IGTHGI 51🔐

Chapter 51 …

I had suspected that Paris Emporus would try something, and my suspicion was correct.

He had tricked the acolyte into stealing the proof.

“Just as I expected. No damage done.”

Rachel said, crossing her arms, and Abyss nodded in agreement.

“What should we do now? Clero-sama must be disappointed.”

Ai, Agno cried bitterly, thinking that his guardian priest must be disappointed in him.

According to Agno’s account, he had been deceived by Paris Emporus, given a sleeping potion to give to his favorite priest, and had taken the book without realizing it was wrong.

The baron had said that the priest must be tired because they hadn’t slept enough, and that he’d give a potion to help them sleep deeply. Hoping the priest would feel at ease, Agno took the sleeping potion and brought it to them.

Then he brought the book—the very thing that caused extra work for the priest—and showed it to the baron.

The baron examined the book, soaked in holy water and special solutions by the priests, and instructed that it be dried in the sun at the temple’s laundry area. He even suggested Agno have some cookies while waiting, so he wouldn’t get bored.

Agno followed those instructions without noticing anything strange. After eating the cookies, he quickly fell asleep, and by the time he woke, the book was gone.

“I didn’t think he’d use a child. I thought he’d just create chaos and send intruders,” Rachel said, stroking Agno’s back as he sobbed. Abyss had a look of being caught off guard.

“It’s not a completely bad result, since we could see how the baron would react after losing the proof,” Abyss replied calmly.

Agno, sad over losing the book, felt even worse seeing how indifferent the woman and man who had come to help him were.

“Why aren’t you doing anything? You said you’d help if I explained everything!”

“Well, there’s nothing to worry about. Let’s return to the temple.”

“No! We can’t leave until we find the book!”

Agno shook his head, crying at Abyss’s words. Abyss scratched his head.

“That book… you don’t need to worry too much.”

Agno stopped crying at Abyss’s words and asked again,

“Huh?”

Rachel added triumphantly,

“Because it’s fake.”

If you know how your opponent will act but don’t respond, that’s amateurish.

Knowing Paris Emporus would stay at the Grand Hall, Rachel and Abyss immediately acted.

In truth, investigating the book wouldn’t take more than half a month.

The special solution that revealed hidden letters in the book had already been supplied by Abyss, exposing all hidden text.

The hardest part was deducing the victims for the memorial ritual, though this could also be inferred from transcribed records.

So, once the transcription was complete, there was no need to see the lineage firsthand.

To prepare for any situation, they sent a letter to Enoch, already heading to the temple, asking him to persuade the other senior priests.

Enoch, along with Priest Peace, consulted with the senior priests, including Clero, keeping the real lineage safe while having them investigate a fake one.

Thus, the book Clero had been analyzing was a forgery made by Abyss’s subordinates using old parchment and special solutions.

Abyss added a word for the child, who still wasn’t very pleased even when Rachel said it was fake:

“The book you lost was fake.”

“But the other priests and temple knights think the book was lost…!”

“Claiming the book was lost in the temple is just for show.”

If they lost something as important as the demon’s proof without reacting, Paris Emporus would get suspicious.

Though apologetic to the low-ranking priests, the senior priests orchestrated this to determine if Paris Emporus was truly uninvolved with the demon.

“It’s unorthodox for a temple, but knowing the Demon King might be summoned, they agreed to help.”

If their gathered knowledge and information hadn’t been combined, none of this would have been possible.

The intelligence Rachel and Abyss collected, combined with Enoch’s knowledge, revealed that someone intended to summon the Demon King, prompting the temple to act proactively.

Rachel reached out to the tearful Agno.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“But I…”

Agno felt relieved knowing the book was safe, but he still couldn’t take Rachel’s hand. Though the book was fine, he knew he had made a mistake. He feared Clero might hate him.

Rachel spoke kindly to him:

“Everyone makes mistakes.”

The boy stared at Rachel’s hand.

“But covering up your mistakes is wrong. You must acknowledge them and reflect to grow as a person.”

“If I apologize, won’t Clero-sama hate me?”

Rachel and Abyss exchanged a glance. Agno hadn’t feared punishment for wrongdoing—he feared Clero would dislike him.

Rachel thought that whoever Clero was, if the boy cared this much, he must be a good person.

“The priest won’t hate you. But if you disappear without saying anything, he’d surely be sad.”

“Really?”

“Yes. So let’s go back.”

But as Agno and Rachel were about to return to the temple, an arrow flew toward them.

It was clearly aimed at Agno’s neck, but a white light enveloped them, deflecting the arrow.

“Good thing we were prepared.”

