Chapter 232

They ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍said that when a person panicked, words failed them.

That ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was exactly what happened to me.

“…….”

Who ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍would not be dumbfounded by a report that a devil had suddenly appeared? And while half-asleep, at that!

And ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍on top of that—

“Meeeeeeee! ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Lordniiiim!!”

From somewhere, Bishop Marco the goat beastman—having heard the news first—stormed into my room, forgetting even basic decorum as he let out his kind’s distinctive bleat.

When I glanced at his face, he looked positively triumphant, as though he were forcefully insisting that he had been right all along.

Good grief!

I turned my face away from Marco and asked the messenger again.

“Are you certain? A devil…?”

“Yes. By their account, that is correct.”

“By their account?”

“Ah! I-I have not confirmed it personally, but the circumstances with those men….”

At my words, the messenger hurriedly backpedaled, flustered. He must have realized his mistake. After all, he had come running to report this in the dead of night without even verifying it.

“Tch….”

At the messenger’s attitude, I sighed inwardly and rubbed my tired eyes. It seemed those fools had come without confirming anything at all.

I wanted to tell him to go back and verify it properly, but I could not dismiss it outright either.

“A devil has descended….”

In [Pangea Universalise], where mystery and gods—and evil—truly existed, it was not something I could afford to ignore.

Of course, more often than not, such things turned out to be petty misunderstandings born from human ignorance….

But the chief’s words from earlier kept tugging at me.

The forest where a curse from an evil heretical cult had supposedly been passed down for generations—and, by sheer coincidence, the “devil” disturbance the messenger reported was also in that very forest.

“This report is not something we can ignore. If we leave it alone and it truly is a devil summoned by a heretical cult, cleaning up afterward will be difficult.”

That was precisely the kind of counsel the magician Agpiel offered when he arrived upon hearing the news.

There was, in fact, a possibility that a heretical cult had summoned a devil.

And yet, for some reason, Magician Agpiel’s expression was oddly indifferent.

“Do you truly think it is a devil? Such a thing does not happen easily, does it? Magician Agpiel.”

“With so many people dead from the recent war, it is actually a fertile environment for heretical cults to run amok. Still, I would say it is more likely to be some large monster than an actual devil. To call it a devil summoned by a heretical cult…. There is no mystery, is there? It reminds me of the time we subjugated the cultist Champion.”

“Ah…?”

When I thought about it, he was right.

The struggle among the cultists in the Archbishopric of Cologne—when the air had been brimming with vile mystery. Compared to that, this region was far too calm.

“Indeed, I do not sense any wicked mystery at the moment.”

Only then did I feel somewhat more at ease. If that was the case, did I really need to step in?

But Magician Agpiel clicked his tongue.

“Even if they are defeated soldiers, it is rare to find a creature that can crush a gathered group of soldiers like that. And the rumor that the village has been cursed by a devil for generations is unlikely to exist for no reason. There may be a monster in that forest worthy of such a tale.”

“Mm…. Even so….”

“Now, now. Even so, what? Surely a man of your renown is not thinking of turning away from this?”

“Meeee. That is right, lordniiiim. Surely… surely… you are not thinking that?! Mehrrrr.”

“Tch….”

In the end, my hard-won reputation always seemed to seize my ankle.

Just as Magician Agpiel said, if I ignored it completely, the eyes of the world would not be kind.

Still, I did not necessarily have to be the one to take the lead, did I?

“Mm. Then let us at least wait until the second Lord Gertman arrives. This is Lord Gertman’s fief, is it not? Hasty movements tend to breed misunderstandings, do they not. Ahem.”

Surely the second Lord Gertman would not request my help so shamelessly that he lost face for it.

With that thought, I spoke carefully, trying to slip away from the matter.

It would pass over smoothly.

Probably…?

---

“What? A monster? No, a devil?”

“Yes, yes, young master. They say a devil sprang out of the forest. The defeated soldiers who fled came out drenched in blood from head to toe. They are babbling nonsense, but they all insist on one thing: a devil butchered them.”

“Mm…. What a headache. We go to the Margrave of Bellua at once. Follow me.”

Upon receiving the report, the second Lord Gertman let out a sigh and hurried to the house where the Margrave of Bellua was staying.

He had meant to bring him quietly to the royal castle, and yet it felt as though accidents kept entangling them.

A sudden devil disturbance, of all things.

Honestly…. Could the stale old legend about that forest, the one the chief had spoken of, truly be real?

As he hurried along with his men, the second Lord Gertman could only let out a hollow laugh.

“It seems the Margrave of Bellua will have no choice but to act….”

Beloved by God, and famed as the sword and agent of the order, the Margrave of Bellua would find it difficult to turn away if there was a devil disturbance.

And after witnessing even that commotion of miracles with his own eyes while escorting him—if the Margrave now slew a devil that had descended upon his land as well?

“This is not good….”

It was unsettling to see a figure essentially hostile to his house continue to build renown like this. That was what the second Lord Gertman felt.

“Rather than deal with it ourselves…. It is difficult. Should I use the excuse of obtaining a holy relic to slay a devil and quickly bring him to the royal castle? Then I can dispatch knights at once and have us handle it ourselves.”

