Ch.84Chapter 84. Desire and Resentment

Of course, Lin had no intention of accepting Agreus’s pathetic proposal.

However, when Lucy showed signs of being swayed by the Pope’s words due to her stimulated guilt, Lin defused the immediate situation by insisting they needed rest first and led the hero’s party to their prepared lodgings.

Upon arriving at the lodging, Lin had Tigria cast a soundproofing spell before warning Lucy.

“I’ll handle my arm myself.”

“But Lin…!”

“There’s something I absolutely must accomplish here. That’s my top priority.”

He was resolute and cold.

Even though Lucy knew he had no choice, this side of Lin frightened her.

“They say the corruption could kill you. It’s for your sake.”

“For my sake?”

Tigria stepped in when she couldn’t bear it anymore, but Lin found himself responding sarcastically before he could stop himself.

“First causing the problem, then offering the solution? Now of all times?”

Neither the hero nor the mage could say anything to the porter.

Eventually, Lucy’s tears burst forth, and Tigria also began to sob.

“…May I sit beside you?”

When Lin reluctantly nodded, Tigria, contrary to expectations, took Lucy’s hand and sat down at a slight distance.

“The Church’s movements seem suspicious, and we don’t know what might happen, so I’ll stay here.”

She then took out a handkerchief and wiped Lucy’s eyes.

“We don’t deserve to cry. We must endure, Luciana.”

At those words, Lucy took a deep breath and barely managed to stop her tears.

Seeing them like this, Lin’s rising anger subsided somewhat.

“I’m sorry.”

The important thing wasn’t to be angry with them.

“With my enemy right before my eyes, I just can’t stay calm.”

“Enemy? The Pope?”

“More precisely, one of my enemies.”

What mattered was showing Arsil.

After everything here was finished, after Lin and Rabin’s revenge was complete, he needed to demonstrate to her what she should do going forward.

After learning all the truth, he had to show the Saint a path and enable her to handle it herself so she wouldn’t break completely.

“Tigria, let me tell you an old story.”

For that, he needed to increase the number of allies who could help.

“You might have guessed already, but this will help you understand about me, Arsil, and Rabin. And the Imperial Princess too.”

“Even the Imperial Princess?”

His pleasant baritone voice calmly unfolded the story of his childhood.

Tigria, who had been thinking how nice it was to listen to his voice for a long time, gradually turned pale as the story progressed.

After the entire story was finished, Lin quietly asked:

“Did the love between the Imperial Princess and the Shield Knight seem genuine to you?”

“Lin…!”

Tigria knelt before him.

Clasping her hands in supplication, the mage finally shed tears.

“I’m sorry… I’m truly sorry…!”

“That apology should be directed at Lucy, not me.”

But Lucy remained motionless, her head buried between her knees.

“Forgiveness? I don’t know. How could I possibly find it in my heart to forgive you both?”

It was also a question he was asking himself.

Lin was keenly aware that his heart was becoming increasingly vulnerable to emotions.

He felt bitterness more often than before, and expressed anger more frequently and openly.

And occasionally, like now, after all his efforts, he wondered what would remain for him after resolving all these incidents as the Goddess wished.

He was growing weary.

Still, this much he had to do.

“But right now, I need help.”

He removed his mask and extended his hands to both of them.

“Will you help me with my revenge for now? Maybe something will change then?”

Tigria quickly grasped his hand.

“Even if nothing changes, I’ll follow only you.”

Lucy also clutched his other hand and pressed it to her forehead.

“Lin… I’m sorry for always showing you my worst side…”

Lin pulled them both closer.

“There, there, it’s alright.”

Those words, whispered as he gently patted them, were actually directed at himself.

Comforting himself, Lin steeled his resolve.

From now on, he would bring down the Church.

—

After the hero’s party had left, Agreus was once again praying before the Goddess’s emblem.

Though she had already withdrawn her divine power from him, his prayers did not cease.

However, the content of his prayers was so vile and obscene that the Goddess wouldn’t even glance at them.

“What prayer are you so fervently offering?”

His prayer was interrupted again after a short while.

Turning around, he saw Rabin landing gracefully from midair.

“Rabin, it’s been a long time.”

“You remember me? Hasn’t it been quite a while since we last met?”

“I never forget a face I’ve seen once.”

Acting so smug.

Rabin’s eyebrow twitched.

“You’ve grown quite admirably. You know how to compromise with the world appropriately, and your skills are top-tier among thieves.”

Agreus sighed.

By this point, sighing had become a habit.

“Arsil was raised too much like a hothouse flower, so she’s still quite naive in many ways. It would be good if a friend like you could show her that there are also gray areas in this world.”

“I think that’s something she should figure out on her own, or perhaps her educator should pay more attention to it.”

Rummaging through his pocket, Rabin pulled out a worn, brown-stained clerical robe from his inventory.

“Oh!”

Upon seeing the robe, Agreus showed an expression markedly different from before.

Covering his mouth in excitement, he received the robe from Rabin with trembling hands.

“Diane…”

That robe clearly belonged to the woman who had given birth to Arsil in Sewage Alley.

Rabin remembered that Lin had carefully kept that robe which Arsil had discarded, saying she didn’t need parents.

