The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 107

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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 107. Did You See That?

A woman with silver-short hair and silver eyes, her expression dignified and aloof.
Siluene, the Barrier Saintess, circled the outskirts of the Barony’s village, gauging its dimensions.
She could erect a formidable barrier with her stigmata, but to set its range precisely, she needed to mark key points with faint divine power like this.
Of course, she could estimate distances by eye to a certain degree, but Siluene intended to envelop the entire Barony within the barrier.

‘The diameter is roughly ten kilometers. A typical barony’s size. I should be capable of managing this with my power.’

Of course, it would require pushing herself to her limits. A monster wave would mean countless creatures hurling themselves against the barrier to break through.
But if she could protect as many people as possible, such strain meant nothing.

– You’re utterly useless!

Suddenly, a terrible memory from the past surfaced. A nightmare—those cruel words spoken by the one she’d trusted most.
Shaking her head to dispel the intrusive thoughts, Siluene clasped her trembling hands together.

‘It’s fine. I have purpose.’

Everyone expected her to protect this Barony from the monster wave. So she absolutely had to live up to their faith.
Otherwise, she would be abandoned again. Branded as a useless child once more.
After completing one circuit, darkness descended upon the sky.

“Hey! You wouldn’t happen to be Siluene, would you?”

Two men blocked her path. Siluene stepped back, her expression turning cold as she replied.

“We’ve never met, yet you presume to use my name so casually. How rude. I’m in the middle of a task, so please step aside.”
“Ah, that’s disappointing. Now that you’ve become a Holy Maiden, you don’t remember us?”
“What…?”
“It’s us, us. You really don’t remember?”

Siluene’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Most would have withdrawn by now, but these two were persistent. Still, they might actually be people she knew, so she studied them carefully.
Siluene had never been good at remembering faces. Looking at faces required considerable courage for her, after all.
Perhaps these were people she’d passed by during a previous task, connections she’d made in passing.
Even so, their attitude remained discourteous…

“…What?”

Siluene’s eyes widened as a dazed voice escaped her lips.
She had just remembered who they were.

“Bren and Raman…?”

At that, they both grinned wickedly.

“About time you remembered.”

Though their frames had grown considerably taller than before, there was no way she could forget them. They were the ones who had tormented her most relentlessly during her orphanage days.

– Hey, mute! Why can’t you speak?
– And why is your hair silver? Are you old for such a little thing?

Their cruel words had become arrows, still embedded deep within my lungs. No matter how I wished to remove them, those arrows remained like grievous scars, impossible to extract.
Yet I had believed that once expelled from the orphanage, I would never have to face those arrows again.
But the past is truly merciless. Here it stood before me once more, as though nothing had ever happened.

“Anyway, you’ve grown up splendidly, haven’t you? Becoming a Holy Maiden and all—your face has become so radiant. You’ve become such a beauty that I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Siluene began backing away slowly.
Her hands and feet trembled, her pupils dilated, and her mind went blank.
She was paralyzed, as though pinned down by a nightmare, unable to do anything.

“P-please, don’t come closer….”
“Ah, yes. You’re frightened, aren’t you? If the Holy Maiden says not to come closer, then we won’t.”

Bren raised both hands as if to show he meant no harm.
Siluene swallowed hard and stared at them.
But the past and present were different now. She was no longer a mute—she had become the Barrier Saintess.
So with great effort, she forced her lips open.

“How did you two get here…? Weren’t you dead?”

The orphanage where they had lived had burned down not long after she was expelled.
Though the cause of the fire remained unknown, it was reported that all the orphans, as well as the Orphanage Director, had perished in it.
So she had naturally assumed that Bren and Raman had been caught up in the disaster as well, yet somehow they stood alive before her.

“Ah, we were fortunate. Raman and I were playing outside when the fire broke out, so we escaped unscathed.”

Lucky bastards. I honestly wished they’d perished in the flames.

“Anyway, there’s something I’ve always wanted to tell you whenever I see you.”

Bren and Raman bowed deeply at the waist.

“We’re sorry.”
“…What?”
“For tormenting you back then. We were too young to know better. We hadn’t learned anything, so we didn’t even realize it was wrong.”

