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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Chapter 16: Exorcism
Ralph Violet.
He is the Margrave of the northern border protecting the Border Kingdom of Albion, adjacent to the Solar Theocracy.
In other words, unlike ordinary nobles, he is a military aristocrat authorized by the king.
This means he can legally form an army with the king's support and lead that army to war as a border commander.
And this world where Ray has reincarnated is a fantasy world.
Spirit power and magic exist, and superhuman knights who can fight a hundred men single-handedly actually exist.
Ralph Violet has more than fifty such superhuman knights as his vassals and is the king of the borderlands who can summon an army of ten thousand with a gesture.
Margrave Ralph was also famous by another title.
The North's First Sword. A superhuman on the verge of reaching Sword Master beyond the highest rank of Sword Expert.
"I told you to get away from my daughter right now!"
The aura of a top Sword Expert was truly overwhelming.
Just his shouting made the air tremble and made their knees weak, as if they were facing a tiger.
"Wait, please wait! Father! These people are from the Theo—!"
That's when Ray interrupted Lawrence who was about to reveal their identity.
Then.
"Al salama alaikum."
"Hmm?"
Margrave stopped at this language he had never heard before.
And Lawrence and Father Moro were equally surprised by this sudden foreign language.
"Marhaba. Saeid bulkayk. Awad an asbaha sdiq. Hello. Nice to meet you! We salam, come to do sorcery."
There's awkwardness in the pronunciation of the language.
Without practicing to the level of a native speaker, foreign language pronunciation can be awkward.
But Ray spoke the fluent foreign language as if it were his native tongue.
Then he deliberately used awkward common language to emphasize that he was a foreigner.
The person looks the same, but speaks a strange foreign language, so Margrave's brain froze.
But he could understand what was being communicated.
"Sorcery? Where are you from!"
"We salam. Come to fix the young lady. Very far. Come from the East."
"The East? From such a far place?"
"Young Master Lawrence. Say give much money."
"Is that true, Lawrence!"
When the Margrave turned his head sharply, Lawrence stammered but quickly realized what he needed to say.
"Ah, y-yes! Yes! That's right! They are mysterious mages from the far East with a widespread reputation! I invited them with great difficulty!"
"Is that so? You look like a continental person no matter how I look at you..."
The Margrave still had a suspicious expression. He was about to say something to Father Moro, but Ray skillfully intercepted.
"Lady, we can fix. We need much money. Give money please. Money."
"...As long as you can cure my daughter, I'll give you as much gold as you need!"
Ray replied with a grin.
"Arigato."
***
After the Margrave left satisfied, the three people quickly left the young lady's room.
They walked far enough so that their voices wouldn't be heard by the demon dwelling in the young lady before they started talking.
"A demon has possessed the Margrave's daughter. And the Margrave is not in his right mind either."
"Ah, a demon?!"
The two exclaimed at the news delivered by Father Moro.
"Both of you be careful with your words and actions. If the demon realizes that its identity has been discovered, it will cause trouble."
"Hup!"
"...I'll speak quietly."
With the two now being cautious, Ray broached the subject first.
"We need to remove that crazy Margrave first."
"Brother Ray, the young master is here."
"I'm... fine. It's true that the head of the family has been acting strange lately."
The smell of death emanating from the Margrave. Not only that, but the look in his eyes that diverged from the father Lawrence knew made him seem determined.
"What on earth has happened to my sister... and father."
"It's possession."
"Possession?"
As Lawrence tilted his head, Father Moro provided a supplementary explanation.
"To be precise, we should say he's entranced by a demon. For some reason, a demon's soul has settled in the young lady, and the Margrave is bewitched by that demon."
"It's a similar context for why he's rejecting the clergy of the Solar Theocracy and only calling in mages. He's excluding them to interfere with the exorcism."
"But father truly wants to cure my sister! He's been trying in every way to treat her for over half a year!"
A demon dwelling in his sister, and his father bewitched by a demon? It was hard to believe.
"It's because he's a Margrave that it's only to this extent. Normally, when bewitched by a demon, one becomes a servant moving according to the demon's will. If he were properly bewitched, he would have already brought in witch-like beings from outside into the castle."
