Chapter 29
The Apostle and the Angel (1)
The campsite fell into utter chaos at the Apostle’s sudden appearance. Screams and desperate cries echoed from every corner of the ridge.
Taking advantage of the pandemonium, Johan and Gaf headed toward their destination.
At the very center of the campsite was a broad clearing. A single pure-white coffin stood alone in the middle of the empty field.
A fragment of the Great Saint’s remains was undoubtedly being kept inside it.
There were no guards. From the Church’s perspective, assigning dozens of guards to protect it would not have been excessive, yet there was not a single soul nearby.
Gaf spoke in confusion.
“It seems even the guards protecting the coffin were sent into battle. I can understand why, given that an Apostle has appeared, but surely they would have left at least a few people behind.”
The pilgrimage procession’s primary objective was to transport the fragment of the Great Saint’s remains safely to the Holy See.
Even with an Apostle manifesting before them, someone should have remained behind to guard the coffin.
Gaf opened his mouth.
“Whatever the reason, this makes things easier. Once we take that coffin, this whole damned ordeal will finally be over, won’t it?”
Just as he was about to take a step forward, Johan spoke.
“Stop. Cross that line and you’ll die.”
Gaf turned sharply toward Johan.
“What?”
“Look carefully at the ground beneath your feet.”
A faint groove had been carved into the ocher-colored earth. It was so fine that no one would have noticed it without concentrating.
Gaf stared intently at the ground.
A thin line formed a circle around the coffin.
Johan said,
“It’s a divine boundary spell. A magical barrier capable of replacing hundreds of guards.”
In the original story, a sixth-circle divine spell had protected the Great Saint’s coffin.
The spell was triggered when an unauthorized person approached. If Gaf had crossed the line just now, his body would have instantly crumbled into dust.
Gaf cleared his throat and retreated several steps.
“…Do you have a way through it?”
“The spell itself isn’t actually a problem.”
The holy relic Johan had brought from the forbidden archive was more than capable of neutralizing a spell like this.
The problem was what came afterward.
“Opening the coffin is the real issue…”
Blue chains were wrapped tightly around the pure-white coffin.
They were commonly known as the Moon-Shackling Chains, a fifth-grade holy relic. Only someone with the relevant knowledge or the ability to use unlocking magic could remove them.
Johan possessed neither, making the Moon-Shackling Chains a troublesome obstacle.
‘There is an alternative, but it would disrupt the plan.’
They could steal the entire coffin and flee, then slowly research a way to unlock it later.
But that was hardly the best solution.
If the coffin disappeared, the Holy See would scour the entire South for it. Their search might eventually extend as far as Myatro territory.
As a half-demon, Johan found that possibility rather burdensome.
‘If only I could open the coffin, there would be nothing to worry about.’
The ideal solution was to remove only the fragment of the corpse and then close the coffin again.
As long as the coffin remained in its original place, Johan could ensure that the Church did not even realize that the fragment was missing.
There was a way to accomplish that.
Johan clicked his tongue.
As long as he could not open the coffin, however, it was nothing more than wishful thinking.
For now, he had no choice but to settle for the alternative.
Even if it meant accepting a certain amount of risk.
‘It can’t be helped. We’ll take the coffin and get out of here.’
Johan removed an ornate, jewel-encrusted box from his backpack.
He rummaged through its contents.
Soon, he was holding a grayish-white key that looked rather unimpressive compared to the box containing it.
“Gaf, move away from the spell.”
Johan held the key out in midair.
At that moment, pure-white lines spread in every direction from the key.
The previously concealed barrier was revealed.
Its grotesque formulas began convulsing violently.
The barrier was breaking apart.
The key in Johan’s hand was a sacred artifact capable of controlling every divine barrier of the sixth circle or lower.
Gaf could only stare in awe at the scene unfolding before him.
Magic of the sixth circle and above transcended ordinary human understanding, naturally instilling reverence in anyone who witnessed it.
As the barrier and the key clashed, nature itself began to convulse.
Fierce winds raged, and the earth trembled.
Scattered divine power poured down like rain.
The shattered formulas dissolved into the darkness.
Like Gaf, Johan was captivated by the magnificent sight, but he showed no sign of agitation.
He observed the phenomenon with a calm expression before speaking.
