The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 67

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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 67. Don’t Cross the Line.

Now that I had become the leader, I left my subordinates behind and headed toward Haven City. I tasked them with cleaning up the corpses and the surrounding area.

– I’ve memorized every one of your faces. If even a single one of you goes missing, you all die together. Don’t test my patience any further.
– Understood, Boss!

But judging by their expressions, they didn’t seem inclined to flee. It wasn’t merely fear of me that kept them in line.
I suspected it was because I had eliminated Noxia, who had killed the previous boss they had followed for so long.

‘It’s not quite what I expected, but things worked out well enough.’

Upon returning to Haven City, I abducted Sriben from his work and dragged him up into the mountains.
True to the demeanor of a bandit leader, Sriben followed without complaint.

“I heard the details through communication artifacts, but Young Master truly is far more impressive than I imagined.”

It was what Sriben said while observing the subordinates lined up before him.

“Until the organization takes proper shape, you’ll remain here and oversee operations directly. After that, hand it over to someone trustworthy.”

I spoke to Sriben.

“But before that, contact Arsein and request his assistance in various ways. If I grant him exclusive rights to the highest-grade mana stones, he’ll send the talented people and supplies we need. Things like mana bombs, for instance.”
“Understood. It’s been quite a while since I’ve worked in such a rough atmosphere.”

Sriben adjusted his glasses.

“But can we truly trust them? Until recently, they were bandits who attacked innocent people. They may be manageable now, but without Young Master’s presence, they might pose a threat to me and others.”

It was a reasonable concern.
Though they followed me now, after ten long years of being confined to the mountains working, there would inevitably be those who harbored resentment.
I issued a warning to my subordinates—or rather, my slaves.

“If you wish to flee, you’re free to do so whenever you please. My circumstances prevent me from remaining here permanently, so if fortune favors you, you might escape my sight forever.”
“….”
“However, do not harm Sriben or the others here. Should you violate this, I will find you no matter where you hide. And when I do, I’ll be sure to reunite you with your former boss.”

As I fixed them with a cold, piercing gaze, they nodded in acknowledgment.

“We will keep that in mind.”
“Ho, so you mean you’ll flee without killing anyone?”
“No, no! We won’t flee—we’ll work diligently!”
“We shall see. And Mold.”

I turned to face the lieutenant.

“Yes, boss.”
“Your role in managing them is crucial. I hope the day never comes when you address me as Interrogator.”
“Leave it to me. I’ve lived like garbage until now, but I’m not fool enough to squander this final chance.”

Garbage, perhaps, but intelligent garbage. Whether he could be recycled remained to be seen.
I patted Sriben on the shoulder.

“Work hard. Once mana stones begin circulating, Father will pay you a salary. More than you could possibly imagine.”

Sriben was certainly a capable talent. It would be a waste to strike him down with the whip.

“Thank you. Infinitely merciful Priest. Interrogator who condemns evil. Chancellor who sweeps up gold….”
“Enough.”
“Yes, Young Master.”

Sriben stared at me intently before suddenly asking a question.

“Does this mean you’ll listen to my story now?”

I had not heard about Sriben’s past when we first met.

– Your past doesn’t matter to me right now. More than anything, I can’t be certain it’s true, and that clouds my judgment.
– ….
– I will judge only who you become from this moment forward. I’ll hear your past when you no longer appear to me as the operator of the Pleasure District. Do you understand?

Until now, Sriben had worked tirelessly for our family. Honestly, without him, I wouldn’t have been able to move so freely.
I grasped both his shoulders and spoke firmly.

“You’re not there yet. Don’t overstep.”

Sriben adjusted his glasses and responded seriously.

“Yes, Young Master. Truth be told, I have never even tried jumping rope before.”
“I see.”

I still occasionally caught glimpses of Sriben as he had been—the operator of the Pleasure District.
Had I left him alone, the Family Estate would have been destroyed starting from that very place.
Even if Baron Scalen had forced him to do it, that sin would never disappear.

“Sriben.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Do not betray my trust.”

Sriben’s eyes widened as he bowed his head deeply.

