novelraw Chapter 82 : Chapter 82
Chapter 82 : Chapter 82
Chapter 82
"Wow."
Actually, Ferdiel's skills as described in the game weren't this surprising.
Despite his title of Sword of Doctrine, he primarily used holy magic.
He had learned the sword, but Ferdiel's vision was limited.
He could slightly overcome that limitation with holy power, but then he wouldn't be able to utilize his strength in holy power, so the standard practice was to shoot holy magic from a distance and respond with the sword when the enemy approached.
Even when he appeared as a playable character, he would attack with ranged magic and then attack with the sword under certain conditions.
But now—
"He's handling both close-range and long-range by himself."
Ferdiel, with his vision fully restored, skillfully handled them with his sword while blocking all incoming attacks with holy magic.
Isn't that what they call an integration of offense and defense ?
Ferdiel, after flicking the blood off his sword with a graceful motion, swept back his hair.
"There's a limit to foolishness. How dare you think of summoning a demon?"
"Heok, heok!"
Baron Belmir's breathing grew increasingly ragged.
His attitude was bizarre, as if he had never once expected such a situation to occur.
No matter how much the Church and the Heretic Inquisitors had lost their power, could he be this certain of concealment?
No, that can't be right.
It's not just the Church that monitors heretical activities.
The Church's Heretic Inquisitors are the ones who professionally punish heretics, but as long as the Academy claims to be the spiritual successor of the Hero—they never just let a heretic in front of them go.
Making a contract with a demon is a gamble where you can gain great power if you're not caught, but you lose everything the moment you are.
And he took such a gamble?
"Why did he do it?"
A noble who even has a proper title and a fief? He's practically a noble of a holy empire?
"It's strange."
Yes, this is too strange.
The great power gained from contracting with a demon? It would be meaningless in front of the guardian that is the Academy anyway.
Besides, now there's even the Holy Sword of the Hero, the natural enemy of demons.
"It means he has something he can rely on."
Because it doesn't matter if he gets caught? That's not it. For that, he seemed too flustered.
"...He was certain he wouldn't get caught."
And—
"He has an accomplice who helps him not get caught."
As if he had finally reached the answer, the Baron's face contorted even more amidst the chaotic jumble of sounds.
"Young Master, are you saying he has an accomplice?"
Ferdiel, who had also heard my muttering, leisurely approached me and asked.
"That's what I think."
"What's the probability?"
"70%?"
It's not a probability you could call high.
But, as if that was enough, Ferdiel clicked his tongue.
As if considering various things, Ferdiel swung his sword, and the ground collapsed.
"Looks like he's about to make a move."
At Ferdiel's murmur, the Baron's face turned pale.
Seeing his expression, which was as good as a confession, Ferdiel smiled lightly.
"You know, Baron. If you have any life left, how about learning to control your expression a little?"
"Weren't you going to carry out a summary execution?"
"I was, but it's on hold. It seems there are a few things I need to shake out of him."
Oh dear, it looks like he's about to have his soul shaken out of him.
Should I click my tongue and feel a little sorry for him in times like these?
"I, I can't die like this."
Baron Belmir's face turns deathly white.
At that moment, a madness glinted in his eyes. An ominous mana blazed in the lord's hand.
He was trying to resume the demon summoning ritual.
"Oh dear, was he a fool who didn't even know the common sense that a demon can only be summoned by offering a proper sacrifice?"
"As for the sacrifice, there are the humans you executed!!"
Hahahaha!!! The lord burst into mad laughter.
For a moment, goosebumps rose on my arm.
"Ah, you took me for a fool. Really... even though I've been away for two years, I never thought I'd be ignored this much."
Ferdiel cut down the heretic without hesitation.
The sight of them falling with a scream was precarious, but if you observed closely, you could see.
None of them had died.
They had lost consciousness from being cut at a vital point, but they were still alive and well.
"Actually, the original Sword of Doctrine wasn't a title like it is now, but a name for the sword I use itself."
Ferdiel had not a hint of hesitation in swinging his sword.
"The Sword of Doctrine's performance isn't good enough to be compared to the Holy Sword, but in one aspect, it surpasses the Holy Sword."
Although Ferdiel was clearly at a disadvantage at first, before long, no demon worshipers remained except for Baron Belmir.
"That's in dealing with demon worshipers. The sacrifice you can offer is at most your own body and soul."
There was a reason for his leisurely attitude even when a demon was being summoned.
If a demon could be summoned with just one life, the world would be in a much worse state than it is now. It definitely should have been that way—
"Young Master. The magic shouldn't work without a proper sacrifice, right?"
"Of course."
"Then why isn't the summoning ritual ending?"
For the first time, a crack appeared in Ferdiel's perpetually leisurely expression.
Ah, I think something's gone wrong...
* * *
Demons are beings of greed.
The first demon was the most greedy being in this world.
It was a reasonable course of action for the other demons derived from him to act according to their greed.
What is greed?
It is endless desire.
Greed is the determination to never be at a disadvantage.
Understanding the actions of a demon is impossible.
But, with the premise of greed, demons are extremely one-dimensional.
Their attitude is surprisingly easy to predict, and they have no will to even hide it.
