NOVEL WEB Chapter 43
Episode 43
The Holy Kingdom, one of the three most advanced groups in the human realm. There, after a very long time, some returnees had arrived.
“…It’s been a while since I’ve been here, too.”
“Yeah… I know.”
It was Dein and Eri. They were now in Chelinno City, one of the Holy Kingdom’s cities, after using a portal from the 72nd floor. They originally intended to go to the familiar Soter City but changed locations after Dein suggested it wouldn’t be suitable for infiltration.
Both Dein and Eri agreed with Dein’s assessment that their fake identities would undoubtedly be revealed to Adelbert. There could be no forged credentials capable of deceiving Adelbert, the world’s greatest assassin.
Though they might return to Soter City someday, now wasn’t the right time. Dein spoke.
“Let’s meet periodically in Chelinno City. I’ll head to Hormis City, so you stay here.”
“Okay, got it. Dein?”
“Hmm?”
“Can we really avoid being found out?”
“Don’t worry.”
Dein dismissed her concern as baseless.
“No one remembers us.”
When Dein and Eri left here, they were merely C-rank adventurers. In a place like Soter City, C-rank adventurers were a dime a dozen. Even after disappearing for only a year or two, they wouldn’t be remembered five years later.
“Even if someone does recognize us by face, they won’t identify us right away.”
Moreover, the past five years hadn’t just altered their abilities but their appearances as well. Once only 15 years old, both of them were now 20 and had visibly matured.
Dein, who once seemed naïve, had transformed into a tall, slender handsome man. Eri had become an exceptionally lovely woman with a mature body that exuded charm at first glance.
No one seeing Dein and Eri now would imagine them as the inexperienced adventurers they were five years ago. Eri nodded in relief after hearing Dein’s explanation.
“Sounds reasonable.”
“Yeah. If you just stay cautious, you’ll be fine.”
“Me?”
“Don’t let yourself get tricked by any ruffians.”
“Ah, I won’t. I’ll stay on my guard, I promise!”
“Good. That’s a relief.”
Dein looked up at the sky. Would the Holy Kingdom he returned to after five years still be the same, or had it changed drastically? The world had moved on while they were away for five years; ignorance about current affairs might raise suspicions.
“First, go to the guild and register as a new adventurer, then get a grip on the situation here. Don’t forget that.”
“Okay, got it. But what were our aliases again?”
“If you already forgot…”
“Heh, just confused!”
Dein sighed slightly before replying.
“I’m Daniel, and you are Eri.”
“Oh, right.”
“I made the name similar to your real one so you wouldn’t forget, but looks like that was a waste.”
“Ahahaha…”
“Anyway, let’s meet once a month in Chelinno City.”
“Understood.”
Eri nodded, and Dein appeared somewhat uneasy, letting out a quiet sigh before handing her something. Eri tilted her head as she accepted it.
“Break it if things get dangerous.”
“What is this?”
Eri held a necklace with a gemstone that looked fragile enough to shatter if dropped. Dein explained briefly.
“It’s an alert device. If one side breaks, the other’s gem shatters too.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Break it if you’re in danger, understood?”
“Of course!”
Eri smiled in gratitude, and Dein lightly smiled back before turning and walking away.
“I’ll go now. Stay safe, and don’t forget Nahun’s orders.”
“I know! Be careful!”
Dein vanished instantly. For five years, with his superior stealth, it had already become second nature. Eri stared blankly at the forest where he disappeared before heading to Chelinno City herself.
“Um?”
Eri encountered trouble just five minutes into her walk.
“Hey lady, hand over your stuff and get lost.”
“Otherwise, you’ll get it rough. We’ll spare your life but hand over what you’ve got.”
Eri remained silent, realizing these individuals were not real bandits. If they were, they’d demand surrender or resist rather than politely ask her to leave.
“Come on, why pretend to be bandits when you’re not any?”
“Wha… How did you—”
Eri observed their awkward expressions.
“Hey, has something happened in the Holy Kingdom?”
“What… What nonsense are you talking about? You don’t know what this country’s turned into, huh?”
“Huh?”
“Recently, the top brass has gone mad, or something, hunting ‘hidden demons’ and burning whole villages while dragging people to the judgment stand. You don’t know about that?”
Eri’s eyes widened in shock. The men appeared somewhat startled by her reaction.
“What… You really don’t know?”
“It’s… I’ve actually been training deep in the mountains for five years.”
“What?”
The men glanced at each other, then lowered their swords after a moment. They nodded, seemingly accepting her explanation.
“Poor thing.”
“Excuse me?”
“Looks like you lost your home and maybe your memory, huh? Things are bad here, but we’ll take care of you. Come along.”
“What??”
Eri questioned what they were talking about, but the men seemed entirely convinced of their assumptions.
“Hey, how am I supposed to believe that a girl could live alone in the mountains for five years? She’d have been branded a witch by the Holy Knights long ago.”
“Witch?”
