The Archmage looked at the person dragged in by the Inquisitor and some priests who’d been responding to an urgent request, then looked at the Inquisitor, and then looked at the other person again.
“It seems you mistook the Demon Knight for a Demon Contractor…”
She sighed.
“As expected…”
Although they’d relayed the Demon Knight’s appearance to the Temple, it was a far from perfect measure. There was an inevitable discrepancy between just hearing his description and meeting him in person.
“I… still find it hard to believe. How can someone possessing Demonic Energy…”
“The Demon Knight is different from those Demon Worshipers!”
“How can you be so sure of that?!”
Of course, in the Demon Knight’s case, his hair color alone was already distinct enough to identify him… but there were some who, like that inquisitor, had neither the will nor focus to remember even that detail.
Even when given a list of unique characteristics or told about someone’s most striking features, there were some who couldn’t keep those things in mind until the person was standing right in front of them.“Even God has warned us to be wary of the Demons’ cunning!”
And when you factored someone’s hatred and contempt for something into that, talking to them any further was pointless.
For such people, no amount of explanation could expand their vision.
“How could we let someone like that…!”
“Enough! That’s enough, Inquisitor Daniel.”
“Bishop!”
“I said, enough.”
Only those of higher authority or greater power could restrain them.
“But…!”
The Archmage let out a weak sigh at that point. This was why she’d tried to bring the Demon Knight directly to the Temple. She felt a little regretful.
“Inquisitor Daniel, do you think I’m doing this because I don’t understand your circumstances or feelings? If you believe that, I’d suggest you spend some time in the confessional.”
“…Bishop.”
“Take a moment to calm yourself. You are far too emotional right now, Inquisitor Daniel.”
Improving relations and learning their schedule aside, the fastest way to inform the parish of the Demon Knight’s existence was simply to bring him here in person.
They would just show the Demon Knight to everyone and urge them not to be hostile toward him.
“I assure you, I’m perfectly rational.”
“I wouldn’t call someone who refuses to accept a suggestion or even pretend to be persuaded rational. So I’ll ask again: are you sure of your answer?”
“…I will take my leave.”
Moreover, doing this helped quickly identify those who prioritized their personal convictions and emotions over the Temple’s decision.
While the Demon Knight was unpacking, they could always preoccupy that inquisitor by sending him to the confessional like they had now or on errands so he wouldn’t cross paths with the Demon Knight. Even if they sent him out on an errand, they could always call him back—since the Demon Knight always took a bath after unpacking, there was plenty of time.
“…I apologize. Daniel is quite unyielding…”
“No, it’s fine. I can understand his actions. I’ve been like that before as well…”
However, if they parted ways the moment they entered a new city like they did today, these kinds of incidents might happen more frequently in the future.
But they couldn’t force him to come to the Temple when he felt uncomfortable there, either.
“I would like to ask… that you make sure the same thing won’t happen again, Bishop.”
“Yes, Madam Archmage.”
In the end, there was no perfect solution. The Archmage sighed repeatedly as she watched the bishop apologize to the Inquisitor.
“If there are any other issues, please don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Yes.”
“The same goes for you, Inquisitor. And you too.”
“Yes!”
“Yes, understood.”
At the very least, she believed that by saying these things, they could prevent such incidents from happening later on. After leaving the bishop and the others with her reminder, she turned to leave.
She was heading back to the room she’d been assigned.
Should she have done something more? She tried to push those thoughts aside. If nothing else came to mind right away, there was no use thinking about it even longer.
“I’m exhausted…”
She lay down on the bed, her stamina completely drained. Compared to the start of her journey, her body had become noticeably sluggish.
“I can’t even imagine how I managed to move around so much in the old days.”
But as if out of habit, her mind didn’t stop. She recalled the days when she toured through several cities, trying to find a location for her own research lab. She remembered the moment she finally found the perfect spot to build it, and the person who’d been at her side all that time…
“…This.”
The Archmage’s thoughts now turned to those bittersweet, painful memories deeply engraved in her mind. She’d long overcome that incident, so there shouldn’t be any need to bring up these sad memories.
