The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 80

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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 80. Do you really want to die?

Handing the map of Necron to Pupu was part of my plan.
I couldn’t discern what Cassia truly harbored in her heart, but the situation was too ambiguous to interrogate her deeply.
I had only suspicion born from memories of the future—no concrete evidence that she was targeting the Aholo Tribe.

‘And I couldn’t exactly break her fingers while questioning her either.’

She might have been completely innocent, and if Cassia denied everything to the end, I’d have no recourse.
More importantly, if the interrogation failed and my relationship with the Aholo Tribe fractured, finding Necron’s treasure could become difficult.

‘So I handed the map of Necron to Pupu right before Cassia’s eyes, and kept her under observation.’

If Cassia truly was targeting the Aholo Tribe, she would have made some move.
And as expected, the moment I left, Cassia attempted to steal the map of Necron.

‘I didn’t explain this plan in detail to Bella either.’

I simply gave her a brief hint.

– Even if Cassia acts suspiciously, don’t suspect her. Just stay cautious and let it pass. I’ll handle the rest myself.

Thanks to that, Cassia fell into my trap without the slightest suspicion.
I used Pupu as bait, but since Pupu had ambushed me before, I could say there was no problem.
Probably.

“Pupu…?”

Pupu, who had been sleeping soundly, stirred at the commotion. His eyes fluttered open, and he gasped upon seeing Cassia’s severed wrist.

“Cassia! What happened to your wrist! Let me heal it!”

As Pupu tried to approach on his short legs, I stopped him with my hand.

“Kael?”
“Stop. That creature tried to kill you and steal the map to Necron.”
“W-what are you talking about! Cassia is my friend! Pupu would never hurt me!”
“Even friends know how to stab you in the back.”

In truth, Cassia had never regarded Pupu as a genuine friend.
Pupu stared at Cassia’s severed wrist, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He seemed torn between believing my words and doubt.

“Pupu, it’s a misunderstanding!”

Cassia cried out, watching the situation unfold.

“I was only trying to pat your head! You look so adorable when you’re sleeping, Pupu!”
“Pupu… adorable?”
“Of course! But the Interrogator misunderstood what he saw and severed my wrist because of it!”
“I-is that so?”
“Yes! This sort of thing has happened many times before. Since I’m a Mage despised by the Religious Kingdom, I’m always misunderstood no matter what I do.”

Cassia smiled through trembling lips.

“But it’s fine. I’m still alive, after all. I was careless and approached without understanding my own position—this is the consequence of my own recklessness.”
“Cassia…”
“Please don’t blame the Interrogator too harshly. He was only trying to protect you.”

A transparent tear rolled down from the corner of Cassia’s eye.
Had this been a performance, I would have dropped my sword and applauded.
But to my eyes, it was nothing but farce, so I merely gripped the hilt tighter.
Cassia intended to escape through the Aholo Tribe.
I possessed memories from my past life, so I could see through Cassia’s true intentions—but the Aholo Tribe could not.
Only I had witnessed Cassia attempting to cast magic on Pupu.

“Kael! Move aside! We need to treat this immediately! Otherwise, she’ll bleed out!”

Pupu seized my arm with both hands and shook it. But I pushed his grip away.

“K-Kael…”

Having come this far, I had no intention of backing down.
It was now certain that Cassia was after Necron’s map, so if she thought she was going to die, she would reveal her true nature.
Pupu spoke with a trembling voice.

“It’s a misunderstanding…. There’s definitely been a misunderstanding….”
“It’s not a misunderstanding!”

Just then, a voice came from across the way, and an Aholo approached rapidly on all fours.
Pupu tilted his head as he looked at the Aholo standing beside us.

“Mumu?”
“Mumu saw it! Cassia was trying to use magic on Pupu!”

Mumu glared at Cassia with wide, fierce eyes.

“Mumu’s eyes are good! That’s why Mumu can see fish far away too!”

Cassia, flustered, made an excuse.

“Mumu? What are you talking about? Why would I try to harm Pupu?”
“At first, Mumu thought you were just playing around and watched from far away! But Cassia was definitely trying to use magic on Pupu!”
“….”
“Mumu’s not stupid! Mumu has seen Necron use magic many times!”

Mumu growled like a dog.
Now that Pupu understood the truth, he clutched Necron’s map and looked at Cassia.

“Cassia, is it really true?”
“….”
“Why did you do that! We’re friends!”

Cassia remained silent for a while. With a witness from the Aholo Tribe now present, she could no longer make excuses.

“…You look so naive, yet you know an awful lot about magic for no good reason.”

Cassia muttered with a twisted smile. Then she looked at us with eyes that had completely changed.

“You should have just died without ever knowing the truth. If you’d known nothing, at least you would have remained my friend. Wouldn’t you?”
“Cassia….”
“That Interrogator was right. I intended to kill you and steal Necron’s map. After that, I planned to burn all of you along with this wetland.”

Upon hearing Cassia’s confession, Pupu’s voice trembled as he asked.

“Why? Because you hate us?”
“No, I harbor no ill will toward you. You’re actually better than most humans.”
“Then why….”
“I suppose if there’s a sin, it’s that you’ve allied with the Religious Kingdom. Your existence would hinder my efforts to topple them.”

Cassia extended one hand. Lethal magical energy rippled from her form.

“So forgive me. It’s all for the greater cause.”