No. They knew perfectly well.
They simply couldn’t resist toying with a convenient plaything that stood before them.
Therefore, this was nothing more than a selfish apology meant to ease their own guilt. There wasn’t a shred of sincerity in it.
Yet no words could escape my lips.
Siluene had always struggled with conversation. There was no way she could scream at the very nightmares that haunted her.

“So forgive us.”

They straightened and smiled smugly. For them, the past was something they could laugh about so easily.
Siluene felt nausea rising and covered her mouth.

“…I will never forgive you. Never.”
“Well, I suppose that’s only natural.”

Bren shrugged his shoulders. Siluene glared at them before asking.

“What about Marie?”
“Marie?”

Bren tilted his head in confusion.

“Oh, that girl who always protected you?”

The only friend I had in the Orphanage.
Bren spoke with an indifferent expression.

“She’s dead. Caught in the fire.”
“….”

It wasn’t particularly surprising. I had already assumed she was dead from the start.
Besides, Marie was no longer a friend—she was nothing to me anymore.

“Seriously, you’re still worried about her? Even knowing how much she belittled you to get adopted in your place?”

Bren approached slowly. Siluene instinctively retreated.

“…Don’t come closer.”
“Forget about her now. Honestly, we’re better than that woman. At least we were never as devious as she was, right?”
“Don’t come closer…!”

Bren stopped directly in front of Siluene. Veins bulged at his temples.

“Why do you still look at us like we’re insects? You even apologized just now, bowing your head.”
“….”
“Didn’t you?!!!”

Bren shouted loudly and reached out his hand.
With the Barrier Saintess’s mark, I could easily block it. But my body wouldn’t obey me at all. My breathing grew ragged, my mind clouded, my focus blurred.
As his hand drew closer, Siluene instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.
As the hand drew closer and closer, Siluene found herself squeezing her eyes shut without even realizing it.

“….”

Would they drag me by the hair? Or shove my body away?
Five years had passed since leaving the Orphanage, and I had even become the Barrier Saintess, yet nothing about me had changed.
Five years had passed since leaving the Orphanage, and she had even become a Barrier Saintess, yet nothing about herself had actually changed.

“….”

I felt no pain, no displeasure. Only a refreshing fragrance drifted toward me.
Surely they wouldn’t stop here….
Siluene slowly opened her eyes, bewildered.
Siluene slowly opened her eyes in bewilderment.

“…?”

Then I saw a man gripping Bren’s wrist.
A sharp jawline. Priestly robes that somehow conveyed nobility. And a black sword hanging at his waist.
He gazed at Bren and spoke in a low voice.

“Didn’t I tell you not to come?”
“What…!”

Bren, possessing a massive frame, attempted to wrench his hand free. But when it wouldn’t budge, he asked in a panicked tone.

“W-who are you?”

The man in priestly robes let out a cold laugh.

“Heretic Inquisitor.”

Crack!

As the man tightened his grip, Bren’s wrist twisted along with the flesh.

“Aaaahhhhh!”

Overwhelmed by the excruciating pain, Bren naturally fell to both knees. His wrist remained firmly in the Heretic Inquisitor’s grasp.
He looked down at Bren, who was breathing heavily.

“Any complaints?”

* * *

The man whose wrist I had broken offered no response.
So I shifted my gaze to the other unharmed one. He was taking a stance to draw his sword.

“Go ahead and draw. Then I’ll draw your head for you.”

He scanned my attire. Then he relaxed his stance and objected in a tense voice.

“Why are you doing this?”
“Because this fool ignored the Holy Maiden’s words and kept advancing.”
“Still, your methods are excessive. Without high-level treatment, he won’t be able to use his wrist for the rest of his life.”

That’s right. I broke his hands so he can’t act recklessly anymore.

“Hands too quick to act?”

I let out a low chuckle and glanced at Siluene. She stood with her eyes wide open, trembling slightly.

“She is one of only five Holy Maidens in the Theocracy. As such, countless heretics have their eyes on her. Can you guarantee that you aren’t among them?”
“….”
“Be grateful I didn’t kill you for ignoring my warnings multiple times.”

The uninjured one swallowed hard.
I let out a derisive snort and released the wrist of the man I’d been holding.
Since he was still enduring the pain, I turned to the uninjured one and asked.

