The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 38

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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 38. So You Too….

Benedick, waiting outside the Office, could not conceal his unease.
Had Kael not been someone who showed courtesy to others from the very beginning?
There was no way he would let a discourteous person off lightly.

“Father, please do not worry so much. My brother has changed considerably from before.”

It was Aren speaking from beside him.

“That’s right, dear. Though Kael does have his impulsive moments, when you think about it, he’s always been strangely rational.”

I knew that. Had it been otherwise, Benedick would not have relinquished his position.

“Yes. Especially recently, he has changed quite a bit from before….”

Benedick nodded.

“That fellow must have some method in mind, which is why he said he would converse with the guest.”

Sriben chimed in agreement.

“Indeed, Baron. Perhaps the gentleman the Young Master brought along this time is that very method.”
“True enough. Kael hasn’t brought people here pointlessly of late.”
“Yes, so let us wait until their conversation concludes. Shall I have Rak and Rami bring some tea?”
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Thus Benedick waited, savoring the tea that Rak and Rami had brought.
Sounds occasionally drifted from the Office, but they were so faint that the contents of their conversation could not be heard clearly.
Then, suddenly, even those sounds ceased, and silence fell.

‘It seems they are taking a moment to deliberate.’

Yet even after ten minutes had passed, it remained silent as a tomb.
He wanted to press his ear against the door, but his dignity would not permit such a thing, so he merely sipped from his empty teacup.
Seeing this, Sriben adjusted his spectacles.

“The weight of fifteen hundred gold coins is certainly not light. Both parties will inevitably find themselves lost in deep deliberation.”

Benedick waited a moment longer, as if considering the matter.
But the silence stretched on and on, and each time, Sriben offered a quiet comment from beside him.

“In this stillness, I sense Young Master Kael’s compassion for the residents.”
“Indeed, the plague that has tormented the Estate for over half a year is not a problem to be solved so easily.”
“Perhaps they speak in hushed whispers for fear that the Research Institute’s secrets might be leaked.”

Yet the silence persisted, stretching past thirty minutes.
Those family members who remembered Kael from his reckless days began to feel an inexplicable unease.

“The conversation is taking longer than expected.”
“Indeed. What could Kael possibly be discussing?”
“Hmm, this is certainly strange.”

Sriben, watching them, broke into a cold sweat. He could not forget the first impression of Kael entering with sword in hand.

“This won’t do. I should go in and check on them myself.”

Benedick moved toward the door to knock. Sriben had no means left to stop him.

‘Please, let the corpse’s head and body still be connected….’

The moment Sriben offered that prayer.

“Ah, Baron Luminara.”

Slow emerged from within, looking perfectly intact. Judging by the outer robe he wore, the conversation had concluded.
Benedick asked.

“You’re leaving?”
“Yes. Young Master has already found a way to resolve the plague.”
“Then regarding the deal…?”
“Since there is already someone far more capable than us, there seems to be no reason for us to conduct business with you. I apologize for our rudeness just now, Baron Luminara.”

Slow bowed deeply.

“Oh, it’s quite alright. I’ve seen merchants conduct themselves this way more than once.”
“Haha, I apologize for displaying such poor form. I do hope you’ll forgive us for our inadequacy….”
“Still, I’m grateful you’ve come all this way. Had my son not been here, I would have owed you a considerable debt. So please, do visit us again next time.”

At that, Slow’s eyes widened noticeably.

“Next time?”
“Yes. Since our Estate’s primary focus is agriculture, I believe an exchange would be mutually beneficial.”
“…I understand. Should time permit, I shall return with gifts in hand.”
“Thank you.”
“Then I shall take my leave….”

Slow bowed once and hastily turned to depart.

“Wait.”

Just then, Kael emerged from the office and called him back.
Slow, slightly taken aback, inquired.

“Is something the matter, Young Master?”
“Have a meal before you go. You’ve traveled far—I can’t simply send you off empty-handed.”
“Ah, there’s no need to trouble yourself.”
“It troubles me to let you leave. You look exhausted, and I have some excellent ‘medicine’ to offer you. Besides, there’s still more we should discuss.”
“Ah, I see. Then I won’t refuse….”
“A wise choice. Allow me to show you the way.”

Kael and Slow proceeded together toward the Dining Hall. Watching their harmonious departure, Aren and Lillian Luminara smiled with satisfaction.

“It seems our worries were unfounded after all.”
“We were mistaken in our concerns.”

Benedick, too, finally allowed himself a genuine smile.

‘He truly has changed, Kael.’

* * *

After interrogation, Slow was indeed connected to the Evil Book Society.
According to Slow’s account, Baron Scalen had commissioned the Flora Research Institute, and following those orders, Slow spread the plague throughout my Estate.
But the reason he returned was to shackle us under the pretext of resolving the plague.
I asked why the Evil Book Society would go to such lengths against us—not to fill their own pockets like Baron Scalen did—but Slow claimed he didn’t know anything beyond that.

‘Perhaps, as I suspected, the Evil Book Society has begun to take notice of me.’

In any case, it was fortunate we uncovered the truth so quickly.
Among the Evil Book Society, there were occasionally fanatics who wouldn’t divulge information no matter how much torture was applied, but Slow was not one of those zealots.

“Haha, Baron. The food is truly delicious.”
“I’m glad it suits your palate.”

After that rather poignant meal with Slow came to an end, I departed for the Flora Research Institute alongside him.
I told Father I was merely going to express my gratitude to them and return, but the real reason was something else entirely.
During the carriage ride with Bella and Arturo, I warned Slow.

“Remember this well. I’m heading to meet the Research Institute Director to conduct business with the Flora Research Institute. If you step out of line, I’ll give you a view of the heavens.”