It seemed, in its own way, like a decent idea.

How could one fight a devil barehanded without a holy relic? Of course, the so-called Great Sage, Agpiel, was with him—but surely they would not try to fight a devil with magic alone.

Then—

“Hm?”

The second Lord Gertman abruptly stopped, a thought striking him.

Since he had confirmed that miracles were real, was this not the perfect opportunity to confirm whether that absurd Combat Power was real as well—through this devil disturbance?

Beside him, a subordinate tilted his head and asked cautiously.

“Is something wrong, young master?”

“Ah…. No. Tell me—does the church here consecrate holy water as well?”

“Yes. As far as I know, they do it daily. But… why do you ask?”

“I see. Very well.”

At his subordinate’s answer, the second Lord Gertman nodded.

At first, he had wanted to prevent the Margrave of Bellua’s renown from soaring even higher. Now his thoughts had changed.

He wanted to see with his own eyes the combat prowess of the Margrave of Bellua—something he had only heard in rumor.

Whether the rumors were truth or lies.

Or, if not lies, exaggeration.

With his own eyes, clearly.

“Just in case, send someone to the church and bring back every drop of consecrated holy water. And gather all the silverware as well.”

With that, the second Lord Gertman gave the order to the men following him.

---

“…….”

“…….”

When the second Lord Gertman came to me and opened his mouth, I found myself speechless again.

Because I had not expected him to say what he did.

Lightheaded with shock, I held my head and spoke carefully.

“Mm… so you are asking me to subjugate it together with you?”

“Yes, Your Grace. At first I intended to go to the royal castle at once, but if the devil runs rampant while we go back and forth, it could become a disaster, could it not? Therefore, I intend to form a subjugation force immediately and attempt to subjugate it at once. I have already ordered my men to bring every drop of holy water consecrated by the church. Along with the silverware.”

“Ho-ho. Silver is certainly a fine material for striking a profane being. An excellent order, Lord Gertman. Then all that remains is to advance, is it not? Ho-ho-ho. Are we forming a devil subjugation force?”

At the second Lord Gertman’s account, Magician Agpiel smiled as though he were quite pleased.

It seemed that young noble, contrary to someone’s hopes, had decided to resolve the problem together.

“Meeee. Good, good. Lordniiiim! Let us run! Hurry and deal with that devil? That monster. Meehehheh.”

“That is right, my lord. Please lead the way. I will follow willingly.”

The people around me, as a result, grew positively excited as they shouted.

At the words “devil subjugation force,” their faces flushed red with exhilaration. They looked as though they had become heroes out of a folk tale. Good heavens….

But what could I do?

“Tch….”

The atmosphere had already become one where it was impossible to say no.

In the end, I could only nod with a sigh.

“Fine. Let us prepare as well. We are going to capture that damned monster in the forest.”

“Ooooo!”

---

Half by my own will, half by others’.

In the end, I had no choice but to arm myself and head into that forest.

-STEP, STEP, STEP!

-RUSTLE, RUSTLE!

The party entering the forest was smaller than expected.

There were Magician Agpiel, the second Lord Gertman’s men, a dozen or so knights, and about fifty soldiers.

Since we were heading into the forest at night, there was no need for a great number of soldiers. In any case, ordinary soldiers would be of little help against a monster.

So we chose quality over quantity, selecting only the most capable.

“Hmm. We need to think about this differently.”

As soon as we entered the forest, Magician Agpiel, scanning our surroundings, spoke with a slightly hardened expression.

“Indeed. Magician Agpiel.”

“Mm? Is something strange, Your Grace?”

“It is ominous. It seems the legend the chief told us about this forest…. may be true.”

And it was not without reason.

The moment we entered the forest, I felt an eerie mystery writhing within it. Worse still, a pale fog crept up from somewhere, muddling our sight and severing our senses.

THUD!

“Be careful. There is mystery here that interferes with perception.”

The instant he saw the fog, Magician Agpiel drew his staff and struck the ground. A shockwave rippled out and pushed the fog back—but only for a moment.

Once again, the fog seeped along the forest floor, crawling back in with a sickening presence.

“Up until just a moment ago, I felt none of this at all.”

As he spoke, Magician Agpiel furrowed his brow.

“Could it be that some heretical cult’s sorcery truly was underway? I did not expect it to change so suddenly, Magician Agpiel.”

“Nor did I. This may not be as easy as we thought….”

As he spoke, Magician Agpiel gathered the people around him and began placing blessings upon each one, one by one.

A clear, verdant magic.

It was the protective mystery of the forest’s protection.

It would not stop a direct attack, but it should deflect indirect curses and spells.

When we finished our preparations in calm order—

-SLITHER.

The fog that had filled the forest suddenly split to the left and right.

-Grrrrrrrr!

-Hu… man…. I can… sense the blessing… of a false god….

A skeleton appeared, fully clad in heavy armor, crimson eyes blazing.

“Death Knight!”

It was—

A Death Knight I had seen before.

But unlike last time, a far more ominous aura surged from it.

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