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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Ambiguous Emotions Ruin the Lines
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"Name?"
"Will you believe me if I tell you?"
"Judging by your attitude, probably not. Still, let's hear it."
"Order of St. John."
"What?"
The catfolk woman's eyes widened. She quickly glanced toward the door. No sign anyone else was listening. The catfolk woman narrowed her eyes.
"Balthazar. No need for the family name."
"And you come right out with it like this? What's your game?"
Her voice lost some of its bravado, but sharpened all the same. Her eyes turned venomous.
"You stir up a fuss the moment you arrive. Show up at our secret base yourself! I already sent the monthly report! This is my life on the line too!"
Even the Holy Pantheon of Good Gods had spies for heretical faiths and traitors within the church. The corruption of devils was something that could never be fully eradicated. But conversely.
The devil cults also always had infiltrators hidden among them. In cults that couldn't be wiped out in one go, or where it was more beneficial to observe than purge immediately.
[De'Rakaz Swarm]. A massive faction of devil worshippers operating from the southern jungles to the western great plains, and as far as the Kirazat Sultanate.
They weren't the type to vanish just because one branch was uprooted.
From memories of his past life, early in the Great War, one branch of the De'Rakaz Swarm had suddenly betrayed them, striking a major blow to the rear lines.
That betraying branch had allied with the 3rd Reverse Cross Society, led by Lord Beilston.
Considering the 3rd Reverse Cross Society was made up of remnants of the fallen Order of St. John, the leader of that betraying branch had to have ties to the Order of St. John.
The question was when they joined hands.
Fernandez chuckled as he dipped bread into soup laced with narcotics. Watching him, Persitt gave a strange smile.
"That soup's probably poisoned, you know?"
Was she planning to blackmail him with an antidote? Fernandez took a big bite of the bread anyway.
"I know. Maxancho, right?"
"...You know and you're still eating it?"
"Next time you poison suspicious types, at least refine it first. You know alchemy, old hag."
Persitt frowned at Fernandez's tone.
She slowly raised her tail, ringing the bell once. With a patter of footsteps, a ruffian entered.
"Karl. Pull the kids back."
"B-Bishop. Is that wise?"
"Yes. This one's legit church. Go."
"Yes! Oh, brother. Sorry... Huh? You can't eat that!"
"It's fine. Go."
The ruffian left with a puzzled look. The presence of others around faded away. Only then did Persitt bow her head deeply and whisper.
"Doing something this risky means it's important, right?"
"I want to meet the lizard bastards."
"Demdrizad? Those lunatics? Dangerous, isn't it?"
"We're not strangers today, are we? Thanks for the concern."
Persitt made a face like she wanted to throttle him, then burst out laughing. Fair enough—who cared if a guy like this got his guts ripped out?
"Fine. I'll tell you. Head to 15 Market Street, find the slaver Jason. He supplies ritual sacrifices to the Demdrizad. Don't let them tail you—we'll play dumb."
"I don't like complicated routes..."
"That's all I know! They're real maniacs, so we couldn't plant a deep info network. One slip and they gut you for sacrifice..."
They were that reckless? They were an extreme bunch among the cults, sure... Fernandez frowned.
"They pull that shit and still have power left?"
"It's just a rumor, but..."
Persitt lowered her voice further.
"They say even the Patrol Captain's in their pocket. Recent disappearances are their doing too... An inquisitor sniffed it out a while back..."
Inquisitor? Fernandez flinched in surprise, and Persitt giggled.
"Yeah, inquisitor. Scary, huh? Anyway. One inquisitor went undercover. Requested backup from the Patrol Captain... And that was the end of it."
Persitt mimed slitting her throat. To a savage beastfolk, even from the same civilized society, inquisitors were objects of contempt and fear.
As a catfolk, and leader of a heretical branch, she hid none of her disgust.
"That Patrol Captain... What's his name?"
"Baron Baylor Sebastian."
-Bam!
Fernandez shot to his feet, banging his thigh on the wooden table. Persitt startled back.
"W-What's wrong, Bishop?"
"N-No, it's nothing. I'm fine."
Persitt waved off the ruffian who'd rushed in, staring at Fernandez in confusion. The man's face, so consistently relaxed, had hardened.
"What's up?"
"One of our knight brothers from the Order went to meet that guy."
"Oh... I'll pray for his soul."
"Damn it. Where's the garrison captain's mansion?"
"From the central square fountain, right-side street. The gate with the lion statue."
As Fernandez hurriedly dressed to leave, Persitt gently caught his sleeve.
"I get you're off to die. But answer one thing."
"What?"
"How's Severus? No replies to letters lately..."
Persitt's eyes softened sweetly. Her catfolk turquoise irises curved gently. Fernandez just blinked in bewilderment.
"...Severus?"
"Oh, pardon me. How rude."
Persitt took his reaction as a reprimand for her impropriety. She cleared her throat and asked carefully.
"Sir Severus Beilston."
"Sir Beilston... Uh, yeah, he's fine. Of course."
