[PDF] CHAPTER 3

The atmosphere in Viscount Trafel’s manor was calmer than usual.

The serfs in the village at the manor’s entrance were also pensive.

Aiden examined their expressions and turned to Xerath, who was riding next to him.

“Why do all of them look like that?”

“Look over there.”

As he turned the corner, he saw the lord’s castle in the direction Xerath was pointing.

The sight of ten people hanged in the castle tower, but some of the corpses had already decayed, making them horrifying to look at.

“What? Did they stand up with a group uprising?”

“No way. The Viscount’s daughter has lost her virginity to this guy.”

Xerath pointed to the half-dead Incubus.

“For a simple reason. The Viscount judged that the guards had not done their duty.”

It was a time when people were as insignificant as flies. Aiden had grown accustomed to this type of death.

It was somewhat bittersweet. He felt as if he was slowly blending into this damn world.

“Haha, that looks uncomfortable. But if you’re in the position of the viscount, there’s nothing you can’t understand.”

“Rather than that, how long do I have to keep this bastard alive?”

“You will find out soon.”

In fact, he had guessed the reason for the demon’s capture. The viscount’s personal revenge. But does the Church caters to individual convenience? The Church Aiden was familiar with was not such a group.

When they arrived at the gates, his thoughts were cut off. A soldier rushed to greet Aiden and Xerath.

“Well, horseback riding was originally prohibited inside the castle, but the situation is different. Come on, let’s go to the hall. Be well.”

Xerath grinned.

“Looks like that venomous young girl is running rampant again. Come on, let’s go.”

There was a hall on the second floor inside. Aiden handed the horse’s reins to the coachman and said, “Master, you go first. I’m going to put this guy in jail.”

“There’s no need for that. Bring it here.”

Bringing the demon to the Lord’s castle’s inner court. It wasn’t even funny, but Xerath insisted.

Aiden was less concerned about seeing the demon. Because these people had no idea what to do.

“If my prediction is correct, the Church has gone as far as it can go.”

“If an organization is to survive, it must not ignore its benefits.”

“You could even say it’s God’s will. It’s extremely convenient.”

“It is blasphemy. Come on, let’s just ignore this one time.”

The words he wanted to say rose to the top of his throat, but he swallowed them down.

He untied the chain from the saddle, grabbed it, and climbed the stairs.

A certain high-pitched voice rang out as soon as he entered the hallway on the second floor.

“He has arrived! Hurry up and command me in front of you!”

A woman’s virulent voice. Aiden thought, maybe, that she was the demon.

“Don’t be too surprised. The Viscount’s daughter has something special about it.”

He felt like there was going to be some difficult situation.

Xerath took a deep breath and pulled the hall door from side to side.

Inside, one or two knights and the young lady. And it was crowded with the private soldiers and servants of the Viscount.

As soon as the door opened, the young lady ran out screaming.

“You bastard Sebas-!”

Both his eyes were full of life. Aiden understood her vengeance.

Now that the demon was brought here, the young lady was holding Sebas’ lifeline.

‘I’ve lost it.’

If noble hypocrisy was the power to convert others’ envy into divine power, the seeker of annihilation is a trait that boosts stats by killing demons.

Even if he has to catch a low-level demon like Sebas, the range is minimal, but the reality is that the loss of even a single stat is regrettable. It wasn’t exactly cool.

But what could he do? Aiden pulled the chains and commanded the demon at the young lady’s feet.

“What? Why were you so upset? That way, you won’t die soon.”

The young lady’s voice cooled down as she looked at Sebas.

“I was trying to make you beg me to kill you. I mean, I was trying to kill you slowly while playing with you.”

This era forces women to be chaste. Especially if you are a noble. That is why the young lady lost a lot.

Aiden knew this well, but taking a demon somewhere and torturing it was a bit difficult.

“Haha, I can’t help it. hey! Somebody come here and help me get him up.”

“You can’t do that.”

“What?”

The young lady looked up at Aiden. She glanced at Aiden’s appearance and narrowed her brow.

“Who are you to say No?”

In the young lady’s eyes, Aiden’s appearance was that of a demon hunter.

“I don’t know what he’d do if I left it alone. I’d rather kill it here.”

It was an excuse. Actually, he had to finish the work before Julie woke up.

Even then, if Sebas was still alive, Julie will not be able to escape from Magi.

The young lady frowned as if she was offended.

“Ha, I’m still annoyed. What a lowly thing to do.”

The young lady approached Aiden. Spreading her palms wide and swinging them was not a skill she had learned.

Aiden’s large hand, of course, blocked it.

“You, you now…. Are you crazy? Dare to touch the nobility? Come on, cut off this bastard’s arm! Cut it!”

The knight standing behind the young lady grabbed the hilt.

“The knight over there. Don’t act hastily. This man is a knight belonging to the Church who returned from training as a Paladin.”

At Xerath’s words, the knight could not pull out his sword. Because he knew the gap well.

Paladins were monsters that could slaughter at least a few regular knights with one hand.

In the first place, touching an aristocrat was not enough to cut his arm.

The young lady also realized her mistake and lowered her voice.

“……revealed it from the beginning.”

Aiden let out a deep sigh and released her wrist.

“I fully understand your anger. So, I will give him an acceptable death.”