I hadn’t killed this man because he was merely following orders—the one who gave those orders was someone else.

“If I do as you command, can I survive?”
“That depends on what you do.”

Though Slow appeared fine on the surface, his poison had not been completely detoxified.
The poison’s effects would resurface within hours, so Arturo had to continuously administer the antidote.

“Or would you prefer now? I’ll free you from the agony of the poison.”
“…I’ll decline.”
“What a shame.”

After several days of travel, we arrived at the Flora Research Institute. The Research Institute was a massive building, rivaling even a modest Temple in size.
Through Slow, we entered the Research Institute without any problems, and the interior we found was like a botanical garden.

“Hmm….”

Sunlight poured down through a glass ceiling. Scattered nearby were various plants of different sizes and species.
Standing in the midst of them was a man whose eyes were barely visible—the sort who opened his eyes like a dog’s.
Upon seeing us, he offered a light bow of courtesy.

“Ah, welcome. I am Bloom, director of the Flora Research Institute.”
“I am Kael Luminara. I heard there was a way to resolve the plague in our territory, but I found it difficult to believe, so I came here personally to verify.”

According to Slow’s account, Bloom was an Apostle of the Evil Book Society.
However, since my purpose extended beyond merely eliminating him, I treated him ordinarily for now.

“I see. Indeed, with such substantial sums of money involved, suspicion is only natural. But I wonder—why has the eldest son come instead of the Baron himself?”
“A family head must naturally remain rooted in his seat. Such matters are well within my capacity to handle.”
“This seems far too significant a transaction to be merely ‘such matters.'”
“It only demonstrates how much my father trusts me.”
“Hmm, I see.”

Bloom’s gaze shifted to the space behind me.

“Slow. You may leave now. I wish to speak with Young Master Kael privately.”
“Yes, Director Bloom.”

Slow bowed and departed. I gestured for Bella and Arturo to leave as well.
The rest could be left to them.

“But I heard you could prepare medicine in just one week—is that truly possible?”
“Ah, did Slow tell you that?”
“He did. He explained it so thoroughly that I came here in person.”
“Haha, it seems he was quite eager to conduct business with you. After all, performance bonuses accompany results.”
“I see. So how exactly do you prepare the medicine in one week? Once I confirm that, I shall immediately inform my father and arrange for the funds.”
“Excellent.”

Bloom nodded and spread both arms wide.

“We have already collected samples of the plague-infected plants with the residents’ permission and investigated them at our research institute. Believing this was a problem we could resolve, we sought out Baron Luminara.”
“I was unaware of that.”
“The remainder involves formulating the medicine by blending the materials we have here at the institute. However, the efficacy varies entirely depending on the proportions used, so we require a skilled specialist.”
“I see. Are the plants here also part of the materials?”

I surveyed the vegetation surrounding us.

“Ah, these are plants I cultivate specially.”
“Interesting. They have a peculiar appearance.”

I reached toward a flower-like plant, and its petals trembled as if alive.

“Please don’t touch them carelessly. Some contain poison, and it could be dangerous for the Young Master.”
“Ah, my apologies. I was thoughtless.”

I withdrew my hand from the flower, and Bloom smiled faintly.

“It’s fine. You couldn’t have known it was a rare specimen. After all, the Young Master would only be familiar with things like oats and wheat.”

…This bastard?
Normally, I would admit my mistake, but the person I was speaking with now was no ordinary man.

“Your tone sounds almost contemptuous of oats and wheat. Yet those are the crops most essential to the people.”
“That may be true, but they’re hardly rare since you can find them anywhere. These, however, are unique.”

Despite being a business partner, his tone was sharp. It seemed plants mattered far more to him than our transaction.

“I see. I failed to appreciate these precious plants.”
“Please be more careful next time. There’s no benefit in either of us being upset, is there?”
“True enough. So all the materials are here within this Research Laboratory?”
“Yes. If you wish, you can return to the Estate together with me once the medicine is prepared.”
“That would be a good arrangement.”

A brief silence settled before I spoke again.

“Now I finally understand.”
“Understand what?”

As Bloom tilted his head in confusion, I adjusted my sword hilt.

“Why someone who loves plants so dearly would spread plague across another’s field. To you, they meant nothing at all.”
“…What are you suddenly saying?”

I reached toward the flower I had touched earlier. A faint magical essence emanated from my fingertips.
Examining the surrounding plants through it, each bore traces of magical power—some greater, some lesser.
Bloom had been infusing magical essence into plants instead of humans.

“Don’t touch—!”

It was the moment Bloom shrieked in convulsions.

Whoosh!

I infused ‘Wrath’ along with holy power and incinerated the small flower.
Bloom’s eyes, which had been narrowed like a dog’s, snapped open as he fixed me with a cold, piercing gaze.

“What in the world are you doing?”

I tore my gaze from the flower reduced to ash and turned it toward Bloom.

“What else? I’m simply returning to you exactly what you did to our Estate.”
“Surely you don’t mean….”
“Why? Did you think I came all this way to actually negotiate with you?”

I let out a soft chuckle and drew my sword, letting it hang loosely at my side.

“You may have felt nothing from that act, but those fields were the precious livelihood of our people—cultivated with the same care as this plant you developed through dark magic.”

For those who sustain themselves through farming, the fields are their entire fortune and their very existence.
Over months, they till the soil, sow seeds, spread fertilizer, pull weeds, and so much more.
All of a farmer’s long labor and devotion are woven into the harvest of a single crop.
Yet you destroyed it all in a single moment.

“So I hope you experience that same emotion yourself.”

The hollow despair of watching years of effort and care vanish in an instant.
The helpless anguish of being able to do nothing but watch.

Whoooosh—

Soon, a great flame blazed intensely along the blade of my sword.

(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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