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The relic slowly, very slowly, began to move.

Like someone just waking up from a deep slumber, the relic of Saint Balthazar started to stir on the map.

A frail, white finger, resembling a gnarled twig, pointed to a specific spot on the map.

“…Saint,” Lucia said. “What is this…?”

“Yes.”

The relic pointed to a back alley in the northern city of Novo Nikolayevsk.

Lucia crouched down, examining the map.

“It seems to have finally shown itself.”

—

**Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician in History**

The relic of Saint Balthazar indicated spots on the parchment map. Several glowing dots turned dark.

“It appears that someone with wicked energy has passed near the talisman.”

The dots on the map were constantly changing.

Like clusters of stars in a galaxy, the brightly shining dots gradually turned black. With one hand holding the map and the other gripping the strap of her cloth bag, Lucia darted into the alley.

“Follow me.”

We began to run toward the direction where the signal for the talisman was detected.

The fierce wind whipped past, and the scenery around us flashed by. The military police were shouting something, and citizens hurriedly walked past the alley leading to the main street.

Checking the watch turned at my wrist, I shouted as I turned the corner.

“It’s almost curfew! There’s not much time left until 10 PM!”

“We can get there before the sirens sound. Let’s speed up.”

Lucia urged us forward, hastening her pace. She alternated glances between the map in one hand and her surroundings.

The scenery, like the world rushing past, was subtly shifting on the map as well. As if zooming in on a satellite image, the map gradually focused on smaller units like districts and neighborhoods, revealing more details of Novo Nikolayevsk. The imagery etched on the parchment flickered like smoke, a phenomenon created by the mysterious power contained within the relic.

As the distance decreased, the shifting map began to illuminate a smaller area. Lucia, who had been intently studying the map, slowed her pace and started to look around.

“What’s wrong?”

“The distance has narrowed. We’re close.”

At that moment, her cloth bag dropped to the ground with a thud. Tossing the bag aside, Lucia untied a knot and began rummaging through it.

While checking for anyone nearby with her pistol drawn, Lucia brought a communication device to her mouth to request support. Then she slipped a few items into her pockets and handed me something small.

It was a pendant.

“Keep this with you. It’ll help disguise your presence so the demon won’t notice you.”

“It won’t notice my presence?”

“Because you have wounds inflicted by a demon. It’s fine for now, but if you get closer, it will definitely sense your existence. And then it’ll run away.”

I quietly put the pendant around my neck. As I wasn’t able to wield divine or magical power, I didn’t feel any significant change, but it was better than having nothing.

Nodding to signal that I understood, Lucia lifted the relic from the wooden box.

“Until now, it hasn’t been an issue, but from this point on, things will be different. No matter what you see inside, or what you experience.”

Gripping the wrist area of the bones, she pointed the relic into the darkness of the alley.

“Please, stay alert.”

—

The relic of Saint Balthazar reacted to the presence of unholy energies, being a sacred relic of our cult.

Thanks to this property, the Inquisition has used the relic of Saint Balthazar and several other sacred artifacts to track heretics, possessed individuals, and necromancers for thousands of years.

“…Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your path.”

With the whispered prayer, the sacred relic began to respond. The once-slumped relic of Saint Balthazar started to move.

The relic, which had only the elbow left, moved slowly, embodying a cautiously meticulous demeanor.

As the joints clicked and moved, the palm gradually unfolded. The five white joints extended, forming the shape of a complete hand. Lucia, holding the bony elbow, slowly scanned the area.

It felt oddly similar to a mine detector I had seen back when I served in the GOP.

Though there was no soldier in protective gear or bulky mine detectors, Lucia thoroughly searched the alley walls and floor, holding the relic of Saint Balthazar.

“Send light and truth to guide me. Teach me to do your will and lead me to a fair land.”

According to the markings on the map, the last location where unholy energy was detected was nearby. Given that other talismans didn’t react, the inquisitor must surely be in the vicinity.

Lucia focused all her mental energy on searching the alley.

Lowering her voice so as not to attract attention, she asked quietly, “Are you picking up anything, Saint?”

“… It’s faint, but there are traces of wicked energy here. It seems certain that Inquisitor Agato was here not too long ago.”

I glanced around and then looked at Lucia.

“But where did he go?”

The place we were in was the middle of the alley. It was a typical alley with the backs of buildings extending long in one direction.

Except for the sky, all sides were blocked by walls of brick, and there were no windows or back doors leading to the alley. To exit the alley, you could only walk straight through, either forward or backward, for quite a while.

Naturally, there would be more talismans waiting further ahead.

If the inquisitor moved forward or backward, he would certainly be detected by the talismans.

Yet, despite searching with detailed scrutiny, Inquisitor Romain Scheir and Agato were nowhere to be found.

“Did he shoot up into the sky or sink down into the ground…?”

I kicked a stone that was lying on the floor.

“When is the Inquisition supposed to arrive?”

“If they don’t lose their way, the priests should be here soon. Until then, let’s search the area a bit more.”

Lucia used the relic of Saint Balthazar to search for traces left by the inquisitor.

With her eyes gently closed, she muttered a small prayer while brushing her hand along the walls and floor. The relic seemed to inspect the surrounding energy, fingers spread wide like a peacock.

Suddenly,

-Click.

