Vol 4 Chapter 96: “Ideals” (Vol 4: The Otherworldly Battlefield Arc)

Preparations for the infiltration of the Demon Lord’s Castle proceeded without a hitch.

This progress was likely due in no small part to the cleric’s charisma.

The cleric gathered the townspeople, passionately appealing to them about the plan and asking them to recognize Poliviti.

He emphasized the need for their help, stating:

“Please, join me in saving this town, this world!”

The cleric’s words resonated deeply with the people.
The crowd erupted into cheers, with some moved to tears by his impassioned plea.

Meanwhile, Sukui worked behind the scenes.

It was already well known that the Peine Family had allied with the church, and even certain mafia groups had extended offers of cooperation.

And then, this celebratory commotion began.

It became a prime opportunity to showcase the church’s growing influence.

Some organizations, hoping to later claim they had contributed to the plan’s success, joined in.

As a result, in just over ten days from the cleric’s speech to the day of the operation, more than half of Poliviti’s regions had established some form of connection with the church.

Of course, while the purification of certain areas and organizations wasn’t complete, alliances had already been formed, and it was only a matter of time.

In Poliviti, there were now very few groups capable of ignoring the intentions of the increasingly powerful church.

Things were going smoothly. However, Sukui didn’t give it much thought, as this outcome was something he had anticipated.

The cleric, on the other hand, was visibly thrilled. But the real challenge lay ahead—the infiltration of the Demon Lord’s Castle.

While total success wasn’t an absolute requirement, a major failure would surely provoke backlash from those roused by the earlier appeals.

For the sake of their credibility among the townsfolk and allied organizations, returning empty-handed wasn’t an option.

“However! If it’s us, there’s no need to worry!”

Next to Sukui, who was mulling over the complex web of organizations and interests, Horo spoke brightly.

The day of the Demon Lord Castle Infiltration Plan.

They set out the day after a major monster raid, as a precautionary measure.

With the entire town seeing them off, Sukui, the cleric, and Horo boarded the magic vehicle.

“No need to hold back anymore! I’ll give it my all!”

Sitting eagerly beside Sukui, Horo clanged the weapon hidden beneath her robe.

“Horo-san, your presence is reassuring, but this time is more dangerous than ever, and we don’t absolutely need the extra manpower. You can stay behind if you’d like.”

“No way.”

Horo turned her head away in defiance, and Sukui gave a small, troubled smile.

Beside him, the cleric observed the two with a gentle, amused expression.

“I’m not saying you can’t come, though.”

True to his policy of respecting others’ decisions, Sukui had no intention of stopping the skilled Horo from joining, as long as she was aware of the risks.

That said, he thought this wasn’t the kind of life-risking determination Horo had previously shown.

However, as long as staying by Sukui’s side aligned with her resolve, Sukui’s assessment might have been off the mark.

“At the very least, please wear this teleportation ring I brought for you.”

Sukui handed Horo a teleportation ring, one of the magical items he had purchased in the City of Onus.

It was a top-tier magical artifact that allowed for a one-time teleportation to a designated location, powered by magic.

“Alright!”

Horo held out her left hand as she spoke.

As Sukui prepared to hand it over, he noticed her palm facing upward.

She wanted him to put it on for her.

On her right ring finger, there was already a communication ring purchased during their infiltration of another organization.

Thinking it would be more convenient to keep the rings on the same finger, Sukui slipped the new ring onto her left ring finger.

Horo’s face lit up with a beaming smile, as if this had gone exactly as she’d imagined.

“A fine beginning, indeed.”

While stroking Horo’s head and waving to the crowd, Sukui noticed Pardaa standing by the magic vehicle to see them off.

Though the townsfolk’s send-off was limited to the city walls, and the Holy Knight Order was supposed to be the only group at the gates, Pardaa, being a well-connected individual, had made his way there.

He likely had plenty of ways to manage such a feat.

“When we first met, I never imagined Sukui-kun would accomplish something so grand.”

Expressing his gratitude, Pardaa even bowed to the cleric.

He went on to comment on how Sukui had actively contributed to the town’s recovery, stating that he had closely observed his efforts every step of the way.

“No, Pardaa-san has also been a great help to me.”

When Sukui assured Pardaa that he would return with good results, Pardaa’s expression softened. Then, his gaze grew firm.

“Is that so? That’s good to hear.”

If that can save you, then… Pardaa muttered softly.

“Are you perhaps his salvation?”

Pardaa directed his question to Horo, but she blinked in confusion, unable to grasp the meaning.

Satisfied with both Horo’s reaction and Sukui’s expression, Pardaa once again bowed his head.

“An old saying, but consider it a blessing from this elder.”

May your soul endure for eternity.

“And now, we’re off!”

With the long festival and parade at an end, the cleric leaned out of the magic vehicle and addressed the residents lined along the outer walls to see them off.

“Thanks to all of you, we are able to embark on this plan with peace of mind! I will prove that this plan—and this town—truly have meaning!”

So, please, pray for us.

Though a thief masquerading as a cleric, she declared this with a smile as radiant as that of a saint, earning a resounding cheer in response.

“Impressive.”

Once the magic vehicle had traveled far enough that their voices could no longer be heard, the cleric stopped waving and settled back into her seat. At that moment, Sukui muttered.

“I assisted as well, but it’s because I helped that I understand. Revitalizing that town… It should’ve been the kind of task that would take a lifetime of effort from someone exceptionally talented to even glimpse a glimmer of hope. Yet, in such a short time…”

And without the use of oppressive force.

While abilities had been used, it was persuasion, not power, that brought about change.