“It seems you know her. Why are you here?”
“….”
“If you don’t answer, I’ll have no choice but to consider you heretics.”

The man gritted his teeth before responding.

“It was coincidence. We were surprised and simply had a conversation with her.”
“Coincidence, I see.”

I didn’t think so, but I gestured to him anyway.

“Come here for a moment.”
“…?”
“I said come.”

Only then did he obediently stand before me. I asked.

“Want to see?”
“…See what?”
“What it really means to have hands too quick to act.”

In the moment he stood there stupidly.

Craaack!

I swung my arm wide and struck the man’s cheek with a resounding blow. His body flew through the air before crashing to the ground like a discarded rag.

“Did you see that?”

But he offered no response. He had lost consciousness, his hands folded neatly across his chest.

“If you didn’t, then so be it.”

I turned to face the man still gripping my wrist. His mouth hung agape, all pain forgotten in his shock.

“M-Monster—!”

Crack!

I kindly snapped his jaw shut—wouldn’t want insects crawling in. Blood sprayed from his mouth before he too lost consciousness.

“Bella, have these two transported to the Baron’s Mansion. If you encounter any Knights or mercenaries along the way, hand them over.”
“Yes, Interrogator.”

Bella seized both men by the scruff of their necks and began dragging them like refuse.

“Oh, and one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“If anything happens, don’t come back to me. Act according to my instructions.”

Bella nodded solemnly.

“Understood, Interrogator.”

That matter settled, I had no further concerns there.

“Are you alright?”

At my question, Siluene finally came to her senses and replied.

“…Thanks to you. I’m grateful.”

I gave a casual shrug and gestured toward the Estate.

“Before that, I have something to discuss regarding this mission. Could you spare me a moment?”

Siluene paused briefly in thought. She was not one to engage in conversation with others readily.
However, she did not refuse to communicate about matters pertaining to the mission itself.

“Very well.”
“Then let us go.”

I began walking. Yet Siluene did not follow me, remaining where she stood.
I turned my head and asked.

“Are you not coming?”
“I am preparing myself. Please proceed ahead.”
“I see, then.”

I nodded and took a few more steps. Only then did Siluene begin to follow behind me.
I glanced back briefly. She maintained a distance of roughly ten paces.
How remarkable—to express the distance between hearts so visually. In a way, perhaps she possessed the talents of an artist.
I let out a quiet laugh and continued walking.

* * *

“Are you Kael Inquisitor?”

Once we stopped on the open plain devoid of people, Siluene spoke first.

“I have heard the tales. That you received the blessing of the Goddess.”

Only the Pope, the Cardinals present at that time, the Holy Maiden, and the Holy Knight knew of my true nature.
Yet….

“Could you not come a bit closer? I can hardly hear you from there.”

She stood ten paces away from me. At this distance, I would need to use hand signals rather than words.

“Ah….”

Sensing her discomfort, I offered an encouragement.

“Come only as close as your gratitude for my recent aid warrants.”
“As close as my gratitude….”

Siluene pondered this seriously for a moment, then took a slow step forward.
With that, the distance between us had narrowed to five paces. It was a remarkable development, all things considered.

“Is this acceptable?”
“Sufficient.”
“Then what did you wish to tell me?”
“First, I must ask—were those men from the same Orphanage as you?”

Siluene, momentarily caught off guard, simply nodded.

“I see. This incident may well be connected to that Orphanage.”
“What do you mean…?”
“The Orphanage may be targeting you.”
“But why would they…?”
“I cannot say with certainty.”

Yet I could make an educated guess.
The Orphanage Director was a human trafficker. That meant there were buyers waiting for merchandise. Perhaps this time, they intended to abduct Siluene and sell her to those very buyers.
Of course, she would not be easily captured, nor would she obey willingly—but they must have devised some method to proceed.
Of course she wouldn’t be easily caught or obediently follow along, but there must be some method behind why she started this.

If the person behind the Orphanage Director is who I think it is, then this hypothesis becomes even more credible.

Anyway, once this matter is over, you’ll naturally find out.

“Only that it burned down and was destroyed.”
“And before that?”
“It was an ordinary Orphanage. There were simply unpleasant people there.”
“I see.”
“I see.”

