novelraw Chapter 209
Chapter 209
Chapter 209. Trivial Resolution (1)
'... I shouldn't have come.'
Upon seeing the Sword Saint spitting blood, I internally grimaced.
It was not a mere coincidence that I turned away from heading to the Genmel Monastery to come here.
Yulian's instinct toward the 'Sword Saint' served as a compass leading me to this place.
'It was wise to have left Felkhor with Eleanor.'
If by chance Eleanor were harmed during the 'Bishop Hunt' process, my plan to appoint her as the 'High Pontiff' would have been derailed. Confident in my capabilities, I let her handle two, but upon reflection, it seems like it was the right decision.
'The Sword Saint might recognize Felkhor.'
Once more, I turned my gaze to the Sword Saint.
Behind the fallen corpses of the cult members, the Sword Saint was spitting blood.
I left him and moved to find the insignias of the fallen cult members, tearing them off their bodies.
'These guys as well.'
Given time, these guys would have also progressed in their demonization.
"You don't have just one eye watching, do you?"
The Sword Saint muttered to himself. He wasn't talking about me but rather about Zahard, who came with me.
"What does it matter? We've seen all sorts under the same master."
"I was going to say you don't have any eyes at all."
"Um."
Zahard sighed unexpectedly. It seemed their camaraderie, built under the same master, was deep and unique from how they exchanged jabs.
"Master, are you all right?!"
While Zahard and Hayden kept trading words as if it were second nature, Rinne approached to support their blood-spitting master.
'There are no external injuries.'
There was no way the Sword Saint's spitting of blood was due to external injuries—his body was without a single wound.
'Demonic energy.'
Fiercely stirring demonic energy within him. As mentioned earlier, without the trait 〈Vessel of the Demon King〉, the demonic energy mercilessly chips away at a human's lifespan.
This is unchangeable, regardless of one's strength.
"There's no way he is fine, is there? If he was all right with the demonic energy rampaging inside, master would probably turn into a Demon God."
"Haha, that might not be bad."
Despite the sinister joke, Hayden laughed it off. The Sword Saint's nonchalant manner made me let out a hollow laugh.
"It seems you're familiar with such situations."
This could be a life-threatening situation. Even so, his calm demeanor was puzzling.
'What turned you into this?'
Did he make peace with death?
What for, exactly?
"You, too, seem unfazed despite seeing the Dawn Society members."
In a tone that seemed to know something, Hayden's eyes revealed this was more than a mere guess.
"What are you trying to say?"
That I was part of the Dawn Society. It seemed Hayden was onto this all along.
'Since when?'
Perhaps even before I became 'Yulian'. He might have heard about Eleanor approaching 'Yulian'.
"I have nothing to say... Keheuk, cough!"
Attempting to speak, Hayden kept on coughing. With no instincts from 'Yulian' to spark competitive desires, I didn't let it continue.
'That's a relief.'
Leaving the Sword Saint behind, Zahard and I set off once more toward Genmel Monastery.
"Are you planning to head to the Monastery?"
The Sword Saint's voice, sounding near death, came from behind.
His tone suggested he knew that the Dawn Society's main base was located at Genmel Monastery.
"You knew about it?"
"I knew from the start."
"Then why did you just sit by and watch?"
It puzzled me. The Sword Saint harbored animosity toward the Dawn Society. Why had he left Tenelon unchecked?
"I was waiting for the right time. A day like today when that bastard uses the Demon God's Chalice."
As the 'protagonist', the Sword Saint seemed to be privy to a lot of information. Tenelon and the Demon God's Chalice—he knew about these things, and even picked a day when the Demon God's Chalice would be used.
Upon hearing this, a particular setting flitted through my mind.
"Whew."
Gradually, the pieces came together. Why the Sword Saint left the Empire for the Holy Kingdom, trained his body using 'demonic energy', and returned to the capital.
"It seems you're planning to contain the Demon God's Chalice within your body."
The holy relic, the 'Demon God's Chalice', is best destroyed to prevent the 'Demon God's resurrection, but destroying it is damn near impossible.
'In the first place, a holy relic can only be destroyed upon consumption.'
If possible, I'd want to hide it somewhere, but this rascal of a 'Demon God's Chalice' has a disposition to compel evildoers to make use of it, so hiding isn't an option.
Therefore, I planned to keep it near me to stave off any inevitable situations, yet the 'Sword Saint' seems to be contemplating a more drastic measure.
"Only then can the Demon God's Chalice be eradicated from this world."
Madman.
With your own life forsaken, you're contemplating such a choice. However, I didn't feel particularly unpleasant.
It seemed a hint of the 'Sword Saint's nobility that I once knew peeked through.
'Nonetheless.'
Letting your sanity slip away in the Holy Kingdom is intolerable.
"It seems you returned to the capital to pick your burial ground."
"... Huh?"
