After deciding to investigate the Heresy Tribunal’s prison, they left the task force office when Masain made a peculiar remark.
“Although I’m still a little worried about entering the Heresy Tribunal, His Majesty assured me that it should be fine now.”
“……?”
The tone suggested that, up until recently, it was a place one shouldn’t set foot in.
“Why? Is there a problem with the Heresy Tribunal?”
At Seongjin’s question, Masain made an ambiguous face, as if he was smiling or perhaps not.
“…No, not anymore. It should be a good thing now. I misspoke for no reason.”
Avoiding further questioning by hurriedly averting his gaze, he disappeared down the road, saying he would call a carriage.
Hmm, something seems suspicious.
Another unsettling factor remained. While waiting for the carriage in front of the administrative building and shaking off the scent of perfume, the previously quiet Demon King suddenly groaned.
[What if we’re so focused on Lophellum’s eggs that we’re missing something important?]
‘Well, Lophellum’s eggs are parasitic in humans, so it makes sense to focus on them, right?’
[If it was a successful parasitism, maybe. But why bother with a host who will eventually die anyway?]
Is it really impossible that the demon beasts themselves hatched the eggs? To Seongjin’s question, the Demon King firmly denied.
[Didn’t I tell you? Lophellum avoids animals with high body temperatures like humans. Moreover, their ovipositors are surprisingly small, so they can’t create large wounds. This has to be a case where the eggshell had hardened to some extent before being implanted.]
I see. The fact that the implanted location is always the same is also odd.
Just above the sternum. I don’t know for sure, but perhaps that’s the environment where Lophellum’s eggs can survive the longest.
The conversation paused momentarily, as the carriage soon arrived.
Seongjin and Masain climbed into the carriage. Of course, Seongjin didn’t forget to shake off the perfume and fully open the window.
[…It’s strange. Why purposely kill the eggs inside a human’s body? Why?]
In the carriage, the Demon King continued to brood and sigh.
Is there even anything to worry about? Isn’t it enough for the Heresy Tribunal to just find the spy who planted the egg and get rid of him?
[It’s not that simple!]
The Demon King flared up.
[Don’t you get it? There might be another life similar to Lophellum that even I, the Demon King of Gehenna, don’t know about. Whoever spies planting the egg knows that. This is now a matter of my pride versus his!]
Ah, I see.
Seongjin responded vaguely and closed his eyes, thinking that everything would be resolved once they reached the Heresy Tribunal.
However, things didn’t go as smoothly as expected. Seongjin and his companions were stopped by the knights and guards of Saint Marcias right at the entrance of the Heresy Tribunal.
“Heresy Tribunal does not allow random entry from outsiders.”
A stern-looking, sturdy knight narrowed his eyes as he blocked Seongjin’s way.
“Your Highness, are you a member of the Heresy Tribunal? Or are you a witness or defendant in a case?”
Knowing well that Seongjin was neither, it felt like the knight was unnecessarily flexing his muscles. An inexplicable sense of hostility emanated from his demeanor. For some reason, Seongjin thought he might be one of the knights who had surrounded the Pearl Palace during the Diggory incident.
Masain stepped forward.
“This is an investigation regarding a serious incident threatening the imperial palace. Therefore, Sir…”
“Inquisitor Paris.”
“Yes, Sir Paris. This is part of an investigation led by the Monster Special Task Force, so we request your cooperation.”
Ha. A Monster Special Task Force!
At Masain’s words, the knight snorted and raised an eyebrow.
“Do you have an official letter of cooperation?”
“That…”
Masain was at a loss for words.
There was no way they would have that.
Initially, there was no official stance on the monsters from the Holy Assembly. The duties of the special unit had not yet been defined, and the investigation itself was merely Seongjin moving around whenever he had the spare time.
‘But this is rather sly.’
Seongjin was quietly staring at that knight called Paris when it happened. Someone passing through the Heresy Tribunal’s entrance, discovered Seongjin at the front, and looked visibly flinched.
