178 – 182
As Amon finishes speaking, the rest of the demon worshipers look up at the ceiling.
“The little rat was hiding!”
Seeing the glowing purple dagger gleaming in the hands of the demon worshiper Delta, I quickly embrace Senna and run.
“Die!”
-Boom!
Ignoring the crimson emanating from behind me, I open the inn door.
“Huff… Huff…”
“A… a grand battle?”
-Thud!
-Creak…
Anxious sounds echo within the uneasy building.
Should I say it’s similar to the sound of collapsing wood?
“You might bite your tongue, so be quiet.”
-Clatter!
Feeling the building sway, I try to go outside, but the collapsing speed is alarming.
Goodness…
Has some important pillar or beam been attacked?
Thinking that going down the stairs would be a disaster, I look at the window next to the stairs…
-Crash!
“Aah!”
I smash it and jump out.
“Ugh!”
It feels like I twisted my ankle upon landing.
Seems like jumping from the third floor while bearing the weight of Seina is more shocking than anticipated.
“Are you alright?”
Nodding as if to say I am…
-Rumble!
The place where our room was located has collapsed to the point of being unrecognizable.
Fortunately, upon confirming that only a portion of the west side of the third floor where we were has collapsed, we search for the demon worshippers but…
“The demon worshippers?”
“I… I don’t sense them.”
They are nowhere to be seen.
Goodness.
Where have the demon worshippers gone?
I anxiously gaze at the ruins.
As part of the inn building in Roman collapses, nearby soldiers and Mary rush to the scene.
“Brother? Are you hurt?”
As Mary asks with a face full of concern, I quietly nod while looking at the rubble.
“Yes, but… the intelligence… agents…”
The room where the intelligence agents gather has been engulfed in an explosion to the point of being unrecognizable.
Seeing the intelligence agents caught in an unexpected explosion, I feel something stir inside me.
Again… Again… Due to my incompetence, the intelligence agents…
With deep anger, I grit my teeth and give orders to the nearby commander.
“If you see any suspicious individuals, arrest them immediately! If they resist, you have the authority to kill. And rescue those trapped under the rubble at once!”
“Yes! Understood!”
Issuing the orders, we clear the debris.
Goodness… I underestimated the enemy.
I grab a large piece of lumber.
“Ugh!”
Putting strength into my arms, I lift the large wooden plank, clearing the cement pieces underneath to find survivors.
What kind of magic is it that possesses such immense power?
Currently, the most common magical attack here is the fireball spell.
However, with a mere fireball spell, such power cannot be unleashed.
From Noble mtl dot com
Of course, there are stronger magics out there, but due to the efficiency of mana, casting speed, and the difficulty in aiming because of excessive firepower, the Fireball spell is the most common…
The magic I saw a little while ago is not common magic.
Reflecting on my incompetence while recalling the murky purple glow that looked like flames, the unbelievable range, power, and casting speed compared to ordinary attack spells, I blame myself.
Goodness! Again… again…
Many soldiers died because of my mistake before.
I vowed never to make such a mistake again…
hahahaha… if I were to do that.
Blaming myself like that and picking up the debris…
Something sharp pierces my fingertips.
“Ouch!”
A trickle of blood flowing from my hand.
A sharp piece of glass is stuck in my finger, and I pull it out roughly.
The pain is not important right now.
“Your Highness, wait a moment. Blood… blood.”
Sena approaches and grabs my arm.
“This is nothing.”
My anger towards myself, and the self-blame, do not cause me any pain.
“Your Highness… you are bleeding a lot.”
As if worried, Sena takes out a handkerchief from her pocket, wipes my forehead, which stings.
“You have deep wounds on your forehead and cheek. If we don’t treat them soon, they might get infected.”
Upon hearing that, I roll up my sleeve, wipe my forehead and cheek, and inspect them.
Seeing that the wounds are quite significant, with the white sleeve stained with bright red blood, I clean up the debris again.
“I… I will treat it right away. Just a moment.”
Ignoring the irritating Sena beside me, I scold.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and save the survivors!”
Ignoring Sena’s words, I clean up the debris.
-Thud!
I throw a heavy plank far away.
“Your Highness.”
Sena’s voice sounds annoyed.
“If we don’t treat it now, it might get infected later.”
Saying so, she gently touches my cheek with her glowing white hand.
“It will be okay soon…”
And soon, even the hand that was bleeding from my forehead.
As the pain subsides, I nod in gratitude to her.
“Thank you.”
Saying that, I quickly tidy up the debris.
***
“Sena, is it true that cultists of the demons are active?”
An explosion incident at an inn in Roman.
The Information Department is now controlling the scene and setting up screens.
If there is a reason…
Deviang, thinking there was no need to unsettle the citizens of the Empire by revealing that the cultists of the demons were active, the officials of the Information Department were busy hiding the details all night.
“Yes. It was definitely magic using magi. That purplish glow, which looks like flames. That is certainly magic without a doubt.”
The Pope, dressed in a light gown, touches his forehead at Sena’s words.
“Oh… Divine One. Why do you subject me to such a cruel fate?”
The Pope calls upon the gods, but they offer no response to his plea.
