Chapter 36

“We’ve arrived. That’s it.”

Arandel, who had gone deeper into the forest, pointed at something alien and said.

“That is…”

“This certainly isn’t something that belongs in a place like this.”

Hamel and Benjamin, who had followed him, swallowed in silence.

A fist-sized ebony stake, not easily noticeable, was driven into a crevice of the rock, wrapped in a cloth densely covered with small red script.

It was clearly the work of human hands.

Hamel approached the stake and squinted faintly.

Just as Arandel had said.

“I can feel Divine power.”

“There are more of those scattered throughout the forest.”

From the stake emanated a sturdy force like the armaments of the order.

A strong, cold aura.

The war god Batoo.

It was undoubtedly the aura of him who leads tens of Heavenly legions.

But why was his power ravaging this land?

Hamel stepped closer to examine the stake.

“Be careful!”

When Arandel shouted urgently, Hamel flinched and barely stopped his hand.

─sizzle

Blue electricity sparked up and his fingertips tingled.

Had he been any closer, they would have been scorched black.

“…Thank you.”

Hamel muttered in embarrassment.

Arandel shook his head and said.

“Two of our people lost their arms to those.”

Divine power, by nature, does not harm people.

Like the Azure Flame, it is a power meant to benefit humans.

However.

‘There are powers that are not like that.’

Hamel approached the stake and inspected it more closely.

The red script was part of a charm containing a power to destroy evil.

As Hamel examined the piece, cut from the book of Batoo, he noticed something peculiar.

The direction of that force meant to destroy evil had been cunningly twisted.

The ritual itself had been distorted to make the land and nature itself appear as enemies.

This was not something an ordinary priest could do.

‘Of course…’

This is the work of Inquisitors.

In other words, it was a consecration by those heresy-hunting inquisitors who seek out heresy, torture, and exterminate it.

“Did you find something?”

Seeing Hamel’s expression, Arandel asked, and Hamel nodded shortly.

“This resembles the rites used by the Inquisitors.”

“I see. Then…?”

Expectation showed on Arandel’s face.

Because Hamel had easily identified the problem.

Now that the issue was understood, unraveling it wouldn’t be so difficult.

Since the ritual had been formed from Divine power, it could be reverted with Divine power.

However.

“…I’ll try.”

It was far from easy for Hamel.

All he could do was summon Divine power through prayer; he had never performed a miracle that could be called a consecration.

Hamel clasped his hands and began a solemn prayer.

After a moment, a faint Divine presence lingered in the surroundings.

“Ooh!”

The warmth was clear enough that even the layman Benjamin could feel it.

But.

“…?”

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes passed.

Then fifteen minutes had passed.

“….”

There was no change to the stake.

“Um… Lord Hamel?”

At Benjamin’s call, Hamel slowly opened his eyes.

He answered calmly.

“I don’t think my prayer alone can cleanse this.”

“…Is that so?”

Arandel’s expression darkened rapidly.

Hamel spoke urgently.

“There are still other methods.”

“Really?”

At Arandel’s delighted reaction, Hamel nodded reassuringly and cut his hand.

Everyone was momentarily shocked by his sudden self-harm.

Hamel clenched his fist, letting drops of blood fall onto the stake as he chanted a prayer.

“O lawful flame of Ehuurshika that purifies impurity.”

A blue flame erupted.

Everyone’s gaze was captured by the splendid flame that burned as if to engulf everything.

“Oooo!”

“This is the Azure Flame priest said to be the youngest Exorcist priest…”

Both Arandel and Benjamin uttered exclamations of admiration.

But those exclamations soon turned into silence and sighs.

“Hmm…”

“Ahem…”

The reason was simple.

Because the stake and its talisman were still perfectly intact.

“….”

An awkward silence flowed.

The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

Hamel somehow found the atmosphere hard to bear.

So he offered a rare, not-quite-excuse.

“As I suspected, powers of the same true deity don’t work on each other.”

The Azure Flame is a righteous force of destruction imbued with Divine power.

Meanwhile, the seal on the stake was not evil but rather influenced by benevolent forces.

It made sense that the Azure Flame wouldn’t work.

It was an excuse, but clearly a correct analysis.

“…Ah, yes.”

The two replied more awkwardly than before.

Their looks toward Hamel were somehow tinged with pity.

As the evening grew oddly quieter, cold sweat formed on Hamel’s brow.

This couldn’t continue.

He didn’t know why, but he felt that if this went on, his position would be jeopardized.

Thinking that, Hamel clenched his teeth.

At that moment, there was only one thing Hamel could do.

“Oh Batoo, who governs war, honor, and duels.”

Hamel suddenly read the incantation written on the talisman and stepped forward.

“…?”

People’s faces filled with question at his sudden action.

But that lasted only a moment; it didn’t take long for those expressions to turn to horror.

“Lead your sacred 777,000 Heavenly hosts swiftly down to destroy these impious beings and bring benefit to the world.”

Having recited the undistorted proper verse, Hamel suddenly reached toward the stake.

There was no anomaly.

