Chapter 184: The Devil’s Seed (7)

To face Lilith, I needed both Professor Ilai’s support and the Saint’s Catalyst.

The minimum conditions for a ‘battle’ to be established.

Without even one of these, it would not be a battle, but a ‘life-and-death struggle’ where it would not be strange if someone died.

First, Professor Ilai.

The necessity and importance of a cleric in facing a demon cannot be overemphasized.

Here, she not only became a visiting professor at the Academy at a young age, but she was also so highly regarded as to be called the Saintess of Ludwig, so her standing in the Grand Cathedral was high.

Of course, her holy magic was at a level where it would not be strange to be called a miracle.

The blessings she bestowed raised resistance to mental attacks, and the prayers of God eliminated fear and dread with deep faith.

It also had various beneficial effects such as stat increases, damage reduction, and recovery, and all of this brought about the result of amplifying the morale of our allies.

She was an indispensable character in the war against the great demon.

And the second, the ‘Saint’s Catalyst’, could be said to be a treasure left in this world by those clerics with high divine power as they departed to be by the side of the Lord.

So, it’s a kind of relic.

The clerics of the Obje Cult who have accumulated asceticism burn their own bodies with divine power when they are about to die, believing that only then can the Lord, Max Obje, who is in the distant universe, look directly at them and that they will be guided to heaven.

Well, since it’s a religious ritual that only exists in this world, I just accept it.

The important thing is the ‘Saint’s Catalyst’ left in this world afterward and the power it holds.

A collection of divine power, left after the body has been burned.

Therefore, just by carrying it on one’s body, the owner becomes in the same state as having received God’s blessing.

The problem is that the ‘Saint’s Catalyst’ is kept in the mausoleum where those clerics who have accumulated asceticism, that is, the successive archpontiffs, are enshrined.

Of course, it’s a sacred place in the Grand Cathedral, so the security would be tight.

‘But I don’t know how high the security level is.’

My memories of visiting the Grand Cathedral, even in ‘Heroes of Frey’, could be counted on one hand.

Well, I had come to receive a blessing or to clear a quest, but I had never scurried around like I did at the Academy.

It wasn’t a place where I could do that.

My actual memories of visiting were also only the two times I had come to save Karina, who had been afflicted by Sabo’s curse about two months ago.

And even then, I couldn’t walk around inside the Grand Cathedral, and at best, it was just the recovery room where Karina was lying, the chapel where Professor Ilai was, and the back garden.

In other words, I had no information.

I had come to get an item to catch a demon, but before that, I could be caught.

But I didn’t have the luxury of time to investigate leisurely.

‘Things like this happen when you’re on a job.’

The only one to trust is myself.

I decided to trust the experience and senses I had gained from carrying out numerous jobs so far.

I debated whether to go to the chapel where Professor Ilai was or the mausoleum where the Saint’s Catalyst was kept first, and decided to go to the mausoleum first.

Because Professor Ilai required a process of persuasion.

I didn’t know what kind of mishap might occur during the process of persuasion.

So I immediately headed to the mausoleum to secure the Saint’s Catalyst, which I could certainly obtain.

I climbed over the wall, crossed the roof of the main hall, which soared high like a tower, and the long annex next to it, and infiltrated the back garden.

And I immediately used [Stealth].

Sssss…….

I broadened my senses.

I could feel large and small presences from all directions.

The small ones were individuals or livestock raised in the Grand Cathedral, and the large presences were places where many people were gathered.

‘The chapel is over there, so the mausoleum must be that way.’

I knew the geography of the inside of the Grand Cathedral, where everything was.

So I hid my body in the shadow of the cloister and moved my steps towards the mausoleum.

As my destination drew closer, I could feel a considerable number of presences lingering around.

They were the military chaplains, guarding the mausoleum.

Belonging to the elite military police within the Capital Defense Force, they shared the same roots as the Academy guards and were stronger than ordinary soldiers, but at best, they were soldiers.

They were no threat to me at all.

‘Is that all of them?’

It seemed so.

The Grand Cathedral was also inside the capital, and although the mausoleum was a sacred area, it was not a place where treasures were kept, so the security did not seem to be that tight.

‘Then I just have to take care of the two at the entrance.’

I secretly approached them from behind and knocked them unconscious by hitting the back of their heads with the hilt of the dagger I was holding.

“?”

The other military chaplain next to him felt something was wrong and turned his head this way.

But my body was already digging into his arms.

Paak!

I caught their collapsing bodies so that they wouldn’t make a sound and carefully laid them on the floor.

And I approached the entrance.

The entrance to the mausoleum.

The door was locked with a thick padlock.

I used [Disassemble], but it didn’t work.

It seemed that it was not an ordinary padlock.

‘The mana itself is not being accepted.’

Seeing it repel mana, it seemed to be a padlock forged with a special metal.

I examine it closely.

I see.

Orichalcum, called the metal of the gods.

This is a padlock made of that.

In that case, I can’t pick this lock with any kind of thievery or magic.

So I immediately took out my lockpicking kit.

If thievery doesn’t work, I can just use physical force to pick it.

Chalgeurak!

But I’m blocked again.

This damn lock.

I don’t know how it was made, but its internal structure is quite complex.

‘This is annoying.’

My brow furrows automatically.

My lockpicking skill is not low, but when I inserted the wrench, I couldn’t see the path right away.

I’m starting to wonder what the key looks like.

Well, I don’t have time to go back and steal the key now.

And I have to get in here now.

“It can’t be helped.”

I stare blankly at the firmly closed door and then take a few steps back.

