Chapter 1488

<Chapter 1488> 1488. Paladin: A Journey of Evil Annihilation

Finally, the reforge of Valintier’s Holy Sword has been completed.

I was delighted to receive the Holy Sword from Amelia. With Valintier’s Holy Sword in hand, I could now more easily execute demons and fallen ones. There was no reason not to rejoice.

“Valintier’s Holy Sword has a special property: Piercing.”

It deals fixed damage that ignores enemy defense. The higher the demon’s defense, the more effective this counter-Holy Sword becomes.

‘The best part is, this sword doesn’t break easily unless under extreme circumstances.’

Given how roughly I handle my swords, it was quite common for them to shatter mid-battle. Just knowing this wouldn’t happen as much filled me with satisfaction.

“S-spare me, O Paladin! I-I am no demon! Nor am I a fallen one!”

A civilian knelt before me, frantically begging. Around me stood the holy knights and heresy hunters with solemn expressions, while the citizens of Valintier watched silently, their breaths held.

“You are neither demon nor fallen.”

“T-then…!”

“However, the sins flowing through your body surpass those of mere humans. I can see it. You are a traitor to humanity. Your sins bear witness to this.”

“No! No! I have not betrayed humanity!”

The man shook his head in denial. Yet another lie. Through my eyes, I clearly see the man’s sins—unforgivable transgressions far worse than thievery or murder.

As I glared at his sins, I spoke.

“Two years ago.”

“What?”

“It was a rainy night. You ran through the alleys, your pants soaked with muddy water.”

“Th-that…!”

The man’s eyes wavered.

How could he forget that rainy night two years ago?

“You met an upside-down hanging demon on a rooftop. You begged it. ‘Kill my father.’ The demon granted your wish and became your master. Was your father’s wealth so desirable to you?”

“H-how do you know…?”

“I’ve already said it. I can see your sins.”

To see someone’s sins means to know their truth.

I raised my sword.

The blade of Valintier’s Holy Sword gleamed with golden light. Everyone around stared entranced at the holy weapon.

“EEEEEEK!”

The man screamed in terror and tried to flee, but my foot moved faster. Mercilessly, I crushed his leg. Crack. Bone and flesh shattered, blood spilled.

“AAAAAAAGH!”

“I shall judge your physical form.”

I brought down the greatsword. The blade pierced the man’s back. Though neither demon nor fallen, the man would soon die.

“Lady Hérianne will judge your soul.”

Rightfully so, I beheaded him.

Experience points came in.

Less than half of what I’d get from killing a fallen one, but as the saying goes, many a mite makes a muckle. This accumulated experience would surely prove useful.

I looked around and addressed the citizens of Valintier.

“Do not abandon your faith.”

Valintier had become peaceful.

There were no traces of demons or fallen ones. Neither were there any heretics who consorted with demons. After slaughtering over thirty people daily, the citizens began to restrain themselves.

Still, it was possible that some heretics hid from my gaze. Thus, I patrolled Valintier several times a day.

Whenever the citizens saw me, they knelt and prayed to Lady Hérianne.

“O Lady Hérianne, we thank thee for today’s daily bread. Our very existence is due solely to thy grace…”

“Thank you! Thank you! We are merely grateful! O Lady Hérianne!”

“Because of Lady Hérianne, we continue to live each day!”

The citizens prayed fervently.

I nodded in satisfaction. Valintier was a city growing ever more devout with each passing day.

Clang Clang.

As I walked down the main road in my armor,

I noticed an old beggar leaning listlessly against a wall. Approaching him, I asked.

“Old man. Why do you not pray?”

“W-wait, wait. Is this really the paladin who defeated the Finger Demon Suton?”


Hey? Paladin. I do not believe in the Goddess Herianne.”

“Why?”

“Because the Goddess Herianne has done nothing for me! She didn’t give me even a single fairy tale or a tiny piece of bread! So why should I believe in Herianne?!”

“The very reason you exist is because of the grace bestowed by the Goddess.”

“Hohoho… The reason I exist is simply because I haven’t died yet! The Goddess has done absolutely nothing!”

