Novel Bin Chapter 216: Gap in the heart
They didn’t want to verbally admit that they succumbed to the pressure of the golem but almost all of the knights who surrounded Catherine-san and the Valkyrie Paladin Corps stepped down and instead surrounded the knights undergoing demonization who were suffering due to my spell.
If left to their own devices, there was a possibility that they might attack the demonized knights and end up getting the tables turned on them so I instructed them.
“The knight that are currently suffering in pain have had their bodies strengthened beyond normal means. That’s why, please do not attack them thoughtlessly.”
When I gave that instruction, the knights placed their shields in front of them and maintained a formation a distance away from them.
Feeling relieved that they could act like a proper Knight Corps once they have a clear enemy, I once again spoke to the knights undergoing demonization, beginning with Bulltooth.
“So what are your answers?”
“We Executives Department are prepared to stake our lives for the sake of the Church’s order and Human Supremacy, I will not waver at this stage!”
Seeing Bulltooth wield the sword he held, I guessed that there was no avoiding that battle after all as I threw a final question to him.
“I see. There’s no helping it them. But before that, just answer me this. You’ve been singing human supremacy all this time but you guys are already more than half demon so you’re no longer human right? What can you say about that?”
” …… ”
Since fighting was inevitable, I hit them with a simple question.
The knights suffering from the purification magic and even including Bulltooth were so stunned that they seemed to have even forgotten the pain in their body as silence enveloped the training ground.
Eh? What, after all this time? Going by the looks of it, it looks like they didn’t realize at all?
” … You guys didn’t realize?”
I thought that there was no way it could be true but I still asked to be sure but beginning from Bulltooth who was extremely talkative just now, the color on the faces of the demonized knights gradually drained and they began to panic.
“Luciel, they are already demons that are willing to self-detonate. There is no need for mercy.”
“Demons are humanity’s greatest enemy so compassion is unnecessary.”
My faction’s two top members were both combat maniacs who also have high intelligence so they further swayed their spirit by exploiting their emotions. I gave my final notice.
“Shisho and Luciel say so that’s why I’ll ask the last time. If you can’t decide now, it is truly unfortunate but you will be judged as a member of the demon race.”
“If, if you kill us, you will not obtain the information you want.”
Bulltooth hurriedly answered but it indicated to me that he was extremely confused as he had spoken with the premise that he would lose before we even fought.
I didn’t expect to deal this much damage just by using words … let’s try inducing greater unease.
“There’s no such thing. If I arrest Dongahaha-san who should be laughing loudly now thinking that he had dealt with Catherine-san and Valkyrie Paladin Corps, I should be able to get at least one piece of information.” (TL: Only after seeing the name then I remember him appearing before … refer to Chapter 39. So the author did hint that there was another faction in the church since then, just that it wasn’t clear at all.)
“Wha, what do you want?”
Bulltooth totally didn’t realize in his confusion that he was already assuming his defeat as he placed himself on the negotiation table.
“Eh? Did you not do it because you wanted to become a demon? You should have just told me that earlier. If you spit out everything you know, I will revert you to a human.”
“Ugh, no, it’s useless. We have taken a pledge. So we cannot speak about confidential matters.”
The pledge was probably true.
Since I can’t imagine an organization that doesn’t place some kind of control on information.
However, since I have no idea the extent of the restriction, I’ll just have to tie him up and perform the interrogation.
For now, I’ll hang the carrot of converting him back into a human as I steadily interrogate him.
“There’s no way I can believe what you say blindly, or else you can just get away with anything if you just say it’s a confidential matter. Firstly, how did you convert Lucy and Elizabeth-san into demons? If you answer me, I will dispel the demonization from those three knights. Ah, the question is not directed to Bulltooth only, anybody can answer.”
Immediately after I said that, the suffering knights quickly answered.
“I was told that when the two of them returned due to injuries from their expedition, they were made to drink powered demon magic stones as healing magic was cast on them.”
