The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 68

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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 68. Repent.

Arvin smiled softly.

“I’m grateful for your cooperation. I’ve heard much of your accomplishments. You’ll surely be of great help in subjugating Gluttony.”

To lure out Gluttony, Arvin had sacrificed the criminals dwelling in the village.
I couldn’t care less about such matters, but for Arvin, these were people he’d lived alongside for years.
Yet the fact that he could smile so readily meant one thing—Arvin had never granted them even a shred of affection to begin with.

“Come this way. I’ll explain the current situation.”

I watched his retreating figure before speaking.

“You seem remarkably composed. That village burning over there—you built it for the purpose of reforming criminals, didn’t you?”

Arvin’s footsteps halted abruptly, and he turned to face me.

“…So you’ve heard of my past from the Papal See.”
“More or less.”

Before becoming a Holy Knight, Arvin had lost his parents to Gluttony.
Driven by that thirst for vengeance, he’d likely built this village and waited endlessly for Gluttony’s appearance.
Vicious criminals possessed considerable magical power, making the village an attractive hunting ground for Gluttony.

“Do you know why my eyes became this way, Interrogator?”
“They were like that from birth, were they not?”
“No. I lost my sight after receiving divine power from the Goddess and becoming a Holy Knight.”

Arvin touched the corners of his eyes.

“In other words, the Goddess took my sight in exchange for divine power.”
“Haha, she didn’t take it. Rather, the Goddess showed me mercy.”
“Mercy?”

Arvin nodded and answered gently.

“My parents were devoured by Gluttony. I was dragged by their hands and shoved into the Wardrobe, and not long after, Gluttony descended upon them.”
“….”
“I could only watch through the cracks of the Wardrobe, holding my breath. There was nothing I could do at that moment.”

Arvin gazed at me with eyes clouded over.

“But then our eyes met directly. Yet it merely mocked my terror-stricken form and departed from the House as if nothing had happened.”

Arvin shrugged his shoulders.

“This world was never beautiful to me from the start. Expressions brimming with malice laid bare, fresh blood seeping into the ground, greedy lips glistening with desire.”
“….”
“I chose to stop witnessing such things. The Goddess perceived that resolve in my heart and took my sight from me.”

This was a story I was hearing for the first time.
I only knew that Arvin had died subjugating Gluttony, but I knew little else about him.

“But because of that, I could focus on other things. The reason I can move freely despite my blindness stems from the same cause.”

Arvin swung his blade lightly. It cut through the air with pristine precision.

“Had my sight remained, I would never have taken a single step forward in this world’s hideousness. I can only be grateful to the Goddess.”
“Are you afraid? Of seeing this world?”
“Afraid, you say…. Perhaps I am. I remain a coward trapped within the Wardrobe.”

Arvin laughed, his expression bright.

“In any case, I have searched for Gluttony ever since. Of course, lacking any other method, I created a Village under the guise of reformation—a place where criminals would dwell—and simply waited for Gluttony to appear.”
“….”
“And this place is both where those criminals reside and the Village where I lost my parents.”

Arvin pointed toward the Village behind us.
Black smoke and flames still rose from various points throughout the Village.

“Is this fate? I never imagined it would actually fall into the trap.”
“I don’t know either. It could be someone’s jest.”
“I see.”

Arvin nodded in acknowledgment.

“Do you believe my actions were wrong, Interrogator?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be conversing with you so leisurely.”

I don’t consider it impossible for criminals to repent—merely difficult. I’ve known a few who have.
Then has Arvin committed a wrong?
No, most of them should have been executed by Arvin’s hand long ago. They’ve simply remained alive in that Village because of Arvin’s purpose.
If Arvin bears any fault, it would be for toying with them.

“Of course, the Papal See’s position may differ from mine.”
“Ha, I see.”
“Still, you’re quite forthcoming with someone you’ve just met.”
“Since I may die in this subjugation, the Interrogator should know the details.”

Gluttony is one of the Five Great Calamities that the Theocracy and Empire have overlooked for years.
Even Holy Knights blessed by the Goddess cannot guarantee survival.

“Your death would be troublesome. I’d rather not make the journey to the Papal See to explain it.”
“Ha, then I’ll do my best to survive.”

At that moment, one of those gathered behind us shouted.

“Sir Arvin! We must begin moving now!”
“Understood! Let’s go!”

Arvin turned to face us.

“Then I’ll explain as we go. About Gluttony—the creature that devoured even my past.”

We nodded and followed Arvin to where the others had gathered.
Arvin handed me a paper from the table and explained the situation.

“In a few hours—at most a day—Gluttony will leave this Village. By then, there won’t be a single corpse remaining.”

The Village was larger than I’d expected. With Arvin having imprisoned criminals here for years, the population had grown to roughly three hundred.

“However, since we don’t know Gluttony’s exact location, it would be wise to split into two groups from the entrance to search. Once we encounter Gluttony, there will be considerable commotion, and we’ll quickly be able to pinpoint each other’s positions.”

