Chapter 42

Translator: Nox

Chapter 42

"Who do you think made the decision to seal off Grandis?"

"It must have been a decision from above. I've served here for a very long time, but I've never heard of such a top-secret document existing in the Order."

"What could be the reason?"

"Well... They must have done it because sealing this place would bring great benefit to someone."

"I think so too."

Asta's eyes settled calmly.

She knew that after Grandis was sealed off, merchants whose movements were restricted donated large sums to the Order and received travel permits in return.

This young priest didn't seem to be the type of person who should be here. She had heard that the Order doesn't excommunicate priests who have become one with great difficulty, and if he was managing the cemetery, he couldn't be a heretic.

Asta took a gamble and revealed her identity.

"I am the princess of Kasnatura."

"Pardon?"

The priest's eyes widened.

His white eyes trembled aimlessly. Asta politely asked him:

"I need to return to Kasnatura as soon as possible. I couldn't reveal my identity, so I've been quietly waiting for the city lockdown to be lifted, but I can't wait any longer. Father, if it's alright with you, could you help me?"

"Princess... You're saying you're the princess?"

"Yes, if you help me, I'll see if I can have your status restored in the Kasnatura diocese."

"Oh, dear God."

The priest bowed his head, assuming a praying posture.

"Though my name was taken when I was excommunicated, I pride myself on serving Him more devoutly than anyone. I was driven out for trying to expose and report corruption and crimes within the Order. Unable to fight alone, I've only been praying to God here in the cemetery."

He said that he had prayed like this, and then the princess of Kasnatura appeared, and that he knew she was a Spiritualist from what he had heard here and there.

Excommunicated for trying to expose the Order's corruption - a flame of justice ignited in Asta's chest.

"Come with me, Father."

"I don't know how I could be of help to the princess..."

"There should be at least one person who speaks the truth. And it's even better if there are two. It may sound silly, but wouldn't it be better because I'm royalty?"

"Princess."

"Call me Asta."

Asta extended her hand first, and the priest carefully took it.

In the darkness-shrouded cemetery, it was the moment when the Snowbeast Rango finally joined the protagonist's party from the original story.

This is my mistake.

I should have expected that if Asta was in Grandis, Cyril would naturally be here too.

Just as I was considering resting for a day before moving due to the late hour, we ran into him right in front of the inn alley.

Damn, talk about bad luck!

That moment felt slow and precise, as if someone had cast a slow-motion spell.

Cyril was standing on one side of the inn alley, whispering with a man who could have been either a servant or a guard, and I was entering with Reikart.

Even though we shouldn't have been able to see each other from that angle, our eyes met as if by fate. Cyril looked at Reikart first with disbelief, and Reikart drew his sword the moment he spotted Cyril.

Yes, he drew his sword first.

Right, these two were enemies, weren't they?

A killing intent resembling Magical Energy radiated from his body in streams. My Omnivore, who had grown stronger than in the early parts of the original story after rolling around in the Contaminated Zone, lost his reason in an instant upon seeing his enemy before him.

Ah, that's right. He's been acting as gentle as a retriever lately, but he was originally of a fierce temperament.

Why am I running into two protagonists in one day?!

"No!"

The moment Reikart revealed his killing intent, Cyril's companion, whether servant or guard, quickly drew his sword. So he was a guard knight. Before I could even admire that, Cyril also drew his sword. Right. Even though he was a notch below Reikart, he was still one of the top fighters of the Bandishion family.

I pondered.

Reikart won't die here. He's truly strong.

But I might die if I'm not careful. If I use Magical Energy on this crowded street, I'll become a wanted criminal in the Three Kingdoms again, and this time I might really have my head chopped off. I might be called a resurrected demon from hell rather than the evil Sorceress Hayley.

Should I abandon him and run?

I pulled my hood down deeper and squeezed myself into a corner of the alley.

"I wondered why the filthy bastard of Bandishion was here, but it seems you've been clinging to the princess of Kasnatura like a parasite."

Reikart struck first at Cyril's complex. In response, Cyril took a step forward, twisting his wrist while gripping his sword handle.

"The loser talks too much. You who couldn't even die honorably on the battlefield, your tongue has only grown longer in the meantime."

"How ironic for someone who can't achieve anything without using women to speak of honor."

"Reikart Winter!"

"What, did you think I've been following that evil sorceress around all this time, seeking misplaced revenge?"

Hey, I'm right here. That evil sorceress is right here.

Cyril gritted his teeth.

"Revenge? Now you want to avenge your family? That was a downfall you brought upon yourselves!"

"I know."

Reikart smiled coldly. It was truly a hateful and disgusting smile.

"No matter how much of bastards our family were, at least you have no right to pass judgment on us."

My Omnivore had become twisted.

"You parasite."

Reikart dug into Cyril's wound once again. He dug and dug and dug.

"I hear you still haven't taken control of the family? So this time you plan to use the princess of Kasnatura? Since she's royalty, I suppose she's kind enough to overlook a parasite like you? What do you plan to suck out of her this time? Honor?"

Wow, well done. My Omnivore had transformed from a fierce dog into Cerberus, the three-headed hellhound guardian. With three heads, he had three tongues, and his provocation was tripled.

Cyril shouted.

"Kill him!"

Cyril and his guard attacked Reikart from both sides. It was a quick and efficient coordinated attack.

I was still debating whether to run or not from a distance.

Reikart dodged the attacks of the two like a slippery eel. Then he swung his sword at a speed invisible to the eye.

I couldn't tell what was happening. Even when I watch action movies, I can only exclaim "wow, wow," and now seeing something even more amazing in real life, it felt completely unreal.

Blood splattered. I didn't know whose it was, but a long trail of blood stretched across the alley floor.

At that moment, I thought I should run.

"Zeus, go back first."

Reikart said.

"I'll handle this."

If that bastard hadn't said that, I would have run away alone.

My Omnivore can't return to Maron Keep alone through the Contaminated Zone. In the end, he's a burden that I have to move around.

"Young master, please escape!"

The one bleeding was the guard. He seemed prepared to sacrifice his life to protect Cyril, the heir of Bandishion.

Cyril, being of a cool and rational character, should normally have heeded the guard's words and retreated.

But Reikart drove in the final nail.

"Hey, how did you seduce Sorceress Hayley? Was it that precious face of yours, or did you offer your body?"

"What..."

"Isn't it black magic to bewitch people, use them, and then discard them? What do you call what you did?"

He was smiling.

"Trash behavior?"

"Reikart!"

"Does the princess of Kasnatura know?"

Oh, people.

I thought it was just a rebellious phase that started because he wasn't getting enough food, but it seems the Magical Energy from the Contaminated Zone has turned the kid evil!