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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Chapter 17: Capricorn (1)
The number of demons recorded in the scripture is ninety-nine.
Among them, twelve demons receive special treatment.
The Fallen Stars.
Originally, they represented twelve stars shining in the night sky.
They were once powerful beings like mighty stars, even worshipped as gods, until they fell by the intense light of the sun god.
If one were to classify their position among demons, they would be considered lords or archdemons.
【Hehehi! Hehehikik! Kikikik! Kek! Keek!】
Capricorn's cold blue pupils turned toward the members.
When it let out an inhuman screech, the entire mansion trembled.
"We'll die. Everyone... everyone will die..."
Aaron and Jenny froze in place, trembling.
A demon. An archdemon, no less.
Even the heretics, warlocks, and witches confronted by the Solar Theocracy's clergy are mere agents borrowing demonic power.
If even those who borrow demonic power are dangerous, how much more dangerous is the demon itself?
The disasters caused by demons manifesting themselves are engraved in the Solar Theocracy's history.
Aaron knew how powerful demonic forces were from studying that history.
That countless holy knights and priests died each time a demon manifested.
Even his father, a cardinal, and his mother, a holy knight, shuddered when recalling the times when demons manifested.
"If a demon were to manifest... I would hope you are nowhere near it."
Even his mother, a great holy knight of the Solar Theocracy, simply wished her child would never face a demon.
Such was the fearsome and powerful nature of these beings.
"Ah, uh... aah..."
Jenny couldn't speak and started breathing rapidly.
As her body stiffened with every cell seeming to send warnings, red memories flashed through her mind.
"P-please save me! Please, please spare my life at least!"
At that moment, the demon's gaze turned to Jenny.
Its black, eerie eyes gleamed maliciously as a cruel smile spread across its face.
【Jenny. You survived 'alone.' Why?】
Jenny felt her entire body freeze. Fear and confusion enveloped her, pressing down until she could barely breathe.
"H-how, how did you..."
Only one knew about that fact.
The demon's lips twisted into a vile smirk.
【I know. Of course I know. Your sibling was eaten alive while you... you alone tried to survive! Just you alone!】
"S-stop..."
"Silence, demon!"
Aaron stepped forward, cutting off Capricorn's words.
But despite his bold stance, Aaron's voice trembled, and his heart raced wildly.
【Aaron. Aaron Graham. Have you forgotten your mother's advice? Yet you still act recklessly. For your insignificant honor and glory.】
How?
Aaron couldn't hide his bewilderment when the demon penetrated his memories.
It felt like being stripped naked and exposed. He shuddered at the gaze that seemed to lick every hidden part of his being.
Aaron gripped his sword tightly, but his hands were still trembling.
"Ca-Capricorn..."
【Yes! I am Capricorn. A Fallen Star! What can you do knowing my name? You can do nothing!】
The room temperature dropped drastically.
Windows rattled and strange sounds came from the walls.
Jenny turned deathly pale, and Aaron, gripped by fear, dropped his sword with trembling hands.
The chilling energy grew stronger, feeding off their fear and terror.
Swish!
"...!!"
The curtains moved by an unknown force, covering the windows.
The candle flames flickered out in the gusting wind, and in the deepening darkness, insects raised their heads.
【Light will not protect you.】
A low voice resonating in the darkness.
A voice like sharp nails scraping against flesh walls stimulated deep anxiety and fear.
The demon Capricorn saw through them.
It perceived what they feared most, what they wanted to hide, their most vulnerable parts.
【Why did you survive alone? Didn't you love them?】
【You never really wanted to be a priest. You wanted to become a noble and take over your family, didn't you?】
A cunning and cruel voice digging up fears.
Revealing a malice impossible to confront, consuming those gripped by terror.
When that consumption finally reached deep inside, the demon whispered.
【Submit. Then I will give you power for revenge. That is the only duty left to you.】
【Take my hand. The glory and wealth you truly desire will be yours.】
Just as that evil voice was about to spread like poison...
CRASH!
The sharp sound of breaking glass.
The curtains fluttered in the incoming wind.
Sunlight poured in, driving away the darkness.
"And I just aired the room out."
At that moment, the air in the room changed.
A voice devoid of any fear or terror distracted Capricorn.
Ray. It was Ray Anderson.
【You...】
Ray, without meeting Capricorn's gaze, quietly covered the eyes of the two people with his hands.
With their pupils covered, the visual connection with the demon was broken.
Only then did the two people who had been breathing heavily start to stabilize.
"R-Ray?"
"Take a deep breath and stay calm. Don't meet its eyes."
"What are you..."
"Eyes are the windows to the soul. The demon burrows into your mind by making eye contact."
Relax.
‘I'll teach you how to resist.’
"Look at it sideways. Just don't make direct eye contact. Simple, right?"
Then he released his hands.
Following Ray's advice, the two avoided Capricorn's gaze and returned to a much more stable posture than before.
'Now, what should I do?'
This was trouble.
An archdemon so powerful it didn't care that its name had been revealed.
Sometimes when performing exorcisms, one encounters high-level evil spirits or demons.
