Terror (2)

Terror (2)

Referring to the magic book Espin gave me, the first place I headed to was the mountain near the Academy.

I told Luna, thinking that the reason they built the cult’s building here might be because of Rumi.

“Search this entire area.”

[Okay!]

The promise of giving a treat if she did well seemed to work.

Luna participated more actively than expected and manifested a wide-range search magic.

As I was waiting for a moment, watching Luna’s mana spread out.

Luna raised her tail stiffly and said to me with a bright smile.

[I think we can destroy it!]

The words “can destroy” probably mean that there’s no problem in proceeding with the terror.

The moment I heard those words, I temporarily summoned the bishop guy I had stored in the mace and dropped him below.

– Kwaaang!

A loud explosion sound is heard as something is crushed.

I watched the bishop guy struggle and flail his hands, destroying all the surrounding buildings.

Then I put him back into the mace with a somewhat satisfied smile.

‘This is quite a masterpiece.’

“Believers of the Heaven God Cult being crushed to death by a bishop…”

I’d like to write an article about it if I could… No, it’s actually possible.

I smiled as I recalled the full support of the Lercier Family and turned my gaze away.

‘Then I’ll stop by home and grab some magical tools.’

If I take photos or videos and pass them to the Lercier Family’s people, a well-packaged article will come out the next day.

Wondering what kind of repercussions might occur, I decided to tidy up the surroundings and return home for a moment.

*

As soon as I got home, I saw Rumi waiting for me anxiously in front of the laboratory.

Seeing Rumi standing there glumly like an abandoned puppy, I was reminded of the promise I had made with her.

‘Rumi, you come to the lab after the Academy ends.’

I had momentarily forgotten about it, being preoccupied with the terrorist attack.

Thinking that I would have kept her waiting if I hadn’t come to get the magical tools, I smiled awkwardly.

‘It’s good that I came now, at least.’

I inwardly sighed with relief and slowly approached Rumi, opening my mouth to speak.

“Rumi.”

The moment I called out, Rumi, who had been standing there absentmindedly, slowly came to her senses.

Then, like a dog meeting its owner after a long time, her eyes sparkled and she ran towards me.

Just as I was thinking that Rumi’s dependency seemed to be growing excessively.

Rumi bowed deeply and offered me an apology.

“I’m really sorry for saying strange things earlier. Actually, I think my mind got a bit messed up after thinking about nothing else during the week without Deren.”

… Not only has Rumi regained her ability to think normally, but she’s even apologizing?

I look at Rumi in confusion, wondering if this is a hidden camera prank, while Rumi continues speaking to me with a dejected expression.

“I’ll be more careful from now on to avoid such incidents… I’m really sorry.”

As Rumi apologizes first, I feel at a loss for words.

Looking at Rumi, I decide to let it slide just this once and am about to nod.

Rumi glances around cautiously and then says to me.

“However, what I said back then wasn’t just a joke. It’s also the conclusion I came to after seriously thinking about it for a week, so if Deren is interested… please consider it.”

“……”

Hearing such words thrown at me so directly and somewhat seriously leaves me speechless.

As I silently look at Rumi, thinking how she’s making me flustered in various ways today.

Rumi looks at me while rubbing her bright red face with her palms, then suddenly bows deeply again and starts running away as if escaping.

‘It’s funny that she’s getting embarrassed now.’

It seems that even from Rumi’s perspective, saying such things was quite embarrassing.

Watching Rumi’s retreating figure, I felt the need to think more about this matter.

* * *

In any case, the important thing right now is the ‘terror’.

I grabbed the filming magic tool and immediately went outside.

‘Although there’s a lot to think about and my head is somewhat complicated.’

However, I couldn’t postpone what needed to be done first, so as I was moving to the next location.

Luna, who was in my arms, speaks to me with sparkling eyes.

[Master, I want to do that!]

At the word “that,” I look to the side and see Luna touching the filming magic tool with her hand, her eyes twinkling.

It seems she really liked that item.

I handed it over to Luna, meaning for her to give it a try.

“Do as you please.”

Usually, she just parrots “mate, mate” like a mating parrot.