“Even if your holy magic doesn’t make you a cleric, your devotion to this town surpasses that of any real cleric. I’ve heard many say you saved them.”

During his time working in Poliviti, Sukui had come to realize just how many people had been helped by the cleric.

It wasn’t just a matter of physical safety but something deeper—something one could call the heart.

Driven by her idealism and relentless progress, she had inspired and given hope to many.

“No, I simply tried to be that way,” she replied.

After all, she was only a fake cleric. A hint of melancholy crossed her face, one she rarely showed in the town.

“I merely tried to act like a cleric—preaching ideals, spouting lofty words—because I wanted to save people. It was only through the sincerity of the townsfolk that I was able to achieve anything.”

“And that’s what makes you admirable,” Sukui responded cheerfully to her self-deprecating words.

The cleric looked at Sukui in surprise.

“Having that mindset is what’s important. If you believe the townsfolk’s desire to improve their city is the most crucial factor, then the heart that drove them—that desire of yours to save someone—can’t possibly be something to scorn.”

Salvation.

That was what the cleric had been striving to provide.

And Sukui valued that.

“In that case, you should take more pride in your accomplishments.”

“This is a matter of strategy,” Sukui added with a grin.

Horo muttered under her breath, “That’s so unromantic.”

“Perhaps so.”

She thanked him, and as they spoke, the Demon Lord’s Castle came into full view.

“It’s huge.”

Horo’s simple remark said it all. Although its shape was bizarre—making it difficult to discern distinct floors from the outside—its sheer size was obvious just from the massive doors that had once unleashed Gold Dragons and Hydras.

Yet, compared to the castle as a whole, even those enormous doors seemed small. Its magnitude was so great, one might wonder how it could support its own weight.

At least, Sukui had never seen a castle of this scale, even counting his previous world.

“It seems we have no choice but to enter through the front.”

There didn’t appear to be any windows. Their plan was to circle around the area first, but expecting a secret passage would be naive.

They weren’t even sure if the door would open. Besides sheer weight, there was always the possibility that only a hero could open it.

“Let’s stretch our legs a bit,” the cleric suggested, saying they should move around beforehand.

Sukui and Horo agreed, and they parked the magic vehicle some distance away from the Demon Lord’s Castle.

“Are you alright on magic power?” the cleric asked, concerned for Horo, who had been fueling the magic vehicle.

“Yes! I’m quite confident in my magic!” Horo replied proudly.

“Although, compared to someone who can use holy magic, I’m probably lacking,” she added.

“No, I don’t think I have that much magic power, even as a holy magic user.”

She wasn’t really suited for combat. As Sukui had surmised, even among holy magic users, abilities and aptitudes vary.

“I can maneuver precisely, but I can’t deny I lack training,” the cleric said casually.

They continued making small talk, possibly to ease the tension. Horo, who had once felt as though the cleric was taking Sukui away, discovered that the cleric was quite engaging when they actually spoke. Sukui considered this a positive development.

But then, all three of them tensed.

At a certain distance, the moment they neared the Demon Lord’s Castle, Sukui—who was battle-hardened—Horo—trained by him—and the cleric—wielding holy magic—each possessed a keen, almost sixth sense beyond normal humans.

A powerful alert froze them in place.

Its source appeared before anyone could even shift into battle stance.

The castle doors opened.

“No way,” the cleric murmured.

Even with the recent shift in the monster attack cycle, there had just been an attack yesterday.

Then again, their carefully calculated timelines were increasingly unreliable. It was entirely possible that simply approaching the castle triggered this.

At any rate, the number and brutality of the monsters pouring from the crack in the door were on a whole different scale. Worse still, they would have to face them all at once.

Unlike the attacks on the town, which arrived at varying speeds and could be dealt with in sequence, this was altogether different.

It was an overwhelmingly massive surge of violence.

That the three of them were at a loss for words wasn’t just because these monsters had appeared before so few defenders.

“It’s the town,” one of them said.

Their minds raced, and in a flash, reached the same conclusion.

The real problem wasn’t these three facing the enemy.

Even if their foes were extraordinary, there were three A-class spellcasters here. Survival alone seemed possible.

But wiping them all out? Almost certainly impossible.

The monsters that escaped would naturally head for the town. These were far greater in number than those Sukui, Horo, and the cleric had barely held back during previous raids.

And right now, none of them were in town. Worse, most of the townspeople were gathered along the walls.

To see the three of them off.

Sukui was the first to make a decision. It wasn’t really a strategy so much as a hasty plan.

He thought he could unleash his death magic at full power to wipe them out in one sweep.

They’d keep some distance; any monstrous survivors would have their hearts taken by the cleric, while Horo would prioritize flying enemies.

That was their best chance. Even then, it likely wouldn’t be enough.

Sukui’s death magic needed to build up a certain density to be truly devastating. During that buildup, plenty of monsters would slip past.

The cleric’s method of extracting hearts required physically snatching them, which wasn’t particularly fast.

Horo’s area-of-effect spells were strong, but these monsters could still stagger toward the town despite taking damage. Even if Horo might be the most capable of handling large groups quickly, she couldn’t possibly deal with them all alone.

Still, Sukui began emanating miasma from his entire body. Horo, who had anticipated his approach, moved to create distance.

“I’m sorry.”

The cleric’s words came slightly later than the other two.

She wasn’t slower-witted; she had simply needed a moment to steel herself.

“I dragged you into my ideal.”

Smiling without a trace of malice, she reached out both hands. Sukui and Horo knew this wasn’t a gesture asking them to fight alongside her.

“Please, protect the town.”

“No!”

Sukui’s protest never reached her.

Darkness overtook both their fields of vision.