◈ Episode 443. Hypocrite (5)
Shooting off my mouth, inviting needless misunderstanding.
Actions that scratch and create scabs.
I always knew it would become a problem someday. ‘But I never imagined the backlash would come from Akshan.’
It is exactly as you see……!
It was a situation where they wouldn't believe me even if I explained the truth in detail.
After all, the time when I hunted demons was not this era, but after the Great Upheaval.
A matter of the distant future. ‘How do I prove that I came from the future?’
It’s impossible to just say I went out and secretly hunted a demon.
Didn’t I tell you?
That demons are in an environment where they’re hard to find.
I went out saying it was a quest, and when I came back, it had ended at nothing more than some outer-wall graffiti…….
No, you could tell just by the fact that it ended at the level of breaking a curse.
“As expected. I was not wrong, Dexio!”
Yukra, who had jumped up before I knew it, pointed a finger at me.
The atmosphere around us was murderous, too.
Especially Dexio, who had been mediating the situation, was also wary of me.
“Grangfel, show me the Tear of Humility.”
[Akshan Relic: Tear of Humility]
I didn’t have much knowledge about relics, but I could guess at a glance that something strange had happened. That eerie black water had filled the glass to the brim—hardly a good sign.
‘Think of an excuse, Hoyeol.’
……
Somehow the color looks exactly like cola. Even if this were reality, cola on the Arcana Continent would be a ridiculous excuse. Of course, fortunately, there was no need to rack my brain over anything complicated.
The syllables spat out at Dexio.
“If you wish, behold.”
Swish.
A hand extending with exceeding composure.
“If you can bear the consequences.”
I’m just digging my own grave……!
While the others hesitated at my shamelessness.
Dexio strode up.
Then he took the glass and peered inside.
Well, there was no need to look too closely.
The black liquid was full enough to slosh around.
“……!”
Dexio’s pupils quivered.
The emotion revealed was turmoil.
It wasn’t a reaction commonly seen from Dexio.
Yukra shouted, as if adding the finishing touch.
“Behold. Claudi is indeed the bloodline of a demon!!”
At the same time.
Srring—
All the demon hunters except Dexio raised their weapons toward me.
A situation where I was clearly surrounded.
But I didn’t feel even the slightest tension.
After all, they’re all demon hunters, aren’t they?
Going up against our seniors, each of whom is missing more than a few screws?
For the current me, it’s not burdensome in the slightest.
So I had a separate worry. ‘I have to clear the class quest.’
In my head, the puzzle was slowly coming together.
These demon hunters underground are probably the Akshan deserters the quest spoke of.
To humans who are not demons, our Grangfel-nim is one who bestows boundlessly generous mercy. ‘He either forgave them, or let them escape.’
Grangfel had likely chosen one of the two options.
If so, the reason why the well-kept relics were all lost at once also made sense. In front of none other than Grangfel. Moreover, having to flee from Grangfel—who had grown sensitive at the mention of the Claudi family—would they have had the mind to return the relics?
‘They just ran away holding them in their hands.’
Finally, it also made sense that the traces of the deserters were found at the bottom of the [Valley of the Forgotten], the holy land of the Shadow Mercenary Corps. They were ones who had mistaken Claudi for a demon and deserted.
‘Anyway, they’re veterans.’
They must have gone to ask the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
A way to hunt Grangfel—the bloodline of Claudi, who is clearly a demon.
‘Could things have gotten twisted because of me, then?’
The cause of the incident was me holding the Akshan relic [Tear of Humility].
After countless demon hunts.
Because I hadn’t washed off the demon’s bodily fluids from my hands through the purification ritual.
Wasn’t it obvious that the glass had filled with black water?
‘It’s my fate.’
If I committed the act, I must take responsibility.
That is the pride of a member of society.
Could there be a way to resolve the situation?
It was the moment I was racking my brain.
Srrrss.
Even in this situation.
Your silent concept is consistent as ever, our seniors.
The demon hunters who had surrounded me without a word began to move.
Tadak.
They seemed to be trying to move as nimbly as possible, but honestly, in my eyes, there were none but June bugs. In the end, it’s like spitting in my face, so I don’t want to say anything too harsh but…….
‘The self-inflicted penalty is tremendous.’
Droop, droop.
