Wallace (2)

For a while, Belial watched the shadows writhing around Another Hope. The number of shadows undulating like tails was seven.

“Hmm.”

Like sinking into a swamp.

Belial, who had been smiling watching Another Hope submerge in those shadows, furrowed his brows and reached out his hand.

“Impudent thing…”

As if scooping something floating on water, Belial lightly pulled out the light dwelling in Another Hope’s body and examined it closely.

A heresy inquisitor’s mark.

Moreover, holy power with an absurd level of purity.

“So now you’re openly trying to check me?”

He knows who owns this holy power. With purity of this level, it could only be an apostle.

It’s not the Saintess of Earth who’s tied down in Alfheim. Then it must be the one who recently became an apostle.

A single worthless heresy inquisitor who interfered with his plans at every turn, finally forcing him to completely revise his plans.

Thanks to that, he even had to prepare for an unplanned war against the Ares Kingdom.

Moreover, due to rushing the preparations, Creden grew suspicious and the plan became half-baked.

“I see…”

If that’s how he wanted to play it, fine.

If he’s going to check every little thing like this, he’ll respond in kind.

The opponent isn’t just an enemy.

He’s an nemesis whose everything must be stolen, trampled, and erased.

“Very well.”

Just as he interfered with his plans one by one, now he’ll take away everything precious to him.

Not just at the level of removing annoyances. Not just at the level of erasing variables.

“I’ll thoroughly break you.”

Screech!

Belial gripped the extracted light in his hand and dyed it with darkness.

After watching the sleeping Another Hope like that, Belial turned around.

There’s no time to spare. Not once in thousands of years had he ever allowed himself leisure. All that time was groundwork for the future.

This time is no different.

The checking game with Edge Forys, the long speech before the emperor, listening to his foolish grandson’s complaints.

None of it is reason to rest. If he thinks of something, he acts immediately.

That’s his thorough way.

After slipping out of House Hope’s villa, Belial moved.

The destination was obvious.

“Let’s see that face.”

The Pantheon Temple.

To that cursed place.

*     *      *

I entrusted both the sword and Titan.

Thanks to that, feeling lighter after removing two heavy burdens, I decided to continue looking around the Pantheon Temple.

Though I say that, I’ve seen almost everything. While recalling past memories and simultaneously shaking off emotions to avoid being buried in them.

Like that, I gradually steeled my resolve for the future along with mental preparation.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Ah, Lost.”

Though it might be fine to stay cooped up in the Pantheon Temple for today, I should probably walk around the streets a bit.

It’s a rare city after all.

Should buy necessary items and gather various information too.

“Lost, Lost.”

Just as I was about to suggest going outside, Linea trotted over and looked up at me from below.

“Did you cry?”

“…As if.”

How did she know?

I should have wiped away all the tears.

“There are marks left though?”

“You must be seeing things.”

“Hmm, really?”

Linea tilted her head to the side and kept staring at me.

Her face wore a brightly smiling expression rare for her usual self.

She doesn’t believe my excuse.

“If something’s troubling you, wouldn’t it help to confide in a companion?”

“Later.”

“Then I’ll share my worries around that time too, okay?”

“Trading worries?”

I know she’s hiding something from us. No, not just her. Me and Titan too.

We’re all full of secrets aren’t we?

Here, the one with the least secrets is Claire who’s the most prickly with me.

Thinking about it like this, some really strange things exist.

To think the greatest rivals with the worst relationship would end up sharing the most secrets.

“Yes, we’ll become closer by holding each other’s weaknesses.”

“That seems a bit different from what I was thinking…”

So that was her sinister plan.

No matter how I think about it, the word choice seems wrong.

Seeing her mischievous expression, it seems intentional…

Must be a joke.

“Go get Claire. Let’s look around the streets since we have the chance.”

“What about Titan?”

“Seems he’s reached an important turning point today, so let’s leave him be.”

“Huh?”

“It’s that kind of thing.”

Linea twitched her ears questioningly as if asking what I meant, but soon went to get Claire.

Since she was quietly waiting in her room, she brought her back quickly.

Well, she’s not the type to energetically wander around so that’s natural.

“…”

Claire who came outside frowned while looking up at the sky, then with that same expression glared at me and asked.

“What’s going on?”

“Don’t just stay stuck in your room like that, go out and get some fresh air.”

“It would have been nice if you’d reduced my homework before saying such things.”

“What, you still haven’t finished?”

“…”

Grit.

Claire grits her teeth.

For someone with poor health to develop such a habit is concerning.

Why doesn’t she understand that doing that will only hurt her own jaw?

“Fine. No point talking since it’ll just tire my mouth. Where’s the destination?”

“Haven’t really decided. I told you right? Let’s look around the streets.”

“Are you saying you’ll exhaust me now without even a purpose?”

“…Well, a purpose of giving you minimum exercise has emerged.”

Though she’s weak, just staying inside like that won’t help her get better.

Using weak health as an excuse to avoid exercise, she’ll develop illnesses regardless of holy power if she stays like that.

“Sigh… Patients need rest. Isn’t that right, Linea-unnie?”

“…I think you need some exercise.”

“Traitor.”

Linea scratches her cheek at Claire’s calm mutter.

Can’t tell if she really thinks she’s a traitor or if she’s joking.

“Then let’s prepare…”

At that moment the surrounding air changed.

Subtly heavier, just enough for those who would know to notice.

As proof, though Claire didn’t sense anything, Linea’s ears perked up as she started looking around.

Seems something happened inside the Pantheon Temple.

“Wait in the lodgings while I check something quickly.”

“I thought we were going out?”

“Well, let me assess the situation first.”

After bonking Claire on the head as she immediately started snarking, I headed toward the center of the commotion.

