episode_0032

There was no other reason why the largest religious group on the continent, the Church of the Sun, established its base in the Hespanian Mountains.

There was a clear reason why the mountain range on the edge of the continent was called a holy land and a forbidden land.

“Hoo.”

At the top of the Hespanian Mountains, the ‘Demon King’s Mouth’ periodically unleashes legions of monsters. Standing right in front of it, Isabel Cedent unleashed her divine powers at full strength.

Kwaaa-! A golden wave like the ocean engulfed the area around her, and hundreds of monsters were crushed by the pressure and couldn’t move.

With one step, with a stride! Isabel took a step, leaving deep footprints on the dirt floor.

Although she was quite small for her age of twenty-seven, she had no trouble swinging a sword that was as tall as me.

At the point where she could handle divine power, and at the point where she reached a certain level, her physical abilities far surpassed those of ordinary people.

Pot!

The moment she kicked the ground, a glowing glow from her eyes instantly spread across dozens of meters.

With a single shrill sound, the special heretic inquisitor’s sword cut down all the monsters in the area─.

Thud thud thud… … !

The blood, fluid, and flesh that burst out struck the sacred barrier surrounding her body with force.

“Hmm.”

If they had gone further down the mountain range, they would have been a legion of monsters that could have destroyed any small nation overnight, but Isabel annihilated them without a second thought.

At most, it was just a few slashes. Of course, her abilities were limited, so she had to stand in front of the Demon King’s mouth for three or four hours.

Even taking that into account, there was no denying that it was a force of unparalleled greatness.

To engage her in close combat, you must at least be a Sword Saint of the Empire.

“Thank you for your hard work, Isabel.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The high priests of the sect, who had been watching her slaughter the monsters from a distance, swallowed dry saliva and expressed their respectful gratitude.

Since it wasn’t her job to deal with the monsters that the Demon King spewed out, she couldn’t help but be grateful for his efforts.

“Please clean up after yourself.”

Isabel received their greeting with a slight nod. After leaving a word, the priests approached the pile of corpses as if they had been waiting.

Even if the breath has already stopped, the remnants of the body of the being that was once the Demon King are being spat out.

The magical energy that that body emits could have long-term negative effects on the mountain range… …so it had to be purified as much as possible.

Isabel glanced at the priests’ purification work with a calm gaze, then spun the sword around and stuck it into the ground.

Although it wasn’t that difficult for her to wipe out all of those monsters, it was impossible to avoid suffering any physical damage.

“… … Sigh.”

Even more so since this task was not something she was originally supposed to do.

If anything, the Inquisitors tended to deal more with fellow humans than with monsters.

However, the reason she walked to the top of the Hespanian Mountains was because the person who was supposed to be in charge of this task passed it on to her.

Isabel looked up at the sky and remembered the face of an aqua-colored woman.

She had really lost her taste since that moment exactly two days ago.

“… … I will definitely repay this debt, Israfil.”

Isabel came down the mountain, gritting her teeth. Since it was the job of the lower ranks to clean up anyway, there was no reason for her to stay up there any longer.

After returning to the main temple, he stopped by his residence and placed the Unwol-do back in its original location.

Boom-!

“Why don’t you come out quickly?! How long are you going to stay cooped up in the corner of the house like that!!”

“Ugh… …!?”

She immediately stormed into the nearby residence of Israfil Ha’el. With one nervous kick, the firmly locked door was torn apart.

Of course, Israfil, who had been hiding deep in the bedroom, couldn’t help but jump in shock.

Her messy, aquamarine hair was unusually tangled, and the black marks under her eyes were a testament to her fatigue.

“What, what is it, Isabel… … .”

Israfil wrapped the blanket around his body and looked down as if he had been stabbed for no reason.

Of course, Isabel wasn’t the type to let it go just because he pretended to be pitiful. She quickly threw off Israfil’s blanket with a cold expression on her face.

“… … Ouch! Oh, don’t touch me, it’s my house!”

