Chapter 39: Movement
One of the few commonalities between those who use Demonic Energy and those who use Holy Power is their remarkable ability to regenerate wounds.
Evil beings who possess regenerative abilities surpassing humans due to various forbidden techniques and black magic, and priests who heal even fatal wounds using holy magic specialized for healing.
However, that’s limited to ordinary wounds.
Magi and Holy Power. Both do not easily recover from damage caused by opposing forces.
“Still, it healed faster than I thought. It’s a blessing from God.”
Brother Mihal, the healer at the Inquisition, nodded his head as if relieved and carefully put down my hand.
The white light that was buzzing and shining from his hand, having finished today’s treatment, slowly disappeared.
It’s been a week since I returned to the Inquisition in Hesterica after finishing my mission in the Ashitan Kingdom.
The stinging pain I felt even with the bandages inscribed with holy spells, which members of the church carry in case of emergency, was now almost gone.
“You were quite lucky, Inquisitor Luciel. From now on, leave the解除 of magic circles to the brothers who have undergone professional training after reporting. I’ve seen many Inquisitors suffer fatal injuries after being caught in the exploding Demonic Energy while destroying magic circles created by heretics.”
“I see. That’s fortunate.”
At my nonchalant reply instead of saying I understood, he shook his head with a mixture of admiration and worry.
The wounds I received while absorbing all the Demonic Energy from the magic circle created by the black mages of the Caridad Catacomb seemed to have already become a symbol of luck and courage.
“It will take a few years for the scar to disappear completely.”
He nodded as if to say I could go now and added a word, looking at me with a slightly dubious face.
“……If you don’t get any new wounds, that is.”
“I see. I’ll be careful.”
A few wounds are nothing, really.
If I were a precious young master from a noble family, I would have been more careful in my actions to remove even the smallest wound on my precious body without a trace, but I was a little far from such a comfortable life.
Perhaps as much as the relationship between the Sanctuary and the Catacombs.
“Ah, Inquisitor-nim!”
Jerit, who had been waiting for me as I stepped out of the treatment room, waved his hand with a welcoming expression.
Even though I told him he could go back to the Holy See, he insisted on following me to the Inquisition, holding several books in his hand.
I tilted my head slightly and read the title of the book he was holding.
‘The Endless War for the World – The Five Sanctuaries and the Seven Catacombs.’
Noticing my gaze fixed on him, he made an”Ah”expression, held up the book, and began explaining with a bright smile.
“The title might be a bit like this, but the explanation is very detailed. Inquisitor-nim, have you heard about the─”
I cut off his unnecessary rambling.
“The contents of that book probably don’t contain even a fraction of the truth, Jerit.”
Including the book Jerit was holding now, I had already skimmed through most of the books in the Inquisition’s library. As expected, there wasn’t anything particularly helpful except that I was able to grasp the rough events that had happened while I was gone.
I hadn’t expected much from the beginning, as there was no way information about the Catacombs and Sanctuaries, the most secret and closely guarded secrets of both sides, would be written down and circulated in books.
“That’s true, but……”
Jerit scratched his head at my somewhat bleak words. I looked at him for a moment.
Although I wasn’t the type to get lonely, having another person to act as my hands and feet on a journey was certainly quite convenient.
Especially now that I had just donned the Inquisitor’s mantle, unlike in the past when I had loyal followers who would lay down their lives for me.
However, the next destination, infiltrating the Caridad Catacomb, was a bit far from an ordinary journey.
Even if they were distracted by something else and weren’t properly on guard.
There was no need to shake him off right away. It wasn’t like I was going to leave the Inquisition right now and head straight for the Caridad Catacomb.
Even excluding the fact that the location of its entrance is unknown to the Herentica Church, it wouldn’t be wise to search for it without any preparation.
Of course, I wasn’t planning on delaying it too long. Now that the Caridad Catacomb was focused on something else and their guard was down, it was definitely the best opportunity.
“Ah, a Brother was looking for you a while ago, Inquisitor-nim.”
Jerit, who had been scratching his head, suddenly remembered something and said, closing the book he had been showing me.
“Me?”
“Yes. He asked me to tell you to head to the Chairman’s office as soon as your treatment was finished.”
“……”
A summons? Well, it’s about time I started working again.
At his words, I clicked my tongue briefly and slowly walked towards the room where the head of the Inquisition was waiting.
🔹🔹🔹
The Chairman of the Inquisition, Markel Pavlino’s office.
“Come in.”
I slowly pushed open the creaking wooden door.
I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous every time I entered this bland room with no decorations.
I had heard that the path to ‘Altar of White Flame,’ one of the five Sanctuaries, was hidden here.
Of course, I couldn’t ask about it directly. Unlike the two other well-known Sanctuaries, the locations of the remaining three were a closely guarded secret, even to ordinary followers.
Perhaps if I continued to carry out missions as an Inquisitor and gain the trust of the church, I would be able to find out about it in the not-too-distant future. Information about that hidden entrance.
And its weakness as well.
“Caridad Catacomb……”
The Chairman’s blue eyes, resting on his hands neatly placed on the slightly crumpled report I had written, as if he had read it over and over again, stared intently at me.
