Chapter 27

Hamel led the way deeper into the mine.

Daniel, puzzled by that unfaltering stride, asked.

“Hamel. The paths here are so confusing, do you know the way?”

“Of course.”

Hamel once again moved without hesitation at the fork.

“The basics of tracking are observation.”

“Observation?”

“Yes. For example, can you see the footprints on the floor you’re walking on now?”

“I can. But there were footprints elsewhere, too.”

Daniel tilted his head; footprints could be found on many paths.

Hamel nodded slightly and said.

“That’s true. But the footprints here are fewer than elsewhere, and their direction is consistent.”

“Ah….”

Daniel murmured in admiration.

Now that he looked, there were far more prints leading inward.

That meant those who went this way had not come back out yet.

It was a reasonable assumption, since the forbidden area (of the mine) was rarely frequented.

“…Do all Exorcist priests learn things like this?”

At one time Daniel had studied Exorcist priests for the sake of revenge.

But he had never heard of tricks like this, so he was curious.

Hamel now seemed more like a seasoned mercenary or hunter than a priest.

Hamel shrugged and answered.

“It depends. Some Exorcist priests don’t need to learn these trickeries.”

Depending on innate abilities, or guidance from exceptional Divine power.

There are Exorcist priests who can track humans and demons.

Or some leave tracking to companions or mercenaries and specialize solely in combat.

“But those with neither companions nor talent must learn these skills.”

“…I see.”

Daniel nodded reluctantly.

Because he could rely on no one.

Hamel had filled his gaps alone and learned techniques.

Daniel found that bitter yet impressive.

Perhaps because he knew Hamel must have faced death many times in that process.

It was then.

“Dain, have you lost your mind!”

A faint human voice came from afar.

It sounded querulous, but also anguished.

Hamel immediately stopped, pressed his ear to the wall, and pinpointed the direction of the sound.

“Found them.”

Hamel pulled his ear from the wall and began running.

He ran like the wind through rough, tangled passages and quickly entered a tunnel studded with black salt crystals.

Daniel could only click his tongue at the sight.

How long had they run like that?

They arrived at the spot inside the tunnel where the sound had come from.

An unexpected scene unfolded before them.

“….”

“…What on earth is going on?”

Hamel and Daniel both frowned.

Fortunately, contrary to expectations, the miners were all alive.

However.

“Dain! Don’t you see the child is suffering? Move aside, please!”

“No. Tom, you move. I’ll kill those two and the child right here.”

Two groups had split and were pointing weapons at each other.

The miners were divided into two groups.

Those trying to leave the tunnel, and those standing to block the entrance.

The two groups faced off tensely, weapons raised at one another.

“Don’t you wonder why he’s saying such horrible things?”

“They’re demons that eat people!”

Two men seemed to be the loudest and most heated.

They were Dain on the blocking side and Tom on the leaving side.

At first glance, Dain’s side looked far weaker.

Only three people stood behind Dain, and even they hung their heads as if unsure of their actions.

Meanwhile, those trying to leave numbered well over ten, excluding Tom.

Unlike the blockers, their resolve was fierce.

‘Then there must be some other factor more important than numbers.’

Hamel looked at the man called Dain.

He looked just over thirty and held a sword alone.

He wore leather, but he wore armor.

An enraged Tom trembled as he shouted at Dain.

“Calling people demons without proof is no different from a witch hunt!”

“Tom, if you keep that up, I’ll have to cut you down too.”

Dain, annoyed, lifted the hair that covered his brow.

A scar hidden beneath it was revealed.

Those trying to leave flinched and stepped back.

It was certain.

“That man called Dain…”

“Yeah. He doesn’t seem like an ordinary miner.”

From around the tunnel’s corner, Daniel and Hamel reached the same conclusion watching the standoff.

Dain’s presence had tipped the balance of power.

Perhaps those beside Dain hadn’t joined out of admiration or agreement, but simply sided with the stronger presence.

“Let’s step in.”

Watching any longer was pointless.

A clash between the two groups was only a matter of time.

Their cracked lips showed their stamina and patience were nearly gone.

Above all, the looks in the eyes of those trying to leave were ominous.

,thud thud

Hamel deliberately made noise as he walked out.

“…!”

Everyone turned in surprise.

The arrival of a third party was an unexpected variable for both groups.

They brandished weapons as if ready to strike, eyes wary.

‘That’s fortunate.’

Hamel relaxed as events went as he intended and approached them.

Then Dain, close by, pointed his sword at them and said.

“Stop. Don’t come any closer.”

“Very well.”

Hamel obediently halted.

Dain frowned and asked.

“Who are you? How did you get in here?”

“My name is Hamel. And the man behind me is Daniel.”

