The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 21

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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 21. Let’s Take a Walk.

Silence envelops everything.
No whisper of wind, no breath of another soul reaches my ears.
Only the rhythm of my own heartbeat sounds, and with it comes perfect peace to my mind.
Yet when I open my eyes and survey my surroundings, an entirely different scene unfolds before me.
Wretches clutching their ears with contorted faces. Bodies convulsing on the ground, foam flecking their lips….

‘Why do they cry out in such agony?’

Truly, it is incomprehensible.
I stand in a paradise of tranquility, yet they appear as though they have fallen into Hell itself.

“Hahaha.”

Their pitiful state is so absurd that laughter bursts forth from me unbidden.
Joy is always within reach.
When I seal out the world and listen only to the voice of my own heart, such serenity and delight become possible.

“….”

Then, piercing through the peace, I sense a palpable killing intent and lift my gaze.
Mordak stands with his face twisted in fury, raising a chained scythe to strike.

Screech!

The scythe cuts through the air, seeking to reap a life.
Its target is unmistakably Bella, who continues to sing.
Bella’s eyes snap open as she senses the danger.
Yet as a mage, she has not yet reached the level to block or evade such an attack.

Clang!

So I leaped forward and deflected the scythe with my sword.
Then the sounds around me returned, and fortunately, Bella’s song had already ended.
Groans from bodies scattered across the floor. Half-conscious murmurs from those barely aware.
A single hymn had rendered most of the rabble combat ineffective.
I asked seriously.

“Well? How was our Deacon’s singing ability?”

Then Mordak screamed with bloodshot eyes.

“Even if dogs barked, it wouldn’t be worse than…!”
“Shut your mouth!!”

I shouted loudly to cut off his words.

“Who are you to evaluate our Deacon? All you can do is make a donation or offer your life.”
“This crazy bastard….”

Ignoring his rambling, I turned to Bella.

“Deacon Bella, well done. Your song awakened these wretches to the sanctity of the Goddess.”
“Thank you, Interrogator.”
“Then you may leave and wait outside. I’ll have a little conversation with these ones.”
“Yes!”

Bella hurried out of the building.
Bella had recently become capable of handling magical power to some degree. Even that much was enough to make the rabble no match for her.
I fastened the Sword of Joy at my side and looked up at Mordak.

“Come down now. Let’s have a conversation.”

Mordak twirled his scythe as he answered.

“Ha, are you going to try to make me repent?”
“I don’t do meaningless things. If words could reach you, you would be human, not a beast.”

Mordak clenched his teeth.

“Are you saying I’m a beast?”
“Why? You command livestock, so I thought you were human. You’re nothing but the leader of a pack of dogs.”
“….”
“Will you come down, or shall I come up?”
“Let’s see how long you can remain so composed!”

Mordak leaped from the railing and hurled a scythe at me.
I bent at the waist to evade it, and the scythe sailed past behind me.

Whoosh!

Just as I was about to charge forward, he yanked on a chain.
The chain wrapped around a pillar, and the scythe that had flown backward curved in a semicircle, aiming for my throat.
It was an attack that would have dealt a devastating blow to someone lacking experience.

Clang!

But I met the scythe’s rotation head-on with my blade, blocking its arc. It was a technique I had already encountered in my past life, so responding was not difficult.

“Tsk.”

Mordak withdrew his scythe.
During the motion, the scythe swung wide and caught one of his subordinates, but he paid it no mind.
Rather, his subordinates, as if accustomed to it, regained their senses and rushed at me.

“Hmm, I must have given them plenty of treats.”

It was a loyalty that could not be displayed otherwise.
Or perhaps they were simply conditioned this way and didn’t even know what was wrong.

Slash!

In any case, it was not my concern, so I cut through them and advanced.
Then, as one of them had his throat severed, the scythe came slashing down at me.
I pulled back quickly, but since it was not an anticipated attack, my shoulder was slightly grazed.
Creating distance, I exhaled deeply and gazed at the five men standing before Mordak.

“Don’t any of you feel anger?”
“….”

They didn’t answer. Instead, Mordak, who stood behind them, opened his mouth.

“They owe me their lives. So right now, they’re simply repaying that debt to me.”

Indeed, it was the logic of a loan shark.

“I see. I failed to notice the collars fastened around their necks.”

I nodded and lowered my stance.

“Pathetic wretches.”

I stomped the ground with tremendous force. In a single moment, I pierced through five slaves and reached Mordak.

Splurt!

Behind me, the slaves I’d cut groaned and blood sprayed into the air, while Mordak’s eyes widened in shock.
I brought my blade down upon him without hesitation.

Clang!

He quickly blocked my sword with his sickle.
But unable to withstand the crushing force, his knees began to bend gradually.
Just as his knees were about to touch the ground.

Whoosh!

I sensed movement from behind, followed by something cutting through the air.
I smirked.

“Finally showing yourself.”

I kicked Mordak away and spun around, sweeping my blade to deflect the dagger.
The one who had created distance spoke.

“Did you know?”

At first, I suspected someone might be present since Mordak was supposedly meeting with a guest.
Then, after entering the building, I used Tailwind to discern the number of people.

“A rat always leaves a stench, no matter where it hides.”
“…Still brimming with confidence, I see.”

He ground his teeth together.
His name was Kravil.
I knew this because in my past life, he had done the exact same thing as Mordak, and I had killed him for it.
Probably today, he was planning to learn the operation methods from Mordak, his former comrade-in-arms, and then start a loan-sharking business elsewhere.

‘Either way, he was the next one I’d have hunted down. Saved myself the trouble.’

I opened my mouth with a delighted smile.

“Did you hear the hymn? If not, I can sing it once more….”
“I heard it.”