Instead, she redirected her thoughts toward someone else. So… she began picturing the Demon Knight and the path he must have walked before they’d met.
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her, something she’d been missing all that time.
“…How did he even manage to get around like that?”
He could comfortably travel now because of the Hero’s endorsement and support. But just how had he evaded the Temple's watchful eye in the past?
If he somehow ended up killing an inquisitor, he would’ve been wanted for murder. Even if he’d just subdued them and run away, many people would’ve been chasing after him solely because of the Demonic Energy he exuded.
In that kind of situation, just how had he…?
“…I must be getting old, realizing this only now.”
It was a trivial matter, but it was something she could have thought of much sooner. And yet, it had only crossed her mind just now.
She rubbed her head, feeling as if her mental acuity had deteriorated along with her physical strength. She then tapped her fingers against the bed as she pondered.
“Registering as an adventurer is easy enough. He just had to pass the test…”
If you had at least the minimum required skills and no bounty on your head, the Adventurers’ Guild would readily allow you to register.
They didn’t even require details like your name or age. What the Adventurers’ Guild valued was the ability to complete requests, not a person’s past.
“They wouldn’t just overlook someone’s wanted status, would they…?”
Of course, if they discovered someone was wanted, they would immediately revoke the person’s registration and issue a pursuit order. This wasn’t only because of something like moral responsibility that came with the guild’s immense size… but because it was fundamentally quite profitable.
One mustn’t forget that the Adventurers’ Guild was an organization that made a lot of money on the side through bounty hunting.
“Hmm…”
So, had the Demon Knight just been lucky enough to have never encountered a single priest while traversing cities throughout his entire career? But was that even possible?
Certain cities even stationed people of the Temple at the city gates.
Vrrr.
Just as her thoughts started to deepen, she received a call. Should she just not answer? The Archmage’s conscience and deep annoyance clashed against each other.
“…What is it?”
– You outside? –
In the end, her conscience won out. She couldn’t deny that the name of the one who’d contacted her hadn’t played any part in her decision, though.
“I’ve just arrived in the city… Is there a problem?”
– It’s nothing much, but it’s about the formula you sent me last time. I think this is going to lead to something a lot bigger… –
“…?”
– You probably didn't intend as such… –
However, the annoyance and fatigue her conscience had barely suppressed soon vanished.
– This could change the world. If we take this a little further, we could even turn Zombies, or… perhaps even that knight of yours, back to normal. –
The Archmage sat up instantly.
* * *
“Erm, are you alright?”
While the situation was absurd, I had been invited into their house.
The child refused to let go of me as I continued to cry, the child’s father was worried about leaving us alone but couldn’t leave his store for too long, and I didn’t have the presence of mind to sort out the situation, so things ended up like that.
One of the decisive factors was that the child’s home was right around the corner.
“…I’m fine.”
And lastly, if I had to choose between “Crying on the busy main street” vs. “Accepting a kind stranger's consideration,” the latter seemed far more appealing, right?
Of course, some might disagree, but for my character, this was absolutely the right choice. The fewer witnesses seeing me break character, the better.
“I’m afraid this is all I can offer you… I’m sorry.”
“This is more than enough.”
Anyway, I accepted what the child’s mother had handed me. It was Vin Chaud, a mulled wine with floating bits of fruit.
“I want some too, Mom, me too! Give me some too!”
“No. I told you. You can only drink this when you catch a cold.”
“But he doesn’t have a cold, and you gave it to him!”
“Well, that’s because he’s a guest…”
“Then I’ll be a guest, too.”
“What’s this kid even saying?”
Well, despite being called “wine,” it was technically closer to a simple juice. Most of the alcohol had probably evaporated when it was heated.
“…Come here, I’ll share some with you.”
“Wow!! Mister, you’re the best!”
“Oh my, you really don’t have to…”
With that in mind, sharing a little with the kid shouldn’t cause any issues.
