The Former Holy Knight. Having Lost My Job and Childhood Friend, I Decided to Start a Dark Guild - Chapter 69

Relying on the information received from Lilith, we visited the district known as the District of Poverty. This area is inhabited by members of the Papal State, but despite its name suggesting austerity, it’s filled with lavish mansions that symbolize the power of the church that governs religion.

Among these buildings, one stands out significantly—a mansion managed by Torquemada, according to Lilith’s information.

For reconnaissance this time, Kano and I visited while concealing our presence, quickly realizing the peculiarity of this mansion.

At the outer gate, presumably, guards were two men in monk’s robes, but above their heads floated a white mist. In other words, heretics were guarding the mansion of an inquisitor who arrested heretics.

Nobles and religious figures continuously enter and exit this mansion, but the sight of the city’s bigwigs nonchalantly walking past heretics is nothing short of bizarre.

Naturally, the nobles are guarded by Holy Knights, who seem unaware of the heretics’ presence. Kano explains the reason for this anomaly.

“It’s no use. For some reason, search skills don’t work, and we can’t detect the movement of people nearby or the presence of heretics.”

It seems that some power throughout the city is obstructing search-related skills. This means we’re unable to detect the presence of heretics.

With Kano’s skills, we should have been able to gather information from inside the mansion even from the outside, but that seems impossible now.

Eventually, Kano and I spent an entire day meticulously scouting around the mansion. The guards at the outer gate change shifts three times a day—morning, noon, and night—all of them heretics. Without knowing what abilities they possess, recklessly infiltrating the mansion would be extremely dangerous.

“Many people are entering and exiting this mansion, but we haven’t seen Torquemada-san himself.”

Although the documents Lilith passed on to us included an illustration of Torquemada, it seems difficult to catch a glimpse of the man with our own eyes.

“Well, let’s call it a day for today’s reconnaissance. We haven’t decided to accept the request yet, so we can gradually gather more information.”

It’s already dark outside. Ever since we arrived in this city, there’s been an uncomfortable feeling, but it becomes eerily unsettling at night as if the entire city is watching us.

Kano feels the same.

“I really don’t like this city. Let’s hurry back to the Loser’s District.”

As we were discussing purchasing food from the stalls in Triumph Square for our dinner tonight, given the lateness of the hour, Kano suddenly exclaimed.

“Don! The person inside that carriage!”

Following the direction Kano was pointing, the man from the illustration Lilith had given us came into view.

He appeared to be in his forties but looked younger, with an appearance that seemed popular with women. Indeed, this man was the Torquemada Inquisitor.

Next to Torquemada was a strikingly beautiful woman who was bound with capture ropes, her complexion pale, suggesting she had just been caught, as indicated by the mist floating above her head.

As the carriage was about to pass us by, an unpleasant image spread through my mind.

My skill, “King of Heretics,” allows me to gain the loyalty of heretics or use the skills of those who swear loyalty to me. In a sense, it resonates with the spirits of other heretics. Therefore, occasionally, the thoughts of heretics enter my mind.

The scene unfolding in my mind was of the woman captured by Torquemada, depicting events that had occurred at her home, where she lived with her husband.

I clearly saw the husband desperately trying to protect his wife from Torquemada and his men who were attempting to capture her.

Although the husband wielded a dagger, the combat skills of the inquisitors were extremely high, and he was quickly restrained by Torquemada’s subordinates.

Torquemada stood before the trembling woman and said, “Understand that the more obedient you are to me, the longer you will live.”

The next moment, Torquemada’s hand reached towards the woman, violently tearing off her clothes.

As the husband’s cries of anguish echoed, Torquemada began to molest the woman with practiced ease. The woman resisted for a while but gradually succumbed, eventually writhing in agony.

While removing his monk’s robe, Torquemada said, “Heretics are indeed base creatures. To feel pleasure in front of your loving husband is no different from a beast.”

What followed was an act of violation.

Even after the dreadful scene vanished from my mind, I was left speechless for a while. Kano, looking anxious, tugged at my arm, bringing me back to reality.

By the time I regained my senses, the carriage carrying Torquemada and the female heretic had already entered the mansion’s grounds and disappeared from view.

Kano wiped my forehead with a handkerchief. “Don, you’re sweating profusely. Are you alright?”

Of course, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Kano what I had just witnessed. Instead, I said, “Kano, tell the merchant that we accept his request.”

“Don, does that mean…”

“Yes, this will be the Michino Family’s first assassination job. Torquemada Slobryn, that beast, will be eradicated from this royal city.”