Hero’s Downfall Report

34 – Devotion to the Sword (9)

“A shadow. You mentioned he was ‘possessed.’ What’s the basis for that, and how did he specifically try to kill you? Also, talk about the miracle of healing. It’s hard to grasp. Did you really see it properly?”

Malachiah glanced suspiciously at Cain, as if saying, ‘I’ll judge the truth, so give me the information.’

Cain made his decision. One warning was enough. There was no reason or time to explain in detail. He didn’t want to adjust to this kind of rhythm. Cain turned his head towards Lily.

“Judge, you seem unsure how to interpret this. It’s like you’re suggesting we misunderstood, but can we continue the discussion?”

It was a deception, making it seem like Lily was superior. Adding the nuance that ‘I don’t have all the authority.’ and creating a hand gesture indicating ‘denial’ was a bonus.

Lily nodded slowly and decisively, aligning the pieces with a clear gesture. Inquisitors were perplexed. They tried to press Lily, but all they got was silence and stares.

“Why are you doing this?”

Malachiah clenched his fist. Cain raised an eyebrow in a tone of ‘Don’t you know that too?’

“I understand.”

“What?”

“Perhaps it’s because you’ve been a judge for a long time, but treating people in front of you as criminals is a habit. Do doctors consider everyone they meet as potential patients? It’s not because people are bad; it’s just that such habits become ingrained. That’s what I understand.

You mentioned wanting to know if we really came from the monastery, and I understand that too. Verification is necessary. Worried about that, I brought various artifacts from the burned monastery that could serve as evidence. So, I’ll even allow a thorough verification process.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“I said I understand, not that I accept.”

Cain stared directly into Malachiah’s eyes.

“It’s hard to believe, but I don’t know how to accept it… My fellow agent and I didn’t come here for heresy trials, nor did we come for interrogation or to file a report. We are here performing imperial duties, not as subordinates of the church.

So now I must ask. Tell me what you know about the Seven Heroes and Shadows, the Demon King and the Knights of the Sword, and the Pure Knight.”

Malachia’s face hardened.

“How rude. Why should I be kind to an uncivilized bureaucrat?”

Malachia openly sneered. Cain didn’t get angry. There was no need to.

“Then go and bring the responsible party.”

The judge’s lips curled.

“I’m curious. Is the seat of a judge at the Religious Tribunal a position that represents the church and can cooperate with the empire’s investigation? If not, bring someone who matches my position and rank, and submit a report to your ‘superior’.”

“You’re going too far!”

Malachia clenched the armrest of his chair. Cain stood up from his seat.

“So it seems I’ve been holding on to someone who is not even worth my rank.”

“Enough!”

Father Heinrich intervened between the two. His face was twisted in anger. He had been holding back for quite some time. Lily leaned back, crossed her legs, and nodded at Cain, a gesture that everyone would understand as “You went too far.”

Cain sat back down for now. But he didn’t apologize. Heinrich shook his head as if he were sick of it.

“The shadows are the tool the Demon King understands and utilizes the most deeply.”

However, his tone was as calm as it had been in the courtroom. The holy crusader insignia shone in the sunlight streaming through the window. Malachia let out an irritated sound, but Heinrich ignored it.

“The Demon King distorts and utilizes everything in the world according to his own intentions. People, light, and even sacred light are no exception. But what he understands and handles most deeply is the shadows.

I don’t know how much you know about the Fifth Crusade, but in the early stages, the troops were on the verge of disintegration. There were hands holding swords and spears emerging from the corners of the warehouse or under the sunny windows, places in the shadows.

Is that all? They assassinated the field commander, set fire to the weapons, and contaminated the provisions. They sent grotesque creatures through the shadows and even repelled the enemy.

The fear of darkness. The dread of shadows. The feeling of fatigue from not knowing when or where an attack would come slowed down the soldiers’ steps and gave headaches to the commanders.”

Cain recalled the tendrils of the tongue. The scene of the monster, formed by twisted flesh, flying northeast, lingered in his memory. Lily, tormented and pained by the mockery of the tendrils, diligently wiping the places the tongue touched whenever there was a gap, until it hurt and the flesh became swollen.

And the shadow of the dead fiancée who used to talk to him whenever there was a gap after that day.

“I hate to admit it, but at that time, the followers of the heretics were ahead of us in knowledge of light and vision. Living on vast and open land must have contributed to the advancement of optics.

They proposed to illuminate as much light as possible to drive away shadows. The blessed knights and clergy explored the miracles of light. Since then, they began to use holy fire like a beacon.

For soldiers who couldn’t use the miracle of light, they were told to use candles, torches, and shields or mirrors on the back to reflect light. It was said that reflecting light on a shimmering surface could drive away shadows.

But on that fateful night, everything returned to chaos. Even the celestial bodies were obscured on that night, and the demonic energy of the demon lord was strongest. It was terrifying, truly terrifying.”

Those with military insignias nodded their heads.

“But the most fearsome ability of the demon lord is not that. Agents, I dare say, many of us were there. Haspel was there too. The reason we show such sharp reactions is that the one who truly sought the ‘shadow’ can never go back to the way it was before, to the time before seeing it.

