The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 16

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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 16. The World is Wide….

The Orphanage Director, Dominica, watched the children playing in the courtyard with a contented smile.
Then her expression hardened as she opened her mouth.

“Come now, everyone. The sky has grown dark—let us head inside.”
“Yes!”

The children shuffled and murmured among themselves as they filed into the chapel.
Dominica offered a bittersweet smile before stepping outside the chapel with a grave expression.
Outside was dark. The orphanage sat in a somewhat remote location, surrounded by dense woodland.

“What is your business here?”

At Dominica’s question, a man emerged from the darkness into the moonlight.
He was a man whose face was wrapped tightly in black cloth.

“For an Orphanage Director, you have keen perception.”
“I asked what your business is.”

Dominica’s eyes sharpened with intensity.

“This is an orphanage. There is no money worth stealing, no valuables. If you intend to kidnap the children, abandon the notion. The Theocracy will pursue you.”
“The Theocracy, you say….”

The man scratched his cheek.

“I have no interest in wealth or the children’s bodies. I am merely searching for a woman named Bella.”

Dominica tilted her head in confusion.

“Bella? Who is that?”
“Heh, your acting is convincing. But denial will avail you nothing. I already know she is here.”

Dominica’s eyes narrowed.

“Why are you looking for Bella?”
“Fifteen years ago, there was a couple of mages in Divinar Territory who studied magic—the remnants of demons. But they were eventually discovered by others and killed.”
“….”
“However, we never found their child. That child, born with demonic talent. A four-year-old girl with brown hair. And there aren’t many orphans in this area whose age and hair color match.”

The man glanced toward the Chapel. Dominica blocked his gaze as she spoke.

“You’re a Heresy Inquisitor, aren’t you? And a fanatic who views magic as demonic remnants.”
“How disappointing. Calling me a fanatic? I’m perfectly reasonable.”
“But that’s the thing—Bella is not their child. I picked her up myself from the Slums.”
“Listen, Nun.”

A murderous glint flickered across the man’s eyes.

“I’m about to lose my patience. Don’t lie to me.”
“….”
“Someone among the residents here saw the child wearing a mana stone pendant. Others wouldn’t recognize it, but it’s the key to the barrier the mage couple hid away.”

The man seemed to know everything already.
Dominica sighed and asked.

“Are you the one who killed them?”
“No. I wasn’t a Heresy Inquisitor back then.”

The man shrugged his shoulders.

“Anyway, just give me that bitch, Bella. If you give me that heretic child, I will quietly step down.”
“What do you intend to do to Bella?”
“That’s none of your concern. Understand, Nun?”
“….”

Dominica swallowed dry saliva.

“I’m sorry, but Miss Bella is not here right now. She left as soon as she stopped by.”
“Another lie….”
“It’s the truth. If you don’t believe me, check for yourself.”

The man glanced at Dominica and then leaned against a tree.

“Then let’s wait here until I come back.”
“Then wait here until I return.”
“I’m not entirely certain when that will be.”

The man continued speaking while twirling the dagger in his hand.

“Just in case, don’t do anything foolish. I am performing a sacred duty as an inquisitor right now. If you protect her, you too will be viewed as a heretic.”
“And don’t you dare try anything foolish. I’m currently executing my sacred duties as a Heresy Inquisitor. If you protect her, I’ll have no choice but to mark you as a heretic as well.”

Dominica grinned. Then I organized my thoughts.
Dominica smiled faintly. Then she gathered her thoughts.
Since Bella had left her bag behind, she would surely return here.
It seemed she’d gone toward the Eastern Forest, and with nightfall approaching, she’d be back soon.

“No, I guess I’ll have to look around now. He might be hiding in a closet somewhere, right?”

The man grinned and walked towards the cathedral. Then, suddenly, I stopped walking.

“…Ash. Do you want to die?”

Dominica, who was putting her hand into her nun’s robe, flinched.
Dominica flinched, her hand already reaching into her nun’s habit.
If I left things as they were, there was no telling what this man might do to Bella—or to the children.
But it was clear at a glance that the man was stronger than me. So I couldn’t possibly stop him alone.

“Miss Bella cannot be handed over to you!”

