The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 34

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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 34. A Good Decision.

I transformed the Lunatic into a furnace.
Bella wrapped the shop with an impossibly thin barrier that prevented any air from escaping, while I funneled the flames and wind gathered in my palms into the sealed space with meticulous care.

‘As delicate as charcoal-making….’

Of course, the residents who had shown no interest in others glanced at us occasionally during the process, but apparently fearing they might get entangled in something troublesome, they soon went about their business.

“Bella Deacon. That should suffice.”
“Yes, Inquisitor!”

As Bella released the thin barrier, the stifling air trapped inside dissipated in an instant.
But upon entering the shop, we were still greeted by oppressive heat.

“It’s sweltering. Bella Deacon, open the door for a moment.”
“Yes!”

When I searched for Arturo afterward, I found him unconscious inside the shop, the whites of his eyes showing.

‘I knew it would come to this.’

I had come here to bring Arturo to my side, but if his nature remained identical to his past life—when he embodied Greed among the Seven Deadly Sins—I was prepared to kill him.
Leaving him alive would only create countless headaches.

‘So I tested him.’

Whether Arturo was the sort to poison even someone he’d never met before.
If it had been a lethal toxin, he would have ended his own life, but if it was truly just water, I planned to proceed with my scheme as intended.

Thud—

‘But a sleeping draught….’

Does that barely count as safe?
Administering a sleeping draught to a Priest he’d never met before isn’t exactly normal behavior, but considering what he’s currently plotting, it’s hardly surprising.

Crash─!

‘Well, well, sleeping soundly, aren’t we.’

He’d relied on his tolerance and drunk the sedative, but even a slight increase in body temperature would throw off the drug’s calculations.
If he’d noticed the mana and tried to escape, I would have used my authority as a Heretic Inquisitor to keep him inside.
I’d claim it was for a more thorough interrogation.

‘But the sedative was so potent that he didn’t notice right away.’

I grabbed him by the collar and slapped his cheeks back and forth.

“Wake up! Wake up! You’ve got business to attend to!”
“…Gasp!”

He exhaled sharply and his eyes snapped open.

“Sleep well?”
“It’s been a while….”
“If you’re tired, you can sleep more.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Suit yourself.”

I released him and leaned back against the wall.

“So then, why did you try to drug a Heretic Inquisitor you’d just met?”

I had a rough idea, but I needed to hear it from his own mouth.

“I wasn’t unconscious because of the sedative. Your lot turned the shop into a furnace. What in blazes is this?”

Indeed, he was dodging the question once more.
I studied him carefully before speaking.

“Wipe the antidote off your lips and then talk.”
“….”

Arturo awkwardly wiped his mouth. When he continued to stay silent, I spoke up.

“Think carefully about why I, a Heretic Inquisitor, would bother coming to this modest workshop. Moreover, the crime of attempting to harm a Heretic Inquisitor is far from trivial.”

Arturo exhaled deeply and rose from his seat.

“Will anything change if I speak? It seems more likely that the crime of attempting to drug a Heretic Inquisitor will be judged more leniently.”
“I can’t guarantee that’s how it will go.”

Arturo stared at me for a long moment before laying bare his plan.

“I intended to detonate a bomb containing deadly poison to kill Baron Viper and his entire household.”
“Why?”
“They are the masters of this territory, yet they show no regard for the people. And because of their influence, the people themselves have become indifferent to one another.”

My gaze grew distant and heavy.

“Is that all?”
“Words alone cannot convey the true magnitude of what I’ve witnessed.”
“I see.”

I adjusted my sword hilt.

“Your plan is an audacious act that would undermine the order of the state. Knowing this, I have no choice but to stop you.”
“….”
“So will you kill me and flee, or will you confess everything and leave your fate to my judgment?”
“You… already know so much.”

Arturo exhaled deeply as he met my gaze.

“Very well. Since it’s come to this, I’ll tell you everything.”

I had known from the start that he wouldn’t attack me.
Had he intended to, he would never have drunk the sleeping draught himself—he would have struck at me from the beginning.

