A Priest's Life as a Villain

Chapter 011

It had been half a day since Special Unit 1st Division had left for the Revolutionaries' hideout.

Ran was inside the mansion together with Ortolio. His gaze lingered on the large window of the guest room. An avenue lined with trees, wide enough for three carriages to run side by side, led straight to the mansion's front gate. Fallen leaves were piled thickly on the road.

Ran set down his teacup.

"The wind outside has gotten rather chilly."

"It's the season when the flavor of tea deepens."

"I was disappointed not to fully savor it last time. Thank you, High Priest."

"Heh heh. Do you enjoy tea, brother Ran?"

He simply wanted a beverage to warm his body, but Ran gave a vague affirmative answer.

"Tea originally comes from demon culture, you know."

"Oh, is that so?"

"You're surprisingly calm about it, brother Ran."

"There's nothing particularly shocking about it."

"But still, aren't you a demon hunter in name?"

"And you, High Priest, are clergy of the Church."

The two looked at their teacups and exchanged wry smiles. They shared a bit of small talk. Ortolio brought up the future of demons after the end of the civil war. Ran watched for an opening.

"You seem to have a keen interest in demons, High Priest."

"Are you trying to interrogate me like Priest Martin did?"

"No. It's just curiosity. I only do what I'm ordered to from above."

"Ordered work, you say. What you do is hardly something an ordinary human could endure."

Ran's eyes wavered.

Everyone called him a madman or a villain. He never pleaded for recognition. He didn't even wish for understanding.

Ran was just a human. A mere human living each day under the hope of divine blessing.

"I just hope there's rest at the end of all this."

With Ran's brief answer, Ortolio nodded bitterly.

"Amen."

"I understand now. You simply love humanity for its own sake, don't you, High Priest?"

"It's strange hearing that from an inquisitor. But not unpleasant. Heh heh."

"You are a faithful servant of Lord Asriel. Or perhaps, maybe you are."

Ran recalled the teachings of the scripture for the first time in a while.

Asriel, the God, was one of mercy. God told humans to love one another. Even if demons were classified as non-human species rather than a race, nothing changed. Love was not meant only for fellow humans.

A strange gleam appeared in Ortolio's eyes. The face concealed behind his mask held a hint of emotion. As if entranced, he spoke,
"You—just what are you?"

Ran slowly turned his head and met Ortolio's gaze. Silence hung between them.

From outside, a frantic voice was heard.

"High Priest! High Priest!"

A guard burst into the room without warning and delivered urgent news.

"S-something terrible has happened! A demonic beast is attacking the church?!"

Ortolio dropped his teacup. His anxiety had become reality.

'Sometimes, knowing too much only brings suffering.'

Ran, the man who had become the great evil swallowing lesser evils, pressed down his mask and stood up from his seat.

* * *

The demonic beast smashed the church wall mercilessly with its single arm and both legs. The roof was already shattered, exposing all the rafters. The earth trembled every time its massive body moved.

Gwoooooor—!

White breath steamed from the wolf-like muzzle.

Villagers, once fleeing in terror with screams, now turned back and began to gather cautiously around the church.

They realized the demonic beast was only attacking the church.

'At last, the Revolutionaries did it. They beat the Special Unit.'

'The village's eyesore is being smashed!'

The demons felt a hidden thrill.

What was once seen as merely social custom—discrimination and contempt toward demons—had grown into severe oppression since the Church blamed demons as the cause of the civil war. The demons' hatred for the Holy Church boiled over.

'M-my child?! My child!'

Of all those gathered, only the beast's old mother recognized that the demonic beast was Berulph. While the other demons were filled with ecstasy, she covered her mouth, sobbing in grief.

"You filthy demonic beast—!"

"Yaaah!"

Two guards stabbed their spears into the demonic beast's back. The beast, who had been ramming its head against the church wall, abruptly stopped and turned around. Red, glowing eyes swept across them.

"H-hiii!"

