The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 106
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 106. Are You Still Alive?
– As the Kael Inquisitor predicted, the Holy Sword Barkan has been decided to be wielded by the Holy Knight Ludian.
Cardinal Barun reported to me via communication artifact about what had transpired at the Papal See today.
It was certainly convenient to have connections within the Papal See—information came swiftly.
“That bastard… I should have known.”
– Kekeke, it seems you’ve already grown close to the Holy Knight Ludian. Even being the same age, I wouldn’t have expected it given how opposite your temperaments are.
Barun clearly understood how drastically different Ludian and I were in nature.
“That’s why we’ve been fighting the entire time.”
– Ah, I see. That’s one way to do it. Either way, it’s a good thing. The Holy Knight Ludian has always been a promising individual. He will surely be of great help to you, Inquisitor.
That was an undeniable fact.
He would shine brilliantly not only in my presence, but everywhere I wasn’t around.
Especially now that he’d obtained the Holy Sword faster than in my previous life and understood his place, he would grow even stronger.
‘Grow stronger. Strong enough to remain standing without breaking.’
It would make things easier for me. Those capable of standing against the Demon God were not common.
– And regarding what you asked me to look into, the Barrier Saintess is apparently heading to the Willo Barony.
So it unfolds as expected.
There was a possibility that variables might have emerged due to the future I’d changed, but fortunately, it seemed no different from my previous life.
“For what reason?”
– There have been several monster attacks in the Willo Barony recently, and it seems there’s a possibility of a monster wave occurring. So the Barrier Saintess and several Knights have been dispatched there.
The details hadn’t changed either.
A monster wave referred to a situation where countless monsters suddenly descended upon a location.
This could happen for various reasons—monsters being hungry, being drawn by certain magical forces, and so on.
My own Estate had experienced a monster wave once before, and my Uncle had repelled it at that time.
Thanks to him, casualties were around thirty.
In baronies without well-equipped soldiers, it was typical for at least two hundred or more to perish.
“Then I shall join you there as well.”
– Are you certain? If the Kael Inquisitor goes, it would be most welcome for us, but it has not been long since you dealt with the Detonation Declarer….
“I arrived at the mansion two days ago and rested sufficiently. Besides, I was growing restless.”
– Then that is fortunate.
“It seems we shall arrive perhaps a day before you. Should we discover anything suspicious, I will inform you at once.”
– Then I shall contact the Barrier Saintess as well.
“Thank you.”
– Ah, and there is one more thing I should mention before that….
Barun paused briefly before continuing.
– I know well that you are not the type to do such a thing, but this matter must not be spoken of elsewhere. The Saintess’s personal affairs are highly classified, you understand….
Personal affairs… I knew nothing beyond that.
There was no reason to ask Ludian about the Saintess who was already dead.
“You need not worry. I am the sort who keeps his mouth shut.”
– Krkrkr, I see.
Barun spoke.
– The Papal See does not know the details, but the Barrier Saintess harbors a profound trauma that causes her difficulty in conversing with others.
That was information I already possessed. There were even rumors that she answered the Pope himself only in monosyllables.
– We suspect this trauma may be connected to the Saintess’s expulsion from the Orphanage, though it remains mere speculation. Since the Saintess has not disclosed the details, we have been unable to delve deeper into the matter.
“I see.”
– In any case, you may find conversation with the Saintess challenging. I ask for your patience and understanding.
“I shall be mindful. Then I shall contact you again.”
– Yes.
I ended the call and left my room.
Siluene, the Barrier Saintess. A being bearing the sacred stigma of a formidable barrier that shields all from malice.
Yet in my past life, she met her end in the Willo Barony.
* * *
Bella and I arrived at the Willo Barony five days later.
As I had anticipated, we arrived before the Barrier Saintess’s group, so I surveyed the area thoroughly.
‘The Barrier Saintess will be torn to shreds by the monsters along with the Barony.’
When the Papal See’s agents arrived at the location days later, what they discovered was a ruined Estate and the corpse of the Saintess with only fragments of her body remaining.
‘But there’s something odd about this place.’
Siluene, the Barrier Saintess, was a being who wielded the formidable stigmata of a powerful barrier.
No matter how many monsters swarmed in, she was not someone who would fall easily.
Moreover, Knights would have accompanied her as well, so even with heavy casualties, there was no way they couldn’t have held back a monster wave together.
Of course, if there had been exceptionally powerful monsters or their numbers were overwhelmingly vast, the situation would be different, but given the circumstances at the time, such a possibility was slim.
‘Then there is only one conclusion.’
Someone had participated in the monster wave.
