I Became the Main Character’s Demon Sword

24

Then he realized that Arpel was deeply connected to something called a ‘specter’. Hadn’t the man from the Salvation Church earlier also called Arpel ‘sir’? That one word was decisive, but Rohan didn’t say anything. He thought it might trouble Arpel.

In fact, he wasn’t particularly concerned. Even if Arpel was related to specters, it didn’t change the fact that he had stayed by Rohan’s side. Moreover, he clearly disliked the Salvation Church. So the fire in his village must not have been related to him. Even if it was, it wouldn’t have been intentional.

Rather, Rohan’s resentment was directed elsewhere.

“Arpel, Arpel was there for me when I was struggling. But what about you?”

“…Lord Rohan.”

“Arpel told me. That I received the demon god’s blessing. The fire that burned our village and killed my family and friends was the work of the Salvation Church when they found out I was a blessed child… What did you do?”

He didn’t shout, and there was no tremor in his voice. It was just a calm tone, as if stating facts.

Although he was just a child, significantly smaller than the knights surrounding him, his gaze glaring at them was not intimidated. Dionel could only swallow hard, feeling the clear resentment in that gaze.

The temple side had only recently learned about what happened in Rohan’s village. And that was only after hearing the demon god’s oracle.

‘…I shouldn’t have agreed then.’

Because the blessed one was particularly young, there was an opinion to give him a little more time with his family. Dionel had readily agreed. But he never imagined that this consideration would become a tiger’s mouth, putting the child in danger.

Information about the blessed child’s identity was only known to the priests in the central temple. So they thought it would be safe. Due to the central temple’s poor communication with the outside, they were late in accessing the information.

Dionel was well aware of the priests’ absolute faith in the demon god. So he had been at ease, but that certainty might have been the biggest mistake in this incident.

In the end, this fact became a sore point for the temple. After hearing that some entity was bringing him, and they should wait, no one mentioned it again.

Until Rohan directly blamed them.

“Let Arpel go.”

“…We can’t do that. The temple’s duty is to eliminate specters. We can’t leave a being with impure power alone.”

The child’s struggle intensified as he gritted his teeth. Worried that this might hurt Rohan’s body, the knight holding the child looked troubled.

“Arpel!”

“……”

“Let’s go together. You can escape, can’t you?”

I don’t want to be here… What?

Tears finally entered the child’s voice as he watched Arpel, who remained motionless. Arpel bit his lip and had to shake his head, trying hard to avoid that gaze.

“…I’ll cause you trouble.”

“Arpel……”

As soon as the dazed murmur was cut off, Dionel, seemingly deciding to quickly wrap up the situation, signaled the surrounding knights. The man standing at the front drew his sword from its scabbard.

“…Arpel! No, Arpel!!”

Only the executives of the Salvation Church possess such terrible specter power. Most had hideous appearances, but there might be one or two who didn’t. Dionel, thinking of Arpel as an executive who betrayed the Salvation Church due to internal conflicts, intended to execute him on the spot.

Naturally, Rohan’s resistance intensified. Dionel, looking troubled, turned his gaze to the knight holding Rohan.

Realizing the meaning of the stare, the knight nodded. He held the child’s body with one hand and struck the back of his neck with just enough force to knock him out with the other. The plan was to quickly knock out the violently resisting Rohan and proceed with the execution.

“Ugh!”

Simultaneously, there was a flash of light. The bracelet-type artifact hanging on Rohan’s hand had activated.

It’s an artifact that doesn’t even feel like it has any power until it takes effect, no different from an ordinary accessory. It was certainly an unexpected development for everyone, and even Dionel’s eyes widened. The situation completely reversed after that.

Arpel, who had been complying with the knights’ restraint without any resistance, showed a reaction for the first time. The activation of the protective artifact meant he had been attacked. The moment he realized this fact, Arpel thought he was really going to lose it.

He thought his existence would cause trouble for the child. Having already received the demon god’s blessing, the child had no choice but to rely on the temple. Given that information about Rohan had leaked outside, he was likely to be attacked if he moved without their protection.

