Chapter 35 - The Book of Doom (3)

Black smoke blanketed the underground study of the lord's castle. Demonic energy pouring from the massive stone tablet—the Book of Doom—was consuming the room.

“My hypothesis really was right.”

As Ilea had predicted, the original Book of Doom had reacted to Yohan. The skeletons covering its engraved text began to move, their joints creaking. Red light kindled in their empty eye sockets. Their grotesque gazes swept him from head to toe, taking his measure.

Yohan murmured, “... This is absurd.”

Was he truly an Apostle? He found it hard to accept. Having read the original novel, he knew full well that he lacked the qualifications. What was happening now must have stemmed from some error. The Book of Doom would soon stop working.

Contrary to his expectations, the skeletons began retreating behind the tablet.

CLACK, CLACK.

They disappeared from view with the dull clatter of bones. The first chapter of the original Book of Doom lay fully exposed.

『 Chapter 1, The Book of Destruction 』

Hymns to Kargara, the First Apostle of the End, densely covered the tablet, engraved in letters red as blood.

Yohan stared silently at the Book of Doom. He did not show it, but he was deeply shaken.

Ilea broke the silence. “I greet the thirteenth end, the nameless Apostle.”

She gave a playful bow.

Yohan was in no mood to trade jokes.

'This wasn't supposed to happen.'

A few minor unforeseen developments had cropped up since he possessed this body, but never anything this extreme. An Apostle, out of nowhere? The unplanned turn of events gave him a headache. Countless plans would go awry.

Even if he had gained an Apostle's authority, this was not what he had intended, and his discomfort kept growing. That was the sort of person Yohan was. Good fortune or bad, he disliked the unforeseen.

He spoke quietly. “That can't be it.”

Ilea tilted her head. “Do you hate the idea that much?”

Denying it even in the face of clear evidence was unlike him.

“It isn't a question of liking it. I've proved none of the qualifications required of an Apostle.”

“But the Book of Doom reacted to you.”

“It must have glimpsed the potential in me. That's the most plausible hypothesis, at least.”

“Potential?”

“The potential to become an Apostle.”

An Apostle was a being akin to an ancient god. A Demon barely past being an imp could not stand shoulder to shoulder with them merely because he was a little more exceptional than others. Only by amassing great deeds of evil and possessing power worthy of that authority could one be called an Apostle.

The Book of Doom had acknowledged Yohan, but all evil would doubt him.

Ilea nodded slowly. “You mean you were born a vessel, but it hasn't been filled yet.”

“That's only my guess. We'll need to investigate further to learn the details.”

“I'll help. Now that we've made a breakthrough, we'll find the answer soon.”

“That's reassuring. You did land a solid hit on your very first try.”

Yohan had no choice but to acknowledge her competence.

'Having her on my side certainly is reassuring.'

Facing her as an enemy would be quite a headache, though.

She teased him. “Makes you want to keep me by your side, doesn't it?”

“Yes. Unless something prevents it, let's stay together.”

The unexpected answer left Ilea a little flustered. “You caught me off guard there.”

“I mean it.”

Yohan did not want her as an enemy.

Ilea needlessly smoothed her skirt, seemingly trying to distract herself.

'Is she embarrassed?'

It was unlike her. Just as Yohan began to wonder, heavy footsteps echoed through the basement. Everyone looked toward the stairs. An enormous silhouette was descending.

“A veritable den of evil.”

He swept his gaze around the study. Black demonic energy settled like fog, ghostly flames floating through it, and a bizarre stone tablet standing in the very center—anyone could see this was a Demon's lair.

Yohan chuckled. “Why act surprised? You're the last member of this little gathering.”

“I can't even deny it. What a damned predicament.”

“One day you'll be grateful for the shelter this place gives you.”

“Absurd.”

“Just know that when you realize it later and apologize, I won't accept it.”

“Do I hear a dog barking?”

Ilea sighed as the pointless bickering continued. “Enough, both of you. Let's get to the point. Father, why are you down here instead of watching Shaperia?”

Gaf had been assigned to keep Shaperia under surveillance. If he had come to see Yohan at this hour, he must have something to report.

Gaf spoke. “Shaperia has been in contact with an Inquisitor from the Church.”

Yohan's face tightened. “What are you talking about?”

“Shaperia is a spy. She's passing information about the baronial house to the Church.”

“For what possible reason?”

“Because of their suspicions concerning the knight Reil. It seems Shaperia saw his corpse on the day of the attack on the pilgrimage party.”

Yohan clicked his tongue.

'I have a rough idea of what's going on.'

The unexpected discovery of Reil's corpse would have aroused the Church's suspicions. Why was a knight of the baronial house lying dead at the site of the attack? The circumstances practically invited suspicion.

'This is going to be a nuisance.'

To think the corpse had remained recognizable amid a cataclysm that overturned the landscape. What atrocious luck.

Ilea spoke up. “I'm sorry. I should have found him first.”

On the day of the attack, Yohan had instructed Gaf and Ilea to search for Reil. Neither had found him. That was hardly surprising. Finding someone whose very survival was uncertain in that vast, devastated area had been all but impossible.

Yohan shook his head. “Much of the fault is mine. I was in such a hurry that I didn't think to look after Reil.”

When Shaperia attacked the Apostle, Yohan had fled with only Ilea and Gaf. Every moment counted; he had been unable to spare a thought for Reil as well. But that was merely an excuse.