That someone could have been an individual with a certain purpose, or perhaps an organization.
So I first sought out Martin Willo to have a conversation with him.
“Ah! You must be the Kael Inquisitor! I’ve heard much about you! Please, make yourself comfortable here!”
He possessed kind eyes. His reputation within the Estate was even excellent.
Yet in my past life, his corpse was never found. It meant he could have committed the deed and gone into hiding.
Of course, there was also the possibility he had been devoured without a trace by monsters, but he remained one of the prime suspects.
After all, Baron Willo was the lord of the territory where the incident occurred.
‘For now, I lack sufficient information.’
Still, my memories alone provided enough information, so I could manage any variables with my own strength.
But I wanted to anticipate even those variables beforehand. To create the best possible outcome.
A day had passed since my arrival at the Willo Barony.
“Excuse me, are you the Heretic Inquisitor?”
A hooded woman appeared before me.
Her height was slightly taller than a young girl, but judging by her voice, she seemed to be around twenty years old.
“What business do you have? Wearing such a tattered robe, no less.”
“Would it be possible to move to a different location? It’s difficult to speak here….”
This was a thoroughfare where people commonly passed.
Even now, several individuals were moving past us, and as a Heresy Inquisitor, I drew considerable attention.
“Speak, even if briefly. Otherwise, I have no reason to follow someone as suspicious as you.”
“Ah, certainly….”
She nodded and looked up at me. Sunlight filtered through her robe, and her eyes gleamed with unwavering resolve.
“It concerns the Barrier Saintess.”
I maintained an impassive expression. Yet inwardly, I was genuinely astonished.
I never expected the name “Barrier Saintess” to emerge from someone who wasn’t even affiliated with the Papal See.
“Follow me.”
I turned on my heel.
“Don’t even think of running.”
* * *
I led her into a nearby alley.
Since the woman had concealed her identity, likely to avoid the baron’s notice, I couldn’t take her to the room he’d prepared for me.
Once the surrounding gazes had completely vanished, she removed her robe. She was a woman with hair braided like chains.
“Thank you, Inquisitor—”
“Before that.”
I cut off her words and posed my question.
“Why did you suddenly mention the Barrier Saintess?”
Only Baron Willo knew that the Barrier Saintess was coming here.
To prevent anyone from targeting her, the residents had merely heard that a Knight was arriving.
Yet somehow, she seemed to know that the Barrier Saintess was coming to this place.
It was possible she was testing me, so I’d only asked cautiously for now.
“Ah, I should explain this first, then.”
She looked at me.
“My name is Marie. I’m from the same orphanage as Siluene… or rather, the Barrier Saintess.”
The Papal See believed Siluene’s trauma was connected to her expulsion from the orphanage. I held the same opinion.
Something told me this wouldn’t be a pleasant story.
“I heard Siluene was expelled from the orphanage. Is that true?”
“Yes, it is. And I’m the one who caused her expulsion.”
“Interesting. Why?”
“Because it was the only way to save her.”
“Hmm, explain in detail.”
“Of course.”
Marie nodded.
“She and I were childhood friends, so to speak. The difference was that I got along well with all the orphans, while she was so timid that she couldn’t even speak properly to anyone but me.”
So her withdrawn nature predated the trauma itself.
“Because of that, she was often bullied. They called her a mute who couldn’t speak.”
“Did the Orphanage Director do nothing?”
“She merely pretended to intervene, as if it were a bother.”
Not all Orphanage Directors are good people.
In fact, those like Dominica, Bella’s Orphanage Director, who would sacrifice their lives for the children, were rare.
“I scolded them to stop, but their bullying never ceased.”
Of course it didn’t. The most important person—the Orphanage Director—did nothing.
“Interrogator, may I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“What is Siluene like now?”
“I haven’t seen her myself, but I hear she has great difficulty conversing with people.”
“I see…”
Marie lowered her head and clenched her fists tightly.
“That’s probably my fault.”
“Why? By your account, you should have protected her instead.”
“Because I betrayed her trust.”
Marie looked up at me.
“I told you before, didn’t I? I’m the one who got her expelled.”
“You did.”
“To do that, I spread vicious rumors about her to the Orphanage Director. That she was a useless child with no value whatsoever. But Siluene overheard it.”
“Hmm, I don’t understand. How was that supposed to save her? It sounds like you thoroughly destroyed her instead.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
Marie smiled bitterly and explained.
“Our orphanage had an adoption rate far higher than other places. Usually children between ten and fifteen years old were adopted. No matter how old they were, they never exceeded fifteen.”
“So you expelled her to prevent her adoption?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
At that question, Marie’s eyes grew hollow.
