EDEN — Chapter 5 (Part 2)

But he didn’t want a repeat of the previous trust-drop incident, so he told Raham to wait at the entrance and decided to meet the high priest alone.

Since it was a sudden request, it took some time for the high priest to arrive. I-eon relaxed in the reception room sofa and absentmindedly opened the party window to check on the man he had left outside. But then…

“……?”

Raham’s HP dropped and, in the blink of an eye, instantly refilled back to full. It happened so fast that he wondered if his tired eyes were playing tricks on him.

…What was that? Weird. Frowning, I-eon called out to him through party chat.

[Hey.]

[Yeah.]

[Something happen?]

[No.]

He answered so calmly it sounded like nothing was wrong, but I-eon had definitely seen it. Fortunately, his HP stayed stable afterward… though Raham was exactly the type who could do something insane at any moment.

While he mentally prepared himself not to be shocked by whatever sight awaited him outside, the high priest finally arrived. Since they had known each other for quite a while, they exchanged only a short greeting before getting to the point. I-eon summarized his recent achievements, leaving out the part where he met Tiog directly. It wasn’t crucial, and if he said it carelessly, Arteneor, the Tiog fanatic, might drown him in jealousy.

The high priest could not hide his astonishment as he listened.

“A revelation about a sword, you say. That is something I have never heard before!”

Well, of course, only one person could access a hidden route. For a moment, I-eon wondered what would happen if the hidden-route player quit the game entirely, but since it wasn’t something he planned to do, he pushed the thought away.

“A sword… Yes, Tiog does show strictness when necessary. Do you know this? Among the seven gods, Tiog holds the highest authority and is said to possess the ability to see the future. The mission entrusted to you may seem sudden, but I am certain there is a valid reason behind it.”

“Yes. Today I’m planning to start from here.”

I-eon opened the map and pointed to a location. The place they intended to visit today was the Demon Realm. It wasn’t the nearest point, but since Raham was both a demon and a Demon King, it seemed like he would be able to find it easily.

The Demon Realm, a separate dimension, was drawn on the lower-left corner of the world map. Their destination was at the southern outskirts. As the high priest confirmed the location, his expression suddenly darkened. Even for I-eon, who had known him a long time, it was an unfamiliar sight.

“This is… near the southern gate of the Demon Realm.”

“Is something wrong…?”

After a moment of troubled thought, the high priest opened his mouth.

“Someone named Hubert, who was expelled from the priesthood years ago, lives near there.”

“Expelled?”

It wouldn’t be easy for a priest to be expelled unless the reason was serious. The high priest’s face grew more serious than ever.

“His innate divine power was extremely weak, so he prayed the same prayer to Tiog every day. He begged for a miracle, demanded that the god grant him great power. But when nothing happened no matter how much he prayed, he said he would show a miracle himself and secretly began experiments. Horrific ones…”

A deep crease formed between the high priest’s brows, as though recalling the memory.

“He obtained a forbidden alchemy book and performed experiments on living beings. First on animals, then on monsters, and after that, can you guess?”

“…….”

“When his vile crimes were exposed, we attempted to execute him. But he was the youngest son of a powerful noble family. Because of their influence, stripping him of priesthood and banishing him from the Empire was the most we could do. The temple has independent authority, but since the events involving Sir Esteban, His Majesty the Emperor’s feelings toward the temple are far from favorable…”

The high priest’s clenched fist trembled. He was the one responsible for Hubert’s sentencing at the time and still felt guilty for failing to eliminate such a dangerous man. At least they had marked him with the brand of a criminal, so they could still track his location.

Finally steadying himself, the high priest let out a hollow laugh.

“It has been some time since I last thought about this, and I’ve shown you a pathetic side of myself. My apologies.”

“It’s fine.”

“…If you have time, could you check on him for me? He won’t dare attempt anything foolish in the Demon Realm, but I would like to confirm the brand is still intact.”

There was no quest window, but a high priest would surely give a proper reward. I-eon accepted readily, and the high priest, looking relieved, marked Hubert’s residence on the map. After clearing his throat several times, he returned to his usual lighter demeanor.

