The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 112

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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 112. Move Right Away.

It was the next morning when I was about to leave the Estate.

“…?”

Someone had grabbed me. Slender index and thumb fingers pinched at my sleeve.

“What is it?”

It was Siluene, the Barrier Saintess.

“It feels like you’ve come closer than three paces.”

Even during our conversations, she had always maintained a distance of ten paces.
But now the distance felt uncomfortable in a different way.

“…!”

Siluene startled and stepped back two paces.

“…I apologize.”
“Never mind that. What did you need?”
“Ah, I felt I hadn’t properly thanked you. Thanks to you, I was able to protect so many people and resolve misunderstandings. I’m truly grateful.”

Siluene bowed deeply at the waist.
Her tone remained as stiff as before, but emotion seeped through. It was as if an invisible wall had crumbled.

“Now it feels like I’m speaking with a person. Before, it was like facing a doll bearing the stigma of the Barrier.”

Then Bella tapped my forearm. But since it wasn’t my concern, I pointed to Bella and spoke.

“Bella was the same way, I heard.”
“Me, when was I! Holy Maiden, it’s a misunderstanding!”
“Suit yourself.”

Siluene smiled softly as she looked at us, then opened her mouth.

“I apologize for the trouble we’ve caused you both. And Bella.”
“Yes?”
“Your song was beautiful. In that moment, I couldn’t think of anything else. Not the pain of the past, nor worries about the future.”

I agreed with that sentiment entirely.
While listening to Bella’s song, the memories of my time as the Sword Demon never surfaced.

“Really? You mean it?”
“Yes. It was the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard.”

At that, Bella thrust her delighted face toward Siluene.

“Right?!”
“Yes, yes?”
“But people keep saying I can’t sing. Well, there’s a good reason for that here… ouch.”

I gently pulled Bella’s cheek and separated her from Siluene. Then I spoke to her.

“I’ll apologize on her behalf. Bella is still young and lacks consideration for others.”
“Wait! I admit I was wrong just now, but if you say things like that, Interrogator…”
“What.”

Bella stared at me, then pouted her lips.

“You’re so kind. I envy that.”

I nodded.

“It’s just troublesome. Learn by watching.”
“Ugh, I’m almost an adult now…”

Bella grumbled indignantly beside me as I turned to leave.

“Well then, we should be going.”
“Yes. I hope we can meet again.”

At Siluene’s words, I stopped in my tracks and turned back.

“Do you understand what that means to a Heretic Inquisitor?”

Most people find it uncomfortable to meet a Heretic Inquisitor. After all, there’s always the risk of being blamed for something.
That’s why “see you again” had become a common phrase used by Heretic Inquisitors when threatening someone.
Conversely, the other party would hope never to see the Inquisitor again.

“Yes, I understand. I only said it hoping that those words wouldn’t carry a negative meaning for you, Inquisitor. After all, not seeing someone again is a sorrowful thing.”

She had learned the pain of parting far too young.
She had no parents, was cast out from the Orphanage where she stayed, and had no choice but to part with Marie, the only person who was truly on her side.
That’s why she left these words behind—so that no one else would experience the same suffering she had.
Behind her cold expression lay such a fragile ember of vulnerability.

“I hope I didn’t say something unnecessary…?”
“No, if anything, it’s proof that I’m at least not walking down the wrong path.”

I looked at her.

“And it wasn’t a burden. It was somewhat troublesome, I’ll admit, but you accomplished everything you needed to do.”
“Ah… I see. I’m relieved.”
“Then I’ll see you again.”

At those words, like a small spark settling upon pristine snow, her rigid lips softened into a gentle smile.

“Yes. Kael Inquisitor.”

I nodded and turned to leave. For December, the weather was surprisingly warm.
As I walked alongside Bella, I suddenly spoke up.

“On the way there.”
“…Yes?”
“There’s supposedly a delicious pie shop. Let’s stop by for a moment.”

At those words, Bella, who had been pouting at my teasing, lit up with sparkling eyes.

“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Oh yes! I want to eat two!”

I chuckled softly and took a step forward.

“You can eat a hundred of them if you want.”

It’s a place you’ve worked so hard to protect.

* * *

In the office of the Diocese that Cardinal Gregory oversaw.
Gregory had been stripped of his Cardinal title due to a wager with Kael, but he retained his rank as Bishop.

“Did the Pope really say such a thing…? In front of the other Cardinals?”

Gregory’s eyes widened as he listened to what the two Cardinals had told him.

“Yes. His Holiness spoke those words in the chamber where the Primordial Scripture is kept, so there weren’t many Cardinals present, but his remarks certainly reached the ears of the other Cardinals.”

Despite being Cardinals themselves, they spoke to Gregory with deference.
He was older, and they had only become Cardinals because of Gregory’s recommendation.

