Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Having called in several precious guests of the Holy See, it seemed they opened a banquet to welcome.

“This side is Viscount Ronan Gradias. Equira’s magic practitioner who found the problematic coffin this time and revealed its danger.”

I looked around the banquet hall.

First, the parish leader of the ducal territory I saw not long ago was visible.

He who was the only passing point among the priests of the ducal territory by my standard was listening attentively to the words of the priest sitting beside.

Turning my gaze, Cotlan who later becomes a cardinal of the Holy See and two elder-level figures whose faces I saw in passing while working hard at the Holy See were visible.

Since parish leaders who are the highest responsible of one region at the current point, it would be natural that some retire decades later.

Such precious ones won’t come alone.

Three or four high priests each brought and the holy knights guarding them.

Four parish leaders didn’t come as I wanted, but in fact even while speaking I didn’t think it would be fulfilled as is.

Instead, among the high priests who came together with the parish leaders, one or two whose aged faces I recalled were visible.

If faces of the Holy See I know, well, priests who fought demons.

The force sent from the Holy See exceeded and left over the standard of ‘four high priests of parish leader level of the ducal territory’ that I requested.

“As conveyed in advance, other than the related magic practitioner, we didn’t call the nobles of the ducal territory.”

“It’s sufficiently grand. Thank you for the Duke’s understanding.”

Though there was much food, they who finished one meal’s worth cleanly stood up one by one.

“Thank you for taking care, Duke.”

“It was a really excellent meal. However, where is that dangerous thing?”

At their attitude that seemed curiosity stronger than food, the Duke also got up without minding and began guiding.

“Glad you were satisfied. Then I’ll guide.”

Not long after going down the underground stairs, I entered a wide warehouse with the coffin placed in the center.

I said to empty everything except the coffin, well done.

Part of the warehouse wall had boards added, and the floor also had places with subtly different colors as if newly applied.

The air was somewhat musty.

When I conveyed not to leave even one mouse hole where fog could flow in, even the ventilation was diligently covered with metal plates.

Even like this, if given time, demons eventually escape, but before that the priests will be able to burn sufficiently.

“Other than the senior priests and holy knights, please all go out.”

Some of the priests and holy knights walked outside.

“Then, I’ll withdraw too. Please finish well with the high priests.”

“Understood, Duke.”

While everyone was going out like that, there was a hesitating mage.

“I’ll do the recording.”

“Thank you!”

When I extended my hand sensing, the brightened mage detached his button and handed it, bowed his head, and went out.

Turning around, the gazes of the remaining priests and holy knights gathered on me.

“Could you show the light once?”

They each raised holy fire.

Everyone is on the decent side.

Parish leader Cotlan alone was a bit overwhelming so others looked faint, but since it just needs to not be to the degree that the demon that comes out of the coffin pierces the light and enters, everyone was a passing grade.

No need to send people out embarrassingly, so good.

“Knights, please push away if black fog approaches near this wall.”

“We have to protect the priests.”

“The priest pulling up holy power is the safest in this place. Knights must definitely strike with the sword before it sticks to the body.”

Originally I intended to proceed only with priests, but the holy fire of the remaining holy knights was also decent so I decided to leave them as is.

In fact, it was right to see that the church status of the parish leaders and the high holy knights protecting the parish leaders was too high to say leave only the priests and go out, so I had no confidence to persuade in this place.

From experience, the stubbornness of holy knights is proportional to the holy power they have.

“When I start melting the coffin with magic power, please pull up holy power to the maximum. Make there be no shadows in the room.”

Saying because something came to mind, the priests were surprised and looked at each other.

Then they adjusted positions.

This is it.

Even in the past, when killing demons, we stood like this.

“No, even ten-plus-year priests don’t know, how on earth do you know the Tenenehil Formation that is only written in the Seongsarok looked at when preparing high priests?”

Seongsarok seems to mean Betinoxis.

A book recording anecdotes of successfully resolving forbidden and harmful things, containing various solutions completed through trial and error by clergy who fought demons in the past.

Tenenehil Formation is roughly ‘shadowless formation’, but honestly I didn’t know even such a name.

“I had a chance to encounter it by accident.”

Why, with what qualification did I participate in such a rite.

While safely transporting a holy relic that requires all sorts of preparations like washing with purified water and blessing from clothes to even one strand of hair if touching, I was put into the rite as is and played the role of a holy relic stand holding the extremely heavy holy relic throughout the rite.

Even while holding the holy relic, that demon guy couldn’t look at me so greedily.

There were also times I was in the place of that coffin.

Going around wearing the holy relic ring called the Prison of Annotation, when one powerful demon dug into my body and was trapped in that ring, I was dragged as is and proceeded with the rite while wearing the ring.

