Acting as a Slit-Eye Chapter 93

Chapter 93. Unexpected

The highest authorities in the Holy Kingdom of Fernand, of whom Garot was one of, the Twelve High Priests, looked towards the sound with a puzzled expression.

"Did you say Yulian encountered the 'Sword Saint'?"

It was a matter of considerable interest.

Although 'Yulian' wasn't as famous in the Empire, he was sowhat well-known here in the Holy Kingdom.

Of course, most of it was due to his infamy.

Additionally, the reason why he was obsessed with the character called 'Sword Saint' was sowhat understood.

"What happened? Both of them... Though it might be too much to ask, it would be nice if at least one of them ended up incapacitated."

Garot let out a sardonic grin, unbecoming of soone with the title of 'High Priest'.

"Regrettably, it seems that both parties ca away without any significant injuries."

His disappointnt was palpable in the face of the Black Chain's report, yet there was also a sigh of relief.

The Sword Saint, originally from the Empire, had a noble reputation that was known throughout the continent.

Furthermore, it was said that no one could beat him solely using swordsmanship, and if sohow the Sword Saint had fallen at the hands of his apprentice, what then?

The title of 'Sword Saint', painstakingly garnered, would have been dulled, heralding the arrival of a new powerhouse from the Empire.

"Did any other High Priests react to the clash between them?"

"All-Heaven Master(全天主力) and Lady Shalana have expressed so doubts."

Upon hearing the All-Heaven Master's na, Garot slightly furrowed his brow.

Sensing the chilly atmosphere, the Black Chain bowed its head slightly, adding another comnt respectfully.

"However, there are no significant movents from them yet."

"Well, that man is only interested in the Gu Poison Hall of the Sword Saint, so that's probably all it is. Shalana, though she opposes the idea of the Gu Poison Hall, won't easily budge her heavy bottom."

Nodding as if in agreent, a sudden perplexity clouded Garot's face, as sothing seed to dawn on him.

There was no ti to waste.

Now that the baptism ceremony was over, all pretexts to keep Eulsis in the Holy Kingdom had evaporated.

At this crucial juncture, brainwashing was imperative, and all ans and thods had to be employed.

"The policy of 'peace with the Empire' had elevated

to the position of High Priest, but..."

Having a contingency is always necessary.

Garot was fully aware.

This was the ti for a hardline approach.

***

I knew that obtaining a holy relic was important, but there was sothing I overlooked.

"Well then, shall we prepare to return?"

What a rush from early in the morning.

Though superficially, the reason I was here was to 'escort Eulsis', wasn't it?

It wouldn't make sense for , soone with that purpose, to suddenly demand a visit to the arena.

"... I've prepared the carriage."

"As expected, Sir Yulian. I truly appreciate your promptness."

Once Eulsis boarded the carriage, the return to the Empire comnced in earnest.

'... How should I bring it up?'

Should I say there's sothing I need to do at the arena?

No matter how thick-skinned 'Yulian' might be, it would require a reason and an excuse.

"Um... Sir Yulian, what is that building way over there?"

In the midst of this, yulisys pointed to the place I had intended to visit.

"That's the arena. It's one of the cultural landmark in the capital of the Holy Kingdom, Althea."

"As expected of Sir Yulian. You're not only excellent with the sword, are you?"

"As I ntioned earlier, I've been here before."

I laughed softly and studied Eulsis' face.

Through the carriage window, his eyes observed the 'arena' with curiosity.

There's a gap; a swordsman should seize it.

"Would you like to visit?"

"Hmm?"

"There are arenas in our Empire as well, but none as vast as this one. The arena is the preeminent cultural establishnt of the capital, Althea."

"Really?"

"Yes, and there's one more distinction compared to our Empire."

'Aren't arenas all the sa?' Eulsis seed to say, so I added.

"There's sothing called 'Demonic Battle', where gladiators battle demons."

"Oh..."

Curiosity quickly transford into interest.

Yes, it catches your attention?

Don't you want to visit just once?

"Oh, but soone as noble as Prince Eulsis wouldn't have any reason to visit such a disreputable place. My apologies. I spoke out of turn."

