The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 17

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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 17. Arthur.

The Bishop of Divinar Diocese.
Roselle waited in the Prayer Hall of the Diocese Office for word to arrive.

‘At last, I can erase my stain.’

Roselle had despised magic since childhood.
His parents, who were Heresy Inquisitors, had been killed by a demon wielding magic.
So to slay demons and reject magic, Roselle too became a Heresy Inquisitor.

‘During that time, I encountered a couple who studied magic.’

Roselle could not comprehend them.
Studying magic, the remnants of demons? Was this not the scheming of heretics attempting to aid demons?

‘So I executed them in the name of a Heresy Inquisitor.’

The couple’s resistance was fierce, but they could not overcome Roselle, who had long served as a Heresy Inquisitor.
And to the Papal See, I reported that I had slain a demon wielding magic.
To him, the mage couple and demons were scarcely different, so he felt not the slightest guilt.

‘After that incident, I was ordained to the rank of Bishop and became the Bishop of Divinar Diocese.’

For Roselle, it was a life without flaw.
Save for one thing—a colossal stain.

‘That demon’s child I failed to capture fifteen years ago.’

The mage couple had one daughter.
Certain she too possessed demonic talent, I sought to dispose of her, but the mage couple’s interference allowed her to escape—I could only watch her flee.

‘So for fifteen years I abandoned the pursuit, until at last I found a thread to follow.’

In the mage couple’s home, there was a barrier, and I recently realized that a diamond-shaped mana stone pendant was required to open it.
Had I studied magic, I would have discovered it quickly, but the Theocracy lacks places to procure magical texts, so it took considerable time.

‘After that, I ordered Veritus, the Heresy Inquisitor, to find a nineteen-year-old orphan girl bearing a diamond-shaped mana stone pendant.’

That mage couple surely would have left a key to unlock the barrier with their child.
And yet, what a twist of fate—Veritus found the girl with remarkable speed based on that information alone.

‘Who would have thought it would be Bella, the Deacon, who came seeking me out this time.’

At that time, she wasn’t wearing the mana stone pendant, so I failed to recognize her.

‘Still, it’s about time she returned.’

Veritus was someone Roselle had been watching over and nurturing all along.
A man who despised magic and possessed formidable strength—sharing such inclinations, Roselle found him utterly to his liking.

‘Veritus won’t fail, surely.’

He was a Heresy Inquisitor who had slain countless heretics throughout his career.
Even if some complication arose during this affair, the bishop’s authority could suppress it entirely.

‘The only variable, if any, would be Kael standing beside Bella.’

Kael was the one who became a Heresy Inquisitor in this examination.
But since I haven’t yet heard what transpired during that trial, I have no way of knowing what sort of man Kael truly is.
Still, it was certain he wouldn’t be a match for Veritus.

– W-wait, you can’t just do this suddenly.

Just then, a commotion erupted from outside the Prayer Hall.

– Ho, blocking this entrance tells me you’re the one I’m after.
– P-please, just a moment!

Crash!

The Prayer Hall door swung open violently.
Then a man strode into the Prayer Hall with heavy, deliberate steps.
His appearance was extraordinarily noble, yet his gaze burned with a demonic malevolence.
Roselle’s brow furrowed.

“Kael Inquisitor?”

Kael stopped abruptly and let out a cold laugh.

“You know me well enough. You know who I am.”

* * *

I stared at Roselle, who stood there bewildered.
Behind me, Bella and the other clergy members watched intently.

“What is the meaning of this outrage, Kael Inquisitor?”

Roselle regained his composure, his expression hardening.

“You know better than anyone. Bishop Roselle. Who ordered the death of innocent orphans?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Roselle replied without the slightest flicker in his gaze.

“Ha, why pretend ignorance? You know exactly how this will look to others, don’t you?”

I raised my voice deliberately.

“If you deny it, then say it proudly! That you despise magic so much you murdered an innocent mage couple to become bishop!”

The clergy members behind me stirred with unease.