“Right. Witch. The Grand Cathedral announced five years ago that the missing people from all over this world went to the Demon World because they were pawns of the Demon Race hiding in the Human Realm. Since then the Order of the Holy Knights has been ransacking every town and village like crazy.”
Eri’s eyes grew round in disbelief.
“It happened to our village too. The Holy Knights descended and ransacked every inch of the place, then set fire to it. They said the place needed purification because it housed witches….”
“Those lunatics. Every time I think of the children they captured then, it makes my heart ache.”
“No, wait… Are you saying the Temple really did this? Has anyone actually found any of those supposed pawns?”
At Eri’s question, the men gave a bitter chuckle.
“If they had, it wouldn’t seem so unjust, would it?”
“…”
“Anyway, come with us. We thought you were some haughty adventurer, so we tried to rob you, but since that’s not the case, we’ll take you in.”
Eri sensed something off. Why were these men so hostile towards adventurers?
“Did the adventurers do something terrible?”
“Are you serious? That girl has some memory loss, doesn’t she?”
“You don’t seem to know anything about the current situation. Must’ve lost her memory.”
The men went on, confidently assuming Eri suffered from amnesia. Eri furrowed her brow deeply and asked sharply.
“I haven’t lost my memory!”
“Oh, alright…”
“So, what did the adventurers do?”
“It’s as if they became the pawns of the Holy Knights. Some even set fire to villages themselves.”
Something didn’t seem right to Eri. That the Holy Knights could act without clear proof, and that adventurers would blindly follow them, didn’t align with her understanding of these seasoned guild members’ skepticism and independence.
“Would the Guild Masters let that happen?”
“What can they do when the Pope orders it? If he says to purge, they have to.”
“…Pope?”
“He mentioned the announcement from the Grand Cathedral just now, miss. Obviously, the Pope’s will.”
At that moment, Eri rapidly processed what she’d learned, cross-referencing it with the information she had.
‘Could it be… This is Nahun’s doing?’
She recalled the brainwashing and curse spells they had encountered while in the Demon World. If the Pope had fallen victim to something like that, this strange behavior could make sense.
‘No, that doesn’t fit.’
If Nahun had orchestrated this, surely they would have received some form of warning before departing. It didn’t seem likely that they’d send Dein and her on such a mission if such a significant infiltration had occurred in the human realm.
“Miss, will you come with us or not?”
“Ah…”
Eri lowered her head, contemplating.
“I’m sorry. Thank you for the kind offer, but I think I’m going to go somewhere else.”
“…Alright then.”
The men gave an unassuming nod and bid farewell.
“Farewell, then. I won’t make a similar offer next time we meet.”
“Yes, thank you for telling me.”
As Eri left, the men muttered, still holding onto their misconception.
“What a pity kid.”
“In our situation, who are we to worry about anyone else? Let’s go back.”
Even as they walked away, they remained convinced of their assumptions.
—
#
The capital of the Holy Kingdom, “Babylon.” Here lay the heart of the Holy Kingdom, the Grand Cathedral. This was where the leader of the Holy Kingdom, the Pope, resided. It was also home to the largest congregation of clerics from all over the world.
Deep within the center of this massive organization, the Pope’s chambers lay tucked away. This arrangement was originally designed to protect the Pope from assassins and assaults.
However, this secluded setting proved problematic for uncovering the current events affecting the Pope.
Inside the chamber, the Pope was not alone—there was also a strikingly beautiful woman with him. She whispered in a voice intoxicating to the senses.
“Are the investigations proceeding well, Your Holiness?”
“Yes, as you suggested, the entire nation has been thoroughly searched. There truly are many pawns of the Demon Race. All thanks to you.”
Her appearance was far from ordinary. She donned an almost bare garb, with strange patterns drawn over various parts of her exposed skin. Remarkably, a black tail emerged from her waist and bat-like wings spread from her back—features no human could naturally possess.
She smiled seductively and gestured with her hand. Following her movement, the Pope approached, seemingly hypnotized.
“Hm, thanks to Your Holiness’ diligence.”
“Ah, only you truly understand my toil…”
The Pope embraced the woman tightly, burying his nose into her bosom, softly repeating her name.
“…Riri.”
—
#
“Teacher.”
Seere called out to Nahun with an unusually dissatisfied look on her usually composed face. Nahun, unaware of the reason, was perplexed.
‘Did she not like where we’ve come?’
But that couldn’t be right. They had come to this location upon consultation with Bernet to ensure good scenery, serenity, and fun.
In the quiet countryside villa, the nearby stream provided a refreshing backdrop, ideal for playing.
“Do you not like the stream?”
“It’s not that…”
The place suited Seere’s preferences; peaceful and beautiful with no crowds. The sound of the babbling brook was soothing to her spirit.
But…
“Why…why has everyone come along?”
“They couldn’t leave the Demon King unaccompanied, could they?”
