The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 88

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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 88. What?

Hagen, befitting his station as a member of the Imperial Guard, quickly composed himself and spoke with measured gravity.

“His Majesty is aware of the situation, but he has sent me here to inquire whether we might seek your assistance, Valter.”

Valter stroked his beard, studying Hagen intently before responding.

“I’ll hear you out, at least.”
“Yes, thank you.”

Relief flickered across Hagen’s face as he bowed slightly and began his explanation.

“Last night, Forma, the master of Gearnek Tower, was assassinated. Not only that, but his subordinates were discovered as corpses as well.”
“Is this something that requires my involvement?”
“All of this occurred within two minutes of the commotion beginning. By the time the guards arrived, the perpetrator had already vanished.”
“….”
“Of course, evidence has surfaced that Gearnek Tower stole the highest-grade mana stones distributed through the Arcana Workshop, and their other crimes have been exposed, so we could dismiss this as the work of someone with a grudge.”

Hagen continued.

“However, we judge that such power poses a significant threat to our Empire, so we are searching for this person. The Arcana Workshop claims a vigilante provided them information, but beyond that, we have nothing.”

Forma’s abilities were specialized in the crafting of magical artifacts, yet he was still undeniably the master of a Magic Tower.
To fell him and his subordinates within two minutes was nearly impossible.

“So you want me to capture this person?”
“Yes. Of course, His Majesty has promised substantial compensation.”

Valter, who had been pretending to deliberate, waved his hand dismissively.

“I have no interest. Leave now. And don’t come seeking me out like this again. Tell the Emperor the same.”

At this, Hagen’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Could you not lend us at least some assistance? The Empire has prepared a quiet place for you to live, and His Majesty has already granted your requests. Compared to that, surely this is far too simple a task for someone of your caliber?”

This house was provided by the Empire.
Thanks to that arrangement, those who harbored ill will toward Valter or simply came seeking to test his strength had ceased to appear.

“Tsk tsk, well, that’s true enough.”

Valter sipped his tea and regarded Hagen.

“Listen here, you.”
“Yes, sir. What is it?”
“You seem to be under some misapprehension. The Empire isn’t doing me a favor. This is a transaction. I spend my remaining years in peace, and the Empire gains the comfort of knowing my location.”

Valter approached Hagen on his elongated legs, resembling some grotesque tree walking across the floor.
Standing before Hagen, Valter spoke.

“But tell me—is that matter valuable enough to break this agreement?”
“….”
“I have no qualms about treating the Empire as my enemy. After all, I’ve lived that way ever since I annihilated the Bran Duchy.”
“….”
“But here’s the thing….”

Valter thrust his head forward, peering directly into Hagen’s eyes.

“Can the Empire afford to make me their enemy?”

Hagen merely swallowed hard, standing rigid as a statue.
Though he belonged to the Dawn Knight Order and would hold his own elsewhere, before Valter he was nothing but the Empire’s lapdog.

“I have little time left and nothing to lose, but the Empire is different from me, isn’t it?”
“….”
“Answer me. Does your Empire truly believe it can stand against me as an enemy?”

Hagen, who had been standing tense, finally steadied his breathing and met Valter’s gaze without flinching.

“We harbor no such intentions. His Majesty the Emperor simply values your strength and would not wish to waste it. In fact, he has previously offered you a pardon for all your crimes if you would serve as a Guardian Knight.”

At that, Valter let out a low chuckle and withdrew his gaze.

“Tsk, tsk. Does that erase my sins?”
“At least within the Empire, no one will dare speak of it.”
“That’s meaningless. Most of those who could forgive my sins no longer exist in this world.”
“….”
“In any case, my answer remains the same—leave. Should you return to this place again, I will regard you as an enemy and cut you down.”

As Valter’s eyes narrowed, Hagen quietly bit his lip.
Hagen glanced toward me.

“But I’ve been curious since earlier—why is a Heretic Inquisitor from the Religious Kingdom here with Valter?”
“That’s not your concern.”
“Surely you haven’t made a pact with the Ella Theocracy?”

Valter exhaled deeply and opened his mouth.

“It’s just business. Nothing that harms the Empire.”

Hagen studied both Bella and me, then nodded.

“Since you say so, Valter, I shall withdraw. However, our Zarkan Empire has grown far stronger in the interim. Meanwhile, you have grown weaker than before.”
“….”
“If you’ve allied with the Religious Kingdom to confess your sins to Ella, that is of no consequence. But should that blade turn toward us, many will surely perish.”

Hagen continued his discourse.

“You have slain countless souls, yet you have always endeavored to avoid meaningless murder. Surely you would not desire such a senseless war.”
“….”
“I implore you—act with awareness of your position.”

In essence, he was saying: You are wicked, yet also a hypocrite, so you lack the stupidity for such recklessness. Live quietly and fade away.
It seemed mad, but Hagen was undeniably an envoy of the Empire.
Even if Hagen were to die in this place, the Empire could not bow its head to a single mortal.
The problem was that he was a being who transcended humanity.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

Hagen turned with formal courtesy and departed.
I watched Valter, wondering if he would truly let him go.
But Valter said nothing as Hagen gradually receded into the distance.

