Chapter 23

Chapter 23. Cleanup

“Kraaaagh!”

“Now, now! Stop struggling. You’ll only make it hurt more.”

Crack.

Another follower trapped in a headlock went limp.

The priests dressed in soutanes immediately carried the unconscious follower over and placed him with the others already sprawled across the floor.

Jungon, the man responsible for knocking out this entire group, gave the priests an order.

“All right. Get to work.”

They were inside the purification room where a fierce battle had taken place.

After rescuing Sia, Jungon had brought the priests with him, subdued the followers, and was now inspecting each one individually.

“Hmm. Father Jeong, Father Kim... Even Father Park, who disappeared last week, is here.”

Jungon compared their faces with the list of missing people before crouching beside one of the priests conducting an examination.

“Well? Can you do it?”

Szzzzzt.

At Jungon’s question, the priest shook his head and removed the cross pressed against the follower’s forehead.

A black burn mark remained there.

“...I don’t think so. From what we’ve confirmed, every one of them has already completed their transformation into demons. Even if we perform an exorcism rite here...”

There was no need to hear the rest.

If the demonic transformation had still been in progress, an exorcism rite might have been able to save the possessed person.

But the followers who had attacked the purification room had already completed their transformation.

They were simply unfortunate people who had lost everything to the Egg of Blessing.

“Is that so? Then there’s nothing we can do...”

Jungon stretched as he stood up.

Then—

“As an inquisitor, I hereby pass judgment!”

Under everyone’s gaze, Jungon raised a finger.

Then he lowered it.

“Begin the purification.”

The fate of the followers was decided.

“Yes!”

The priests answered in unison.

But behind them, Sia, who had been covering someone with a blanket, hurriedly grabbed Jungon.

“Wait! I-Isn’t there any other way?”

For someone with Sia’s personality, the idea of purifying every single one of them was probably horrifying.

But no matter how much Jungon loved his daughter, he couldn’t simply abandon his duties.

“Please? I-Is there really nothing we can do, Father...?”

Sparkle.

Covered in dust and looking as though she might cry at any moment, Sia stared up at him with shining eyes.

Jungon, who had been completely expressionless until then, frowned.

Gulp.

Someone swallowed nervously.

Thinking that Jungon had become angry, the entire purification room filled with tension.

After a moment, Jungon slowly opened his mouth.

“Fine! We’ll find another way!”

He was still hopelessly weak when it came to his daughter.

Silence filled the room for an instant.

Then Jungon’s next words turned everything upside down.

“What are you all standing around for? Are you deaf?”

“...Pardon?”

One of the priests asked back, thinking he must have misheard.

That alone was enough to make Jungon grind his teeth.

Griiiind.

“Find one...”

“Find some way, no matter what it takes...”

“FIND IT!!”

Jungon grabbed the priest who had questioned him and threw him aside.

Then he roared.

“MOVE!!! MOVE RIGHT NOW!! IF YOU DON’T MOVE, I’LL PURIFY YOU IN THEIR PLACE! UNDERSTOOD?!”

Only then did the priests understand what was happening.

They hurriedly scattered in every direction.

Splat!

One confused priest slipped and fell.

Jungon, who had been shouting orders at everyone, grabbed the fallen priest by the collar.

“ARE YOU A DEMON OR A PRIEST?!”

The priest went pale when he saw Jungon’s blazing eyes.

“A-A-A-A PRIEST!”

Jungon released his collar after hearing the answer.

The priest had barely begun to sigh in relief when—

“Then go find a way to avoid purifying them right now! If you can’t, you’re a demon starting today. UNDERSTOOD?!”

“Eek! Yes! Understood!!”

At Jungon’s roar, the priest scrambled back to his feet and rushed toward his colleagues.

A way to restore someone after their transformation into a demon was complete?

There’s no convenient miracle like that.

Once a demon had already devoured the body, purification was the only form of salvation left.

There was no other method.

But his daughter had looked at him and asked for something.

How could a father possibly refuse?

“Are you still not done?!”

“We’re sorry! We’ll find something soon!”

“I don’t want apologies! Bring me results! Now!”

Watching Jungon terrorize the priests, Sia gave an awkward smile.

Ahaha... Well, I guess if everyone’s happy, it’s fine?

Just as Jungon had expected, Sia scratched the back of her head as she remembered her conversation with Valefor, who had disappeared at some point.

—Why are you hiding?

—Squeak? Even if I tell them Mikael sent me, what do you think they’ll say if a talking rat starts wandering around? Squeak!

