Chapter 499

After Davey coerced Gnoass into rigorous work, he switched Spirit Kings, successfully relocating the memories from one location to another. Surprisingly, the concealed memories were no match for Sylphid, the Wind Spirit King.

"If I'd known it would be like this, I would have sought your help immediately. Your speed is truly remarkable. I feel quite ashamed."

"Let's review it now."

A screen materialized, displaying scenes from before the moment the video stone was activated. Due to the restoration occurring post-deletion, the video's quality was poor. Nevertheless, it clearly showed the perspective of the one responsible for erasing the memories.

Silent focus gripped everyone watching the scene projected by the video stone. What they saw differed vastly from their expectations. It revealed priests clad in robes bearing the symbol of the Holy Empire, not the anticipated culprits.

While others stared in disbelief, Davey squinted at the scene, scrutinizing every detail closely. The footage depicted several priests and paladins slaughtering members of the knight order, aided by human mercenaries.

"The fighting style of those humans is rather peculiar."

"Are you implying they're outsiders?"

Foreigners, akin to beings from Earth, viewed this world as a game. For those who saw this realm as a place of amusement, few valued the lives of its inhabitants.

"They're conversing. Can we restore their voices?"

"Hold on a moment," Davey said, lifting the stone slightly.

Bang! Bang!! Bang!!!

Then, almost unbelievably, he struck it forcefully against the table.

Bzzt! Bzzt!! Bzzt!!!

Surprisingly, voices began to emanate from the video.

"As expected, whether it's electronic or magical goods, having some sort of sound is beneficial."

Boris was momentarily dazed by Davey's casual remarks. "Video stones are quite expensive, though..."

A playful air enveloped them briefly. However, their expressions immediately stiffened upon hearing the conversation in the video.

"Hey. I'm helping out because it's a quest, but is it true they're trying to revive the Evil God? Even though they seem like good people?"

"Boy, let me tell you this. Don't judge a book by its cover. All these people are trying to overthrow and bring chaos to this world."

The young man's face contorted in displeasure at the priest's words.

"Damn... This is making me really uncomfortable..."

"If you hate it, then leave immediately. You won't receive any compensation, though."

"N-No. Who said I won't do it? Even so, I don't think we should kill such young children..."

"If you don't like it, then leave. Anyone who serves the Evil God, be they adults or children, is dangerous."

"I-I know! Anyway, this is just a game."

The young men unleashed their strange powers again after their conversation. Their abilities were both shocking and mysterious. With just a flash of light, they managed to break through the knights' barriers as if their powers could corrode them.

Boris, observing the scene, gritted his teeth and slammed his fist on the table.

Bang!!!

The video stone, hit once more, suddenly fell silent. It seemed the impact had turned off the sound.

"Ahem! Ahem!!!" Boris coughed in surprise, his eyes darting around.

However, Davey simply grabbed the stone and slammed it on the table a few times nonchalantly.

"Priests?! Are you saying that the priests of the Holy Empire attacked us?!" Boris shouted furiously.

Melveque, hearing Boris' rage, muttered, "I'll gather the evidence for now. Thankfully, we're able to get a few impressions on our suspects."

"If the ones who did this are from the Holy Empire, then..." Boris' gaze turned to Davey.

Most of the scenes in the other video stones were similar in content. There were paladins, priests, and a few foreigners.

After watching the video, Davey stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"Going to catch the culprit."

Everyone looked at Davey in doubt upon hearing his words. Then, they saw him draw Red Ribbon and point it at the neck of Melveque, who was about to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The room's atmosphere turned cold at Davey's words. Simultaneously, all of the people who came with Melveque drew their weapons and aimed them at Davey. Fildyr and Illyna, as if reflexively, drew their swords and aimed at the other party.

"Davey?! What's going on?!" Boris exclaimed in surprise.

"What... What are you doing?" Melveque frowned and asked Davey.

"You're asking me what I'm doing...? Well, didn't I tell you earlier? I'm catching the culprit."

Melveque's expression soured. Then, after a moment of silence, he asked Davey carefully, "Are you saying that I am the culprit?"

"If not, then who?"

"Look here! There's a limit to how much you can insult someone!"

"That's right! Are you accusing Senior Knight Melveque?!"

"I can't believe you're convicting someone without evidence! Is this how Alpha Reinforcement works?! Sir Boris?!"

Davey tilted his head in confusion at their outcry.

"Convicting without any evidence? Well, that's most certainly possible. After all, he hid it quite well," Davey said calmly as he pulled out another stone from his pockets. It was an ordinary low-level magic stone used for voice recording, engraved with many strange runes.

"I'll explain what this is later. Honestly, I was going to let you go with a bang."

"Listen, Davey. There's an appropriate time for jokes... Heuk?!" Melveque flinched in shock as a line of red blood trickled down his neck from Red Ribbon's blade.

"Look at me," Davey demanded as the man dropped the polite act.

"..."

"What do you see in front of you?"

Melveque fell silent at Davey's question.

"Who do you think I am?"

"You look like an impudent knight of the Alpha Reinforcement."

"Aside from that?"