“Come to think of it, why didn’t you report Sir Esteban’s situation? The imperial palace was thrown into chaos out of nowhere, I was stunned. Before I could even act, Sir Esteban was taken under His Majesty’s protection and the proposal to appoint him honorary knight was rejected outright. The temple lost considerable face.”

“Haha…”

He had worked hard to build up contribution, but the temple’s reputation was none of I-eon’s concern. As he only gave an empty laugh, the high priest narrowed his eyes.

“Is there nothing else you should tell me?”

“…Sorry?”

“I heard you got married.”

An arrow shot out of nowhere, hitting him square in the shoulders, he flinched. …How did he know? I-eon tried to look calm and glanced away, but the high priest easily noticed his agitation and clicked his tongue.

“Well, what can I say, if you two like each other, I can’t meddle because of my personal feelings.”

– High Priest Arteneor’s Favorability has decreased by 30.

“…….”

Considering the earlier Hubert situation saved him somewhat, this was still a mild loss. The man had already dropped I-eon’s favor by 20 just because Raham was present; if he heard they were “married,” it wouldn’t have been strange for the number to hit the floor instantly.

Having experienced this once already, the blow felt lighter this time. I-eon left with a curt farewell. People blamed demons for being double-faced, but honestly, the high priest wasn’t much different. How many times had he pocketed rewards with stingy excuses despite I-eon surpassing seventy thousand contribution? Maybe it was time to switch priests entirely. But first, he needed to fix the favorability before completing the request.

But one mountain after another, when I-eon stepped outside the temple, he was greeted by a heap of corpses. And not just any corpses, but Justice Guild members, neatly dressed in matching guild robes as if trying to stand out.

“…….”

“You’re here?”

Raham, who had been leaning against a pillar, greeted him. Looking closer, the bodies weren’t just players, some of the temple’s own guards were mixed in. A battle must have broken out in front of the temple, dragging the temple knights into it as they dutifully performed their jobs. Thankfully, they weren’t dead, only knocked out… but that hardly improved the situation.

“What is this…”

Raham approached the dispirited I-eon and abruptly held something out. A pack of ten bottles of Favorability Perfume.

“…?”

“The Demon Realm’s high priest has a loose tongue.”

So their wedding in the Demon Realm had been pointless after all. I-eon let out a heavy sigh and lifted a hand.

“Three is enough.”

He was about to take only as many as the favorability drop…

– High Priest Arteneor’s Favorability has decreased by 40.

A notification popped up at the perfect timing, as if mocking him. Apparently, news of Raham causing havoc at the temple entrance had already reached the high priest.

“…….”

Without another word, I-eon accepted the full pack of ten perfumes.

[Coco-pang: I got 13 kills lol]

[Coco-pang: I killed them almost outside the Empire so my evil points barely increased]

[Ji Jong-sosi: I was doing a dungeon lol only got 5 kills]

[Valror: I think I’m first? 16 kills]

After putting the perfumes away, I-eon watched the guild members brag about their PK kills. At least they were the type who enjoyed things without overthinking, that was a relief.

[Debbie: I ran to a dungeon with Ji Jong-hyung to take shelter]

[Peacemaker: I got 20 kills.. hehe]

[Coco-pang: what the]

[Debbie: wow]

[Debbie: you made undead again and got a double kill, didn’t you?? that’s cheating!]

[Peacemaker: no, I only go by headcount… I just hide and curse…]

[Valror: ㅜ I’ll try harder]

Peacemaker, who had always seemed eager for a guild war, looked to be perfectly in his element, just like during the special event, and now.

[Valror: but why are they all wearing guild robes? easy to spot at least]

[Debbie: I vote this was Ensis’s idea]

[Coco-pang: second vote]

Watching the chat, I-eon glanced around. Now that they had rushed in after hearing Raham was there, the Justice Guild corpses littering the ground were too many to count. I-eon pointed at them and asked Raham:

“How many were there?”

“Hmm… thirty-two.”

“Huh.”

