Chapter 54

Chapter 54

HEL SCANS

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Fear is an emotion that easily distorts.

It can transform into irrational attachment, intimacy, and even unconditional reverence and worship.

Even primitive people who witnessed thunderbolts streaking across the sky created beliefs related to them and worshipped them.

In that sense, the Demon King, the greatest and most horrifying fear that exists, could be seen as having enough qualifications to become the deity of fools.

-[Reflections on the Demon King Cult, Once Our Neighbors], Unknown Author.

***

In reality, the Exhibition assault incident has yet to come to an end.

“There’s still a climax to come.”

It was the thoughts of someone who hadn’t appeared on the curtain call.

“Well, this should do.”

In the dark forest beside the road, moonlight filtering through the leaves clashed with the black, glossy scales.

*Karururururu~!*

At the subdued howl, the shadow of the Demon King’s messenger came to a halt.

“Shh, quiet.”

*Geeeeeeng~!*

“It’ll be soon. Once those guys arrive. Won’t it be troublesome if they see you and decide to run away?”

Myrmat became quiet again at the soft, comforting voice.

His unaltered voice was so transparent and pure that it might be mistaken for that of a child.

The Demon King’s messenger stretched his neck to survey the surroundings.

“Now... I wonder where our guests are.”

There was no need to raise his sensitivity too much.

Beyond the hill.

The footsteps of over fifty escort troops were tumultuous.

The sound of dew-covered bushes rustling, the sharp noise of horseshoes with iron shoes digging into the ground, and the crackling torches that burned insects flying in the air – all echoed through the night.

“I wonder if they realize they are like moths to the flame.”

The messenger mused.

The moans of a man trapped behind iron bars were audible, adding to the cacophony.

After instantly sensing and comprehending all the information, she approached, revealing her forehead adorned with a sinister pattern.

The hood that had been tightly pressed against her head was now discarded, exposing her pale and frizzy white hair, with the ominous symbol shining vividly in the center of her elongated forehead.

The Demon King’s messenger, or rather, the young cult leader, let out a sigh.

‘Is it certain that I will go back and get scolded?’

“Praise be to the Demon Lord, we have ascertained the whereabouts of the lost relic, so we must retrieve it!”

“To seize that legacy is the only way the cult can rise again. This is our last chance!”

“Oh, new leader! Please, inspect the stubborn disciples!”

What did they say again?

The relic, which the former cult leader, foreseeing the suppression of unbelievers, had stolen a portion of the cult’s power and property and hidden its coordinates.

It was lost during the escape of the traitor.

An item containing a part of what was once the cult’s glory.

Its true value was beyond estimation.

The mission to recover such a crucial item was a very important one.

Although it ended in a dismal failure.

“I didn’t expect it to fail so miserably.”

Honestly, she thought it would be easy.

Sneak into a small fair, find one item.

Although accurate location detection was impossible due to a concealment spell, she had roughly identified it to be in the auction house.

While the demons caused a commotion, a leisurely search should have made it easy to find.

Or so it seemed...

‘I never thought he would be there.’

A giant sword, armor-like muscles, eyes devoid of any emotion.

He seemed timeless, like a knight unaffected by the passage of time.

He had not changed since the attack by unbelievers five years ago, when he, as a young Hero, had torn the limbs of the former cult leader and crushed his skull.

‘A monster.’

The cult leader’s expression subtly trembled.

If she hadn’t even considered his appearance while causing a disturbance near Rosenstark, it would be a lie.

However, she believed she could easily retrieve the item without directly confronting him.

‘I am strong.’

Having inherited the protection of Zero Requiem and recently acquired the ‘Mana of Penetration,’ which allowed her to see through the intentions of others, she was often considered the most powerful among the cult leaders despite the declining influence of the cult.

But when she looked at the Hero, or more precisely, the moment she peered into the ‘Mana of Penetration’ within him, her body involuntarily faced outside the auction house.

The thoughts of retrieving the relic and the sense of duty did not revive until the Hero left the scene.

‘Is he truly human?’

