135. Elements of the World – 2
Why did Keshin, who was being chased, suddenly die with his heart extracted, without even a trace of resistance?
Sword Saint and Forest Keeper agreed with Ian’s answer that resolved the question.
“My informant says that even the demons of Hell are committing suicide.”
“I heard from the Forest Keeper that Hell’s mud flowed out from the ruins in the Forgotten City, right?”
Hell was realized, but no demons came out of it.
Only a monster made of demons’ corpses appeared.
As Sword Saint spoke in a serious tone, Ian nodded.
At that moment, Hiral walked over from among the students.
“Hmm? Why are you here?”
Sword Saint was surprised to see Hiral.
As she hesitated, Hiral said nonchalantly.
“I’m just here because of the Titan research at the Academy.”
“Ah. I see.”
Neither of them seemed to be on good terms.
Ignoring them, who looked somewhat awkward, the Forest Keeper said seriously.
“The demons in Hell are disappearing… This is a troublesome matter.”
“Why do you think so?”
“You know that the Forest Dwellers of the No Man’s Forest are joining the railroad installation project, right?”
“Yes.”
“The Forest Dwellers are guarding the area where the railroad will be installed and exterminating monsters…”
“Just say what you want to say properly.”
At Hiral’s cold tone, the Forest Keeper shrugged.
“In the process, some of the demons they found were also dead with their hearts taken.”
Hiral and Sword Saint’s expressions hardened.
The demons of Hell are dying.
And the demons that come out into the world are also dying.
What does this mean?
“Ian. It’s a bit much to keep talking here.”
She didn’t seem to like the students staring at them with curiosity.
As Hiral spoke, Ian nodded.
“Let’s go to my lab.”
As they entered Ian’s lab, the Forest Keeper looked around with curiosity.
“What is this?”
As he pointed to a small sphere shining in silver, Myane came out of Ian’s bag.
She walked over and tapped the sphere with her front paw, and Ian said casually.
“It’s Myane’s toy.”
“Ah.”
“Myaah~ Mya~.”
“This isn’t the time to be curious about that.”
Hiral said coldly and sat down.
Then, she crossed her legs and continued in a cold tone.
“Demons are suddenly disappearing. Does everyone know what that means?”
“Well…”
Sword Saint shook her head, and Hiral said seriously.
“Ian. Do you know? Just like Gehern gained power by destroying the dragons in the past, could Rubelin be gathering power?”
“That’s right.”
“But would it be a big problem if he just gathered some of the power that demons have?”
“It will be. When a species becomes extinct, you can gain enormous power in the process.”
“What does that mean?”
“There is such a thing. It’s complicated to explain in detail, so just know that it is.”
Ian, who roughly explained to the puzzled Sword Saint, crossed his arms, and Hiral groaned.
She also knew about the power that could be obtained by the extinction of a species through research.
Sword Saint, who looked back and forth between the two, sweated coldly.
“Even if all the demons in Hell are annihilated, we can’t catch all the demons in the continent, can we? There are so many of them…”
“But they are being caught.”
Ian drove a wedge into Sword Saint, who was trying to deny reality.
Eventually, Sword Saint closed her mouth, and Hiral stroked her slender chin and continued.
“What if Rubelin is doing that? Gehern killed all the dragons in the past and gained power. And he became a demon himself.”
Then, isn’t the dragon species already extinct?
As Hiral mentioned that, Ian nodded.
“That’s right. Gehern is the one who killed the last dragon, swallowed many archdemons, eliminated the dragon race itself, and became a demon, turning into a Demonic Dragon. Originally, Gehern would have had that power.”
“Did he have such power?”
Ian is the one who annihilated Gehern.
Therefore, Hiral asked with a glint in her eyes, and Ian shook his head.
He didn’t have such power.
“Then Rubelin must have taken that power.”
“That’s highly likely. Rubelin must have made Gehern become a demon.”
“Can you steal it like that?”
“It’s possible.”
Ian casually affirmed, and Sword Saint and Forest Keeper’s faces darkened.
“If you think about the power you can get by eliminating the demon species… this is going to be a headache.”
“I thought it wouldn’t be easy to catch that guy in the first place, right? And there are so many demons on the continent…”
Also, Crowley was now in Ian’s grasp.
In other words, if Rubelin was trying to eliminate all the demons and gain power, he would eventually have to come to the Academy.
“Sword Saint, you know that I’m using Crowley, right?”
“Yes.”
Hiral and Forest Keeper were surprised, as they didn’t know.
Ian said to them indifferently.
“I’m using her with a seal on her. It’s a good thing. Crowley will know a lot about the demons in the world, so let’s ask her about the situation.”
Ian called Crowley, and after a while.
The door opened.
It was a beautiful girl with dark red hair wearing a student uniform.
Her golden headband was impressive, and she looked around the lab.
Without even greeting Sword Saint, Forest Keeper, and Hiral, she plopped down in a seat.
“What is it? Why did you call me?”
“Gasp.”