No other healer in existence would agree that healers should be capable of such large-scale slaughter. Considering how he wiped out the wraiths at the desert ruins, it wasn’t hard to imagine what Raham had done.

Could this guy even be killed…? I-eon looked Raham up and down thoughtfully, then typed into guild chat.

[I-eon: We got 32 kills lol]

The moment he joined the bragging, reactions came instantly.

[Valror: what;;]

[Debbie: ??]

[Debbie: we??]

[I-eon: What? We’re married]

[Debbie: …?]

I-eon smirked. This was exactly why he joined in, just to say that line. The divorce was postponed anyway, and since the guild members were going to tease him no matter what, joining the chaos was better for his sanity. And sure enough…

[Coco-pang: LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL]

[Ji Jong-sosi: LOLLLLLL wow I-eon-nim is bolder than I thought]

[Valror: —— let’s make a rule]

[Debbie: yesyesyesyesyes]

[Debbie: guildwide no-dating rule——]

There were people ready to react just the way he wanted. Lightly amused, I-eon poked at them more.

[I-eon: The guild master just made a rule]

[I-eon: Anyone not married has no speaking rights]

[Coco-pang: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]

[Valror: oh——]

[Ji Jong-sosi: I’m getting married next year, so I count too hehe]

[Valror: hyung don’t betray us]

[Ji Jong-sosi: I can’t hear single people ㅠ]

[Coco-pang: AKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK]

Laughing at the chat, I-eon raised his head.

“You can say some…”

The words “say something too” died instantly. Raham was staring at him with an oddly pleased expression. His eyes softened with a hint of laughter, and the corners of his lips curved gently. Just when I-eon had started to get used to Raham’s smiling face, he showed yet another new expression. That someone like him could look this warm…

“What should we do next?”

The low voice cut through I-eon’s drifting thoughts. He blinked reflexively, saying, “Huh?” Then he collected himself and relayed what the high priest had told him. After hearing about Hubert as well, Raham commented:

“Good. Since the related NPC asked for it, it’ll connect to the main quest.”

“I figured.”

Good thing they stopped by the great temple first. Feeling satisfied, I-eon drew out Tiog’s scabbard and fastened it at his waist.

The two headed straight for the Demon Realm. They passed by Raham’s home, where they had held the wedding, and arrived at the southern gate. The Demon Realm didn’t care if criminals entered as long as taxes were paid, so its outskirts were practically lawless. Among them, the old gray tower in the most remote alley was Hubert’s residence.

“This must be it.”

“Yeah.”

Just as Raham predicted, the high priest’s request seemed to be connected to the main quest, the scabbard was glowing like before. I-eon grabbed the tightly shut tower door and knocked.

“Excuse me.”

If someone was inside, they should have heard it, but there was no sound beyond the door, as if the place was empty. Still, I-eon didn’t give up and knocked again. Tok tok, tok tok, bang bang, his knocking echoed loudly through the barren Demon Realm street. After maybe ten such attempts, heavy footsteps approached and the door flew open.

“Who are you?”

He had expected some deranged criminal, but the man who appeared looked surprisingly neat and composed. Though clearly annoyed by the noise, he had a face that would look natural even in priest robes.

People really couldn’t be judged by appearance.

“Hubert?”

“Yes, I’m Hubert.”

He didn’t show much wariness toward strangers. I-eon, staring into his calm eyes, got straight to the point.

“We’re searching for a relic and we think it’s here. Mind if we look around your house?”

“…….”

At the sudden request to search his home, Hubert frowned at him as if he were insane. But I-eon had every intention of using force if he refused, so he stared back with a shameless “What?” expression. Hubert’s lips twisted.

“Why do you think the god gave humans intelligence?”

He asked the question completely out of nowhere, blinking slowly.

“Humans are beings capable of limitless growth. That is why I began my research. If I become like a god, why would I need to beg for miracles with prayers that go unheard? What do you think, sir paladin?”

“…….”

Was he acting like this because I-eon pushed him, so he was pushing back? Or had he lived alone so long that he was grabbing the nearest person and rambling about himself unprompted?

