MTLNOVEL Chapter 94
✦ Chapter 94 ✦
「Translator – Creator」
As if sharing my concerns, Cecila wore a serious expression and muttered quietly, “It looks like we can’t avoid it. We need to check inside the warehouse right now…”
“What? No way! We were strictly told not to open it until the time comes!”
Before she could finish, Becky cut her off vehemently in protest.
Seeing Becky’s reaction, Cecila flicked her finger, and two inquisitors approached Becky and firmly grasped her arms. She struggled vehemently, but she couldn’t overpower the strength of two robust adult men.
“What are you doing?! Let me go right now! What is the meaning of this…?”
“Enough. We are the Inquisitors of Westford. Under the treaty between the Holy Kingdom and the Empire, we are now initiating a compulsory investigation.”
“Inquisitors…?”
At Dante’s chilling words, she slowly stopped resisting. Looking dazed, she sank to her knees and gazed up at Cecila.
Cecila looked down at Becky and spoke in a calm, emotionless tone, “We’ve tracked the traces of evil to this village. And from the circumstances so far, whatever has possessed your sister is absolutely not the grace of God.”
“What are you saying…?”
“Don’t worry too much. We’ll examine your sister’s condition ourselves. But until then, you’ll have to stay with us for a while. And once everything is settled, you’ll receive due punishment according to the severity of your crime. After all, you’re guilty of abetting a heretic’s use of the magic, even if only a little.”
“A heretic…magic…”
Becky muttered softly and, no longer resisting, allowed herself to be led away by the priests.
Leaving Becky behind, Cecila turned to her group, “We have no choice but to split up. Dante, guard the village chief. Stefano and Enrico, monitor the area around the warehouse to ensure no one else approaches. Antonio and Ernest, you will come with me to the warehouse. Edwin, you…”
She hesitated as she looked at me. Although she was undoubtedly more adept at handling such situations than I was, I was here as the lord’s representative.
She could hardly give me orders like her subordinates.
And it was almost certain we would encounter an unpleasant sight in the warehouse, yet as the lord’s representative, I had an obligation to witness everything that occurred in our territory.
“I’ll go in too.”
“…Are you sure?”
“With Father not here, I should see this for myself. I’ll be fine.”
She narrowed her brow, showing slight displeasure, but ultimately acquiesced to my wishes.
Sighing, she approached and gently placed her hand on my chest, “Just in case, I’ll imbue you with holy power first. But remember, you are only to observe. No matter what happens, do not intervene.”
After infusing me with her holy power, she turned away. I surveyed our surroundings — Dante had Becky restrained and the others were vigilantly watching their assigned directions.
With two priests in front, she approached the warehouse door. It was solidly locked with a thick, crude padlock.
Cecila took a slight breath, then gestured to the priest beside her.
“Solvo…Orthas…Clatrha.”
The priest extended his hand toward the lock as he recited the incantation; a shimmering line emanated from his hand, snaking into the keyhole.
After a moment, the lock clattered and fell to the floor with a thud. Two priests led the way, followed by Cecila and then me as we entered the warehouse.
The first thing that greeted us was a pungent, overwhelming stench — the warehouse was enclosed by windowless walls on all sides, and aside from the area near the open door, it was shrouded in darkness. One of the priests chanted an incantation, illuminating our surroundings, and gradually the scene around us came into view — looks of horror appeared on the faces of the priests and Cecila.
The place was filled with filth, and the walls, ceiling, and the door we entered through were covered in ominous, unknown symbols and markings painted in red. As we moved further inside, a faint but noticeable evil energy became apparent.
However, its concentration seemed quite faint, and since Cecila had imbued me with holy power, it didn’t seem to pose any real threat.
“Antonio, check it out.”
At Cecila’s words, one of the priests approached the door, examining the markings and symbols etched there. He leaned in, sniffed, and slightly wrinkled his nose, “The faint scent of droppings suggests these are warding barriers made with chicken blood. I can’t identify the texts, but judging from the symbol patterns…”
“Just what is all this…”
Clank—
Just as Cecila started to speak, a grating sound came from the still-unilluminated corner of the warehouse, cutting her off.
The priest directed the light towards the source of the noise, revealing the final, hidden element of this scene — a young girl, seemingly around ten years old.
Her appearance was gaunt and ragged, her neck bound by thick iron chains, evoking immediate pity and sorrow. However, the presence she exuded was far beyond what a child could possess. She watched each of us intently, unblinking.
As one priest cautiously took a step forward, the girl lowered her upper body, poised as if about to pounce; a deep, bestial growling continuously escaped her throat.
Without taking her eyes off the girl, Cecila asked the priest beside her, “So they did succeed in anchoring a demon to a host body. Ernesta, what are the magic readings?”
“It is a Grade-2 demon. But even with a warding barrier, this level of evil energy should have been detectable in the village earlier. How did they manage to conceal it…”
Cecila scanned the area as the priest spoke. She soon noticed the obsidian, jagged stone pendant hanging around the girl’s neck; black mist slightly wisped around the stone.
She narrowed her eyes at it, tightly pursing her lips, “Obsidian…how did a rock from the depths of Hell end up here…”
In this world, obsidian was regarded as a byproduct of the Netherworld.