—Well... I guess you have a point.

—So help me out for a little while! Squeak!

And so, Sia had distracted Jungon so Valefor could escape.

She kept talking to her father while positioning herself to hide the direction Valefor had fled.

“By the way, Father, how did you know to come here?”

“Hm? Ah, that? Isn’t it obvious? It was all thanks to a father’s love.”

Sia gave him an icy stare at that nonsense.

“Ahem. Fine. I’ll explain.”

After clearing his throat, Jungon gave her a rough explanation.

He had been investigating the disappearances and eventually made his way to Osan.

Then, when the monastery’s barrier broke, Jungon sensed the demonic energy and hurriedly led the priests toward the monastery.

“And then! I sensed your presence and ran straight here!”

Jungon emphasized the final part while wildly gesturing with his hands.

“I-I see. Haha...”

Sia gave him an awkward laugh.

Just then—

“...Sob. Father...”

One of the followers who had awakened from unconsciousness began crying sorrowfully over the loss of his father.

Jungon already knew who the “Father” they spoke of was.

The Great Demon he had seen on his way here.

Hagenti.

The power of a Great Demon had been on an entirely different level.

But what impressed Jungon even more was Mikael, who had fought Hagenti.

So this is what makes an Apostle of God different...

I thought he was just some thug.

Mikael had shown abilities far beyond Jungon’s expectations.

“I’m going to check on the scene for a moment.”

“Ah, okay! Go ahead.”

Wanting to inspect the battlefield again, Jungon left Sia behind and exited the purification room.

He continued down the passageway.

The priests became even more frantic whenever they saw him approaching.

Jungon gave them a sharp look before reaching a window and gazing outside at the plaza, which had practically become ruins.

I’m still lacking.

He clenched his thick fist, then opened it again as he imagined himself fighting Hagenti.

Not even close.

It seemed impossible for him right now.

He had no idea what kinds of demons might appear in the future, but if monsters like Hagenti started appearing one after another, then either Johan would have to step in personally or they would need to find another solution.

Training alone wouldn’t be enough.

Jungon needed a way to become stronger much faster.

“If that’s the case... I suppose it comes down to a holy relic after all.”

Mikael’s white flames.

The Cup of Abundance.

And many other holy relics existed.

But Jungon still didn’t possess one.

Part of the reason was that he valued training over relying on tools.

Another reason was that finding a holy relic suited to him wasn’t easy.

“Looks like the time has finally come when I need one...”

Jungon swallowed his bitterness and turned his attention toward the main figure behind this entire incident.

“I will absolutely. Never. Forgive you for kicking my daughter...”

He paused.

“...But thank you.”

“Because of you, my daughter and this city were protected.”

By stopping Hagenti, Mikael had protected countless civilians as well as Sia.

Jungon revised his opinion of Mikael in a much more positive direction.

Grab!

Jungon suddenly reached out and seized someone by the back of the neck.

It happened to be a priest who was passing behind him.

“D-Did I... do something wrong?”

The trembling priest froze as Jungon brought his face close to his.

Jungon already had an intimidating face.

Seen from this close, it looked even more terrifying.

“Relax. I’m not going to eat you.”

Jungon grabbed the priest’s head and physically turned it toward Mikael.

“See that guy over there sleeping like he doesn’t have a care in the world?”

Among the priests who had come here, Mikael had already become a hot topic.

Some were even praising him as a saint for defeating Hagenti.

“Send him to Heesong’s place.”

“And obviously, tell her we’ll cover the hospital expenses.”

“H-Heesong...? You mean Gan Heesong?! Are you sure about that? Wasn’t she someone the Exorcism Association was keeping hidden?”

Jungon lightly smacked the back of the startled priest’s head with his thick hand, as though teaching a slow student.

“He dealt with a monster like that for us. We should show him something in return.”

“And whatever else you say about her, she’s the best at what she does, isn’t she?”

“That’s true, but... knowing her personality, she’ll squeeze every last coin out of us.”

The priest frowned.

During his time working for the Exorcism Association, he had only met Heesong once.

“Then let Sia handle it. She’s close to her, so Heesong might go easier on us.”

“For now, make sure everyone keeps quiet about that guy.”

“Nothing good will come from people learning about him.”

Johan might have acknowledged Mikael and called him an Apostle, but someone possessing strength far beyond normal standards could not be treated casually.

If Mikael gained political influence and then abused that power, throwing the entire Exorcism Association into chaos would be easy.

“You know what happens if rumors start spreading, right?”