What was it exactly?

An endless, dark abyss.

And within it, crouched ‘entities.’

All of it was beyond comprehension.

Even the palimpsest couldn’t be seen, yet the foreboding vanished as if it had never existed.

Under the perfect brightness of the lighting, students gathered in the lounge.

Bathed in their sparkling eyes, Evergreen, entrusted with the mission to correct the distorted parts of the exhibition assault incident, continued speaking.

“So, you know that ‘Kwaang!’ sound that happened back then? I and half the people had no idea what it meant, just running around cluelessly. But Luke immediately figured it out. He said it was an explosion, an assault.”

At that statement, all eyes turned towards one side of the lounge.

Somehow, Luke, who was sitting on the sofa instead of returning to his room, nodded slightly.

Yet, his gaze still remained fixed outside the window, seemingly indifferent.

“Then this menacing figure wielding two enormous axes charged at us, but like, spinning around like this, we instantly subdued him.”

Evergreen deliberately depicted Luke’s involvement with a considerable weight and an air of coolness.

Perhaps she hoped he would appreciate it.

“He really went through the most trouble... Heh.”

Unable to contain her laughter, Evergreen chuckled, slightly amused.

Luke’s ears turned a bit red.

“Unexpectedly cute.”

It would be a phrase that could seriously damage Luke’s self-esteem if he were to hear it.

Anyway, the audience was waiting.

She was about to resume her story.

“So, what did Luke’s group do?”

It was Lucas who asked.

Leaning against the wall with an arrogant gaze fixed on Evergreen, he exuded an air of superiority.

When the crowd’s attention shifted to him, Evergreen momentarily shrank.

The Duke of Wellington.

A noble with an influence so significant that it could easily overshadow even Sontail.

Despite the claim of equality among all students within the walls of Rosenstark, Evergreen couldn’t feel at ease around a powerful figure who could bring substantial disadvantages to her family.

She stammered, “Uh, what?”

“Ban. What did that timid cowardly guy do while you were all fighting so hard?”

Coward?

Evergreen briefly recalled the bustling fairgrounds.

Although Ban didn’t personally engage in combat with a sword, he never did anything to be called a coward.

He provided the right strategies every moment for Luke and her, patrolling the burning streets to evacuate civilians.

Didn’t he use the wind of his sword to blow away the flaming tent threatening to collapse on people?

The image of him wearily nodding off on the returning carriage flashed before her eyes.

Therefore, Evergreen spoke the plain truth, making her voice loud enough for other children with perked-up ears to hear.

“Ban was amazing, really. Without him, we would have been in big trouble. He was brave, the most proactive.”

By the time her words ended, Lucas’s pupils sank coldly.

Oh!

As the children nodded in admiration, Lucas’s eyes became even more threatening.

“That wasn’t the answer I wanted, Solintail.”

Ugh!

Evergreen cringed at his fierce gaze.

“I-I-I just stated the facts, why are you like this...”

“This isn’t over...”

Thunk!

The door of the lounge suddenly opened.

The children, who thought the supervisor had come to scold them for being too loud, hesitated as they attempted to flee.

Lucas was no exception.

He stared at the two who had just entered the lounge with an awkward expression.

‘...What’s this?’

Without a word, Leciel headed straight to her room.

Ban wore an expression as if deep in thought.

‘...What’s going on?’

‘Why again with him...’

In the past few days, Leciel, who had missed counselling, was assigned to clean the bathroom with Ban.

Lucas secretly hoped to become friends with her and tried to strike up conversations.

However, the response he received was consistently cold.

Thanks to this, Lucas, whose pride had been significantly wounded, couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable seeing the two together.

“...Move aside!”

“Ugh.”

It was at that moment, as he forcefully pushed the awkward Evergreen aside, heading to his room.

The lounge buzzed once again.

“Huh? A class notice just popped up on the connector!”

“Huh? At this hour?”

“...Is it a practical class?”

“Something about dungeon exploration...?”

At those words, everyone’s eyes widened.

HEL SCANS

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