I seem to recall that due to its innate ability to absorb magic energy, those tainted by evil wore it to conceal their auras. Perhaps when such people were defeated, they dropped these necklaces.
It was no wonder Cecila was so astonished. The church confiscated and destroyed any obsidian they found, making it nearly impossible to acquire now.
Considering the current situation, it was not surprising that no one in the village detected anything amiss. The obsidian around the girl’s neck absorbed the evil energy, and the warding barrier prevented even minor leaks of this energy.
When we opened the door and entered, it broke the barrier, but the necklace still prevented us from sensing the full extent of the magic.
If the pilgrim orchestrated this, referring to the ritual as an “anointing” and “God’s blessing” was not entirely incorrect from his perspective. Finding a host capable of withstanding the evil energy during the demon’s settling period would indeed be a ‘divine blessing’ for them.
Fortunately, we discovered the traces before the demon completed its adaptation period. A Grade-2 demon was stronger than the Grade-3 demon summoned at the academy previously, but during its adaptation period, it’s akin to a cocoon, not yet fully realized.
During this larval state, the demon becomes significantly vulnerable to external attacks. While I can’t say exorcising it would be extremely easy, it’s certainly not impossible — especially considering Cecila’s abilities that I’ve witnessed before.
She seemed to realize this as well, regaining her composure after the initial shock.
Grrrr…
“Lady Cecila! It’s too dangerous to approach it alone, especially for someone with no actual combat experience!”
Cecila started walking towards the girl. The bestial growling intensified. The priests looked alarmed and tried to stop her, but she paid them no heed, drawing even closer to the girl.
“It’ll be fine. Is there a tormented beast trapped inside? The chains must be to restrain it. I don’t know who did this, but it might make things a bit easier…”
Clang!
Grrrr…
“…Whoa there.”
Just as she was about to respond to the priests, the girl suddenly lunged at her. Cecila promptly backed away, the iron chains restraining the girl preventing her from getting any closer.
“Lady Cecilia!”
“I’m alright. Hmm…what could have happened to make such a cute child like this…”
While the priests looked concerned, she simply raised her hand to stop them, unflinchingly meeting the gaze of the girl — or rather, whatever had taken over her body.
After a moment, she seemed to reach a conclusion, muttering, “It seems we can still save her. Her soul’s warmth is faint but present. The will to live remains.”
Cecila stood before the girl and began reciting an unusually long incantation. Soon after, a brilliant white line started tracing the floor around the girl; the line curved and spun, eventually forming a perfect circular array by joining its own tail.
Grrrr…Ungh! Ack…
As the circle completed, the girl collapsed inward, as if something weighed heavily upon her.
Ceasing her incantation, Cecila now approached and gently placed her hand on the small head, “You, wretched creature crawling up from the depths by defiling that obsidian stone. By the goddess’ name, I command you to return to the abyss where you belong.”
In the next instant, an immense surge of holy power flowed from Cecila’s hand into the girl’s body; the faint glow alone was enough to brightly illuminate the entire area.
Grrrrr! Ack! Aghck!
Its growling intensified further, mixed with pitiful cries of anguish from various animals spewing from the girl’s throat. However, Cecila didn’t flinch.
As time passed, the agonized screams gradually subsided, and a shadowy form seeped out of the girl’s body before dissipating into the air.
Cecila gently laid the girl down and grasped the obsidian necklace. Applying a bit of force, it snapped off into her hand.
Carefully cradling the girl, she watched as she slowly fluttered her eyes open.
“Who… who are you?” the girl asked.
“The one who restored your peace,” Cecila replied.
“Where am I? Is this heaven?”
“I’m afraid you’re still too early to go to Heaven. This is the village where you were born and raised.”
“I had a dream…Dogs with two heads and three eyes…They tore my whole body apart…No matter how hard I tried to run, I could never escape…It hurt so much, I just cried and cried…”
“Don’t worry. The beast that tormented you is gone now. No one will ever hurt you again.”
Cecila rose with the girl cradled in her arms. Approaching me, she extended her arms, offering the girl to me, “Whew, she’s heavy. Edwin, can you hold her for a bit?”
Despite her intense display, she still appeared completely at ease — almost unbelievably so after expending that much holy power.
I had worried there might be a rebound effect from channeling so much, but it seemed an unnecessary concern.
I readily took the girl from her. Gently stroking her head, I asked, “May I ask your name?”
“…Mona…”
“What a lovely name. Don’t worry, it’s all over now. Your sister was so worried about you. I’ll reunite you with her soon.”
“Sister…?”
“Yes, your sister Becky is waiting right outside.”
Mona tilted her head at my words, then hesitantly questioned me; the next words from her small mouth sent a chill down my spine, “…I don’t have a sister…I don’t know who Becky is…”
Shaking her head, Mona buried her face in my chest.
“What…?” I couldn’t help but mutter, taken aback when—
Hack…!! Cough…!!
—a sudden fit of coughing drew my attention.
“What… is this…” Before me, Cecila stood, staring in disbelief at the blood on her hand, having coughed it up unexpectedly.
— End of Chapter —
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