“Daniel Tirian.”

“…”

Only then did those who saw Daniel stagger back.

His battered, face-covering helm and iron armor spoke for themselves.

It meant one thing.

“…Why is a knight here?”

Tom trembled as he spoke.

Dain didn’t speak, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Daniel.

Knights were that kind of presence.

Among those who lived by battle, they were professionals apart from mercenaries.

They were the sort who could change the tide of battle alone.

To ordinary people, encountering one as an enemy meant inevitable terror.

Dain, the calmest of them, clicked his tongue after finishing his survey and spoke.

“He looks like a wandering knight, what’s going on here?”

“You don’t look like an ordinary miner either.”

Hamel’s question made Dain flinch.

But it was brief; he regained his composure.

“I’m the elder of this salt mine village and a miner.”

Hamel paused.

The old man’s son he had met outside was supposedly the village elder.

‘Is it him?’

For a moment Hamel was glad that the man the old man had promised was alive,

but he needed to ask about the current situation.

“Since when did a miner start carrying a sword?”

“…You’re noisy. I asked what the matter is.”

“I came because I heard there was trouble here.”

“From whom?”

“By order of His Majesty the Emperor.”

As always, Daniel interjected.

And the effect was undeniable.

“…!”

Dain, with an expression of disbelief, slowly lowered his sword.

So did the others.

They didn’t believe it, but if by any chance it were true…

Then they would be committing high treason.

“…Proof?”

“I’ll show you with actions. There’s a demon here, isn’t there?”

“Did you eavesdrop?”

“I heard it from your father outside.”

“…”

Hamel replied without a blink, and Dain could not answer further.

He had convinced them without revealing that he was an Exorcist priest.

The reason was simple.

If he revealed he was an Exorcist priest, the thing would surely be on guard.

‘The lingering scent of demonic aura.’

It was clear, whoever it was, they had hidden themselves well.

A fishy, nauseating scent lingered at the nose.

There was a demon among them.

“Now will you explain?”

Tom glared at Dain and said in response to Hamel’s request.

“Dain is mad!”

“What’s the reason?”

“Because he’s trying to kill survivors we barely found!”

“…There are survivors.”

Hamel looked past Tom.

There were about a dozen miners and three people trembling while clinging to one another.

“Them?”

“Yes. They’re the miner Aaron and his family who disappeared three days ago.”

Aaron stood as if protecting his wife and child, looking at them worriedly.

He was so afraid he stammered as he spoke.

“I — I’m wronged. I don’t know why I’m here. I just came to and found myself in the pit…”

“Shut up!”

At that moment Dain shouted and raised his sword.

The briefly subdued tension spiked as both sides glared at each other.

Ignoring the stiff atmosphere, Dain continued.

“You dare imitate Aaron despite being a monster that ate dozens of people?”

“…Dain. I’m really not. I’m Aaron.”

Aaron faltered backward, choking on his words.

The atmosphere turned hostile.

Then the child behind Aaron muttered weakly.

“Sir. My dad isn’t a monster. I’m not either.”

Seeing the child, the miners tightened their grips on their weapons.

As if determined to get at least the child out.

The child clearly looked weakened and wouldn’t hold out long.

“Sir. I’m sorry.”

“…”

“I won’t beg you to teach me swordsmanship anymore. So…”

The child mumbled weakly and fell silent.

Aaron, holding the child close, spoke.

“…Dain. Please, spare this child, Den at least. He’s the one you used to like because his name resembled yours.”

Aaron fell to his knees and begged with both hands clasped.

But.

“Shut up. You filthy things.”

Dain ground his teeth and gripped his sword tightly.

“I’ll cut off those disgusting heads right now.”

He even took a step forward in anger.

“Just step any closer.”

Tom and the miners, unwilling to be bullied, raised their pickaxes.

And at that moment.

“I see. Now I understand.”

Hamel murmured.

“…?”

People on both sides turned to look at Hamel.

Hamel looked at Dain and said.

“Even with Aaron and his son Den recounting memories tied to you, you don’t so much as blink. Normally you’d have reason to doubt yourself.”

“What are you suddenly talking about…?”

“You know what the creature is.”

“…!”

Dain clamped his mouth shut.

He only stared at Hamel with wide eyes.

The others, puzzled, stared intently at Hamel as well.

“But there’s something odd.”

Hamel tilted his head and asked.

“How do you know the identity of the demon which I wasn’t even certain of, and furthermore, why, knowing it, do you refuse to reveal it?”

“…”

Dain slowly lowered the sword he had been holding.

His once-steady eyes now wavered like a candle in the wind.

“It’s you.”

Hamel stepped forward slowly, stood before him, and said.

“I am meeting a doppelgänger for the first time.”