“I shall bear it in mind. I will continue to work diligently as your most trusted aide, Young Master.”
“Don’t overstep your bounds.”
“That’s right! The Interrogator’s closest aide is me, isn’t it?!”

Bella, standing beside me, protested vehemently, and Sriben straightened to explain.

“No, Deacon Bella. You are the Interrogator’s closest aide, and I am the Young Master’s closest aide.”
“Hmm, aren’t they essentially the same thing?”
“They are distinctly different. So as aides who are different yet the same, I look forward to working with you going forward.”
“Yes! Sriben!”

Watching the two shake hands, I exhaled a sigh. Either way, they worked for me, so it hardly mattered.

‘Foolish lot.’

I let out a scoff and turned away.

* * *

Once I informed Arsein about the highest-grade mana stones, he sent skilled personnel in handling mana stones and mana bombs to the Mana Stone Mine.
The Empire currently faced a shortage of highest-grade mana stones. In such circumstances, monopolizing them would be an enormous advantage for Arsein.
And on the very day the personnel and supplies Arsein sent arrived, the highest-grade mana stones were discovered immediately.
Moreover, the reserves were so abundant that we would have no worries even if poor harvests struck for decades to come.

– Jackpot!!! This is absolutely jackpot! I too wish to serve alongside the Baron and Young Master….
– Ah, my apologies. It’s rather noisy here.

From the communication artifact resting on Father’s office desk, someone’s cheers and Sriben’s voice emanated.

– Baron, as I mentioned, there are substantial deposits of the highest-grade Mana Stones here. The problem is that to distribute Mana Stones to the Empire, we must consider the Theocracy’s position….

Distributing highest-grade Mana Stones to the Empire was tantamount to strengthening the Empire’s national power.
Though we merely checked each other beneath the surface and were not outright enemies, the Theocracy could not help but be concerned.

“I shall handle that matter myself, so do not worry. Besides, there are no legal issues whatsoever. So Sriben, I need you to focus on your work there.”
– Understood, Baron. I shall contact you again soon.
“Very well.”

After ending the communication, Father interlaced his fingers and rested his hands upon the desk. Above them, his eyes revealed an expression of infinite gravity.

“Father, we are now wealthy.”

The Luminara Family, having lived by agriculture, had never once known affluence.
When droughts persisted for more than two years, even the household members had to sustain themselves with stone bread, and the villagers caught insects to fill their starving bellies.
And this very year, we had been driven to an irreversible crisis by the plague Baron Scalen had spread.
Yet now, through the weather prediction artifacts, we could prepare for natural disasters, and we possessed wealth sufficient to sustain ourselves even through decades of poor harvests.

“Yes. That is tru….”

Father, who had begun to speak, suddenly fell silent. His eyes remained grave.

“This is all thanks to you and the others….”

Again, Father’s words did not reach their conclusion.
In that pause, I witnessed it—Father’s lips trembling with a convulsive quiver.
Before becoming the head of the family, Father had been a devout clergyman who sought to shed the worldly attachments of profit and prestige.

“Kael, you too have worked hard….”

Father, speaking with earnestness, tilted his head in confusion.

“Ah, tsk…. Why is the subject….”

That’s right. Even Father, who was infinitely noble, was ultimately just a human being.

* * *

Once the arrangements for the Mana Stone Mine were largely complete, I departed the Mansion with Bella.

‘It’s about time chaos begins to stir across the Ordeval Continent.’

In my previous life, the Theocracy could only respond belatedly to great and small calamities after Sena, the Saint of Foresight, died.
That chain of events continued step by step with the deaths of Holy Knights and Holy Maidens.
Now that Sena is alive thanks to me, even she cannot foresee all futures.

‘I can fill in those gaps with my memories from my previous life.’

If I prepare for the original future while the Saint of Foresight handles the variables created by the changed timeline, I can also delay the Theocracy’s downfall.

‘First, I need to deal with Gluttony, one of the Five Great Calamities.’

