Demon – Part 01
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Translator: Kell
Interlude: Magnanimity’s Endgame
It was a necessary evil on an extremely large scale.
With the Murky Darkness Witch reigning over the world as the absolute evil, the Church and witches would have no choice but to band together. Alone, they stood no chance, but together, they could vanquish their common foe. Together they could defeat the Murky Darkness Witch and bring true peace to the world.
It was a terribly drawn-out, yet certain plan.
“With my help, the plan will be set in stone. Am I right, Master?”
“Indeed. I am glad to have a smart daughter.”
In the middle of Generos, an island floating in the frozen sea, stood a small cathedral, where Zero confronted her master and mother, the Murky Darkness Witch. Not to fight—no, but to join hands in bringing peace to the world.
Zero flashed a bitter smile. “You are one terrifying witch,” she said. “I expected nothing less from my mother, my master. You gave me life, raised me, and made me write the Grimoire of Zero. You then let Thirteenth take the book to the outside world to create witches who could fight. What is even more terrifying is that we did it all of our own volition. Not once did we consider that we were being manipulated.”
“I simply gave it time. Nothing more, nothing less. Had you not written the grimoire, this plan would not have even been possible. You were the key to my plan, the very thing I wanted. I can now say that I truly love you with all my heart, Zero.”
In all the years she spent in the cellar, Zero never once saw the Murky Darkness Witch talking cheerfully. She was both eerie and bizarre; she always looked bored and sleepy, yet she seemed to be carrying something unfathomable within.
Zero never thought she would see the day when the witch would look at her with such loving eyes.
“Come,” the witch beckoned, and Zero stepped forward. “Let us be evil together. For the world we love.”
An idiot stealing one of the horses on the day of the departure to Wenias wouldn’t ruin their schedule. The priest, in particular, was the key to their defense. He couldn’t leave the ranks, so he shouldn’t be able to come after me.
I had wasted seven days of my time trying to outsmart that homicidal priest. Well, it wasn’t a complete waste. I learned how to walk properly and wield a one-handed sword.
“I got myself a horse, at least.” Muttering to myself, I turned the horse’s head toward the frozen sea.
Snow as smooth as sand had blanketed the frozen sea, creating strange wave-like patterns as the wind blew. Everything was white, the sky, the ground. Wearing bear fur, I could tell that I stood out in this white landscape like a stain. Had I kept my white fur, I would have blended in perfectly with the scenery.
The moisture from my breath froze and fell like tiny icicles, and my fingertips were red and numb from the cold. Even though I had covered my eyes, nose, and mouth with a cloth, the cold air threatened to freeze my body from the inside out.
The priest kept telling me that the human body was fragile, and coming here was suicide. I now realized he wasn’t exaggerating. He showed concern, in his own way. We had not known each other for very long, but I knew his personality.
Still, I couldn’t just leave. I couldn’t retreat to the safety of Wenias and leave Zero in this cold landscape. Explaining myself would not have worked. So I tricked him.
He would be furious, shocked, spitting curses, but he would depart as planned. Putting the group over the individual was the Church’s basic philosophy.
At least that’s what I thought.
A black shadow appeared on the white landscape. I looked up at the sky, and my jaws dropped.
“A dragon?”
It was circling above me, slowly descending, the Dragon King Gouda holding its reins. Before the creature could land, a slender silhouette jumped down to block the horse’s path. He landed with such grace, the long hem of his priest attire flaring, that I almost whistled.
Dea Ignis. The title alone was dreadful enough, but the rage oozing from his body seemed to melt the snow around him.
“I didn’t expect you to borrow the dragon just to chase a single mercenary,” I joked.
The human face was too expressive. I wasn’t sure what kind of face I was making right now, but I was hoping I wore a bitter smirk as I pulled my coat tighter.
“I’ll use anything to bring back a friend who wants to throw his life away.”
I was taken back at the mention of the word friend. I was suddenly reminded of what I had given up, what I cast aside, to be here.
“I’m both flattered and creeped out that you feel that way about me,” I replied.
The priest, his expression still, kept both hands on his staff and didn’t move a muscle. He was intimidating. Even now that I was human, I was still bigger than him. Yet the instincts I had honed over my years as a mercenary told me that he was stronger.
The priest opened his mouth slowly. “Apparently I was not the only one to think so. Get on the dragon. I will take the horse.”
Mounted on the horse, I stared at the priest. For a few seconds we only stared at each other, until a frustrated sigh from him ended it.
“How can I make you understand that there’s no point in chasing her. Zero abandoned you.”
“No,” I declared immediately.
There was a part of me that believed Zero left me behind for a reason. And until I found out what it was, I would never have peace.
“Face reality. She left you in an extremely cold forest. You would have frozen to death had I not rushed over with the Director. Although not directly, Zero tried to kill you.”
“No.”