Since I-eon didn’t bother answering and simply stared, Hubert looked displeased. He clicked his tongue, muttering through his teeth about why he couldn’t stand brainless knights who only knew how to swing swords. Clearly he held a grudge against knights.

Then he pulled out a sheet of paper from his robes and thrust it forward.

“You think I’ll do it for free? I don’t need money, so go fetch these items.”

Turning sharply, he slammed the door and disappeared. I-eon, who had long grown used to NPCs treating players like errand boys, silently examined the paper with Raham. It was filled with a long list of monster drops.

“They’re all Demon Realm mobs.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll get them quickly.”

There were ten types total, but thankfully none of them seemed to be low-drop-rate items. And with Raham, who could locate monsters without even checking the map, the entire hunt took less than thirty minutes. After confirming they’d collected everything, the two returned to the tower.

But someone else had arrived before them.

“…Huh?”

A large man carrying a huge burlap sack over his shoulder unlocked the door and went inside. I-eon froze when he saw the sack squirm on its own. He instinctively glanced back. His eyes met Raham’s, who seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“…Is that a person?”

“Looks like it.”

Of course, it could have been an animal, but considering what the high priest had told them, and the silhouette inside the sack, the probability of it being a person was far higher. It seemed Hubert was still carrying out his inhumane experiments.

They waited outside a little longer to avoid suspicion, then knocked. Hubert opened the door slowly with his arms crossed. I-eon handed him the collected items while subtly trying to look inside, but there was a short hallway that blocked the view.

Hubert piled the items at his feet, looking pleased.

“The condition is good.”

“Then now…”

“You think you can settle this with just one trip? Knights really are…”

After sneering, he shoved another list at them and slammed the door again. The annoying paper fluttered in the air. I-eon stood silent for a moment. Raham approached and gently wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“Should we go in?”

“…Let’s keep force as a last resort.”

If running a few errands got them in peacefully, that was still doable. I-eon swallowed his sigh.

“Let’s go.”

It happened a total of five times. Hubert worked them without pay five whole rounds. When he started writing yet another list despite the pile of items at his feet, I-eon finally reached his limit and silently placed a hand on his sword.

Hubert, who had pretended not to notice until now, suddenly sensed it like a ghost. He stuffed the paper into his pocket and clicked his tongue.

“You look about ready to hit me. Achieving a goal requires patience. Violence won’t get you everything.”

He had been more than patient, should he hit him just once? While I-eon seriously debated it, Hubert walked inside without even telling them to follow, leaving the door open. I-eon went after him with a grim expression.

The first floor had no walls or partitions, just piles of household goods, books, and clutter everywhere. At the far corner stood the large man from earlier like a wooden statue. Hubert jerked his chin toward him.

“He knows the structure of the tower well, so go with him.”

The man, with dark skin and a rock-like build, nodded and opened the door behind him. He grabbed a lantern and looked at I-eon expectantly as if to say, “Come.”

I-eon started toward him, and naturally Raham moved to follow, until Hubert abruptly blocked Raham’s path.

“No. Do you have any idea how many important things are down there? I don’t want outsiders wandering around. Only one of you goes.”

“…….”

Raham’s eyes flicked over Hubert and landed on I-eon. After exchanging a look, I-eon gave a small nod and followed the man inside. As soon as they stepped onto the stairs, a thick door shut behind them, cutting off all outside sound.

The spiral staircase leading downward was narrow and completely dark except for the lantern the man carried. I-eon stepped carefully behind him. The glow from the scabbard grew brighter than it had been near the tower. They were close.

The stairs ended, revealing a long corridor dimly lit by sparse lamps. The man walked a bit further, then stopped in front of a heavy iron door and moved aside. He didn’t speak, but his actions clearly said, “Go ahead.”

I-eon stepped past him and grasped the doorknob. It turned uselessly, clattering in place without moving the door at all. There was no keyhole, the surface as solid as a wall.

“It’s locked…. kuh…!”

Before he could turn around, thick arms clamped around his neck with crushing force. Forget suffocating, the strength threatened to snap his neck outright.