I understood that pushing too hard would only reveal my intentions.

By appearing to retreat, it would only increase his interest.

"No, I've beco interested in this disreputable show! I want to go, would that be alright?"

"No matter how you look at it, a prince shouldn't..."

"No, I want to go. I like to see it!"

If you insist that much, I'll take you. Ahem.

"Lady Rinne, the prince wishes to see the arena before returning to the Empire. Would that be alright?"

As the kind 'Yulian' asked for her opinion, Rinne provided no answer.

"Lady Rinne."

"... Yes, yes? Ah!"

Startled, she nearly let go of the reins, then clumsily regained her grip.

"Seems like you're deep in thought. You wouldn't even notice if you fell from your horse."

"That's unnecessary ddling."

At my comnt, Rinne slightly furrowed her brow.

"You don't have the deanor of an escort. Did you hear what the prince said?"

"... Ugh."

The barely audible groan from her signaled her bowed head in apology.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"The prince wishes to take a look at the arena before returning to the Empire."

With my words, she ekly nodded.

The contemptuous gaze she initially directed towards the arena was no longer present.

"Then we shall head to the arena."

Saying this, I rode over to the carriage carrying Eulsis.

'It seems she's feeling down.'

If not, it wouldn't quite match the character of 'Rinne'.

She was irritable yet genuinely respected the 'Sword Saint'.

But now that the 'Sword Saint' was on a bizarre path that seed to tarnish his achievents, it seed logical for her to find it difficult to accept.

'I also find it difficult, but how much harder must it be for soone involved.'

What if, not the '' of now, but the '' of the past were to face this situation?

The protagonist of 〈Let's Kill the Demon King Now〉, the Sword Saint, had defected to the Holy Kingdom.

Simultaneously, 'Demonization' was in progress, and the 'Black Knight', a pivotal event in the imperial capital, was being neglected!

How would I feel upon hearing such news?

'Oh...'

Co to think of it, sothing similar is happening to '' right now, isn't it?

Realizing this, I felt compelled to cheer Rinne on.

Try to overco it.

And please, don't consider sending a lengthy letter or ga deletion notice to the ga company like soone did.

Because if you do, you'll end up screwed like I was.

***

Eulsis seed overwhelmingly curious about the cultural treasure of Althea, the 'Myriad' Arena, and he was busy exploring every nook and cranny.

From the arena itself, to the spectator stands, even the VIP suites, and additionally, the cages where demons were kept for matches.

"There really are demons in the arena... hey, is there a way to raise these demons?"

What caught Eulsis' interest the most were the demons stationed in the arena.

He approached soone who seed to be a caretaker, asking about the environnt and diet for these creatures.

Watching Eulsis, a thought occurred to : 'It should be fine to step away for a short while.'

Just for a little while, Rinne could handle the escort duties.

"Please watch over Prince Eulsis for a mont, lady Rinne."

"Yes?"

"I have a personal errand to attend to."

"An errand significant enough to abandon your escort duties?"

Of course. I need to retrieve a holy relic.

But since I couldn't be honest about it, I decided to cover it up.

"A physiological necessity."

"Oh..."

Seemingly convinced, Rinne nodded.

With that, I moved my feet towards my destination.

I arrived at the storage area where the items from the Myriad Arena were managed.

Heading to the 'Eight Kinds' warehouse, I was t by a gaunt man holding a clipboard, staring at .

"Huh? Who are you?"

He wasn't a high-ranking Holy Kingdom noble or a clergy mber, just a staff mber working at the Myriad Arena.

The man's na was Kusat, the manager of the 'Eight Kinds Warehouse'.

I'd co here so many tis that I even rembered his na.

His job was to manage lost items and items left beyond their lease period at the arena.

"I've co to retrieve an item I left behind."

"An item you left? What did you leave behind?"

"Foolishly, I've forgotten that as well."

Though it sounded like nonsense, this was actually a 'keyword'.

When the protagonist, the Sword Saint, discovered the existence of the holy relic 'Bell of the Silent Night' and visited here, this was the line he could choose to say.

