The Demon Hunting Method of the Regressed Inquisitor

Duchy of Foris (2)

After entering the duchy, most of the children scattered.

It might be a rare experience, but it’s natural that they wouldn’t want to stay with the orcs.

“Aren’t you going?”

“No.”

“Then tell me about this human custom.”

“Let’s find a place to stay first. I’m tired from all the things that happened.”

“Humans are weak.”

Titan didn’t question my decision to stay at all.

He’s a straightforward guy.

He must be confident that no matter what I do, it won’t be a problem for him.

Such great confidence.

“And you? Aren’t you going?”

“Uh, I…”

Confirming that I would accompany him, Titan immediately turned to the other remaining person.

He asked Linnea.

I was curious too.

“I haven’t been able to repay the debt yet…”

Rinea writhes in embarrassment.

I understand.

It was good that she decided to reveal her identity to calm the situation, but in the end, it was Titan who solved the problem, and she just ended up revealing her identity for nothing.

Of course, it was true that the situation temporarily calmed down because she stepped forward, but in the end, it was thanks to Titan that we were able to enter the territory.

The cause was that guy, but the solution was also thanks to that guy.

“I think it’s enough that you calmed the situation.”

“I don’t think so.”

But Rinea shook her head firmly.

I wonder if she really needs to feel so responsible.

The so-called debt was just that she knew in advance about the bandits’ attack and prepared for it.

Of course, there were children who were able to save their lives because of that, so it wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

But isn’t it funny that Rinea alone is trying to repay that debt? The other kids just nodded and dispersed.

I can understand that it might be because she’s a noble…

‘Rinea Spirine is not someone who clings to being a noble.’

I owed her a debt.

That’s why I cleared the stigma she had carried this time.

But what about now?

Doubts are sprouting in my heart. I begin to doubt the purpose of my benefactor, Rinea Spirine.

“I’ll pay for the inn! I’m a noble!”

“I’m royalty.”

“……”

Of course, seeing her so clumsy makes even those doubts disappear.

Feeling downcast, with her ears and tail drooping, I somehow comforted Rinea and found a place to stay.

Of course, there were few places that could accommodate Titan.

Even if it was a sturdy inn, if there were no rooms on the first floor, we had to give up.

If we took a room on the second floor and it collapsed under Titan’s weight, it would be a disaster for the guests on the first floor.

By the time we found an inn that met all the conditions and considered Rinea’s dignity as a noble, it was already night.

* * *

Shortly after arriving at the inn. When I felt at ease in an environment where I could sleep well.

I fell into a deep sleep and was engulfed in an indescribable nightmare.

-■■■, look at this. It’s chocolate that Claire likes and tea that ■■■ likes.

-I see. But there seems to be a bit of a problem… Why are you putting chocolate in the tea?

-It’s the ultimate food combining what Claire likes and what ■■■ likes. I hope you two can share it and reconcile.

-Aha.

I swept my hair back as I looked at the bizarre food in front of me.

-Do you really think this will taste good, Saint?

-You add sugar or milk to tea, don’t you? It’s the same thing. I’m confident that adding milk chocolate will make the flavor even more special.

What an absurd logic.

It might sound plausible if it were the other way around…

Just looking at the half-melted chocolate sticking to the bottom of the teacup made me lose my appetite.

-Please, eat.

-Aren’t you going to eat, Saint? Since you prepared it, you should try it first.

-Just watching you two eat fills me up.

-What…

-What kind of manners is that towards the Saint? This is food bestowed by the Saint. Accept it quietly.

Before I could utter a harsh word, I was rebuked by the Saint’s bodyguard and the strongest paladin of the order, Claire Ryan.

I hadn’t even said a single harsh word yet. This guy just wants to criticize me.

-Oh, yes. I’ll eat, I’ll eat.

Claire was drinking the bizarre concoction faster than I was.

With her taking the lead, what could I possibly say in rebuttal?

The food prepared by the Saint was truly neither here nor there in taste.