“Isn’t that your conviction? Are you perhaps ashamed to speak it aloud?”
“….”
“Then it isn’t conviction at all—it’s merely your personal desire. A person of true conviction never feels shame for their actions.”

My head suddenly burned with heat, and I wiped my brow.

“I don’t care if you despise magic. Perhaps you do.”
“….”
“But you should never have touched the innocent. Did they show you malice? Did they attack you with magic first?”
“Kael Inquisitor. If you continue to corner me like this….”
“Silence!!!”

I let out a sharp breath before continuing.

“I’ve heard everything from the men you hired. I have evidence, witnesses, and motive.”

I extended two fingers.

“From this moment forward, I’m giving you two choices. The first is to come quietly and be dragged to the Papal See for interrogation. Then you’ll face punishment befitting your crimes.”

I folded down my index finger, leaving only my middle finger raised.

“The second is to kill me—the one who knows the truth—and flee. Just as you did with that mage couple you murdered.”
“….”
“There won’t be a third chance. It all comes down to whether you draw the sword hidden in your staff.”

Roselle, who had been fidgeting with his staff, flinched slightly. Behind me, the clergy continued to stir restlessly.
Roselle watched me and the others for a long moment, then let out a deep sigh before speaking.

“Such foolish, ignorant creatures….”

In that instant, his demeanor shifted entirely.

“You’re the reason everyone here will die. In fact, they will. I merely killed a mad Heresy Inquisitor who slaughtered the other clergy.”

He had presented a third option. Truly, he was a fanatic beyond my imagination.
I spoke to those behind me.

“Withdraw. I believe we’ve gathered sufficient understanding of the situation.”

The clergy startled and quickly distanced themselves from me.
Only Bella remained at my back and asked.

“Interrogator, shall I sing a hymn?”

I was momentarily taken aback, then responded calmly.

“Hold your tongue.”
“Yes.”

I glanced at Bella and asked.

“What do you want to do with that bastard?”

I had explained the entire situation to Bella on the way here. It must have been shocking, yet she listened to my account with an unmoved expression.
Bella’s eyes sank into a profound darkness.
Gone were those bright, sparkling eyes of hers—now they held the sinister gaze of a witch.

“I want to kill him.”

A chilling tone spread through the air around us.
Though I had never encountered a witch in my previous life, for a moment I glimpsed the cold visage of one.

“You said the only things I remember from my childhood are fire and rainbows, didn’t you?”
“You did.”
“Hearing your story, I finally remember now. That ‘fire’—it was the memory of him fighting with my parents. Back then, all I could do was run away from that sight.”

Bella clenched both her fists.

“So this time, I want to kill him with my own hands. The one who murdered my parents that day.”

Bella glared at Roselle with eyes brimming with profound darkness.
Watching her, a certain future crystallized in my mind.
Bella as a mage, slaying Roselle and destroying the Divinar Church District.
And then, becoming the Witch of Envy, drowning in Hell.

“But how can I kill him when I have no strength?”

Bella forced a smile and scratched the back of her head.

“No, it’s possible. Do you know when a typical mage first manifests their magic?”
“When is it?”
“That would be—”
“Inquisitor, behind you!”

Roselle had crept close and was bringing his blade down upon me.
Since I had already anticipated this, I turned and deflected it with the flat of my sword.
Speaking in that very stance—

“It’s when you truly feel the need for it. Recalling the magic from your memories should suffice for you.”
“B-but this doesn’t seem like the right moment to discuss this!”
“However, I won’t force you. It’s not my place to choose your future.”

I swung my blade with force, tearing Roselle away from me. As he landed, I propelled myself forward, weaving a pattern of sword strikes.
A rapid exchange of blows unfolded in an instant.
He was certainly no weakling. Roselle matched the level of Kong Vermin, whom I’d faced moments before.

“Why can’t you understand!”

Roselle swung his blade while grinding his teeth.

“Magic destroys everything! Bonds, lives! If that demon becomes a mage, she’ll become a calamity that will burn down the Theocracy!”