The old man shouted.

I belatedly realized why the old man could be so defiant.

The old man had no will to live. His body was already beyond saving, ravaged by illness. He would die within a few days—perhaps even tomorrow. The fear of death had gifted him a touch of madness.

“…Is that so?”

“If I die today, I won’t pray anyway.”

Am I backing down here?

There are many eyes watching us now. What will the citizens think of me if I retreat here?

“You are a heretic.”

“…What?”

“Shut up, heretic.”

I smashed the old man’s head with my fist. His already fragile teeth scattered everywhere.

I controlled my strength. Otherwise, his head would’ve exploded like a watermelon. I beat him enough to lift him up without killing him.

‘This old man is going to die. He won’t make it through today.’

I looked around while holding the old man’s neck. The citizens were watching me. Their eyes were filled with fear.

‘Impious.’

It wasn’t the gaze one gives to a paladin, the guardian of humanity. Their annoying stares made me wonder if they might become heretics.

But then an idea struck me.

Capture them all, lock them in one place, and corrupt them. Then I kill the corrupted ones and gain experience points.

In short, an experience factory. I could grow stronger faster and more efficiently.

‘…No. I’m a paladin. I can’t do such a thing.’

I sighed inwardly. I seemed to have become too devout since coming to this world.

“Listen up, everyone. Starting tonight, we’ll hold a prayer meeting. All citizens of the city must gather at the square. Those who don’t show up… are heretics.”

After speaking to the citizens, I went to the square.

At the center of the square, I erected a cross and hung the old man on it. Around him, firewood soaked in oil was piled high. The old man trembled. With a desperate look, he stared at me. His mouth moved, but his shattered jaw prevented any coherent words.

The citizens of Valentia began to gather in the square.

“I shall begin the prayer to Goddess Herianne. Everyone, kneel.”

All the citizens knelt on the ground.

Crackle.

I ignited a small spark, setting the firewood ablaze. The small flame quickly grew, consuming the oil-soaked wood. The old man burned alive. The citizens swallowed hard as they heard his screams.

“Follow me in prayer. Almighty Goddess Herianne, the reason we exist is entirely due to Your grace.”

The citizens repeated my words in unison.

“Almighty Goddess Herianne, the reason we exist is entirely due to Your grace.”

“Goddess Herianne, we shall dedicate everything to serve You.”

“Goddess Herianne, we shall dedicate everything to serve You.”

“We will slay demons and burn the fallen to prove our faith to You.”

“We will slay demons and burn the fallen to prove our faith to You.”

“May You protect us from evil and guide us with a ray of light.”

“May You protect us from evil and guide us with a ray of light.”

The prayer continued.

Even as the old man turned to ashes and was scattered by the wind, the prayers did not stop.

Then I abruptly stopped and pointed at a man among the people. The Inquisitors immediately grabbed him and dragged him before me.

“Why didn’t you pray?”

“I, I prayed! P, Paladin, there must be some misunderstanding…”

“I didn’t hear your voice just now. Are you ignoring my ears right now?”

“M, my throat hurt earlier, so I couldn’t produce a sound… I prayed silently in my heart!”

“Now your voice works just fine, doesn’t it? Heretic. You have insulted both me and Lady Goddess Herianne.”

“It’s absolutely not… KYYYYAAAAAAAH!”

I tore the man apart alive and resumed the prayer meeting.

As we continued praying, another problem arose.

Above the city.

A demon cloaked in the dark night sky revealed itself.

I immediately threw my sword at the demon flying in the sky. The demon tried to dodge, but my sword pierced its wing, causing it to plummet from the sky.

“Watch us…”


The disgusting demon I was investigating plummeted down. Knights of purity, bring forth the demon!”

“Yes, Paladin!”

The knights brought the demon. I hung the demon on an iron cross, and the priests sealed its power.

“Citizens of Valentinor, behold! This is a demon, an enemy of the Goddess Herianne and our sworn foe. Your parents, siblings, and children have been devoured by demons. The very existence of demons is a blasphemy to this world.”