It wasn’t inedible, but the flavors were definitely off.

It was a fragment of a memory.

A moment from the past that will never come again.

And as I watched that memory, I knew this was a lucid dream.

As I was observing the scene, I found myself blending into it.

“Saint.”

“……”

“Did you always wear that mask in places like this?”

It was different.

In my memories, the saintess was hiding her face with a pure white mask. Even though it wasn’t such a scene.

“Actually, I don’t really know why the saintess decided to wear a mask.”

It was one day. Yes, one day she started wearing a mask.

I understood.

No, I thought I understood.

She started wearing the mask after an entire village had turned to ashes.

Even she, who was supposed to be a beacon of hope for others, couldn’t muster a smile in front of that scene.

So I thought she wore the mask to hide her weak self.

“But was it really for a moment like this? Have you been seeing this outcome since then?”

But what if it wasn’t just that?

What if from the beginning, she intended to send me back to the past and was building memories to prepare for that moment?

I start to rethink its meaning.

In my memories, she is always wearing a mask. Even though there were more moments when she wasn’t.

I vaguely understood. I knew but was ignoring it.

“I can’t remember the face of the saintess behind the mask.”

I can’t remember her face.

I can’t recall her name.

Maybe… Yes, that must be it. There was no way she performed the miracle of turning back time without any cost.

It’s only natural. This kind of price is rather cheap.

“Was there a reason it had to be me? Wouldn’t it have been better if it were Claire, or someone else?”

Right now, I’m the only one in this world who knows her.

But even I am gradually forgetting her.

“I am full of fear and scars. I’m no different from scrap.”

There is only one thing I can be proud of.

I survived.

Even amidst countless nightmares and trials, I survived, even if I became crippled.

I lost my arm, my original name and memories, and eventually even my friends.

What on earth did she see in me?

Could she see something that even I didn’t know?

If so…

“If you ask me to become a hero, I will do so. If you ask me to martyr myself for others, I will do so.”

I do not trust myself.

I have run away countless times from places where I should not have.

So I will close my eyes.

I will close my eyes and trust only her judgment as I navigate through the darkness.

“However, there is one thing, just one thing, that I will do my way.”

The scenery of memories collapses.

The beautiful garden, the antique teacups, and the tea table.

Everything disappears, leaving only her and me.

“I will find you. No matter what form you take, no matter what name you bear, no matter what you do. I will find you.”

I couldn’t read her expression. It was still hidden behind a mask.

“And as usual, I will have to scold you. For not telling me in advance.”

I just watched her as she gradually moved away. Now is not the time for me to reach out.

Not in a mere dream, but in reality, I will reach out to her.

“The trial.”

“……”

The saint, who had been silent all this time, spoke to me.

I couldn’t hear her well.

But there was one sentence among her words that I heard clearly.

“……Be careful.”

Be careful of the ‘trial.’

It seems this nightmare was a warning from her.

*     *      *

I wake up to a ray of dawn.

I slowly rise to the still unfamiliar scenery of the early morning.

“……”

I clearly remembered the dream from last night.

She told me to be careful of the trial. I still don’t know what that means.

Trials are something that naturally require caution.

“……Shall we move?”

It was just the time when dawn was breaking. Linnea might still be sleeping, though Titan might not be.

Normally, I would have to keep an eye on Titan, who could be unpredictable, but I still have an uneasy feeling.

I need information at this point.

“Titan, I’m going out first, so behave yourself today.”

“Are you thinking of giving me orders? I don’t follow the orders or teachings of someone weaker than me.”

“Do as you please. I’ll leave some money, so if you have time, look around the area. I’m lending it to you, but please don’t barter with it and use this.”

As I was leaving, I spoke to Titan in front of his room, and that was the response I got. He was awake, as expected.

I don’t know what he had been doing until now, though.

A moment later, Titan came out with a look of annoyance, took the money pouch, checked its contents, and soon frowned.