“I run this modest workshop now, but ten years ago I wandered the Slums. No matter how desperate one’s circumstances became, not a single coin would be spared in those Slums.”
“….”
“So I frequently stole food and water from the Shop. The fortunate thing was that because of the people’s nature, I only heard scornful curses—no one pursued me except the Shop Owner.”

Arturo let out a small, bitter laugh.

“But then I got greedy once, and I was beaten nearly to death for it. Because of that, both my legs were broken, and I couldn’t steal anything for a long time.”
“Good news for the residents.”
“Well, I can’t deny that.”

Arturo shrugged his shoulders.

“Still, I had stored food, so surviving alone wasn’t a problem. The issue was that I wasn’t alone.”

Arturo continued speaking with an emotionless gaze.

“There was someone around my age. Not family, not a friend, not a benefactor—just someone I happened to meet by chance on the street.”
“….”
“She was missing one leg, so she couldn’t even steal. I don’t know why I took care of someone so useless….”
“You were lonely, I suppose.”
“Certainly, thanks to her, I was never bored. She was the only one who spoke to me with genuine sincerity.”

Arturo hesitated for a moment before continuing his story.

“Anyway, eventually our water and food ran out. It hadn’t rained for a while, and even her lips—the one who used to speak to me—dried up. I went out and begged, but as always, everyone ignored me.”
“….”
“Then one day, Baron Viper passed through.”

Darkness filled Arturo’s pupils.

“I couldn’t understand why he was in such a slum, but that wasn’t what mattered. Gear immediately begged him for just a cup of clean water. But that bastard….”

Arturo bit his lip.

“He didn’t even glance at us and simply passed by, as if he had a destination, moving in only one direction.”
“….”
“Of course, having wealth doesn’t obligate one to feed the poor. But that man is the master of this territory. Shouldn’t he at least be able to give a cup of water to a resident dying of thirst?”

Arturo spat out words as if poison were rising in his throat.

“Just one cup of water. A person died because of it.”
“So you tried to kill Baron Viper?”
“Yes. It was impossible for a worthless slum boy, but now, with all the strength I’ve accumulated and the knowledge I’ve learned and mastered… it’s possible.”

Murder flashed in Arturo’s eyes.
In my past life, Arturo had indeed annihilated the entire Viper Family with a bomb laced in deadly poison. The blast radius proved far larger than anticipated, claiming even innocent townspeople in its wake.
After that, Arturo lived as Avarice among the Seven Deadly Sins, only to eventually fall by my hand.
I tapped my forearm with my index finger before speaking.

“As you well know, Baron Viper’s actions violate no laws of the realm. A lord bears responsibility for the welfare of his subjects, yes—but that obligation hardly extends to paupers who pay no taxes.”
“….”
“Rather, it is you who devised a plan to steal countless lives. You are far more suited for the gallows.”

At my words, Arturo’s brow furrowed sharply.

“You clearly suggested to me that there was a better way forward. Was this entire conversation merely a mockery to extract details from me?”
“Mockery?”

I tilted my head quizzically.

“If anyone played games here, it was you.”
“What do you mean?”

I tapped the water glass lightly.

“Four people died from a single cup of water, and yet you handed me a glass laced with sleeping draught. If that isn’t mockery toward me, then what is it?”
“That, that was….”

Arturo’s lips sealed shut as he struggled for an excuse.

“So silence yourself and listen. I am offering you an opportunity right now.”
“An opportunity…?”
“Yes. A way to bring down Baron Viper without becoming a criminal yourself.”
“Such a thing exists?”
“There is, however, one condition. From this moment forward, you must use your knowledge to benefit others.”

More precisely, to benefit me and my family—though that hardly contradicted what I’d said.

“That is truly all you ask?”
“You, of all people, should understand how difficult it is to genuinely help another.”
“Ah….”

Arturo was born in the Slums, a place where no one even spared him a glance.
To him, help was something intangible, forever beyond his grasp.

“I understand. Besides, I don’t have many other choices anyway.”

I’d deliberately aimed for that weakness, but I didn’t bother voicing it aloud.