His words weren’t entirely wrong. Bella would eventually become the Witch of Envy, one of the Seven Deadly Sins—a witch of such malevolence.
But it was this man who made her into that witch. Had he not existed, Bella would have lived a virtuous life.

‘Then what about now?’

What of this moment, as I sever the very source of that hatred?
Can Bella and I—both villains in our past lives—walk toward the light?
Can we, who were once wicked, ever be praised by anyone?

‘I don’t know.’

I dismissed the thought with a bitter laugh.
I’ll live by my own convictions anyway—there’s no point in such needless worries.

“A demon simply gave birth to another demon! What’s wrong with killing them?”

I was about to respond to his endless prattling.

“Shut up!!”

But the cry wasn’t mine.
It was Bella’s voice.

“Shut your mouth, you bastard!!”

Bella squeezed her eyes shut and stretched both hands forward. Immediately, an extraordinary surge of magical power began to well up from within her.

‘Oh….’

I sensed the danger and quickly distanced myself from Roselle. But the fool turned his body toward the defenseless Bella instead.

“Die!”

Whoosh!

Roselle charged toward Bella. The tip of his blade aimed directly at her heart.
But why did it seem to me like a moth diving into a massive flame?

Sssssssss!

Vast magical power erupted from Bella.
Uncontrolled and scattering wildly in all directions, it soon coalesced into a crimson point at her fingertips.
And in the next instant.

BOOM!

With a deafening roar, flames extended outward like a colossal fist.
Roselle, startled, tried to quickly distance himself, but was engulfed by the inferno.
The flames continued to tear through the air and even shattered the walls of the Prayer Hall.

‘I anticipated this, but it exceeded my imagination.’

This is the defining characteristic of a mage—destructive power that an ordinary person could never achieve with a blade.
Of course, this was because Bella possessed talent far superior to most mages.
But….

“…I nearly died.”

Roselle survived even that inferno. Though his skin was reddened with burns and half his hair was singed away, he could still move without impediment.

“So the rumors of a demon’s child are true. This time, I won’t let you escape.”

Roselle, now grotesquely disfigured, advanced with heavy strides. Bella, flustered, began gathering magical power once more.

“…What?”

Yet her body staggered backward as though her footing had betrayed her—the consequence of expending all her mana in a single burst.
In truth, cornering Roselle with magic she’d never cast before was an impossibility in itself.
I caught her head before it could strike the floor.
Bella spoke through trembling lips.

“I failed….”
“It’s still fine. You chose this path yourself.”
“But….”
“Conduct yourself as a Deacon should. Capturing heretics is my role, after all.”

I lowered Bella to the ground, then turned my attention to Roselle as he drew near.
Roselle snarled.

“Stand aside! If you mean to shield the demon’s child, then you too…!”

My body extended like a comb’s teeth.
He widened his eyes to draw his blade, but he was already mortally wounded from Bella’s magic.
The wind-wrapped blade swept past his throat.

“Disappear.”

I stared into his eyes as they hung suspended in the void.

“Say nothing more.”

His head fell to the floor and rolled like a sphere. His lips moved with difficulty, but no words escaped him before he faded.
Bella, standing behind, asked.

“Is he… dead?”
“Even a demon would be dead from that.”
“I see…. You truly are formidable.”
“He was already dying.”
“Hehe, even so.”

I let out a dry chuckle and approached Bella.

“Can you stand?”
“Yes, just a moment….”

Bella trembled as she tried to rise, then collapsed flat on her back.

“I can’t….”
“Mana depletion. It seems controlling your mana will take considerable time.”
“I see….”
“However, if you sing while depleted of mana like this, only your voice will resonate.”
“Really, truly?”
“Yes. So if you wish, you may sing.”
“Ah….”

Bella sighed softly, then hesitated before shaking her head.

“I don’t feel like singing today. I suppose I’m simply not in the mood for it.”

