Chapter 95: Departure
“Ooh. Try it again.”
“Ahem. Does he think this is some kind of rechargeable heating rod? Consider Inquisitor Luciel’s position─”
“Shut up, Mihal.”
Inside the Inquisition headquarters. Having returned after a long time, this place was rather noisy.
The cause was none other than the single sword held in my hand.
The Inquisitors and Brothers were showing fervent interest in the holy sword emitting a soft light.
It was a sight that didn’t quite suit the Inquisitors, who judged heresy with a resolute and merciless attitude, but in a way, it was a natural reaction.
Even with all of our current technology, we couldn’t even make a similar imitation of the holy sword, whose exact origin was still unknown.
“It’s definitely not just steel, and it’s not black iron either.”
“Judging by the reflected light, it’s a metal different from holy silver as well. How fascinating.”
The surface of the smooth blade had a slightly opaque white hue. I looked down at the sword, which split the light of the torch held in the Brother’s hand into various colors.
According to what we found out through experiments and research over the past few weeks, this holy sword was engraved with no less than four types of magic.
Very sophisticated yet effective, divine support magic.
Of course, figuring out what kind they were wasn’t an easy process.
When investigating holy relics with significant origins, it takes at least a few months, usually over a year. This was because the analysis had to be carried out with extreme care, so as not to leave even the slightest scratch on the object.
But that didn’t apply to the holy sword. I was able to figure out the spells embedded in the holy sword without much caution, using various attempts and spells.
The reason was simple.
Even with quite rough methods, not a single scratch appeared on this holy sword.
Even during our journey to Hesterica, Jerit was so startled by the sight of me striking the blade against a hard rock that he stopped me.
Regardless of the strength of the metal that made up the sword, if you deliberately strike the sharply honed blade against a rock, it’s bound to become dull or scratched, even if only slightly.
But the holy sword showed no change whatsoever.
The cause of this phenomenon, which couldn’t be explained simply by the hardness of the metal, was the four blessings embedded in the sword.
‘Struggle’,’Purification’,’Preservation’,’Emission’.
They said it was made by refining metal that descended from the heavens with dragon fire, and then imbuing it with the blessings of the four Archangels.
I thought that maybe the legend could be true.
I wasn’t yet at the level where I could fully utilize its potential. A divine spell like’Emission’wasn’t something even a high-ranking priest could use recklessly.
Of course, I was gradually getting used to it.
“Inquisitor Luciel, the Head’s calling for you.”
A voice came from behind. I slowly got up.
It had been a week since we arrived in Hesterica and rested. It was about time for a new mission to be assigned.
“……Hmm. That’s a shame.”
“Tsk, let’s get up too.”
Leaving behind the Inquisitors and Brothers who were even more disappointed than I was, I headed towards the Head’s room.
🔹🔹🔹
Head Markel Pavlino’s room was no different than the last time.
But to my eyes, faint traces of light that I hadn’t seen before flickered.
Behind the rough desk where the Head sat.
As if there was a separate space located beyond it, a faint light seemed to seep out.
Perhaps it was thanks to the great achievements I had made in terms of holy power. I thought that maybe the high-purity holy power given to me by the Saintess might have been the cause.
“……”
I maintained a calm expression as I looked at the flickering traces of light. It wasn’t difficult to guess what it was.
The’Altar of White Flame’, one of the five sanctuaries.
The thought that I had found the entrance to the sanctuary, which I couldn’t even approach in my past life due to the inherent limitations of being a black mage, brought a slight thrill, but I kept a straight face. After all, it wasn’t like I could enter it right now.
“……”
The Head, with a faint smile on his face as if he knew what I was thinking, spoke softly.
“It’s been so long since the East has regained peace like this.”
A calm tone. But for a moment, I felt something faintly hidden within it.
“……”
Was it my imagination? Soon, the Head, with a satisfied expression, organized the reports in front of him, clasped his hands, and looked at me.
With two Catacomb forces annihilated, it was true that the eastern part of the continent had become relatively peaceful. Of course, the Inquisition still hadn’t figured out the exact reason for the Caridad Catacomb’s demise.
There was only a vague speculation that perhaps the failure in the Pain Kingdom had somehow negatively affected them.
The fact that I had infiltrated there, eliminated the High Priest, and destroyed the altar was something only I and the members of the Black Dawn Society knew.
“However……”
Markel Pavlino picked up some reports that were a little further away and spoke.
“Throughout the continent, those who deny God’s will still cast their unholy shadows.”
The annihilation of the two Catacombs, whose enemies were in the eastern part of the continent. But the remaining five Catacombs were still intact, and the forces the Church had to deal with weren’t limited to them.
“……”
I listened to the Head’s words and recalled the news Marchena had delivered to me a while ago.
‘The movements of the Empire and the Desert are unsettling. It seems we’ll have to focus our efforts on them for a while.’
If her words, delivered with a hint of regret before she left, were true, the current situation on the continent was rather serious.