“Because they weren’t actually adopted.”
“….”
“One day, a child I was close to was adopted, and I didn’t want to be separated from them, so I secretly followed them. But when I got there….”
Marie gripped her trembling hands.
“There were vicious people there—not parents. The child was bound in restraints….”
One possibility came to mind: human trafficking of children.
There could be other explanations, but at the very least, it wasn’t adoption as she described.
“The director of the daycare must have known that fact.”
“Yes.”
“Is she still alive?”
“The orphanage burned down, but she’s probably still alive.”
Thank goodness.
“Anyway, Siluen was adopted next. If we had left her alone, Siluen would have ended up just like that child.”
“In any case, Siluene was adopted after that. Had I left things as they were, she would have ended up exactly like that child.”
“So you sent her away from the Orphanage.”
“Yes. Of course, it wasn’t easy. I arranged to be adopted in her place, which made it possible. As for me… I already knew the truth, so I managed to escape cleanly.”
Marie cautiously opened her mouth.
“Is it possible for me to meet the saint of the barrier?”
“Is it possible to meet the Barrier Saintess?”
“To clear up the misunderstanding from that day?”
Marie spoke passionately.
“Perhaps the reason the monsters attacked was to attract her. I don’t know why, but they are targeting her…!”
“The monster attack that occurred was probably meant to lure her out. For some reason, they’re targeting her…!”
“Have you been pursuing them all this time?”
“Yes, of course, though I haven’t seen the Orphanage Director herself yet….”
First off, most of what she said seemed to be true.
For now, most of what she said appeared to be true.
The pitch and tremor in her voice. The movement of her eyelids. And above all, her eyes held the conviction of someone like Ludian—unwavering and resolute.
If even this were fabricated, it would be quite impressive.
“I don’t think I can grant your request.”
“I’m afraid I cannot grant your request.”
“I… what?”
I spread out two fingers.
“First of all, I don’t completely trust you. Maybe you’re just tricking me by pretending to be on the same side.”
In fact, there were people like that in my past life. Of course, in the end, they all were sent to the afterlife.
“Second, even if what you say is true, it is not a wise decision to let Siluen meet you now. Because we cannot know what Siluen will do when he sees you.”
“Second, even if what you say is true, allowing you and Siluene to meet now would not be a wise decision. I cannot predict how Siluene will act upon seeing you.”
“….”
“So your meeting with her will happen only after all of this is resolved and your words are proven true.”
“Ah….”
Then Marie nodded willingly.
“Yes, that’s enough for me too.”
I looked at her and asked.
“Don’t you want to clear up any misunderstandings?”
“Don’t you want to clear up the misunderstanding?”
“Honestly, I would like to. But five years have already passed… Someone like me is probably nothing but a nightmare from her past.”
At that time, a commotion was heard from a large alley. It seems that people sent by the Vatican have arrived.
“You stay hidden around here. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Hide yourself well in this area. Don’t do anything foolish.”
I waved my hand roughly and went out into the main alley with Bella.
I waved my hand dismissively and stepped out into the main alley with Bella.
‘But the actual saint of the barrier is nowhere to be seen.’
I stood in front of them and spoke.
“This is Interrogator Kael. Where is the Holy Maiden of the Barrier?”
“I am Kael Inquisitor. Where is the Barrier Saintess?”
One of the knights responded with a formality.
“Currently, the saint is moving around the Barony territory to easily utilize the stigmata.”
“The Saintess is currently surveying the Barony to better utilize her stigmata.”
It was safe to say that the barrier saint only had good defense and had no attack power at all.
“The saint told me not to follow her, so I don’t have any special escorts. It’s been like that for a long time.”
“The Saintess requested that we not follow her, so there is no formal escort. It has always been this way.”
“I see.”
I agree with this statement. When it comes to ‘defense’, most wizards can’t even show a business card.
I agreed with this assessment. Her defensive capabilities were such that even competent Mages would be at a loss.
The orphans likely wouldn’t target her immediately. Even I couldn’t easily breach her barrier, so they wouldn’t attempt such foolishness.
‘But before that, we need to talk first. ‘Something might happen.’
I know she’s not good at conversation, but conversation wasn’t just about words.
“Then I’ll say hello to her first.”
“Then I’ll go greet her first.”
I nodded and walked away.
“Deacon Bella. Let’s go.”
“Bella, let’s go.”
Siluen, a saint of the barrier who died after being bitten by a monster for some reason in her previous life.
The Barrier Saintess Siluene, who in her past life was torn apart by a demon for reasons unknown.
But this time, I would not fear her.
(Continued in the next part)
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Sometimes the translation becomes utter garbage