In fact, before going with just the mage and Gilles, it was the porter who had given the robe to her in advance at the Imperial Palace.

“So our highly credible Imperial Highness has fulfilled her contract with you with this?”

“Indeed. I shall repay this kindness by securing the porter without fail.”

Agreus buried his face in the robe and deeply inhaled its scent.

All his efforts had been worthwhile.

He had found and taken in her daughter and researched forbidden, forgotten magic.

In the process, he had betrayed the Goddess and made numerous deals.

Among them were the Empire, the Demon Heroes, and even the Demon God.

“Now that we’ve finished discussing human affairs, shall we have a frank conversation as fellow demon allies?”

With a suddenly sinister smile, Agreus rolled up his sleeve.

On his thin but adequately muscled forearm was inscribed the emblem of the Demon God.

“Now, show me yours.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m in an infiltration role on the human side. Especially since I need to stay close to the Saint, getting the emblem is on hold.”

“If you train for just a few months like I did, Arsil won’t notice even if you’re right beside her.”

“You know we need to complete all our plans within those few months, right?”

Even apart from that reason, Rabin had absolutely no intention of inscribing the Demon God’s emblem on his body.

He disliked even regular tattoos, let alone a Demon God’s emblem.

He could never show something so embarrassing and shameful to Lin on their first night together.

Assuming they could have a first night together, that is.

“The illusionist heard a message from the Demon Lord.”

“Oh, what instructions did he give?”

“While the hero’s party is in the Church territory, secure the porter safely at all costs. He must not be injured or suffer any mental damage. After that, the Shield Knight will be discarded as a sacrificial pawn.”

“As expected.”

The Pope shook his head regretfully.

“He was too arrogant. It’s the privilege of youth to act like they know everything, but coveting the leadership position was going too far.”

But Agreus quickly expressed concern to Rabin.

“As you saw earlier, the hero’s momentum is quite formidable. It’s good that she clings to the one who saved her, but I hear even the Demon Sword has sided with them. With our current forces, it’s difficult to secure the porter through the hero’s protection.”

“Support from the Demon Heroes is already on its way, besides me.”

“How many?”

“Two.”

“Two!”

That meant there were three Demon Heroes in the Church territory, including Rabin.

This should be enough to work with.

However, as the Pope, he needed more time.

Time to prepare to meet her.

“Even with support coming, it will take time. May I know when they will arrive?”

In response, Rabin just grinned silently.

Agreus’s nerves were grated by the much younger girl smirking at him.

Just as he was about to sigh again to give her another chance, the Pope sensed a massive presence behind him.

“Helloooo~”

A spear-wielder with blue skin and a side-tail was lazily waving her hand.

It was Salamei, with the long, pointed spear she had used to toy with Arsil and the mage.

Beside her stood the illusionist with short gray hair.

“How about it? Is this enough to secure the porter without difficulty?”

“When did you…?”

“To be surprised by this much, you’re more timid than you look, Pope.”

Unlike the giggling Adora, Salamei’s spear was imbued with an ominous energy.

“Don’t show weakness~. It makes me want to kill you. We demons have no need for weaklings.”

Their kindness was reserved only for when Lin was their opponent.

“Hmm…”

Even for the Pope, dealing with them would be difficult.

Especially now that he had lost his divine power.

“Don’t be so anxious. Look here. I’ve brought you a gift.”

As Adora traced her finger downward, a large bone and a clump of hair appeared before Agreus.

“Diane, was it? These are her shin bone and hair. It was quite troublesome to find them, but I hope it was worth it.”

“Of course! Absolutely! Oh, how can I express my gratitude!”

To the Pope who was preciously embracing them, Adora added:

“If we reveal our true colors, your betrayal will also be exposed, and the entire Church will resist. So it would be difficult to prevent such a large-scale situation with just the two of us as reinforcements.”

Adora looked at Rabin.

“Demon forces are gathering nearby. We need time.”

“I agree. It would be better to strengthen our forces with this experiment before making our move.”

“I think we’ll need about a week. What about you, Pope?”

“I too need a week, just one week.”

In one week, he would be able to meet her.

Leaving the excited Agreus, Adora sent a mental message to Rabin.

[Show the Saint the rotten reality of this Church. Make her realize she’s been deceived.]

‘Then Arsil will turn against the Pope?’

[Yes, exactly that.]

Away from the Pope’s gaze as he was preoccupied with examining Diane’s relics and bone, Adora made a throat-slitting gesture.

“We need to keep the hero’s party occupied for a week. Can you manage that, Pope?”

“Leave it to me. I’ll resolve everything within a week.”

Understanding the meaning of that gesture, Salamei and Rabin’s eyes gleamed ominously toward Agreus.

“Three days at the earliest, five days at the latest. Within that time, we will purify the Church and kill Agreus.”

And here, one man who knew everything.

“I’ll show Arsil the reality and awaken her from her complacency, then I’ll take my revenge.”

He’s finally about to begin his revenge.

“Will you join me?”

When he made this grand request to those he couldn’t forgive,

“My only ally, my best comrade, my Lin…”

“Only for you.”

Those seeking forgiveness gladly accepted his invitation.

This was the beginning of what would later become known as “Saint Arsil’s Atonement” incident.