Chapter 242
“……!”
The name that struck my ears was unmistakable. All my attention was focused on it.
Meanwhile, I wasn’t the only one who reacted to that name. The surroundings began to buzz.
“Tesillid Argent, don’t tell me…….”
“Th-the Holy Sword’s Master, right?”
“Silver hair……! That’s right……!”
In an instant, all eyes focused on him. I instinctively tensed up.
Whenever Tesillid received the crowd’s attention, a frustrating development always unfolded.✠‘I had hoped to be behind Aillet.’
As always, the world was indifferent to him. It never granted even that small, earnest wish.
Currently, three steps in front of Tesillid, a colossal scale weighing the burden of evil deeds was placed.
The counterweight that determines guilt and innocence is said to be a maid who killed 125 innocent people.
Tesillid recalled Ash, who had stepped onto the scale earlier.
He disliked that remarkably young assassin, but just now, he felt a deep sense of camaraderie with Ash.
An ordinary person usually cannot surpass Lizenya Elit’s sins. Anyone can see she’s utter scum.
But what if, when he stood on the opposite pan of the scale from the serial killer, the scale of sin tipped?
What if his comrades were watching that scene in real-time?
How was he to endure the moment his terrible true self was revealed?
‘Aillet.’
Somewhere in the long line, Aillet Rodelain would be. She would surely be watching him.
Ash was ultimately judged to be better than the utter scum maid. So he wasn’t at rock bottom.
However, regrettably, Tesillid had not the slightest hope for such a result.
He had a record of destroying the world.
His sins, having extinguished an astronomical number of lives, were immeasurable.
Wouldn’t merely placing his toe on the scale’s pan easily overwhelm Lizenya Elit?
“What are you doing, human scum? Hurry and get on the scale. If it delays my on-time departure, I won’t forgive you.”
“…….”
Ignoring Marquis Levant, Tesillid raised his head high.
His gaze flew and fixed on the spire-like high platform.
“Rule-Setting Inferinos.”
His deep, gentle voice echoed through the air of the underground world.
“Based on the rules of the Demon Realm, I have a proposal for you.”
“……Oh ho?”
Inferinos, who had been resting her chin disinterestedly, sat up straight.
Her epithet was ‘Rule-Setter’. She couldn’t help but react to words that invoked rules.
“It’s fascinating that a mere human prattles on as if they know something. Good. Speak your piece.”
With the prompt permission, Tesillid continued in the same humble tone as before.
However, the content carried in his voice was exceedingly arrogant, as if he were the representative of humanity.
“The Atonement System.”
“…….”
“I will bear the good deeds of everyone here and atone for them in their stead.”
In other words, he meant he would sacrifice himself alone.
Naturally, there was someone who absolutely could not stand by and watch this situation.
“Tesillid, are you crazy?!”
It was Aillet Rodelain.
Even she had moments when she had no choice but to step forward without hesitation, and this was one of them.
Tesillid’s words sounded like he intended to die and move on to the next regression.
The chains of manacles connecting her to the people in front and behind prevented her from breaking away from the prisoner procession.
Aillet, caught amidst the Holy Theocracy citizens, glared at the judgment hall. Her eyes gleamed under the pulled-down hood.
This was enough to draw Inferinos’s gaze.
“A human with lively eyes. Show your face.”
At Inferinos’s casual gesture, a gust of wind swept through the procession.
Aillet’s hood was abruptly flipped back, revealing her face.
There was no way the Holy Theocracy citizens wouldn’t recognize her vivid pink hair.
“Th-the Holy Saint?!”
“It’s Her Excellency the Holy Saint……!”
“Th-the Church hasn’t abandoned us!”
But there was no dramatic salvation as they wished.
“The Holy Saint, huh……. They call the Evil’s Bane Executor that in the mortal world, don’t they? I’m conversing with the Silver Stigmata Lamb, so you just wait a moment.”
“……!”
The chains connecting Aillet to the people in front and behind clanked and broke.
However, that didn’t mean Inferinos had freed her. Rather, her confinement deepened.
Kugu-goong!
She was forcibly seated in a chair that suddenly rose from the floor.
Of course, her handcuffs remained fixed to the armrests.
As Aillet tried to break free, channeling the Queen’s monstrous strength into both arms, new chains appeared, attempting to bind her body. It was then.
“Inferinos.”
A low voice stopped Inferinos’s gesture. The Demon King, raising an eyebrow, looked to where Tesillid stood.
“I would appreciate it if you treated her courteously.”
“…….”
It was curious.
Because a mere human’s voice somehow sounded as dignified as that of a Demon King wielding authority.
“Very well.”
Inferinos lowered her hand.
This Demon King, called the Rule-Setting Inferinos, enjoyed being bound not only by rules but also by formality and etiquette.
