The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 78

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 78. None.

We followed the Servant toward the Reception Room of the Mansion.
Earl Rainward handed a pouch of gold coins to the Holy Maiden.

“Please, Holy Maiden, do accept this humble gift of mine.”
“No, no. I have come merely to fulfill my duties under the Papal See’s orders. I cannot accept this.”
“But surely….”
“If you truly wish to express your gratitude, make a donation to the Papal See instead. That would be sufficient for me.”

In truth, not only Holy Maidens and Holy Knights, but even most Heresy Inquisitors conduct themselves this way. They have all sworn to serve the Goddess.
I am merely a touch different from the rest.

“Ah, how sincere you are…. Yes. I shall see to it at once.”
“Thank you. Then I shall take my leave.”
“Yes. Go safely.”

Lenika offered me a respectful bow as well before departing the Mansion with her Knights.

“By the way, Kael Inquisitor, are you pleased with the reward I have prepared?”

I surveyed the items laid upon the table. Chests filled with gold and silver treasures, various medicinal ingredients and herbs, and a worn scroll.
All of it was mine.

“Why, do you find it burdensome to accept all this, just as the Holy Maiden did?”

I am a man unfamiliar with burden. Yet I could not speak the truth, so I gave a vague response.

“Truthfully, it is somewhat burdensome. However, unlike the Holy Maiden, I do not receive full support from the Papal See. Therefore, it seems better to accept this for more effective suppression of heresy.”
“Ah, then it cannot be helped.”
“Yes. It cannot be helped.”
“Then are you satisfied with the reward?”

In truth, I am disappointed.
The only things that could make me stronger were the medicinal ingredients and herbs, yet those merely accelerated growth slightly and offered no immediate boost to my combat prowess.
Still, it was strange that fine elixirs lay dormant in the Earl’s Warehouse. Above all, there had been little time to prepare the reward.
I grasped the scroll.

“What is this?”
“Ah, that’s something I won at the Auction House. I heard there’s an elixir hidden there that boosts regenerative abilities.”
“May I examine it?”
“Of course.”

I untied the cord and unrolled the scroll.
It was a map. Though it showed its age, it was well-preserved with quality materials, leaving almost no damage.

“The elixir is in the Eldmire Wetlands.”
“Oh, you know of it?”
“Yes. It’s where the Aholo Tribe lives.”

The Aholo Tribe.
A non-human race distinct from mankind, blessed with exceptional bodily regeneration.
Because of this, they had been hunted by humans since ancient times—until the Theocracy saved them.
Of course, it wasn’t purely altruistic.
In exchange for supplying Aholo mucus, which becomes the finest healing elixir, the Theocracy declared the Eldmire Wetlands a territory within its domain and pledged to protect it.

“And ‘Necron’….”

At the top of the map were written the words “… please become – Necron.”
The beginning was scorched by fire and barely legible.

“Do you know of Necron as well?”
“A mage from about a hundred years ago who captured members of the Aholo Tribe for his research, was he not? Perhaps the location this map indicates contains an elixir made from the Aholo.”

That would be the regenerative elixir Earl Rainward mentioned.

“Hmm… you certainly know quite a lot. It’s hardly common knowledge.”
“I am a Heresy Inquisitor, after all. But did you intend to obtain this, my lord?”

An elixir created through a mage’s exploitation of an entire race. By some standards, it was an unethical method.

“In case my daughter should fall ill. I thought I’d keep it and use it if the day came when I needed to save her by any means. Though I’m not certain the map is genuine.”
“I see.”
“That’s why I hadn’t originally intended to show you this. It’s not a certain reward. But after gathering what I could, it fell short of expectations, so I offered this instead.”

If this were a genuine map, it would be a reward obtainable nowhere else in the world.
However, the fact that the elixir was created by exploiting the Aholo Tribe weighed somewhat on my conscience.
While we already consumed other animals, the Aholo Tribe possessed intelligence capable of human-like conversation.
Perhaps for that reason, an inexplicable sense of rejection stirred within me.

‘Of course, that’s only if what the world knows is the truth.’

Earl Rainward posed a question.

“What do you intend to do?”
“For now, I plan to go to the location the map indicates. I’ll decide what to do with the elixir after that.”

Above all, it was better that I recover the elixir rather than let it fall into the hands of villains.
In fact, roughly a month from now, the Eldmire Wetlands will burn and disappear along with the Aholo Tribe.
I don’t know the exact reasons or culprits, but it’s likely for the sake of obtaining Necron’s elixir or kidnapping the Aholo Tribe.
Since the Aholo possessed regenerative abilities like demons, they were inevitably fascinating to humans.

“I see. Then you’re welcome to take all of these as well.”
“Thank you. And regarding your daughter….”
“Ah, that’s quite alright.”

Earl Rainward waved his hand.

“I’ve given it considerable thought, and it seems my daughter simply cannot follow you. You appear to be far greater than I initially believed. Of course, my daughter is the most beautiful in the world!”