“Hmm…. While it’s true he protected the Barrier Saintess, I never expected His Holiness to openly express his favor toward the Kael Inquisitor….”

The Pope understood the weight of every word he spoke and its consequences, so he typically maintained a neutral stance and spoke with careful deliberation.
But this time, he chose to voice something aloud that he could have simply kept to himself.
While the Pope was certainly human and could make mistakes, this seemed intentional.
As if to suggest that the initiative in the current situation lay with Kael.

‘Yet it’s not entirely strange.’

Until now, Kael had saved countless Holy Maidens and Holy Knights, defeated the Five Great Calamities, and captured numerous heretics.
Had his views on magic not differed so fundamentally, Gregory himself would have been praising him constantly.

“If things continue this way, the Theocracy might actually officially accept magic.”
“That’s right. Of course, it will take time, but the outcome is unlikely to differ greatly.”
“What should we do now?”

At the two Cardinals’ words, Gregory closed his eyes tightly and fell silent.
Suddenly, a memory from not long ago flashed through his mind.

– What brings you to this place, Cardinal Barun?
– It’s good to see you, Cardinal Gregory… or rather, Bishop Gregory. It’s been the first time since that day.
– …Are you here to mock me? If so, please leave.
– Khkhkh, don’t worry—that’s not my intention.

Barun settled naturally into a chair and spoke.

– Before we discuss the main matter, I’d like to have a conversation with you about magic.
– …Magic?
– Yes. I suspect you’ll be able to return to your position as Cardinal soon enough. It won’t be quite the same as before, but there are many who would become your connections.

Barun regarded Gregory intently.

– When that time comes, would you consider standing with the Kael Inquisitor?
– …Are you insane? You know full well what he did to me?
– No. To be precise, the Inquisitor didn’t do anything—you were the one who struck back at him.

There was nothing to refute. Gregory had been the one to provoke Kael first.

– In any case, what is your position on this matter?
– There’s nothing to discuss. As long as he doesn’t relinquish magic, I have no reason to aid him.
– Hmm, I see.

Barun nodded.

– Then at least don’t obstruct him. Unless you wish for another outcome like this.
– …Is that a threat?
– Khkhkh, Bishop Gregory.

Barun gazed at Gregory with penetrating eyes.

– You asked why I came here. I came to warn you.

Gregory’s brow twitched.

– A warning?
– Yes. While changing perceptions about magic remains distant, the Kael Inquisitor’s position has already entered its trajectory. He is no longer merely an Inquisitor—he is also a Holy Knight.
– ….
– By the time you return to your position as Cardinal, his renown will have risen even further.

Barun spoke.

– Can Your Excellency the Bishop even touch someone like that? By my estimation, you’ll face an even greater backlash than you do now.
– ….
– So now, why don’t you quietly confine yourself to the Diocese Office and watch as the Theocracy gradually transforms? There’s no need to fall any further than this.

Gregory ground his teeth.
Barun was someone Gregory himself had recommended for the position of Cardinal. Back then, he had been a brilliant and faithful priest.
But ever since becoming a Cardinal, he bares his fangs and bites at Gregory like this. That Barun, who was nothing ten years ago.

– Listen here, Barun!!!
– Cardinal Barun, if you please.

Barun’s eyes gleamed with a chilling light.

– Please show some courtesy. Bishop Gregory.
– You insolent wretch…!
– Then I shall take my leave.

Barun rose from his seat.

– Next time, this won’t end so simply. So I do hope you make a wise choice.
– Barun, you insufferable bastard!!!

Barun left the Office, and Gregory stared at the firmly closed door, seething.
Gregory slowly opened his eyes and returned to reality.

“The most certain way to cut off this momentum is to eliminate Kael and Bella from the Theocracy.”
“….”
“But Kael, and his Deacon as well—it’s impossible with our strength. There’s no one capable of such a task, and even if there were, they’d find it too much to handle against those two.”

Kael and Bella are formidable.
To what extent, I cannot gauge, but at least there aren’t many within the Theocracy who could stand against them.

“So the most realistic approach would be to destroy all magical artifacts within the Theocracy, but even that would have minimal effect. They’d simply import more from the Empire.”
“Then what…?”
“I must undermine the very perception of magic itself. Imprint it so deeply into the minds of the Theocracy’s people.”

Cardinal Gregory rose from his seat and peered out the window.
In the distant plaza, people bustled about with animated expressions, preparing for the New Year festival.

“I will abandon this Diocese.”

The two Cardinals, who had been pondering his meaning, widened their eyes.

“Cardinal Gregory, surely you don’t mean…!”

Cardinal Gregory nodded.

“I will overlook the Wol Young Order’s attack.”