“It’s over.”
The convulsions of nature subsided, and stillness returned.
Where the barrier had once stood, only the pure-white coffin remained.
“Don’t just stand there. Let’s move.”
Gaf regained his senses and tried to step forward, only to hesitate.
Johan smirked.
“So much for the Lion of the East. You have less courage than a deer.”
He moved first.
As expected, nothing obstructed Johan’s path.
The two of them safely reached the coffin.
Gaf asked,
“How do you intend to transport this back to the territory? It’s rather large.”
Johan shrugged.
“We’ll tie it to a horse and drag it behind us. What other choice do we have?”
“…You intend to drag the Great Saint’s body behind a horse?”
“For a demon’s partner, you’re surprisingly squeamish about something like this.”
Gaf made the sign of the cross with a troubled expression.
“Please forgive this blasphemer. I shall atone for it in hell.”
Johan clicked his tongue and pulled out a large black cloth.
It would be troublesome if anyone saw the coffin, so he intended to conceal it during transport.
Just as he was about to cover the coffin, a familiar voice came from above.
“You truly are remarkably audacious. You’ve caused quite an extraordinary commotion.”
Gaf and Johan looked up at the night sky.
A silver-haired girl sat astride a broom, looking down at them.
Startled, Gaf shouted,
“Ilea!”
“Yes, Father. It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
The two had remained distant since the incident in the inn room. An awkward tension had existed between father and daughter ever since that day.
Gaf replied,
“I’m the same as ever. More importantly, what brings you here?”
Ilea turned her gaze toward Johan.
“I came to help Johan.”
Johan spoke without expression.
“Didn’t you refuse because you thought it was reckless?”
“I still think it’s reckless. But I learned that this is something you absolutely must do. You made a contract with Young Master Raguel, didn’t you? You promised to restore his sight.”
“…Do you believe the sacred relic inside that coffin is the Great Saint’s eye?”
“Am I wrong?”
Johan silently stared at her. After a brief pause, he answered.
“No. Your guess is correct.”
“And yet you didn’t explain the situation to me. I never had a choice in the first place.”
If Johan failed to honor his contract with Raguel, he would die.
The moment he died, Ilea would not survive either.
The two of them were bound by a protection contract.
Johan said,
“That’s because I wasn’t desperate enough for assistance to drag you into this by force.”
If he continually exploited the protection contract to use Ilea, she might eventually rebel against him.
A witch was still a witch. Although he had placed a leash around her neck, he could not afford to let his guard down.
If she ever decided that she wanted to break her contract with Johan, she would eventually find a way.
His basic approach toward Ilea needed to be based on cooperation rather than coercion.
“I understand what you mean.”
She smiled playfully and added,
“Then I suppose you don’t need my help now.”
Johan cleared his throat softly.
“Since you’re already here, I would like to borrow your assistance.”
Ilea pretended to consider it before clapping her hands together.
“Very well. But I have a condition.”
She apparently intended to propose a transaction. That put Johan more at ease as well.
“If it’s reasonable, I’ll accept it.”
“I would like to study your body later.”
Johan’s brow furrowed slightly.
“My body?”
“Yes. As you already know, you’re unusual in many ways. Everything about you is shrouded in mystery—from your birth to the circumstances that brought you to your current state. You’re overflowing with things that arouse my curiosity.”
Johan was unquestionably an excellent research subject for a witch. Anyone who sought to explore the unknown would salivate at the sight of him.
“Let’s uncover the secrets of your body together.”
Johan found the prospect somewhat disturbing. Entrusting his body to a witch might result in him being dissected and having every part of his body separated.
When Johan remained silent, Ilea chuckled.
“I promise that I will never do anything harmful to you. I won’t hurt you either. Furthermore, I’ll share everything I discover with you. I’m certain that you will benefit from it as well.”
Honestly, it was not a bad proposal.
Even Johan did not know his own true identity. He would need to investigate it eventually. If a witch helped him with that investigation, there could be no more reliable assistant.
After contemplating it for some time, Johan spoke.
“I accept your proposal. However, you must promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“I will always retain control over the research. If I want it stopped, you must take your hands off my body immediately, regardless of the reason. Do you agree?”
