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Chapter 70: Demon Worshippers (6)
Chapter 70: Demon Worshippers (6)
Chapter 70: Demon Worshippers (6)
Before they could proceed with their plan, there was something that needed to be addressed first.
Dale went to find Rebecca.
Rebecca who was persuading the count in his office had fortuitously managed to avoid the attack by the demon worshippers.
After hearing the whole story, Rebeccas expression hardened.
The situation is indeed grave. The count is almost having a fit after hearing that several of his vassals have been killed. He has called all his soldiers here. If we dont deal with the demon worshippers soon, the count might die of a nervous breakdown.
Stay close to the count. Thats the safest place for you right now.
Yes. Be careful as well, Sir Dale.
Next, it was time to arm Esther. Pale fetched some armor and protective gear from somewhere and handed it to Esther.
Esther whined for a while and put on her armor.
Hmm. This is a bit tight. And heavy too.
Dale said,
Endure it. Its better than being stabbed with a sword and dragging your entrails around.
Thats a rather grim way to put it.
Instead of the robes she normally wore, Esther now wore loose tough robes. And beneath the robe, she had to layer chainmail and padded armor.
Esther wobbled from side to side as if wearing such armor made her uncomfortable.
Then she said with tears in her eyes.
Its really heavy.
If youre going to pursue a career as a battle priestess, youll need to get used to it. Start working out to build some muscle for next time.
Alright, Ill exercise. That should do it.
When Dale spoke sternly, Esther grumbled with a sullen face.
She knew Dales advice was correct.
In these times, being a priest didnt guarantee safety and there were many instances when one had to face danger.
Armoring oneself and acquiring at least basic weapon skills was considered standard practice.
After Esther was fully armed,
The trio immediately made their way outside.
Pale declared,
I know a back entrance. We can use that to exit.
He guided them to the rear gate of the lords castle.
There was a soldier standing guard at the rear door with a stern expression on his face, but when he saw the heretic inquisitors robe that Pale was wearing, he opened the door without questions.
Pale said with a serious expression as he passed through the back door.
The count has summoned all the soldiers patrolling inside the castle to his mansion.
It seems like a perfect setting for demon worshippers to thrive.
Yes, which is why we must take action.
The three stepped out of the lords castle.
It was late into the night.
A mist hung low over the ground and clouds that had gathered from somewhere filled the sky.
The streets lined with mansions both large and small were eerily silent.
The bolted mansions were enveloped in such stillness that it was impossible to tell if they were inhabited or not.
Kaelum Castle, a large city in its own right, now had the atmosphere of a ghost town.
Esther must have been nervous in that atmosphere and she swallowed hard.
I-Im worried if I can do this right. Wont I stand out too much?
Pale responded gently.
These demon worshippers are overconfident and bold enough to attack the mansion directly. They wont simply overlook Esther wandering the streets so openly.
Hmm. All right.
She nodded her head before moving ahead of the others.
Pale turned to Dale and said,
Ill cast a veil. Stay close to me.
Pale recited a small prayer under his breath and soon a translucent dome-like veil surrounded the two of them.
It was a miracle that bent light to conceal their presence.
While it might be noticeable in broad daylight, it proved to be quite effective under the cover of a foggy night like this.
Pale cautioned,
Do not draw that cursed sword. It would disrupt the miracle. Oh, and try not to touch the edges of the shield. Its not meant for offense, but you never know.
I understand.
The two who were hidden within the veil kept their eyes on Esther.
The latter pulled up the robes hood over her head and started wandering the streets anxiously.
From the robe covering her head to her awkward walk caused by the armor.
Her appearance was notably suspicious.
If there were soldiers patrolling the place, it wouldnt be surprising if she was arrested right away.
This was how Esther navigated through the streets.
She was occasionally glancing back towards where Dale and Pale were hidden whenever a wave of anxiety hit her.
Though she couldnt really see them since they were hidden by the veil.
A considerable amount of time had passed just like that.
