Prelude (6)

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A week had passed since then.

Things were turning out quite complicated, but all I had to do was the usual-indulge in lewd activities or tease the maids for fun.

I occasionally helped Shuriel with his work, but I didn’t delve too deeply. He was likely handling more profound, political matters that were difficult to get involved in.

‘Soon, I’ll have to meet the proxies too…’

I stepped out onto the street in a dress. Alone, with a parasol in one hand, shielding myself from the sunlight with an air of nobility.

Being in one of the most prosperous territories in the East, dressing lavishly didn’t attract much attention.

“Now is our chance! A chance to kill the wicked and vile Demons! Do not fear! We are under the light……”

As I strolled through the bustling downtown area, I saw a priest passionately preaching in the middle of the street. Judging by his attire, he was a priest of considerable rank.

The priest, who was cursing the Demons, gradually became more fervent, raising his voice until his face was flushed red.

“Remember the Red Mist of the North! Who was it that split the sky and overturned the earth back then!”

Shuriel. The exalted sword of Ruchellini. The priest’s exclamation caused a stir among the people.

The loyalty and public sentiment towards Shuriel in the territory were truly remarkable. Especially after he kicked Plüton’s ass in the North, it intensified to the point where he was occasionally hailed as a hero.

“Raise your heads! Two Angels are with us!”

Two Angels.

He must be referring to Pawin Angrid. If Shuriel had Ether wings, Pawin had the stigmata of twin wings.

‘So, the propaganda has officially begun.’

That wasn’t just pure praise out of good intentions.

Considering what Shuriel and I were moving towards, I couldn’t view it favorably.

That was groundwork to turn dog deaths into noble sacrifices. Propaganda that stimulates the fantasies of religious people has always worked well in any era.

But the reason the reaction was so explosive was because it wasn’t just a dreamlike fantasy, but an undeniable reality.

Everyone in the North had seen it.

Shuriel splitting the sky and Pawin tearing through the light.

‘It can’t all be blamed on Hugo.’

In fact, it was something Shuriel had long desired. To go to the Demonic Realm Pandemonium. To capture countless Demons there. And to ultimately destroy Barpheaugo’s Life Vessel.

It felt like an impossible dream, but he was climbing the steps.

If it was intentional, then it was intentional. Thanks to Shuriel and me, the Holy See was capturing Demons like crazy.

They saw the potential there. Plüton, and the additional Demons they captured, were by no means weak. There were even Great Demons who had tormented humans for years.

The people who were now cheering in the streets… were responding to the hope that Shuriel had planted.

• Ttuk-ttuk.

It was then.

As I stood quietly listening to the priest’s oration with my parasol in a deserted area, I heard footsteps.

Footsteps heading towards me. Judging by the fact that they stopped five steps away, they seemed to have a purpose.

“Who are you?”

I said without turning my head.

“…It’s been a while.”

It’s been a while.

I closed my mouth and only turned my head.

“Pawin.”

Pawin Angrid.

One of the two Angels had come to find me.

“Oh my… Pawin. Nice to see you. More importantly, what brings you here?”

“…I heard that the Barpheaugo subjugation order has been issued.”

“Indeed. I heard you’ve been busy because of it.”

“…I heard the news quite a while ago. I simply stopped by because I had some business to attend to.”

Pawin always wore a nun’s habit. It was no different now. Brown hair hidden by a veil. And a suppressed chest. She seemed as stifled as ever, both mentally and physically.

And that was the fate of all Inquisitors. Like the clothes they wore. The Inquisitor’s attire, which looked as if they were about to draw a scythe at any moment, was restrained yet fiercely savage.

“…….”

―God has sent us two Angels! We must not miss this opportunity!

Pawin watched the priest, who was praising her with all sorts of flowery language, and said.

“…It seems no different here.”

She must have suffered quite a bit in her own territory, as she opened her eyes with a troubled look. Being praised as a hero was nice, but excessive attention was burdensome.

She showed a deep burden on her face. It wasn’t that she was afraid of Demons. She was afraid of not meeting expectations.

“It seems to be the same everywhere. It’s too late to back out now. If we did, the people would surely rise up. By the way, how is Prukaise doing?”

The other proxy. A gray-haired man with square glasses and a cross piercing in his right ear. Raelle Prukaise.

Since Pawin had responded to the summons, Raelle must have as well.

“…He smiled and nodded when he heard we were going to Pandemonium. He may look like that, but he’s a belligerent fellow, so he doesn’t seem like he’ll back out.”

I see.

Just as Shuriel had grown, so had they. Even Pawin’s growth, though slight, was visible.

The total amount of Mana. The felt divine power. Even the stability of the stigmata. She had become stronger.

And so had her mind.

She, who had always been timid and withdrawn, was now exuding a more confident aura than anyone else.

That was why I hadn’t recognized her at first.

“…I don’t like the atmosphere of taking this war for granted. There are other things we need to fight.”

She said with troubled eyes. I folded my parasol and replied.

“The real enemy?”

“Humans.”

Eyes that shone fiercely enough to overwhelm even me. In those ferocious eyes, I finally realized that she was an ‘Inquisitor.’