"Lady Rinne, I leave the master in your care."
With those words, I departed with Zahard for Genmel Monastery. Somehow, my steps felt lighter.
***
Upon reaching the entrance of Genmel Monastery, an eerie atmosphere was markedly present, unlike before.
All those involved with the monastery seemed to have vanished, and the 'Dawn Society' members were nowhere to be seen.
'As expected.'
Tenelon did not deploy cult members as guards. This reflected his immense confidence.
"... Demonic energy is overwhelming."
From a distance, the nauseatingly intense residual thoughts of the Demon imbued in the demons hit me. The leader of 'Dawn Society', Tenelon, entrusted his safety to 'demons', not 'cult members'.
So far, it was acceptable.
"The demonic energy is more intense than I anticipated."
Contrary to my assumptions, the demonic energy from the 'Demon God's Chalice' was strikingly powerful.
Even without today's 'Bishop Hunt', Tenelon had apparently reserved enough demonic energy in the Demon God's Chalice.
"From your earlier conversation with Hayden, it sounds like you have a plan to deal with the High Pontiff."
"Yes, I do."
Of course, I do.
After all the trouble that bastard caused.
Even if I wasn't prepared for other strong enemies, I had anticipated 'Tenelon' and his strategies.
"In that case, I have no choice but to open the door."
Srrrng.
Zahard drew his staff sword, peering intently into the Genmel Monastery's inner sanctum with his unseeing eyes.
"This looks like the way."
Saying that, Zahard took the lead, walking forward.
The scenery of Genmel Monastery was familiar by now, but today, its atmosphere was strangely eerie.
Creeee, creeereee?
After walking a short distance inside, a sound resembling the cries of beasts began emanating.
Demons.
"Tsk tsk, in a place with no resonance stones, creatures like these run rampant."
Fortunately, without any 'horns', they were merely low-tier demons, yet their numbers were formidable.
"You indicated this was the way?"
"Indeed."
"You weren't suggesting it because there were fewer demons here?"
Zahard chuckled.
"This is the path with the fewest."
Craaack!
As the demon lunged, Zahard's sword flashed, quickly severing its neck.
― Kraargh!"
With the first demon beheaded, those surrounding us immediately pounced.
Numbering at least more than ten.
While continually slashing through the demons, Zahard moved to avoid the falling residual thoughts.
"Go on, I'll manage here."
There was no way Zahard would fall to these hornless demons.
Still, what worried me was that demons inside Genmel Monastery, hearing the commotion, might start converging here.
"I'll conclude this as quickly as possible and return."
"Please do!"
Nodding to Zahard's words, I monitored the flow of 'demonic energy' emanating from the fallen demons.
'Wherever this demonic energy heads to—that must be where the Demon God's Chalice is.'
And where likely, that crafty Patriarch Tenelon might also be.
I bolted, swiftly pursuing the flow of 'demonic energy'.
'It's intensely concentrated.'
Though the dense demonic energy knitted my brows, the core of my being brimmed with exhilaration.
The joy of finally severing ties with the 'Dawn Society'.
As I dashed towards where the 'Demon God's Chalice' was believed to be, no presence was felt.
'It's like they're welcoming me.'
Had someone else seen it, it might have seemed as if Tenelon was waiting for me.
Opening a massive door unseen for a long time, an all-too-familiar purple overtone filled the room.
The demonic energy floating around outmatched the mana permeating the atmosphere.
As the 'Demon God's Chalice' harnessed these residual thoughts, mask-wearing Tenelon stood poised.
"I did not anticipate this ending when I let you into the Dawn Society."
As Tenelon's mask fell to reveal a grotesque scar and purple-tinged eyes fixated on me.
"I knew. I foresaw this conclusion."
"So you waited only, dragging other bishops into this, and targeting my neck all along."
Partly accurate, partly not.
I had a part in it, but Pentel played a significant role too.
"But I also prepared for such a circumstance."
Srrrrrk.
As he reached for the 'Demon God's Chalice', considerable demonic energy stirred, engulfing my being.
"Do you know why I had the other cult members hunt the Bishops?"
For an ordinary person, inhaling even a bit of this demonic energy would result in death.
"Because I predicted you, Yulian, would come here alone."
The mana veins absorbed the demonic energy, which began tensing the muscles. A 'demonization' process in motion.
"Once demonization is complete, with the demonic energy of this holy relic, the Demon God's Chalice, even one person can be easily turned into a demon..."
However, the 'demonization' never fully transpired. For within my very being, there was already a 'demon'.
"This...what is this...?"
===
⇒ Trait, 〈True Vessel〉 activates.
⇒ Immune to the effects of the holy relic 〈Demon God's Chalice〉.
===
Holy relics tied to the 'Demon God' have negligible influence over my body.
Clacky's Corner:
Tenelon vs Yulian
But who will be the final villain?
Is it the emperor?