They had cast the bait, yet the target showed no signs of taking it.
Is it time to revise the plan?
Just as that thought began to surface, a voice emerged from somewhere.
On such a late night, to wander alone, Miss. Isnt that far too dangerous?
The voice that shattered the silence resonated unusually clearly around them.
Esther was startled and turned her head in the direction she heard the voice.
There was a person standing in the middle of the street. And he was dressed in a robe just like Esther.
The hunched man rubbed his hands together.
The dim moonlight cast upon the mans hands illuminated his pale fingers.
He spoke,
That wont do. How will you survive in this cruel world with such a lack of caution?
Esther took a step back.
How did he appear so suddenly?
Just moments ago, the street had been completely deserted.
The hunched-backed man had appeared as if he were smoke.
Pale was just as startled by the guys sudden appearance.
He instinctively felt the urge to rush forward after sensing a dangerous aura emanating from the hunched-back man.
A horrendous smell lingered around him, reminiscent of blood, corpses, or perhaps rotting flesh.
Dale quickly restrained Pale.
This situation was just like fishing.
You had to be patient until the prey fully bit into the bait.
While holding Pale back, Dale thought to himself,
The hunched-back.
This was the figure he had seen in Lapins memories. The demon worshipper who turned the residents of Faido village into dust and gave Lapin the relic cannon.
Now this hunched-back man was rubbing his hands together and advancing towards Esther.
Come, Miss. Let us accompany you. We will ensure you reach home safely.
The hunched-back man flicked his tongue, which was split at the end like that of a snakes.
Esther involuntarily recoiled.
No, thank you. I can manage on my own
Suddenly, Esther pondered over the words the man had spat out.
Did he just say we instead of I?
She instinctively turned around and was met with the sight of bizarre figures in white masks who had emerged from nowhere and were now charging at her with arms wide open.
Esther quickly recited a prayer. In the next moment, a solid barrier enveloped her.
One of the demon worshippers was surprised before he stumbled and crashed right into the barrier.
Esther cried out,
Sir Dale!
In that instant, Dale burst through the veil.
He hit the ground with explosive force and swung his cursed sword widely.
His target was the hunched-back man.
Perhaps this man could be the leader.
The hunched-back man flicked his snake-like tongue in astonishment and let out a sigh of admiration.
Aaah.
He extended his right hand to the side, which then became suffused with a purple color.
In the next moment, a spell was activated, and a demon worshipper charging towards Estel was forcefully thrust backward.
The demon worshipper who was floating in mid-air was hurled directly toward Dales sword.
Crunch!
The cursed sword cleaved the demon worshipper in two. And hot sticky blood splattered around.
Using his ally as a shield bought the hunched-back man a moment to retreat.
The hunched-back man used both his hands and feet to scramble backward like a beast and started laughing.
Haha. So youre the hero of the rumors. Seeing you in person you really are something special. To meet someone like you at such a crucial moment, I must be quite fortunate.
A demon servant said something similar. And then her head was severed.
The hunched-back man shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
Are you speaking of Hasina? She was a perfect match for the term half-witted. A foolish mage serving a pathetic master!
It seemed he was referring to the demon that Hasina had served. There appeared to be factions even among demons.
Dale retorted with disdain to the swaggering hunched-back man.
It seems wiser than serving a master whos already dead.
..!
A flash of angeror perhaps surprisegleamed beneath the hunched-back mans robe at Dales words.
Regardless of which it was, Dales suspicion turned into certainty.
The hunched-back man spoke with a voice now heavy with menace.
It seems there might be something worth hearing from you. I will kill you and examine your brain. Then, Ill present it to my master.
Try if you can.
Dale pointed the tip of his sword towards the hunched-back man, from beneath whose robe a red gleam sparkled menacingly.
Similarly, a blue light seeped from the eyeholes of Dales helmet.
Clouds that had drifted in from somewhere finally shrouded the moon completely.
The shadow cast by the clouds enveloped both Dale and the hunched-back man.
