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Eor sighed, glancing back with a detached expression. The priest was terrified.

“Calm down. It’s fine.”

“L-Lord Eor! Inquisitor!”

Eor’s voice didn’t reach the priest. The man was pressed tightly against the wall, his eyes wide and darting anxiously as if seeing something invisible—hallucinations, likely hearing things as well.

Simply seeing the magic stone had already affected him.

“Whew.”

Eor had no intention of blaming him for a lack of faith in his lord. It wasn’t that his spirit was weak; the power of the magic stone was just that overwhelming.

Eor’s gaze shifted. Opposite him, Ian appeared completely unfazed. He merely watched the priest with a calm and mildly curious expression.

“Inquisitor, is it really okay to leave the priest like that?”

“Of course not.”

Eor snapped his fingers, and in an instant, a burst of flame struck the priest’s forehead, delivering a shock.

Boom!

“Ugh!”

The priest’s head slammed against the wall, and he slumped forward, unconscious. The method was a bit harsh, but effective.

Eor turned back to Ian, speaking as if asking if that was sufficient.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think I can take on this request.”

Ian wasn’t surprised by Eor’s sudden refusal. He had somewhat expected it.

Eor, the Inquisitor who served the Lord of Flames, Rahania, was an individual perpetually plagued by fatigue.

Purifying a magic stone extracted from a typical beast would have been one thing. But purifying an artificially created stone, formed through dark magic by sacrificing the blood and souls of tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands of creatures, was a tedious and exhausting task, to say the least.

“Ian Berger, it’s undeniable that you played the biggest role in this mission. As such, I will now grant you the three holy relics we agreed upon. If you wish, I can present them to you publicly, in front of everyone.”

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

In truth, all of this had been set in motion by the Knights leading the expedition to find Herwin’s relics.

In the chaos, various mercenary groups had gathered, hoping to profit from the situation, and the Blue Flower Knights had been unwilling victims caught in the fray.

Thanks to them, the Death Dragon had been defeated with relatively few casualties, and the true culprit, Eivia of Pandemonium, the regicide, had been uncovered. But Ian had no need for a hollow ceremony or accolades.

His reputation would spread on its own, without the need for such displays.

Ian examined the relics Eor had handed him. Unlike the ominous magic stone nearby, the relics emitted a soft, divine energy, a stark contrast.

‘…I don’t really need these.’

He figured they would be better off with Dior and Gawain. After all, he had received their help, and they deserved some of the rewards.

Having already gained the mighty Parmiel, there was no reason to be greedy.

After Ian secured the relics, Eor continued.

“But…”

Eor raised a hand, touching the unsettling magic stone with his fingers.

Tap.

The moment he made contact, sparks crackled.

Zzzzt!

However, when Eor drew upon his divine power, the situation quickly changed.

As the two opposing forces collided, the resistance was visible, but the overwhelming strength of Eor’s divine power swiftly engulfed the magic stone.

At the same time, the hallucinations flickering at the edges of their vision and the voices ringing in their ears disappeared completely, restoring peace to the room.

“This magic stone’s purification is another matter,” Eor remarked.

The black magic stone on the table still radiated an ominous light, holding onto its deep darkness.

“Unless you plan to destroy it, purifying it isn’t as simple as it sounds.”

“But isn’t the Inquisitor capable of doing it?”

For a brief moment, Eor’s eyes twitched.

“What if I return the relics and request purification in exchange?”

“Hahaha, don’t joke. This thing far exceeds the value of any relic.”

This was a magic stone that had been crafted to serve as a power source for the Black Dragon. It had even opened a gate to summon the demonic beasts that had spread across the Gehiel Plains, indicating its vast potential.

It could be considered on par with the prized Parmiel they had just obtained.

“The cost would be high, and it would take a considerable amount of time. If you insist on purifying it instead of handing it over to us, why not commission the Pantheon instead?”

“Well, I’m worried that the Pantheon might seize it instead.”

“Are you really concerned about that, considering you have the backing of the Berger family?”

“No matter how influential my family is, a third son like me can’t pressure the Pantheon. And flaunting this is out of the question.”

Ian pointed to the gleaming gold insignia pinned to his collar, deliberately placed in plain sight to draw attention.

Eor stared at it silently for a moment.

“The Golden Emblem.”

A token given by a hero to a noble. Even those praised as heroes at the highest ranks rarely possessed one, yet Ian had two.

Perhaps it was just luck, but even that luck could be considered a form of ability.

For someone like Eor, who understood the significance of the Golden Emblem, it was hard to refuse outright.

“Hmm.”

Allowing this meeting was already a gesture of goodwill, but sending Ian away now felt unsettling.

Eor let out a heavy sigh.

“…There’s a chance I might fail. Even so, do you want to leave it to me?”

“If it’s possible.”

“You’ll also have to carry out a few tasks that the Lord has assigned in my place.”

“Annoying ones, I assume?”

Eor chuckled bitterly.

“Please don’t say such irreverent things. They aren’t annoying, they’re difficult. You might have to risk your life. As an Inquisitor, most of my tasks are related to matters beyond the seas.”

Difficult and annoying are often the same thing.

Seeing Eor’s weary eyes gleam with a strange intensity, Ian couldn’t help but laugh quietly to himself.

“Fine.”

At Ian’s response, Eor grabbed the magic stone from the table and summoned his divine power.

A radiant light burst from his palm, quickly transforming into flames that seeped into the magic stone.

Shrieeeek!