Some of the secrets uncovered during the investigation would undoubtedly be things he could not share with Ilea.
That was why he was establishing a boundary in advance.
“That condition is a little troublesome… but all right. I agree.”
With that, Ilea lightly jumped down from her broom.
Her body fluttered through the night breeze as though defying gravity before gently descending to the ground.
“So, what would you like me to help you with?”
Her gaze was already fixed on the chains wrapped around the coffin.
Johan said,
“Open the coffin. You should be capable of it.”
Ilea carefully examined the chains before speaking with a skeptical expression.
“These are the Moon-Shackling Chains, a top-grade binding artifact. Honestly, it would be difficult to release them here and now.”
Johan handed Ilea the box from which he had taken the key.
“Can you do it now?”
After examining its contents, Ilea’s expression filled with interest.
“These must be items you brought from the forbidden archive.”
“That’s right.”
“Could you take me there sometime?”
“One day.”
Ilea slowly nodded.
“I can open the coffin. Thirty minutes will be enough.”
Johan inwardly cheered.
He would now be able to steal only the Great Saint’s eye while leaving the coffin where it was.
Ilea’s arrival had made the ideal plan possible.
He was delighted by this unexpected stroke of good fortune.
“I’ll wait quietly.”
His enjoyment was short-lived. A strange pressure began crushing the entire area.
“D-Damn it! Not again!”
Gaf cursed as he fell to his knees.
Johan, who had been sitting while he waited, sprang to his feet.
With an unusually tense expression, Ilea stared toward the forest path.
A pitch-black figure was slowly approaching.
Johan swallowed a groan.
“…Did he finish already?”
The uninvited guest’s form emerged completely.
It was the grotesque being dressed in an ashen robe. Beris, Apostle of the End, was staring directly at Johan.
Ilea whispered,
“You naturally have some way to control him, don’t you?”
Ilea had realized from the beginning that Beris’s appearance was Johan’s doing.
Johan replied quietly,
“Well, it’s not as though I have no way.”
Ilea frowned slightly.
“What is that supposed to mean? Why such an ambiguous answer?”
At that moment, a grotesque voice pierced the three of them like a spike.
“In whose presence do you dare whisper among yourselves? Kneel immediately and receive the Apostle!”
Gaf writhed while coughing up blood, and killing intent filled Ilea’s eyes.
“…Father.”
However, even a witch could not oppose an Apostle.
Remaining on her feet was the most she could manage.
Johan said,
“I’m not your subordinate yet. I have no reason to bow before you. Have you already forgotten our contract?”
Beris’s tiny mouth split open all the way to his ears. He burst into wild laughter.
“Kihahahahaha! Are you speaking of that red-haired wench? She has been dead for some time!”
“Was she completely erased?”
Beris’s expression suddenly hardened, and he roared,
“Why do you ask me that again?! That wench was torn apart before my omnipotence! Her entire upper body was ripped away!”
“Was that all?”
“What?”
Johan raised the corners of his mouth.
“I ordered the complete erasure of Shaperia. Yet all you did was tear her in half.”
“What nonsense are you—”
“To think an Apostle cannot even fulfill a contract with a mere mortal. Are you not afraid of the price that will follow?”
No sooner had Johan finished speaking than a blue flash erupted from the cliff beyond the forest path.
The surroundings grew as bright as dawn.
The soaring radiance ascended endlessly into the sky until it finally touched the full moon.
Beris’s eyes trembled violently.
“Th-This is…!”
Johan immediately spread his wings.
“Good luck with the second round. If you lose, you’ll pay dearly for failing to fulfill our contract.”
He then seized Ilea and Gaf under either arm and took flight.
Beris unleashed a tremendous roar.
“Mortal——!”
Immediately afterward, a blue flash descended from the full moon like a bolt of lightning.
The falling radiance slashed through Beris’s body in an instant.
Black blood erupted like a fountain.
With half his face torn away, Beris staggered backward in shock.
His pupils trembled.
“…An angel.”
Standing before the Apostle was a messenger of the Great Saint.
A Valkyrie with four pairs of wings and an enormous executioner’s sword hovered beneath the moonlight.
The angel proclaimed,
“I, Shaperia, Holy Paladin of the Great Temple, sentence the Apostle of the End to death.”