It wasn’t hard to find. Though the heavy atmosphere was subtle enough to be hard to notice, the commotion was grand.

“Haha! You’re truly extraordinary!”

The voice belonged to a layperson who commuted to the Pantheon Temple rather than staying there.

He and other laypeople were gathered cozily offering praise.

And watchful gazes from between building shadows were observing the center of that commotion.

Ironically, those hiding in the shadows were the same ones who had suspected me of being a heresy inquisitor.

“I see.”

The picture is starting to come together.

Something the laypeople don’t know but high-ranking priests do.

The information gap between those trusted within the Pantheon Temple and ordinary people who simply hold faith.

They’re the authorities suspected of having connections to half-demons and demons.

And I know most of their conclusions.

I tried approaching the center of the commotion to confirm who it was.

“…”

One step.

The moment I who had been still tried moving toward the center of the commotion, I felt the priests hiding in the shadows all turn to look at me at once.

What I sensed in those gazes was discomfort and worry. And such clear bewilderment that I could figure out who it was without looking.

Inside the Pantheon Temple. With so many priests gathered, this level of wariness and concern could only mean one thing.

“Oh my, to meet in a place like this.”

Just then the figure at the center of the commotion emerged through the crowd.

An elderly man with an elegant silk hat and crisp suit standing straight-backed.

He approached me stepping firmly while leaning on a decorative staff.

Surprising if anything.

“Didn’t we not meet then?”

“…”

Wallace Hope.

The demon I must hunt walked right into the heart of the Pantheon Temple on his own feet.

My teeth ground seeing that detestable smile, but I kept it hidden and smiled back.

“Yes, we met in Forys duchy. I didn’t expect you’d remember… Must be fate.”

“Hoho, I pride myself on my eye for people. After all, isn’t judging people my job?”

“That’s true. Being in the position of duke, having good judgment would be natural.”

“Indeed.”

A gentle smile. A vicious and eerie gaze hidden beneath it.

Just how far…

No, such speculation is meaningless.

His appearing at this timing means he must know everything.

He knows of my existence. That I’m an apostle of the gods, a saint.

“Who is…”

“Ah, didn’t they say a new high priest would arrive yesterday? Must be him? Though he looks young, he must be very devout.”

“Ah! So it’s him?”

While the unaware laypeople chattered cheerfully, I could see the priests watching us trembling helplessly without knowing what to do.

Wallace Hope who was suspected of having demon connections and my existence that hadn’t been officially announced yet.

The anxiety from that was shaking their hearts.

“What if. What if, that is.”

“…”

“If I found this noisy place bothersome, what do you think I could do?”

“What crude threats.”

“Kekeke.”

What, is he going to kill them?

Though he probably won’t, he’s saying that he could.

The priests waiting in the shadows are combat trained.

But this place is full of laypeople who know nothing, who just came to offer prayers to the gods.

What would happen if he unleashed his power in a place like this?

The important thing isn’t whether we could stop him, but the fact that ordinary people would be harmed.

From the start, this level of numbers couldn’t stop him anyway.

“Shall we move somewhere to talk leisurely? Duke Hope.”

“Oh, thank you. I was just troubled not seeing the usual faces. Where did everyone go? The priest assignments sure changed a lot in just a year.”

Most of the priests currently in the Pantheon Temple are combat forces Cotinus brought.

He must have moved them one by one through personnel transfers over time.

Of course, not by kicking out the original residents but by dispatching them in the sense of borrowing space.

It was probably done carefully.

But the monster before me had apparently memorized the faces of all the original priests.

Despite only making donations once a year at most.

“I’ll!”

At that moment a priest approached with a stiff expression.

“I-I’ll guide you! Since that person just arrived yesterday, he wouldn’t know the current situation inside the Pantheon Temple well, so I should handle this.”

“Oh, is that so? That’s not bad either. Though regrettable, let’s meet again later, young man.”

Wallace Hope smiled eerily at an angle only I could see.

The meaning of that smile was obvious.

It meant he would kill that priest who stepped forward so bravely.

This is… making my palms sweat. I know this is provocation.

I know he won’t do it.

He wouldn’t reveal his identity that he’s hidden so well here.

But seeing that look in his eyes, I just can’t deny the possibility.

“No, I’ll handle this.”

“Cielo-nim?! Hup!”

The priest who called my name immediately covered his mouth.

By using an honorific, he expressed that I was in a higher position than him.

Though the laypeople might not have heard clearly, the demon before us surely heard it clearly.

The priest who realized his mistake quietly lowered his hand and carefully started emanating holy power.

Eyes filled with determination.

The will to sink while bearing his own mistake is visible.

“I’ll handle this. Since we’re acquainted, wouldn’t that be more comfortable?”

I reach out to stop his action. It would be meaningless death. Moreover, it would only sully the Pantheon Temple’s name.

Unless Wallace Hope revealed his identity in response to his attack, if he blocked the priest’s attack while maintaining his disguise it would become attempted assassination.

If that had been possible, I would have tried it first.

“This way please.”

“Kekeke, thank you.”

After stopping the priests trying to secretly follow with eye signals, I led Wallace Hope toward a place with few people.

Once we were away from people’s gazes like that, I took out tobacco from my chest.

“Phew…”

Though it’s a no smoking area, can’t help it. Need to smoke something like this to calm this burning heart.

We’re already in a situation where we know each other’s identities anyway.

What does it matter now if I act arrogant by smoking tobacco?

“Now that I see, quite a handsome young man under that mask.”

Wallace Hope. No, King of Darkness, Belial spoke while just staring intently at me smoking tobacco.

“Enough that I won’t forget after seeing you once.”