At that time I seemed to have slightly worsened eyesight from receiving too much light, and when I grumbled like that, the priest guys snorted as if absurd and eventually shook their bodies and laughed.

Why work a detective of the age when presbyopia comes like that, this is what I’m saying.

It’s the fault of the Holy See that did misunderstanding things.

“If a gap forms in the coffin, black fog will come out. Please endure to the end until that all burns. It can head toward the holy knights while struggling avoiding the priests.”

“As heard earlier, if it comes our way, I’ll definitely cut it.”

I said cut, but it won’t be easy.

Probably blocking or pushing away degree.

“Yes, good. It can hide in the shadows of armor gaps and ornaments and various equipment, and when the sacred light weakens, take that gap and try to dig into the body. Please don’t let it stick.”

They nodded and turned toward the coffin.

Walking and kneeling and sitting, I attached the Magic Root at the chest to the coffin.

This picture is a bit strange.

After scaring a lot saying it’s ominous, doesn’t it look exactly like carefully embracing in the arms.

But anyway the scenery, the priests patiently waited for the magic power to seep into the coffin.

When sufficient magic power seemed to have seeped, I got up, entered between the holy knights, and drew the sword.

Part of the coffin discolored red, then suddenly fire began to attach to that surface.

My magic power that looked like flame but no heat was felt, was burning only the demon’s coffin so intensely like that.

Accepting the flames as a signal, the priests and holy knights began emitting holy power.

The crimson purification flames burning and erasing the reddened parts. The brilliant white light covering the surroundings.

Finally a gap formed in the corner part of the coffin.

Nothing comes out, but everyone could know that something was inside the coffin.

As that hole widened, that strangeness stood out more to the eyes.

Because the light filling the room was not seeping in at all.

Why is it stopped?

Normally it should struggle in pain.

Is something wrong.

Is it something stronger than any demons I saw.

An early period when nothing is prepared for them yet.

Did the Demon Realm send a powerful one we didn’t realize to the end to safely pass this period.

Amidst all sorts of ominous imaginations passing by, my magic power that burned half of the demon’s coffin gradually exhausted its power.

Only after the flames completely subsided did the fog begin to move srrrr.

It seemed to spread slightly, then as if struggling spread black fog and soared to the ceiling.

Was it holding its breath trying not to touch the magic power?

The priests gritted their teeth and pulled up the light one layer more.

The guy shaking here and there looking for a place to flee flew toward me who was the only one not emitting holy power.

I infused power into the Magic Root.

Red light rose, pulled up magic power, then circulated mana throughout the whole body.

And tried to swing the sword, but it didn’t come.

“...What?”

The approaching fog turned with a whoosh, advanced toward Cotlan, then bounced fiercely as if hitting a wall.

The fog that couldn’t find a place to flee trembled once as if in pain, then gathered in one place as is and fell to the floor.

A giant’s arm sprawling powerlessly. From that pale cross-section, pitch-black blood water flowed stickily.

It seemed the demon eventually abandoned part of its own body.

“Almost finished.”

When it was black fog wrapped in demonic energy, it endured and pushed holy power to some extent, but a meat lump sprawling powerlessly like that couldn’t endure even for a moment.

From the part the light touched, it erased as if melting, and soon disappeared without even leaving a form.

“...”

The priests and holy knights were maintaining that light even after the demon’s arm disappeared.

There were those whose light shook as if gradually hard, but everyone seemed to be waiting for my signal.

I confirmed even one drop of the blood water that fell to the floor boiling and disappearing, then finally opened my mouth.

“Purified.”

The light was withdrawn in one go.

“...It’s a real demon.”

“No, how suddenly an existence of the Demon Realm.”

“That arm, it was human-like.”

“Demon Realm noble...”

Correct. From the human form, it’s of a Demon Realm noble.

An arm fell in front of our eyes, but strictly speaking it’s hard to see that an arm was sent.

The amount of demonic energy visible to our eyes.

It’s correct to see that it lost that much of itself.

This was an unexpected harvest.

No matter how powerful a demon, if part dies like that, it must recuperate for a long time.

Whoever it is, since we blocked one leader aiming for the human world, it can be seen that we earned that much time.

“Everyone worked hard.”

But the biggest gain was separate.

“Let’s talk a bit.”

“There are a few things I want to ask.”

There, the Holy See people approaching me with shining eyes.

It was in them realizing the threat of the Demon Realm decades early.

***

“I made you wait a lot.”

The Duke smiled and sat on the sofa.

The attendant who followed him placed one rolled parchment on the table between the Duke and me.

What is it? Such thick paper is hard to tear so it’s not a spell scroll for now.

And subsequently placed one rod neatly rolled with a blue handkerchief beside it.

“Items a magic practitioner would like are all prepared.”

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