Two of the seven Catacombs that had been operating underground had collapsed, but the relationships between the remaining sanctuaries that opposed them weren’t exactly good either.
The power struggle between the Holy See and the Inquisition was intensifying, and the remaining sanctuaries were still silent.
And in the midst of all this, if the Empire, which had been crouching down until now, was starting to stretch and target the Sultan of the Desert……
Unprecedented chaos would visit the continent, where the delicately maintained balance had been broken.
“……But in times like these, we need even stronger faith.”
Markel Pavlino looked at me and handed me a report, saying,
“This is a report that came up from the South recently.”
I took it and quickly scanned it.
‘Critical problem with the procurement of holy wood. Urgent assistance from the Inquisition requested.’
After the bold red letters, what caught my eye was the portion of the map that occupied a large part of one side of the report.
The mission area marked with a cross was located on an area painted dark green.
“……”
The Southern Jungle.
Among the many names for the vast forest, large enough to encompass several kingdoms, the most famous one was:
“The Great Forest.”
I slowly raised my head, looked at the Head, and continued,
“Are you telling me to head to the forest of the elves?”
Markel Pavlino just looked back at me without a word. It was a silent affirmation.
“Entering the closed-off space where the forest dwellers reside carries considerable risk.”
He continued slowly.
“But that’s why I thought there was no one more suitable than you. Especially now that Anton is away.”
“……”
I looked at him for a moment, then smiled slightly and said,
“They say a competent Inquisitor doesn’t stay in the Inquisition for long.”
A chuckle. A faint smile appeared on Markel Pavlino’s face as he heard the saying that was passed around jokingly among the Brothers.
I looked at the wrinkled face of the Head and the faint traces of light seeping out from behind him, and answered readily,
“I can’t ignore the call for help from my brethren. I’ll depart immediately.”
The Head’s face creased into a deeper smile as he heard my unhesitating reply.
“May God’s blessings be with you, Brother Luciel. And……”
He briefly looked up and stared at me with an intense gaze before saying firmly,
“Ruination to the heretics.”
I smiled lightly at Markel Pavlino’s words, slowly got up, and replied to the old Inquisitor,
“Ruination to the heretics.”
🔹🔹🔹
The Inquisition’s decision wasn’t solely based on a sincere sense of mission.
The request for help from the South and the swift response to it.
There was one very important reason behind it.
Holy wood.
It was the name given to trees that grew while absorbing the energy emanating from the World Tree, the foundation of the elves and the Great Forest.
The vast amount of holy wood obtained through trade with the elves wasn’t just ordinary wood.
It was as strong as steel, impervious to water, and highly resistant to various curses and magic.
Naturally, it was a useful material that could be used in many places.
But it seemed that holy wood was no longer being supplied from the Great Forest. Something must have gone wrong there.
Moreover, according to the report, there was a possibility that wicked heretics were involved in the cause.
In many ways, it was an important mission for the Inquisition.
“The Great Forest!”
Lephra looked at Jerit, who was jumping around frivolously despite being the one entrusted with such a weighty mission, with a disdainful expression.
“You seem quite happy.”
At my words, Jerit grinned and replied,
“Of course! Entering the Great Forest isn’t something you can easily experience!”
Lephra frowned at his bright response and retorted coldly,
“Are we going on a picnic? Stop making a fuss and finish packing your luggage.”
“……Tsk.”
Even while he started loading the luggage onto the horses, Jerit’s expression remained bright.
I didn’t bother to point anything out to him.
I knew very well that the moment we stepped into that vast jungle, his current excitement would disappear like a faint dream on a midsummer night.
“By the way, I heard a guide has been assigned.”
Lephra, displeased with the sight of Jerit humming and packing his luggage, turned to me and asked.
The Great Forest was a space not permitted to humans. To enter, guidance from the forest dwellers, the elves, was necessary.
Elves were needed to enter the Great Forest, but most elves didn’t leave it.
This contradiction was one of the reasons why the Great Forest remained a place of mystery to humans, but it wasn’t without a solution.
Although rare, it wasn’t as if there were no elves living outside the Great Forest.
“They’ll be arriving soon.”
I replied casually.
Sure enough, not long after, someone slowly approached us.
“Um……”
A somewhat familiar voice. I turned my head to look at the figure walking towards us.
“Uh……?”
Jerit tilted his head at the sight of her. It seemed he recognized the elf’s face as well.
“……Do you know her?”
Lephra looked at me and asked in a disapproving tone. I shrugged and answered her question.
“Well, a little.”
Sitdria, the city where the pyres for burning witches were located.
And Elinas, the half-elf we met there.
It wasn’t a particularly memorable encounter, but we had a decent conversation before and after the witch hunt, so I remembered her clearly.
Hmm.
I stared blankly at her as she approached us, somewhat hesitantly.
The elf they brought as a guide was a half-breed, of all things.
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