Vol 2 Chapter 53 – State-Class Criminal Hellrick【Vol 2: The Hero of the Fairy Tribe】

According to the information from the Lord of Aegis, Dihel, the base the Obsidian Cult is using seems to be an orphanage in the Demihuman Special Zone.

State-class criminal Hellrick Gias is living together with children who have no relatives. Word is he’s supporting the impoverished people of the Demihuman Special Zone alongside them.

Sushana, the daughter of Dihel, the Lord of Aegis, is also eagerly assisting them.

For the time being, Allen and Labilia had come to that Demihuman Special Zone. Ruined buildings stood in rows, and vagrants sitting on the bare ground caught their eyes.

There were many rough-looking individuals, too. “Demihuman Special Zone” was just a name; you could practically call it a slum.

The two of them stayed hidden in an alleyway lined with those ruined buildings and observed the plaza located in the Demihuman Special Zone.

“…By any chance… is that him?”

At Allen’s whispered question, Labilia, who was leaning her back against the wall with her arms crossed, nodded.

“Yeah. The state-class criminal, the High Priest of Demon Worship. That’s Hellrick.”

In the plaza at the end of their gaze, a gentle-looking middle-aged priest had placed large cylindrical pots on several long tables and was running a soup kitchen. Beside him, a beautiful Fairy-Elf girl and several children were helping out, scattering smiles to the people of the Special Zone who had formed a line.

That Fairy-Elf girl must be the lord’s daughter. She was wearing a completely spotless white dress, making her stand out terribly in the Special Zone.

Incidentally, what was being served was vegetable soup and rye bread.

Even now, the priest was serving soup and bread into bowls placed on wooden boards.

Seeing how Labilia was carefully casting her gaze around the area, Allen found it strange and asked.

“…Is something wrong?”

“…No. I was just thinking that there’s no sign of the other state-class criminals.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? We can focus solely on Hellrick first.”

“…We paid a highly publicized visit to this city. We went out of our way to ride in on Shiranui and Geofried.”

“…That’s true.”

The residents had laid eyes on the figure of a World Knight dropping her barrier and appearing from the sky riding on two Spirit Beasts.

Naturally, Hellrick should also know that Labilia is in the city.

“From Eufaria’s perspective, she’d want to settle things with me as soon as possible. She also knows that Hellrick is no match for me alone. That’s why the state-class criminals should probably be gathering in this city one after another.”

“…I see. So you intended to use yourself as bait to draw out the Obsidian Cult’s main forces. You want to catch them all in one fell swoop, Lady Labilia.”

Eufaria had broken six state-class criminals out of Gehenna.

From Labilia’s point of view, having those six scatter and run rampant in various places would be the most troublesome outcome.

Using herself as bait was a strategy only a World Knight could pull off, one impossible without absolute confidence in her own strength.

“I’m also counting on your strength, seeing as you defeated Helmis.”

“Yes, of course. However, we need to separate the lord’s daughter before the final battle.”

“…And the other problem is those children.”

Labilia said that with a hint of irritation.

The orphans who adored the priest. Every one of them wore a locket pendant around their neck.

“…Sir Noir. I captured Hellrick once before. That’s how I know, but his mana core is a Brave Core. It’s based on an Enchantment Core, and its name is Bomber Core. It’s an ability that allows him to detonate anything he has imbued with his mana.”

Just then, the gentle-looking priest’s gaze turned toward the alleyway where Allen and Labilia were continuing to peek from.

“…He went around everywhere spreading the word that demons were a superior species to humans and were the rightful beings to rule over them. The people of the Principality of Insteria, which suffered terribly from the Demon Lord’s Army, believed his teachings in order to survive. They stopped resisting the Demon Lord’s Army and accepted their rule. To the believers of the Demon Lord Cult he gained that way, he distributed locket pendants shaped exactly like those.”

“…Don’t tell me.”

“Yeah. When I went to capture him, he turned his believers into bombs and sent them after me.”

For a split second, in the middle of that bustling plaza, during a brief moment unobstructed by the sea of people, Allen felt his eyes meet with the cheerfully smiling priest’s.

Discarding innocent people like trash and manipulating them like puppets. Despite being human, he possessed a personality like a devil’s.

That Hellrick silently mouthed some words.

(…Come at me anytime, was it?)

Did he think they wouldn’t make a move as long as he had hostages? What’s more troublesome was that Hellrick kept up a good outward appearance.

He probably ran these soup kitchens numerous times, not just this once. The vagrants were calling out to him in a friendly manner.

It seemed he was deeply adored.

“…U-Um, you haven’t received yours yet, right…?”

Suddenly, one of the orphans who had been helping Hellrick appeared right in front of them, entering the alleyway where Allen and the others were with a meal placed on a wooden board.

“S-Sensei… told me to hand this to you. So, please say your thanks to Sensei!”

Allen exchanged a glance with Labilia.

Uncrossing her arms, Labilia accepted it.

“…Thank you. Do you love that priest?”

“Huh? Well, of course I do! Sensei is kind, his stories are interesting, and he’s so warm… I think to myself, is that what a father is like…?”

As the boy rubbed the back of his head bashfully, Labilia, remaining expressionless, murmured a soft “I see.”

Pitter-patter. Then, together with Allen, she watched his back as he ran off, hurrying back to the priest.