“She was using you from the start! Whether as a toy or as camouflage, I don’t know. But there was no bond between you two. Zero ignored the Mooncaller’s message and forced the Knights Templar to Knox Cathedral, fully aware of the danger. She risked thousands of lives to make her trip to the Altar easier. She used everyone, like the witch she is.”
“You’re wrong!”
“How can you be so sure?!”
“Because I believe in her! I don’t need any other reason!”
I had thought enough about all the things the priest said the night Zero abandoned me. That she was only using me. That to her, I was worthless. Humans were worthless. That there was no point in chasing her. That the right thing to do was be grateful that I was alive and head back to Wenias.
But I was sure he was wrong. Zero pleaded with me to run away with her. She smiled, saying she would protect me. She rejoiced at the taste of food, wept at the death of her brother, and was enraged at the arrogance of Orlux.
“She’s only human,” I said. “A human who’s lived longer than normal, is unusually strong, naive, gluttonous, and thinks she can solve everything on her own.”
“Then she’s probably already dead on the way to the Altar. There’s no point in chasing after her. Turn back.”
I shook my head silently. I had not the slightest intention of turning back. Drawing my sword, I dismounted.
“Out of my way, priest. If you think she’s dead, so be it. Just assume I’m dead too. Now return to Knox Cathedral and head to Wenias.”
The priest also shook his head. “I will not leave anyone behind. I will never let anyone die on their own. Put down your sword. Do you think you can win against me with that human body?”
“Good question. But I wouldn’t have stolen a horse and come all the way here just to back down without a fight.”
The priest’s mouth gaped open and shut several times as he searched for words to say. When he finally found them, he shook his head and pushed them to a corner of his mind. He readied his staff; he was underestimating me by not using its blade.
I gripped my sword tight and charged forward. The sword was too heavy that I couldn’t it swing it the way I wanted to. Deftly avoiding my attack, the priest struck me hard on the back with his staff.
I managed to get my staggering body back on its feet, but when I turned around, the priest was gone.
“Now what?” His voice came from my blind spot.
As soon as I realized he was behind me, he hit the back of my knee. Unable to keep standing, I fell to my knees, with the end of the priest’s staff at my neck. The fight was over in an instant.
“What’s your next move? Use your explosives to commit suicide?” Boredom tinged his voice.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I tried. Guess I really can’t do anything.”
“As long as you’re a normal human, you’ll never win. Ever.”
“Being in this body really made me realize how incredible you are. To think we were evenly matched when I was still a monster.”
“Evenly matched? Please don’t make me laugh. I lost to you all the time. Yet in spite of that, Zero still dismissed you as a liability. Even in your Beastfallen form she deemed you worthless.” He lowered his staff.
I turned around to see the priest staring down at me with a grim look. The dragon was circling up above.
“Do you think Zero needs the current you? If you make it to the Altar, do you really believe she will welcome you?”
“I doubt it.”
“Then why?!”
“Remember what I told you before? The one about how my words and opinions won’t change her mind.”
He arched an eyebrow. When the priest asked me to convince Zero to forget about the Altar and instead escort them to Wenias, I told him that nothing I could do could change her mind.
Wearing a puzzled look, he gave a small nod.
“The same goes for me. I don’t give a shit what she thinks or does. I will do what I want, and I’m gonna go after her. I don’t care if she doesn’t want me to.”
“You might get killed.”
“If I turn back now, I’m dead anyway.” I tapped my chest. “When she plunged that knife into my chest, she took my heart out and my will to live along with it. I can’t live unless I see her again and take it back.”
The priest’s jaws dropped in astonishment. I was shocked at myself too. I knew how stupid that sounded. But I was tired of wondering why. Why did she choose me? Why did she leave me? What does she want?
How should I know? I could rack my brain all day and night and I would never understand. Maybe she was planning to deceive me from the beginning. Maybe she had a reason. I had absolutely no idea about anything.
But one thing was for sure. I chose her. That I was certain of. I didn’t care if she betrayed me.
“Don’t you feel embarrassed saying that?” the priest asked.
“I lost all my dignity when she left me in the woods. I don’t even care at this point. Keep the shame coming.”
The priest looked up at the gray sky. “What a hopeless case.” He signaled the dragon.
“I said I’m not going back!”
“Do what you want. I’m not stopping you. In fact, stopping you is so idiotic that I’ve decided to leave your sins to the will of God.”
“What?”
“You will be banished by the dragon, a symbol of holiness, to the Devil’s Garden. If you manage to return with your own ability, your sins will be forgiven; if you cannot, you will be banished forever. You will come with me back to town for now so I can make a public announcement. We’re about to embark on a long journey. I don’t want rumors spreading that a criminal escaped from the Knights Templar and Dea Ignis.”
I stared at the priest and the dragon as it descended, mouth agape.
Banished to the land of demons by a sacred dragon?
“So you’re gonna take me to the Altar?”
“I’m banishing you,” the priest corrected sharply, as if telling me to choose my words carefully.
For the first time I felt like I understood the meaning of the word “friend”.
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