"The Margrave is a person who has reached a high level through his own martial prowess. Since it's not direct possession but only bewitchment, it could only stimulate his subconscious."
"Don't tell me... rejecting the priests of the Theocracy!"
Father Moro nodded.
"To bewitch a person and control their subconscious, it must have created plausible reasons. For example... a marriage proposal."
"Marriage proposal... The head of the family mentioned my sister's marriage proposal and said that the priests of the Theocracy should never be allowed in."
For a noble lady, a marriage proposal is a very important matter.
Unless in exceptional circumstances, a title is not passed to a daughter, and at most, a son-in-law is brought in.
So, she needs to marry well, but who would accept a noble lady said to be possessed by a demon?
"Wait, did you say the young lady has been in a coma for half a year?"
"That's right. It's almost the seventh month now."
"..."
Ray turned to Father Moro with a serious expression, hoping that the common sense he knew might be different in this world.
"Surprising... no, it's close to a miracle. The fact that a body possessed by a demon hasn't been completely taken over for more than half a year. Normally, the body should have been seized long ago."
So it isn't a common occurrence after all.
Ray said:
"The young lady... is holding the demon in her body."
There was no need to express how great a feat this was.
Even in the history of exorcism that Pastor Kim, Ray's past life, had encountered, such occurrences were extremely rare.
Those who became clergy might be canonized as saints.
Father Moro also marveled at this miracle but soon shook his head.
"But she won't be able to hold out much longer. The fact that the smell of death has started to appear on the Margrave means that the death of the soul has started to spread. Not just the Margrave, but the entire castle, no, the entire domain will be engulfed in disaster."
"Then what should we do?"
"We must exorcise the demon dwelling in the young lady's body."
Setting aside whether it was possible and whether there was enough time, there was another problem.
"The Margrave, who is bewitched by the demon, will try to interfere the moment we start the exorcism. Father Moro, can you withstand a top-rank Expert?"
"...Unless it's the captain of the Holy Knights, it's difficult for me. More importantly, I need to perform the exorcism ritual."
Nor could they enlist any of the Margrave's knights.
They would only follow the Margrave's orders.
In the worst case, they might have to face the fifty knights of the Margrave's territory.
"We need to move the Margrave elsewhere during the exorcism ritual. Is there any way?"
At Ray's question, everyone fell into contemplation.
The Margrave, a top Sword Expert, is a powerful figure who could sweep away everyone present in an instant.
If he were to barge in during the exorcism ritual, not only would the exorcism be impossible, but survival itself would be impossible.
"Ray, didn't you disguise yourself as a mage?"
"Yes, what about it?"
"Can't you buy time by saying you need to obtain items necessary for sorcery? If we complete the exorcism ritual in the meantime..."
"Ah..."
Aaron's method had merit.
"Come to think of it, there was a time when a barbarian mage asked for the blood and flesh of a monster. So Sir Max... the head of the family's vassal led soldiers out..."
"Young Master Lawrence! What is the strongest and hardest monster to catch in this northern region?!"
At Ray's question, Lawrence fell into thought and then began to list the names of monsters.
"The Frost Giant of the northern snow fields... or the Rock Bear of the Ice Valley. If we're talking about difficult to catch... There's the White-Horned Iron Deer. It's a monster so powerful that even experienced hunters in the domain wouldn't go near it."
"Then... would it require someone of at least the top Sword Expert level to even attempt catching it?"
"Ah...!"
Lawrence, struck by an inspiration from Ray's words, responded.
"For monsters of that caliber, it wouldn't be strange for my father to go out personally!"
"Good, then let me try to persuade him with the young master. The three of you, please prepare for the exorcism ritual."
Ray went with Lawrence to find Margrave Ralph.
"You need such ingredients?"
"That's right!"
"Those barbarian mages who came not long ago also asked for strange ingredients."
The Margrave had a suspicious look.
"We salam eastern mystery. Different dimension from mages here."
The East.
That explained a great deal.
The East where the sun rises. Countries of heathens with completely different languages and cultures.
The Oriental mysticism, which makes people accept all sorts of strange things with "well, if it's from the East," allows things to be accepted as "well, it could be like that."
Just as Westerners believed that Orientals could shoot energy blasts, secret ninja masters existed, and there were mysterious fountains that granted immortality just by drinking from them.