Aiden immediately grabbed both of the demon’s ankles and then tear it in two like a piece of paper, the meat pieces, and the intestines. And blood spilled onto the floor.

It was an unbelievable sight for a human being. Everyone was overwhelmed and silence filled the room.

Plopp. When the young lady hit her butt in a pool of black blood, Aiden reached out his hand.

“Please be satisfied with this.”

The young lady couldn’t answer anything, just hiccupped over and over again. Inside the venue, only Xerath was smiling subtly, and no one spoke.

Then the door opened and the silence was broken.

“Bishop, you are here?”

Bishop and Viscount. The armed recruits and some priests entered the hall.

“Inquisitor, what is all this?”

“It is proof that Aiden has passed the final barrier. The young lady’s heartache was also washed away at this place.”

When the Bishop glanced at the Viscount, the Viscount turned to his daughter.

The young lady looked at Aiden, who was standing calmly and then nodded her head quickly.

The Viscount swallowed a deep sigh of relief.

“I am infinitely grateful for the sincerity of the Church.”

Aiden also turned his head to show respect to the Bishop. And when their eyes met, Aiden’s expression turned slightly puzzled.

‘Archbishop Forel?’

It was because this man, who was smiling benevolently, was a very bothersome individual.

If Xerath was an ambiguous character in the game, Archbishop Forel was an outright villain.

Demon Hunters, Knights, Wizards, Adventurers, Merchants, Paladins, and so on. No matter which route you take, you will encounter Forel at least once.

I’d only bump into it in the middle of the game, but I couldn’t figure out why this guy was here right now.

‘It seems that he is still a bishop.’

Should I cut the buds right away? For a moment, such concerns crossed his mind, but not now. Because if he harms an innocent bishop, he can turn the Church into an enemy.

There were many eyes, including Xerath.

“You are the famous Aiden. Nice to meet you. I’m Forel of the Southwestern Parish Office.”

“It is an honor to meet you too. Bishop.”

As Forel beckoned, the recruits quickly retrieved the demon’s corpse.

“I’m sorry, but can I ask for your understanding before you can relieve the fatigue of the journey?”

“Please speak comfortably.”

“Thank you. Actually, I want to informally proceed with your ordination as a Paladin here.”

Something strange was going on. It was common for the ordination ceremony of the Paladin to be held at the Church headquarters.

It was a tradition for the Pope to appoint them himself. Was there something important enough to ignore it? To be honest, it was okay for Aiden, but he asked first.

“May I ask why?”

“I have caught a situation where the Demonic Cult is active here in the south.”

Demonicism was the main enemy of Baranchesism. It was interpreted as a demon worship cult, but in fact, it was a route that the player could choose.

Dark Priest, Necromancer, Dark Knight, etc. Occupations were also very diverse.

“If it’s a Demonic Cult…”

“They are ungodly bastards. The children of the South are disappearing. It’s an established fact that these guys are doing it.”

At the word ‘children’, Aiden grasped Forel’s intention.

Pedophile, Archbishop Forel.

{T/N:- I will post the raws of this part in the translator’s notes. In case, there is a translation error, do point it out.}

“I don’t want anything more if you join the subjugation team. As you know, Paladins are precious, aren’t they?”

At this point, most of the Paladins must have gathered at the Church headquarters.

This is because there were discussions about reclaiming the Holy Land.

It was a time when the Paladins, who were already lacking, were more precious. Of course, if it goes with the flow, the first expedition will be canceled.

“I have already accepted the offer of His Holiness the Pope. If you agree, you will be appointed here. Would you like to join us?”

There was no option of refusal. Aiden was rather willing. He was able to save time traveling to and from the Church headquarters.

Above all, it is possible to pluck out the buds of Forel before they even germinate.

“I learned that the will of the Church is the will of God. I will respond to this glorious opportunity.”

The bishop smiled benevolently.

“I will remember your dedication. God bless you.”

The bishop clapped his hands, refreshing the atmosphere.

A recruit handed the bishop a sword and the Holy Book.

Xerath scanned the crowd.

“Everyone, get down on your knees.”

Everyone, aristocrats and commoners, knelt facing each other with Aiden and the bishop in between.

The sword touched Aiden’s shoulder.

“Here, a child born with God’s blessing has grown up receiving God’s grace, and now wants to become God’s sword. If God permits, your eyes will illuminate the night and tear the dark darkness…”

A long reading followed. Aiden lowered his head calmly, acting with a reverent expression.

Then the bishop concluded and closed the Holy Book.

“Aiden. Will you dedicate your sword to God?”

“It is a dedication.”

“Get up.”

The bishop nodded in satisfaction.

“You are an official Paladin from now on. You have the power to make a judgment call, and no one other than the Church can disarm you or arrest you.”

A few soldiers groaned and entered the hall with huge holy armor and a holy sword.

They were made of minerals with the highest strength and were plated with platinum.

Xerath shook his head.

“I am amazed every time I see it. Wearing something like that to fight.  Are paladins not human? Aiden, what do you think?”

Instead of answering, Aiden took over the arms with one hand. He put on an expression that Xerath was very fed up with.

“It may sound absurd, but that’s the reality. I’ll give you some recruits, so can you move tonight?”

Even when the old man was in heat, he seemed to be very firm. Aiden nodded his head, not showing his disgust.

“I will live up to your expectations. Bishop.”