I had already swept through the Village using ‘Fair Wind’, but I couldn’t find Gluttony.
To be precise, fragments separated from its main body were scattered throughout, which actually hindered my search.
Among them, I sensed nothing that felt like the main body.

“I’ll take the residents and leave. Interrogator, please accompany the mercenaries.”

Arvin stepped forward before his residents.
They were those who had fled from Gluttony. Gluttony had attacked when Arvin was away.
Both they and the mercenaries numbered roughly fifteen each, so the numbers matched, but I answered firmly.

“No, I’ll stay with the village residents. There’s a chance they might try to escape under the cover of this chaos. You don’t seem suited for the role of stopping them.”

Arvin tilted his head slightly.

“Don’t you know what kind of person I am, Interrogator?”

To draw out Gluttony, Arvin had sacrificed criminals he’d captured over several years as offerings.
Someone with such resolve would certainly be capable of executing fleeing criminals.

“I’ve only heard stories about you. We’re still strangers meeting for the first time today. I don’t judge people so hastily.”
“….”
“Besides, we need someone who knows the village layout well. I believe this is the most rational decision for finding Gluttony quickly, wouldn’t you agree?”

Arvin nodded.

“Now that you mention it, that makes sense. Then I’ll entrust them to you.”
“Understood.”
“We’ll be on our way then.”

Having spoken to the mercenaries, Arvin immediately kicked off the ground and entered the Village.
I turned to the village residents and asked.

“Who will guide us? I’d prefer someone with quick feet and the best knowledge of the village layout.”

One of them raised his hand.

“I’ll guide you. I’m the fastest runner here.”

I shook my head.

“You’re disqualified.”
“Why.”
“Based on your tone, it seems you’d reach Hell the fastest.”
“You expect formal speech in this situation?”
“That’s precisely why I’m doing this. I’m the Leader here—how else will discipline be maintained?”

The man furrowed his brow.

“Arvin told us to join forces with you, not that you were the Leader.”
“This bastard’s been talking back since earlier. People like you are dying out there right now—do you want to keep running your mouth?”

I drew my sword immediately.

“This won’t do. It’s better if I leave you here.”

The moment I stepped forward.
The man’s head snapped down. The tall figure beside him had struck the back of his skull.

“How dare you speak back to the Interrogator, who is like heaven itself….”

The tall man, who had been glaring at the disrespectful one, turned to me with a smile.

“My apologies, Interrogator. This one hasn’t been a resident long enough to fully repent.”
“It certainly seems like he hasn’t been beaten enough.”
“Yes! I used to talk back to Arvin as well, and the other residents beat me quite thoroughly.”
“I see. What’s your name?”
“Moren, Interrogator. Hehe.”

He was clearly in a posture of genuine repentance.

“Then lead the way with Moren at the front. I’ll follow from behind to check if anyone tries to desert.”
“Yes! I’m going!”

Moren shot forward, and I followed while studying the map Arvin had given me.
The path was broken in places, different from the map, but Moren navigated skillfully through the obstacles.
Then the group ahead suddenly came to a halt. I moved forward and asked.

“What is it?”
“Interrogator, over there….”

I followed Moren’s gaze toward the house. A man stumbled out, blood dripping steadily from his wounds.
Moren’s face brightened as he recognized him.

“Kor!”

The man called Kor stretched out one hand and approached us.

“Save me….”
“Yes! I understand…!”

I grabbed Moren by the scruff of his neck as he lunged forward and hurled him backward. Simultaneously, I charged toward Kor.
When I swung my flaming blade, Moren and the villagers flinched in shock.
But Kor was not who they knew.

Crack!

Upon witnessing my attack, Kor’s face contorted before transforming in an instant into a grotesque maw lined with razor-sharp teeth.
The enormous mouth lunged to swallow my head whole, but I had already anticipated this creature’s true nature.

Slash!

My flaming blade severed its neck. The bloated form melted away like liquid, dissolving into nothingness.
Moren’s eyes widened as he watched the creature evaporate into vapor.

“Interrogator, what is this…?”
“A fake. Likely a fragment split off from Gluttony, assuming a different form.”

Gluttony could mimic the appearance of anything it consumed. Of course, it couldn’t replicate their abilities.
I had discerned that Kor was a counterfeit by sensing the foreign mana emanating from the creature.

“Then Kor is….”
“Dead, most likely.”
“Damn it….”
“If you want to save even one more of your friends, move. Don’t stand idle.”
“Understood.”

Moren nodded and kicked off the ground once more.
Along the way, we encountered three more fragments of Gluttony wearing different forms, and I cut each one down with my blade.
Moren, who had greeted those fragments as acquaintances, now guided us in silence. The others did the same.

I suppose I’ve grown accustomed to this by now.

I continued to examine every corner of the Village, yet found no living souls. Only bloodstains and scraps of fabric remained—not a single corpse in sight.
It was during this oppressive silence that something changed.
They veered from the path marked on the map. It had happened before, but this time they were heading directly into the Forest.
What’s more, it wasn’t Moren leading the way anymore—it was someone else.

