How a Reincarnated Warlock Lives – Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Identity (1)

“Th, The Catacomb seems to be collapsing! We need to get out quickly─”

Harzan, who was rummaging through the warehouse in front, seemed to feel the tremors and ran towards me, only to stop when he saw the jewel in my hand.

Good timing. He would likely know the exact purpose of this jewel. I nonchalantly brushed off the dust from my shoulders and asked Harzan.

“Do you know the use of this jewel? It’s sparkling as if it’s warning us of something. Could it be related to the collapse of the Catacomb?”

“It’s an artifact that functions as a warning, although I don’t know its exact origins since it’s quite old. However……”

“However?”

His expression darkened. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke while cautiously observing my reaction.

“The target that it detects is the enemy of the Catacomb. In other words, those who possess Holy Power. The rats have already……”

Harzan already knows that I can use Holy Power. Therefore, the rats he’s referring to are not me, but others.

He glanced back with anxious eyes.

“Judging by the brightness of the light, it means that at least a hundred people are within a radius of several tens of meters, which is to say, inside the Catacomb.”

“Ah.”

I see.

I’ve heard that there are such things among the Holy See or the Inquisition’s sacred artifacts. Objects that have the effect of detecting nearby Magi.

To think that there would be an object with exactly the corresponding effect in this Caridad Catacomb.

Rumble.

The tremors were getting worse.

“Since it’s a Catacomb, there should be at least three or four back routes, right?”

He nodded. I slowly opened my mouth to the anxious black mage.

“Then, Harzan, this is where we part ways.”

“……I suppose so.”

Remembering that he couldn’t accompany me in the first place since I was disguised as an Inquisitor, Harzan nodded with a slightly regretful face.

Despite his calm nod, he seemed to have a lot to say, clutching his cracked staff tightly. Naturally, he would have many questions.

I would have felt the same if I were in his shoes.

What he’s most curious about is probably how I managed to elicit a response from the Great Demon. The Great Demon who hasn’t responded to them for five hundred years.

On the surface, it was as Caridad himself said, to punish the black mages of the Catacomb who dared to cross the line. Of course, the reason he appeared in person instead of sending his demon dukes was because of his interest in me.

Of course, the root of his curiosity, the reason why neither side has shown themselves for the past five hundred years, is something I don’t know either.

It’s a fortunate thing for me. It means that there won’t be any interference from Great Demons or Archangels until I access the remaining six Catacombs and five Sanctuaries.

“……Even if I ask who you really are and what your purpose is, you won’t answer, will you?”

Harzan’s question.

I looked at him for a moment and said briefly.

“After leaving this place, I recommend that you avoid encountering me as much as possible.”

Rumble.

Another tremor. I turned and walked toward the intruders of the Catacomb.

Finely crushed stone dust was falling from the ceiling.

🔹🔹🔹

“So you’re saying that you met Inquisitor Lephra at this monastery on your way back to the Inquisition after completing your mission?”

“It was a mere coincidence.”

Anton, who had put down his pen, shook his head in disbelief and continued.

“And you went to the Bergecia Plain for a simple’exploration’and saw that the entrance was open?”

“Wouldn’t it be God’s guidance to stop the evil minions of the Catacomb?”

Hearing my shameless answer, Anton sighed deeply and muttered.

“If you’re not lying, God must favor you quite a bit.”

No way, that can’t be.

I gave a cold smile at Anton’s terrifying words. In any case, he didn’t suspect me.

There was no reason for him to do so, especially since the Caridad Catacomb had collapsed.

Rather, it could be said that it was a remarkable achievement to have collected books and letters worth analyzing from their library before the Catacomb completely collapsed.

He followed up by asking if I had any guesses about the mysterious wave that suddenly occurred in the Catacomb, but naturally, there was nothing I could answer.

At my response of not knowing, he nodded with a heavy expression.

Perhaps someone with Anton’s level of skill would have clearly felt the ominousness of the wave that erupted the moment the Great Demon opened the rift and appeared.

That would be the reason why they couldn’t simply rejoice at the collapse of the Catacomb. They knew nothing about the cause and effect of the destruction.

“In any case, the books and letters you brought out of the Catacomb are of considerable value.”

Anton looked at me and continued.

“It’s a series of achievements that’s hard to believe for an Inquisitor who has just joined the Inquisition, so there will be a fitting reward.”

“It’s absurd to talk about a reward for simply following the will of the doctrine. Please assign me the next mission immediately.”

“Hmm.”

Anton, who had cut the tip of his blunt quill with a small dagger, looked at me.

“Your next destination has already been decided, Luciel.”

He pointed to the letter in front of him and said in a somewhat blunt tone.

“We received contact from the Holy Land.”

“Are you referring to the Holy See?”

“Whatever the inside may be, it’s the most appropriate place to formally acknowledge the contribution of a devotee.”

The Holy See. Nothing wrong with that.

No, rather, it should be seen as good news since it would further solidify my credibility as an Inquisitor.

