7. A Gamble You Can’t Lose
“I want to join the Inquisition Office.”
At Fernandez’s words, the Pope couldn’t hide his worried expression. If it were up to him, he would immediately take Fernandez under the direct jurisdiction of the Papacy and guide him on the path of a proper priest. If he himself became the sponsor, it would be more than enough.
But the Stigma of Vaitas, at least being an apostle of the Divine Warrior Vaitas, holds the most significance when standing on the battlefield.
“How about the Order of the Cross Crusaders? Joining the Doctrine Defense Association directly would be safer and easier.”
“Since I have already devoted myself, how could I shy away from a thorny path?”
-Clatter.
At Fernandez’s words, the Pope, Marco, and even the burly middle-aged man drew crosses with reddened eyes. It was a perfect display of faith, as if torn straight from the Bible!
“Ah, the heretics and cults covet the relics of saints. Not only to insult the Church, but the relics of canonized saints can be forged into extremely threatening and powerful holy artifacts. Are you truly determined to become an Inquisition Officer?”
Even so, the Pope had no choice but to dissuade him. Inquisition Officers are those closest to death. They are the guardians of civilization, the vanguard of doctrine, and the sharpest dagger in the shadows.
When one Inquisition Officer completes their training and grows, ten Inquisition Officers become cold corpses on the battlefield. Their deaths always occur in dark alleyways, and no one ever acknowledges their sacrifices.
Fernandez closed his eyes and nodded.
“I have seen a revelation.”
“…There’s no helping it then.”
It must be God’s plan. He must be sending his apostle to the most arduous and difficult task. Paul nodded solemnly.
At that moment, the middle-aged man standing beside Paul looked at Fernandez and spoke.
“You have talent.”
“Why do you think so, Brother Zephis?”
“After reading Marco’s report, I became certain. Perhaps Brother Marco thought the same. It’s not easy to find a boy of this age with such composure and judgment in any faction of our office.”
Composure and boldness, cold rationality and logic. Skill and quick thinking. Marco’s letter was filled with all sorts of embellishments, but even stripping away the exaggerations, it was not something a sixteen-year-old boy could display.
“If you join the Inquisition Office, you will be given three paths.”
“Can I choose?”
“Of course.”
As Zephis nodded, Marco smiled and said.
“Whatever kind of priest you want to become, that’s your decision. But Sir Sernerd. The Church is not a cult or a heresy. We are the light that reveals truth through reason and rationality.”
Fernandez almost snorted at Marco’s words. In his previous life as Faijashi, he had been the favorite target of Inquisition Officers.
If they killed him, he would be canonized. If he killed them, he would be martyred.
But now, this fanatical group with overwhelming power and authority could be on his side.
Even if he became a different kind of priest, it seemed unlikely that he would achieve his goals more easily than by belonging to the Inquisition Office.
Fernandez’s goals were the eradication of heretics, cults, and demon worshippers who plagued the world, and the salvation of Vaitas’s four daughters to reclaim his son.
If he was going to become a priest and act with the backing of the Church, there was no place more suitable than the Inquisition Office.
“What are the paths I can choose?”
“Brother, you have the path of wisdom, the path of pursuit, and the path of demons.”
Marco rubbed his hands together and smiled.
“The path of wisdom. Based on knowledge of law, theology, mathematics, rhetoric, semiotics, sociology, and basic humanities, you will externally preside over religious trials and take on administrative duties. It’s always short on manpower, but relatively safe.”
-Religiosa Enmagika (Witch’s Monastery)
Administrative duties and judicial authority, a very powerful position. It meant managing personnel and financial operations. It was the closest to the secrets and intelligence of the Inquisition Office.
“The path of pursuit. This is the position most Inquisition Officers are assigned to. It’s a group with the authority to purify heretical faiths, wage holy wars, and investigate heresy cases. If a report of heresy is received, you are guaranteed full autonomy under internal judgment.”
-Religiosa Heretica (Heretical Monastery)
‘The guys I saw most often in my past life…’
They were annoying flies. Fernandez recalled them. Certainly, considering autonomy and achieving his goals without drawing attention, it was a decent choice. ‘Eradicate heretical sects and save the world from destruction.’ And ‘Search for your archangels.’
“The path of demons. I don’t recommend this one, Sir Sernerd. The greatest hardships will accompany you. The survival rate is extremely low, and most are horrifically killed, with their bodies unrecoverable. You will be tasked with chasing and exorcising demons, always deployed to communities on the brink of destruction.”
-Religiosa Diemonica (Demon’s Monastery)
Certainly, the summoning of demons into reality itself meant that heretical cults no longer cared about the eyes of the Temple of the Gods. Fernandez nodded. His deliberation wasn’t long.
In truth, the answer was already decided. By utilizing his memories from his past life, he could modestly build achievements and simultaneously achieve his desires. There was only one path.
“Well, Sir Sernerd. No, Brother. Which faction will you choose? If it were you, my personal opinion is that you have the qualities to become an excellent judge.”
Marco chuckled and smiled.
Fernandez looked at Zephis, who was glaring at him with clear dissatisfaction.
The gazes of three people were fixed on Fernandez. His dilemma didn’t last long.
“I will chase the demons.”
“Think carefully… Di, Diemonica?”
“Are you serious…?”