“Well reasoned. Then let’s discuss this elsewhere.”
“Elsewhere, sir?”

I answered as I walked toward the counter.

“The Viper Family Mansion, naturally.”

A man entered through the door that had just opened. His faint presence marked him as someone who trafficked in unsavory dealings.
After closing the door behind him, the man’s eyes swept across us before he addressed me.

“A Heretic Inquisitor?”

He seemed to have abandoned courtesy long ago, so I returned the favor in kind.

“Did a demon possess you? Where did you sell off your conscience?”

The man’s eyes narrowed.

“Mind your tongue. I come here under the direct orders of the Viper Family.”

In other words, even as a representative of a noble house, he was demanding I show proper respect.
But decorum had long since been devoured by my darkness—I no longer knew what such things meant.

“So you’re just a lapdog the Viper Family keeps on a leash.”
“Now see here!”

When the dog barked, I scratched my ear and opened my mouth.

“Never mind. What does your master want?”
“…He wishes to speak with you at the Mansion.”

The residents paid no mind to Bella and me, but the Viper Family would certainly have been watching for outsiders.
After all, they were conducting unsavory business in this territory.

“I see.”

I nodded in acknowledgment.

“Then convey this to your master: the guard dog you keep lacks manners, so I’ve lost all desire to visit.”

The Viper Family Head perpetually pursued his own gain, discarding anything he deemed useless with ruthless efficiency.
That disposition had allowed him to rapidly expand the family’s prosperity, yet it harbored no shortage of drawbacks.

“You….”

The man gnashed his teeth, glaring at me before he cried out.

“How dare you─!”

His words never reached their conclusion.
I had already launched myself forward, driving my fist directly into his face.

Crack!

He attempted to react, but my fist was faster—his body flew through the door and out into the street.
He scrambled to his feet, cradling his swollen, crimson face.

“What is the meaning of—”

I spoke to him with glacial coldness.

“I am a Heretic Inquisitor selected by the Papal See. While I may lack elaborate ceremony, I am not one to be treated with contempt.”
“….”
“If you understand, then leave. Next time you come, open your eyes with proper respect.”

Then I smiled with derision.

“Though I doubt we shall meet again.”
“….”

The man gnashed his teeth and hastily fled the shop.
After he disappeared, Arturo stared at the door lying haphazardly outside and muttered to himself.

“My door….”

I gazed at the now-open workshop and offered him consolation.

“You’ll have more customers now.”

* * *

Not long after, a woman with long violet hair arrived at the workshop.

“It is an honor to meet you, Heretic Inquisitor. I am Ravenna Viper, the legitimate daughter of the Viper Family. I apologize on behalf of the rudeness displayed just moments ago.”

Ravenna bowed respectfully at the waist.
Contrary to my expectations, she offered a rather formal apology, so I decided to deliberately provoke her.

“Think nothing of it. Seeing the crown of the young lady’s head has quite soothed my irritation.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”

Bella and Arturo seemed somewhat taken aback, but Ravenna responded without any apparent concern.

‘Curious.’

It was strange that even after a servant sent on their orders had returned beaten, and despite my openly disrespecting the Viper Family’s legitimate daughter, there was no significant reaction from them. Perhaps they harbored their own guilt and were being cautious.
Or perhaps they had some ulterior motive.

‘If not that, then something else is afoot.’

My instincts suggested the latter was true.

“So, the Viper Family summoned me?”
“Yes. Would you be willing to come with me?”
“Of course. I’ve been wanting to have a word with them myself.”
“Thank you for your cooperation.”

We then arrived at the mansion under Ravenna’s guidance. The estate was shrouded in dark tones, creating an ominous atmosphere.
Before entering the mansion, Ravenna turned back to look at me.

“There….”

Ravenna’s lips parted as if she had something to say. As she hesitated, I spoke.

“I know.”
“Yes…?”
“Whatever it is. So just guide us quietly.”
“Ah, yes….”

After entering the mansion, she led the way ahead, and I quietly advised Bella and Arturo.