I was planning to stop by a city called Ephesus, located near there, to find the next hidden legacy.

The name of the artifact is’ Knot Unraveling.’

Its effect is to instantly nullify curses or hexes, and it was an item I used very effectively in the past when I had countless enemies.

I nodded. I could save some travel time.

“That’s good news.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Just don’t be too disappointed.”

I stared at Anton, whose words left a strange aftertaste, as if he had some unknown feelings about the Holy See.

The Chief Inquisitor looked at me and spoke with an unwavering expression.

“Heresia Cadiere, ruin to the heretics.”

I smiled slightly and echoed his words.

“Ruin to the heretics.”

🔹🔹🔹

A few days later, Anton and the other Inquisitors immediately left for the Inquisition in Hesterica. It was for meetings regarding the treatment of the wounded and various follow-up measures for this incident.

The sudden collapse of the Caridad Catacomb.

It would have been an unsettling conclusion for them.

They would likely form an investigation team to meticulously investigate whether there were any traces of involvement from other Catacombs or a third party.

It would take at least a month to organize the personnel and plan for the investigation of the collapsed ruins of the Catacomb.

Of course, they wouldn’t find anything.

Lephra also left the monastery soon after. She didn’t stop looking at me with suspicion until her departure, but naturally, she didn’t gain anything.

Perhaps because she didn’t trust me, she repeated the words”Don’t do anything unnecessary”three times before leaving.

Knock, knock, knock.

The door slowly opened with a knock.

“Inquisitor-nim, would you like some tea…… Ugh.”

Jerit, who entered the room with a cheerful expression, pinched his nose and stepped back.

A few days of leisure given to heal the wounds I received in the Catacomb before leaving for the Holy Land where the Holy See is located. I was using this rare free time to examine the things I brought from the Caridad Catacomb.

The room I was staying in was relatively large in this small monastery, so there wasn’t much discomfort in conducting simple experiments.

“Ah, Jerit.”

On the wooden tray he was carrying, there were simple refreshments and steaming tea. I only realized that my hands were still covered in blood after reaching out to receive it.

“……I’ll do it.”

Jerit carefully stepped around the clutter scattered in the room and spoke.

“Ugh.”

He picked up a wooden stick that had fallen on the floor and placed it on the table, then gently pushed aside the feathers, dead animal carcass, paper scribbled with notes, and stone fragments, before setting down the tray.

“If someone who didn’t know saw this, they would think it was the laboratory of an evil black mage.”

He glanced around the messy room and made a disgusted expression. I gave a crooked smile at his innocent words and continued.

“You’d faint if you went to a real black mage’s lab.”

What I’m currently doing is figuring out the purpose of the scrolls I brought from the Catacomb without using Magi. Of course, if I used a small amount of Magi, I could figure out the functions of the scrolls at once. But doing such a thing in the middle of a monastery was not wise.

It wasn’t a simple task, but it was worth investing a few days. I’d figured out the purpose of most of them.

A small well, or a spell to dry up the moisture in the body, a spell to spread thick darkness around, a spell to cause temporary insanity to targets within a certain range, a spell to shoot a sphere with strong acidity that can instantly corrode the body, a spell to necrotize the muscles of the targeted opponent, and so on.

Each one of them had functions that were perfect for being labeled as heretical just by possessing them. Of course, it wouldn’t be a problem if the possessor was an Inquisitor.

“I don’t think I could be an Inquisitor.”

Jerit shook his head. He didn’t seem to question my actions.

Analyzing the purpose of dangerous objects confiscated through various routes was also one of the many tasks of an Inquisitor.

“Are you curious about any of these? I can explain them in detail.”

I pointed to the shriveled rabbit carcass that looked like it had been dead for several years.

“……I don’t really want to know.”

He answered while subtly moving towards the door, as if he didn’t want to stay in the room for long. He was clearly eager to leave this place and head to the Holy See as soon as possible.

I looked at his face, then glanced at the ceiling for a moment, and spoke nonchalantly as if for someone to hear.

“I’m thinking of leaving tomorrow.”

“……!”

Jerit turned sharply and looked at me. His face was filled with joy at the prospect of leaving this place.

“If there’s anything you need to prepare in advance, do it quickly. It’s going to be a long journey.”

“Ah, I understand!”

Whoosh. He flung the door open and left the room like the wind. His exit was faster than his own voice.

“……”

Click.

I slowly closed the door after confirming that he had definitely gone out, turning the corner at the end of the hallway.

Then, I lifted the teapot on the roughly cleared table and tilted it into a crude wooden cup.

Glug.

Warm steam rose fragrantly. The cup in front of me was full, but I tilted the teapot once more.

Glug.

The second cup slowly filled with tea.

“I’m short of teacups.”

I muttered nonchalantly, lifting the cup while sitting on the chair.

Whoosh!

And the very next moment.

“Make a sound and you die.”

A chilling sensation on the back of my neck, followed by an unfamiliar voice.

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