I sat the child who’d excitedly run toward me on my lap—since he’d already climbed up halfway, I didn’t have much choice—and carefully handed him the cup. The warmth of the Vin Chaud was already gone, but the warmth from the child made up for it.
With that little bundle of heat on my lap, my fingers started to fidget without me noticing.
“So, erm. Are you by any chance… an adventurer?”
Meanwhile, the child’s mother had taken a seat across from me. She only had one glass of cold water.
“Since you’re carrying a weapon with you…”
“An adventurer!”
But we didn’t get very far with that conversation. Just when I thought the kid was focused on the Vin Chaud, he suddenly reacted to what was said.
The little legs that had been resting on my lap started to bounce, and the face that had been tilted down to drink properly was now looking straight at me, eyes wide.
“Mister, are you an adventurer?!”
“Schutz!”
The Vin Chaud in the glass rippled because of his quick movements. Just like my heart.
“…I am working as an adventurer.”
“Reall? That’s sooo cool!!”
“I can’t with this kid, seriously.”
I calmed my startled heart and wiped the few drops of Vin Chaud that had spilled onto the table with a cloth. The mother gave it to me earlier to wipe away my tears… but now I was using it like this. Good thing I hadn’t returned it yet, I guess.
“Oh my, you really don’t have to wipe it up.”
“It’s fine.”
“So, mister, is that a real sword too?”
“Schutz!”
“It’s a real sword.”
“Woooooow!”
I knew what the mother was worried about, but it really was fine.
After giving her a reassuring gesture, I answered the child’s question. The little bundle of warmth bouncing on my lap was very endearing. He was so small and delicate that it was almost scary.
“Can I touch it?”
“Slowly, and only if you promise to touch where I tell you.”
“I promise!”
Trying to suppress the kid’s curiosity would likely only backfire. So, I allowed him to touch it under my strict supervision.
“Mister?”
“…Here. Just slide your hand gently along it like this.”
I suddenly wondered if it was right to let him touch a sword stained with so much blood, but it was already too late.
“Wow…”
“This part here is called the grip, and this is the blade.”
“Blade!”
“Don’t touch the edge. It’ll cut you.”
“Okay…!”
As I explained each part to him in a calm voice, the child reached out to the sword. Fortunately, he didn’t try to grab it in his excitement.
Was it because I’d limited where he could touch, or had he become serious after realizing this was a real sword? Either way, he only carefully brushed his fingers along the flat side of the blade just as I instructed him.
Only after seeing that did the child’s mother, who had been watching anxiously, finally relax.
“What’s this?”
“The guard.”
“Why is it there?”
“It’s there to prevent the hand holding the grip from slipping toward the blade.”
“Does that really happen?”
“Kid, have you ever held a… a broom handle or a long stick?”
“Uuuhm. Yeah!”
“Then have you ever swung it really hard?”
“Yeah… but Mom told me not to because it might break, so I’m not doing it anymore.”
“Yeah, that’s good. But after swinging it, didn’t you sometimes end up gripping a different part than in the beginning?”
“Eeerm… I think so! Does that happen with swords, too?”
“Yeah. That’s why there’s a guard. Unlike a stick that's smooth on all sides, a sword has sharp edges, so you could get hurt.”
“Uwaah! And what about this part?”
“That’s the pommel. It helps balance the sword’s weight.”
“Balance?”
“…Have you ever tried or seen someone try to balance a spoon on your finger, such that if you place it just the right way, it won’t tip to either side?”
“No!”
If he hadn’t seen it before, I should just show him. I reached into my Inventory to pull out a spoon.
“Erm… Will this work?”
“…It should.”
But before I could do that, the mother handed me a wooden spoon. When I glanced at her face, I could tell she was also secretly enjoying my explanation, even though it was just some random knowledge about swords.
“Now, look. It’s tipping to one side. That’s because the bowl part is heavier than the handle, so it tilts in that direction.”
“It really does!”
“But if you do it like this… supporting it closer to the bowl end instead of the middle… See? Now, it doesn’t tilt. That’s what we call balance.”
“Uwah, uwaaaah!!”