Seere was gazing off toward the members of the 72nd floor staff who’d accompanied them on this visit, excluding Cain, who was covering for their absence.
Rea, Cecili, and even the cook Mark and their retinue, Lin, had come along too. The absence of Nahun’s human agents seemed a small relief, but only slightly.
Seere sighed deeply. This was not what she’d wanted. She had yearned to travel alone with Nahun, hold his hand, freely express her affection, and indulge in acts of childishness that she usually couldn’t indulge due to the Demon King’s dignity.
It couldn’t be now with so many watchful eyes.
“Teacher, do you not approve of the location?”
Seere looked up at Nahun briefly. Knowing how thoroughly he must have prepared this trip for her, she decided not to continue her complaints.
Despite the disappointment, the location was indeed lovely, and the company of her familiar caretakers who’d nurtured her since childhood was somewhat comforting.
Seere relaxed her expression and smiled at Nahun.
“No, it’s actually fun that everyone came along.”
“Then that’s good.”
“Really. It’s just a little disappointing…”
“Hm?”
When Nahun tilted his head in confusion, Seere quickly diverted the topic.
“Teacher, Mark is grilling meat over there, let’s hurry!”
“Ah, okay.”
Seere naturally held Nahun’s hand, accustomed to it since her childhood. Nuhn no longer found it odd when she took the initiative.
“Let’s have fun, Teacher!”
Watching Seere’s bright smile, Nahun thought his concerns had been baseless. He smiled easily and let Seere lead him wherever she pleased.
“Then let’s have fun.”
Seere ate her fill of meat prepared by Mark. She gathered Rea, Cecili, Lin, and Nahun for a joyous time playing in the stream. Fun time passed all too quickly. Before they knew it, the sun had set and the moon was rising.
“Your Majesty, the bath has been prepared.”
“Oh, thank you, Rea.”
After bathing in warm water and feeling perfectly refreshed, Seere donned comfortable pajamas. Exiting the room, she looked around and asked.
“Teacher, where have you gone?”
“Nahun decided to take a brief walk.”
“Where? I want to go too!”
“Excuse me, Your Majesty, it’s already time for bed.”
“We’re here to relax. It’s fine to stay up a little later.”
Seere’s argument made sense since they were here to relax. Rea agreed, nodding slightly.
“I’ll prepare a coat for you. Please wait a moment, Your Majesty.”
“Okay!”
After Rea wrapped Seere in a coat that covered her entire body, she gave her a final reminder.
“Please only walk nearby. Come back if you don’t see Teacher. Should I call Director El Laze?”
“No, that won’t be necessary. I’ll just look around nearby.”
“Then please return safely, Your Majesty.”
“Okay.”
Seere left alone. After looking around briefly, she closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling for familiar magic power—Nahun’s.
Sensitive to his aura ever since childhood, she quickly pinpointed where he was.
“There you are…”
Walking briskly toward the location she’d sensed, she soon found Nahun apparently in a conversation with something.
“Teacher…”
“…The Pope?”
Nahun was reading something with a serious expression on his face, holding a paper. As he read on, his brows furrowed tightly before he promptly incinerated the paper.
Noticing Seere behind him, his eyes widened in surprise. Seere moved closer to him, clearly sensing something amiss.
“Teacher, what is it you’re reading?”
“It’s a letter from Eri.”
“Eri…?”
At that moment, Seere’s demeanor shifted.
“…That human?”
The sharp tone in Seere’s voice surprised Nahun momentarily, but he soon nodded.
“You know I’ve sent Dein and Eri to the human world, right?”
“Yes.”
“But I’ve received strange news this soon after sending them. It’s been just two days.”
“What did it say?”
“The Holy Kingdom is scouring the populace, hunting for demons.”
“Huh?”
Something wasn’t right. Seere tilted her head in confusion.
“Isn’t the leader of that country mad?”
“And if he isn’t, no sane person would do such a thing. I’ve noticed the drop in humans coming across; this must be why.”
“But, Teacher…”
“Hm?”
“Isn’t it inappropriate to stress over work when we’ve come here to relax?”
Hearing Seere’s remark, Nahun looked a little stunned. He indeed had mentioned this himself. He felt somewhat flustered realizing he’d been too focused on work.
“You’re right. We’re here to relax.”
“Think about those matters once we get back home. Will you take a walk a little longer?”
“Hm? I thought I’d—”
As Nahun was about to reply, Seere narrowed her eyes and pouted slightly, reminding him of a prior incident when a similar expression led to her falling out.
“…It’s too soon to go back. Let’s stroll a little longer, shall we?”
“Really?”
“Of course, of course.”
Cheered up, Seere grabbed Nahun’s hand and clung to his arm as she smiled. Looking at her happily attached form, Nahun thought.
‘She’s still a child.’
In doing so, he failed to notice the expression in Seere’s eyes when she held onto his hand.
‘Absolutely, absolutely.’
I’m not letting go of you, my teacher.