This is a single truth, and in the place called the Demon World, it is the only reason why demons can live without dying.
Ferdiel, who had fought demons for the longest time and therefore knew more about them than anyone else, was sure.
That the demon would never respond to the summoning.
But at this moment, that great premise was shattered.
"Why?"
A pure question flowed from his mouth.
Regardless, the demon's gaze turned to the contractor who had summoned it.
At the gaze directed at him, Baron Belmir smiles brighter than ever and shouts.
"I! I summoned you!"
《You, of all people? I was definitely offered a very delicious curse.》
It was a pure question with no malice, but to Baron Belmir, who was being thrown into the abyss, it was a question that came with a sticky malice.
That too might have been the demon's intention, but in any case, the summoned demon had no intention of moving according to this troublesome human's will.
At the attitude of being clearly ignored, the lord's face was dyed with anger.
"Are you saying you won't listen to the summoner's words!!"
《You're just a human, don't bother me.》
"How dare you! How dare you!!"
The one who really doesn't know their place is not the demon, but Baron Belmir.
Ferdiel, who had hunted demons for a very long time, could be sure.
That demon is dangerous—
"Follow my command—"
Baron Belmir's words were not fully completed.
Kwajik!
There was a sound of something being crushed.
At the same time, the voice of Baron Belmir, who had been spewing his rage, also stopped, so what was crushed was—
"Ah."
The human himself.
* * *
What just happened in front of my eyes...?
The arm that seemed to have popped out of the demon's mouth dangled as if to show off its existence.
At its end flows a distinct red blood.
The death of the human named Baron Belmir was already a foregone conclusion.
Of course. The end of a heretic is only death... because I know that, I'm hiding Lerwon, and I'm hiding myself.
I know everything... I already knew everything.
And yet, my body froze.
"Heok—"
My breath came out in gasps.
No matter how hard I tried to breathe, the trembling of my body wouldn't stop.
Strangely, my skin stung as if it were burning.
"Heuk!"
I felt a pain as if my throat was being scratched by a needle.
In my ears, the empty sound of a powerless body falling to the floor spread.
The empty eyes of the dead man, eyes that had not been closed, the eyes—
"Hah...!"
It's something from a previous life.
My father is at the Academy. He's alive.
What if the same thing happens again? What if my father dies because of me!
《Get a hold of yourself!!!》
I heard a shout as if cold water had been thrown on me.
"Keoheok!!"
I coughed out a rough breath as if I were coughing up blood.
My body collapsed, but I slowly regained my original breathing.
It's okay. It'll definitely be okay.
One of my goals is to save my father.
If only he didn't have the burden of me, my father would survive on his own even if the world were to end, for sure.
Then it's okay.
"I really hate demons."
At the small grumble, I felt a slight movement in the pocket where Albedo was.
I should shut my mouth, since it's not like he hasn't done anything to reassure me that he's an exception.
"Are you okay?"
After finally catching my breath, I approached Fel, who was putting up a barrier.
"Yeah, sorry for a moment."
This is the second time I've seen a person die... so I showed a disgraceful side of myself for a moment.
This is another embarrassing moment to add to my history.
"This is annoying."
Tsk, I clicked my tongue and began to gather my mana.
《Interesting. It's hard to find even one human whose desires I can't read, and now there are three.》
Is he talking about Ferdiel, me, and Lerwon?
I want to avoid creating any more reasons for Ferdiel to suspect Lerwon.
《Yes, human. You—》
The demon pointed a finger at me.
...Should I just break his finger with the writer's skill?
《You have a peculiar aura. If you make a contract with me, I will obediently withdraw.》
As soon as I heard the demon's proposal, a loud shout echoed in my ear.
《What did you just dare to say!!》
I felt a strong movement in my pocket.
No, is that damn lizard crazy to get caught by Fel!
《A demon who can't even follow in my footsteps dares to aim for the King's contractor?!》
'You're not the Demon King anymore.'
I hinted at it, but Albedo still showed his anger.
《Do you think that's what's important right now! What's important is that thing dared to aim for my contractor, not knowing its place!!》
I know it's unpleasant, but it's too noisy.
I have no intention of making a contract in the first place.
"You call that a proposal?"
Anyway, aren't those X's called demons too insincere when they propose a contract?
"You should use your abilities in moderation."
Reading desires is fine, I guess. It's a waste not to use a useful ability.
But when you meet an opponent that ability doesn't work on, use your head a little.
"No, if you're going to propose a contract, you should at least avoid doing it in front of a Heretic Inquisitor. If I just say okay here, what's the difference between that and shouting at Fel to just kill me?"
I shook my head and smiled brightly to provoke the demon.
"Are all demons as stupid as you?"
《You, you!!!》
"I have no intention of making a contract with an unintelligent demon like you."
Just as I had with Baal once, I proudly raised my middle finger.
+++
A demon has revealed itself to the world.
Send it back to where it belongs.
-Reward: EXP 3000
-Failure: ???
+++
I deleted the system window that appeared before my eyes.
I was going to do that anyway, even if you hadn't asked.
"Demon, Cardross."
I write as if I were scratching.
「Golden chains bind Cardross」
"I'm not interested, so get lost."