‘He’s calmed down again.’

Perhaps it was because of Bella and me, or maybe, as Hagen said, he was concerned about friction between the Religious Kingdom and the Empire.
But that wasn’t his problem to worry about.
Wasn’t it strange that he, who had become a villain because of the Empire’s greed, would now be mindful of the Empire’s gaze?

“Hey.”

So I called out to Hagen and stopped him in his tracks.

“Come here for a moment.”
“….”

Hagen merely turned his head slightly and stared at me in silence.
After a brief staring contest, he simply resumed walking as if nothing had happened.

“What? Did you see that bastard?”

As I rose from my seat in shock, Valter beat me to it and spoke.

“Come here. This fellow seems to have something to say.”

Hagen glanced at me, then let out a deep sigh and approached.
I pressed down the molten rage rising in my chest. Hagen, standing before me, asked with a twisted expression.

“What is it?”
“Do you come and go as you please? Where did you learn such manners?”
“That’s not a concern for the Heretic Inquisitor of the Religious Kingdom.”
“But as Valter’s guest, you’re rubbing me the wrong way.”

Hagen sighed again. A vein throbbed at my temple.

“Valter is keeping quiet, so why are you interfering? I have no desire to create an unfortunate incident with the Religious Kingdom either.”
“Don’t you think you’re the one providing the justification?”
“I came here as an envoy of His Majesty the Emperor. That means I shouldn’t be disrespected by anyone.”
“Then you should be all the more careful with your words. Is His Majesty the Emperor known for such a loose tongue?”

Hagen’s brow furrowed.

“You should be careful with your words.”
“The one who needs to watch their tongue here is you alone. Your every word and deed represents the noble Emperor himself.”
“….”
“What will you do if Valter’s temperament, which has been so docile, becomes twisted? Will you go to His Majesty and report, ‘I apologize, Your Majesty. It seems Valter may very well strike at the Empire’?”
“That, that is….”
“Pride should be wielded with consideration for your opponent. Perhaps I’ve been the one protecting both you and the Empire.”

I meant every word of that. Even I couldn’t easily predict where Valter might turn.
Perhaps Valter hadn’t overlooked Hagen’s rudeness at all—maybe he was simply thinking, ‘Let’s see what happens.’
Hagen, searching for a rebuttal, exhaled deeply once more before speaking.

“In the first place, why are Valter and the Heretic Inquisitor of the Religious Kingdom together?”
“Is that a personal question?”
“Yes.”

I exhaled a sigh of relief directly into Hagen’s face.
As his bangs became disheveled, he furrowed his brow.
But I paid no mind and responded.

“Thank goodness the fool isn’t His Majesty the Emperor, but you.”
“What did you say?”
“The Wrath of the Seven Deadly Sins is already dead. All that remains by my side is an old man living out his remaining years in silence.”
“…That’s sophistry.”
“And while we’re at it, don’t report that you met me. As you said, if word gets out that Valter and the Heretic Inquisitor of the Religious Kingdom have met, it will become troublesome.”

At that, Valter nodded in agreement.

“I would ask the same.”

Then Hagen, suddenly flustered, spoke with resolve.

“I’m sorry, but that’s impossible. I have a duty to report everything.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Then there’s no helping it.”
“Thank you for understanding.”

The moment Hagen bowed his head slightly, Valter drew his sword.

“I have no choice but to kill you.”
“…Pardon?”

Hagen’s eyes widened in shock, and even Bella blinked in surprise, clearly unprepared for this turn.

“If word gets out that I’ve met with a Heretic Inquisitor, the Emperor will become a nuisance again. Besides, isn’t it your fault for breaking the agreement first?”
“…”
“You’ve already disrespected me and my guest. So how much longer should I show understanding? I’m not naturally inclined toward mercy, you see.”

A cool blue mana rippled across Valter’s blade—a sign of sincerity.
Watching this, I nodded in satisfaction.
Yes. This was the real Valter.
Unlike my previous life, he’d been oddly kind from our first meeting, which felt strange. Now that he was finally acting like himself, I felt genuinely relieved.
Hagen, who had been gaping wordlessly for a moment, finally spoke.

“If… if you kill me…”
“If you die, then what?”
“I won’t be able to report your refusal to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“That’s fine. If you don’t return, he’ll understand well enough.”
“…”
“Then I take it you have nothing more to say.”

The moment Hagen’s hand moved toward the sword at his waist, Valter’s blade struck first.
Even with my current dynamic vision, I could barely follow the speed. His hand simply moved, and a flash of blue light erupted through the air.

Slash!

A blue sword aura surged toward Hagen. He could only stare with wide eyes, unable to mount any defense.

Crash!

The blue aura didn’t stop there—it carved through the tree behind him and gouged the ground.
I observed Hagen carefully.
His head remained firmly attached. Only a section of his hair had been cleanly and comically shaved away.
Truly, that was swordsmanship befitting Valter—precise and deliberate.

“I’m giving you one last chance.”

Valter’s gaze hardened as he issued his warning.