So, I ask you. Have you truly seen it?”

– Kyros…

Cain’s ears heard hallucinations again. Although the room was as quiet as a breath, the voice was clear. But soon, a clear and distinct voice was heard.

“I have seen it.”

Everyone looked at Lily.

“Yes. I have seen it. The fear. I am still afraid now, but there was someone who borrowed the form of shadows that could never appear in the Otranto Blockade Monastery.”

Lily calmly received all those gazes.

“But you are sitting here unharmed. No. No. It’s not that I don’t believe it. But once you see it, it doesn’t disappear from your eyes until you die.

Even though the military strength of the Fifth Crusade was not negligible, the reason why only seven heroes could go forward in front of the demon lord was this. The fears, guilt, burdens, regrets in the heart grew larger right in front of your eyes.

Yes. I experienced that too. Haspel, that friend, advanced a little ahead of me but eventually knelt down. So, I want to know how you overcame it.”

Heinrich exhaled a heavy sigh, like putting down a heavy stone.

“It had to be done. It was necessary. That’s all.”

Lily replied simply. It was as dry as if the sun had risen in the east.

“Strong-willed, indeed.”

Someone in the inquisitorial court sighed in admiration. Those listening nodded their heads.

Judge Malachiah groaned, then, as if resigned, leaned on the armrests and began to speak.

“… The devil does not extract what is not within a person. It means not doing absurd things. Instead, he exaggerates and inflates what is already inside, and obsesses over that. In that way, he plunges them into despair.

You asked what the Church was hiding about the seven heroes. I will answer that. The seven heroes. Yes. They were not ordinary people. Their reputation was not very good.”

Cain and Lily both thought of Archbishop William at the same time.

“They were difficult to control and acted as they pleased. Some were uncontrollable, while others were impossible to watch. There were those who were very basic, and others who let go of everything, leaving themselves empty inside.

Those seven had something missing in them that people should have, or perhaps they lived their whole lives trapped in fear, terror, and emptiness, so even the devil could not do anything about it. Whichever it was, it is clear that the devil’s most powerful weapon did not work on them…

I do not know exactly what happened at the place where the devil fell. They simply said that they all joined forces to defeat the devil. Others, of course, including myself, could not even approach the devil. Even now, when I recall what the darkness showed me…”

Suddenly, darkness fell in the room. It was because the sunlight was obscured by clouds. Malachiah’s words were as tough and ominous as the dark shadows of ivy.

“They were constantly mourned wherever they went. But because it was certain that they had defeated the devil, the king decided to raise their honor to a height where it could not be lowered. So high that no one could reach it, so high that it would cover the darkness with brightness.

Justice is justice and life is life… Even I… There are some things that cannot be attempted without leaving any aftereffects. Sometimes, no, often… Especially when sitting in the judge’s seat, I often feel that even good deeds come with a great cost.

If they were not like humans, but rather thought that they could break the devil, then they could be used as instruments of

The reason the Sword Devotion Park was designated as a sacred place is because of that. However… it is being unjustly denied from its roots. Imagine, everyone found solace there. Every being in the world found hope there.”

A crisp sound, as if breaking the armrest of a chair, was heard.

“The technique utilizing shadows is undoubtedly the sorcery the Demon King mainly employs, and judging by your reactions, it seems to draw out nightmares from within. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a signal that the Demon King has returned. It doesn’t imply that the seven warriors have failed in their mission.”

Cain recalled Anna’s reply. The letter he discreetly received upon arriving in Magdeburg.

According to the reply, the warriors that the Empire could contact merely repeated that they had simply completed their tasks. They had defeated the Demon King and sealed his remains. He won’t rise again, so they said.

Of course, that wasn’t the entirety of the reply. Cain also wrote about Haspel’s secret investigation, and Anna advised gathering that information if possible. ‘Cain, the clergy is unlikely to cooperate.’ That was her conclusion.

And Cain seemed to know why she reached that conclusion.

“Does His Holiness the Pope consider this uneasy peace better than the truth?”

“The truth. What is the truth?” Malachia snarled.

“That the seven warriors have deviated in character? Does that render void everything, even their defeating the Demon King? People, as warriors, should they be born immaculate without a flaw? I admit they were noisy wherever they went.

But if someone tries to maliciously kill another, they can create a demon even in an empty place! Those who speak of bending when there’s nothing to bend for are ignorant! They must explain each of their actions and clearly declare each of their intentions without fear!”

Cain almost mentioned that there was evidence. He barely restrained himself from remembering that Haspel’s claimed obscene diary was not in his hands.

If, by any chance, the diary couldn’t be secured, Cain would tarnish Haspel’s honor as well. Moreover, there was no guarantee that the inquisitors hadn’t entered his room, even though Haspel said the diary was in the library.

Cain looked at Lily. Lily nodded. There was no signal, literally just a gaze, so she was a bit confused, but she believed that Cain must have something in mind. Cain gained courage from that trust.

“The truth I saw is that Sister Haspel burned herself to eliminate the shadow within her.”

The exhausted Sister Heinrich slumped to the ground. Startled inquisitors rushed to support him.