"Hmm... In that case, it seems like you'll just have to live without it."

"Pardon , but it's an important item. May I take a look inside the Eight Kinds Warehouse?"

To my request to inspect a warehouse he was managing, kusat frowned.

"I humbly request this favor."

I placed a small pouch atop his clipboard as I spoke.

It contained a hundred gold coins.

An unimaginable thod for my forr self.

Bribery was dangerous business indeed.

And to boot, I didn't know what currency would work or when I'd be found out.

There was no guarantee of success, and it would surely lead to troubleso issues if discovered.

'This was the thod, I rember.'

Our protagonist, the 'Sword Saint', secured the holy relic using this thod.

What was displayed back then was rely the word 'bribe.'

So, I put in a lot.

"Ahem."

Seeing the pouch, the man picked it up and cleared his throat.

"Even if you've forgotten what you lost, you should give up. Ah... yes, I think I shall go out for lunch now."

With the pouch in his hand, the manager walked off.

How predictable.

'Ti to search.'

As soon as the manager Kusat disappeared from view, I began searching inside the warehouse.

It didn't take long. I'd acquired this particular holy relic multiple tis before.

While I wondered if there was anything else to find, it seed this was the only thing I could acquire from here.

"There it is."

Familiarity slipped past my lips at the sight of the box.

A small, worn-out box.

Inside, a wooden, crudely-made 'bell' caught my eye.

'The holy relic, the Bell of the Silent Night.'

It had been a long ti.

Once I got accustod to 〈Let's Kill the Demon King Now〉, it had beco a must-have relic.

As I lifted the handle, a rough texture tingled and a feeling of familiarity wrapped around my skin.

==

?? Acquired new trait, 'Understanding of Demonic Nature.'

==

It's been a while since I saw this ssage.

The main effect of the holy relic, 'Bell of the Silent Night', was to disperse the surrounding demonic energy when rung.

Even though practically, it was so feeble it was as good as non-existent.

'It serves as a deterrent to the Demon God's Chalice more than anything else.'

However, the more useful aspect was the bonus 〈Understanding of Demonic Nature〉 trait granted upon obtaining the 'Bell of the Silent Night'.

As the na indicates, this trait enhances the understanding of 'demonic nature', making one more sensitive to the 'Residual Thoughts' of the demon god, Barbatos, who continued to sow confusion across the continent even after his death.

'For example, like this...'

Just as I had used 'mana detection', I closed my eyes and concentrated.

This ti, I sought out creatures possessing 'demonic energy' within their body.

While I anticipated difficulty, it was surprisingly easy considering my experience with 'mana detection'.

'I can sense the demon Eulsis is viewing as well.'

Despite the distance, the ability to sense was fascinating.

At the sa ti, the skin-crawling and uncomfortable feeling from perceiving 'demonic energy' couldn't be helped.

'Among other things.'

As an exercise, I expanded the scope to sense other demons within the Myriad Arena manifesting their presence.

Most likely, they were demons being raised for the 'Demonic Beast', a main event pit fight between gladiators and demons.

'Let's extend it a bit more.'

With a sense of exhilaration at using a long-familiar ability, I extended the range wider.

While doing so, I suddenly realized the current ti was not ant for trifling around.

For outward appearances, I was absent due to a physiological necessity.

'Not the ti to be fooling around. I should head back...'

As I was about to close the trait, an unpleasant sensation crawled over my skin.

The understanding of the demonic nature detected a demon's presence.

'... The basent?'

The direction of discomfort was beneath. The problem was the number.

'This is more than just one or two.'

At least dozens.

Among them were demons with absurd levels of demonic energy.

So overwhelmingly malevolent and distasteful.

The amount of demonic energy possessed by a demon of this stature—this wasn't my first encounter.

'... Tri-horned demon.'

These are demons who had absorbed a Soul Stone.

Their strength rendered incomparable to the rest; 'Tri-horned' demons exude this level of demonic energy.

Clacky's Corner:

Why am I not surprised that the Holy Kingdom is not that holy?