“A magic circle meant to muddle the consciousness was set up inside the treatment room dedicated for healers.”
“It looks like actual experiments has already been done to find out if demonization is possible without embedding magic stone.”
“Our instructions always come from Bulltooth-sama.”
Hey now, what happened to there being confidential information …
It looked like they still have plenty more to say but I must first judge if they are speaking the truth first.
” … Okay, stop. Lucy, Elizabeth-san. Did the two of you suffer injuries at the same time on an expedition?”
“Yes, about half a year ago, there was a small skirmish between The Elimasia Empire and The Rubruk Kingdom as usual but a flying dragon suddenly appeared and even though we fought hard, we suffered from injuries.”
“We don’t bring healers along during expeditions so we performed first aid with our awful Holy Attribute Magic and returned to the Holy Capital for treatment.”
“At that time, were you two prescribed some kind of a medicine?”
” … I can’t really recall that well but I think I was.”
“At that time I lost a lot of blood and was feeling bitter that Luciel-san wasn’t part of our squad.”
To be exact, rather than wanting me, she wants a person who can utilize the same level of Healing Magic as me.
“Haha, if I didn’t become an S-rank Healer, that might have had a very high chance of happening but leaving that aside, was there no strange physical condition from the demonization?”
“There was. I was told that magic alone can’t treat me completely from diseases or after-effects so I had to take medications …”
” … It has already been half a year so my memory is a little hazy.”
Those symptoms might have appeared because they periodically drank the ‘medication’.
It was a little too early to come to conclusions but that might have been the trigger.
“Thank you. Very well. I shall dispel the demonization curse on the three who answered me.”
After listening to Lucy and Elizabeth-san’s recount, I judged that there was a high chance that the knights were speaking the truth so I turned to them and told them that I would dispel their curse.
Having Cathy and Kefin watch over them, I began dispelling the curse.
I treated them one at a time using magic circle chant and once the light from the Extra Heal spell faded, Cathy and Kefin arrested the demonized knights.
Their quick action didn’t allow the demonized knights any time to act.
Or rather, because the overflowing miasma from their body disappeared, they might have not been in any condition to move as all the strength has left their body after truly returning back to a human.
“Like I said earlier, I will let Pope-sama make the judgement for all of you. Although you are arrested, as long as you do not take any hostile actions, you will not have to go through any painful experiences.”
“I don’t really mind if any brave person takes up the challenge though.”
“On the contrary, there should be at least one person with that kind of grit right?”
“Shisho, Lionel, could you please not fan the flames anymore? Apart from that, why are you so motivated? Please … keep quiet. … Now then, the next question. Why did you accept the demonization? Were you informed of what power it would be?”
I laughed wryly at Shisho and Lionel who were itching to battle.
And in the midst of their warnings, there was a 10 meter class golem posing behind Shisho and Lionel.
It looked like Paula and the others weren’t interested with the Church so they were fooling around with the golem … but, it would be disastrous if that golem lost control so I decided to quickly investigate the branching point when they decided to undergo demonization.
“That would come under the confidential information. But there is only one reason why we took up this power, to subjugate the demon race and the Demon Lord and let the world know that the human race is the most capable race.”
“How would you let the world know? In the first place, with that body that emits miasma, you would be regarded as a subjugation target by the human race.”
“Shit, I, we wanted to once again, in that country that gave birth to the hero, li gyaaaa.”
The instant Bulltooth mentioned the hero, miasma burst out from his body and changed his very appearance.
And it didn’t happen to only Bulltooth.
The knights that I had not treated were all suffering and miasma leaked out of their bodies as the demonization advanced rapidly.
“Bulltooth, I didn’t expect that even you would betray us. But I, being generous, would forgive you all. That’s why, be relieved and stir up chaos in this place. Gahaha.”
Appearing and saying that was the chief of the human supremacist group, Dongahaha.
Author’s note:
Thank you for reading.
TL: All pawns to the mastermind. Although I feel like he might actually be a puppet to the real mastermind also.