Hourglass (1)

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The sudden urban warfare with Demons at the edge of Cherenel. The Mana that spread in all directions was so toxic that it could rot even healthy trees, but apart from the battlefield, there was no damage. This was thanks to the sanctuary installed by Pawin and the protective magic I had woven. Because of this, the North was perfectly fine, as if nothing had happened. In fact, many people said that the evil energy accumulated in the sanctuary had dissipated, making them feel refreshed.

However, the flash that erupted at the edge, and the split sky. The shock that shook the earth and sky was definitely memorable. A cataclysm that occurred overnight. The two shockwaves completely blew away the remaining evil energy in the North, allowing them to temporarily feel the air of the Southeast.

But people’s interests lay elsewhere.

An Angel appeared. The agent’s battle, spreading wings and showing off overwhelming power, attracted the attention of many. They defeated evil with divine power, so they were worthy of being called messengers of God, but… the reality was an insincere agent and an inquisitor full of venom.

The main character of the cataclysm, Pawin Angrid, fiddled with the wings sprouting from their back and grumbled in a small voice.

“…Wings are uncomfortable.”

“Shall I tear them off for you? If I twist the flow a little, I can easily remove them.”

“…It’s okay. They usually disappear in four days.”

They said this was the third time they had activated the stigma of the Twin Wings. They don’t have to do aerial combat, and once activated, they don’t disappear easily, so they don’t use it often.

“Every time I go out, I attract attention. When will these wings disappear?”

“Heehee… Horns and wings. Aren’t you a complete Pegasus? Hicc…”

“You smell like alcohol, so shut your mouth.”

“Mian… He…”

Shuriel was the same. Wings fluttering like ether. Unlike Pawin, they didn’t know when they would disappear. Moreover, they were so dazzling that they were very uncomfortable when sleeping. Sleeping was fine if they wore an eye patch, but… the aggro was worse than horns, so they couldn’t go out carelessly.

• Just let me in once!

• Fucking hell. Get out of my way if you don’t want to be punished by God!

The inn was crowded with people. I don’t know when or how it spread, but the inn where we stayed was rumored to be a haven for Angels. This was also because the North had few gossip topics, so it spread more quickly and widely. Especially the guys who were over-immersed in superstition were the problem. Some crazy bastards were starting to worship Pawin and Shuriel as gods…

“…It seems like more impious people have appeared.”

Pawin, being an inquisitor, couldn’t just leave it alone.

Worshipping humans as gods. It might have felt good, but Pawin, who was educated to punish those who violated the doctrine, felt more anger than joy. In fact, it violated heresy law, so there were many people whose heads were smashed by the inquisitor’s iron hammer. The impact of the cataclysm was so strong that it didn’t disappear no matter how much they cracked down on it.

I urged Pawin, who was holding an iron hammer with a cold face.

“Just wait until the execution ceremony and then return. You never know what might happen again.”

Pluto didn’t die.

Not yet.

“We will execute them exactly two days later in the Cherenel Grand Plaza.”

It is difficult to subdue a Demon without killing them. Demons, who have a hierarchy based on the law of the jungle and worship the strong unconsciously, are basically a fighting race. They rush at each other to kill, so even if they are caught, they are often on the verge of death. They can’t be kept alive to be captured, so they are simply killed.

But exceptionally, Pluto struggled to the end. That bitch didn’t die even after suffering fatal injuries such as having her legs cut off and her face melted.

Even stabbing her heart and cutting off her head didn’t kill her. At first, there was talk of a life vessel, but after looking closely, it was very similar to reconstruction, so it was rejected. Therefore, ‘unable to die’ was more appropriate than ‘not dying’. It was truly like a living corpse. The sight of it slowly regenerating even after being torn apart and turned into mush was truly grotesque.

I even tried burning it at the molecular level, but the result was the same. Something more fundamental was holding onto life. When the fragmented pieces of meat were collected and soaked in holy water, the regeneration stopped, but even this was only a temporary measure.