“I suggested it just in case; didn’t expect it to be used immediately.”

Before coming here, Rachel had asked Abyss to prepare an artifact to block unexpected attacks. Experience from past deaths had taught her the importance of preparedness.

Abyss complied, and the artifact proved useful.

“The baron doesn’t plan to let this boy live.”

Paris Emporus was under the watch of paladins all day.

No outsiders except temple acolytes had entered, and he had never left their surveillance.

Thus, although the book was gone, there was only suspicion, no evidence.

If Agno returned to the temple and revealed what Paris Emporus had said, he would be doubted again.

In short, Paris Emporus had planned to eliminate Agno from the start.

“By the way, I’m not good at fighting.”

Abyss admitted first. Rachel nodded.

“I know. I’m not expecting it.”

Rachel had no expectation for Abyss to fight. The self-proclaimed ‘brain’ would not take on a direct fight.

Instead, he fired a signal flare into the sky, releasing red smoke. The sharp peeing sound rang loudly.

As Abyss launched the flare, Rachel put the monocle given by the harpy over her right eye.

Before coming here, the harpy had tested her aptitude and given her a monocle to visualize mana, noting her magical talent.

Scanning the direction the arrow came from, she saw a dark figure behind dense trees.

“There’s only one assassin!”

The Shios Temple is sacred ground, and unauthorized outsiders cannot approach, so the assassin could not have been part of a larger group.

Paris Emporus likely thought one child would suffice and didn’t send more people.

“Just hold on. Paladins and priests will be here soon.”

The temple wasn’t far; anyone seeing the signal flare would quickly arrive.

Meanwhile, another arrow was fired. It bounced off the protective field. Rachel observed carefully.

“How many more can the artifact stop?”

The artifact could stop attacks temporarily, but it wasn’t unlimited.

Abyss held up four fingers, excluding his thumb, and repeatedly folded one.

“Three, four minutes?”

He shook his head. It was about the number of attacks, not time.

“Why fold your fingers?”

“The divine energy is too strong to measure precisely.”

Elsewhere, Abyss might have used a different artifact, but the divine energy density near the Grand Hall restricted artifact use.

Only mana-infused artifacts could be used there. Even Abyss, who usually accessed a pocket linked to a pocket dimension, couldn’t now.

Even the defensive artifact could only handle a few attacks instead of dozens.

“Should we bring other agents capable of fighting?”

“They’re all busy with illegal duel cases.”

If the assassin had more than four or five arrows, the situation would be dangerous.

Another arrow flew; Rachel watched its trajectory carefully.

‘They’re aiming for the child’s vital spots.’

The arrows were clearly targeting Agno’s neck. Rachel gritted her teeth.

‘Killing a child for their own greed!’

Even if the person aimed to kill her nephew, Rachel was outraged.

Yet, the more she was angry, the calmer she became. She would no longer panic in unexpected situations.

Her mental training, honed through physical conditioning, kept her rational.

She assessed the situation accurately and sought what she could do.

“If I move, will the shield disappear?”

“No, it forms around me.”

“Then let’s move toward the temple.”

Rachel suggested, and Abyss grabbed Agno’s hand, running toward the temple, with Rachel checking behind them.

Another arrow was fired. It bounced off, but the mana cohesion forming the shield weakened.

‘One arrow is the limit.’

The branches shook. As the three increased distance in the forest, the attacker, seemingly anxious, revealed themselves.

“Finally showing yourself,” Abyss muttered while running. The assassin in black swiftly pursued them.

“Can you block arrows only?”

“Yes, anything coming from outside.”

“Got it.”

Rachel placed her hands on the dagger and swordbreaker at her waist.

These light weapons were recommended by the harpy for quick swings.

Seeing her prepare, Abyss asked cautiously,

“Planning to fight?”

“They’ll catch up soon. Since you can’t fight, I’ll handle it. Right?”

“Right.”

Though he should have gone first, Rachel was annoyed he wouldn’t fight, despite appearing more capable physically.

‘Outwardly, he should have the advantage in a fight.’

But she swallowed her frustration. With the protective artifact, he had to protect the child.

“I’m not fighting to kill. Just surviving is my victory.”

Rachel’s blue eyes glimmered beyond the monocle.

She had died countless times, but now she resolved to protect herself and the child at all costs.

“I hope we both make it.”

At the same time, Rachel’s legs stopped. The short grass beneath her shoes crushed, giving off the scent of crushed earth.

She gripped her weapons tightly, turning to face the assassin running at her.

Through the monocle, the assassin’s body appeared a mix of black and red, with particularly bright red over the heart, arteries, thighs, and hands.