Its sharp claws ripped one guard's face. The remaining guard collapsed, his legs giving out. The beast's teeth tore into his neck. The severed head rolled across the ground like a ball.

More guards arrived, but their bodies were snapped or torn like wooden dolls. Corpses piled ever higher.

The demonic beast once again focused solely on destroying the church.

"Th-the inquisitor is here!"

Someone at the edge of the crowd shouted. As people retreated, a path opened through the center of the crowd, like the parting of the sea.

Step, step.

The newly built church, once gleaming and pristine, looked now like a thoroughly ruined structure. Ran smiled with satisfaction beneath his mask.

Ran, approaching the beast, stopped in his tracks.

"It's time for your salvation."

The beast turned and roared at Ran. The crowd shuddered—the atmosphere was different from when it fought the guards.

The beast hunched low as if it were an animal and charged at him ferociously.

Swoosh.

Ran removed his cloak and flung it at the charging beast, covering its eyes.

"Grrr!"

As soon as the creature tossed the cloak aside, its head snapped to the side. Ran's fist had landed, striking its muzzle squarely. As the beast staggered, Ran placed its thick arm over his shoulder and, using its momentum, slammed the massive creature to the ground.

Thud!

No one watching could understand what had just happened. In the blink of an eye, the inquisitor was on top of the beast, pinning its arm with his knee.

'Impossible. Did he just defeat a demonic beast barehanded?'

'He's a real monster!'

The beast thrashed underneath but Ran didn't budge.

Reflected in the beast's glazed eyes was the beaked mask of Ran. With its reason lost and only primal instincts remaining, fear overtook the beast.

The wild struggle ceased. Ran grabbed the beast's head and jaw. Those watching held their breath, staring only at his hands.

"Master! Master! That's my son! Please, have mercy! Please!"

His old mother shoved her way through the crowd and knelt before Ran. She couldn't continue her words and just sobbed, hands trembling in front of her chest.

Instinct sought its own blood.

As the beast's head tried to turn toward his mother, Ran held it firmly in place.

"K-Kehkehkeh."

Ran's body shook. Even he didn't know why he was laughing.

The inquisitor's eerie laughter rang in everyone's ears, wavering at the end, almost like he was crying.

Crack!

As Ran released his grip, the beast's head dropped limply to the ground. Its neck was grotesquely twisted.

A hush fell over the world as if it, too, had gone to sleep.

Ran stood, dusted off his cloak, slung it loosely over his shoulders, and walked away. Terrified people scrambled to clear a path.

Ortolio had watched it all.

'My Lord, is this truly your answer??'

Ran's receding figure, the old mother weeping over her son's body, the ruined church.

Ortolio closed his eyes slowly.

* * *

Splash—!

"Ugh!"

Martin opened his eyes, gasping for air. Drool and water ran down his chin. His body wouldn't move—he was tied standing to a tree trunk.

"Are you awake now?"

The surroundings were pitch dark. A familiar voice called out. A shadow stirred, revealing himself soon after.

"In-inquisitor?"

Martin couldn't make sense of the situation. He searched his memory.

He'd called on the name of Asriel and fought bravely. He lost consciousness the moment he swung his sword at the demonic beast.

And now.

There was something off about the inquisitor.

"Hurry and untie me, inquisitor! Damn it, I don't know what's going on here."

Ran didn't respond. He only slowly circled around Martin, who was tied to the tree. The wood floor creaked underfoot. Martin's fearful eyes were fixed on the tip of Ran's cloak.

A dreadful suspicion crossed Martin's mind.

'C-could it be? 3rd Division Leader's scheme?'

Martin knew what kind of man 3rd Division Leader was. He was one of the top candidates for next Special Unit Commander, and especially a rival to 1st Division Leader. He could easily orchestrate such dirty tricks behind the scenes. Now everything made sense.

"Inquisitor. Please, at least untie me first. We should discuss—"

"How much do you know, priest Martin?"

"Know what?"

"I mean the Holy Church's corruption."

