Chapter 14: The Key (2)
Knock, knock, knock.
“Come in.”
Opening the door and stepping inside, I surveyed the room.
The office of Markel Pavlino, Chairman of the Inquisition.
It was rather plain for the residence of a figure who unofficially held authority similar to the five Archbishops of the Holy See.
Less frugal, more… bland, perhaps.
I carefully observed the room of the high-ranking cleric, a place I would never have entered in my previous life. There were no particular decorations.
Ah, come to think of it, I had been here before. Though blood, screams, and the sounds of explosions had served as decorations then.
“I heard you summoned me.”
“Sit.”
Markel Pavlino, his expression still dry and unreadable, gestured to the chair in front of him.
Pour.
He poured tea into an empty cup and slowly spoke.
“Yes.”
“…”
I hesitated for a moment, recalling the dreadful taste of the tea Anton favored. However, it wouldn’t be appropriate for a newly appointed Inquisitor to outright refuse tea offered by the Chairman of the Inquisition, so I slowly lifted the cup.
‘…Hmm.’
Unlike Anton’s, the Chairman’s tea wasn’t bad. In fact, it was quite excellent.
The Chairman, observing me calmly, opened his mouth.
“Daena and Valent came to see me.”
“…?”
At the Chairman’s sudden words, I set down the cup and faced him.
“The two Inquisitors, each visiting me separately, said the same thing.”
Inquisitors, not Candidates.
Of course, the term Inquisitor didn’t quite suit them yet, as they hadn’t received their consecration. However, the Chairman disregarded that and used their proper titles.
“They said they didn’t contribute much to this mission. It was difficult to discern whether they were berating themselves or praising you…”
Taking a sip of his tea, he continued.
“No Inquisitor would find fault with this. Everyone understands the importance of having competent colleagues.”
It’s just because of the lack of personnel, isn’t it? I heard the standards were much higher in the past.
Unaware of the irreverent thoughts in my head, the Chairman continued, looking at me.
“Normally, you would spend at least a year with a mentor, learning…”
Objectively speaking, I don’t need that.
“You don’t seem to need that. Of course, you can if you wish.”
“I decline.”
“I thought so.”
Looking at the Chairman, I spoke.
“May I ask a question?”
“Certainly.”
I chose my words carefully, watching the Chairman as he raised an eyebrow slightly, curious about what I would ask.
“About this exam.”
“…”
I continued, watching him silently drink his tea.
“Wasn’t it a bit difficult for the Candidates?”
A thought I’d been pondering.
The Inquisition must have been well aware of the capabilities of the Candidates who had undergone a somewhat abbreviated training process due to the shortage of personnel. For them, the black mage encountered in the underground of Meddlen village was undoubtedly a formidable opponent.
If they had been lucky enough to avoid encountering them and only caught the intermediary Poil, there wouldn’t have been a problem. However, the mere existence of such a risk meant that Meddlen wasn’t a suitable testing ground for Candidates.
Perhaps in some remote corner of a small parish… But even if the capabilities of Inquisitors had declined compared to the past, the Hesterica Inquisition couldn’t have been unaware of that.
Did he understand the unspoken words, the ones that could be construed as questioning the competence of the Church? The Chairman looked at me and slowly spoke.
“The Inquisition cannot possibly track and control the movements of the black mage and his remnants you encountered by chance. And…”
A small smile played on his lips.
“I am grateful that you are not an ordinary Candidate.”
“…”
It wasn’t a perfect answer to my question. But I couldn’t press the matter further. I bowed my head slightly.
The Chairman’s voice reached me again.
“In principle, all Inquisitors prioritize investigating locations designated by the Church…”
His gaze met mine.
“But it seems you have somewhere else you want to investigate first?”
Looking at him as he held up the report I had written, I fell into thought.
Investigating locations designated by the Church was something I had anticipated to some extent. As long as I didn’t receive consecration directly from the Holy See, I had no reason to refuse.
The places where my legacies were sealed couldn’t be opened right away anyway.
But there was one place.
It would be best to retrieve the item from Mount Pehern as soon as possible.
It was something I had prepared for the early stages of my return, when I was unlikely to have any significant abilities.
I’ll have to explain to some degree. I quickly finished my thoughts.
“I found a peculiar dark green mark on the body of the black mage we eliminated in Meddlen village.”
“…?”
I continued, looking at Markel Pavlino, who wore a slightly puzzled expression.
“After several days of searching through historical documents in the archives, I discovered that the mark matches that of the Bergecia Cult, which was once based on Mount Pehern.”
The Chairman asked, sounding perplexed.
“Mount Pehern? Isn’t that a place that has been in ruins for a long time, with no one living there?”
“It seems the remnants of the cult have begun to settle there again.”
“Hmm.”
The Chairman sighed softly at my words. I continued, watching him.
“We need to eradicate them while they are still weak.”
“The Bergecia Cult… an unfamiliar name. It can’t be compared to the powerful forces of evil like the Catacombs…”
He lowered his head, seemingly organizing his thoughts.