Earl Rainward glanced at his daughter beside him. She was the same age as Bella, and she was indeed a beauty, as he claimed.

“So let’s consider what I said before as unsaid….”
“What are you saying, Father!”

His daughter cried out and stood abruptly from her seat. She approached and took my hand.

“Kael Inquisitor, I can wait for you wherever you are. So please don’t mind Father’s words, and whenever you think of me, do visit this place.”
“L-Lisiana…!”
“Would you perhaps consider attending social gatherings with me? With your appearance, everyone would surely welcome you!”

I responded to Lisiana’s question.

“If there’s a demon present, I’ll attend.”
“Ah, don’t worry about that! There’s a lady named Anne, and the things she does are so mischievous, like a little demon… mmph!”

Earl Rainward covered Lisiana’s mouth and broke into a cold sweat.

“Ha ha… don’t mind it. She’s not usually like this, you see.”
“It’s quite alright. Now I understand why you care so much for Lady Lisiana.”
“W-well, is that so? Hehehehe!”

Seizing the moment when Earl Rainward’s grip loosened, Lisiana slipped free from his hand.
Lisiana looked Bella over and crossed her arms firmly.

“Hmph! You’re quite pretty, aren’t you?”
“Hehe, you’re beautiful too, Lady Lisiana.”
“What! And you have a good heart too!”

Lisiana gnashed her teeth before snapping her fingers. A servant then handed Bella a dress with a fresh, elegant aesthetic.
Bella tilted her head in confusion.

“What is this…?”
“When you attend social gatherings with the Inquisitor later, wear that!”
“But I’m a commoner?”
“But you’re the Deacon of Kael Inquisitor! Have more pride in yourself!”

Bella’s gaze shifted to me. I nodded in acknowledgment. There was no harm in expanding my connections.

“Then I’ll gratefully accept, Lady Lisiana.”
“Blast it, I’m jealous!”

Lisiana gnawed at her thumb. I turned to Earl Rainward and spoke.

“Then we should be on our way.”
“Yes. Thank you for your help this time. We’ll meet again.”
“Of course.”

We departed in a carriage that Earl Rainward had prepared for us. Since he’d also arranged for a driver, Bella didn’t need to handle the reins.
Bella gazed out the window, swinging her feet gently as she hummed a cheerful tune.

“Are you happy?”
“Yes! The dress you gave me was so pretty!”

Bella turned to look at me, her large eyes sparkling like a young girl’s.
If fate had taken its original course, she would have been wandering the Theocracy alone by now, killing clergy members.

“Perhaps….”
“Yes?”
“You might become friends with her.”
“Friends…. Could someone like me, a mage and an orphan, ever have a friend?”

Bella had the orphanage children she’d grown up with, but calling them friends was a stretch.
They were closer to people she would need to care for as she grew older.

“True friends don’t concern themselves with such things.”
“Hmm…. I see.”

Bella, who had been pondering thoughtfully, broke into a bright smile.

“I hope I can have one someday!”
“You will.”
“But do you have friends, Inquisitor?”

At Bella’s question, I turned to gaze out the window.
Who am I? The black sheep of the Luminara Family, the Sword Demon once called the greatest villain.
For someone like me, there might be slaves or subordinates, but friends….

— Sword Demon, you bastard!

A sudden memory surfaced, and I furrowed my brow sharply, responding with conviction.

“I don’t.”
“Then, would you like me to be your friend?”
“Don’t presume.”
“Yes, sir!”

In any case….
It had been a day where I gained much in various ways.

* * *

We first stopped by the Luminara Mansion. It lay along the path to the Eldmire Wetlands, and I had something to deliver to Arturo.
I explained everything about the previous Family Head to Father through a communication artifact.

– Kael, are you planning to pursue this Barsenon?
“I have no intention of pursuing him. He’ll show himself eventually anyway. But when the time comes, I intend to strike him down.”
– I see.

For now, my plan was to grow stronger until that day arrived. A power that would never falter against someone like Barsenon.

– Kael.
“Yes, Father.”
– But what do you mean by strike him down, strike him—

I cut the connection right there.
After returning to the mansion, I showed Arturo the Galma.

“This crop contains narcotic compounds that stabilize the mind and spirit, you say….”

Arturo broke off a small piece of Galma and savored it thoughtfully.

“Indeed, I can sense it faintly. The quantity is subtle enough that others wouldn’t notice.”

Arturo was a master of poisons. It seemed he could discern such things merely by tasting them.

“Could you create a stabilizing agent from this Galma?”

I had already obtained Cardinal Barun’s permission regarding the Galma.
For now, handling Galma was restricted to the Luminara Territory, and we agreed to discuss it further once it was verified.

“It seems possible. Of course, I’ll need to conduct detailed research.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“You can count on me.”

After that, we arrived at the Eldmire Wetlands over the course of four days.
Guards stood watch at the entrance of the wetlands where a path had been carved. As we approached, they crossed their spears to block our way.

“Stop right there. This is the territory of the Aholo Tribe, and outsiders cannot enter freely.”