“Where are you going?”

They stopped abruptly.

“I asked where you’re going.”

It wasn’t Moren who answered, but one of the others.

“This path is a shortcut, sir. If you’ll just trust us—”
“I wasn’t asking you. Moren, you answer.”

Moren, beads of cold sweat forming on his brow, spoke.

“W-wait just a moment, Interrogator. I think there’s been some misunderstanding—”
“That’s enough, Moren.”

The other man cut him off and turned to face me.

“We can no longer guide you, it seems.”
“Did you hit your head or something?”

Their behavior made no sense otherwise.
The man laughed sharply and replied.

“No, rather it would be hitting our heads to keep guiding you. Gluttony is one of the Five Calamities that neither the Theocracy nor the Empire has ever subdued. Asking us to face that is just asking us to go die.”
“So you’re running away?”
“Yes.”

Flames ignited along my blade, but I suppressed them with difficulty. Arvin’s words echoed in my mind.

– Then I entrust them to you.

I exhaled deeply.
I couldn’t simply leave these fools at the village entrance. If I did, they would have fled.
I had noticed from the start that they were plotting an escape. The murky expressions on several of their faces had given it away.
Though Arvin, being blind, wouldn’t have seen it.

“Who told you to fight Gluttony? I said to guide the way and help me find Gluttony.”

Moren nodded vigorously beside me.

“Idiots like you are useless in combat. You’d only be a hindrance. So why would I bother with such a thing?”
“See! I told you! The Interrogator never intended to kill us from the beginning!”

Moren had somehow managed to calm those who had drawn their weapons.

“So put those weapons down right now. We just need to guide the Interrogator diligently. Then we can all live as we did before!”
“….”

But they merely stared at me with tense expressions, saying nothing.
Moren, his face darkening, pressed them further.

“You damned fools! Didn’t you see how Gluttony’s fragment shattered with a single strike from the Interrogator? No matter how impressive you thought yourselves before, you’re nothing compared to the Interrogator here!”
“We know.”
“Then why are you acting like this?”

Moren gnashed his teeth, fuming. They sighed and answered.

“You understand it now too, don’t you? We were nothing but bait to summon Gluttony.”
“That’s why he treated us criminals so well. There was a reason for it.”
“We were deceived. And how much longer must we remain trapped in this village? I’m going mad from the suffocation.”
“Yes. So this is our only chance. Now, without Arvin and those influenced by him.”
“The Interrogator won’t have time to worry about us, so if we flee, some of us might survive.”

Moren ground his teeth before speaking.

“You know nothing….”
“It’s you who knows nothing. You still believe the kindness he showed was genuine.”
“It was genuine. I saw it.”
“Your eyes must be deceiving you too.”

They seemed unwilling to change their minds. Moren turned to me with an anxious expression.

“Interrogator, if you could just give me a bit more time….”
“Get out of my way.”

I brushed the bastard’s face aside with my hand and moved forward.

“I have no more time to waste on you lot.”

I traced a crescent shape with my flaming blade. Flames extended along that arc.
They widened their eyes and hesitated, but that was all they could manage.
The sword energy of flames engulfed them. With small groans, they were sliced and burned, collapsing haphazardly on the ground.
None survived.
Seeing the blood slowly seeping into the earth, Moren wiped his eyes roughly with his arm.

“Pathetic bastards….”

Arvin’s reformation was certainly mockery and hypocrisy at once. But even so, it seemed I had saved one.

“Let’s go. Continue guiding us.”
“…Yes.”

Then, suddenly, I felt curious and asked.

“By the way, what crime did you commit?”

Arvin had spared this one, but I am different. If he had committed a sin I could not forgive under any circumstances, I would leave him here and depart.
Of course, the standard for determining guilt rested solely with me.

“Uh, well…. I did some loan sharking.”
“And?”
“I sold drugs too, and occasionally engaged in extortion….”

Crack!

I struck the bastard’s cheek without hesitation. When his head turned back, I warned him.

“Repent.”
“…Yes, Interrogator.”

Moren bowed his head deeply.
I raised my hand to strike the crown of his head, then lowered it. He’d likely already taken enough blows.

‘Hmm?’

When had I become so merciful toward a criminal?
Realizing this wouldn’t do, I raised my hand again and struck his skull with force.

Thwack!

“Ow.”
“Repent.”
“Yes, Interrogator.”

I nodded with satisfaction and turned to leave.

“Now go.”

That was when it happened.

Boom!

A tremendous explosion echoed from the distance.
Standing atop the Hill, my view was relatively unobstructed, and dust rose like mist from the source of that blast.

‘And that aura emanating from there… it’s divine power.’

Which meant Arvin.
He couldn’t possibly be channeling that much divine power against a fragment of Gluttony—he must be facing the true body itself.
I kicked off the ground with force and shot forward, with Bella, already alert, swiftly following behind me.

“W-wait, I’m coming too!”

Of course, what Moren did was no concern of mine.

(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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