I-eon clawed helplessly at the arm, which felt more like elephant hide than human skin, before drawing his sword. He flipped the grip and stabbed hard at the man’s side. His blade skidded off the skin as if cutting rubber, failing to pierce, but the man’s grip loosened briefly.

I-eon tore himself free and took a fighting stance, but the hulking man lunged at him with no pause. I-eon blocked a heavy blow, shouting for Raham.

[Get down here!]

[Okay.]

Clang, clang!

Their clash echoed down the corridor. The man’s attacks were powerful, but his movements were slow, making them easy enough to dodge. The real problem was his body, his physical defense and health were absurdly high. Even with clean slashes and thrusts, all I-eon could inflict were tiny scratches that might as well heal with spit.

It really felt like fighting an elephant, not a person.

The man, who had been charging with a fist the size of I-eon’s head, suddenly froze. From the staircase they had descended earlier, Hubert’s shouting echoed, along with the sound of something hitting the floor at steady intervals. A moment later, Raham appeared from beyond the wall connected to the stairs. One of his hands was gripping Hubert by the hair, dragging his body across the floor like a mop.

“……!”

The man’s demeanor changed instantly. He lunged at Raham with ferocity. The moment he turned his back on I-eon, I-eon kicked off the ground and struck him with a stun skill. The damage was minor, but the stun landed cleanly, locking the man’s body in place just long enough for heavy chains to wrap around him.

Raham, preparing debuffs with frightening speed, looked at I-eon before casting the spell.

“Should I kill him?”

“Probably.”

I-eon finally caught his breath while watching the brilliant effects erupt. The man’s stats were heavily invested in physical defense, leaving his magic defense like wet paper. He collapsed instantly. Even after nearly choking I-eon to death, he didn’t drop a single item.

Once the restraint ended and the chains vanished, the massive body toppled over. Hubert, who had been clutching the injuries he’d sustained while being dragged down the stairs, let out a shrill, furious scream.

“Useless…! This is why failures are unnecessary!”

He hadn’t even managed to interfere, yet he was howling like a scalded cat from the corner. The metallic screech clawed at their ears. Raham frowned and looked at I-eon, silently asking if he should kill him too. I-eon shook his head and stepped toward Hubert, lowering himself to eye level. Hubert glared up at him, cursing silently with his eyes as I-eon’s shadow fell over him.

“I don’t know why you attacked me, but if you finish guiding us through the tower, I’ll let you live.”

The only path downward was behind that locked iron door. But smashing walls or doors recklessly could collapse this old tower entirely. They needed him.

Hubert scoffed, lifting his chin arrogantly. He looked to have zero combat capability yet acted like he had confidence in something.

“How unfortunate. A paladin and a demon mage would’ve been such fine meals.”

He didn’t even get the chance to correct him, he wasn’t a mage but a healer, before Hubert bit his finger and whistled sharply. The gesture reminded I-eon of someone calling in a trained animal. Of course there was more.

From the far end of the dim corridor came rapid tapping footsteps. I-eon gripped his weapon and focused on the sound. Something moving on all fours was racing toward them.

At first glance it could have been an animal, but when it emerged fully into view, it was something monstrous. The creature looked like a mutated version of a monster: a slender body twice I-eon’s height, with vestigial wing-like stubs on its back and rows of sharp, jagged teeth. And from its appearance, it was instantly clear what Hubert had used in his experiments… an unmistakably human face remained.

A nightmare made flesh. From a hollowed-out socket, a yellow beastlike eye stared directly at I-eon.

“Kill them!”

The moment Hubert shouted, a sudden quest window appeared in I-eon’s vision.

~Freedom to the Mutated Lifeform!~
“Jackie, a monster created through Hubert’s experiments. Return him to the master who desperately awaits him.”

“Oh, it says to capture him alive?”

Just as I-eon gripped his sword, he clicked his tongue in frustration. Capturing something alive was harder than killing it outright.