The great hero Lord Beilston from his past life... His name was definitely Gail Beilston? Bits of info swirled in Fernandez's head.
Gail Beilston was half-savage. Why would the De'Rakaz Swarm suddenly side with the Order forty years from now...?
If that guy's father was a twenty-year-old kid now... Then his mother was...?
"Ha. What a mess."
Fernandez chuckled. Love, friendship, admiration... These ambiguous emotions always ruined the lines.
He shook his head. Sensing something in that, Persitt blushed.
-We're no different. Ambiguous feelings, I mean.
Feizashi, who'd appeared behind him, muttered. Fernandez shrugged and left the drug den.
*
The beggars in the drug den alley eyed Fernandez passing through the dark path. Not the safest street for a young boy. He grimaced as he felt a hand reaching for his shoulder.
-Whistle, thud!
"Gah!"
"Who're you?"
Fernandez grabbed the hand on his shoulder and hurled the man forward hard. The burly-looking thug crashed into the alley wall and tumbled.
"Urk... ugh..."
-Crack.
"Gaaaaah!!"
Fernandez stomped the gasping man's chest and pressed. The man convulsed, foaming at the mouth.
His eyes were glazed. Narcotics addict? But why...?
Then an arrow flew at him.
-Whistle!
"Hup!"
From the dark alley, a lacquered arrow streaked in. He barely twisted his waist away on sound alone. Strands of hair near his ear fluttered, sliced off.
Glazed-eyed men appeared at both ends of the alley.
Shooting arrows too? Not mere thugs. These were prepared. Fernandez felt an odd texture on the wall he leaned against.
"Huh?"
-Shaaa!
The alley walls crawled with small lizards and snakes. A dull stench of magic wafted. Fernandez drew his dagger.
"Demdrizad. Why not jump me right away?"
[Didn't want to fight the De'Rakaz cat.]
"And I'm fine?"
[Curious about you. Inquisitor? Temple knight? Or... another sect? What's your tie to the De'Rakaz cat?]
-Crack!
Fernandez stabbed his dagger into the lunging man's collarbone. The man spasmed briefly.
-Gotta break through.
"I know."
No intention of fighting in a devil worshipper's trap unprepared.
He half-ignored Feizashi, using the fallen man's corpse as a shield.
-Thud thud thud.
Arrows thudded into the man's back. Blood spurted with each, splattering Fernandez's cheek. At least two archers, judging by direction and timing.
Impressive rapid fire. Fernandez dashed, holding the body one-handed.
Fallen addicts staggered up, grabbing ankles and sleeves, but got dragged along instead.
[Impressive strength for your size. Really human?]
"Guess."
The alley's end neared. The drag on his legs grew. But he couldn't stop. More yellow viper eyes fixed on him from the walls.
-Thud thud thud!
"Hraaah!"
Another volley of arrows, then pause. Fernandez roared, hurling the ragdoll corpse.
He burst out, spotting the archers. Gaunt, glazed eyes—standard addicts. Where'd they get bows and lacquered arrows?
Fernandez swung at a man dropping his bow for a dagger.
-Smack!
The man's jaw twisted, head snapping back. He groaned and fell. Fernandez flung his dagger backward.
-Splurt!
It buried in another's forehead. He staggered and flopped. Bouncing addicts rose unsteadily. Fernandez raised his fists.
-No more weapons?
"Nah. Left 'em."
-Foolish. Black mages always prepare for the worst.
"Coming with a greatsword would draw eyes in a rough spot..."
Anyway, five addicts he could shake. But not just these vagrants or wall snakes.
The fishy hell-magic scent thickened.
-Squelch!
He punched a lunging snake aside, diving into the addicts. At least their bodies blocked the snakes.
-Thud! Smack!
Fernandez moved like a lion among sheep.
His foundational martial arts and survival skills mastered back in his Wildcast wandering mage days. Add Religiosa Demonica baptism's body enhancement, and these vagrants were no match.
-Smack!
Twisting and snapping the last standing addict's arm, Fernandez scanned around.
The snakes mostly just watched, occasional lunges aside. No clue why.
"Too easy?"
-That's taboo!
"Superstition..."
-Boom!!!
The alley wall exploded, revealing a giant. A humanoid lizard covered in blue scales.
Its eyes flashed, reeking of potent hell magic. Fernandez stepped back.
"Not superstition. That a Demidraco?"
-Young one, but yes.
"Crazy. Why's a real devil strolling a material-plane city?"
-Something's off. Demdrizad shouldn't be active for decades yet...
"Looks like our 'Arkanjelo' stirred them up."
Zephys rampaging must've rattled them. A devil in the city center wasn't in their plans yet.
-What now?
"They don't know who I am yet—means our 'Arkanjelo' is alive."
-Probably.
"Then time to teach 'em. Feizashi."
-Hm?
Fernandez straightened, facing the approaching lizard giant.
When two pissed-off Religiosa Demonica inquisitors are around, the attitude devils should have.
He swallowed those words, charging the lizard.
He grinned. One juvenile Demidraco... Fernandez was glad to see a devil.
*