Their voices filled my lungs. Looking at my legs shaking, I could tell they had run to their limit.
“Run away.”
I smiled bitterly and walked forward.
The old man’s head turned towards me.
There was nothing in those wrinkled eyes. I felt much more at ease with that.
“Please, don’t be upset.”
I forced the corners of my mouth to turn up, muttering a boring joke.
It was time to be filial.
In medieval style-.
