The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 63

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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 63. So Much to Do.

Bern rose to his feet, caked in dirt, and spat out blood-tinged saliva as he fixed his gaze upon me.

“You… are you truly a Heresy Inquisitor of the Theocracy? Shielding a Mage, and your martial prowess doesn’t even match that of a Heresy Inquisitor…”

He would be bewildered. At my age, only Ludian, a Holy Knight, possessed such martial strength.
Even Ludian had only achieved this through becoming a Holy Knight from the age of fifteen, yet I had accomplished this level of power in less than half a year.
Of course, Ludian was also in a period of rapid growth, but keeping pace with my rate of advancement would not be easy for him.

“Do you know something?”

At my question, Bern responded with a tense expression.

“Know what?”
“You are no longer a Heresy Inquisitor, and thus you no longer have the authority to deal with heretics. That means what you’re doing now isn’t for the Goddess—it’s attempted murder born from your own personal convictions.”
“….”
“How does it feel? Having become a heretic from a Heresy Inquisitor?”

Bern ground his teeth as he shot back.

“The same applies to you, doesn’t it? The Heresy Inquisitor’s authority doesn’t hold in the Empire.”

He was right. In the Empire, autonomous interrogation wasn’t possible as it was in the Theocracy.
The Theocracy had never limited the Heresy Inquisitor’s authority to within its borders, but the Empire’s position was different.
To exercise the Heresy Inquisitor’s authority in the Empire, I needed the Empire’s permission.
But…

“That only applies to Empire citizens.”
“What?”
“Aren’t you from the Theocracy? I’m simply here to apprehend a runaway fanatic of the Mad God.”

I angled my blade diagonally downward.

“So come along quietly.”

I lowered my stance until it nearly touched the ground and rushed at him, then swung my blade toward the space where his eyes had been.

Clang!

He raised his sword straight to block, as if he had anticipated the strike. Having lived without eyes for thirty years, his other senses must have developed far beyond those of ordinary men.
But even so, a weakness remained unchanged.

Splat!

I hurled the mud I’d been clutching in my left hand at his intact eye. I’d scooped it up while charging toward him earlier.

“A cowardly trick…!”

Bern, now deprived of all sight, stumbled backward in panic. With one hand wiping the mud from his eye, he swung his sword wildly to keep me at bay.
I gave him no respite and rushed forward. Just as Bern managed to clear the mud from his eye, he brought his blade down.
I rushed in without giving him a chance to breathe. Bern, who had barely wiped away the mud, brought his sword down.

Whoosh!

I twisted my body lightly. The blue blade swept past my chest.
Before he could recover his sword, I swung mine. He arched his upper body backward to avoid having his throat cut, but he couldn’t escape the fatal blow.
My blade found the shoulder that had naturally risen where his neck had been, as he withdrew his sword.

“Gahhh!”

His arm fell away with his sword. I thrust forward without hesitation, and he pushed off the ground to create distance.
Bern pressed down on his bleeding shoulder, breathing heavily.

“…So someone stronger than me resorts to cowardly tactics.”
“I merely threw mud in one eye. Your blindness is your own failure, not my treachery.”

Bern’s jaw trembled before he spoke.

“One day, the Goddess will abandon you. A Heretic Inquisitor who swore to become the Goddess’s hammer, yet harbors the remnants of a demon.”

His words were almost amusing to me.
I had never genuinely sworn to become the Goddess’s hammer, yet I remained a Holy Knight blessed with divine power.
Still, I nodded.

“Perhaps such a day will come. As you say, I have never acted for the Goddess’s sake.”

And I intend to keep it that way. I was a Heretic Inquisitor who moved for myself, not for the Goddess.

“Ha, I wonder how you even became a Heretic Inquisitor.”
“But….”

I fixed him with a gaze as deep and sunken as an abyss.

“You seem inferior to me, abandoned as you are by the Goddess. This very situation proves I’m not walking a wrong path, at least.”
“You bastard….”
“There are those born as humans who live as demons. You’re naturally among them.”

I approached him slowly.

“Yet there are also those called demons by others who choose to remain human.”

That was Arsein. Even when Arsein faced the man who had cast him out from his homeland, he never once showed murderous intent.
Of course, had I not been there, he would have rushed forward to protect his family, but that fact remained unchanged.