Raham silently scanned the creature, then wrapped an arm around I-eon’s shoulders. I-eon tried to shrug him off, of all times, what was he doing?, but when Raham pointed at the creature, I-eon reflexively looked.

“See the collar?”

Around the creature’s neck was an overextended dog collar. Raham was pointing at the green gemstone embedded at its center.

“It keeps him from rebelling against his master. They couldn’t tame him, it seems.”

“Okay, so we break that, right?”

The moment he finished speaking, the creature zigzagged along the walls and lunged at them. I-eon rushed forward and blocked its attack. As he noticed the creature’s yellow eyes flick toward Raham behind him, he used a taunt skill to draw its attention back to himself. The creature’s focus locked entirely onto I-eon.

It sprinted across walls and ceilings, attacking from all directions. While Raham cast buffs, I-eon held firm behind his shield, looking for an opening. But the creature was so fast that attacking recklessly wasn’t an option, and opportunities were scarce.

“Can you bind it?”

“Not at that speed.”

True, binding required chains to land, and at that speed the creature would slip free long before they touched.

Instead of binding, Raham cast multiple layers of slow debuffs. Stacked three times, the creature’s movement visibly dropped.

Realizing something was wrong, it suddenly dropped to the floor, crouching low on its hind legs. Its jaws opened wide, energy crackling inside. I-eon prepared to dodge, saving his invincibility for emergencies, but froze mid-movement, Raham was behind him, and if the corridor collapsed, both could be buried alive.

The beam-like magical attack shot out in a straight line. I-eon bit down hard on his lip and used a skill. The shield absorbed the spell completely.

“That thing’s a total hybrid.”

This wasn’t going to end quickly. I-eon unequipped his large tower shield and instead equipped close-combat gauntlet-style shields that covered his hands and arms. He switched his bastard sword for a shorter blade.

And when the creature lunged again, I-eon planted his feet, thrust his arm into its open jaws, letting the fangs pierce through the shield and bite into his forearm. Without a moment to spare, he brought the short sword down, slicing directly into the green gemstone.

The gem split with a crack. Instantly, the creature froze like a puppet with its strings cut.

“…….”

Its eyes blinked slowly, the killing intent washing away like dirt in water. It opened its mouth and released I-eon, then backed away and gently licked the forearm it had bitten. I-eon stared blankly for a moment, then grimaced. He’d thought so the moment he saw it, and now it was confirmed.

“You dumb mutt!”

Hubert, still unable to grasp the situation, shouted again.

“Kill it! I said kill it!”

Both I-eon and the monster turned their gaze toward Hubert. The creature, which had been blinking calmly, suddenly bared its teeth and growled fiercely the moment it saw him. Before anyone could stop it, the monster sprang forward and bit into Hubert’s neck. Blood burst in all directions from the punctured flesh.

“No!”

That bastard still had things he needed to do! I-eon rushed forward, prying open the creature’s jaws. It looked ready to tear the entire neck off, but with the brainwashing broken, maybe its strength had weakened, fortunately I-eon’s strength barely overpowered it. The moment the jaws loosened, I-eon yanked Hubert free and shoved him into a nearby room. Raham followed him inside and locked the door. Thud, thud! The door rattled under the blows from outside, then eventually fell silent.

Phew… I-eon let out a deep breath, and Raham cast a heal on Hubert, who looked seconds away from dying. Bitten by the beast he created, the idiot still thrashed and kicked even in this situation, as if he shared the same lack of sense as the experiments he performed.

“You meddling bastards, get out! Get out right now!”

“I told you, we have something to find here.”

“You think I’ll give it to you? Filthy rats! Get out!”

“……”

He only saved him because he had no choice, but gods, he really wanted to punch him. I-eon clenched his fist, scowling down at him. Raham stepped beside him and gently touched his arm.

“I-eon.”

“…What.”

Annoyance written all over his face, I-eon glanced up. Raham tapped his cheek lightly, as if telling him to relax.

“As long as you don’t kill him, it’s fine.”

“……?”

“Come on.”

That day, I-eon witnessed firsthand the brutality a healer was capable of.

