Chapter 141

Chapter 141

We traveled around the borders of the Great Forest, taking a route that usually connected the eastern and western parts of this area without disturbing the Forest’s residents.

Of course, considering what we did not too long ago, it wouldn’t have been a big problem even if we’d cut straight through the forest.

After all, none other than the warchief himself owed us a favor.

However, he’d only just ascended to that position. Right now, he’d be busy announcing this news to the other tribes and negotiating various matters.

Rather than cause him any more trouble, we chose to take the slightly longer route.

This path also served as a precaution against any potential ambushes by Demon Worshipers.

Rooaar!

“Uwaaah!”

However, the threat we actually encountered on this road wasn't an ambush but the inherent dangers of the Great Forest.

We hadn’t realized it while traveling with the people of the Forest, but this place was teeming with wild beasts. There were also many venomous insects and dangerous plants.

Of course, this might be because we were now closer to Camborough than Hudelen.

“This is the third attack today!!”

Our very reason for heading to Camborough in the first place was because of these beasts.

Recently, the number of beasts has increased significantly.

“Stay still, you bastard!”

“Are you crazy? How could I stay still in this situation?!”

“You keep moving, making it hard to hit!”

“Argh! It’s going to bite me, it’s going to bite me!!”

“Wahaha! Young hunter, wait!”

“Uwaaaaah!!”

While Deb was screaming, the Inquisitor and Bers charged at the beast. Both were already covered in blood from dealing with other creatures along the way.

Slice!

“Ack, argh!”

“Silence.”

But I was faster. I severed the neck of the beast about to bite Deb.

Blood poured all over him, but since not a single drop got on me, I didn’t really care.

I walked ahead of them, my body dry. The Archmage, who’d avoided this mess by staying in the center, looked somewhat uneasy.

“Are you alright?”

“...Do I look alright to you?”

The meat dumpling gestured to his blood-soaked figure and asked him back. The Archmage didn’t respond.

“Panicking over a single leopard. You need more training.”

“Young hunter, it seems you were caught off guard!”

“No, I mean, who could possibly take a leopard head-on?”

He was right. If I were in my real body, I would be in the same situation as Deb, if not worse.

I internally nodded in agreement while walking forward.

“Huh? You’re already moving ahead?”

“Ah, Demon Knight! Let’s go together!”

“Ahaha! Let’s go, young hunter!”

“...Can’t you at least give me a moment to clean off this blood?”

But so what? Even if I agreed with his statement, we still needed to keep moving.

Even though I didn’t feel hot due to my item’s effect, the humidity was still palpable. And on top of that, we hadn’t had a chance to wash up properly in days, leaving me incredibly uncomfortable!

Given there’d been no ambushes by anyone but beasts, it was safe to say that there weren’t any Demon Worshipers in this forest.

Since we were already fairly close to Camborough, I just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible!

“Okay, fine. It’s my fault for being weak. Mister, let’s go together!

Let’s go, full speed ahead!

“Urgh. That’s too much.”

Luckily, not long after, we found a river just as it was about time to set up camp.

It was no surprise that Deb, having been the focus of many predators for hours due to all the blood on him, jumped into the river immediately.

It seemed he hated the blood scent attracting those beasts more than he hated water.

“Wahaha. It’s been so much fun, so why do this, young hunter?!”

“You’re the only one having fun!?”

Deb, soaked to his bones, left his wet clothes out to dry and wrapped himself in a blanket while Bers patted his back.

Thanks to Deb acting as bait, Bers hadn’t been bored at all, although it had probably been pretty frustrating for Deb.

“But did we already get enough food for today?”

“I’ve already prepared everything!”

“I really should just keep my mouth shut...”

Deb wiggled further into his blanket. Curling up on a rock, he looked like an actual dumpling. A somewhat pitiful dumpling.

“Come now, instead of feeling down, how about trying this?”

The Archmage gently coaxed Deb by offering him some candy. Considering that sugar was a rare commodity in this world, it was quite a precious gift.

“Do you really think I’m just some kid who falls for food...?”

“But you’ll feel better after eating something delicious, right?”

Though Deb grumbled, he didn’t refuse the candy. His mood immediately seemed to improve, as if the sugar went straight to his head.

“By the way, there’ve been a lot of wild beast attacks today. We’ve been attacked seven times already.”

“Could this be related to the issues Camborough’s facing, or perhaps the handiwork of whoever that shady character who approached you was?”

“Both are possible.”

“Priest, the meat is burning.”

“Oh.”

Meanwhile, the Archmage and the Inquisitor were diligently making some stew and grilling meat.

Usually, the Archmage took turns cooking with Deb, but given his current state, the Inquisitor put in some extra effort.

Me? Surprisingly... I’d never been asked to cook. I wasn't sure whether it was because they thought I wouldn’t help due to my temper or I’d mess it up.

Honestly, it was pretty convenient, and since I was actually terrible at cooking, I had no complaints. Even with the modern convenience of heat control, I always ended up burning my food, so it would have been much worse here.

“Ah, young hunter. Your clothes are dry.”

“Really?”

By the time the food was ready, the clothes he’d washed were also dry. Deb quickly changed into them.