That person hurriedly approached, soon standing next to Knight Paris and began to intensely stare at Seongjin’s face.
He was a gaunt middle-aged man in priestly robes, holding a large holy scripture. Despite his relatively young age, his back was noticeably hunched.
Not only Seongjin’s group was startled. Knight Paris asked with a suspicious expression due to the unexpected situation.
“Brother Hayes, what brings you here?”
However, the priest named Hayes did not answer Paris’ question. He just stared at Seongjin as if entranced.
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Masain instinctively blocked the space between him and Seongjin. The man then softly asked Seongjin,
“…I never expected you to come here yourself.”
Did he know Morres?
While Seongjin was hesitating on how to respond, the man interrupted his thoughts with another question.
“Has the time finally come?”
“…?”
It was an incomprehensible question.
However, sensing an inexplicable zeal in the man’s eyes, Seongjin felt an odd premonition that he shouldn’t ignore him.
“…Yes.”
Seongjin slowly nodded, meeting the man’s gaze.
“I had thought it was a far-off future. Have you truly made up your mind?”
“…?”
Well, since I don’t really understand, let’s just agree for now.
“Yes.”
As if ripples were forming on a quiet lake, a smile gradually spread across the man’s face. The change was so serene yet intensely passionate that even Knight Paris stared at his face in astonishment for a moment.
“Ah…”
He closed his eyes and sighed softly.
“It’s been a long wait. Finally, the end of all this suffering is in sight.”
The man took a step back and spoke to Seongjin in a polite bow. For some reason, his demeanor seemed oddly uplifting.
“Everything will happen as you have foretold.”
And then he turned his body, and swiftly walked back into the Heresy Tribunal.
…What was that just now?
“Your Highness, do you know him? What did you talk about?”
Masain asked with a puzzled look on his face, but Seongjin had no specific answer. He just had a feeling that if he simply let him go, he might miss some crucial clue.
Could he be related to the previous Morres in some way?
It wasn’t just Seongjin who felt something from the man. The demon king, who had been silent for a while, suddenly whispered to him.
[Hey, I’m not sure if it’s just me, but doesn’t that guy seem weird?]
‘How so?’
[Very faint, but I feel something familiar. Just like a demon or something…]
‘…Could it be?’
Is it him? Could he be the one who planted that egg?
Seongjin turned his head to look back, but Priest Hayes had already disappeared into the Heresy Tribunal building.
[Hm, I didn’t sense any demonic essence or egg from him.]
The demon king paused, but his voice lacked confidence.
[I just feel a very faint trace of demonic energy from him. Why is that?]
‘……’
He wanted to go after the priest right away, but the guards led by Paris were still eyeing him and his party warily.
Is it too risky right now? Should I wait for that Hayes priest to get off work?
As Seongjin was pondering while staring at the Heresy Tribunal building, Masain asked him again.
“Your Highness, what command did you give him? What is he going to do?”
“I don’t know either.”
“What?”
Seongjin shrugged his shoulders toward Masain, whose eyes widened in surprise.
“I just felt like I had to say something, so I replied vaguely. What could possibly happen? What can he even do……”
But Seongjin couldn’t finish his sentence.
Boom!
A loud explosion occurred, and a corner of the Heresy Tribunal building crumbled.
“……!?”
Not only Seongjin and his party but also the guards at the entrance, including Paris, were staring up, their mouths agape.
What?
Then, a series of smaller explosions followed.
Bang! Rumble! Boom! Creak!
The building of the Heresy Tribunal trembles with a shock. Dark smoke starts to seep out of a collapsed wall, making it evident that something quite abnormal was happening inside.
“Uaaahh! Kyaaaah!” Screams resounded from everywhere.
Soon after, people in priestly robes rushed out of the Tribunal building in a panic.
“Uaaaaaaah!”
“What on Earth is going on? What’s all this commotion?”
Sir Paris rushed to grab one of the priests and questioned him, but the man just quivered in fear, his face twisted in terror.
“Let go of me! Let me go! Hell, hell has opened! Oh, Lord…”
“What the—!”