At that moment, Dale moved his arm with such speed that it was almost a blur. He pulled a dagger from his cloak and threw it.
Think again!
The hunched-back mans pale hand turned purple again as he manipulated his magic.
The swiftly flying dagger came to an abrupt halt in mid-air, then, as if changing its mind, turned around and darted back towards Dale.
Clang!
Dale swatted the dagger away with his palm and advanced swiftly, closing the distance between him and the hunched-back man.
The hunched-back man cried out,
Gather!
From the shadowy confines of an alleyway, from beneath the eerie ceiling of a shabby house, and from the desolate walls, demon worshippers wearing white masks emerged from every corner.
Following the hunched-back mans command, they charged at Dale with unwavering loyalty.
Among them were mages casting spells and others who launched physical attacks.
As Dale cut down the approaching demon worshippers with his sword, he thought to himself,
Esther and Pale seem to be holding up well.
Though they were backed against a wall, Esther and Pale were fighting valiantly. Esther conjured a dazzling barrier of light, within which Pale swung his mace, warding off the onslaught of demon worshippers.
As priests of the church known for their defensive power, they were managing to hold their ground.
With Esther and Pale effectively holding the line, Dale could concentrate on the foes before him.
A myriad of spells flew towards Dale but he was unfazed.
Dale drew his sword in a wide arc.
All of the spells were dissipated just by touching the cursed sword.
The hunched-back man was observing from a distance and muttered under his breath.
Annoying sword, indeed. But it doesnt matter. Its done now.
Having completed his incantation, he pressed his palms against the ground.
Suddenly, the earth began to rumble as if an earthquake had struck.
The flagstones, rocks, and dirt on the road seemed to come alive with purpose before gathering together in one place.
Dale quickly stepped back to avoid being swept away by the tidal wave of soil.
The amassed mound of earth soon took the form of a large giant.
It was probably twice the size of Dale. The giant had four legs, two arms, and an angular head, all crafted from soil and stone. Its name was
A golem.
Correct.
It was a summoning spell for a golem, and not just any ordinary one, but a rather large creature.
Pleased with his creation, the hunched-back man let out a delighted laugh.
Haha, splendid. It would have been even better with a mask But this should be more than enough to crush you.
The hunched-back man tapped the golems legs lightly.
Take care of it.
Guoooo!
With a thunderous bellow that made one wonder how such a sound could emanate from it, the golem roared and began to move. Its four legs were thudding heavily against the ground.
So heavy were its steps that the earth trembled with each movement.
Dale watched the approaching golem. It was heavy and strong, but perhaps because of that, its speed was slow.
Dale carefully observed the golems structure and waited until he was certain of his plan.
Then he propelled himself into the air with a powerful push from the ground.
Huh?
Caught off guard by the sudden leap, the golem attempted to throw a punch.
But the golems movements were excruciatingly slow, almost yawningly so. Regrettably, Dale wasnt one to yawn.
With his fist pulled back, Dale then used all his core strength to deliver a powerful blow to the golems head.
Dale had faced a giant in the past and he drew upon that experience without reservation.
Booom!
Dales fist plunged into the golems head before bursting out from the back of its skull.
Dirt and stone cascaded down.
Grgh Grgh
The golem issued an incomprehensible roar. It flailed its arms, trying to seize Dale.
Dale swiftly withdrew his fist and struck the golems head once more.
The creatures head shattered completely, revealing a spot beneath where magical power was densely concentrated. It was the golems core. Dale extended his left hand and placed it on the core.
Then he activated his relic glove.
Boom! A powerful shockwave pulverized the golems core into dust.
After losing its core, the golem wandered aimlessly for a moment before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud.
.
The golem, which had seemed so formidable just moments ago, had fallen in an instant. Esther and Pale looked on blankly at Dale.
Even the hunched-back man who had been staring calmly at the scene was so taken aback that he momentarily forgot his usual polite manner of speaking and muttered under his breath.
What the hell is this?