Click, I turn on the mana circuit.

I concentrate my mind and move the surrounding mana.

Soon, the mana followed the guidance of the formula and materialized my will.

[Spatial Explosion].

Kwaaaaang!

Judging by the thickness of the door, one shot was not enough.

I attack without a break.

Mana stacking and linking using [The Thief’s Breath].

Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!

And so, the 4th Circle explosion magic that unfolded from my hand continuously struck the door.

And as the fourth and final [Spatial Explosion] hit the door, with a strong explosion, the entrance burst open, blowing away the thick door and the padlock completely.

Kwaaaang!

A rising dust cloud.

There was no time to hesitate.

With the explosion, I could feel numerous presences converging on this place from the surroundings.

I immediately entered the mausoleum and scanned the interior.

Altar of Rubies Garda.

Altar of Gomon Kirue.

Altar of Aimon Kirue.

Altar of Bandanion Rodius.

.

.

The altars of the successive archpontiffs were lined up along the wall.

Inside the altars, urns containing their ashes were kept.

And the sparkling orb on the very top of the urn’s lid.

That hazy orb was the ‘Saint’s Catalyst’.

“I apologize.”

After offering my apologies and condolences to the deceased, I immediately broke the outer glass of the altar and took the catalysts inside one by one.

Jjaenggeurang!

Hmm.

So with this, is our Shadow completely at odds with the Obje Cult, the royal religion of the empire?

Honestly, I don’t know if this is the right thing to do.

Because making an enemy of the Obje Cult means making an enemy of the Frey Royal Empire and the neutral Holy Kingdom.

‘I don’t know. I’m using it to exorcise a demon, so I’m sure they’ll understand with their broad generosity.’

Hoping so, I used [Stealth] and left the mausoleum.

“Catch him!”

“He must still be inside the mausoleum! Find him!”

The military chaplains who had arrived late surrounded the mausoleum to secure the scene.

Each individual was moving in an orderly manner, but from my perspective, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was sloppy.

Right.

This was their first time dealing with a major incident like this.

So they were moving according to the training manual, but they couldn’t show a unified movement and were showing clumsy gaps here and there.

I slipped through that gap and hid in the shadow created by the moon again.

Afterward, I headed to the chapel to meet my next target, Professor Ilai.

On the way, I thought.

‘How should I persuade her.’

The process of persuasion is inevitable.

A demon has infiltrated the Academy, and I need your power.

I know it’s hard to believe my words, a thief.

But our information network is the best in the empire.

So, let’s go to the Academy together, as if you’re being deceived.

Then you’ll naturally believe.

And so on…….

‘If she doesn’t believe me, I’ll just knock her out and take her.’

I didn’t want to do this to Professor Ilai, whom I knew, but after making a mess of things by breaking the entrance to the mausoleum, I had nothing to lose now.

Come to think of it, this attitude was the right answer…….

‘Is it right to be considerate and mindful of others when dealing with exorcising a demon?’

Of course not.

And so, I entered the chapel with a firm resolve.

But it was all a useless effort.

Because Professor Ilai, who should have been in the chapel, was nowhere to be found.

‘What.’

I was momentarily dazed by the completely unexpected development.

It was then.

Someone said from behind.

“So it was you? The one who caused a commotion in the peaceful Grand Cathedral.”

It wasn’t Professor Ilai, whom I was looking for.

A man’s voice.

I turned my body.

The direction the voice came from was the backyard of the chapel.

I hardened my face upon seeing him, who was standing quietly under a tree.

The man was wearing a bucket hat with a long brim.

So his eyes were not visible, hidden in the shadow of the brim, but in my eyes, which were using [Night Vision], I could see his face.

His two eyes were covered with a white cloth.

‘Blind?’

Just in case, I lowered my gaze and examined his attire.

What stood out the most was, of course, the crest of a sword and the sun’s light overlapping, drawn on his chest.

There is only one place on the continent that uses that crest.

‘The Max Paladins.’

At the same time, a name came to my mind.

The blind paladin, Roland.

‘Why is a guy who should be protecting the Holy Kingdom here?’

Professor Ilai, who should be here, is gone, and there’s a strange guy.

“……I’m looking for Ilai.”

At my question, his head tilts to the side.

“You don’t seem to be curious?”

“About what?”

“About my eyes.”

I let out a small laugh.

“Well, should I be curious? About how a blind man sees me?”

“……”

“There’s no law that says you have to see someone with your eyes. I don’t have such a prejudice. More than that, I’m more curious about where Ilai is.”

A low laugh was heard.

“You’re an interesting person. Unfortunately, I also do not know where the Saintess of Ludwig is.”

I swallowed a moan.

Professor Ilai isn’t here.

This was a complete miscalculation.

I take out my pocket watch to check the time.

Not much time left.

I could wait for Professor Ilai to come or look for her, but if I waste time like that and the Academy completely falls into Lilith’s hands, the situation will become unmanageable.

I had to make a decision.

‘It can’t be helped. I’ll have to fight the Lilith battle with just the Saint’s Catalyst.’

It would be a tough fight, but for now, this was the right thing to do.

It was when I had made up my mind and was about to turn back.

Roland blocked my path.

“I apologize, but I cannot let an intruder who has disturbed the holy ground go like this.”

He put his hand on the empty air and drew a sword.

Sreung-

“For the Lord.”

With a flash, a dazzling brilliance enveloped his sword and body.

‘Haa. This has become troublesome.’

I shook my head and drew Raven.

I have no choice but to finish this as quickly as possible and go.

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