Chapter 102
"Are you admitting that your blade is a demon sword?" Elijah asked, looking at Caron with a mixture of disbelief and disdain.
No one in their right mind would ever acknowledge that their own sword was a demon sword... No one except one person: Caron Leston.
"Well, if a Saint says it's a demon sword, what else could it be? As you said, it is a demon sword," Caron replied with a shrug. He gave Guillotine, a casual swing with his right hand, then said, "This was our first ancestor's sword. So, what you're saying is that our first ancestor was also consumed by a demon sword? Thank you. You've just helped me uncover a truth that our family has been hiding."
"...There's no way that sword belonged to the founder of the Ducal Family of Leston . As far as I know, the current head, Grand Duke Halo..." Elijah began.
"If you don't believe it, go ask my grandfather. He's the one who told me about it," Caron said with a grin, backing Elijah further into a corner. He continued, "The sword's name is Guillotine, the Execution Sword. I didn't know it was a demon sword. Wait, but if that's the case... Does that mean the Ducal Family of Leston has sold their souls to demons?"
"That's quite the leap. I didn't mean it that way," Elijah responded, his tone defensive.
"You just insulted House Leston," Caron retorted, his words firing out with relentless precision.
Elijah's single utterance of the phrase "demon sword" had now somehow snowballed into an accusation that the Holy Kingdom had insulted the Ducal Family of Leston.
As Elijah listened to Caron speak, his expression stiffened in frustration. He was sure that Caron's tongue was a demon's tongue, and that it was the most dangerous thing in this place. However, Elijah quickly regained his composure, speaking in a low voice, "It is not my intention to dishonor the Ducal Family of Leston."
"Let's skip the long speeches. This is tiring. Just tell me what you want. The demonic monsters aren't even fully dealt with, yet here you are, so I assume there's a reason," Caron said bluntly.
Elijah gave him a nod, then answered, "We would like you all to come with us. A full account of what happened here, and how you faced the Demon King, is necessary for a thorough investigation."
"So, you're saying that you're going to drag us away?" Caron asked.
"Since the disaster in the empire, it's been almost fifty years since the Demon King last made a move. For the sake of the world's future, I ask for your cooperation," Elijah explained.
His words were polite, but the attitude he exuded was anything but. The holy knights were already poised to pounce at any moment. One word from Elijah, and a fight would begin.
Caron scanned the knights one by one, then turned back to Elijah and said, "You bastards have no shame at all, huh? You came here to clean up after the battle, and now you're trying to arrest the ones who actually fought?"
"It's not an arrest. It's an invitation to accompany us," Elijah replied.
"If you keep playing word games, I'll rip that tongue right out of your mouth," Caron growled.
These people were no allies. The "enemy of my enemy is my friend" principle simply didn't apply to fanatics. That was because normal reasoning didn't work on lunatics. Of course, dealing with people like that was Caron's area of expertise.
"Well, if you had asked politely, I might have considered it. But you came at us with weapons drawn. Isn't that a declaration of battle?" Caron asked.
"This situation is all because of the ominous power you're exuding," Elijah shot back.
"Look carefully. This is my answer," Caron said.
Then, a moment later...
Splat.
Caron spat a wad of bloody spittle onto Elijah's face, grinning as he said, "Try taking us with you if you think you can."
"How dare you insult the Saint!" one of the holy knights standing behind Elijah shouted as he lunged forward. Without a moment's hesitation, he swung his sword at Caron.
Clang!
Caron blocked the knight's strike effortlessly, though he felt a faint sting in his palm. The holy knight's sword carried a surprising weight.
"Saint! Just give the word, and I'll sever this blasphemer's head!" the knight said.
The holy knight appeared to be in his mid-twenties. It was difficult to gauge his precise skill level, since holy energy differed from the mana used by most knights. But judging by his presence...
A 6-Star knight, Caron thought. This man was probably equivalent to a knight of that level.
Still pressing his blade against the knight's, Caron remarked with a sneer, "How pathetic. Didn't your god teach you anything about fighting fair?"
"Keep blabbing with that mouth, and I'll rip it right open," the knight growled, his voice seething with menace uncharacteristic for a holy knight. He applied more force to his blade and continued, "I've heard about you. They call you the empire's greatest talent, but you're nothing more than a frog in a well. Bow down now and beg the Saint for forgiveness."
"What if I refuse?" Caron replied with a smirk.
"Then I'll slice off your legs and make you kneel by force," the knight replied.
"Oh, so now you're planning to cripple my legs too? How kind. Classic for a holy man," Caron mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He glanced over his shoulder and called, "Hey, Leon, do you know this guy's name?"
Leon's expression stiffened slightly as she replied, "If he's one of the young crusaders following Elijah... He must be Hapiel Orgen. He's considered the greatest talent in the southern continent."
"Got it," Caron said. With this information, he turned back to the holy knight, a smirk still on his face, and asked, "So, should I call you Hapiel?"
"How dare a heretic utter my name?" Hapiel replied through gritted teeth. Then, raising his voice, he called out, "Saint! Allow me to end this blasphemer—"
But before he could finish, Caron muttered, "Why do you keep asking for permission? If you've drawn your sword, you should see things through to the end."
Clang!
In a flash, Caron drew on his mana and deflected Hapiel's blade. And in the same swift movement—
Thud.
Guillotine plunged deep into Hapiel's abdomen. Stunned, Hapiel's eyes widened in disbelief. The pain hadn't even registered yet—only shock.
...How? Hapiel thought, bewildered. He hadn't sensed any hint of an attack. In the split second it took, he hadn't even imagined Caron would actually land a blow.