On the way here, no one would approach Rohan unless they intended to directly confront the temple. But the fact that he hadn’t entered the temple meant there was some kind of conflict with the temple for whatever reason, and if such a situation was discovered, it would be perfect for targeting the child’s life.

That’s what he believed. For Arpel, simply enduring this situation was the way to help the child.

“…Arpel!”

But you dare to attack?

Savoring the feeling of his vision turning bright red, Arpel barely managed not to kill everyone around him. The shadow swirling violently on the ground seemed like it might shoot out sharply at any moment, tearing everyone’s bodies to shreds.

In an instant, Arpel pushed aside the surrounding knights and approached Rohan, kicking away the knight who couldn’t even properly react to his movement.

Not understanding what had happened to him, Rohan, who had been standing dazedly, finally moved his body. He threw himself into Arpel’s arms, who had finally come to his side.

Arpel, familiar with holding Rohan, immediately bound all the surrounding knights with shadows. He had no intention of bloodshed yet. Not yet.

Naturally embracing the child’s body was a bonus.

“This is… magic power?”

It was a voice full of confusion, but it wasn’t Arpel’s concern. He was busy enough trying to comfort Rohan, who was crying and begging him not to leave.

“Arpel, Arpeeel……”

“Shh. I’m sorry. Don’t cry, Rohan.”

Rohan, who had remained composed throughout Arpel’s captivity, burst into tears like a young child as soon as he was in his arms.

Arpel thought his actions were an inevitable choice. Even if he could go back to the beginning and the same situation occurred, he would comply with the knights’ hands in the same way. He didn’t want Rohan to be harmed because of him.

But seeing this, he couldn’t help but feel heartache. He tightly embraced the child who was hurriedly hugging his neck and nuzzling his face.

And as a natural progression, a fierce gaze was directed at the priests. More precisely, it was aimed at the priest named Dionel standing in the center.

“How can you… have magic power…”

“I don’t think I have any obligation to tell you.”

Holy power and magic power cannot coexist. The same was true for the power of specters. Although it was a different kind of power, that was the common understanding.

Arpel felt a stronger specter power, and also detected a subtle magical energy, but he thought it was a trace left by Rohan, who had received the demon god’s blessing and had been by his side all along.

From the outset, they had assumed that the two powers couldn’t coexist, so they didn’t even think to look closely at the power swirling inside Arpel.

However, just now, Arpel had used magic. The shadows binding the knights so they couldn’t move exuded a strong magical aura that was untouchable.

It was a moment when the common sense they had believed to be the truth of the world was shattered, so no one could speak. Except for the sound of the child’s sniffling, confusion and silence settled all around.

“…I apologize for our rudeness. These are those who followed due to my stubbornness, so please withdraw your power.”

“Lord Dionel!”

“The demon god is calling you.”

Dionel, who had been silent for a moment, bowed his head. Although they were bound by shadows, it was natural for the knights who had been protecting him to be surprised.

Those who tried to stop him all stopped their actions because they could clearly see Dionel’s eye color as he slightly raised his head.

The words that followed were enough to shock the priests. That’s how sacred and revered the ‘demon god’ was to them. The statement that this being was calling them… Numerous gazes poured towards Arpel and Rohan.

“Has, has an oracle been given?”

The position of High Priest of the central temple was one that only special individuals could attain.

Except for the blessed ones, they had to have the most holy power or magic power, be devout at the same time, and receive the god’s approval while performing the ritual to become the High Priest. After receiving the god’s approval and ascending to the position of High Priest, they could hear the god’s oracle.

This process of divine approval was important. If one harbored evil thoughts or was judged to have excessive self-interest, the god would mercilessly halt the ritual. There were quite a few High Priest candidates in history who were stripped of their position in this way.

Dionel, the High Priest of this generation, was a slightly more unusual case. Among all the High Priests in history, he had the most magic power, was undeniably devout, and incorruptible.

Perhaps in recognition of his efforts? After ascending to the position of High Priest, every time he heard the god’s oracle, his eyes, which had been black, would turn purple.

And now, his eyes were purple.