Dominica took out the dagger she had hidden in her nun’s robe and rushed towards her. The two daggers crossed and clashed with each other.

“You’re strong for a nun.”
“Strong for a nun.”
“Protecting the children is the divine mandate the Goddess bestowed upon me.”

The man grinned.

“But that’s it!”

The man’s sharp dagger dug deep. Dominica only changed the trajectory with a dagger.

Kagagaga River!

A series of men’s stories that are embroidered later.
A flurry of strikes followed from the man.

“Haha! You went through a lot of trouble protecting even the devil’s child!”

Dominica frowned at the increasing number of wounds.

‘As expected, he’s strong.’

This person is probably a veteran heretic inquisitor who stopped by Divinar territory.

‘Will the situation change when Inquisitor Kael comes?’

From Bella’s story, it was enough to infer that Kael was strong.
From Bella’s account, I could easily infer that Kael was formidable.
But even so, Kael was still a newly appointed Heresy Inquisitor.
It was difficult to imagine him standing against such a veteran Heresy Inquisitor.
Above all, Kael had nothing to do with this matter, did he?

‘For now, we can only hope that Interrogator Kael notices the situation and evacuates Bella and the children. So for now, hold on as long as you can!’

Dominica also once dreamed of becoming an inquisitor.
Dominica had once dreamed of becoming a Heresy Inquisitor.
Though she never achieved that rank and remained as the Orphanage Director, she had not neglected her training all these years.
So holding out should be possible.

“It’s annoying.”

Another dagger coming out of the man’s chest.
Another dagger emerged from the man’s sleeve.

‘this… !’

It was an unstoppable attack. I had no idea that he would hide his strength and exploit loopholes against the weak.

‘This is a veteran heresy interrogator… .’

The wall of trials was high. It was not an ordeal that Dominica could not handle alone.
The wall of trials loomed impossibly high. It was not a trial that Dominica alone could bear.

‘My children… .’

Children in the orphanage where they will remain after their death.
The orphans who would remain at the Orphanage after her death.

‘That’s not enough… .’

But there was absolutely no way to stop it. No matter how hard I tried, death was inevitable.
Yet there was no way to prevent it. No matter how desperately she struggled, death was inevitable.

Bullfight!

At that time, a loud noise was heard hitting the ground from somewhere.
Then, from somewhere, came a thunderous sound of earth being torn asunder.
A presence rushed forward with terrifying speed, and in an instant, someone stood before the enemy.
A man with an expressionless face, drawing his blade downward in a clean arc.
Within those eyes burned only a chilling murderous intent.

Kwaaaaang!

However, the guy who couldn’t withstand the enormous force rolled several times on the floor and was pushed backwards.

“It rolls well.”

Someone who saw the scene said:

“Kongbeullenga.”

Dominica looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Dominica stared at him with a dazed expression.
A tall, elegant frame that the black priestly robes could not conceal. Sharp features illuminated by moonlight, revealing a handsome visage. And a blade that carried the wind itself.

“Interrogator Kael?”

The veteran Inquisitor is definitely strong.
The veteran Heresy Inquisitor was undoubtedly strong.
Yet Kael sent him flying with a single blow, ambush or not.

“Go and take care of the kids.”

Kael looked back at Dominica.

“Because it suits me better this way.”

“Director! Are you okay?!”

Bella rushed over and checked Dominica’s condition.
Bella rushed over and checked on Dominica’s condition.

“B-Miss Bella?”
“B-Bella?”
“Just wait a moment! I’ll fetch some medicinal herbs!”

Bella smiled calmly at Dominica, who was embarrassed.

“It’s okay. Inquisitor Kael is stronger.”
“It’s fine. Inquisitor Kael is much stronger.”

I answered that.

“If that’s the case, don’t worry. There was a certain guy around here who was making a fuss, so I knocked him out.”
“Don’t worry about that. Some fool was lurking around here, so I knocked him out.”

I ordered Bella.

“Deacon Bella, go inside and treat the director. Soothe the children so they don’t cry. They can’t sleep if it’s noisy.”
“Deacon Bella, go inside and treat the Director. Comfort the little ones so they don’t cry. I can’t sleep if it’s noisy.”