A tormented scream echoed from within the stone, but it faded away as the white flames filled its core.

Eor glanced at Ian, seeming to decide that it was indeed possible.

“Just so you know, this will cost you. A lot more than you might expect.”

“That’s fine.”

Ian was well aware this wouldn’t be a cheap endeavor.

‘But if I can purify and use this magic stone…’

One could gain power comparable to, or even greater than, the formidable Pamael.

There had been a relic discovered in the territory of the Xail Empire before Ian’s regression, but at the time, they couldn’t retrieve it because no suitable magic stone was available.

Thus, no matter how much gold it cost, it didn’t matter.

Eor seemed pleased with Ian’s unwavering response.

“Good to see you’re so decisive. Should I send the invoice to the Berger family?”

“Yes. But as for the tasks, please inform me in advance. I’ll be running around like a dog to raise funds.”

If the bill turned out to be something completely unmanageable, well… there was always a way. He had done enough to elevate his family’s honor, so receiving financial support wouldn’t be an issue. After a bit more conversation, Ian pushed his chair back and stood up.

“I’ll leave it at that… I’ll be off now.”

The priest who had fainted earlier was starting to regain consciousness. Eor nodded in acknowledgment.

“I won’t see you off.”

Ian hadn’t expected him to.

As Ian left the room, he glanced back at Eor, who waved goodbye like an old friend seeing someone off. While taking on the Inquisitor’s duties was burdensome, it was a responsibility Ian couldn’t avoid.

Outside, the Red Spear Knights and the Blue Flower Knights were waiting.

Gawain, who had been chatting with his companions, turned and walked toward Ian without hesitation.

“Judging by the look on your face, the conversation went well.”

“What, got something to say?”

“I should at least bid farewell to a comrade who risked his life alongside me.”

“Comrade? I like the sound of that.”

“It’ll help foster a sense of camaraderie for the next time we meet.”

“Well, well, so that was your true intention. Points off for that. You really didn’t need to say it.”

Ian’s playful remark made Gawain chuckle, which was unlike him.

Ian then gestured toward the Red Spear Knights with a nod of his chin.

“If that was your goal, you should say goodbye to my elder brother instead of me.”

“Sir Dior?”

“Yeah. You weren’t just awkwardly standing around staring at each other the whole time, right?”

“Of course not. I made sure to tell him it was an honor to have fought alongside the Red Spear Knights.”

“Honor, huh? Well, that’s good enough. Are you leaving right away?”

“Yes, we’ll be heading back to the Blue Garden. Our dispatch period is over, and we’ve suffered more casualties than expected.”

As bitter as it was, they had been fortunate. The mercenary group they’d fought with had few survivors.

“Want a parting gift?”

“…A gift?”

“I was planning to keep it if you left without saying anything, but my conscience wouldn’t let me.”

Ian rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a relic he had received from Eor.

A silver cross with a ring attached, inscribed with blessings on its surface. Ian hadn’t heard much about its effects, but relics generally served to protect their bearers from evil.

Judging by its form as a pendant, this one likely held the same purpose.

Ian held three such crosses in his palm, hesitating for a moment before handing over one.

“Take it. Give it to the knight who worked the hardest in your unit.”

“I will.”

Gawain responded without a moment’s hesitation. Ian handed him another relic.

“And this one’s for you. It’s my gift to a comrade.”

“Is that alright?”

“I’ve gained plenty from this place.”

The Force of Pamael, the Dragonstone of the Evil Dragon—that should suffice. It’s good to be generous. After all, no one lives in this world alone.

“In that case, I won’t refuse. And I’m late in saying this, but thank you. It’s because of you that we were able to return safely.”

“That’s what I should be saying. I received a lot of help from you. Let’s meet again someday.”

Gawain extended his hand for a handshake, and Ian, after a brief glance at the outstretched hand, grasped it firmly.

The Blue Flower Knights had already finished their preparations, and they soon departed.

Ian then made his way toward the Red Spear Knights.

Dior, who had been smoking a cigarette, blew out a puff of smoke.

“What do a bunch of men have to talk about for so long? You should just say, ‘Good job, see you next time,’ and be done with it.”

“Brother, you’ll get cursed at if you do that. People will call you rude.”

“They won’t curse me; they’ll curse you.”

Dior flashed a sly smile that was utterly infuriating.

“Let’s go too. No point in sticking around here any longer.”

Dior flicked his cigarette butt toward the ground and crushed it under his foot.

The naturalness of his movements made Ian suddenly realize something felt off.

“Wait, since when did you start smoking?”

“It’s been a while. Ever since we visited Mother’s grave together. I smoke one after finishing each mission. Want one?”

“Take it easy. That stuff’s not good for you.”

“Is it any worse than the drugs you gave me? I thought I was going insane when I was grinning during a fight.”

“That’s a mild side effect, actually.”

Ian began walking again, explaining the practicality of the stimulant.

Dior, who had seen the effects of Wigner Gamma during their battle with the Dragon, silently listened before suddenly speaking up.

“Ah.”

“?”

“Hey.”

Ian blinked in confusion, then let out a small chuckle.

“Is it about that promise?”

“How’d you know?”

“You’ve mentioned it so many times. I can tell now just by the look on your face. Don’t worry, I remember. I haven’t forgotten. I was planning on stopping by Judith’s anyway. Let’s go together when we get back. But as I’ve said before, whether it works out or not is up to you.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that! I’ll handle it.”

With that, their next destination was naturally decided.

———-