Everything I said was true. Though instead of discovering it in the archives, I had confirmed whether what I already knew was recorded there.
“In any case, they are those who openly declare themselves heretics. It could be dangerous for you to go alone, so I’ll assign Inquisitor Lephra to assist you. Meet her at the foot of the mountain and depart together.”
Looking at the Chairman, his face creased with wrinkles, I hid a smile.
Things are going well.
“Countless people die every day in numerous cities far from Hesterica.”
Markel Pavlino shifted his gaze from me to the window as I nodded silently.
Despite the room’s apparent underground location, bright light streamed in from a window in one corner. Judging by the absence of holy power, it seemed to be a creation of the Magic Towers, similar to the spires in the city.
“Show the heretics and non-believers who believe in false entities the severity of God, Brother Luciel.”
Looking at the Chairman, who spoke with a dry expression, I replied with a small smile.
“Ruin to the heretics.”
🔹🔹🔹
“…Are you in your right mind? What do you want to borrow?”
“‘Luberis’ Shining Voice.’ You have a knack for making me repeat myself.”
Barok, who had been looking at me with a mixture of bewilderment and disbelief, turned sharply and shouted.
“It’s not available! Another Inquisitor has already borrowed it!”
“I heard it’s still being kept here. Specifically, in the third row of the second-grade vault.”
Whirl.
He turned back to me, twice as fast as before, despite his large build, and asked with a somewhat dazed expression.
“…Who told you that?”
“Inquisitor Anton Lebecht.”
“Do you even know how many holy relics that guy has broken? No, wait, where is he now? Teaching a newly appointed Inquisitor such things…”
“Inquisitor Anton Lebecht departed for the Ashitan Kingdom in the east this morning, following orders from the Inquisition.”
“…”
I calmly asked Barok, who was clenching his fists.
“Can I borrow Luberis’ Shining Voice? It’s a relic crucial for this mission.”
“…Damn it. Like master, like disciple.”
What a hurtful thing to say, calling him my master.
The Head of Support, Barok, glared at me as he muttered profanities unbefitting a brother, then sighed deeply and turned, disappearing into the back.
Even if the Bergecia Cult was only half-formed, they weren’t to be underestimated in my current state. Just as they hadn’t fully established themselves, I was still lacking.
This was evident from Chairman Markel Pavlino’s instruction to meet another Inquisitor at the foot of Mount Pehern.
Therefore, I intended to prepare as much as possible before heading there.
Fortunately, I knew quite a bit about them. Moreover, this was the Inquisition headquarters, where various items could be easily obtained.
“…Here it is.”
Taking the small object Barok handed me, I asked innocently.
“A sword plated with holy silver and a few silver daggers. Ah, and a few bottles of holy water drawn from the Grand Temple on Mount Calimphus, please.”
“…You’re practically stripping the Inquisition bare.”
He grumbled, but still gathered the items I requested. He had likely been informed by the Chairman that I was departing for Mount Pehern.
Slyly.
“Luberis’ Shining Voice is a holy relic over seven hundred years old. If you don’t return it safely, I’ll chase you to the ends of the continent.”
His words were somewhat gruff, but his eyes held a hint of worry. With Anton also away on his mission, he seemed concerned about me, a newly appointed Inquisitor embarking on my first mission.
“Don’t worry. I’ll return it without a scratch.”
I took the heavy bag containing the items he handed me, smiled faintly, and replied.
“I hope so. May God’s blessings be with you.”
Barok sighed softly, watching me, and made the sign of the cross.
I nodded at Barok, turned, and headed for the entrance of the Inquisition.
To Mount Pehern, where my first legacy awaited. It was time to depart.
🔹🔹🔹
The foot of Mount Pehern. A secluded area untouched by human presence.
I sighed softly and looked around. The journey from the Inquisition to this point had been somewhat arduous.
Due to the lack of human activity, there were no proper roads. I even had to dismount and walk from this point onward.
‘It’s been a while.’
After quite a long time spent pushing through the undergrowth, I arrived at the foot of the mountain, where an ominous silence prevailed.
A place devoid of any human presence.
After walking for about ten minutes…
Rustle.
As if sensing the approach of a stranger, the bushes ahead began to stir.
Sure enough, there was a living being to greet me in this place marked as uninhabited on the map. I nodded.
‘I’ve come to the right place.’
Growl.
A grotesque appearance. It had a human form, but it didn’t exude the scent of the living. It was likely a test subject of the black mages.
“You’re a hideous creature.”
Krrr!
The monster, unable to understand my words, let out a menacing growl. Or did it understand?
Kraaaaa!
With a horrifying scream, the monster’s mouth, which occupied half of its face, split open. Vertically, not horizontally.
I saw its green saliva dripping down. At the same time, I sensed the faint remnants of demonic energy.
The familiar handiwork of the Bergecia Cult. A technique I’d seen countless times before.
These guys haven’t made any progress at all.
Ah, is it because I completely destroyed their main base?
Kraaaaa!
“Ah, it’s nice to see you too.”
Facing the monstrous creature, a nightmare come to life, I grinned.
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