Blue electricity flared and began to blacken Hamel’s hand with burns.

“Lord Hamel!”

“Th-this is madness!”

Benjamin and Arandel, realizing what Hamel intended, hurried to stop him.

But it was already too late.

His charred, shriveled fingers stiffened and gripped the stake.

It was then.

“O Ehuurshika, protect your servant. Grant me, with the flames of the Azure Flame, the power to correct this wrong once more.”

From Hamel’s hand, which looked like it would be reduced to ashes at any moment, a blue flame suddenly flickered.

“…!”

Azure Flame.

The power that could even restore a severed arm.

It began to restore his burned hand.

“Oh Batoo. Do not allow evil to roam the land. Do not let your lambs fall into temptation. Let the mere hearing of your name terrify those who are corrupt.”

Hamel did not stop.

Alternating between the two verses, Hamel tightened his grip on the stake.

─Crack

With the sound of roots being torn out, the blue electricity began to weaken.

For a moment more, Hamel gritted his teeth and murmured.

“Tear apart evil, burn it, and strike down the flail that will smash it to pieces!”

The next moment.

With a crunch, the talisman burst open.

And the ebony stake was easily pulled out.

No power remained within it.

“….”

Benjamin and Arandel stared at Hamel in stunned silence.

Their looks contained shock, relief, and realization.

‘…I shouldn’t joke around when dealing with Lord Hamel.’

‘…If all imperial priests are like this, we should avoid fighting the lord.’

Unaware of those thoughts, Hamel murmured calmly.

“Simplicity really is best.”

Hearing that, the two awkwardly smiled and nodded.

Arandel and his clan’s elites, the forest wardens.

And Benjamin and the caravan’s guards as well.

They scoured the forest, locating and removing the stakes.

Since only Hamel could deal with them, it took a bit more time.

Though the work involved pain, Hamel did not hesitate.

Thus, two days passed.

─Crack

“It’s finished.”

Hamel pulled out the final stake.

A total of eight places.

It was not a small number.

Hamel appeared fine, but he was quite exhausted.

‘Tired.’

All he wanted was to return to the domain with the caravan and rest as soon as possible.

“You’ve done well. Let’s go to Tarka.”

Arandel said happily.

The problem that disturbed the forest’s vitality had been resolved.

The forest’s master would recover, and conflict with the lord could be avoided for now.

Hamel asked Arandel.

“What do you plan to do next?”

“As promised, we’ll lift the closure of the path and move the village deeper into the forest.”

“It’s just a matter of time.”

“I know… there’s no other way. Still, it should be quiet for a while.”

Hamel was silent for a moment at Arandel’s words.

Then he calmly voiced his thoughts.

“That might not be the case.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I hear iron prices have risen greatly in the Sorn estate.”

And that’s not all.

The smithies’ furnaces burn nonstop, and the whole town is in turmoil.

Arandel’s face turned pale as he grasped Hamel’s meaning.

“You mean… the lord is preparing for war?”

“It’s probably less grand than ‘war’ and more like a purge of armed groups occupying the road.”

“Then could these stakes…?”

Horror spread across Arandel’s face.

Hamel only replied expressionlessly.

“It’s possible. In any case, staying in this forest isn’t wise.”

Even if it wasn’t the lord, someone had clearly done vile things to this forest and the druids.

Arandel pondered Hamel’s advice.

But only briefly; Arandel slowly shook his head and answered.

“I’m sorry, but we cannot.”

“….”

“This place is our home, our ground, and the very deity we serve. Tarka could not exist if we left.”

It was the answer he had expected.

Hamel also understood what Arandel meant.

So Hamel simply nodded and added.

“I understand. However.”

Hamel stopped and looked at Arandel.

“If a day comes when you have no reason to stay here, come south to the Haidern domain at any time.”

Arandel’s eyes widened at Hamel’s words, then softened into a gentle expression.

Smiling broadly with a warm laugh, Arandel nodded vigorously.

“That’s reassuring. Thank you.”

“Yes.”

Hamel merely nodded lightly and began walking again.

After some time walking.

The group arrived at the clearing where Tarka had been staying when they visited before.

“O god. We have returned.”

Arandel bowed before the giant wolf and offered his greeting.

As if waiting, Tarka rose and welcomed them.

[Welcome. You have endured much.]

“How are you feeling?”

[I’m feeling very well. It seems I have fully recovered.]

Pleased, Tarka chuckled at Arandel’s question and then fixed his gaze on Hamel.

Then he leaned his massive head forward and spoke.

[Priest. I must thank you. I did not expect you to resolve it so quickly.]

“Not at all.”

Hamel lowered his body and shook his head.

[No. It’s truly admirable. A benefactor must receive the promised reward.]

Just as Tarka softly approached Hamel and was about to speak.

─whoosh

A single sharp sword stroke sliced Tarka’s nape.

The bold arc of the blade had been swung from below upward, and Tarka’s half-severed neck dangled and swayed.

“…Huh?”

Everyone who saw it doubted their eyes.

And rightly so, for the one who swung that sword was none other than.

“No need.”

It was Hamel.