I said it.

“According to my information, your Orphanage is no ordinary place.”
“Pardon?”
“The children from the Orphanage were typically adopted between ten and fifteen years of age, correct?”
“That matches my recollection.”
“And none exceeded fifteen, no matter how many there were.”
“Yes.”
“Then they were not adopted into other households.”

Siluene tilted her head, her expression betraying confusion.

“My suspicion is that they likely fell victim to human trafficking.”

Siluene, whose face had remained unmoved until now, widened her eyes considerably.

“H-human trafficking, you say?”
“Of course, this is merely conjecture on my part. But one thing is certain—they were not adopted.”
“I see….”

Siluene pressed her fingertips against her forehead as if her head were throbbing.

“Are you alright?”
“I’m not certain. Should I consider this fortunate, or should I regard it as misfortune…?”

She seemed to be recalling the fact that Marie had been adopted in her stead.

‘This essentially confirms that most of what Marie said was true.’

But I had no intention of broaching the subject of Marie just yet.
When I had spoken with the other orphans, it had caused them respiratory distress. I could not guarantee what would happen if I revealed the truth about Marie, who had betrayed me.
Even if she had not truly betrayed me, I saw no reason to introduce unnecessary variables. Her assistance would be essential when the Monster Wave arrives.

“Is that truly reliable information…?”
“For now, it is.”
“I see….”

Her gaze remained lost in contemplation for a time. Since she was aware of my Achievement, she refrained from pressing further questions.
Then, sensing something, her unfocused eyes suddenly sharpened with clarity.

“Interrogator.”

I nodded.

“They’ve arrived.”

Multiple monsters were detected by the ‘Tailwind’ I had scattered beforehand.
Rather than spreading it widely, I had sent it in straight lines to the north, south, east, and west, so the consumption of holy power wasn’t particularly great.
Siluene had likely discovered them through the holy power I had left behind in advance.

‘They’re coming from all directions at once.’

Somewhat artificial movement.
Normally, they either converge on a single location or, even if they come from all directions, there exists an interval of tens of minutes to several hours between each direction.
But now they were rushing in all at once, as if responding to someone’s command.

“I shall erect a barrier.”

Siluene raised one hand high.
The image of her trembling before the orphans, unable to even repel an improper touch, was nowhere to be seen.
Here now stood only the Barrier Saintess, who would protect all from malice.

“Radiance of the Sanctuary.”

A brilliant flash erupted!

Pure white light burst forth from the shield emblem on the back of her hand. It dyed the dark night sky a brilliant white before gradually subsiding.

‘Beyond my expectations.’

A sturdy and immense barrier enveloped the entire Barony in a hemispherical dome.
Though this place was smaller than the Luminara Mainland, covering an expanse of this magnitude was no simple feat.

“…Hah.”

Yet the slight furrow of her brow made it clear she was straining herself.

“Can you hold it?”

She answered while still extending one hand upward.

“I cannot maintain it indefinitely. However, I can hold out until the others bring down the demon.”

Now it was certain. Siluene and the Barony were not crumbling from the demon wave alone.
This formidable barrier had been destabilized because of ‘someone’ interfering with Siluene.

“I will protect the Estate. If you have no objection, would you not join them as well, Inquisitor?”

Certainly, that would allow us to end the demon wave far more quickly. Bella must have sensed the urgency and gone to deal with the demons.

‘But if I disappear, that someone will target Siluene.’

Conversely, if I remain here, that someone may never show themselves. I must sever all future threats now.

‘There is only one way to protect the Barrier Saintess, defeat the demons, and deal with that someone.’

After deliberating, I spoke.

“Could you allow me to re-enter the barrier midway through?”

Exiting the barrier from within was unrestricted. But re-entering from outside was impossible—the barrier blocked it.

“For one Inquisitor, it is possible.”
“I see.”

I nodded and regarded her with grave intensity.

“Then remember this one thing.”
“…?”
“No matter what happens, endure by any means necessary. I will certainly come to save you.”

Siluene, gazing into my eyes, swallowed dryly. Then she replied with unwavering resolve.

“Understood.”
“Then I’ll see you later.”

I kicked off the ground and rushed beyond the barrier.

(To be continued in the next chapter)

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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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