Her main job was to take down ‘heretics,’ not ‘Demons.’ Humans who betrayed their race. Those who worshiped Demons. Those who walked the path of depravity. All of them had their heads smashed by her mace.

She muttered in a deeply subdued and eerie voice.

“……There were humans who joined the Demons, blasphemously.”

Murderous intent dripped from her words. I lowered my gaze slightly and looked at her scapular.

‘Blood…’

I hadn’t noticed it because it was hidden in the sunlight, but when I folded my parasol and moved into the shade, I could see it clearly.

There were bloodstains from at least five people, dried and smeared.

“Joined? Did they even go to Pandemonium?”

“…Most of them hide their identities and operate secretly in the Empire, so we can’t accurately count their numbers.”

“Anyway, it’s a stupid thing to do.”

Demons don’t see humans as fellow intelligent beings. Just smart dogs. That’s the end of it.

If they asked to be accepted as comrades by such beings, would they be accepted? They would be played with like toys.

“…It’s a truly stupid thing to do, but the situation has become complicated because the Demons are using their heads.”

“Yes?”

“…They are trying to survive. Even by joining hands with humans.”

Pawin closed her eyes, saying she had captured too many Demons at once.

They couldn’t be called comrades, but they realized it when those who bore the same Demon name continued to die.

That Demon hunting was about to begin.

“…There are many ways they worship Demons. Making forbidden contracts, learning black magic and heading north……. As Yujin-nim said, there are quite a few who have headed to Pandemonium.”

“Haa…….”

“When the fighting starts, there will be discord from within. This war is… too hasty.”

They needed to strengthen the internal structure first.

Pawin pointed that out.

But.

“You know the succession battle is in full swing.”

“……I know.”

“Everywhere is already in a state of war. Even the rural areas of the West are afraid of Demons and closing their gates.”

It was a dirty war.

If I had my way, I would storm the Imperial Palace and smash everything to pieces, but that would only change the direction of the blade.

I looked at the people who were cheering, lost in the speech, and said.

“…They’ve already embraced hope. The hope that we will win. The reality is a dirty fight with defeat in mind, but at least they believe that.”

“…We can’t let people die lost in illusions.”

“Illusions?”

I chuckled.

“I am the illusion.”

• Kung.

I lightly tapped the ground and spread Mana throughout the surrounding area. The Mana, which wriggled like earthworms, seeped into the ground and emitted a subtle light.

―What is this?

―What on earth is going on?

• Kugung, Kung!

Soon, the world split apart.

• Jjeojeojeok…

―Kyaaaak!

―Everyone, calm down!

The air shattered like glass shards. Into dozens, no, thousands of pieces. People lost their sense of direction in the bizarrely distorted world and fell into chaos.

Before the chaos could escalate, I clenched my hand and gathered the glass shards into one place.

• Sseuseuseuk…

The glittering glass shards gathered on my hand and became a sparkling jewel. A jewel that gathered all the light and Mana in the world.

“Take it.”

I handed Pawin the rainbow-colored jewel.

“…Wh, what is this?”

“Don’t worry.”

“….”

“All the Magic Towers are on defense, so they won’t be breached so quickly. They also have plenty of their own troops….”

I trailed off and looked at the people again.

They stood frozen in place, as if nothing had happened.

The energy was too clean to be the work of Demons, and there was no malice.

Rather, some felt a sense of comfort, perhaps because a bit of the divine power that had become ingrained in my body from being with Shuriel had entered them.

―…God, God has blessed us!

The priest, who felt that faint divine power, shouted.

What followed was obvious.

They cheered and cheered, and cheered.

I looked at them, filled with smiles, and said.

“People with hope don’t break easily.”

“Hope, ….”

“…That’s what I say, but honestly, I don’t really care. Whether they die or not.”

“….”

Pawin’s face hardened.

I chuckled, as if I knew it would happen.

“It’s funny. When did I ever care about these things?”

“Yujin.”

“…But now I have people I want to protect. Yes. Pawin, do you have someone you want to protect? If not, someone you want to keep by your side.”

I wasn’t afraid of the world collapsing, but I was very afraid when I thought about Shuriel and Aileen living in a broken world.

“Protect, someone….”

“Yes. Someone you want to keep by your side so much that you would risk your life――and even give your soul.”

“….”

Pawin pondered for a long time.

“……I.”

Soon, the rigid expression unique to Inquisitors disappeared, and she returned to the face of a girl.

“…I’m thinking of fulfilling a dream I couldn’t fulfill when this war is over.”

“A dream you couldn’t fulfill?”

“…Hairak.”

It was the concern of the broken rose, the girl Pawin Angrid.

“What about your Inquisitor and proxy positions?”

“…I’ll give them up. Whether we win or lose this war, the momentum will lean towards the Fourth Prince. Even if I give up my position, there won’t be a big impact.”

The skin she had managed with early engagement was now covered in stigmata and in a mess. She had smashed so many people’s skulls that blood wouldn’t stop flowing from her body.

The unfortunate young lady who had picked up a mace instead of a wedding ring at a flower-like age――dreamed again.

“I doubt he’ll accept the engagement after seeing this ugly body… but still, I’ll give it a try.”

“…I’ll cheer you on.”

I could only cheer for the broken girl’s recovery.