Player-Hunting Inquisitors

Chapter 24

Meanwhile, as Kian was just arriving at the front gate of the Sein family mansion.

Two apostles wearing black hoods appeared at the Black Market.

As soon as they arrived at the Black Market, they immediately called for a staff member to summon the person in charge of the market.

At first, the indifferent staff member turned pale upon hearing the name of the Cult and guided them.

As a result, the man who had been summoned now stood before them, bowing his head.

"So, are you saying you want to eliminate that shop?"

"Yes."

Yuria directed her gaze at the man in front of her.

Upon hearing the name of the Cult, he had turned pale and rushed straight to the reception room.

Yuria and Riel's role was to raid Neno's shop and extract information.

If necessary, they also planned to interrogate Neno.

"This is the work of heretics. I ask for your understanding that I cannot provide detailed explanations."

"Of course! We will not interfere in any way."

That is why they met him, to notify the Black Market of this matter.

It was a "notification," not a request for permission.

"I'd appreciate it if you could ensure there are no unnecessary witnesses."

"Understood. Our staff will ensure no one approaches the area."

"Good work."

After all, the Black Market is just a part of the underworld.

They lacked the courage to defy the will of the Cult.

Having finished their business, Yuria and Riel headed straight to Neno's shop.

Unlike other shops in the area, Neno's shop was dark early in the evening.

Yuria pointed at the shop with her hand.

"Alright, Riel. That's the shop."

"Got it. Leave it to me."

As Yuria moved toward the back door of Neno's shop, Riel silently counted numbers in her head.

'Three, two, one. By now, Yuria should have reached the back door.'

Riel simultaneously drew upon her magical power and divine power.

Riel's blessing enveloped the magical power, calming the volatile energy that seemed ready to explode.

Feeling the flow of magical power, Riel slowly released it outside her body.

As a result, the crimson magical power began to elegantly swirl around Riel.

"Except for the basement, it doesn't matter if it burns...."

Riel gathered the crimson magical power that swirled around her as if winding thread onto her left hand.

On her palm, the crimson magical power became increasingly compressed, beginning to pulse like a living heart.

Finally, as fierce flames erupted from her palm, Riel unleashed the gathered magical power forward.

Boom-! With a massive explosion, the crimson flames roared out, engulfing Neno's shop.

The surrounding air heated up, and even the stones on the ground began to melt.

"Let's see how long you can hold out."

Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!

After Riel poured out magical power several times, the building could no longer maintain its shape and collapsed.

With her senses heightened, Riel heard the scream of an elf.

'No one else seems to be here....'

Other than the elf, she didn't sense anyone else.

As planned, Riel set up a barrier to prevent the person inside from escaping.

Finally, as the smoke subsided, Yuria appeared from where the building once stood.

An elf was hanging from her arm.

"Got her. We need to hurry."

"Why?"

Inside Neno's clothes, a few documents were visible, hastily shoved in.

After quickly skimming through the documents, Yuria hardened her expression and shared what she had learned from Neno.

"It seems the Cult of Light has stationed a significant number of personnel at the Sein family mansion. We might need to provide support to Kian, so we should hurry."

"Well, I'm not too worried, but it's probably best to check."

After all, it's Kian, isn't it? Riel said with a relaxed expression as she began to move.

**

"You bastard...."

"My name is not 'bastard'; it's Kian Fable."

I gathered all the remaining members of the Sein family in one place within the mansion.

The beautifully decorated lobby, originally meant to flaunt their wealth to others, was now filled with the cries of children and the voices of servants trying to calm them.

"You have been accused of heresy. I have come to this mansion to confirm it."

"Heresy? We've done no such thing!"

Baron Serin stood before me as if to shield his family.

"Then, who were the ones I fought against? Was what I saw an illusion?"

"They were merely guards! I've done nothing wrong!"

Baron Serin displayed an audacity far beyond what I had anticipated.

With an arrogant gaze, he stared at me as if firmly believing he had always acted righteously.

Perhaps due to years of enjoying power and wealth, his face was lined with deep wrinkles and glistened with oil.

However, as the questioning continued, the audacity on his face gradually faded, replaced by anxiety and nervousness.

"Enough. We already know you contacted members of the Cult of Light for your child's treatment."

"Contacting them shouldn't be grounds for being accused of heresy."

"However, paying them is heresy."

