Chapter 41
“Bezel, are you okay?”
Eden leaned over and whispered to him. Fortunately, it seemed the trauma wasn’t as bad as she’d worried, and Bezel nodded right away.
“My apologies. Please continue. From what I hear, it wasn’t just one that came through. Is that even possible?”
Eden turned back toward Viscount Raymond and asked. The number of demons she’d heard from the information broker was three or four.
Gates varied in size depending on the magnitude of negative emotions. When great disasters like war or natural calamities struck, a gate large enough for hundreds of demons to pass through would open because there were so many people filled with resentment. When one person experienced deep misfortune, a gate barely large enough for a single demon to pass through might open.
But that was when gates opened naturally. The gates that demon worshippers opened were artificial. They forced out negative emotions by offering sacrifices. But not only were there few of them, most were former slaves who quickly gave up hope, so resentment didn’t accumulate as well as expected.
That’s why they spent over a hundred years researching magic circles. Those magic circles acted as catalysts for the sacrifices’ negative emotions to explode.
Still, because the gate was forced open, its range was narrow and its duration short, just enough to summon a single demon. Since the purpose of the circle was summoning, unlike other gates, it only allowed entry, not return.
How did she know all this so well? She would rather not keep bringing it up, but her ex-boyfriend Johan had told her. One of his main duties as a Holy Knight had been capturing demon worshippers.
In any case, to sum it up:
“If this commission really is from demon summoning, multiple demons couldn’t have come through the gate.”
“That is why I called all of you here. It did not seem like an ordinary incident.”
Well, this is something. She thought she just had to catch demons, but apparently this commission included playing detective too.
She hated headache-inducing work, but having come this far, she couldn’t just turn back. And it certainly smelled like good money. Still, with the Holy Knights here, she figured they’d handle the investigation.
“Either way, whether it’s demons or demon worshippers, we need to catch them to know the exact situation.”
“Yes. Fortunately, we’ve received several reports from residents. I’ll provide you with a butler and servants to guide you to the locations. I’ll also provide carriages for swift travel.”
“Then shall we depart right away? I’ll go deal with the demons, so the Holy Knights can handle the worshippers.”
As Eden stood up, Oscar asked worriedly.
“Will you be alright on your own?”
“I always go alone. What’s the big deal?”
Eden chuckled and shrugged.
“And besides, I am not alone. Do you not see this person next to me?”
The moment Eden said that Bezel also stood up. Oscar looked at the man’s face, who seemed more in need of protection than capable of fighting, then shifted his gaze to the broad shoulders and thick arms.
At a glance he seemed delicate, but looking closely, his build was impressive. He’d wondered why the white-haired witch, famous for traveling alone, had brought a partner, and it seemed there was a reason after all.
“Still, just in case, please take one or two Holy Knights with you. Everyone’s carrying consecrated weapons, so even if they can’t kill demons like they kill people, they can at least provide support. You might encounter demon worshippers on the way too.”
Oscar scanned the knights as if looking for volunteers. The knights who had been watching him hastily turned their gazes away.
They were knights, not Exorcist Priests or Hunters. If fighting demons appealed to them, they would’ve become Hunters, who earned twice their salary. They had chosen to be Holy Knights despite the modest salary because it offered stability and honor in place of money.
If a gate was opened, there was a high chance of high-ranking demons. With bad luck, they could be cursed and suffer for life. They didn’t need to look far, Eden, right in front of them, was a perfect example.
“So-called Holy Knights, getting all scared.”
“You are not going either, Commander. The last time you ran into a demon by accident, you had nightmares for a week.”
“Hey man! Why bring that up! I’m not going because I have to lead you all!”
Just as Oscar couldn’t stand it anymore and raised his hand to point at someone, a hand suddenly shot up from right beside him.
“Johan?”
Admirably, the person who volunteered first was Johan, famous for being well-liked and diligent.
Oscar, who hadn’t seen Eden’s appalled expression, nodded casually without much thought.
“Right. You go. Help the Hunter well.”
His casual pairing of the two people who had broken up was largely due to ignorance.
Johan had dated Eden before she was cursed. The Holy Knights only knew that he’d been in a relationship at the time, but didn’t know his partner was the white-haired witch. She was not his wife, and there had been no reason for a colleague’s girlfriend to be introduced.
Thanks to that, all the embarrassment fell on poor Eden. Eden, who couldn’t understand how things had turned out this way, hurriedly shouted.
“Wait, um, what about my opinion?!”
But Johan had already circled the table and was standing next to her.
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