Amusingly, people in the East had the same thoughts about the world on the opposite side of the Earth.
This mysticism about such distant cultures has given rise to many fraudsters.
Just like Ray Anderson here.
"I'll summon the knights. If I go out with trained hunters..."
"Then too late! Fresh monster feather, heart, tail. Must get quickly quickly."
"Hmm..."
In other words, he, the Margrave, had to go out personally.
He thought he should do anything to cure his daughter, but being bewitched by the demon, he unconsciously thought he shouldn't leave this place.
And since it was only a subconscious manipulation, Ray further emphasized the Margrave's 'justification.'
"If not do ritual fast, young lady can't get better. Can't marry. Evil energy. Damage organs."
"Hmm...!"
He didn't understand the latter part at all, but the situation was urgent.
"Very well! I will personally obtain the ingredients!"
The Margrave's love for his daughter was displayed without reservation.
***
The Margrave left with hunters from his domain.
Then Father Moro quickly prepared for the exorcism ritual.
"The ritual will be performed as soon as the sun rises in the morning. We need to face the evil spirit with blessings."
"The sun will rise while we're preparing. Is there anything else we need to prepare?"
"Please prepare salt and a pig. The pig must be a piglet."
"Why is that?"
Lawrence's question was accompanied by the curiosity of the others.
The two who didn't know about exorcism rituals were determined to learn from Father Moro's exorcism.
"The piglet provides a body for the demon to enter. If we succeed in separating the demon's soul from the young lady, it won't be able to escape the barrier formed by holy water and salt, so the only body it can enter will be the pig."
The reason it's a piglet is to prepare a weak body that can't exert much strength.
"Can you really kill a demon with just that?"
At Lawrence's question, Father Moro shook his head.
"Demons cannot be killed. We can only make it dwell in the pig and isolate it."
"How can this be..."
Lawrence lamented. At that moment, Aaron raised his hand.
"Father, if... if by chance the young lady dies, would the same effect be achieved?"
"Young Master Graham! What nonsense is that!!"
Lawrence shouted angrily. But Aaron spoke with a cold gaze.
"If the demon succeeds in possessing the young lady's body... an enormous calamity will befall the human world. We must consider the worst case."
"Well, Aaron's not wrong."
"That's...!"
Even Jenny, who didn't get along with Aaron, agreed.
Aaron's opinion wasn't wrong. After all, the reason for preparing the piglet is to seal the body possessed by the demon.
"Humans and pigs are different. We don't weigh human lives on a scale."
It was Ray who spoke.
Pastor Kim, who was more versed in exorcism rituals than anyone here and had witnessed many calamities in his past life.
But now he declared with uncompromising firmness:
"We seal the demon. And we save the young lady. That's all we need to think about."
"...I thought you were strange in the head, but I didn't know you were a softie."
Aaron shook his head, as if he couldn't understand Ray.
And so, with some anxiety remaining, the exorcism ritual began.
***
"Ugh...!"
"Wut! What's that smell!"
The prospective members who entered the young lady's room frowned. Among them, Aaron seemed unable to endure and rushed outside to vomit.
"Uweeeek!"
"I guess he's a delicately raised young master. Weak stomach."
"Shut... up!"
Though Aaron reacted irritably, he soon quietly accepted Ray's hand patting his back.
"Apply more mint powder to your nose. The smell of death isn't something you can overcome by just enduring."
"You..."
Aaron had a complex expression at Ray's proficient manner, as if he had experience.
In the end, unable to bear the smell, Aaron rubbed the mint powder Ray handed him all over his philtrum.
"The three of you, sprinkle holy water and salt around the young lady to form a barrier without gaps. Sister Jenny, securely tie the piglet within the barrier."
Father Moro set up the holy water and holy relics he had brought for heresy inquisition.
Since these items need to be provided quickly when needed, exorcism rituals require at least two people.
"Be sufficiently tense but don't be afraid. This exorcism ritual is very advantageous for us."
The reason was simple.
Capricorn, the name Ray discovered while communing with the witch's soul.
There's a high probability that it's the name of the demon dwelling in the young lady's body.
For a verbal command to exert power, one must know the true name of the opponent.