“Going back to the sword, this is also why it has a pommel. Without it, the blade side would be heavier and keep tipping forward, so the pommel balances it out.”
Anyway, since he was responding so enthusiastically, I couldn’t help but also get really into explaining it.
Using simple examples, I satisfied the child’s curiosity, and each time I explained something new, his eyes would sparkle.
“You’re a good person, mister. My older brother never explains these kinds of things to me!”
“…?”
“He’s talking about his cousin. He also uses a sword.”
“He’s really mean. I asked him to show me once, but he never did!”
I see. I glanced at the boy’s light brown hair and slowly lowered my left hand, which I had raised.
Although I’d let him sit on my lap, I couldn’t really pat him.
“The sword he uses is smaller than yours, though…”
“That’s right. My brother’s sword is about this big. Even the soldiers I saw a while ago used swords this big. Why’s yours so long, mister?”
“…That’s because this is a two-handed sword.”
“Is that better?”
“Well.”
A two-handed sword might be more powerful than a one-handed sword, but if you lacked the strength, stamina, and skill, it was probably better not to use one.
…But that wasn’t an answer you could give a child. I chose my words a bit more carefully.
“A two-handed sword is heavier than a one-handed sword, so fewer people can use it. It’s pretty hard to compare.”
“It’s heavier?”
“Because it’s bigger.”
“Ahh. Then it’s better, right? Since it’s heavier and bigger?”
“Well, maybe.”
“Wow! Then I have to tell my brother! That two-handed swords are better!”
As expected, he came to that conclusion. Indeed, at this age, kids thought that the bigger and heavier something was, the stronger it was.
“…Two-handed swords must be expensive, right?”
…Well, even as an adult, it might be easy to misunderstand these things if you didn’t have any particular interest in swords.
“…Rather than changing your weapon, it's better just to polish and master the one you already have.”
“Ah, is that so?”
To prevent the boy’s mother from even considering buying that “cousin” a two-handed sword, I tried changing the subject. Fortunately, it worked.
“He may not be my biological child… but I continued taking care of him after my sister and brother-in-law died. I can tell he’s not taking care of himself…”
“That’s right. Brother never takes a break and is always off working somewhere. Dad said people who do that will die early!”
Ah… So his parents have passed away.
I unconsciously clenched my fingers, silently paying my respects to this person I hadn’t even met.
“His work is also quite dangerous…”
Given that this cousin used a sword and had a dangerous job, he seemed to be a professional combatant, like an adventurer or soldier.
He was unlikely to be a hunter, since they used bows or traps, not swords.
“Is he an adventurer?”
“No… Erm, he’s an inquisitor.”
That wasn’t the answer I expected.
I wondered if asking that was a bit too much, but then I thought it would be fine to break character a little more after thoroughly breaking it earlier, so I relaxed.
Well, and even if that inquisitor caught wind of what happened here, surely this wouldn’t reach the ears of the Hero’s party, right?
“I want to tell him to quit, but…”
“If we tell him to stop, he gets super mad. He’s really scary then.”
“Well, erm. My sister and brother-in-law… Uhm. They passed away while working as inquisitors, you see…”
As she spoke, the mother’s voice wavered slightly. Her gaze fell on the child on my lap.
It seemed she’d decided what she wanted to say next wasn’t meant for this child’s ears.
“Huh?”
I briefly covered the child’s ears and mouthed, “Revenge?” to which the mother nodded.
“Mister, let me go.”
“Yes… He’s determined to track down the Demon and… get revenge.”
That… certainly was a solid reason. Few reasons were as compelling or difficult to dissuade as avenging one’s parents.
“Miiiister.”
“But… after so many years, I wish he’d just let it go. Especially since…”
The child’s mother scratched her cheek and leaned closer, speaking very softly so the boy absolutely wouldn’t hear.
“He was there… the day my sister and brother-in-law were killed.”
What could I even say?
“He barely managed to survive on his own… How could that child have ever hoped to take on such an opponent?”
The more I listened, the more I thought of my own character settings.
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