Chapter 86: Things that never change (3)

The first thing that came to mind when I heard that Sera’s mental state was unstable was the power of the Demon King within her, namely the numerous pools of mana.

In fact, it’s almost impossible for a human body to contain that much power.

Black mages who handle mana also have their minds corrupted as a side effect of prolonged exposure to mana, eventually leading to their deaths.

The side effect of mana is that it gradually eats away at the thought processes of a normal person and makes them extreme.

Even accepting a small amount of mana leads to an endless pursuit of power, eventually crossing the line.

Of course, if one possesses strong divine power and will like the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom, they might be able to endure simple ‘sealing’, but Sera ended up using that power.

On top of that, her mental state became unstable due to what happened at that time, so there was little chance that she would have the mental strength left to withstand the Demon King’s power.

That anxiety was confirmed as reality just yesterday, when Sera, who had barely regained her senses, was talking to someone in an empty place, trembling and saying that Lina was inside her.

The situation that everyone in the Hero’s party feared had finally occurred.

Was it the influence of mana, or was she driven insane by the mistaken belief that she had a miscarriage?

Either way, it was undoubtedly a terrible thing.

“Aside from her mental state, are there any other effects on her body?”

“.. The priests say her body will be fine with time.

She’s in a lot of pain right now, but it’s not life-threatening.”

“But… it seems like the time she’s maintaining her sanity is getting shorter…”

While Sera and Lina were arguing with each other, the Hero’s party, unaware of the situation, gathered in another mansion to discuss their opinions.

“Is the Saintess in a lot of pain?”

“It’s okay.

She’ll be okay, for sure.”

“Hehe, that’s a relief.

I don’t want the Saintess to be sick.”

It was a difficult story for a 13-year-old to understand.

Stroking Caelia’s head as she rubbed her sleepy eyes, Kim Su-hyeon handed her a few fairy tales.

“Are you very tired?

Could you buy some snacks with this?”

“Wow!

Can I choose whatever I want?”

“Yeah, pick whatever you want.”

The fried bread made by humans was savory and sweet, and she liked it very much.

To be told to pick out as many of those snacks as she wanted.

Caelia, who didn’t properly understand Sera’s mental state, excitedly ran outside.

Then, Natalia and Kim Su-hyeon smiled at each other.

Even the serious atmosphere seemed to ease a little at Caelia’s pure appearance.

“Really, she’s as tall as I am.

I was so surprised when I first heard she was 13 years old.”

“I heard that elves all live long lives.

I never imagined she would be so young.”

An elf’s age is only 13 years old when they live for 200 or 300 years as a matter of course.

The two briefly changed the subject of conversation, thinking that it was a strange thing.

Perhaps it was an attempt to lighten the somber atmosphere even a little, but Laura remained silent as ever.

She didn’t show any reaction.

“Mana also affects the mental state.

Right?”

“…”

After a while, the first words that came out of Laura’s mouth, who had been contemplating, pierced Natalia and Kim Su-hyeon’s hearts.

Silence returned and the atmosphere sank.

Like Laura said, mana also affects the mental state.

Even if the shock is great, Sera is a noble saintess, so the possibility of Sera going crazy because of the shock of a miscarriage alone is low, and Laura’s opinion was that the appearance she is showing now is also due to the influence of mana.

“The way to overcome mana is to purify it, burn it away, or…”

“Or completely entrust yourself to mana.”

Mana is not a power that disappears when used.

Its influence remains in the body forever, corrupting the user.

However, the only thing that can purify mana is the Holy Sword, and the Holy Sword used all its power while sealing the Demon King a long time ago.

When they went to see Sera, she tried to set herself on fire.

At the time, they thought she was harming herself due to the mental shock, but now that they think about it, it might have been an attempt to break free from the influence of mana even a little.

In fact, Sera regained her senses after that, didn’t she?

The voices of Laura and Natalia, who were telling that story, were so heavy.

“Laura, what happens if you entrust yourself to mana completely?”