The question seemed to come out of nowhere, but Martin was not greatly rattled. He deliberately scowled, trying to look dignified.

No matter how base the origin—just a lowborn mercenary—he still had to differentiate public and private matters.

"Inquisitor! That's blasphemy! If you're testing my faith, you're making a grave mistake!"

"As the child of a noble house, I expected a different answer. But you're the same."

"Inquisitor, I can guess your intent. Let's solve this amicably, with words."

Ran put a finger to Martin's lips.

"Now that I think of it, my question was wrong. If I asked why filth stinks, I wouldn't expect an answer either."

"What do you want from me?"

"Fine. Here's another question. Is it true that Viola is near the capital right now?"

"Viola? You mean the apostate, Viola?"

"Yes. The Viola under surveillance by 1st Division."

Martin's eyes darted around. Whatever his purpose, giving up information too easily was a bad move.

"It's true. I'd been updated on her whereabouts before coming here. But why are you looking for her?"

Whack!

Blood spurted from Martin's nose and he spit out a broken tooth. Ran shook his head.

"No useless words."

"Re-Rel?! She's in Rel."

"Not far, then. Good."

"Satisfied? Now untie me. I swear on Lord Asriel, I'll keep today's events a secret. I won't seek revenge."

Ran cocked his head, then suddenly burst out laughing, as if he could barely breathe. Just as he seemed about to stop, he looked at Martin and laughed again for a while.

'Wh-what the hell is with this guy??'

Martin shivered. His face contorted ever further. Anxiety swept over him.

Ran removed his mask, closing the distance and putting his bare face right up to Martin. There was still a trace of a smile.

"Look at me, Martin Sergio."

Ran yanked Martin's chin up. Martin's eyes widened in shock.

"I am a priest of Quersa."

"W-what??"

Drool and blood dribbled down Martin's beard. His mind was entirely blank. He couldn't comprehend what Ran was saying.

"You swear on Lord Asriel? Whenever I think of letting it all go, guys like you remind me what I must do."

Quersa.

The land where a saintly priest's soul finds rest.

A land only dignified pilgrims can reach.

A land where only the chosen are born.

Ran donned his mask again and turned away. Martin muttered to his retreating back.

"Inquisitor! Isn't this joke going too far?"

"Martin, repent."

Outside, Dante and Zilla were waiting. Dante grinned at Ran and held out a parchment. The same words written when he assassinated Boras were inscribed on it.

"Inquisitor. I've decided to trust you now. Don't betray me either."

With excitement on his face, Dante went into the place where Ran had been.

Zilla made up her mind. She reached out her hand to Ran. There was still some unease in her eyes, but her wariness had softened considerably.

Still, there was one thing she was sure of.

"They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Ran took her hand. He still found girls his own age hard to deal with. He quickly pulled his hand away so his trembling wouldn't be noticed.

"Seems you're finally starting to trust me, Zilla."

They had fought and defeated the Special Unit, and destroyed a church right before its opening ceremony.

Since the founding of the Revolutionaries, it was an achievement for the history books. Zilla wondered what the higher-ups would say when they heard of the Brinhill operation.

"Now, next—"

As soon as Zilla started to speak, Martin's desperate scream rang out from inside.

Ran continued.

"Yes. Let us raise the Revolutionaries' flag at the Gerinhild Grand Cathedral."

Just speaking those words was exhilarating. Zilla bit her lower lip, then let go.

The two set a date and parted ways. Ran left first.

'Viola in Rel.'

Corruption of the mainland Church.

Perhaps the woman currently in Rel knew something about it.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
I just realized, the demons in this story are not described similar to the demons in other novels. The demons in this story are not considered humans, but they are also not the great evil that are a looming threat against humanity.
In contrast, they seem pitiful as they are getting discriminated against because they are of different race.

Also, I like the fact that Asriel is a loving God, and doesn't discriminate on his love. The only problem is the mainland church is corrupt, which Ran is trying to destroy now.

I hope Ran doesn't die in the end.
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】