At his solemn reply, I nodded and asked.

“Impressive, wasn’t it?”
“In many ways.”
“Good. For your information, I’m planning to impress you in many ways as well.”
“….”

A brief silence fell. Then suddenly, a sharp cutting sound pierced the air.
I spun around and deflected the scythe with my sword. Then I shouted at Mordak.

“Don’t interrupt a conversation! Did you sell your manners for spare change?”

I charged forward and stitched a pattern of sword strikes across Mordak’s body.
He blocked with chains, deflected with his scythe, and tried every trick in his arsenal, but he couldn’t prevent the wounds from accumulating rapidly.

Crash!

When I swung my sword with full force, Mordak couldn’t withstand the impact and flew through the air.
Just as Mordak crashed into the wall.

Screech!

Kravil scurried forward like a rat and aimed his dagger at my throat.

“Both of you are causing such a mess….”

I bent my knees deeply to evade, then pivoted my body and swung my blade.
Kravil retreated with agile grace, but he had already committed too deeply to his thrust at my throat.

Screech!

“Gahhh!”

His dagger flew upward along with his severed wrist.
Before it could fall, I drove my blade straight into Kravil’s heart.
I wanted to savor the agony twisting across his face, but there was no time for such luxuries.

Whiiiish!

A scythe came hurtling from behind with terrifying speed.
There was no time to withdraw my blade from Kravil’s chest and defend.
So I released my sword and caught the falling dagger from Kravil’s hand mid-air.

Swoosh!

I twisted my body to evade the scythe. It swept past my chest, missing by inches.
I watched the linked chain as it extended, and the moment it grew taut, I drove the dagger into its links.

Crack!

The dagger pierced perfectly through the chain’s opening, and I drove it straight into a pillar nearby.

“What… what is this…!”

Mordak pulled at the chain in panic. But it didn’t come free immediately—only the dagger slipped halfway out.
As he yanked once more, the dagger came loose and the chain broke free.

Crash!

But I had no intention of letting that happen. I seized the chain and pulled with all my strength, like a tug of war.

“…!”

Mordak, who had already been slammed into the wall, was dragged through the air without much resistance.
Delighted by his approach, I wrapped the iron chain I was holding around his neck.

“Gaack!”

Mordak fell forward, grasping the iron chain wound around his neck with both hands.
I yanked the chain to prevent him from breaking free.

“Bear with the discomfort. We can’t trouble anyone else, can we?”
“Hack… hack…”

I proceeded forward, holding the leash.

“Let’s go for a walk, you bastard.”

He was dragged along, clutching the iron chain.
I stopped where Kravil lay sprawled.

“Say hello. He’s your friend.”
“….”

He didn’t seem particularly pleased to see his friend.
I soon understood why.

“Ah, he’s dead.”

I pulled the sword embedded in Kravil’s body. Mordak struggled to open his mouth.

“You insane bastard….”
“Tsk. You’re asking for punishment.”

I yanked the leash to instill some manners in him. But apparently that wasn’t enough, as he continued muttering.

“Just… kill me….”
“Why would I kill you? I’m going to let you live.”

A faint glimmer of hope flickered in Mordak’s eyes.

“Is that truly so…?”
“Yes. Despite appearances, I am indeed a priest. In return, you owe me your life. How will you repay it?”

I loosened the noose slightly. He pondered for a moment before answering.

“There is a box in my office on the Second Floor. Inside it lies the wealth I have accumulated over the years. It will surely be more than sufficient.”

I already knew that location. In my previous life, I had taken a portion from there before departing.

“And.”
“And…?”

As he wore a vacant expression, I furrowed my brow sharply.

“Surely you don’t intend to settle it with just that? What of the interest?”
“Interest? How much interest…?”

I answered gravely.

“Eighteen times over, you wretched fool.”
“What do you mean by—”
“What do I mean? You have no intention of repaying this debt, do you? Isn’t that right? That’s exactly what you’re thinking?”
“No, that’s not it!”
“Not it? You’re the very picture of someone who would skip town without paying their debts.”
“Wait, just a moment—!”

Without hesitation, I brought my blade down and severed his ankle.
As I heard his screams, I released the noose from his neck.

“There. Now you won’t be running away.”
“Ugh…”
“So how will you repay the interest?”

At my question, he looked up at me with bloodshot eyes.

“There’s no way I could ever repay that…”
“Exactly, isn’t it? You understand that too?”

I raised my blade high.

“But why did he do that?”

The blade sank deep into the man’s throat. I no longer needed the chain, so I hurled it behind me.
I gazed at the corpses scattered across the floor, then planted my sword into the ground and clasped my hands together.

‘Goddess, grant me infinite patience and peace of mind….’

Holy power crept into my prayer. But infinite patience and peace of mind did not arrive, so after a moment I opened my eyes again.

Thump, thump—

I sheathed my sword and made my way to Mordak’s Office, retracing my memories.
Several documents lay upon the office desk, most of them debt settlement papers.
The seals were stamped in someone’s blood.

‘Peace of mind….’

I set down the documents and looked around for the box he had mentioned.

‘There it is.’

A box as large as my torso.
When I opened it, I found several pouches inside, each containing copper coins, silver coins, and gold coins respectively.

‘Peace of mind has arrived….’

Indeed. Peace of mind turned out to be far more materialistic than I expected.
I picked up the box and left the office.

‘Hmm?’

Then I noticed shoes arranged on a display shelf beside me.
Shoes without the filth that would be expected in the Slums—pristine and clean.
I looked at them and placed the smallest leather shoe on top of the box. Then I left the Building once more.
Looking at what I held in my hands, I found myself humming without thinking.

“Put on new shoes and jump about, hop….”

Now it was time to go receive the sacred relic.

(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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