“It’s an unbelievable achievement, Brother Luciel.”
I met his gaze without flinching and shrugged.
“It’s all thanks to God’s help.”
“……Hmm.”
He didn’t affirm or deny my words, lost in thought for a moment before continuing.
“We’re going to significantly strengthen the defenses and patrols in the eastern region, which is known to be the domain of the Caridad Catacomb. Since they’re moving so recklessly, we’ll probably be hearing new reports from the brothers dispatched everywhere soon. As for you, for now……”
The Chairman paused for a moment, then looked at me intently and said,
“You’re not planning on doing something as dangerous as investigating further alone, are you?”
“No way. I don’t even know the location of that cursed Catacomb.”
The Chairman slowly nodded at my nonchalant reply.
“……Indeed. That’s something no one in the church has been able to figure out.”
Letting out a small sigh, he pointed to a few reports prepared beforehand on the table in front of me and said,
“These are the missions assigned to you. Take a look.”
I quickly skimmed through the three or four reports.
As befitting these turbulent times, the reports were filled with descriptions of suspicious incidents happening all over the continent.
“Do I have the option to choose which mission I want to undertake?”
The Chairman slowly nodded at my somewhat brazen question.
“Normally, missions are assigned based on the importance and urgency of the incident, as well as the individual Inquisitor’s personality and abilities……”
He looked at me and continued.
“But for you, who have accomplished things that are hard to believe for a newly appointed Inquisitor, I will give you the special privilege of choosing.”
I smiled slightly at the Chairman’s words. At first glance, it might sound like a generous offer, but in reality, choosing a mission wasn’t particularly helpful.
The Inquisition usually assigned the most suitable mission to each Inquisitor, and all the missions undertaken by Inquisitors were inherently dangerous.
Between saving a village filled with eerie curses under the moonlight and visiting a city where hideous werewolves that could easily tear apart three or four people roamed freely, which one was more dangerous and which one was less dangerous?
Both required risking one’s life.
Therefore, the Chairman’s seemingly generous offer wasn’t particularly useful. Generally speaking, that is.
“……”
However, for someone like me, who had a clear destination in mind, the Chairman’s words were quite a useful offer.
I pretended to contemplate as I glanced down at the reports.
Of course, I had already made my decision. The next destination was near a small city far from here.
To be precise, near the ‘Soot-stained Forest’.
It was located near the place where one of my legacies, ‘Kamuron’s Bracelet,’ was hidden.
🔹🔹🔹
“Ugh. It’s, it’s quite chilly.”
Jerit, who was on horseback wrapped in a thick robe, stammered as he shivered. White smoke escaped from his mouth.
“I, I, Inquisitor-nim, what kind of place is Berenhith?”
“Well. I’m not sure. I haven’t been there myself.”
“Oh, th, that’s a bit surprising.”
He widened his eyes, as if he thought I knew everything he was curious about.
Actually, it wasn’t that I had never been there at all. No, strictly speaking, it was a place I knew very well.
Of course, it was an experience from five hundred years ago, so it wouldn’t be applicable to the present.
The successful completion of the mission was important, of course, but even more important was the recovery of the artifact there.
It was an item that would be of considerable help in the battle that might take place in the Caridad Catacomb.
Of course, the rest of the legacies I left behind didn’t possess enough power to solve everything at once. There were items that might not function properly after so much time had passed, or items that were completely unnecessary in my current situation, having found a satisfactory body.
It was more accurate to see them as tools that could offer some help, just in case I reincarnated into an unknown body and situation.
Of course, there were also items like the Artifact of the Rift that could be quite useful in the current situation.
I adjusted the reins of the horse and glanced back.
Clatter.
Even though it was still the beginning of winter and the real cold hadn’t arrived yet, I could see Jerit shivering.
Compared to the harsh cold of the north, where even blood felt like it was freezing, this kind of weather in the eastern region was almost like spring. He must be from the southern region.
“You should have packed several winter cloaks.”
“B, b, but unnecessary winter gear would negatively affect combat─”
“You’ll become unnecessary before that.”
First, we need a fire.
I gently pulled the reins and stopped the horse. We had come quite a long way without a break. The horses, as well as Jerit, would need a short rest.
Crackle.
After gathering and piling up dry branches from the surroundings, I lightly snapped my fingers, and a small flame immediately sprang up.
“Ahhh……”
He stretched his reddened hands towards the fire and let out a sigh of relief.
I filled the portable kettle with snow I had scooped up. I took out the hardened bread and hung the kettle on a thick branch over the fire, and with a sizzling sound, the snow began to melt slowly.
Hot tea, bread, and some cheese. As we were almost finished with our simple but warm meal, we heard rustling sounds from ahead.
“Who’s there!”
Jerit, whose body had warmed up, jumped up from his seat and shouted, as if trying to be faithful to his role.
He even had his sword in his hand. It was quite a quick movement.
“W, w, wait! Don’t attack! I’ll come out!”
Finally, with rustling sounds from the thick bushes ahead, a man appeared.
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