“Do you understand? The difference between you and him?”

I rested the flaming blade lightly upon Bern’s shoulder.
Even as the heat slowly scorched his skin, he offered no resistance, only staring at me.

“By your logic, demons can become human too?”
“Perhaps. If they truly lived like people.”

Of course, it was nearly impossible. Demons were beings that seemed to concentrate only humanity’s most vile instincts.
Even I had never once seen a demon living as an ordinary human.

“You’re lost in idealism.”
“It’s realistic in its own way. Don’t mistake your ignorance for idealism.”

Bern stared into my eyes for a long moment before answering.

“I’d like to verify it myself. Whether that’s truly realistic.”
“You know as well as I do that’s no longer possible.”

My blade pressed close to his throat, ready to sever his breath at any moment.

“That’s right.”

Bern smiled faintly and lifted his head for a moment. The relentless downpour obscured his vision, yet his eyes remained open, as though he wished to see something.
Even so, he did not close his eyes, as if determined to witness what lay before him.

“If you dream of ideals, the world will never be in danger. You will grow far stronger than this.”
“Flattery at this point is useless.”

At that, Bern lowered his head and looked at me. He laughed hollowly.

“Well, I suppose so.”

I tightened my grip and drew a straight line. A moment later, beyond the sound of rain, something fell.
The headless body stood rigid for an instant before toppling backward.
I shook the moisture from the blade and sheathed my sword. Turning my head, I asked Arsein.

“Are you alive?”
“As you can see.”

Arsein coughed several times as he spoke. Apart from slightly fractured ribs, he seemed largely unharmed.
I approached him and spoke.

“They say even dogs don’t catch summer colds, yet here you are, worse off than a dog.”

Arsein’s dog barked healthily in the distance.

“…I apologize for my greed. So stop criticizing me. My emotional wounds are growing worse than my physical ones.”
“That won’t do.”

I extended my hand to him. Arsein chuckled softly and grasped it, rising to his feet.

“So you really were a Heretic Inquisitor.”
“I already told you. If your hearing is poor, don’t speak.”
“…I hadn’t seen it before.”
“I see.”

I nodded and supported him. Who knew I was such a respectful man toward the elderly.
At that moment, roughly twenty figures leaped over the entrance and descended into the Manor Courtyard. A man surveying the surroundings opened his mouth.

“Master of the Workshop, what in the world happened here…?”

It was a Guard I’d seen before. He must have come running at the commotion.

“There was an assassin targeting me.”

Arsein stepped forward without my support, clutching his ribs. Watching him move like a baby taking its first steps, I found myself cheering him on silently.

“An assassin, you say? Who could possibly…?”
“Someone after my wealth, it seems. Stronger than I anticipated, but thanks to this young man here, I survived.”

Arsein glanced at me.

“Ah, the person who was with you earlier…. Forgive me for asking, but aren’t you a Heretic Inquisitor from the Theocracy?”
“That’s correct.”

At my answer, the Guard swallowed hard.
A Heretic Inquisitor from the Theocracy had committed murder within the Empire.
Though the victim had apparently committed crimes, the Guard found himself in an impossible position regarding how to report this.
To avoid such complications, one would need to eliminate all witnesses or obtain the Empire’s permission beforehand.
Arsein, understanding this, made his plea.

“Surely this can be overlooked? This man is my benefactor—he saved my life.”

The other Guards looked toward the man I’d been conversing with. He appeared to be the Guard Captain.

“I suppose there’s no helping it.”

The Guard Captain issued orders to the others.

“Remove the body. We arrived at the Mansion after hearing the disturbance, and in the process, we discovered and subdued an individual attempting to harm Master Arsein.”
“Yes, sir!”

They saluted with discipline and moved with perfect coordination. Arsein bowed his head.

“Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it. This is merely the result of what you’ve built. We’ve benefited greatly from your magical artifacts all this time.”

The Guard Captain smiled faintly. Then he turned to look at me.

“But doing it twice would be difficult. I’m genuinely grateful for this matter as well, but the world doesn’t run on emotions alone.”
“Be careful.”

From now on, I wouldn’t let myself be caught. Whether the Guard Captain understood this or not, he turned his body away.

“Then rest well. You’re getting on in years now, so don’t overexert yourself.”