“Hmm…”
Fernandez looked at Paul IV and spoke.
“I will become Diemonica.”
“May I ask the reason?”
“As it is said, the brightest light will be upheld in the darkest place.”
“Truly a faithful child!”
Paul IV laughed heartily as he looked at Fernandez. Soon, the smile faded from his face. He looked down at Fernandez with a solemn expression.
“Child. The path of suffering you wish to tread will bring no reward or recognition.”
-No, the relics and power of the demons. I know exactly who they belong to at some point.
“How could I follow the Church for the rewards of the world?”
Fernandez glanced at Faijashi, who had materialized and was now crossing his arms and smiling. Faijashi chuckled as he looked at Paul IV.
-The Pope is such a fool.
‘No, the fact that he has a Stigma is already a quality assurance certificate from Vaitas. Why would he doubt it?’
Paul nodded.
“Brother Zephis. You were right. This child is a talent who must join the Inquisition Office.”
“…Yes, Your Holiness.”
Paul nodded readily as he looked at Fernandez. Walking the most dangerous path? Isn’t that exactly what a saint should do?
“The canonization advisory council won’t need a consultation ritual. This child will be beatified. Teach him well.”
“I will do my best, Your Holiness.”
Zephis bowed his head. Paul laughed and stepped aside. Marco and Zephis approached Fernandez.
“Child. The Enmagika have the Church’s vast authority. And the Heretica receive the Church’s support and a precise network. But the Diemonica are given only one thing.”
At Zephis’s words, Fernandez recalled his past life.
When he was a Wildcast (Wandering Mage), barely surviving day by day.
The meticulous traps and schemes of the Enmagika Inquisition Officers. And of course, the divine spells were terrifying.
The relentless pursuit and encirclement by the Heretica Inquisition Officers were equally threatening.
But the most horrifying moment was.
The elite soldiers who, even after receiving Vaitas’s blessing directly, did not have their souls shattered. They were the Diemonica.
The means the Diemonica honed to confront demons was to mix divine blessings into their flesh, and the immense power that arose from this made them true demon hunters.
“Originally, the trials of the Diemonica are extremely difficult to pass. But you, who returned alive even after the Lord Himself descended… In fact, I question whether the Diemonica trials even have meaning… But tradition is important. Can you stand?”
“Yes.”
“Follow me. Brother Marco. Please handle the initiation.”
“It’s an honor, Brother.”
Fernandez followed Zephis through the corridors of the Inquisition Office.
*
Religiosa Heretica, the initiation trials for heretic hunters are repentance, penance, and meditation. They constantly doubt their purity and finally imprint the topic of ‘doubt’ onto their souls. This takes about ten days to a month.
After countless training and tests, they grow from trainee Inquisition Officers to probationary Inquisition Officers.
Religiosa Enmagika, the initiation trials for witch hunters are tests and in-depth interviews. They prove their wisdom, knowledge, and faith to build the logic to ‘condemn’ others. This also takes about ten days to a month.
They continue to cultivate their studies and soon observe trials to gain experience. Thus, they can become probationary Inquisition Officers.
But Religiosa Diemonica, demon hunters, have no initiation trials. This means there is no formalized ‘trial’ curriculum.
The Inquisition Office bestows the blessing of baptism on all applicants to the Diemonica.
In most cases, only one-tenth of the applicants survive the Diemonica baptism. But those who endure it are no longer strictly ‘human.’ Their physical structure changes, and immense divinity flows through their veins.
Afterward, they undergo neither trainee nor probationary processes. All they need is their own training and real combat experience.
Only fear, only rumors, and only achievements prove these Inquisition Officers,
And the place where they reside is the Inquisition Keep, Dragonsting Fortress, St. Bartholomew Monastery. Among many other unofficial names, this is the Inquisition Office.
Fernandez knelt in the deepest part of the Diemonica baptism sanctuary, his eyes closed under Zephis’s observation.
Zephis’s firm hand rested on Fernandez’s shoulder.
“We will burn the heretics. We will burn the demons. We will burn the witches. Child, what is your name?”
“Fernandez Sernerd.”
“Blessed Fernandez. Child bearing the Lord’s Stigma. My name is Zephis, and from now on, consider me both your master and your brother.”
Zephis anointed Fernandez’s forehead with holy oil as he spoke.
“May the Temple of the Gods protect you.”
“May the Temple of the Gods protect you.”
Beside Zephis, Marco, holding a brass chalice with a solemn expression, echoed the words and handed the chalice to Fernandez.
“Finally, young brother. Most who receive this chalice either die or lose their minds, becoming wrecks. Are you not afraid?”
Fernandez took the chalice and smiled.
The blessing Vaitas had bestowed upon him by directly imprinting the Stigma.
[Unyielding] and [Apostle] supported his soul. There was no chance of failure. The priests here would think the same. A gamble with no chance of failure, only success.
Thus, the [Enhancement] granted by the Diemonica baptism. With this, his body and soul would be complete.
-Of course, the price for all this was magic. Fernandez. Do you not regret it? As a practitioner of Ensoiry?
‘It’s a shame, but I can’t use dark magic directly in this life.’
“Magno superlaudo (Praise with all sincerity).”
Without hesitation, Fernandez drank the holy water from the brass chalice in one gulp.
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