Chapter 171

Episode 171

Even though they brought three Paladins, we weren’t intimidated at all.

There was no need to be.

The church was probably already aware of Jericho and my true identities.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Clarian, Inquisitor of the Whitefield branch.”

The Inquisitor made the sign of the cross and clasped his hands in prayer.

“This is Starling, the High Priest of the parish. And behind him are the Paladins of the Whitefield branch.”

Clarian introduced his companions. They were all men who looked seasoned and experienced, likely from spending a long time in this harsh northern region.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Inquisitor. Greetings to you as well, High Priest. I am O’Brien von Walker, a vassal of House Kalisto. These are my subordinates, Lady Selendis and Sir Jericho. Pleased to meet you.”

“You’ve come a long way in these difficult times. I’ve heard a lot about you. In fact, your reputation precedes you even here.”

It seemed this Inquisitor was more of an intellectual type than a powerhouse like Godfrey.

“Is that so? That’s news to me. We haven’t been welcomed anywhere we go.”

“I suppose it’s because of the current situation. More than half the stories coming from the south these days are about you, Sir O’Brien. Our headquarters is well aware of your reputation and dedication.”

“That’s reassuring to hear.”

It meant they had received our generous donations. And we also had the holy water business with Godfrey, so in a way, we held the upper hand.

Anyway, it was strange to see an Inquisitor being so polite and even using honorifics. Was this a subversion of clichés?

“Should we move to a different location for the investigation? I heard you’re unable to enter the castle.”

“Please, proceed as you see fit. We’re fine with any location.”

“Are you the village head?”

Clarian revealed his true colors. He glared at the village head and ordered, “We’ll conduct an interrogation from now on. You and everyone else are forbidden from entering. Those who disobey will be severely punished by the order of His Holiness the Pope.”

The village head and the others left.

Now, only we and the church members remained in the village head’s house. We sat facing each other at the long dining table and began our conversation.

“Then let the interrogation begin. All answers must be truthful, under the grace of Goddess Lamirach.”

“I swear.”

I raised my hand as if taking an oath.

Making the sign of the cross and assuming a prayerful posture would earn me brownie points, but I didn’t want to do that.

I had to make it clear that we held the key to this situation.

“What brings you here?”

“We came to see Margrave Finwinter. Prince Karma sent me as an envoy.”

“Is it related to Prince Arthur’s case?”

I deliberately tilted my head.

One of the key aspects of interrogation was nonverbal communication. The subject’s gestures held significant meaning.

“It was a separate matter. As you know, there’s been a slight misunderstanding between the Imperial Family and the Margrave. I was appointed as an envoy to resolve that misunderstanding. However, a connection emerged yesterday while we were dealing with monsters.”

“A connection…”

The Inquisitor pondered his next question. Finally, he spoke.

“Are you suggesting that Archmage Muon’s magical experiments and the monster attacks are related?”

“Yes. Yesterday, while dealing with monsters, we destroyed a cluster of demonic energy. We found what’s commonly known as a Dark Soul.”

“A Dark Soul?”

The Inquisitor, the High Priest, and even the Paladins were surprised.

I gestured to Jericho to gain their trust.

Jericho took his usual hammer and channeled the power of the Tulu family into it.

*Buzz!*

The hammer, imbued with celestial light, glowed bright white.

“We destroyed the Dark Soul with this power. It should be a familiar power to you.”

The church members were surprised again.

“This is… divine power? Was Sir Jericho a Paladin?”

“No, Inquisitor Clarian. It’s a different kind of energy than divine power. It’s rougher and more powerful.”

The High Priest lived up to his name. He recognized the true power of the Tulu family.

“This is amazing… It seems to be the power used by the ancient Crusaders. Sir Jericho, where are you from?”

“I was born in the Empire, but I only know that my parents came from a far eastern land.”

“Oh! Then you might be a descendant of the ancient Crusaders. There’s a legend that they established a new home in the Far East. It seems to be true. Would it be alright if I informed the headquarters about this?”

“Uh… headquarters?”

Jericho looked flustered. I knew this was a well-rehearsed act.

“That would be a bit difficult, but if you think it’s absolutely necessary, High Priest, you can do so. But I’m an Imperial citizen, and I don’t know much about my ancestors.”

“It’s alright! This is a momentous event worthy of being recorded in the church’s history. If it becomes known that the lineage of the ancient power continues, it will surely benefit you as well!”

“It’s nothing special. I’m not sure if I want to attract attention.”

Judging by the changed expressions of the Paladins standing behind us like a folding screen, it seemed to be working.

Good job, Jericho. You can act even more embarrassed!

“Now that I’ve granted your request, may I ask a favor in return?”

“Please, speak freely.”