“What kind of house is this! Hurry up and give it to me.”

“Eh, what the?!”

Kkudangtang… …! In the end of the fight between those who wanted to steal the blanket and those who didn’t want to lose the blanket, it was naturally Isabel Cedent who emerged victorious.

Because in a fight without divine power, Israfil would not dare to reach out to Isabel.

“Ah, it hurts… … .”

Israfil, who was eventually forced to take the blanket away from him and fall off the bed, looked up at Isabel with tears in his eyes.

“Ugh.”

Even Isabel couldn’t help but be moved for a moment by the tears of that pitiful woman.

The tears shed by a beautiful woman have great power.

“… … Sigh.”

But isn’t there a saying about crocodile tears? Isabel regained her composure as quickly as possible and looked down at Israfil with a sharp attitude.

Israfil flinched as her glowing eyes glared at him sharply.

It was so strange to see such a stern and respectable woman in such a state. Isabel opened her mouth with a complicated sigh.

“Let’s come to our senses, Israfil… … .”

“… … I’m sorry.”

Israfil mumbled an apology with a very dejected expression, but Isabel felt even more angry as she heard him.

“I’m not trying to hear you say sorry. It’s not something you should apologize to me for, and honestly, I don’t really mind if you take care of my work for a few more days.”

“… … .”

“… … I’m saying this because I’m worried. I don’t even know why you’re so sly and sassy. No, was it that shocking that Mr. Evan did that to Young-ae Heresia?”

“… … Don’t call Evan like that… … .”

“Then should I call you a little more friendly?”

“… … .”

“You don’t like that, do you?”

Isabel snorted, saying it was obvious, and Israfil lowered his head, the tips of his ears slightly reddening.

Looking at her with a disturbed look, Isabel sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh.

“At least say something, Israfil. I don’t like the idea of those two doing something like that out in the open, but I don’t think you deserve to get ruined like this.”

“… … Ugh.”

“Don’t act like you’re regressing to childhood. Okay, just tell me anything. What do you mean by good friends? I’ll… … listen to what you have to say.”

After saying that, Isabel folded her arms and waited. What on earth could have caused Israfil to become like this?

If a family member had a lover, it would have been something to celebrate, but the reason for the shock and destruction was something that could only be heard directly from the person involved.

“… … .”

Israfil, who had been abandoned for so long, crawled back into bed again.

This time, it was Isabel who didn’t stop him. She just stared at Israfil with a serious gaze, and that steady gaze couldn’t help but be quite burdensome to the recipient.

“Oh, okay. I’ll talk.”

Finally, Israfil raised the white flag. She hesitated for a moment, covering her flushed face with one hand and saying, ‘Ahhh…

But Isabel’s gaze was so fierce. If she didn’t say anything, she would just stare at him from the same spot. Israfil had no choice but to give up.

“… … So.”

She sighed deeply, ruffling my hair haphazardly.

I would have liked to have a drink and then tell everyone my story, but… … .

Seeing Isabel’s fierce attitude, it seemed impossible. Israfil eventually blushed brightly and honestly confessed the whole truth.

“I like that kid, Evan.”

“?”

And Isabel’s brain stopped immediately at that concise statement. She was so flustered that she forgot to maintain a serious expression and just opened her eyes wide.

It was a very embarrassing confession that I immediately understood and nodded my head saying, “I see, I see.”

“What… … . What did you say?”

Isabel finally let out her voice to express the embarrassment she felt. As she stammered out the words, Israfil bowed his head even deeper─.

“You like it? What the, what is that all of a sudden…?”

“… … .”

“?”

Israfil, who had already revealed a huge secret, was still unable to look her in the eye, and Isabel stopped talking in shock.

Her head turned quickly. Israfil’s reaction, Evan Lane’s reaction two days ago.

“… … No way.”

There was no basis for it, but intuition screamed. Isabel’s expression crumpled into a fierce expression that was on a completely different level than before.

“Israfil. You.”