“Don’t report anything about these people. Simply tell them that I’ve declined.”
“….”
“This is a promise between you and me. If you break this promise as well, I’ll have no choice but to regard the Empire as my enemy once more.”
“….”
“Answer me.”

Hagen swallowed hard and opened his mouth.

“…I will remember. My rudeness does not represent the Imperial Court’s position, so I beg your forgiveness, both of you.”

Then Valter turned to look at me.

“Well? What do you think we should do?”
“Hmm….”

I stroked my chin and approached Hagen. Then I stared at him for a moment before suddenly slapping his cheek.
I nodded as I watched his face snap to the side.

“I’ll forgive you with that.”
“Tsk tsk, I see. Then that works for me too.”
“…Thank you.”

Hagen’s face had turned completely red, but he couldn’t offer any rebuttal. It was his own karma, after all.

‘Exhilarating.’

Who else could do this to a knight of the Imperial Guard?
Besides the Emperor, Valter was likely the only one.
Part of me missed those days as the Sword Demon when I didn’t need to worry about anyone’s opinion, and thanks to Valter, it felt like I’d briefly returned to that time. Of course, I didn’t want to go back for real.
Valter gave a light nod.

“Get going.”
“…Yes, my apologies.”

Hagen bowed once and then disappeared as quickly as if he needed to use the restroom.
I knew why Valter would threaten Hagen like this rather than kill him.
Even if Hagen was foolish and hopeless, he wasn’t an evil person.
Of course, his inner nature might be different, but for now, that’s how it was.

“Tsk tsk, he just had to run his mouth and got beaten for it.”

At my words, Valter sheathed his sword and lifted the corner of his mouth into a smirk.

“You’re quite the madman yourself.”

I was about to say “You’re one to talk,”
but kept it to myself.
After all, I had many more years ahead of me than he did.

* * *

“Kael, so what swordsmanship do you use? At a glance, it’s clearly not ordinary.”

There was no reason to hide it from Valter, so I explained simply.

“It’s less swordsmanship and more akin to enlightened states. In order, they are ‘Joy,’ ‘Wrath,’ ‘Sorrow,’ and ‘Pleasure.'”
“….”
“Beyond that lies an enlightened state called ‘Swordless,’ but that’s still far off for me.”

The state of ‘Swordless’—transcendent of all circumstances, encompassing every emotion.
And this ‘Swordless’ was something I had gained insight into from Valter himself.
Though I had never reached it even in my previous life.

“Ho, how intriguing. I’ve witnessed many swordsmanship styles throughout my years, but yours is the first I’ve seen quite so unique.”
“Even if one knows of it, not everyone can achieve it.”
“That much is clear. But haven’t you already reached ‘Pleasure’?”
“No. My current state remains at ‘Wrath.'”
“Is that so? It felt as though you were describing states you’d already attained.”

Truly a perceptive old man.

“Then how does one reach those states? Ah, but perhaps you’d rather not say?”
“It’s fine. Since I’ve received your aid, I can share this much.”
“Much obliged.”
“To put it simply, one must possess the necessary physical capabilities and feel genuine emotion.”

I drew my blade and held it vertically before me.

“For example, to reach ‘Joy,’ you must fully savor genuine happiness. After that, you can wield it freely like this.”

A gentle breeze coiled around the Sword Demon’s blade.

“Ah, so that wind I saw back then was ‘Joy.'”
“And this is ‘Wrath.'”

The breeze vanished, and flames erupted in its place.

“Ohhh!”
“That’s how it works.”

I extinguished the flames and sheathed the blade once more.

“Fascinating indeed. I made the right choice helping you.”

Valter gazed at me with renewed interest gleaming in his eyes.

“So, would you be willing to teach me ‘Joy’?”
“‘Joy’?”
“If not, I suppose there’s nothing to be done.”

Despite his casual tone, Valter’s snow-white eyebrows drooped noticeably.
Teaching him wouldn’t be difficult—I’d received considerable help from him in my past life, after all.
But giving away such knowledge for nothing felt wasteful. As I’d just witnessed, Valter could become an extraordinary weapon if properly utilized.

“Then what could you offer me in return?”
“Hmm… What I could give you…”

He possessed neither wealth nor rare elixirs. Moreover, he had nothing left to teach me.
That left him with only one thing to offer.

“How about this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll ensure the Zarkan Empire can never lay a hand on you, no matter what you do.”

Himself—a man of formidable martial prowess.

“Of course, there are limits to what I can help with, but I can certainly take responsibility for the Empire. And should the Empire ever recognize you as an enemy, I will stand by your side and wield my blade.”
“….”
“Is this sufficient?”

More than sufficient.
Valter is the strongest man among all living humans. Thus, the mightiest blade now rests in my hands.
If I so desired, I could even topple the Empire itself.
Of course, Valter would hardly allow himself to be wielded without proper cause.

“Very well.”
“Tsk tsk, fortunate indeed. This old body still has some use left in it.”

Valter smiled faintly and stroked his beard.

“Then, Kael.”

He who had been my master in my previous life now became my disciple in this one, gazing upon me.

“From this moment forward, teach me what ‘joy’ truly is.”

(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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