Beating him until he was nearly dead, then healing him, beating him again, healing, beating, healing… I-eon watched from a short distance away with a disgusted grimace, until he finally voiced his concern.

“Don’t go overboard. You’ll go insane.”

“Okay.”

Maybe because Hubert was insane to begin with, he held out for quite a while. But after endless torture that no mental fortitude could endure, he finally broke. Hubert collapsed to his knees, eyes rolled halfway back, begging frantically with clasped hands, promising to give them whatever they wanted if they stopped.

Raham, towering over him like a reaper, slowly bent down. Hubert toppled backward in fright.

“Stop wasting our time. Understand?”

“Y-yes!”

Nod, nod, nod. Hubert’s head shook so violently it looked like it might fall off.

He remained dazed for some time, catching his breath, but when Raham tilted his head ever so slightly, Hubert jolted upright in terror.

“I-I’ll open the door!”

Seeing him move with such brisk efficiency made I-eon regret not doing this sooner. Come to think of it, Hubert hadn’t stepped back even when I-eon tried drawing his sword earlier. Maybe, for once, Raham’s method really had been the right one.

I-eon shoved the still-wobbly Hubert aside and grabbed the door handle. Click, creak, through the crack of the opening door, yellow eyes met his gaze. The monster, sitting right in front of the door, panted happily and wagged its tail when it saw I-eon. Feeling uncomfortable, I-eon grabbed Hubert by the collar and held his face out just enough to show him. The creature, which had been in its docile dog-like mode, instantly bared its teeth at the sight of him. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from between its gaping jaws. I-eon closed the door again.

“If he comes out, he’ll get eaten.”

Standing before the door, I-eon considered his options. Then he handed Hubert to Raham and dug through his inventory. Among the fruits Esteban had once picked, there was one he had saved, the Sleep Fruit, capable of knocking out even the worst insomniac in an instant. It was a quest item that, if given to an overworked imperial minister, would net a very decent reward… but right now, he had no better plan.

“Don’t come out. Just wait.”

“Okay.”

Raham replied while lazily gripping Hubert by the back of his neck.

I-eon cracked the door slightly and checked the creature. Since its enemy was no longer visible, it calmed down, watching I-eon’s movements closely. I-eon placed the fruit in front of it. The creature blinked.

“Eat.”

He worried the carnivorous-looking beast wouldn’t take it, but after sniffing the fruit, it quickly gulped it down. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to dislike the smell.

Before long, the Sleep Fruit took effect, and the creature slumped forward, resting its head on its forepaws as it drifted into sleep. I-eon stomped lightly near it to test its reaction. No movement.

He hurriedly opened the door. He had no idea how long the fruit would last on something that wasn’t exactly a person.

“Let’s go.”

Dragging Hubert out, Raham shoved him forward and released him. Hubert staggered toward the door and began to open it. There was no keyhole after all, he had installed a puzzle-like mechanism that couldn’t be opened by normal means. I-eon followed closely, sword in hand, ready in case Hubert tried anything stupid.

They descended one more level before reaching a dead end. The gate to what seemed to be the creature’s den stood wide open. Nearby, a prison cell held several demons trembling as they watched them. Some of them must have been brought in the earlier writhing sacks. Hubert’s talk of “meals” had been literal.

“This is the end of the basement…”

Hubert glanced nervously between them. I-eon left him to Raham and used the scabbard to search the area. Since entering the tower, the light had never been brighter than it was here. It intensified toward one specific spot, the inner wall of the creature’s den.

It looked like an ordinary wall… but as I-eon tapped the old bricks with his hand, he gestured for Hubert. Hubert practically flew over and began fiddling rapidly with the wall. With a series of clicks, a section of the wall detached and unfolded, revealing a hidden stone inside. It bore the emblem of Tiog, identical to the one seen at the oasis. He had hidden it impressively deep.

“Why is something like this down here? Was the tower built on top of this?”

He didn’t expect an answer, but Hubert, after glancing nervously at Raham, nodded his head vigorously.