“This is also an extension of the mission, so don’t waste your energy on useless things.”

Shuriel frowned, looking at the crowd outside the window.

The Holy See sent holy relics. A golden bell containing a part of the remains of a saint. It was a bell used in exorcism rituals to burn Demons to the soul.

“Ah. I drank it all… Hicc.”

Hajin smacked their lips, looking at the empty bottle.

They seemed bored because they had to stay cooped up until the execution. Their body was already itching. As expected of someone like me, they absolutely couldn’t stand boredom.

“Shall we go out?”

“Huh, what?”

“Let’s go out together. Just the two of us.”

That was the same for me.

“Where are you going?”

Shuriel asked as I grabbed my coat. They seemed quite envious because they couldn’t move freely due to their wings. I shook my head, saying it was nothing, and gestured to Hajin, saying.

“I’m going to buy some alcohol.”

---

Of course, I didn’t come out to buy alcohol.

I pulled down my hood and walked down the main street. There were many people even though it was still early. This was thanks to the evil energy being blown away when Shuriel split the sky. It was easier to breathe than before, and my movements weren’t heavy. Hajin and I moved quickly with light steps.

“There’s no place to buy alcohol here?”

“Don’t tell me you thought I came to buy alcohol. Tsk… You’ve gone mad from drinking. Come here.”

“Eing, j-just a moment.”

I grabbed Hajin’s arm, who was still hiccuping. I fixed the stuttering Hajin and put my hand on their forehead. It was very hot due to the alcohol.

“Wake up. We’re going to the Cherenel Temple.”

“No, reconstruction is… um, can’t you do it without touching…?”

“This is faster for detoxifying.”

Hajin’s face, facing me with only a fist’s distance between us, was strangely red. How much alcohol did they drink? I sighed and let Mana flow.

“….”

“Are you a little sober now?”

“…Yeah.”

Hajin pulled their collar tight. They also pulled their hood down deeper than before, so their face wasn’t visible. It was better this way since there was no good in showing their face.

“…Why are we going to the temple? The execution is only two days away.”

“You’re not really going to kill them like that, are you?”

“Then?”

“I’m curious. Why they won’t die.”

As someone who has faced countless Demons, I couldn’t help but be curious.

Horns and heart… organs that deal with the source of Demons. Among them, the horn was as important as the second heart of a Demon. Demons lose all their power when their horns are broken. But Pluto didn’t die even after their horns were broken and their heart exploded.

At first, I tried to ignore it, but… now that they’re about to be executed, I can’t ignore it. The curiosity of a magician is boiling. It’s a fact I sometimes forget, but I was also a magician.

“And I need to find out how they found out.”

“What?”

“I need to find out where they got the information. Unless it’s a special case, the news of the agent’s dispatch is confidential. At most, only the lord knows and keeps it a secret….”

More than anything, there were more than one or two things that were hard to ignore. How could they launch an attack as soon as they arrived? And how did they hide among humans?

“Is there a possibility that the lord is the mastermind?”

“No. Shuriel went to find them with a knife, but nothing came out.”

“…Is that okay?”

It was quite rude, but they voluntarily cooperated.

This was because the Holy See handles matters related to Demons ‘much’ more strictly than expected, and they know what position Demons are in in this world.

Demons are not only hostile to humans. Elves firmly enforce the Demon extermination order under the name of the Mother Tree, and the Su Ryongin, the water dragon Fafnir, is hostile to Demons to the point of patrolling near the southern coastline. In other words, all living things hated Demons. In such a situation, being suspected of being a traitor to humanity and colluding with evil?

“If you don’t want to be destroyed, you have to cooperate.”

This was why the agent was evaluated as more than just a count in terms of position. They could have absolute power in special situations. Because the Holy See is behind them.

“We have similar authority, although temporary.”

