Chapter 189

✠

Just then, a slightly deep, bass voice rang in my ears.

"......Maybe it's the effect of the melted crescent moon."

"Hmm."

It was a reasonable explanation.

Just as the moon in our reality causes the sea tides to rise, the moon of the demon world would also exert influence in this world.

Moreover, a crescent moon that perfectly matches the symbol of the Demon Lord Avikinis has risen in the sky tonight. It's even weirder to just pass by quietly.

Well, let's leave it at that.

Figuring out the cause wasn't the most important thing right now, so, I made a decision.

"We can't keep this up. Instead of waiting until it disappears, let's break through and get out right now."

"I will take the lead."

Thesilid gently dissuaded my hand from pulling out the Serpens.

He slipped out of the cover of his uniform by himself and took the first step.

As soon as Thesilid took his first step, the apparitions stepped aside to the left and right, clearing a path for him to follow.

It was a similar effect to the passive skill I had, 'Notoriety that resonates in the underworld.'

Just as I started to follow him at a reasonable distance.

"......"

My eyes narrowed at a nerve-wracking sensation.

There was an apparition following from behind me, keeping pace with me.

'This fearless ghost.'

It seemed like a daring apparition was following me. I whirled around to give it a good scolding.

However.

"......uh?"

It stopped at a distance of two steps and blankly looked at me.

I lost my attention to it.

"......"

"......"

While all the other apparitions were looking at Thesilid, this one was only staring at me to the point of persistence.

The meaning of that unique gaze was clear.

The one who died from me.

"......ah."

This was a golden opportunity to resolve questions that had remained unanswered.

<Ellet? What's wrong?>

I shouldn't look at them.

But my irresistible curiosity blew all caution from my mind.

Who is it? Who the hell are you?

I was already taking a closer look at him.

Facial features slowly began to take shape on the ghostly face, making my eyes gradually widen at the vague sense of familiarity.

'You are......'

And right then.

Shh.

"......Eli."

A hot hand reached out from behind and covered my eyes. It was Thesilid.

He pressed his body close to me and whispered softly in my ear.

"You can't fall for it."

"......"

"Let's go out now."

"......Okay."

I turned around, led by Thesilid's hand.

In the distance, I could see the exit gate swirling slowly to welcome us back.

Our trip to the Demon King's Territory ended like that.

✠

When we returned to the real world, less than a day had passed since going inside the dungeon.

Add to that the time difference between the Kingdom of Vinchester and the Principality of Hispenril, and it was just before dawn when we arrived back at my Grandpa's Castle.

Nevertheless, people were waiting for us.

"Ahh! They are here!"

"Hey, ah, damn it......Why are you guys only coming now...!"

"Sister, Brother, I was worried."

"I'm so glad......"

"Baby! Grandson-in-law!"

My paladins, Hilde and Grandfather, greeted Thesilid and me at the doorstep with red eyes.

I guess that Marquis Lecandro, who escaped safely with Princess Celestide, reported the news of the accident that occurred in the boss room.

Thankfully, I didn't have to make excuses about staying out at night without permission.

I said hello to everyone, including my grandfather, with an apologetic heart.

"I'm back. I'm sorry I'm late."

"It's okay because you came back safely. Let's go in now."

I entered the mansion under the warmth of the morning sunlight.

We took our seats in the parlor and reported on the events of the day.

I summarized everything and told them only as much as they needed to know about my near-death encounter with Reed, known to the world as the Black Magic Swordsman, the lull in our battle thanks to the invasion of the Three Demons Lords, and my escape through the lands of Demon King Avikinis.

When I confessed to the fact that I had used Descent of Divinity while fighting the Black Magic Swordsman, Grandpa, who knew about the penalties of God's Fever, looked at Thesilid with moist eyes.

"Thank you, grandson-in-law."

"It was the right thing to do."

"Ahm, that's right."

I hurriedly cut off their warm-hearted atmosphere.

"Grandpa, I think I have to go back to the Vatican now. However, it's obvious that if I took Hilde there, they would criticize and bully her. Can I ask you to allow Hilde to stay here from now on?"

"I heard the whole story. Don't worry. This old man will take good care of her."

Grandpa was confident as he pounded his pectoralis major muscles.

He's been lonely since my mother ran away from home, it seemed like he felt good about Hilde relying on him.

Looking at them again, the clothes Hilde is wearing now look like a dress Mother wore when she was a princess.

As Hilde petted the small animal chimeras, she asked me awkwardly.

"Can I stay here?"

"As long as you like it."

I answered that way, but my true feelings were different.

'Yes. You have to be here. Forever. You can't go anywhere.'

Hilde was a great talent just because she was a 7th rank divine power awakener with a threat immunity skill, but when I thought about it, she had one more great advantage.

It's the fact that she still has no religious affiliation!

When I open my parish in Peronsa soon, she'll be one of the first to be ordained and seated.

'Become a believer of The World Church, Hilde. And help raise the rank of our Church by breaking through the 8th rank!'