'I should have anticipated it and prepared.'

In this world, a single misstep could send him plunging into hell. He could not permit even the smallest mistake. Only by being hard on himself could he survive here.

As Yohan reproached himself, Gaf spoke. “Shouldn't finding a solution come before assigning blame? Now that we've aroused the Church's suspicions, they won't let this go easily.”

The Church of the Great Saint was tenacious beyond imagining. When it came to Demons or apostasy, its obsession bordered on fanaticism. It would pursue even the slightest hint like a thing possessed.

After a brief pause to think, Yohan spoke. “They won't have found any connection yet. Reil's corpse alone isn't enough to tell them we're behind everything.”

Ilea nodded. “The Church is probably just keeping several possibilities open. They won't have found any solid evidence explaining the attack on the pilgrimage party or the Apostle's appearance yet. They're likely grasping at straws.”

They were poking around everywhere, hoping to turn up something.

“But we can't relax. If the Church sets its mind to digging, it'll pick up our trail eventually. Gaf is right. We need a plan.”

“It's a good thing you had Shaperia followed. We've bought ourselves time to prepare.”

Yohan looked at Gaf. “You've done us a great service. Well done.”

“I didn't do it for you.”

Gaf snorted, and Yohan shrugged. “Whatever your reasons, I'll leave Shaperia in your hands. If there's nothing else unusual to report, go get some rest.”

Gaf hesitated briefly before speaking. “Actually, there is one more thing.”

“What?”

“The Inquisitor had a Book of Doom.”

“So what? That's common enough.”

“... The book gave off an ominous light. Shaperia's expression twisted the moment she opened it, and the Inquisitor left in a hurry. I don't know the details, but it looked very serious.”

No sooner had Gaf finished than Yohan and Ilea exchanged glances.

“Yohan, could it be...?”

“I'm thinking the same thing. Though we'll need to check the details.”

“I'll find a copy of the Book of Doom first.”

“Can you manage that?”

To obtain a Book of Doom, they first had to find a heretic. That was extraordinarily difficult. The Church had spent centuries zealously hunting them down, yet they had never been eradicated. They had mastered the art of disguise. Ordinary methods would never uncover them.

Ilea said, “Give me a few days. I'll bring you one.”

She looked utterly confident.

'Does she know a heretic?'

Probably not. The time when the witch would come into contact with them was still far off. At least, it was in the original novel.

“I'll trust you and wait.”

She must have some other means. Because it was the witch who was so certain, Yohan could trust her.

Gaf, who had been listening, spoke up. “I have no idea what you're talking about.”

Come to think of it, Gaf did not know that the original Book of Doom had reacted to Yohan. He did not even know that the tablet in the middle of the study was the original.

Yohan spoke. “You have a right to know, too.”

He had promised to share information. As long as they worked together, he ought to keep his word. Yohan began explaining what had happened a little earlier.

* * *

Yohan returned to his room as soon as dawn broke. His bedroom by day, the basement by night. Every day was a busy one, shuttling between light and darkness.

'I don't even have time to sleep.'

More precisely, he felt no need for a full night's sleep. It was because of his peculiar constitution. While he was active as a Demon, his human body rested, and vice versa.

'But what about my mind?'

He might have two bodies, but he had only one soul. Since he was always awake, his mental reserves might eventually run dry. Perhaps it was his imagination, but lately he had indeed been feeling mentally exhausted. He thought he might need some rest.

Yohan lay down on the bed. The moment he did, worries assailed him instead of drowsiness.

'Too many unforeseen developments in just a few days.'

According to his original plan, he should now have been considering ways to expand his influence over the kingdom. He ought to have been making contact with Kril's backer, Count Staviana, and striking a deal with him to enter the kingdom's political arena. Instead, he had been held back.

'Was attacking the pilgrimage party the problem?'

Looking back, all these unforeseen developments had begun after that attack. Apostle Beris's curse, the Church's suspicions of the baronial house, even the original Book of Doom reacting to Yohan—they all traced back to the attack on the pilgrimage party.

'Could the Great Saint Marziel be taking revenge on me?'

For tormenting his followers.

Yohan gave a disbelieving chuckle. Impossible. The Great Saint Marziel was in no state to intervene in the mortal realm. Even if, by some remote chance, this was his revenge, there was nothing Yohan could do about it. Attacking the pilgrimage party had been necessary. He needed the Great Saint's eye to swallow up the kingdom.

'No regrets.'

It was more sensible to spend that time finding ways to exploit these developments. With luck, they might lead to an even better outcome.

'Let's look on the bright side.'

As for Kril, Yohan had disguised his death as a suicide, so Count Staviana would take the bait one way or another. All Yohan needed to do was reel the Count in as planned. He now had no choice but to juggle several matters at once, but he was confident he could see them through.

He closed his eyes and murmured, “Make no mistakes, and never forget that I'm human at heart.”

The familiar vow soothed his mind. Drowsiness began to settle over him. Just as he was slipping into sleep, a knock came at the door.

'Ha.'

He slowly dragged himself upright. “Come in.”

The maid who entered wore an urgent expression. “Y-young master. The Baroness wishes to see you at once!”

“... Who?”

“Your mother has regained consciousness!”

Yohan sprang to his feet. It seemed there would be no time to rest after all. In his lot in life, sleep was a luxury.