Around that time, Tesillid looked back at Aillet, who was seated in the chair.
When their gazes met across the distance, her expression emotionless, Tesillid almost sighed without realizing it.
It wasn’t because of a fierce gaze. A golden light was rising beneath her peridot-colored eyes.
Tesillid opened his mouth in a soothing tone.
“Aillet, trust me.”
“…….”
“I can resolve this situation.”
“…….”
The Divine Descent, about to activate, subsided. But the look of distrust in Aillet’s eyes did not fade.
“How?”
“Just watch.”
Tesillid didn’t tell her the details, looking back up at Inferinos.
The soft expression he had shown Aillet just moments before had completely faded from his face.
The dignified yet cold handsome man met the Demon King’s gaze directly.
Inferinos felt an interest in him comparable to that she felt for the Holy Saint.
“Tesillid Argent, you say?”
“That is correct.”
“It’s impressive that you know the rule of Atonement. But…….”
Inferinos’s pupils narrowed.
“Truly arrogant. Do you think a wretch like you can bear the good deeds of all these humans? Even that splendid serial killer isn’t a villain with such capacity.”
It was then that Lizenya Elit, too, sent a contemptuous glance Tesillid’s way.
Tesillid wore a smile that perfectly suited his saintly face.
“I can bear it, and then some.”
There was no need to waste words. All he had to do was prove it immediately.
The world had always been harsh to him.
Even if he saved the world ten times, wasn’t he sentenced to dozens of life imprisonments for having destroyed it once?
Since he hadn’t served his full sentence, he must still be a sinner.
Now was the time to use the world’s harsh treatment against it.
Step.
Tesillid slowly took a step. Towards the scale of sin, placed three steps in front of him.
‘She must be watching.’
Among the myriad gazes fixed on the back of his head, Aillet’s would also be there.
His left chest tightened at the mere thought, but he had to do it. It was something only he could do, and something he was good at.
Tesillid placed one foot onto the colossal scale pan.
Kwoong!
“Hee-eek!”
Even with just a light placement, the pan instantly plunged as if plummeting to the ground.
The recoil was entirely the serial killer maid’s share.
Her body, on the opposite pan, sprang into the air as if bounced.
“Kyaaak!”
While Lizenya Elit groaned from falling on her rear, Inferinos, who had been watching this scene from above, widened her eyes.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Tesillid fully stepped onto the pan, which was already practically glued to the floor.
Thud!
Thud!
Thuuud!
As if gravity had doubled only where Tesillid stood, the floor gradually caved in.
A large crater, several tens of meters in diameter, formed around him. Marquis Levant exclaimed excitedly.
“Unbelievable! To not have recognized such a great villain……!”
The eyes of the other demons were sparkling beyond belief.
Meanwhile, the Holy Theocracy citizens fell into confusion.
“Wh-what happened?”
“Why is the Holy Sword’s Master……?”
A calm, deep voice swept away the murmurs.
“Has it been proven now?”
“……The more I see you, the more fascinating you become.”
“It seems to be proven. Then, please enact the rule of Atonement.”
Tesillid merely stated his demand in an uninspired, dry tone.
A sadistic gleam entered Inferinos’s eyes.
“As I said before, the Demon Realm favors professions that include the character for ‘kill’ or ‘slaughter’.”
“…….”
“How many?”
“…….”
At the out-of-context question, Tesillid’s eyes narrowed slightly. Then the meaning of the question became more specific.
“How many have you killed, O Slaughterer?”
“…….”
The air froze. Tesillid’s lips didn’t move.
Inferinos watched the human exercising his right to remain silent intently.
Above her eyes, which had been incomparably indifferent until now, a sharp glint, like the edge of a well-honed blade, surfaced. In a blind spot where Aillet couldn’t see, his sea-colored eyes emitted a chillingly cold light.
“Those eyes are so pleasing, I wish to gouge them out and keep them.”
Inferinos curved the corners of her lips.
As for this person’s existence, she could investigate it thoroughly later.
Just then, a perfectly suitable means had also been arranged.
Inferinos feigned mercy and ceased her interrogation. Then, she raised her right hand and declared.
“I will implement the Atonement System. In exchange for Tesillid Argent bearing all sins and receiving punishment, all prisoners captured today shall be released.”
“……!”
An uncontrollable glimmer of joy flashed across the faces of the Holy Theocracy citizens. They merely held back their cheers out of a shred of conscience.
“Then now…….”
“…….”
“I suppose judgment must be passed.”
It was time for the scapegoat to receive his punishment.
“Sinner, Tesillid Argent.”
With everyone holding their breath, the sentence was delivered.
“Death.”
Privilege for the Possessor.