"What? Do you want me to say that you're the Saint? A Saint who convicts others without any evidence. Using the name of the Saint for something like this?! You have gone too far!"

Davey chuckled at Melveque's grumbling.

"Davey! Put your sword down first! What's the matter with you?!" Boris cried out in panic.

So, Davey lowered Red Ribbon. However, it was immediately replaced by Blue Ribbon, the sharp tip of the sword's blade pointing at Melveque's neck.

"Oh, my god! The sword itself?!"

"Is it a demonic sword?!"

"Right, Saint... Saint sounds nice. A Sword Master Saint. Isn't it very interesting, Instructor Boris? It's not like I trained like other ordinary paladins, but it's because I have a variety of complex abilities."

However, it was not Boris who responded to Davey. It was Melveque.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that I have a lot of talent."

Melveque frowned at Davey's words.

It was as if Davey was implying their lack of talent compared to him.

"Thanks to that, I'm quite sensitive to black magic."

Priests? Paladins? Complete and utter nonsense. Davey moved unbothered, his hands touching the blood-stained walls of the conference room. After that, he sniffed the tips of his fingers and smiled.

"A priest leaves traces of black magic like this? Come on, you should have lied more believably."

"..."

"You're very curious about what I took out, right?"

Melveque's gaze turned toward the stone engraved with strange runes that Davey had earlier.

"This was something I made on the way here."

It was a product Gnoass had created on the spot while extracting memories from the earth and putting them in the magic stone. However, it was more than enough.

Davey infused the magic stone with a bit of mana. Not long after, a voice emerged.

—It seems like there's quite a predicament. The continent's Saint has stepped in, wielding enough power to summon a Spirit King. I'm not certain how a Saint could do that, but if he continues actively engaging, there's a good chance our actions will be uncovered.

"If you're dealing with black magic and involved in this, I'd wager my money and even my neck on it. Care to bet?"

"If we're betting, the stakes should match, right?"

The outcome was already clear, so there wasn't much point in making a bet. Davey gestured dismissively at Melveque, frozen in place.

[Bind.]

Mana swiftly enveloped Davey's body.

"Do you know what this is?" Davey queried, tapping his finger on the magic stone etched with runes. "This stone captures and stores the frequencies of black message magic, [Mind Talk]."

"Don't jest! There's no such thing!"

"You seem quite certain," Davey retorted calmly.

Melveque scoffed. "Capturing and storing frequencies? Claiming you can isolate Mind Talk's frequency just by etching runes on a voice recording stone is absurd."

Davey nodded. "It's possible and right before your eyes. Oh, by the way, you seem quite knowledgeable about black magic."

Melveque's expression soured as he noticed Davey's smile, casting doubt among the onlookers.

"Lies! This isn't evidence! Black magic has been a scourge for the Alpha Reinforcement Knight Order! We're investigating—"

"You're spouting nonsense. I've had you pegged from the start," Davey murmured, locking eyes with Melveque. "Shall we do this then?"

Davey briefly closed his eyes, reopening them to unleash a potent hypnosis crafted by black magic.

"Urk?!"

His gaze swept the room, causing some to lapse into blank expressions, including Shayir Renda, one of the twins.

'Let's try it on something that can easily be confirmed.'

"Well, I'll let you confirm it first. Shayir Renda, the color of the underwear you wore today is..."

"Pink..." Shayir Renda, the elder twin, answered, blankly and without hesitation.

Davey snapped his fingers, and she snapped out of it, reacting with a loud, embarrassed shriek, "Kyaaaaaaack!"

Witnessing the spectacle, Fildyr immediately jumped up and gave Davey a wild approval. "Wow, you're crazy, but you're the greatest!"

Thwaaaaack!!!

In response, Fendyr Renda, the younger twin, slapped Fildyr. Lucia grabbed Fildyr by the collar, shaking him as his face reddened from the slap.

"Aack! Why are you taking it out on me?!" protested Fildyr, bewildered by the sudden reprimand.

Although Davey caused the chaos, it was Fildyr who received the slap and shaking.

Fendyr Renda retorted, "Then are you suggesting we hit Davey in this situation?!"

"That's right! Even First Saintess Daphne wouldn't tolerate that!"

Davey then turned to the blank-faced Melveque and said, "As you can see, that's the effect of hypnosis. Don't worry, you'll only speak the truth. Now, tell us. How many people have you killed?"

Melveque's expression remained blank as he replied, "Seven knights... Twenty children under their protection..."

"Thank you for the confession, you f*cking son of a b*tch."

[7th Circle]

[Astral Projection]

Boom!!!

Melveque collapsed to the ground, yet no one focused on his body. Their attention was fixed on the cloudy white object in Davey's palm.

"Since you're going to die, you won't need a body, right? Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will return. Since we all came without anything, then we shall all return without anything."

—U-Uwaaaaaaaaaack!!! This... What the hell is this!!!

Davey smiled at Melveque's terrified reaction and remarked, "Since you came with an empty head, you should also return with an empty head."

In his mind, Davey played with the thought, 'Bald I came from my mother's womb, and bald I will return'—a vicious smile creeping across his face—as he forcefully expelled Melveque's soul from his body using Astral Projection, a form of black magic.