As Cardinals more attuned to magic than most, they had always kept a watchful eye on the Wol Young Order—a band of villains composed of mages.
Yesterday, they had obtained intelligence that the Wol Young Order would attack this place.
The two Cardinals had come here to verify the information more precisely.
And since the Wol Young Order’s attack was now nearly certain, the proper course was to report to the Papal See and request assistance.
But Cardinal Gregory chose silence.

“But if an attack occurs, the residents in this area will surely suffer casualties…!”
“I know. They will likely target me, one who despises magic, but the residents’ suffering will be considerable regardless. And I too will remain here.”
“W-what!”

Cardinal Gregory explained to his shocked colleagues.

“To bury the perception of magic, we need something shocking enough to strike at the very core of people’s minds. If many residents and I die by their magic, that will suffice.”
“Why would you go so far….”
“Why, you ask?”

Cardinal Gregory stared at them with a twisted expression.

“We lost our villages and loved ones to that bastard Barsenon. Have you all already forgotten?”
“….”

Thirty years ago, there was an incident where Barsenon burned down a village.
At that time, Cardinal Gregory lost his wife and daughter, and the two Cardinals lost their parents and friends.

“Hundreds died from that monster’s magic alone, and unsatisfied, he leaped into the flames and ravaged the people within.”

Gregory’s eyes burned with rage.

“This is martyrdom. A sacrifice so that in the future, fewer will die by magic’s hand!”
“….”
“Henry, Matthias. Use my death. And ensure that magic never again appears in the Theocracy. This shall be your sacred duty!”

Henry and Matthias furrowed their brows in anguish. Yet their silence did not linger long.

“We understand. We shall do as you ask.”
“We will not forget your martyrdom, Cardinal Gregory.”
“Thank you.”

Gregory embraced them both, and Henry and Matthias wept, feeling what might be his final warmth.
Gregory released them and spoke.

“Go now. We do not know when they will arrive.”
“Yes…. We will surely fulfill this mission.”

They bowed and left the office. Gregory suddenly felt his strength drain away, and he leaned against his desk.

‘Come to think of it, that Barsenon was targeting Kael. He too lost his uncle to Barsenon.’

Kael and I are bound together in a most cruel way. Or rather, our convictions have collided and become entangled.

‘He too has had a tragic life.’

A hollow laugh escaped me unbidden.

* * *

The office in Haven City.

“…Young Master, this is already the third time. It will wear out, it will.”

Sriben spoke.
But I tilted my head curiously as I manipulated a box-like object with strange attachments.

– This is martyrdom. A sacrifice so that in the future, fewer will die by magic’s hand!

Words tumbled from my lips unbidden as that voice flowed through the device.

“This is insane. That lunatic bastard.”

Bella beside me nodded vigorously in agreement.
Only then did I accept reality and uncrossed my arms.
What I had just activated was a surveillance artifact I’d received from Arsein. Barun had planted the listening device in Cardinal Gregory’s office.
Gregory would never suspect this. He was completely ignorant of magic.

“I never expected him to go this far….”

I had anticipated that Gregory wouldn’t remain idle. So I’d asked Barun to install the listening device.
But I hadn’t expected him to resort to such aggressive methods.

“I was shocked at first too, Young Master. I thought it was broken.”

Sriben had continued eavesdropping on Gregory’s words through the surveillance artifact. Bella and I had to move about outside.

“So what will you do, Interrogator?”

I gathered my thoughts at Bella’s question.
First, it was certain that I had to prevent the Wol Young Order’s attack. But if I ended it at merely that, future complications could arise.

“For now, we don’t report to the Papal See. We move only among ourselves. If unexpected variables emerge, it becomes difficult to respond.”

Now that I thought about it, I recalled hearing news around this time that a certain Diocese had been attacked.
Many residents caught in the fighting had died, if I remembered correctly.
At the time, such incidents were common enough that I hadn’t paid much attention. Could that have been the Diocese under Gregory’s administration?
In my previous life, I hadn’t existed, so Gregory would have reported the Wol Young Order’s attack to the Papal See. That level of casualties had resulted from it.

‘If I had missed this movement, it would have been catastrophic.’

The fortress we had painstakingly built could have crumbled in an instant.
Reconstructing it would certainly have required considerable time.

‘Both Gregory and the Wol Young Order cannot be left as they are.’

The Wol Young Order’s true objective wasn’t merely to shift perceptions of magic—it was to topple the Theocracy itself.
Their methods varied wildly; some dragged innocent people into their schemes, while others targeted only key clergy and nobility.
Still, if I picked off the Wol Young Order members one by one, they’d eventually dismantle themselves.

“Bella, move immediately.”
“Yes, Interrogator!”

This was an opportunity, actually.
A chance to cast Cardinal Gregory into the depths of Hell and crush the Anti-Magic Faction Cardinals’ objections in one stroke.
And I was precisely the kind of cunning bastard who never let such opportunities slip away.

(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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