As the Guard Captain leaped over the Main Gate and disappeared, Arsein smacked his lips.

“…Everyone’s too much. I’m still full of vigor.”

I silently patted Arsein’s back. It seemed I had grown enough to comfort an old man.

“Stop it. It makes me sadder.”
“Tsk.”

Never mind then.

* * *

Bella returned to the mansion with Arsein’s family, who had been staying at the Arcana Workshop.
Since I didn’t know where Bern might appear, I guarded the mansion while Bella protected the workshop for ten days.
But Bern, just like in my past life, found Arsein’s Mansion first.

“So you were from the Theocracy….”
“Father had such a past….”

Arsein revealed his past to his wife and son.
He only told them that someone was targeting him, but didn’t go into detail.

“I’m sorry for hiding it all this time….”

Arsein, recovering in bed, hung his head. His wife stared at him for a moment, then let out a laugh.

“You’re only telling us this now.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Did you think we wouldn’t notice? You said you grew up in the Slums, but you didn’t know the Empire well enough for that, and for a while you were oddly hesitant when handling magic.”

In the Empire, mages were high-value personnel and could live with pride. They were simply that rare.

“So I figured you must have come from the Theocracy, more or less.”
“And yet you stayed with me despite knowing that?”
“What does that matter? I was drawn to the kindness that came through your bluntness.”

At that, my son nodded as well.

“Father, I don’t concern myself with such things either. Rather, I admire your skill in crafting magical artifacts.”
“Ah….”

Arsein exhaled softly, tears streaming down his face.
He had been driven from his homeland simply for being a Mage. Yet here, he had found people who cherished him despite—or perhaps because of—that very gift. He had built a life in this place.
He had nearly lost it all today, but thanks to us, that tragedy never came to pass.

“….”

Bella smiled contentedly, quietly wiping away her own tears. For some reason, I didn’t feel like teasing her, so I simply held my tongue.
Before long, Arsein, having poured out all his emotions, turned his gaze toward me.

“Kael Inquisitor. As promised, I’ll hand over the communication artifact. I’ve already finished crafting it, so I can give it to you right now.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“And I’ll pay the price for your trouble in accommodating my unreasonable request. Do you need any other magical artifacts? I’ll provide whatever I can, free of charge.”

That was welcome news. I pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Then could you provide about five weather-prediction artifacts?”

If I could predict the weather, it would be invaluable for farming. We could prepare in advance based on what was coming.
I intended to distribute these to each administrator overseeing the various districts within my territory, so they could inform the residents of the weather.

“That much is certainly possible.”

Arsein agreed readily. The value would be roughly equivalent to the communication artifact he was giving me anyway.

“Are you sure? I’d hate for you to go bankrupt.”
“I’m sure. It won’t be without cost, but I have considerable wealth.”

Indeed, a commoner who owns a mansion must be quite affluent. I suspect he may have more money than our Family Clan.
Arsein’s wealth is one factor, but our Family Clan’s lack of funds compared to other baronial houses is another.

“Besides, compared to the price of protecting my family and laying bare my past, this is nothing at all.”
“I see.”
“You said you would change the Theocracy’s perception of magic, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”
“Would it be alright if I participated in that as well?”
“But you hated the Theocracy, didn’t you?”
“That hasn’t changed even now. It’s just….”

Arsein continued with a bitter tone.

“I simply hope that no one like me ever comes into existence again. It was a small dream I once harbored in the past.”
“Hmm.”
“Of course, I cannot help you directly. My family is here, and I cannot put them in danger again.”
“I don’t expect that much. Selling me magical artifacts will be more than sufficient.”
“Thank you for understanding.”

Arsein smiled brightly.

“Instead, whenever you need magical artifacts, I’ll send craftsmen from the workshop. That way, the artifacts won’t be confiscated at checkpoints. You can assemble them in your Estate.”

The Theocracy was ignorant of magic. So the guards wouldn’t find fault with components that weren’t finished magical artifacts.
This would make things far smoother than I’d anticipated.

“I’m counting on you.”
“And take this.”

Arsein tossed me a communication magical artifact that had been resting beside him.

“What is this?”
“When you need magical artifacts, contact me with that. I’ll receive it and verify it personally.”

This way, I wouldn’t need to visit this place every time.
I handed it over to Sriben.