“Do I really need this shiny stuff? The saber-tooth tiger’s tooth I have seems more valuable.”

“Sure, sure, the saber-tooth tiger’s tooth? It must be valuable. So don’t use anything expensive and handle it with that.”

“Hmm, got it.”

I roughly set the guidelines.

Even though he said that, he wouldn’t go around stirring up trouble.

He would probably look around the area as I mentioned. If that happens, the preparations are almost complete.

*     *      *

I left the inn and searched every corner of the alley. Occasionally, drunk passersby or back-alley thugs would pick a fight, but I didn’t care.

What I’m looking for is the continent’s top intelligence organization, ‘Shade’.

When I was directly under the Saint, I had contacted them several times, but at this point, I don’t know where they are.

What I know is that they are secretly gaining power in the Duke of Foris’ territory at this point.

“Hey, priest. Do you know where you are wandering around?”

“…….”

As I was roaming the alley, someone approached me.

He looked like a thug you could find anywhere in the back alleys. But he just called me a priest.

Although I had driven away several people who had picked a fight with me, the work was quite discreet.

Moreover, even if an ordinary person saw the holy magic of an inquisitor, it would be hard to recognize it as holy magic.

The opponent had information about the inquisitor and had been scouting me since early morning.

“It’s so hard to make contact.”

“It seems you came here knowing everything, so I won’t say anything unnecessary. There’s also the fact that we don’t have a list related to your description. I hope you understand?”

The order had ties with Shade from long ago. In fact, it was only natural.

To maintain such a large organization, such transactions are indispensable.

“But is it okay to not be wary of outsiders like this?”

“It bothers me that we don’t have information about you, but it shouldn’t be a problem. If you know who we are.”

“Is it so honorable to admit that you were originally an assassin group?”

“I never said we were assassins.”

I tried to provoke him, but there was no reaction.

He was definitely trained. There must have been orders from above not to cause trouble over trivial matters.

“I don’t mind harsh words in front of me, but you should be careful here. There are still quite a few who haven’t accepted that our guild has changed its line of work.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Shade was a former assassin group. A group that no one even knew existed.

But because of that, their skills are beyond doubt. The fact that they’ve never been caught until now is proof of that.

The reason we found out that their predecessors were assassins was because they changed their line of work to an information guild.

Originally, they killed without leaving any traces, but now they collect information without killing.

Anyone can imagine what their predecessors were.

Even though they are a group of criminals, we can’t accuse them of being involved in anyone’s assassination because we don’t know who their clients were.

What can we do if they deny it?

We don’t know who their clients were or who they received requests from.

So we keep quiet even though we know.

Even the Pantheon does.

Of course, the ordinary priests don’t even know that the Pantheon is aware of such places. Such dirty work is the role of the Inquisitors.

“Then…”

The man openly led me to his hideout. He didn’t even hide the way. He was confident.

Confident that if I ever thought of betraying them, they would cut off my head.

“You came at the right time. We were just discussing you.”

In the empty room, only voices could be heard. The opponent was definitely here, but I couldn’t see them.

And it wasn’t just one or two. They might be right in front of me or surrounding me.

“How about showing yourself at least? Instead of watching me like an ant. It’s quite unpleasant.”

“Oh, I was rude in front of a guest. I’m sorry. It’s not been long since we changed our line of work.”

At those words, a middle-aged man with tangled red hair and a messy beard, who looked like he belonged in a back alley, appeared before my eyes.

He was sitting on a chair in the room with his feet propped up on the table, and no matter how you looked at it, he could only be seen as a thug.

“Nice to meet you, Inquisitor. I’m ‘Shade.’ It’s an honor to be personally attended to by the guild master, isn’t it?”

This man was the Shade of the time.

The representative bearing the name of the guild.

It was a different appearance than I had expected. But I could tell it wasn’t a lie.

“Didn’t you change your line of work recently? From what I know, it’s already been three years.”

“Haha, you got me. You certainly know about us.”

From the start, this guy had been fishing for information from me.