“If it’s an ordinary black mage, they won’t be able to think properly, but… in Sera’s case…”

They couldn’t continue their words, and Natalia and Kim Su-hyeon’s faces began to turn white.

What’s inside Sera’s body is the Demon King, and the power she used in the Forest of White Haze is not ordinary mana.

It’s a mass of dark energy so dense it absorbs even light.

And since she entrusted herself to that power even for a very short time, the result was obvious.

It wouldn’t just end with her going crazy or her nature turning evil.

Looking at this matter coldly, it ultimately meant that Sera would become the new Demon King.

They just didn’t have the courage to say those words out loud.

It was also a fact that everyone knew.

“What should we do?

That’s right!

The Holy Kingdom!

There must be something in the Holy Kingdom!

If it’s the center of faith, there must be another way to purify mana!”

“The Holy Kingdom…”

The country created by the Saint who heard the words of God and wrote them on stone tablets, the center of continental faith, and a place that many clerics regard as their spiritual home.

Kim Su-hyeon trailed off at Natalia’s words that there must be a way if they go to the Holy Kingdom.

“Don’t think about the clerics here.”

They just hadn’t thought about it.

Natalia must know too.

That’s why Laura answered decisively instead of Kim Su-hyeon.

Like those words said, the clerics of the Holy Kingdom are not just kind.

Unlike the clerics of other regions who chose the path of asceticism according to their beliefs, they were also politicians who ran a country with donations, and above all, there was a special group called the Inquisitors.

The incident in which they sentenced all the magicians who used black magic to be burned at the stake for the reason that they could become vessels of the Demon King, and collected and burned all related books, is recorded in history.

Even now, if it becomes known that they are related to mana or possess books on black magic, they are fanatical who summarily execute them without trial.

Going to the Holy Kingdom also meant meeting those Inquisitors.

“We’re the only ones who know that the Demon King is in Sera’s body, right?

Sera couldn’t have associated with fanatics, and if we somehow deceive them well…”

“That’s… it’s true that she’s been associating with Inquisitors.”

“…”

It’s not that they are denying the role of the Inquisitors, but still, due to the nature of their occupation, they don’t get a good evaluation for associating with them.

Moreover, if she is a Saintess, she is equal to the Pope, in fact, she is like a princess of the Holy Kingdom.

Considering that rumors are created even for small actions, they must have mainly exchanged with priests.

Natalia’s words, which she said thinking that way, were soon refuted by Kim Su-hyeon.

“It seems like it was hard for her to adapt to the Holy Kingdom as someone from another world.

The Inquisitor named Maleus was the one who reached out to her at that time, and Sera thought of that Inquisitor as family…”

“If it’s Maleus, are you talking about the Grand Inquisitor…?”

“I also returned to the capital and looked into it in my own way, and it seems like it’s that Maleus…”

Malleus Maleficarum.

The Grand Inquisitor of the Inquisition, a man who suggested the foundation of various tortures, saying that a more efficient method was needed to beat down evil for the Inquisitors who only knew about burning at the stake.

To think that they would hear that name in Sera’s past.

Although they had never been to the Holy Kingdom, judging from the rumors, there is no mercy for that man.

Even if it’s family, he is a person who would burn them with Holy Fire if they were contaminated with mana.

Only one thought came to the minds of the Hero’s party who were looking at each other.

“Come to think of it, it was a bit strange, even if she’s a Saintess, that much Holy Fire…”

“Me too, Sera’s face when she was torturing the Incubus is still…”

“I guess she was educated that way…?”

The image of Sera burning the demons with a smile, and the idea of ​​turning all the water in the waterway into holy water and burning it.

Considering the prayers she offered in front of the World Tree, the perception of Maleus began to flow in a worse direction.

Sera, that poor girl, could never have learned how to set Holy Fire on her own.

Absolutely, absolutely the Inquisitors.

Especially the existence of the Demon King must not be revealed to Maleus.

Thinking that way, the Hero’s party nodded as if they had made a promise.