“To be precise, a demon who was building the tower long ago discovered that thing… he said no matter what they tried, it wouldn’t break or move, so they just built around it. But since demons hate that crest, the property value tanked and no one wanted to live here…”

“I see.”

New information. Stones marked with traces of light can’t be destroyed or moved. They can be hidden like this, but at the very least, the marked position on the map would never be wrong.

I-eon held the scabbard of Tiog to the emblem. The quietly condensed holy power shifted into a cluster of light and was absorbed by the scabbard.

-Quest information has been updated.

~Divine Arrangement~

[Tiog prepared a holy sword for a future devotee like you, but hid it deep where no one could reach it until the time came. Follow the traces of light scattered throughout the land, and you will reach the end.

Completion requirement: Traces of Light (2/5)]

Okay. That made the second one fairly easy to find. Unlike I-eon, who was satisfied, Hubert seemed to know his usefulness had run out and tried to hide his anxiety by speaking in a gloomy voice.

“Are you done? If that’s what you came for… then get out. Please.”

I-eon smacked the back of Hubert’s head with the scabbard. The man collapsed onto the floor with a flop and finally shut up. Looking down at the unconscious Hubert, I-eon rubbed his chin.

“How do we find that monster’s owner?”

“No quest info?”

“Not really… but there is a name. Jacky.”

“…Jacky?”

Raham’s tone rose faintly with a strange expression. But before he could say anything more, desperate voices echoed in.

“Hey! Get us out of here!”

“Adventurer! Please help us!”

The demons who had been locked up as the monster’s food saw Hubert fall unconscious and were now pleading urgently.

I-eon used the key hanging on the wall to open all the cell doors. The freed demons didn’t bother with thanks, they bolted before anyone could grab them. From the floor above, where the monster slept, the occasional scream erupted, but since no one returned, they must have avoided it on their own.

Scanning the now-empty prison, I-eon furrowed his brow.

“They must’ve been like this for a while. How did no one notice demons going missing?”

Since demons had a small population, I-eon wondered if Raham, being the Demon King, might have known. But Raham shook his head and answered plainly.

“They were all adults.”

“So?”

“Demons don’t care if adults get kidnapped or die unless they’re kids.”

“…….”

Even if they’re the same race, their individualism was brutal. They only protected children for population reasons, and after that it was pure survival of the fittest…

I-eon dragged Hubert back to where the monster slept. While he wondered what to do next, Raham suddenly summoned a window and tapped at it.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling the High Priest.”

It made sense. Someone like the High Priest, who was deeply involved in demon-world affairs, was far more likely to know something than Raham, who wandered around freely. Being able to summon a High Priest on a whim was probably a Demon King privilege.

Once Raham finished, a familiar magic circle appeared on the floor. This time the demon High Priest, Prmodehiti, arrived wearing proper priest robes. The moment he popped out of the magic circle and saw the two of them, he snickered.

“Were you on a date? You said the marriage was temporary, but I knew it~ Sheesh…”

His lecherous laughter suddenly cut off. His eyes were fixed behind I-eon, on the curled-up creature sleeping deeply. I-eon opened his mouth to explain, but…

“Jacky…!”

The High Priest shot forward like a bullet and threw himself on top of the monster. Hugging its neck, he rubbed his face all over it while bawling.

“Jacky! What happened to you! Do you know how long I’ve searched for you!”

“……?”

The owner… was the High Priest?

Raham, standing beside the bewildered I-eon, explained.

“The High Priest’s dog was named Jacky.”

“Living in the demon world and stealing the High Priest’s dog… Hubert’s got guts.”

Still, how he recognized his dog after it had been mutated into this creature was a mystery. Maybe it was the collar, or maybe it was true love that recognized its companion despite its altered form…

The sleeping creature Jacky twitched his ears at the High Priest’s crying voice. After a brief shiver, he snapped awake with impressive mental fortitude. Recognizing his owner even in a drowsy state, Jacky licked him wildly, rolled onto his back, and begged for belly rubs. The High Priest wept and kissed Jacky over and over. To think demons ignored kidnapped adults, yet they were so affectionate toward animals…