Bella carried Dominica on her back and entered the cathedral.
Bella carried Dominica inside the chapel.

“Are you awake, bean bug?”

The bean bug lowered its hood and spit out bloody spit. There was a stitch mark on one corner of his mouth.

“What are you?”
“Who are you?”
“A Heresy Inquisitor who came to capture Kong Vermin.”

The bean bug laughed and continued.

“If you are a heretic inquisitor like me, cooperate with me. I am trying to catch heretics now.”
“If you’re also a Heresy Inquisitor like me, then cooperate with me. I’m currently trying to capture a heretic.”
“Where is this heretic?”

I tilted my head.

“That’s what it is.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”

The bean bug pointed to the corner of my mouth.

“It was the devil who used magic that made my mouth like this! If magic isn’t a remnant of the devil, then what is it?”

I answered with a sneer.

“He’s worse than a bug.”
“You’re lower than vermin.”
“What?”
“Your hatred is misdirected. If anything, you should hate that demon—so why do you try to reject all who use magic?”

It was so loud that I picked my ears.

“Shut up. If you get stabbed, will you hate and kill all the blacksmiths in the world?”
“You shut up. If you were stabbed by a sword, would you hate and kill every blacksmith in this world?”
“That’s….”

The guy gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Are you going to defend the goddess’ enemies with such sophistry?”
“You dare defend the Goddess’s enemy with such sophistry!”
“As far as I know, the scriptures contain no prohibition against magic. Why do you twist the Goddess’s words to suit your own interpretation?”
“In ancient times, there were no humans who wielded magic, so it was simply not mentioned.”
“So in the end, it doesn’t exist, does it?”

He kept his mouth shut, so I pushed harder.

“And who is Ethan? Bella, who has grown up well and is taking care of her children, or you, who are trying to kill even innocent people?”
“And who is the heretic? Is it Bella, who has grown strong and now cares for children? Or is it you, who would slaughter the innocent?”
“….”

The guy’s eyes turned cold at my snickering. Then he held the two daggers tightly.

“Since you covered that bitch, you too will be dismissed as a heretic.”
“Since you shelter that woman, I shall mark you as a heretic as well.”

I also took a stance and kept my eyes on him. Their gazes collided with each other, and the standoff continued for a while.

‘hmm?’

At that time, the afterimage of the bastard became blurred and it looked like there were three bastards. Even if I blinked once, it was still the same.
Then his afterimage blurred, and suddenly he appeared as three. Even when I blinked, the image remained.
One of the three rushed toward me.

Hooong─

Then its body dispersed like smoke and disappeared.
His body scattered like smoke and vanished.

Hiss!

This time, a dagger came from next to me.
This time a dagger came slashing from my side.
I retreated swiftly to avoid the killing intent, but since I had already swung my blade once, my cheekbone was grazed slightly.
Another dagger swung before my eyes, and I parried it with my sword, but this too was an afterimage.

“Haha! Are you confused about which one is real?”

Is that really the case?
Indeed, so that’s what it was.
That bastard dispersed his aura to make himself appear as multiple people.

“Hehe….”

When I recognized that, I burst out laughing too. I covered my mouth with my hand to suppress my laughter.
As I recognized this, laughter escaped me. I covered my mouth with my hand to suppress the outburst.

“Why are you smiling?”

I answered, suppressing my laughter.

“No, I didn’t know there was someone using the same technique as me.”
“No, I just never expected to encounter someone using the exact same technique as me.”

I suddenly looked down at the ants passing by on the floor.

“As expected, the world is big and there are a lot of idiots.”

The bean bug had an expression of incomprehension.
Kong Vermin’s expression was one of bewilderment.

Slurp─

At the same time, my energy was scattered and trapped by the wind. Then, the afterimages of my appearance increased one by one.
At that moment, I dispersed my aura and contained it within wind. My afterimages began to multiply one by one.

‘Greece.’

My afterimages swayed quietly like several gentle breezes.

“What is this….”

The guy’s eyes widened at the afterimage of me surrounded by a circle.
His eyes widened at the sight of my afterimages encircling him.

Huh!

But that was my afterimage.
But that was merely my afterimage.

“shit…!”