['The World-building God' is filled with anticipation.]

['The Spoiler Inspector' shakes his head, saying that both God and believer can't control their facial expressions.]

I was surprised and tensed my facial muscles. Fortunately, Hilde didn't seem to notice my selfish intentions.

"Thank you......"

"You're welcome."

While I was patting Hilde on the shoulder and appealing to my friendliness, Ash suddenly asked her with a look of anticipation.

"Is Miss Hilde joining our Paladins, sister?"

"If Hill wants it?"

"Please come in, Miss Hilde!"

At this time, Ash's eyes, looking at Hilde, glowed with a greater darkness than mine.

I wondered why he was like this.

"I want Miss Hilde to become the new youngest member of our Order."

I guess he wanted to get away from being the youngest.

"Ash, even if Hilde comes in, you will still be the youngest."

"What? Why?"

I answered, taking full advantage of my saintly status.

"I just had a revelation from God. Hilde was born two months earlier than you."

"......!"

Ash, who was in disbelief, soon matched Hilde's birthday with his own, and his shoulders sagged.

Then suddenly raised his hand in the air in the hopes of a feeble last protest.

"I have an objection. Aren't we supposed to rank this in order of initiation?"

"Welp, not how this works, youngest."

"Yes, you're the chosen youngest."

Ephael and Hestio, who were on either side of Ash, answered for him.

And Agnes.

<If it's decided, just accept it. The youngest has a big mouth.>

Taking advantage of the mood, I decided to tease the youngest as well.

"Oh, by the way. Ash, do we have a name for our Order yet?"

"......Oh."

This is the reaction I expected. But he put on a stern expression for some reason.

"What, you don't have anything in mind? Nothing? After all the time I've given you?"

"Well, that..."

Ash, embarrassed, turned to the side and asked for help.

"Brother Thesilid..."

"yes."

"Help me, please. You said you would think of a name for the Order together with me."

"Well, I don't know about that, I can't remember."

"Ah, Brother...!"

After teasing Ash with a straight face, Thesilid dropped a few hints.

"I have something in mind, though......"

"Okay, let's go with that."

"......Without even listening?"

"It's better than picking one myself."

['The World-building God' is anxious about whether it is okay to entrust the name of your Order to the protagonist.]

['The Scales that Judges the Soul' watches with half concern and half anticipation.]

And so, amidst the concerns of the Gods and the low expectations of his peers about Thesilid's naming sense, what he revealed to the public, was this.

"Silver Citadel...How about Sidel for short?"

"Hoo."

Exclamations of 'I didn't expect it, but it was quite good' came out of the mouths of our colleagues.

I didn't have to ask to know that the name was taken from my ultimate barrier skill, 'Mercury's Barrier.'

<Well, it's difficult to forget if you've ever been saved by that skill>

['The World-building God' I like this nice tough.]

['The Scales that Judges the Soul' is relieved that there is no need to worry about the second generation's name if it's like this.]

"It's decided."

I also nodded vigorously. After seeing that the other members had no complaints, I stood up from my seat.

"Okay, then. Order of Sidel, let's return to the Vatican."

"Yes, Leader!"

"Yes, Sister!"

✠

The Vatican gave me and the Order of Silver Citadel a grand welcome.

It was well-deserved after rescuing the royalty of the Kingdom of Vinchester, defeating Anaxia, and surviving a last-minute disaster.

However, there was another achievement of mine that touched the hearts of the Council of Cardinals even more than the previous three reasons.

"Your Excellency High Saint, you captured the mad wizard?"

"Oh, this is how we repay the disgrace of 200 years ago!"

"Could you please show me the mirror in which you locked him up? Let me take a look at his shameless face."

As requested, I took out the mirror the light blue-haired young man had been restrained in.

After giving the Cardinals just enough time to look at it once, I quickly put it back in.

I had no intention of entrusting the mirror that trapped Morifis to the Vatican.

"If I leave it here, the Republic's Magic Army can sneak in and steal it, so I will keep it."

"You have a point, Your Excellency."

"It's a shame that I can't hang it at the main gate of the Vatican as a tribute."

It was good up to this point, but it wasn't long before the Ministry of Prosecution and the Ministry of the Doctrine began to have friction over the issue of the disposition of Morifis.

It started with a cardinal from the Prosecutor's sect.

"Did you see it earlier? That crazy wizard is very fresh even though he is over 200 years old."

"I'm so jealous of that......No, he must be draining life force with some evil black magic! I say we judge for heresy!"

"Let's hold the trial immediately tomorrow. Be ready to burn him at the stake within a week!"

The Gospel sect strongly opposed this.

"Tsk, can't you think things through? The Chimera Researcher should be used as a bargaining chip with the Republic."

"That's right. This is an opportunity to settle the Blood Stone Mine dispute."

Around the time when things could have easily led to an incoherent and bitter debate.

"Come on, stop."

A solemn voice diffused the situation.

✠