Many sought after the Aholo Tribe, making the Eldmire Wetlands difficult to access even for high-ranking nobility.
But I was different.

“I am Kael Inquisitor. Haven’t you heard?”

I had already contacted Barun through a communication artifact, telling him I needed to investigate something in the Eldmire Wetlands.
It wasn’t long before Barun obtained entry permission from the Pope himself.
Apparently, even a Heresy Inquisitor would have difficulty obtaining such permission, but it was possible because it was me.
If I revealed myself as a Holy Knight to the Papal See here, they might become more favorable, but there was also the possibility of the opposite, so for now I planned to keep it hidden.
Above all, it was one of my trump cards.

“Ah, my apologies. Still, I had to conduct an inspection, so I stopped you. Please forgive me.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Haha, is that so, Inquisitor?”

The Guard moved his spear aside and gave me a brief explanation about the Eldmire Wetlands.

“First, the Aholo Tribe is not favorably disposed toward humans because of past events. They only come here directly occasionally to deliver mucus. And there are likely magical beasts living in various places, so please be careful.”
“Right, I’ll come back alive.”
“If you don’t return within a week, I’ll request reinforcements.”
“Well, there’s no need for that.”

I stepped into the wetlands and gave a light wave of my hand.
The wetlands were poorly lit due to the trees, and mist hung in the air, giving it the feel of early dawn.
Small lakes visible here and there were covered in moss, as were the trees and ground.
With no signs of human presence, it felt like I’d fallen into an entirely different world. It was natural—I had never set foot in this place before.

“This way.”

But the map was more detailed than expected, so we made our way to our destination without getting lost.
About thirty minutes had passed when I stopped in my tracks and drew my sword.

Splash!

Something burst from a puddle beside me and slashed at me with sharp claws.
I severed its arm with a flaming blade. The limb fell to the ground, and the ambusher retreated nimbly backward.

“It hurts. Human.”

I surveyed the creature standing on two legs.
A white body about a meter in size. A tail sweeping across the ground. Small black eyes set deep in its head.
From its head sprouted three pink horn-like protrusions on each side.

Shhhhk—

The forearm I’d severed regenerated rapidly. It was one of the Aholo Tribe.
Soon, more of the Aholo Tribe swarmed toward the one that had ambushed me.

“Strong. Be careful.”
“Strong? This is bad.”
“But. We cannot retreat.”

With their unimpressive appearance and small stature, they sounded like children speaking.
I asked them.

“Why are you ambushing humans? Even if you’re not particularly favorable toward us, attacking with killing intent seems excessive, doesn’t it? The Theocracy and your kind are supposed to be in a cooperative relationship.”

The one that had ambushed me responded.

“Necron map. Why do you have it? Bad person.”

Necron was a mage of the Aholo Tribe who created eternal contracts. It made sense they’d be hostile toward me for carrying his map.
But had this creature seen it before? I hadn’t expected it to recognize it.

‘So that means this map is genuine, at least.’

I’d already suspected as much from how accurately the geography of the Eldmire Wetlands was depicted.
I waved the map.

“I merely received this from someone else. I came here as a Heresy Inquisitor of the Theocracy to investigate.”

It wasn’t a lie. For now, I planned to find Necron’s eternal contract and decide what to do afterward.

“We cannot trust the words of humans. What should we do?”
“Humans have slaughtered countless members of our kind.”
“But what if it’s the truth?”
“Our relations with the Theocracy could be damaged.”
“What should we do.”
“What should we do.”

They croaked like frogs, their voices overlapping in confusion.
Then the one who had ambushed us earlier stepped forward, studying me and Bella intently before pointing at her with a small, webbed hand.

“You there, woman. Are you a Mage?”
“….”
“You possess considerable magical power. Yet I see no weapon.”

Indeed, being creatures closer to nature than humans, they were far more sensitive to magical aura.
If they discovered that Bella was a Mage here, there was no telling what might happen—especially since Necron had been a Mage just like her.
But if my suspicions were correct, this revelation might actually work in our favor.

“Then what will you do about it?”

I fixed them with a penetrating gaze.
After hearing my words, they fell silent for a moment before one by one they began to speak.

“A Mage?”
“She’s a Mage.”
“A Mage!”

The Aholo Tribe’s eyes, which had been narrowed like axes, transformed into innocent circles of wonder.

“Mages are our friends!”
“We’re sorry!”
“Are you hurt?”
“What if you are hurt!”
“What do we do!”
“My mucus heals quickly!”
“I have some too!”
“Are you alright?”
“Are you alright?”

The Aholo Tribe came rushing toward us with short, rapid footsteps, their forms encircling us from all sides.
Even though I had not yet extinguished the flames dancing upon my blade.
Bella looked startled at the Aholo Tribe members gazing up at her from below, while I let out a soft chuckle and snuffed out the fire.

‘My prediction was correct after all.’

It seemed the plan would proceed smoothly.

(To be continued in the next chapter)

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————