If the Cult of Light provided medical services as a religious act, our Cult wouldn't label the recipient as a heretic.

However, offering payment for what they demanded was a different matter.

Divine power must never be used as a commodity for transactions.

Those who comply with such transactions are considered allies of the Cult of Light and are treated as heretics.

"Now, confess what they requested. If it was for your child's illness, there is room for leniency."

Of course, only if you confess willingly, I added, as I slowly approached Baron Serin.

Hearing my words, the baron groaned a few times in hesitation before finally nodding.

"If leniency is granted, what kind of punishment would I face?"

Unlike before, he now appeared visibly subdued.

"There's no need to be afraid. The entire family will undergo heresy inspection, and if nothing is found, that will be the end of it."

"Really?"

"Of course. Our Cult believes in mercy and considers giving even those who consort with heretics a chance."

This was true. If it wasn't an act of hostility against the Cult but merely an effort to save one's child, there was room for consideration.

Of course, if a Player were discovered, the situation would be different.

"Oh, and remember, an Inquisitor may remain in your territory for some time."

"Of course, of course! If that's all, I'll gladly confess everything!"

In the end, Baron Serin surrendered and began to confess his actions.

"At first, it was to support a student. They were connected to the Cult of Light but feared being labeled as heretics if they made contact themselves."

"I see, so you sent them donations."

As expected, Baron Serin was indeed the mysterious benefactor we were looking for.

"Yes. However, they asked me to remain anonymous, so I supported them without revealing my identity. I also entrusted Neno with delivering letters to the student."

This also explained why the handwriting on the letters matched Neno's.

"That wasn't all, was it?"

"One day, they asked me to hire them as guards. They claimed they needed jobs. Since their price was low, I accepted their proposal."

According to Baron Serin, the guards began proselytizing among the other guards.

Gradually, they converted all the guards to their side, and the Cult of Light started making more and more demands.

"There was an elf, wasn't there? Did you consider sending her elsewhere to make a fortune?"

"What's wrong with the Black Market? It's just another market. Considering how no one cares about their neighbor's shop, isn't it the best location?"

"Are you curious about the materials handed over to Neno's shop? You don't need to know. Just remember that your daughter's treatment isn't finished yet."

"Neno, despite being a slave, acts as if she owns the shop. A little whipping should set her straight."

He meticulously listed the demands of the Cult of Light that he had fulfilled.

'First, opening a shop in the Black Market was to fund the Cult.'

The source of the dangerous materials sold at Neno's shop was, as expected, the Cult of Light.

'That can't be all of their goals... If their influence extends to the Black Market, what they gain must be... the Academy, after all.'

Considering that materials desired by people like Thomas could be purchased at Neno's shop, their ultimate target must be the Academy.

Neno's shop must have served as an excellent blindfold.

People focused only on the Black Market and failed to notice the Cult of Light hiding behind that shop.

"I would like to meet your supposedly ill daughter. Which child is she among these?"

"Ah, of course. Rasia, come out."

I made eye contact with the child receiving treatment from the Cult of Light.

Carefully, I held the child's small hand.

The child's hand was cold, damp, and trembling slightly.

I gently infused Divine Power into the child's hand.

Normally, an ordinary person would feel warmth, but the child showed no reaction.

"Could you tell me where it hurts?"

"It was the head. She fell down the stairs while playing. She couldn't wake up until she received treatment."

I looked closely into the child's eyes.

Her unfocused, cloudy pupils felt like an empty shell, as if her soul had escaped.

"I see now. They never intended to heal her from the beginning."

"What?!"

"I can't tell you the full story right now. Once the heretic interrogation is complete, I can give you a definite answer."

Damn Cult of Light.

To do such a thing to a child's mind.

Their doctrine of maintaining order had long been forgotten, leaving them as fanatics solely desiring the resurrection of the Goddess.

I dismissed the people in the mansion and stepped outside.

"Hey, good work."

Outside the mansion, Natasha was burning corpses using Spirits.

"I need help. The fanatics have implanted a worm in the child's mind."

"A Mind Worm? In a child?"

"Yes."

The Mind Worm.

A horrifying magical creature used by the Cult of Light.

It was known to infiltrate a person's brain to control their mind, manipulate their memories, or even erase them entirely.

Those heinous individuals had implanted that worm into the child's mind.

To one day consume the Sein Family.