“Y-Yes. Understood.”

After answering, the priest awkwardly hurried away.

“Mmm...”

Perhaps the final battle against Hagenti had been too much for him.

Mikael’s body felt like it was begging him to let it rest.

His eyes slowly opened.

A white ceiling appeared above him.

Not only the ceiling, but the wallpaper and even the floor were white, making the entire room bright and cheerful.

“Did someone move me?”

Mikael sat up from the soft cushioned stool and looked around.

It was somewhere unfamiliar.

Unlike the church or Valefor’s tavern, this place carried the faint smell of medicine.

Then a conversation he had vaguely heard while half-asleep slowly returned to him.

Some scrawny bastard brought me here and handed me over to some woman...

He hadn’t heard everything properly because he had been barely conscious.

But the memory gradually became clearer.

—Okay. I’ll take him to Heesong unnie.

Right.

It was definitely a voice I knew. Hmm.

Clatter!

Just as Mikael was searching through his memories, the door opened and interrupted his thoughts.

“Oh? You’re awake?”

A woman wearing a blue uniform beneath a white coat entered.

Her hair was slightly messy, but her smooth skin showed that she otherwise took good care of herself.

Her sharp, charismatic eyes gave her face a distinctly feline appearance.

Damn it. I was almost about to remember everything...

What shitty timing.

Shuffle. Shuffle.

As if she couldn’t care less about Mikael’s mood, the woman approached while dragging her slippers along the floor.

The name tag on her chest read:

Gan Heesong.

“Let’s check your condition.”

“Not that there was really anything for me to treat...”

Grab!

Heesong tucked a chart beneath her arm and reached toward Mikael’s face.

Mikael immediately grabbed her wrist.

“Who are you...?”

“And who gave you permission to touch someone else’s body?”

Having only just woken up, Mikael was especially irritable.

He glared at Heesong.

“What are you doing, quoting some movie?”

“Can’t you tell by looking? I’m a doctor. A doctor!”

Since Mikael spoke casually to her, Heesong responded just as casually.

She pulled her wrist free with force and stared at him as if he were mentally unstable.

“Jeez. Sia begged me so much that I agreed to take you in.”

“You should be thanking me instead of acting like this. Tsk.”

Only then did a figure come to Mikael’s mind.

Was it that braggart?

He had no idea why she had brought him all the way here, but she seemed determined to involve herself in unnecessary things.

“Anyway, wounds or whatever, there was nothing for me to treat.”

“Seriously. Why did they bring you here when you weren’t even injured?”

Brought him here?

Come to think of it...

Something had felt empty beside him for a while.

The little ones he had been holding before falling asleep were gone.

Oh, fuck.

I screwed up!

The thought that he might have lost Noah and Enoch’s little ones made Mikael jump to his feet in panic.

“If you’re looking for your kids, they’re resting just fine.”

Heesong spoke indifferently, as if she already knew exactly what Mikael was thinking.

“They’re resting?”

“This is an animal hospital.”

An animal hospital?

A hospital... for animals?

Did that animal-loving bastard actually succeed?

There was only one person from Mikael’s past life whom he knew had established a school for animals.

Claude Bourgeois.

“Forget that. Why don’t we talk about something important now?”

Heesong took a sheet of NCR paper from her pocket and began scribbling on it.

“I don’t know how much they told you about me...”

“Hmm. This should be enough.”

Riiip.

“I need money.”

She paused.

“Quite a lot of money, actually.”

“This is your consultation fee and hospitalization fee. And this one is...”

Heesong naturally held out the receipt and began pointing out each individual charge.

The longer Mikael listened to her explanation, the more ridiculous it became.

Why was an animal hospital charging him medical fees for treating a human?

More importantly, Mikael’s injuries had already healed through his regenerative ability.

There hadn’t been anything for her to treat in the first place.

Rustle, rustle.

Mikael carefully searched for the card Johan had given him.

Rather than becoming involved in something bothersome, it would be easier to dump the expenses on the Exorcism Association.

It’s gone?

Did I lose it at the monastery?

Unfortunately, even the card Johan had given him had disappeared.

“Then there are Samsik and Jeomrye’s treatment fees, plus their future hospitalization costs.”

“Mm! Perfect.”

“Take a look.”

Mikael, who had been listening to Heesong add up the charges, doubted his ears.

“Samsik? Jeomrye?”

“What the hell are those old-fashioned names?”

At first glance, they sounded like names he could simply ignore.

And yet...

For some reason, an ominous feeling crept over Mikael.