The guy gritted his teeth and swung the dagger repeatedly. Because there was no way for him to do it.

‘hmm?’

However, at some point, some dogs were ignored and only those that were threatening were blocked.

‘Are we responding according to the life contained in the afterimage? ‘I guess he’s not a veteran heresy interrogator for nothing.’

So the same method is no longer useful. At this point, I need to give a variation.

‘then… .’

I looked at it and jumped in with the afterimages.
I watched for a moment, then charged forward alongside my afterimages.
Kong Vermin, concentrating intently, sensed the killing intent and spun around sharply, thrusting both daggers forward.

Huh!

At that moment, my image dispersed like smoke. It was reacting to my afterimage.
In that instant, my form scattered like smoke. He had reacted to my afterimage.
I had been charging straight ahead all along.

Phew!

I plunged the sword into the guy’s back, which was clearly visible. The sword pierced the guy’s torso.
My blade drove directly into his exposed back. The sword pierced clean through his torso.

“How… I obviously didn’t survive….”

What is living? It refers to the killing intent contained in magical power or divine power.
What is killing intent? It refers to the murderous will imbued in mana or holy power.
But since I was deeply versed in wielding holy power, I could control killing intent freely.

“Because life is not worth embracing.”
“You’re not even worth the effort to kill.”
“You bastard….”

I didn’t listen anymore and pulled out my sword, and fresh blood sprayed into the night sky.
Without another word, I drew my blade, and crimson blood scattered across the night sky.

‘Hmm… .’

I thought as I looked at the guy lying on the floor.
I gazed down at the fallen figure and contemplated.
If this had been Kong Vermin’s independent action, the previous Bella would never have gone so far as to destroy the Divinar Church District.
So there must be someone else involved in this. And with high probability, that someone is in the Divinar Church District.

I brought the deacon whom I knocked out earlier.
I brought along the Deacon I had knocked unconscious earlier.

“Wake up, wake up! It’s morning!”

The deputy suddenly opened his eyes. The deacon said while looking at the moon in the sky.

“Is it night?”
“But it’s nighttime?”

The deacon tilted his head and asked.

“But who are you?”
“Who are you?”

I pointed to a place. There, leaning against a tree, was the corpse of a bean bug.

“Huh, huh! Inquisitor Veritus!”

I shook the collar of the surprised deacon.

“Now, answer my question. Who was the bastard who ordered him to kill Bella?”
“Now then, answer my questions. Who ordered that man to kill Bella?”

The subtitle avoided my gaze.

“Do you want to get beaten up or just say it? You choose. Or do you want to be chased like him?”
“You can choose: get beaten and talk, or just talk. Your decision. Or would you prefer to end up like him?”
“If you kill me, sir, the Theocracy will—!”
“Ah, that’s fine. I’m a Heresy Inquisitor too, after all. I’m merely interrogating heretics who attempted to murder an innocent Orphanage Director and children.”

The guy’s mouth still seemed firm, so I whispered into his ear.

“hey.”
“Listen.”
“Yes?”
“Have you ever had your fingernails or toenails torn out? Had your ears cut off? Or had your eyes gouged out?”

I smiled and explained.

“People like you who have never been properly tortured often ignore the pain. But they all have something in common.”
“Those who’ve never experienced proper torture often underestimate pain. But they all share one thing in common.”
“….”

The deacon swallowed dry saliva.

“Even if you have tremendous mental power and do not respond to all kinds of torture, in the end, I will just have to take you to the Saint of Truth.”
“Even if by some miracle you possessed such mental fortitude that you resisted all torture, I could simply bring you before the Saint of Truth. That would settle it.”
“….”

I wrapped one arm around the deacon’s shoulder and squeezed him.

“The night is getting deeper, so is there any need to scream? Shouldn’t we also think about the people who are sleeping?”
“Night is growing deep. Do we really need screams waking the sleeping? Think of the others, won’t you?”
“….”

I let him go easily.
I released him gently.

“I’ll tell you everything, Interrogator.”

I nodded.

“Oh, you’re such a polite guy.”

Afterwards, the deacon began to list everything he knew.
After that, the Deacon began laying out everything he knew.
The more I listened, the more my hypothesis transformed into reality.

(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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