“If they offer you food, don’t eat it. Don’t touch things carelessly. Especially you, Bella—be even more cautious.”

The Baron Viper’s house—they stop at nothing to achieve their ends.
Arturo would be fine since he has poison resistance, but Bella could be in danger if she made a mistake.
Of course, I myself currently have almost no poison resistance, so I need to be careful as well.

“…Yes.”

Bella nodded as naturally as she could. I had already told her about the Viper Family.
When we arrived at the hall, a man with violet hair approached with a thin smile.

“Welcome, Heretic Inquisitor. I am Grass, the eldest son of the Viper Family.”

I looked at the hand Grass offered but didn’t shake it, and replied instead.

“I am Kael, the Heretic Inquisitor. But where is the Family Head?”
“Yes. He had some business to attend to.”
“I see.”
“So, wouldn’t you consider leaving for today? I’ll give you this instead.”

Grass handed over a small glass vial containing a purple liquid.
Then Ravenna’s eyes widened as she objected.

“Brother! Surely…!”
“Silence. We’re in conversation, so don’t interrupt.”

As Grass glared coldly, Ravenna clamped her mouth shut and averted her gaze.
I observed their reactions carefully before asking.

“What is that?”

Grass smiled, his cold gaze never wavering.

“Poison. The kind that kills you if you don’t consume the antidote once a month.”
“And what does it mean that you’re giving this to me?”
“I don’t know what you’ve discovered, but consume this and leave quietly. Then I’ll let you live.”

In other words, he was telling me to overlook everything that happened here, leave, and then return every month to receive the antidote.

“For your information, seeking help from the Papal See will be useless. Since we created this poison, you won’t be able to obtain an antidote anywhere else.”

As expected, they hadn’t deviated from my predictions.

‘Killing me here would leave them exposed to the Papal See, so this is the most efficient and safe method for them.’

I actually preferred this outcome. Or rather, I had hoped they would respond exactly this way.

“Your upbringing must have been lacking. Did they teach you to threaten guests first?”
“Haha, I don’t consider someone who poses a threat to me a guest.”
“Talking back, no less. This won’t do. I need to meet your father.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“Well, he’s probably concocting human poison somewhere.”
“….”

The already frigid air grew even colder with the silence.
Human poison—a toxin created by mixing human flesh with various other materials.
It was a potent venom in its own right, but when consumed with special conditioning to build immunity, it could even be used as an elixir.
Of course, merely creating or using it was heretical, given that it required human flesh as an ingredient.
Yet the Viper Family Head had already earned his baronial title and territory through numerous exploits involving human poison.

“This place is certainly well-suited for creating human poison. The residents show no interest in one another, so even if someone is dragged away as material, no one raises an outcry. And if it’s the Slums, all the better.”

Grass, who had been listening silently, furrowed his brow.

“You… know far more than I anticipated.”
“I suppose I do.”

The fact that the Viper Family Head uses indigo poison was something Arturo discovered after committing his atrocity, which the Theocracy later learned.
In my past life, I came across this information while skimming through data on the Seven Deadly Sins.

“Drink it. I see now that I cannot leave you as you are.”

Grass extended a glass vial filled with poison. Subordinates wearing black masks had already surrounded us without my noticing.
I touched my sword hilt and spoke.

“Listen, Grass.”
“What is it?”
“From this moment, I grant you two choices. First, you drink that poison yourself. Second, you fall to my blade.”
“What if I dislike both?”
“Then there’s nothing to be done.”

In that instant, a sharp blade erupted from its sheath like a beam of light.
The surging steel aimed with precision at Grass’s shoulder blade.

“…!”

He recoiled in panic, scrambling backward. But the distance was too close—the wrist holding the poison was sliced open.

Slash!

His severed hand fell to the floor in a spray of blood, and the glass vial shattered, spilling violet liquid across the ground.
With distance now between us, Grass pressed down on his bleeding wrist, glaring at me.
I wrapped flames around my blade and offered him a slight smile.

“I have no choice but to send you all to Hell.”

From the start, you were never given any choice at all.

(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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