Legend held that in her previous life, the Witch of Envy always sang after slaying clergy—songs born solely of envy toward others and her own despair.
Yet the Bella before me had succeeded in avenging her parents, and still she did not sing.
Was this a transformation of some kind? Or merely a difference in her disposition?
I could not say, but perhaps truly, many things were changing at the edge of my blade.
I can’t know for sure, but perhaps many things are truly changing at the tip of my sword.

“But as Deacon, I suppose I should call you that?”

I thought for a moment before answering.

“But the Interrogator is here.”
“I shall have other opportunities. Speak when you wish to sing. I will judge based on the state of my ears and the state of your mana.”
“Yes, Interrogator.”
“Yes, Interrogator.”

Yet it made no difference. The ceiling was already torn open by Bella’s magic.
But it didn’t show. The ceiling was already blown wide open by Bella’s magic.

“Interrogator, I’m sorry to ask, but could you carry me? I really can’t move.”

Bella’s flames still remained, burning through the Prayer Hall. Rather, they were spreading in all directions and approaching us.

‘Hmm, now that I think about it… this…?’

It was identical to my previous life. Bella destroying the Divinar Church District.
The only difference was that this time, I witnessed it myself. And not as the Sword Demon, but as a Heresy Inquisitor.

“…Inquisitor, sir?”

So the Divinar Church District problem that had been the source of misunderstanding was resolved, and Baron Scalen was dealt with justly.
Which meant I wouldn’t be hunted by Ludian like in my previous life.

“P-please, Inquisitor sir…? We need to leave quickly…?”
“….”
“Ah, ah… the flames…!!”

I threw both my hands up toward the approaching inferno.

“Freedom!”
“Huh?! That’s not freedom, we’re trapped in fire?!”
“Hurrah!”
“Ahhhhh! I-Inquisitor sir!!”

As for what Bella thought…
In any case, I seemed to have succeeded in changing my future—the one where I was hunted by Ludian.

* * *

Fortunately, I came to my senses in time and carried Bella out on my back.
We left the aftermath and Kong Vermin’s deacon to the clergy, and we headed for the Orphanage. Kong Vermin’s deacon would be escorted to the Papal See.

“But what do we do now?”

Bella, riding on my back, asked.

“We killed the bishop and destroyed the Divinar Church District.”
“Don’t worry. We’ve only fulfilled our duty as Heresy Inquisitors, so there’s no reason we’d be arrested.”
“I see!”

As we continued on, we soon arrived at the Orphanage.
Dominica, who had been waiting at the entrance, spotted us and approached.

“You’re unharmed, Inquisitor! Is Bella alright?”
“She’s fine. Her mana is simply depleted.”
“I see….”

Dominica exhaled deeply in relief, then bowed her head low.

“Thank you for your help. I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened without you, Kael Inquisitor.”

Indeed it would have.
Had I not been there, had I noticed even a moment too late, it wouldn’t have been the Diocese Office burning today—it would have been this Orphanage.

“By the way, about Bella….”

Dominica looked toward my carapace.

“Yes, Director. What is it?”
“Have you no desire to seek out where your Parents lived?”

At that, Bella glanced toward me.

“Why are you looking at me? Do as you wish.”
“Thank you, Inquisitor.”

Bella nodded and turned her gaze to Dominica.

“I would like to go and see.”

Dominica smiled bitterly.

“Very well. For now, rest, and I’ll guide you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow…?”
“Yes, you both must be exhausted.”
“Ah….”

Seeing Bella’s disappointment, I lowered my carapace without further comment.

“If you’re so eager, crawl there yourself. It wouldn’t be so bad to become a true turtle for once.”

Bella lay helplessly on the ground, sweat pouring down her face.

“I’m sorry, Interrogator. I’ll sleep here.”
“Fine. Then crawl to the Chapel.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yes. Really.”

I yawned and made my way toward the Chapel. The children were clustered together ahead, their eyes fixed upon me.
I pointed Bella out to them.

“Go fetch the turtle.”
“Yay! Bella the turtle!”
“I’ll grab her right arm!”

I let out a quiet chuckle and stepped into the Chapel.

“Wake me if any villains show up.”

(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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