The moment her magic was about to manifest.

Shrieeeek!

A razor-sharp ice spear materialized from behind Cassia and hurtled toward her.
Noticing it, Cassia clicked her tongue and leaped backward. The ice spear shattered the ground.

“Interrogator!”

Bella, carrying a large satchel, approached with swift precision. She had rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

“Was Cassia after Necron’s map?”
“Yes. She was about to kill Pupu, but I stopped her.”
“Despicable woman….”

Bella’s eyes blazed with fierce contempt as well.
Cassia, narrowing her gaze as she observed us, spoke.

“This is troublesome. Fighting both of you will be quite difficult.”

I tilted my blade at an angle and replied.

“Then why not call your own allies? Not these ones, but comrades whose objectives align with yours.”

It was multiple mages who set the Eldmire Wetlands ablaze. So one of Cassia’s allies must be waiting somewhere nearby.

“Uncanny fellow. You noticed I was targeting Pupu, and you’re so good at reading situations.”
“Most of what villains do follows the same pattern.”
“Villains, you say….”

Cassia let out a soft laugh and pointed her index finger toward the sky.

“Well, does it look that way to your eyes, which aren’t those of a mage?”

Whoooosh──

A crimson light erupted from Cassia’s fingertip into the empty air. It soared high into the sky before spreading widely with a tremendous boom.
Red light illuminating the night sky. It was a signal flare.
I spoke to Mumu, who stood behind me.

“Mumu, gather the other Aholo around Pupu. I can’t protect them if they’re scattered.”

The Aholo weren’t weak in raw combat power compared to monsters.
But facing a group of mages skilled in battle was far too much for them.

“Got it! Mumu’s eyes are sharp! I’ll be back!”

Mumu quickly headed toward where the other Aholo were. Since their numbers weren’t that great to begin with, it wouldn’t take long.

Whoooosh─

Next, I spread ‘Tailwind’ widely to locate the other mages’ positions.
Four of them were rapidly approaching from approximately two kilometers away.

“Bella. Four mages from the southeast. Their abilities likely vary. Prepare your magic in advance and handle as many as you can.”

Even I couldn’t predict what would happen if I were surrounded by mages.
Magic could accomplish far more than conventional weapons.
Of course, I didn’t think these fools could do anything to me now, but it was better to eliminate variables from the start.

“Understood!”

Bella immediately rushed toward the southeast.
Pupu was still sniffling, cradling Necron’s portrait. The Mage had always been his friend, after all.
I turned my gaze toward Cassia.

“The Wol Young Order?”

Only the Wol Young Order could command such an uncommon collection of mages.

“Hah, there’s no hiding this, is there.”
“Don’t you realize that acting like this only worsens public perception of magic?”

Indeed, ever since the Eldmire Wetlands burned at the hands of mages, the Theocracy’s view of magic had deteriorated further, tangled with falsehoods surrounding Necron.

“This is our way. Unlike you, we’re not nobility, and even living an ordinary life is a struggle in the Theocracy for mages like us.”
“Then what crime did these people commit?”
“I told you—I regret that too.”

Cassia shrugged her shoulders.

“But there’s no other way to bring down the Theocracy. A direct confrontation would be foolish, so we have no choice but to gnaw away at it piece by piece.”

I exhaled a long sigh.

“You’re not listening to what I’m saying.”
“What?”
“Isn’t the Wol Young Order’s goal to overthrow the Theocracy ultimately about creating a country where mages can live? If that’s the case, I’m already working steadily toward it, so stop stirring up trouble and just stay quiet.”

I was gradually changing things now, but if the Wol Young Order kept rampaging like this, it would only give the Theocracy justification to reject magic altogether.

“Do you really want to die?”

At my serious question, Cassia, who had been standing there dumbly, burst into laughter.
Cassia, clutching her stomach, opened her mouth.

“You’re amusing.”
“I could make it less amusing.”
“Haha, I suppose you could.”

Cassia wiped away the moisture from her eyes with her fingers and continued speaking.

“I apologize, but unlike others, I harbor no such convictions. I simply wish to tear down this Theocracy.”
“….”
“Of course, I would be delighted if perceptions of magic improved, but it matters little to me. I already despise this Theocracy far too deeply.”
“So it was never about a greater cause.”
“No—for me, this *is* a greater cause.”

Cassia replied with unwavering conviction, her eyes devoid of mirth and unfathomably deep.

“I see.”
“Yes. That’s how it is.”
“Then why not say so from the beginning?”
“What?”

The instant Cassia’s expression betrayed her confusion, my body was already cutting through the void.
Reaching her in a heartbeat, I brought my blade of flame crashing down, and Cassia’s eyes widened as she erected a barrier in defense.

Kwaaaaaang!

As the impact thundered forth, sparks erupted in a brilliant cascade.
Though Cassia had lost a hand, her nature as a Mage meant her combat prowess remained largely undiminished.
Yet the disparity in our strength was too great—her barrier could not endure for long.

Shiiiiing!

Her barrier shattered like glass beneath my wrathful blade.
The recoil from the barrier’s collapse sent Cassia’s body flying, and she tumbled across the ground several times.
Mud clung to her in patches as she lifted her head swiftly, her expression taut with alarm.
I gazed down at her with cold indifference.

“Had you spoken plainly, I would have had no reason to waste words on a blockhead like you.”

I am far too kind for my own good.

(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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