“It was real…”
Forest Keeper and Hiral were surprised, and Sword Saint frowned slightly.
Regardless, she, Crowley, who was disguised as a student of Fredon Academy, asked in a calm tone.
“Why suddenly? There’s something serious going on right now.”
“Because of the demons dying?”
“Huh? How did you know? The ones out there are being attacked.”
She conveyed the sudden news.
Not only the demons who followed her but also the demons on the other side were suddenly dying.
If such an absurd situation occurred, an archdemon like Crowley would have to go directly.
“But I can’t go out right now.”
Crowley shrugged, and Hiral nodded.
The safest place right now is the Academy.
Among them, it could be said to be by Ian’s side.
“Okay. Stay here quietly.”
“I was thinking of doing that anyway? So I want to bring some of my subordinates… would that be okay?”
“Tell them not to cause trouble.”
“Okay. Then I should let them know right away.”
“Don’t leave the Academy to tell them that.”
“Okay. But why? Is that why you called me? Or are you going to release this?”
Crowley said, pointing to the circlet on her head.
Her smiling face was quite pretty, but Ian ignored her.
“Hey! Can’t you just release me?”
“Just wear it. You can also defend against divine power with that.”
“Huh? Really?”
“That’s a top-notch artifact even in Cheonchuk [Heavenly Realm]. You can block most divine power with it.”
“Oh… is that so?”
Crowley smirked, and Hiral frowned.
To give such a dangerous thing to an archdemon.
“Is that okay?”
“It’s okay. Anyway, as long as Crowley is here, Rubelin’s attempt to eliminate demons…”
“Huh? What. So the thing that’s happening now is Rubelin’s doing?”
“Didn’t you know?”
Ian explained the story they had shared earlier in a nonchalant manner.
Crowley, who had heard everything, bit her lip tightly.
For the god of demons to commit such an act.
“This despicable…”
“It’s evil enough, what.”
“…If you say that, I have nothing to say. Anyway, I’m going to call my subordinates, so please prevent the Sun and Moon Orders from attacking.”
“Okay.”
After finishing the story, Crowley left, and Sword Saint was bitter.
In the end, Ian’s words were proven to be true.
And, she also knew what to do in the future.
“Oh my. The day has come when we have to protect demons. This is shocking.”
Ian said sharply to her.
“It’s not us, it’s just me doing it.”
Sword Saint, Forest Keeper, and Hiral left.
After confirming that they had left, Ian tapped the desk and continued thinking.
How long had it been?
As the sun was setting, his lab door opened.
“Saint Ian. Do you have a moment?”
It was Willis, a priest of the Sun Temple of Fredon Academy.
As Ian quickly got up and greeted him, he smiled and sat down.
“You seem to be quite busy these days.”
“Yes. Preparing for the Hero Festival and going to the Mial Mountains… and there are also personal matters.”
“Personal matters… Is it because of Rubelin?”
“Haha. Yes. Ah. But you don’t have to worry about it, Priest. I’ll take care of it myself.”
Even if he said that, he couldn’t just rest comfortably.
“I received a call from the headquarters.”
“Yes? Why?”
“You know what happened in the Empire.”
Ian defeated Gehern, the evil Demonic Dragon, and made his name known as the Apostle of the Sun.
It is to verify the truth of that and proceed with the Apostle Appointment Ceremony.
“Of course, I know that you don’t want that…”
Willis stroked Myane sitting on the desk.
Myane yawned leisurely, as if she liked the rough touch.
“If it’s a fight against demons, our Sun Order is always ready to lend a hand. Especially if you come to the Order and become an Apostle…”
“Thank you for your words.”
Ian smiled and shook his head.
Willis sighed heavily at him.
“The sun is always in the sky. And it’s always alone.”
“That’s right.”
“It’s a very devout thing, but I sometimes think it’s a very lonely and difficult thing.”
Willis’s tone was full of concern.
Ian smiled at him.
“It’s okay.”
“If you say so… Then the Apostle of the Sun ceremony…”
“I’m not an Apostle, so you don’t have to do that.”
“…Ah. Yes.”
“And it’s a good thing. I was going to visit you anyway.”
“Is there anything wrong? I’ll help you as much as I can.”
Ian smiled brightly at Willis, who was delighted.
“Demons will be coming around Fredon Academy for a while.”
“I understand! I will definitely request the paladins even from the headquarters…”
“No. Just leave them alone.”
“…Yes? But.”
“It’s a necessary thing. Sword Saint, Forest Keeper, and Hiral have all agreed, so I hope the Sun Order will follow suit.”
To not catch demons in front of his eyes.
It was a heartbreaking thing as a priest.
“Why is that… You hate demons, don’t you, Saint?”
“I hate them.”
“Then why is that? It’s not like you don’t have enough power, but if that’s the case, the Order can provide unconditional support.”
Ian shook his head at him, who was serious.
“It’s not because I don’t have enough power.”
“Then why?”
Ian smiled slyly.
“You have to spread bait to catch fish, right?”