The citizens of Valentinor glared at the demon hanging on the cross as if they wanted to kill it. Fear and anger were directed at the demon.

I didn’t even need to incite them. Hatred for demons is already deeply rooted.

“Kk, kk. You foolish humans. The masters of this world are not us but you. You are merely livestock…”

“Shut up, demon!”

“Guh!”

I threw a punch at the demon’s face, shattering its teeth.

“Repent! Repent! Demon, repent!”

I swung my fists.

Punch! Smash! Punch! Punch! Punch!

“Repent! Repent!”

Punchpunchpunch!

“Repent!”

Punch!

For an hour, I swung my fists without rest.

With its right eye burst and covered in blood, the demon trembled and said,

“I… I have repented…”

“Demon. Who is the master of this world?”

“Lady Herianne!”

“You filthy demon brat! How dare you utter the holy name of our Goddess with your wicked mouth! Repent!”

Smash!

“Keeaaargh…”

“I’ll ask again. Demon. Who is the master of this world?”

“L-Lady…”

“Who is Lady?”

“Lady Herianne!”

“Do not speak the name of our Goddess with that dirty mouth! Repent!”

“Who is the master of this world?”

“…The Paladin…”

“Wrong. I am but a servant of Lady Herianne. Repent!”

“Kyaah! What do you want me to do?!”

“Arrogant fool! Repent!”

“You crazy paladin bastard!”

“Re-watermelon-ate! …No, repent!”

“AAAAAAH! Great Demon Lord, please save me!”

“The Great Demon Lord Suthon died by my hand. Other Great Demons will die by my hand too. Truly repent!”

Punchpunchpunchpunchpunch!

The time of repentance continued.

As my fist throbbed, I asked the pulp-like demon,

“You, worse than a cockroach demon. Have you repented?”

“…Yes, I have repented.”

“Recite Verse 12 of Chapter 118 of the Herianne Scriptures.”

“…What?”

“If you truly repented, you should naturally know the verses of the scriptures. Recite it quickly.”

“B-But I’ve never read the scriptures. How could I possibly know?”

“You don’t know… That’s because you haven’t truly repented. Repent!”

Punchpunchpunch!

“Aaaaaargh! You crazy bastard…”

I asked the demon about the scripture verses many times. But the wicked demon, despite claiming to repent, couldn’t recite any of them.

“Hey, I remember! Verse 12 of Chapter 118! ‘I shall send my light to watch over you’!”

“…”

That sounded plausible.

I signaled to the priest, asking if the verse was correct. The priest flipped through his copied book of scriptures he always carries.

“That’s not the verse! The demon is lying!”

“How dare you lie?”

“Crazy bastards! Don’t you know the scriptures either! How would I know what you don’t!”

“How many times do I have to say it? If you truly repented, you’d naturally know the contents of the scriptures. Repent!”

After beating the demon for quite some time, I pointed to a child among the citizens.

The heretic examiner dragged the child to me. The child trembled. His father was torn apart by me yesterday.

“Child of heresy. Lift your head.”

“P-Paladin大人. I am no heretic…!”

“I know. However, your father was a heretic. The one who led your father to heresy is that demon. Your father’s death was all because of that demon.”

I handed the child the rod of repentance. The child received it with trembling little hands.

“Make the demon repent. Prove your faith.”

“Ugh… Ughhh… Aaaaah! Repent! Demon, repent!”

The child swung the rod of repentance at the demon with all its might.

“Repent! Repent!”

Punch! Punchpunchpunch!

The child swung the rod until its arms nearly fell off. I nodded, moved by the child’s faith, and echoed the child’s words.

“Repent! Repent!”

Then the citizens shouted.

“Repent! Repent!”

“Repent! Repent!”

“Repent! Repent!”

The demon, hanging on the cross, looked around with a face full of fear.

“Crazy… Crazy people…!”

“Repent! Repent!”

I looked around at the citizens, feeling satisfied. As a paladin, I’ve guided the citizens of Valentinor. Isn’t this joyous?

‘Slowly getting sleepy, time to go to bed.’