“Did you hear? Monitor the situation in your Estate and request the necessary magical artifacts from him. Of course, only after obtaining Father’s permission first.”

Sriben adjusted his glasses and twisted the corners of his mouth upward.

“Heh, that does sound amusing.”
“Don’t find it so amusing that you follow me all the way to Hell.”
“I shall keep that in mind, Young Master.”

Sriben bowed with proper decorum. In the old days, I wouldn’t have entrusted him with such matters.
Arsein turned to face Bella.

“And Bella.”
“Yes?”

At the sudden call, Bella tilted her head in confusion.
Arsein spoke with unwavering eyes.

“The magic your parents left behind will surely become a bridge connecting those who cannot understand one another. Just as you have bridged the bond between Kael and me.”

Indeed, without Bella’s magic, Arsein would have sent me away without hearing a word—a Heretic Inquisitor, after all.
Bella nodded with firm resolve.

“Yes. I shall remember this well.”

We departed from Arsein’s Mansion at first light the following morning.
The communication magical device was placed in Bella’s bag, but the weather prediction device was large enough that its components were loaded onto a cart drawn by horses.
Once we returned to the Estate, the five magical device craftsmen Arsein had sent would assemble it.
I spoke abruptly to Sriben.

“When the Estate prospers and the Family Clan becomes wealthy.”
“Yes?”
“You might finally have a salary to receive.”

Until now, Sriben had worked without pay. That was the price for sparing his life.

“So don’t entertain foolish thoughts—work diligently.”

At that, Sriben’s eyes widened as he bowed his head.

“I shall labor as hard as an ox, Young Master.”

I responded.

“Wow, a cow speaking human language….”
“Mooooo….”

Sriben, now transformed into a cow, trotted hurriedly toward where the magical artifact craftsmen were gathered and began conversing with them.
It seemed he wanted to gather information about magical artifacts from various angles, since Sriben himself wouldn’t know much about them.
In the distance, I could see guards conducting inspections. Beyond that checkpoint lay the exit from the city.

“Bella.”
“Yes, Interrogator!”

Bella answered with her usual cheerful voice.
But I spoke with gravity.

“You may stay here.”

At that, Bella’s footsteps beside me came to an abrupt halt. I and the others continued walking without stopping.
Bella is a Mage. Therefore, her talents would not shine easily in the Theocracy.
But the Empire is different. Just as it was for Arsein, her talents would soar to great heights without hitting any walls.
Above all, there were other Mages here who could become her friends.

“…It’s true that if I stay here, I won’t have to endure those hateful looks anymore.”

I stopped in my tracks at her words and turned back to look at her. She stood with her head bowed low, her fists clenched tightly.

“Watching Arsein, I realized something. ‘Ah, if I were in the Empire, I could live this comfortably too’….”

I know. It was written plainly across your face.

“But I have the magic my parents left me. I’m sure they wanted to use it to change the Theocracy.”
“….”
“I want to continue their dream. Even though you don’t seek to change perceptions about magic because of me, I will still help you from beside you.”

Bella lifted her head, her expression trembling with emotion, and struck her chest.

“I am your Deacon! So don’t leave me behind! Even if I’m slow, I’ll catch up to you somehow…!”

Bella contorted her face, desperately suppressing the sobs threatening to burst forth.
She would face persecution in the days ahead. No matter how much I stood by her side, I could not shield her from everything, and deeply entrenched prejudices would not dissolve so easily.
She understood this well. The path before her was undoubtedly thorned.
I gazed at her for a long moment, then turned away without a word. Bella gasped and cried out.

“Interrogator!!”

I walked a few paces before speaking bluntly.

“Some of this is your fault.”
“…What?”

Bella was originally destined to become Envy of the Seven Deadly Sins, fated to live as a villain. She had lost everything to the clergy who despised magic.
But I had no intention of allowing that fate to befall her in this life.

“You are my Deacon.”

When Bella did not follow, I paused and fixed my gaze upon her.

“Come. There is much work to be done.”

I need Bella as well. There are tasks only she can accomplish—a mage and a member of the clergy both.
Sunlight gradually illuminated Bella’s bewildered expression.

“Yes, Interrogator!”

And as always, she smiled brightly and followed in my footsteps.
Now came the time to introduce magical artifacts to my Estate.

(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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