The Five Great Calamities refer to magical beasts dangerous enough to threaten the entire Continent.
Among them, Gluttony is a magical beast that has devoured villages from both the Theocracy and the Empire for years, earning infamy from both nations.
Both nations have made numerous attempts to subjugate Gluttony, but each time it vanishes without a trace.
Even when clues were found and people were sent, only torn scraps of clothing remained at the scene—not even corpses could be recovered.
Suddenly, a conversation I had with Ludian comes to mind.

– Gluttony, true to its status as one of the Five Great Calamities, possessed intelligence unlike ordinary magical beasts. It spoke and acted like a human.
– ….
– Moreover, Gluttony grew stronger with each passing day. Fortunately, I subjugated it before it could become an even greater calamity, but I earned this scar in that battle.

Ludian casually tore open his chest. A massive scar where flesh had been ripped away.
I stared at it for a moment, then spat on the ground.

– Ptui. Lost your shame, have you?
– ….
– Does this stalker bastard have an exhibitionist disorder too?

As I grumbled and walked on, Ludian sighed and spoke.

– They are not mere monsters but a ‘something’ that embodies human malice. So be careful.
– What nonsense are you spouting now? All Five Great Calamities should have already been annihilated.
– If I die, this information disappears. I had to leave it behind somehow.

I stopped in my tracks and turned my head. Even as the world crumbled, his eyes remained unwavering.
I walked forward with a scoff.

– Ridiculous.

Come to think of it, thanks to my conversation with Ludian, I now understood things I had never experienced in my previous life.
Could it be that he had spoken with the knowledge that I would regress?

‘That can’t be.’

Perhaps he left this information behind because he might not exist after defeating the Demon God.
That fool is just an idiot. A simpleton who knows nothing but trusting others.

“Inquisitor.”

Bella handed me the communication artifact that was ringing.

“Yes, Cardinal Barun.”
– First, thank you for accommodating this unreasonable request. You were the only one I could urgently turn to….
“Isn’t this about subjugating the Five Great Calamities? It’s only natural that I fulfill my duty as a Heresy Inquisitor.”

On my way to the origin point where Gluttony had appeared, Barun had contacted me at that precise moment.
One of the Five Great Calamities, Gluttony, had appeared in a certain village, and he urgently requested my help, claiming it might disappear soon—conveniently(?) since I happened to be nearby.

– Thank you. If we succeed in this subjugation, there will be no further issues with distributing top-grade Mana Stones to the Empire. His Holiness the Pope himself said it is a fitting reward for overcoming this trial.

Father had somehow obtained permission from the Papal See to distribute Mana Stones, but how long that would last remained uncertain.
After all, I couldn’t predict how the Anti-Magic Faction Cardinals would move.
But with this development, I no longer needed to worry about the Mana Stone distribution.

“Then I’ll end the call. Once I reach my destination.”

In the distance, flames and black smoke rose in multiple places.
A Holy Knight had released criminals into the abandoned village to lure Gluttony, which was drawn to magical power. The justification was rehabilitation, but the reality was this.
The Papal See probably didn’t foresee things would unfold this way.

– Yes, please take care of yourself. Your safety is more important than the success of this subjugation.

I am an essential asset to Cardinal Barun. If I were to lose my life here, it would cause him considerable trouble.

“Don’t worry. I’m the greedy type, after all.”
– Kkhkhkh, I see. Then I’ll await good news.
“Yes.”

I ended the communication and handed the magical communication device to Bella.
Near the village entrance, roughly thirty people had gathered to share information about the situation.
Among them, a short young man in silver armor spotted us and rushed forward. His expression appeared kind and serene.

“Ah, are you Kael Inquisitor and Deacon Bella?”

He looked up at us mounted on our horses. Or rather, it appeared that way.
He was a blind man, his eyes closed shut.

‘Arvin, the Holy Knight of Non-Killing.’

A Holy Knight who, under the guise of rehabilitation, had released criminals he captured into this village for years, drawing out Gluttony.
The result was that ruined, burning village before us.
Yet in my past life, he had instead been devoured by Gluttony.

“That’s right.”

I dismounted and answered.

“I’ve come to help you.”

Of course, now that I’m here, that fate will change in some way.

(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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