The excessively drooping Akshan attire made their already slow movements stand out even more. The fact that [Predator-Prey Relationship] didn’t activate was the same for both me and the seniors.
‘Still, I’m at an advantage.’
Though the seniors might be superior in the stats of [Strength], [Agility], and [Tenacity] gained through physical training, I have the use of [Magic] of a different caliber.
‘Not to mention Grangfel’s talent.’
Srr.
I gracefully evaded the attacks with the movements of an Elf enhanced with magic power.
Straightforward attacks flew in. The teamwork of their combined assault wasn’t bad, but—
“Terribly monotonous.”
My standards had grown excessively high lately.
Why, from bickering with the Apostle of the Shadow God.
And learning numerous techniques.
‘I didn’t stop there.’
At best, [Simultaneous Fire].
To supplement the monotonous skills of Akshan, I had actively modified the Apostle of the Shadow God’s techniques in my own way, and even showed my naming sense by attaching a damned name to them.
“You would not have missed this opportunity.”
“……!”
“If it were my ‘Invisible Sword’.”
……
Ha, please!
Anyway, giving unsolicited advice to the seniors.
My movements and actions. And even my big mouth.
“Behold! Those atrocious words and deeds!!”
It was the perfect excuse for Yukra to latch onto. By the way, there was no room for excuses. I knew better than anyone how poisonous Grangfel’s sharp tongue was.
—“Neither in reality nor on the Arcana Continent does the word ‘impossible’ exist.”
—“Have you challenged it with all your might?”
—“If time is insufficient, reduce your sleeping hours.”
—“However, tea time is permitted.”
—“You possess a remarkable talent for wrapping trash as research.”
The verification at Topaz Hall held before the Magic Tower’s regular conference. There were more than one or two skilled mages who shed tears at my sharp tongue and fled Topaz Hall.
‘You incur a thousand-nyang debt with your words, Grangfel.’
As I was lamenting, a message came to mind.
[The Akshan Civil War begins.]
Even though I hadn’t once yielded my body to the demon hunters’ combined attack, nor had I counterattacked.
There was no changing the fact that a hostile act had occurred.
I would see this through to the end.
I know the temperaments of demon hunters well.
That stubbornness is something no one can easily break.
‘If there is a silver lining in this misfortune.’
It seemed the Akshan Civil War wasn’t enough to bring down Akshan.
The main headquarters was already sparsely populated.
And this was underground in such a headquarters.
‘Those who know about the Akshan Civil War.’
Are the seven here, excluding me.
That meant what happened underground in the main headquarters hadn’t been known to others. Thinking so, I could understand why the Akshan deserters had gone as far as the [Valley of the Forgotten].
My lips parted.
“Then it is time to pay the price.”
An icy declaration.
“Are you prepared, Dexio?”
Dexio must feel like an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. Because while the other demon hunters rushed at me, Dexio had simply stopped still, holding the glass.
‘What can you do. Think of it as joint responsibility.’
I said that, but how could Grangfel severely punish the Akshan seniors? If he had intended to, he could have crushed everyone with magic from the very beginning.
But.
“No, it ends here.”
Dexio said firmly.
“Grangfel, from now on we shall leave Akshan forever. That’s right. From the moment we pointed our blades at you, we became no different from traitors to Akshan.”
……
Huh.
It felt like the process had been skipped entirely.
But no one objected to Dexio’s words.
Those stubborn fellows lowered their weapons and withdrew their killing intent. It was a scene that showed how much respect Dexio commanded from the demon hunters.
However, Yukra was the exception.
“Dexio! What do you mean all of a sudden!”
“Yukra, unfortunately, you are included as well.”
“Isn’t that beside the point?”
Gritting his teeth, Yukra glared at me.
“It was absolutely not a false rumor. The Claudi family was destroyed because of the Claudi family’s great sin. I faced it. The demon of Claudi……!!”
Anyway, they’re no help, those demons.
‘I had a feeling.’
The traitor of Claudi.
He had a connection to the Seven Deadly Sin of Arrogance.
Then it made sense.
The brilliant silver hair of Arrogance, the same as Grangfel’s.
It must be undeniable proof that he is of Claudi blood.
But Dexio answered.
“I trust you all have sensed it.”
“What……”
“The fact that the Predator-Prey Relationship did not respond before Grangfel.”
“!”
Even though they are Arcanians who cannot see system messages.