Shortly after…
“Wait. So, as the Grand Duke said, Baloran and Geza were involved with the demon-worshipers. I didn’t even know that, and I was looking at Grand Duke Deviang negatively…”
Gregorio XV remembers the letter sent to him by Deviang after he executed Baloran.
Although Baloran presented evidence that Baloran was a demon-worshiper, at that time, Gregorio XV did not believe him.
To justify his actions…
The Emperor sentenced him to death on the grounds of colluding with demon-worshipers and betraying humanity.
Surely, he could only think of it as a scheme to demand his support.
“hahahaha, what should I do about this? Sister Sena.”
Sena cautiously speaks while looking at the Pope’s worried expression.
“Your Holiness, when I saw their conversation, it seems like a high-ranking demon is behind them. If we don’t condemn them quickly, they will create the vessel to resurrect the Demon King.”
An enormous offering of human lives and the blessing of a high-ranking demon.
Inserting the bloodline of a female warrior into it as a sacrifice to conceive the Demon King.
Not just any female can be used as a sacrifice.
A young, healthy woman of childbearing age.
Moreover, if that female warrior is pure, the Demon King can gain even more power.
It is clear that Princess Joy is their primary target.
Most likely, the high-ranking demon they mentioned is undoubtedly Locust.
There has been no news of any other demons appearing.
Although not exceptionally powerful for a high-ranking demon, they control a vast swarm of locusts to the extent that it would not be difficult for them to cause significant damage to the Empire.
“So… we should officially announce that demon-worshipers are active.”
Sena says, pondering over her words.
“The Grand Duke seems to want to keep it as hidden as possible. He seemed eager to thoroughly investigate them this time.”
The Pope’s eyebrows twitch at her words.
“Is that possible?”
The demon-worshipers do not betray their comrades even under torture.
When they accept a comrade.
A curse is implanted in their hearts to prevent them from betraying their comrades.
“I don’t know much either… but wouldn’t it be best to respect the Grand Duke’s intentions for now?”
The Grand Duke she saw was no fool.
He may have been well-prepared for this situation, but he probably did not expect the demon-worshipers to wield such powerful magic.
It was undoubtedly unexpected.
The Grand Duke seemed to have been diligently preparing to deal with the demon-worshipers.
So, he must have found out where they gather.
After confirming all the survivors caught in the explosion late into the night, he finally returned to the palace. Seeing that he was not as sinister as rumored.
A person with such a strong sense of responsibility couldn’t possibly be sinister.
Thus, Sena cautiously voiced her thoughts.
“He is undoubtedly a capable person. Perhaps we should respect his opinions and observe for now?”
“Hmm… If things go according to his plan, there is no reason to object. But if it fails, what then?”
The Pope felt sorry for Devian, but aside from that, there was a sense of unease in his eyes, seeing him as much younger than himself when it came to the issue of humanity’s survival.
“In that case, inform the Grand Duke at that time to receive a list of the demon worshippers and at least arrest them first.”
It was a somewhat hasty decision, but thanks to Devian, they could understand the danger to humanity.
Hence, the Pope knew it was time for him to step back.
He let out a wry smile.
“Ha… I hope things work out according to his plan. That said, I feel greatly sorry for him. Knowing that the demon worshippers were active and yet we couldn’t help. It’s truly embarrassing.”
His embarrassment was only natural.
“Balarang, was he really a demon worshipper?”
Pope Gregorio XV, after the Emperor’s death.
Balarang had tried to marry the princess against her will.
And the nobles who supported such Balarang.
If those two had clashed, the Empire would have split, allowing the demon worshippers to take advantage.
‘It probably wouldn’t have ended there.’
They would have persecuted the Papal Court, feared by demons and demon worshippers…
‘As far as I remember… The only ones the Imperial Family can use as sacrifices are the current Emperor and Princess Joy.’
The thought of using the Emperor or Princess Joy to resurrect the Demon King sent a shiver down the Pope’s spine.
However, Devian killed Balarang, calmed the nobles’ grievances, and prevented a civil war.
And he fragmented the Imperial faction, which seemed to be reaching for the sky.
“Ah… What to do with this…”
As the Pope let out a deep sigh, the more he thought about Devian’s efforts, the more he felt like hiding in a mouse hole.
Not long ago, the Pope had no intention of supporting him even if he died.
But to think that Devian had been doing such things without others knowing.
The Pope, who should have led the fight against the demon worshippers, felt a deep sense of guilt for restraining him.
‘I must correct my mistake now.’
If the Pope supported Devian, the people of the Empire would view him more favorably.
‘It won’t be easy to incite the Empire’s people who oppose the demon worshippers.’
The authority the Pope held.
That authority was completely different from the authority held by the Emperor.
The leader of a group that could solely use divine power in various parts of the world.
If the Pope, who was respected by the people of the Empire, even by the entire continent, for his use of divine power to care for the poor and teach them, were to support Devian, the people of the Empire who had received the Pope’s grace would think more positively of him.
Hence, to rectify his mistake, he subtly hinted at Sena.
“Sister Sena. I intend to make a declaration of support for him now.”