The rigid relic of Saint Balthazar moved rapidly. Its wrist twisted and fingers curled.

The relic of Saint Balthazar had only one index finger remaining.

Clenching my fist tightly, I pointed to a specific part of the alley floor with my pale, twig-like finger.

“What’s happening, Saint?”

“It seems I’ve sensed the presence of a demon. Let’s take a step back for a moment.”

Lucia stopped me from approaching her, warning that it might be dangerous, and began to inspect the floor.

Holding the Relic of Saint Balthazar in one hand, she held her breath, running her gaze slowly over the stone floor without pausing her prayer. Just like a blind person reading Braille, even as she moved the relic from right to left, her white finger pointed unwaveringly at the same spot as before.

At last, the moment the direction of the relic’s wrist and fingers aligned…

“I found it.”

Lucia declared, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

“It seems to be underground. The relic is indicating below us.”

“Are you sure?”

Without answering, Lucia knelt on the ground. Ignoring the dirt staining her clothes and palms, she closed her eyes and began to feel around the floor.

“It’s a very faint energy; you wouldn’t notice it if you weren’t concentrating…. Yes. I can feel something from underground. It has an extremely violent and gluttonous… aura of evil emanating from it.”

So that’s it.

Since it’s a statement coming from the Saint, it must be certain. Lucia is one of the most skilled priests in the cult, regardless of what anyone might say.

Just then, experts were arriving at the scene. The priests of the Inquisition, who were participating in a joint investigation. This was originally under their jurisdiction, and they were knowledgeable and experienced in this field, making it easy for them to assess the situation and devise a plan.

“Looks like we’ll finally resolve this today.”

As I muttered with a sigh of relief, Lucia smiled and replied.

“It’s not over yet. We must remain vigilant until the very last moment.”

“Of course. First, let’s see if we can find a way down before the Inquisition crew arrives.”

I reached out my hand to Lucia, who was sitting on the floor.

“Please take my hand, Saint. I’ll help you up.”

“Thank you…”

It was just as Lucia grabbed my outstretched hand with a smiling face that I suddenly felt a void beneath my feet. The solid sensation of the floor disappeared in an instant.

Both I, pulling Lucia upward with all my strength, and Lucia, attempting to stand using my hand, experienced the same phenomenon at exactly the same moment.

“…Huh?”

The surrounding scenery vanished in an instant, plunging into darkness.

The sensation of floating enveloped my body, similar to that felt when leaping through the air.

Distant screams and the overwhelming darkness began to fade away.

We fell into the underground.

*

In the major city of the Northern Regions, at Saint Basil’s Cathedral.

The clock’s hands had crossed past 9 o’clock and were moving toward 10. The time just before the curfew would be enforced at 10 in the evening. Unlike the residents who were moving to shelters and hiding places under military police orders, people were gathered in clusters in front of the cathedral.

They were priests.

“……”

“……”

The priests lined up in long rows. From a distance, it seemed like they were waiting to perform some kind of ceremony, but…

As the saying goes, everything looks comedic from afar and tragic up close.

The gathered priests did not appear dignified or respectful, ready for a ceremony, but rather wore expressions of someone who had been corralled, beads of cold sweat trickling down their brows.

In front of the neatly lined-up priests, a priest sat with his back against the steps leading up to the modest hill of the cathedral.

“So, to summarize…”

Unlike the other priests who looked like they were about to undergo training, this one sat in a slouched position with his legs crossed.

“What you’re hunting is a possessed person or a necromancer suspected of causing disturbances in the Northern Region, and you’re conducting the investigation based on information received from the Archbishop.”

The priest called out with a low voice, an unmistakable tone of annoyance dripping from his words.

“Brother.”

“…Yes.”

“Where did that person get the information?”

“……”

The named priest sighed inwardly. There is a code of conduct, yet why does this person always act like this?

However, the priest in front of him held a position higher than anyone else and was even above the Archbishop. Ultimately, the priest had no choice but to answer candidly.

“That’s… we don’t quite know…”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Without letting him finish, the priest waved his hand dismissively. He then spat out in a cynical voice.

“I’m the fool for expecting an answer from a rookie. I’ll just hear it directly from the Archbishop.”

“……”

The priest sitting on the steps uncrossed his legs. His long legs lightly tapped against the stone floor as he stood.

“Anyway, you based your investigation on that information, and during that process, Lucia indicated that she had checked the records?”

“Yes. The Saint insisted on seeing it herself…”

“Where is she right now?”

“……”

“Not going to answer?”

At the near-demanding question, the oldest priest opened his mouth.

“Yes, she’s gone directly to find Inquisitor Agato. We just received the Saint’s call for assistance—”

“She’s neither an Inquisition officer nor an exorcist, so why is she going around looking for him? Isn’t that your job?”

“…I’m sorry.”

The priest covered his eyes with his palm and let out a deep sigh. As he bowed his head, his hair spilled downwards.

“Ha… I knew this girl would cause trouble again. Given her personality, she wouldn’t have caused such a scene alone…”

“……”

“Well, that’s not what’s important right now. Brother, you need to rush over and summon the elders, and the rest of you go help Lucia. You know where she is, right?”

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

The priest brushed his hair back as he spoke.

“I’m coming too.”

His jet-black hair, smooth as silk, flowed dramatically behind him.

 

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