The lord of the magic city Lecante, the agent’s assistant, the lover of the Tower Master, etc. There are many powers that can be shown off even without the Holy See’s backing. I heard that the amount of logistics heading to Lecante has exploded…. They have a lot of power and even more money.

“Lecante? You built a city?”

Hajin was surprised to hear that I had built a city.

At that time, I was determined to live a thin life, so it was understandable that they were surprised.

“Anyway.”

“What do you mean anyway? Tell me more about the story. Why are you making me curious and then stopping?”

“Nohil-nim, the vice-priest of the Cherenel branch of the Holy Stream Society.”

“What-“

Hajin tilted their head at the sudden words.

But soon, they realized that my gaze was directed elsewhere and quickly turned their head.

“What brings you here?”

A man with a sturdy physique.

It was Nohil, the vice-priest of the Cherenel branch of the Holy Stream Society.

“Ah, hello-.”

“Please return. Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering.”

“Ah, um?”

Hajin greeted him belatedly, but what came back was a cold rejection.

“You should know that an access ban has been issued. This is the only time. Leave right now.”

After the subjugation of Pluto, the number of people dying suddenly increased. The cause was unknown. Everyone died on the spot as if they had suffered a heart attack. So, the joy of subjugation was short-lived, and the North returned to its usual gloomy atmosphere.

The Holy See speculated that this was due to Demon worshippers or the appearance of a new Demon, and issued a warning order to all temples. Because of this, people around me disappeared from a certain point. This was also because of the access ban that Nohil mentioned, but it also contributed to the atmosphere of fear created by the countless inquisitors stationed on the streets. As expected, Hajin didn’t seem to notice, but five inquisitors were already watching us.

But this place had a special reason.

“Pluto.”

“….”

“I heard that the torn pieces of meat… are being soaked in holy water and sealed. Nohil.”

This was because Pluto was trapped here.

The security was naturally strict. Pluto, the Demon of Fear Fire. Too many people died. The anxiety and fear accumulated in the meantime became a daily occurrence, but they never disappeared and became solidified. The inquisitors living here were the same. The eyes watching us were full of venom.

“How did you know that?”

Of course.

This fact was top secret to prevent the shenanigans of Demon worshippers. Even the process of transporting it here involved preparing eight decoy transportation locations to avoid being located.

But the kid in front of me knows that fact.

Seureureung! The sound of arming can be heard from the surroundings. The inquisitors are narrowing the encirclement. Iron hammers, scythes, short swords, staffs…. Brutal weapons that have beaten the heads of the corrupted at least once. Nohil, who confirmed the inquisitor’s armament, glared and growled.

“Explain.”

Otherwise, all these weapons will be aimed at your necks right now.

“…Hey, aren’t we fucked?”

“Stay still. I’ve prepared everything.”

Hajin spat out curse words and clung tightly. Of course, I wasn’t scared because I had prepared countermeasures. Seeing Hajin blushing even while trembling with anxiety, it seemed good to just get hit… but then the day would break.

I pinched Hajin’s thigh, who was panting with anticipation, and said.

“I came as an agent.”

“Proof?”

“Here.”

I took out a handkerchief embroidered with the crest of the Rushellini family from my pocket. A handkerchief that I had never taken off since I received it from Shuriel. It was a genuine product that could not be forged due to magical processing.

“….”

The seal of a noble family has a strong effect in itself, but Nohil seemed to think this was not enough.

I nodded, saying that I understood enough.

“Is this enough?”

And I took out Pawin’s feather.

“…This is.”

The stigma of the Twin Wings is not so soft that feathers fall out with a few flaps. The muscles that support high-speed maneuvers, as well as the hardness reinforced by divine power, were very strong. Naturally, it was impossible to obtain feathers unless they were intentionally plucked.

“…Certainly, it is.”

And the divine power contained in the feather.

There was no way that someone who was a vice-priest wouldn’t know.

“I apologize for the rudeness.”