“As the Inspector just mentioned, we need to speak with Margrave Finwinter. We can’t guarantee the peace of the north like this. But we can’t cross the border right now. We would appreciate it if you could use your influence, High Priest…”

The High Priest groaned at those words. It meant it wouldn’t be easy.

“Inquisitor Clarian, can we allow these people to cross the border?”

“Well, the Margrave is notoriously stubborn…”

Clarian trailed off and changed the subject.

“Actually, the north isn’t the only place in danger right now. Our headquarters is also on high alert. Since Sir O’Brien is an Imperial envoy, I’ll tell you this. We’re receiving reports of Dark Souls being discovered in other regions as well. It’s a continent-wide problem.”

“I had already suspected as much. We dealt with a few demons in the south. And we also encountered a 3-star demon on our way here.”

The image of the woman playing the harp was still vivid in my mind.

It wasn’t just because of the mournful melody.

When she revealed her true form, she had both horns and a Chip Stone. She was a mutant, a human who had been corrupted and then gained power.

We had experienced it firsthand. There was no guarantee that similar mutant demons wouldn’t appear in other regions.

“A 3-star demon must have been quite a challenge… What happened to it?”

“We sent it back to hell. Thanks to Jericho’s power.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I think similar incidents are happening in the west and east of the continent as well. What countermeasures is the headquarters preparing?”

“We’re reinforcing our Paladins and Inquisitors. But it will take some time.”

The demon realm theory that Jericho and I had briefly discussed yesterday was starting to sound more and more plausible.

‘Something must have happened to the Great Demon Diablo’s seal. Maybe his subordinates have awakened first.’

If ‘Dark Souls’ were left unchecked, they would evolve into dimensional gates. It would be like opening a wide black door for demons to pour through.

The ‘Dark Souls’ we had found so far were smaller than a fist, but if the seeds we hadn’t found yet sprouted, it would be difficult to deal with them.

The church had dispatched Paladins because they were aware of this.

The atmosphere was ripe.

It was time to play my trump card.

“Inquisitor Clarian, this is a state of emergency. If the Empire falls into chaos, the church will also suffer. Whether it’s war or monster subjugation, if events occur that lead to increased military spending, the first thing to be cut will be donations to the church.”

As I touched on a sensitive topic, the church members’ expressions stiffened.

“We would appreciate your cooperation with Lady Freya. Please help us meet with the Margrave.”

“…”

“Time is of the essence. We need to clear up the Margrave’s misunderstanding and unite the Empire. That’s the only way we can deal with the Dark Souls and the monsters. If we continue like this, everyone will suffer.”

“Hmm, alright. I’ll talk to the Margrave.”

The investigation was over. It felt more like a heart-to-heart conversation than an interrogation.

“What will happen?”

Jericho asked, and I picked up a piece of bread from the table and replied.

I channeled warmth into it with mana because it felt like it would break my teeth if I ate it as it was.

“We’ll find out when we wait. One thing’s for sure, the odds are slightly better than if we were acting alone.”

“Then we’ll have to stay here until we hear back.”

“If you’re bored, go outside and build a snowman.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea! Lady Selendis, want to join me?”

Selendis looked at Jericho with a pitiful expression and shook her head.

That day, Jericho built three snowmen.

And in the process, he accidentally found hope.

The children who had been afraid of us were playing with Jericho, building snowmen and having snowball fights.

“It seems the villagers aren’t afraid of us anymore.”

“It’s thanks to Lady Freya. They haven’t completely opened their hearts yet. Some of them might still think we caused the avalanche.”

“Have you always been so suspicious, my lord?”

Surprised by her unexpected question, I looked at Selendis. She flinched and lowered her head.

“I apologize. It seems I asked an inappropriate question. Please forgive me.”

“No, I’m not offended, but it was a bit sudden.”

She probably asked because I was suspicious of Lady Lucia. Even though I called it “positive suspicion,” she must have felt uncomfortable.

“I’m not suspicious, it’s just one of the ways I live. Just like there are optimistic people and pessimistic people. Everyone has their own way of living, right?”

“Actually… I’ve been afraid of becoming naturally suspicious since I started working for the Inspection Unit. I feel like I’m changing.”

“I used to think the same way.”

I suddenly remembered my mentor’s advice. It was the words that made me who I am today.

I relayed those words to Selendis.

“We hear many things in life. Some stories move our thoughts and hearts. The important thing is your own conviction. Don’t be swayed by others’ words, believe only what you see with your own eyes. The reason I constantly question things is because I want to confirm them myself. There’s no other reason.”

Selendis’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me. She soon bowed her head.

“I’ll take your advice to heart.”

“Don’t take my words literally. Even though you’re the captain of our knight order, I don’t want you to become my puppet.”

“Yes, my lord.”

A few days later, we saw a group of men approaching through the blizzard.

It was the church members who had returned to Whitefield’s main castle.