It was quite funny watching him fidget under the blanket, likely worried about wild beasts showing up if he went out too far to put on his clothing.

Still, the veil let me be less conscious of my expression, which could be seen as a plus.

‘Kill him. Kill that damned bastard!’

Feeling a strange discomfort inside of me, I decided to put on the veil.

Weren’t veils usually white? Were there black ones, as well? I set those doubts aside.

‘You damn idiot!’

I recalled hearing that black veils were worn during funeral masses, and since the person who’d given it to me was a priest, I had no reason to be suspicious.

“Huh? Demon Knight, where did you get that veil?”

Or maybe not? I withdrew my hypothesis upon making eye contact with the Inquisitor, who had been speaking with the bishop, and seeing that our kimchi dumpling looked horrified.

Instinctively, I looked toward where that priest had been, but he was already gone.

“The color black isn’t necessarily... ominous, but the Temple never uses black veils. How did you get this...?”

It was given to me by one of your people, though...

I replied curtly, adjusting my words to fit my character setting. Everyone around me wore expressions showing concern.

“A black veil is what Demons use when baptizing their new contractor. Alternatively...”

“It can be given to someone you deeply despise, to the point of wanting them dead. It means that a black veil only Demons would wear suits you just fine.”

At these next words, my own face hardened.

Damn it.

“Describe the face of the priest who gave you this veil!”

Glaring at the black veil now in the Inquisitor’s hands, I ground my teeth.

Then, I slowly spat out some words.

“Give me some paper.”

I wasn’t sure if they knew of facial composite sketches here. If they didn’t, I guess I’d be the first to create one. No one messed with my roleplaying and got away with it.

“H-Here you go.”

The bishop, intimidated by my menacing expression, handed over some paper. I snatched it quickly and started sketching furiously.

“Wow!”

After drawing webtoons for about ten years, even the slowest artist would get faster. In under three minutes, I had a portrait ready.

The features were distinct enough to leave no room for confusion.

“This person is...”

But Deb seemed to recognize him.

Swallowing hard, he whispered in a slightly hoarse voice.

“Th-That’s the guy who approached me.”

Damn it. This was crazy.

“Not satisfied with getting closer to one of us in Hudelen, he followed us all the way here, too...?”

"Wait, if you're talking about the one who approached the troublemaker... Is this the same one you mentioned when we were leaving Hudelen?"

No wonder I had a bad feeling about him!

Crack!

“That vermin, how dare he...!”

“How dare a Demon trespass on sacred ground!”

Whatever the case, this incident set both me and the Inquisitor ablaze.

No matter how this episode played out, if I got my hands on this bastard, he would truly die.

‘Leviathan, you’re going down, you damn bastard.’

Absolutely.

* * *

> [Cough!]

> [See, I told you. Going directly into the Temple’s territory is too much for you. Concealing your Demonic Energy isn’t exactly your strong suit.]

A figure with violet hair, almost black at the tips, clicked their tongue as they looked at the one coughing up blood. A raven fluttered its wings nearby, cawing.

> [Heh, hehe. Well, if you saw what I saw, you wouldn’t be saying that.]

> [Yeah, maybe. Since I’d never go inside a Temple. Seems you’re on your own on this, Moby Dick.]

The figure, sitting on a low wall with legs crossed in a graceful arc, listened indifferently. Moby Dick, the one coughing up blood, chuckled weakly.

> [If you knew he just took the black veil without recognizing me, do you think you’d be sitting here, Pandemonium?]

> [...What did you say?]

> [Haha, hahaha!]

At Pandemonium’s reaction, Moby Dick burst into laughter.

The thought of Pandemonium’s greed, enraptured expression and the foolish face he’d just seen made the current pain feel insignificant.

It had been worth enduring all that discomfort to step onto the Church’s grounds.

> [Stupid Gretchen. How delightful. He couldn’t even handle a simple vessel, didn’t recognize me, and even just took that insult.]

> [Ah... to that extent. I did wonder about the things Duke mentioned... I’m somewhat tempted. Should I take him on this time?]

Moby Dick spat out more blood, the pain still lingering.

Suppressing his power was like swallowing several cups of poison, so he wouldn’t be able to escape this pain for several days... but it didn’t matter.

⌈Leviathan⌋

Ignoring the searing heat flaring up from the letters on his hand, Leviathan knew his true name had been called somewhere.

If the name, manipulated so that only their King and Great Demons would remember, was suddenly invoked, it could only mean one thing.

Especially since he’d just encountered Wrath and provoked him.

Narrowing down who’d called him would be easy enough.

Moby Dick, or more accurately, Leviathan, ignored the heat on his hand and stroked his snake’s jaw.

He couldn’t stop laughing.

> [This time, I’ll definitely kill you, Gretchen.]

> [Aah, no. He’s mine.]

> [Hmph. If you want him so badly, you can just go at him first.]

That damn Gretchen, who received all sorts of freedoms and rights just because he was as powerful as their King. Always looking down on the others from above as if they were mere insects.

> [But know this. I won’t miss this chance.]

He’d always wanted to beat him up but couldn’t. A thought that always made him bite his lip—

> [Mephistopheles, that bastard, will die for sure.]

That damn Mephistopheles.

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