Whether [Predator-Prey Relationship] activated or not.
They could judge that for themselves.
‘They couldn’t not know about the massive combat power boost buff.’
Dexio hadn’t been mistaken, even in the midst of confusion.
“Those who rashly draw their blades cannot remain in Akshan.”
Following the discipline with utmost strictness.
“It was not Grangfel who was swayed by malice, but us.”
Dexio showed a demeanor truly befitting a model demon hunter.
Without question, the demon hunters began ascending the underground stairs.
“…….”
Without meeting my eyes, Yukra followed behind them.
Only Dexio and I remained underground.
Only then did Dexio empty the glass filled with black water.
“I suppose you know about the relic.”
No, not in detail.
But this is Grangfel-nim, who does not admit things readily.
The virtue of silence displayed once again.
Dexio assumed and spoke.
“That’s right, Grangfel. The seven relics are Akshan’s magic tools to restrain the Seven Deadly Sins. Among them, the Tear of Humility that you held… is a relic that opposes ‘Arrogance’.”
Having said that, Dexio offered the glass again.
Slosh.
The glass held water as clear as tears.
‘As expected, the black water wasn’t a normal reaction.’
Even if there’s a story behind it.
Even if it’s unfair.
I had no confidence in making Dexio understand concepts like Understanding of Darkness, past and future, player, and adventurer. Just think of how much time it took to teach him about [Skills] and ｢Magic｣.
‘Please, let’s only get halfway there this time too.’
In the end, I displayed the virtue of silence once again.
Could it be that my desperate wish was heard?
Dexio turned his body just like that.
“Then our connection ends here, Grangfel.”
Honestly, it was a situation where being interrogated would have been no surprise.
Hadn’t Yukra clearly stated it? That he had witnessed the great sin of the Claudi family.
Dexio didn’t know that I had hunted a demon. He couldn’t help but think the reason the black liquid had filled was because I was related to the Seven Deadly Sin of Arrogance.
Thud, thud.
But Dexio, without hesitation, turned his back on me.
And moved to leave.
It takes two hands to clap.
‘If both sides keep silent, how can we know anything?’
It was then.
My vision was gradually blurring.
It had come—the time to be ejected from [Understanding of Darkness].
‘No. If it ends like this, there’s no gain.’
I desperately held onto my consciousness that was trying to be expelled.
And desperately moved Grangfel’s firmly closed lips.
I uttered.
“Why are you leaving with the relic?”
That’s right.
I don’t know about anything else, but the relic.
That must be recovered in reality.
‘I might be able to find out the reason for the rejection.’
At that, Dexio raised the corners of his mouth for the first time.
“When the time comes, won’t everything return to its place?”
*Dexio stood in the wasteland.
Discipline.
What a joke.
“Lord Dexio, what about Yukra’s purification ritual……”
Dexio shook his head.
“It is meaningless now.”
The purification ritual is a ceremony solely for hunting demons.
Meaning it is not a ceremony for distinguishing humans harboring malice.
Isn’t that obvious?
Since the beginning, when the World Tree bore the fruit of good and evil, good and evil have coexisted.
Dexio looked at the relic, the Tear of Humility.
‘If so.’
What was the reason black water surged when Grangfel held the glass?
Even Dexio couldn’t be certain of the reason.
However, one fact was clear.
“Raise your head, Yukra.”
Even if there is no demon there.
The fact that there was one who revealed malice.
And that they had been swayed by that cunning malice.
Dexio continued.
“What happened during the demon hunt.”
It was then.
Squirm, squirm.
Something squirmed on Yukra’s eyelid.
Dexio. And the demon hunters all drew their swords.
Yukra let out a sinister laugh.
“You’re not so easy.”
Not just the eyelids.
From every orifice of Yukra, tentacles.
To be exact, the byproducts of primordial malice squirmed.
“As expected of Akshan.”
The malice suppressed by Yukra’s pride exploded.
“Indeed, it is right to smash everything without caring for means or methods.”
But the ones who exploded were the demon hunters as well.
Predator-Prey Relationship activated.
A momentum incomparable to when they had surrounded Grangfel.
Dexio declared.
“Indeed, demons are despicable beings.”
A sword in one hand. A crossbow in the other.
Holding the Akshan relic to his bosom, he responded valiantly.
“Indeed, it is right to hunt without caring for means or methods.”
Click!