She had no intention of beating around the bush. She simply blurted out the inference that had occurred to her, hoping that her intuition was wrong.

“Did you sleep with Mr. Evan?”

“… … .”

A heavy silence descends into the fairly spacious bedroom.

Israfil did not answer. Still, his tightly shut lips and… …. his awkward gaze gave away the answer.

Isabel’s eyes lost their light.

and.

Crack!!!

“Oh my god?!”

Without hesitation, Isabel spread out her palm and struck Israfil’s pure white back hard.

Even though her bare skin was covered with a red handprint, which was barely noticeable due to her thin clothing that revealed her shoulders and shoulder blades, Isabel paid it no mind.

Rather, he spreads his palm wide open, exuding a more murderous aura, like an evil spirit.

“Hik, eek… … !”

Israfil trembled and crawled backwards, but Isabel immediately grabbed her wrists and tied them in place so she could not run away any further.

She raised her palm as if to show off, her lips twisting coldly.

“Look, Israfil. Didn’t you say that before? Even though we’re not related by blood, I intend to raise him as my own son, and that’s why I brought him here from the slums.”

“That, that’s it, Isabel. So, uh… … .”

“Ugh, don’t make excuses. Even if you leave everything else aside, you’re saying that you slept with a child you raised like a son or a younger brother since he was ten years old. No, how can you explain this?”

Isabel smiled sweetly. The corners of her lips were turned up, but her eyes were still. It was a smile that, no matter how you looked at it, seemed like it wasn’t really a smile.

Israfil could not help but tremble in fear. In this state, Isabel Cedent was a truly terrifying being, one that even she could not stop.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Isabel closed her open palm and a golden flame appeared above her fist.

“In reality, they have been treating each other like real family for ten years… … .”

“… … .”

“… … I know all about that, Israfil, you are the one who attacked Mr. Evan.”

“Oh, I have to.”

Israfil waved her hands in thought. She knew what the outcome would be if things continued this way, so she had to defend herself somehow.

“I, I did pounce on Evan. Evan must have enjoyed it too. Right? That, it wasn’t a one-sided act at all! Seriously! ”

“Is that all you have to say? You incest rapist.”

“… … What, what?!”

Of course, it was an excuse that would not work. At least, it was a line that could not be seen as anything but that from the perspective of Isabel, who was listening to the story from a third party perspective.

The ironic nuance of the phrase ‘we enjoyed it together’ was truly low-class.

Finally, Isabel’s expression turned cold and dead. She looked down at Israfil with eyes that seemed to be looking at something disgusting─.

“… … Hic! Save me!”

“Don’t kill me.”

Israfil Ha’el, who tried to turn around in a hurry and run away but was caught again, was finally able to shake off the criminal treatment after a long time.

Barely, at the cost of the bright red marks on his back.

*****

The next day.

Boom-!

Israfil’s abode had its door blown off once again. This time, the lock had been broken by someone kicking it.

“… … Oh, really.”

Nervously tossing her hair like the night sky─.

Intruder, Evan Lane’s impression was distorted.

“Hey, Israfil.”

“… … .”

“How long are you going to avoid me? Are you really doing this because you want to cut ties with me… … ?”

And then, halfway through, Evan stopped and couldn’t finish his sentence, looking dumbfounded.

At the end of that red gaze, there was Israfil lying on the bed, applying an ice pack.

Israfil, who had been groaning from the stinging pain on his back, glanced at the shattered door with a sorrowful look in his eyes.

Why on earth can’t every guest leave their room alone?

“… … What! What’s wrong with you? Are you hurt?”

“Ugh… … ! Ta, taga… … !”

But whether she did or not, Evan, interpreting that sad look somehow, hurriedly approached her and put his hand on her back.

Israfil felt like crying, especially since his last meeting with Evan had been that awkward encounter with the lion three days ago.

“What kind of guy did this?! Tell me right now, I’m going to turn you into a total piece of shit!”

Finally, seeing Evan yelling loudly, Israfil really felt like crying.