It seems simple yet is a very demanding condition, as demons do not reveal their true names.
The reason many of the ninety-nine demons' names are known is only because of thousands of years of battles with demons and surviving records.
Of course, inferring the exact name from among the ninety-nine demons is a fundamental part of the exorcism ritual, but this time such a process isn't necessary.
"I will begin."
Jenny, being a woman like the young lady, tied Ophelia's arms and legs to the bed.
Ophelia, the young lady, is a Sword Expert knight.
Special handcuffs used to seal guilty knights were so heavy that ordinary people couldn't move them no matter how hard they tried.
"Lord Sol Invictus, merciful one who honors our ancestors and allows souls to rest peacefully. Give us strength to overcome difficulties, guide our path, and protect us from the enemy's iron chariots.
As he began to recite the prayer, Father Moro's powerful spiritual energy began to flow as verbal power.
"Mmm..."
Ophelia, the young lady, showed a reaction.
"Papa? Lawrence?"
Her body swayed sensually, and she continued to call for other people.
"Jacks? Marie? Are you there?"
"May. Hannah. I'm uncomfortable. Please untie this."
"Sir Betel? Sir Jen? Someone has come in. Please protect me quickly."
There was something eerie about Ophelia's voice as she called for others.
A voice calling for someone should have emotion in it, but the young lady's voice didn't have a trace of emotion.
"By the name of Lord Sol Invictus, I command you, demon, come out of that body!"
Father Moro commanded, holding out the Eclipse necklace, the symbol of the inquisition.
The spiritual power flowing from Father Moro's verbal command stimulated and shook the young lady.
The three people's faces brightened as her sensually swaying appearance seemed to be struggling, but Ray knew better.
'It's not moving an inch!'
Unlike the witch's soul that wavered like a lantern in the wind at Father Moro's verbal command, the black soul inside Ophelia didn't move at all.
As his verbal command didn't work, Father Moro immediately pulled out his trump card.
"Capricorn!"
"Kiek?"
The young lady turned her head with a jerk.
She seemed to be trying to capture Father Moro beyond her still closed eyes.
As the demon reacted, Father Moro held out the Eclipse necklace even more and shouted:
"Capricorn! Evil spirit! By the name of Lord Sol Invictus, I command you, come out of the body of this poor lamb!"
"..."
For a while, the demon inside the young lady showed no reaction.
But shortly after, the young lady's neck bent grotesquely.
【How did you know?】
It was a chilling voice.
A voice like something pouring out from the abyss along with flies was not human.
"Capricorn! Come out of that body!"
【But... you only know my name. Only know the name. Only the name...】
One of the young lady's eyes opened.
The bleached golden eye had a square pupil like a goat's.
Ophelia Violet, the young lady, has purple hair and eyes like the Margrave and Lawrence.
So that eye is the demon's eye.
The eye is the window to the soul, and the fact that the mind has been eroded means that most of the young lady has been taken over.
"Capricorn! Come out of that body at once!"
【No!】
At the demon's howl, the bed shuddered and a gust of wind arose.
Even Father Moro, who was reciting the prayer, almost staggered, showing his experience by firmly holding onto the holy necklace.
【You, you only know my name. Do you know who I am?】
"You are a demon! Evil one!"
【You know nothing!!】
At that moment, the Eclipse that Father Moro was holding caught fire.
The holy necklace made of brass melted instantly and fell onto Father Moro's fingers, and in that agonizing moment of burn, the demon's voice struck Father Moro along with a gust of wind.
"F-Father..."
Aaron hurriedly checked on Father Moro, who had flown several meters and crashed into the wall.
The blood flowing from his eyes, nose, and mouth clearly showed Father Moro's condition.
【Do you know who I am?】
"W-who are you..."
When Aaron asked in a fear-filled voice, the demon answered with a vile smile.
【I am one of the twelve fallen stars. I was the brightest star in the sky, and the darkness that flickers in the deep sea.】
"T-twelve fallen stars?"
The twelve fallen stars.
That refers to certain notorious evil beings, even in the Solar Theocracy.
In Earth's language, it could be expressed like this:
'An archdemon?!'
The pinnacle of the ninety-nine demons.
It was Capricorn, the goat demon.
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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