Sir Paris clenched his teeth and turned to Seongjin and his companions.
“Do not move recklessly here, do you understand?”
Then he quickly disappeared into the Heresy Tribunal building with the guards.
“…Your Highness.”
Masain, who was blankly staring at the rising smoke as if lost in thought, mumbles.
“Have I ever said that you seem to bring incidents and accidents wherever you go?”
What, why would I?!
Although he guesses that his earlier answer to Hayes might be the root cause, still…
Seongjin felt deeply wronged.
And soon, the Demon King warned him in a low voice.
[Seongjin, it’s a monster. The monsters are coming!]
Seongjin immediately sensed that familiar presence.
Swish.
In an instant, he was gripping his familiar Nutcracker in his right hand.
Boom! Bam!
Immediately afterward, with a disturbingly loud flapping noise, numerous monsters the size of large dogs flew out from the ruined building.
At first glance, they appeared to be giant pumpkin wasps, but their bodies were covered with sharp green spikes instead of fur, and their large compound eyes were emitting a bizarre red glow. The menacing-looking creatures swung their massive, black, poisonous stingers from their rears.
“What… what are those, Your Highness!”
Masain, pulling out his sword glowing in a faint golden light, asked Seongjin in an urgent voice.
Why do people like Masain, or even at the Diggory estate, think that I would know everything about what’s happening?
Unfortunately, this time, Seongjin did know.
“They’re called Vespa Pumpkins! They’re demons from Gehenna! Not only can they fly, but they also move really quickly, making them pretty tricky to deal with.”
Normally, the monsters weren’t that aggressive towards humans.
Of course, it’s rare for them to attack first, but they would naturally retaliate against hostile humans. The venomous sting of that creature had enough power to kill a moderately strengthened Hunter in an instant.
However, those creatures soared up from the rooftop, making a loud “boong boong” noise as they circled around for a while, then swiftly flew off towards the downtown area.
If it were the old Seongjin, he could’ve leapt high and knocked them down to the ground just with the shockwave of his fist. But now, all he could do was blankly watch them disappear into the far sky.
What’s going on? They seem to be flying away without hesitation, as if they have a destination in mind?
His curiosity lasted only a moment. Seongjin turned his head back towards the Heresy Tribunal building.
Kuahng! Kuahng! Euaahhak!
Inside, the sound of something breaking and screams still didn’t stop. Something was still causing havoc inside.
“Your Highness…”
Masain called him with an anxious voice, as if wanting to stop whatever he was planning to do.
However, Seongjin briefly glanced at his face and turned back around, running towards the Heresy Tribunal building.
[Seongjin! There are various types of monsters inside! Spiders, ants, and hornets!]
The Demon King excitedly yelled in his mind.
[I’ve figured it out now! I know what the commonality is among the gathered monsters!]
Upon entering the building lobby, the battered security guards limped past Seongjin. The paladins, supporting a few priests, also glanced at him before rushing out the entrance.
Bang!
Soon after, the floor crumbled and a massive, spiky-legged arthropod creature emerged. Each of its joints nearly reached 3 meters; it was gigantic.
The creature touched the ground and then swiftly expanded the hole, pulling its body upwards. Eight red, glass-like eyes peeked out.
Soon, its full form was revealed—a colossal monster that filled and even overflowed the spacious lobby of the Heresy Tribunal. Its height reached nearly to the ceiling of the lobby, and its body length looked to be at least 7 meters.
Thud. Thud.
Seongjin could never forget that frictional sound every time the creature moved its legs.
The same spider that had mercilessly killed his comrades on the front lines of the city of Paju.
Ahahahaha.
Seongjin found himself laughing uncontrollably. Whether it was anger or delight, even he couldn’t tell. All he knew was that his limbs began to tingle and his blood started to boil.
The moment the following paladin, Masain, saw the spider and disgustingly unsheathed his sword with a grim face.
“Your Highness!”
Crack.
Ignoring Masain’s cry, Seongjin stomped on the ground.