"Argh..." He choked. The pain finally surged, but when he tried to summon his holy power, it refused to answer. Something from Caron's blade seeped into his abdomen, spreading through his body like crawling insects and smothering his holy energy.
"You're supposed to be the greatest talent in the southern continent..." Caron murmured as Hapiel's limbs began to go numb.
The bloodlust-infused energy oozing from Caron's sword crept into Hapiel, paralyzing him little by little. Trembling, Hapiel stared at the man before him, horror filling his gaze. Caron was akin to a demon. If this man wasn't a demon, then who was...
"...I guess not anymore," the demon-like Caron whispered softly into Hapiel's ear.
***
Thud.
As Hapiel collapsed, the other holy knights sprang into action. They drew their weapons, channeling holy power until a radiant light emanated from the blades.
"Sir Hapiel!"
"You bastard!"
Watching them, Leo muttered to Caron with a wry smirk, "Great job. If you were going to go this far, maybe you should've warned me earlier."
"And why's that?" Caron asked.
"Well, if I'd known, I'd have let the Demon King finish me off earlier. Haven't you heard what happens when you get dragged to the Holy Kingdom?" Leo asked.
"Oh, come on," Caron replied, feigning innocence. "Would they really torture people, being followers of God and all?"
"...You've never heard of the Inquisitors? Oh my, Caron..." Leo grumbled, but still raised his weapon. Leon and Utula also braced themselves, preparing for the fight despite their barely healed injuries.
"Is this truly your choice?" Elijah asked, his once-kind smile now nowhere to be seen. His expression had hardened, his gaze cold as he looked at Caron. He said, "...I never thought you would try to defy the will of God. From this moment, you are an enemy of the Holy Kingdom."
"I never intended to make friends with fanatics," Caron replied coolly.
"Then I'll make you one promise," Elijah said as a searing, blinding light radiated from his back, his voice brimming with barely contained rage. "I'll bring you to the Holy Kingdom as a penitent, and wash your sins clean. You should be grateful, as only a chosen few receive such an opportunity."
"Wash clean, huh? Are you planning to wash me yourself?" Caron taunted with a smirk.
"I'll make sure that insolent tongue of yours can never be used again," Elijah snarled.
With that, the holy knights surged forward.
But in that instant—
Whoosh!
A wall of fire erupted from the ground, creating a barrier between Caron's group and the holy knights.
"Fanatics. You will achieve nothing here," Orion said as he stepped forward, fixing his gaze on Elijah with an unyielding expression.
Elijah clenched his fist, irritation flickering across his face as he said, "This is human business. The elves have no stake in it."
"No, you are wrong," Orion replied firmly.
Elijah scowled, glancing around as he realized all the elves on the battlefield had bows pointed at the holy knights.
"My name is Orion Windkeeper. I, representing the elves here, warn you fanatics," Orion declared.
Behind Orion, elemental spirits began to appear one by one, all arrayed behind him as the four elements of nature—wind, water, fire, and earth—took form.
"We elves do not forget our comrades in battle. If you try to take our allies by force, we will stop you with our lives," Orion said.
"How strange. I thought your kind despised humans," Elijah replied, a look of surprise crossing his face.
"Unlike you fanatics, we are not so shameless as to judge a benefactor by their race," Orion replied coolly.
A tense standoff between two groups, both unwilling to yield in their sense of superiority.
Elijah narrowed his gaze, calculating the forces on both sides. He hadn't expected the elves to shield Caron and his group. Elves were known to be fierce isolationists, often killing any human who dared intrude on their forests. Despite them having fought alongside these humans, he hadn't thought the elves would go so far as to protect them.
...If we fight, we'll win, Elijah thought grimly.
The elves weren't in peak condition, and with enough brute force, his forces could overpower them. However, Elijah knew that such a victory would come at a heavy price.
Shriek!
The howls of the demonic monsters echoed in his ear, reminding him of the creatures still thrashing around. Elijah knew he had to make a decision quickly. At the very least, he had to clear away these monsters before they left. It would serve a purpose, providing a pretext to condemn the Keath Kingdom's incompetence and justifying the Holy Kingdom's growing influence over the southern realms.
"Alright, I understand your position," Elijah finally said.
He suppressed the simmering urge to tear that devilish man in front of him to pieces. After all, this was for a greater cause. As surely as the sun would rise, he would deal with that criminal's sins another day.
Elijah looked quietly at Caron, a faint smile creeping onto his face as he said, "Attacking a knight of the Holy Kingdom is a sin bordering on blasphemy. So, you will be held accountable for this crime. Soon enough, you'll stand before the holy court."
He would let it be for now, but he was certain that he would soon cross paths with Caron Leston again. The price for the latter's sins could be exacted when the time came.
"The path you tread will eventually taint you with evil," Elijah intoned, his words laden with a curse. "One day... Even your family will abandon you."
Caron only shrugged, unbothered. With a swift kick, he sent Hapiel's unconscious body rolling toward the holy knights.
Thud!
Hapiel's limp form landed in front of his comrades.
"If anyone saw this scene, maybe they'd even mistake you all for true defenders of justice," Caron sneered as he sheathed Guillotine with a casual flick. His voice dripped with mockery as he taunted, "If you're here to clean up, then shut up and get to it. That's the perfect role for you guys anyway."
The blatant insult left the holy knights quaking with anger, though none dared step forward. One wrong move, and they'd be skewered by elven arrows.
Amid the tense standoff, Caron taunted the holy knights once again. "If you understand, then get lost."
The Mad Dog smiled at the fanatics.