In reality, as a magical being with considerable abilities, she should be quite capable of judging and using things on her own.

So I decided to entrust it to her for now, and if the results were unsatisfactory, I would take it back then.

[Master likes…!]

The magical device for filming seemed to please her more than expected.

Luna, who was rubbing the device against her cheek and giggling, hugged it and came back to me, saying:

[Then I’ll work hard to film!]

Judging by her use of the word “film,” it seems she knows what this item is.

Thinking that no further explanation was needed, I nodded and looked at the buildings below.

‘They’ve built them quite lavishly.’

Since these buildings weren’t in my memory, they must have been constructed quite recently.

To have erected buildings of this scale in such a short time… they most likely used astronomical amounts of money and numerous magicians to build them quickly.

Knowing that this money was obtained by robbing innocent citizens of their property, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

‘Well, anyway… I’ll just have to get rid of them.’

Deciding to proceed as previously planned, I spoke to Luna beside me.

“Prepare for filming.”

[Okay!]

As I looked at Luna’s eyes, nodding enthusiastically beside me.

Slowly raising the mace, I pulled out the bishop.

* * *

The day after causing terror in all sorts of places.

Espin, who seemed to have rushed over as soon as he woke up, shouted at me in a terrified voice.

“What, how much did you destroy?”

To that question, I answered in a rather calm voice.

“All the places that were written there.”

“What do you mean you destroyed everything? There were over 100!”

Hearing that I had destroyed 100 buildings, not people, in just one day, Espin looked at me in shock.

Then, shuddering, he said to me as if I gave him goosebumps.

“I’m really glad I didn’t make you my enemy.”

Finding that comment somewhat funny, I briefly replied.

“For someone saying that, you were quite aggressive when we first met.”

“Ah, well, that was when I first met you… Anyway, let’s change the subject.”

Thinking it was best to end the small talk here, I nodded.

Espin looked at me and slowly continued speaking.

“In addition to you destroying all the Heaven God Cult buildings, I don’t know what else you did, but thanks to major newspapers publishing articles extensively investigating the reality of the Heaven God Cult… The Heaven God Cult has found itself in quite a difficult position.”

It’s an obvious story if you think about it.

No matter how much money, power, or followers they have.

Even the Heaven God Cult would be quite hurt if they suffered such massive damage in succession.

So, I was nodding with quite a satisfied smile, when.

Espin pulls out a small grimoire from between her enormous chest and hands it to me.

“This is this morning’s newspaper. As you’ll see, it contains content about the Celestial Order’s bishop.”

I grab the grimoire that strangely retains some warmth and open it, and quite interesting articles catch my eye.

[An unofficial order that reveres monsters as bishops, is it right for it to exist?]

Perhaps because it’s a newspaper company funded by House Lercier, the headline is quite strong.

While I’m reading the main text thinking it’s somewhat satisfactory.

Espin looks at me and slowly continues speaking.

“The terror you caused and the article… plus House Lercier’s public stance added to it. The Celestial Order will find it impossible to make their religion an official one, at least for the time being.”

It means we’ve put out the urgent fire for now, I suppose.

At those words, I crossed my arms and nodded briefly, then slowly turned my gaze and opened my mouth.

“Then this time, we should make it so they can’t establish themselves, not just for the time being, but permanently.”

“Hmm?”

I spoke while slowly approaching the bewildered Espin.

“Find out who was the one who spoke about making the Celestial Order an official order. Without even needing to think about it, they must be involved, so if we strike that person, we should be able to get good information.”

At that question, Espin withdrew her bewildered expression, and soon spoke with a somewhat triumphant expression.

“That investigation is already finished.”

At those words, I look at Espin.

Espin took out another grimoire once more and told me.

“This is the personal information of the person who made that statement. Everything you want should be written here, so refer to it.”

As I receive the grimoire thinking she does her job well in many ways.

Espin crosses his arms and tells me.

“Ah, this is a different story. I heard that Senior Sien has been secretly collecting dog collars lately. Was that your doing?”

“… Dog collars?”

I could tell that something was going wrong with such a question.