Pastor Kim was a veteran exorcist, and this wasn't his first encounter with a demon.
'A demon can't exert its power unless it manifests in reality. The same applies in this world.'
Why would demons bother possessing human bodies?
It's because demons are spiritual entities without physical bodies of their own.
If incorporeal spirits could freely interfere with the world, the world would be a hellscape with all manner of malevolent entities running wild.
'It's also fortunate that it hasn't been able to fully consume the Young Lady's body for half a year.'
Ophelia was said to be a knight who reached the ranks of Sword Expert.
Beings with powerful and healthy bodies tend to have strong souls as well.
That's probably why she could resist the demon's consumption.
"Don't be afraid. Its name has been revealed, and it's been struggling for over half a year to claim a body. It must be exhausted."
He reassured the assistant priests who needed to participate in the exorcism.
Most exorcism rituals fail because inexperienced priests panic and abandon the ritual out of fear.
He needed to instill confidence in them that they could win.
This theory applies to any battle.
【Nothing changes, Son of the Sun. What can you do? No matter how much you weak ones struggle, nothing changes.】
"You've got quite a tongue."
【...?】
"You claim to be an archdemon, but you wasted half a year trying to possess a woman's body. Cut off your balls."
“Oh. Maybe they're already gone?”
Capricorn's goat eyes opened lazily. The demon tried to make eye contact with Ray again, but Ray deliberately averted his gaze.
"Aaron, the barrier has weakened. Reinforce it with holy water and salt."
"Jenny, check on Father Moro and gather all useful items. He must have prepared things for this situation."
"Both of you. Never meet the demon's eyes."
The two followed Ray's cool and precise instructions, albeit in a daze.
At the same time, they felt something strange.
How could Ray Anderson remain so calm?
Ray showed no signs of breaking down while facing an archdemon whose very presence made it hard to breathe and filled one with fear.
'Whew... this is dangerous.'
Of course, that was their misconception.
Ray was just not showing it, but he was sufficiently frightened by the situation.
Just recognizing the existence of a demon sends chills down one's spine. It's an inherently terrifying evil.
Whether gods or ghosts, whenever a demon targeted one's soul, it always brought a chilling sense of danger.
During that eternal-seeming moment of confrontation,
Jenny, having regained her senses, approached Ray.
"R-Ray! I brought the Father's items!"
Jenny had gathered everything useful from the unconscious Father Moro.
A brass star necklace, two warhammers about 60cm in length, two bottles of holy water, and one spare brass star necklace.
Ray took the brass star necklace and placed it on Lady Ophelia's chest.
Capricorn immediately became immobilized.
This proved that the demon couldn't fully possess Ophelia and couldn't resist the power of the ‘holy relic.’
'As I thought, it exhausted its remaining power interfering with Father Moro.'
That was something to be relieved about.
Ray closed his eyes, covered Lady Ophelia's eyes with his hand, and recited a prayer.
"Lord Sol Invictus, our almighty Father. In your name, cast out the evil spirit of 'Capricorn' from this body."
Capricorn squirmed at Ray's prayer.
Seeing that Ray wouldn't meet its eyes and continued the exorcism, it decided to summon other powers.
SCREECH!
A sharp, monstrous sound echoed from beyond. Aaron looked out the window and exclaimed in dismay.
"M-monsters!"
The monsters swarming outside the mansion were local creatures called eye bats.
They leaped over the fortress walls and flew through the air, charging toward Margrave's castle.
CRASH!
An eye bat rolled onto the floor after breaking through the window that Ray had already half-shattered.
"Keek!"
The eye bat charged toward Ray on legs embedded with glass shards.
"KIAAAK!"
As the eye bat lunged forward, Aaron's holy sword sliced through its neck.
The eye bat twitched and spewed blood while convulsing. Aaron said.
"Continue! I'll hold them off!"
Aaron kept cutting down the eye bats that flew in through the window.
In this region, the powerful monsters were large creatures like snow leopards and rock bears.
It was fortunate that flying monsters were only of the small variety.
"Is everyone alright?"
"What's happening?"
Just then, soldiers from outside rushed in frantically. Ray shouted in dismay.
"Don't come in!"
"Huh?!"
But it was too late. The moment the soldiers entered the room, they made eye contact with Capricorn and froze in place.
Even priests with holy power fear a demon's gaze and voice. Ordinary human soldiers had no chance of resisting an archdemon's gaze.
"Uh, ah, uh..."
"P-please spare me. Spare, spare me..."
The soldiers repeated the same words like broken machines. Capricorn had infiltrated their consciousness.
【If you want to live, kill the priests.】
The soldiers twisted their necks with a cracking sound and glared at the three with bloodshot eyes.
The spears and swords in their hands reflected an ominous light.
"E-everyone, snap out of it!"
Despite Jenny's protest, the soldiers charged forward like broken machines. Just to survive, to fulfill the demon's command.
CLANG!
Jenny's halberd collided with the soldiers. She used the flat side, so the soldier was merely knocked back rather than killed.
"Urgh, uaaaah!"
The fallen soldiers charged again. Jenny struggled against their rampage, trying to keep them from entering the room.
"Ray! I'll do what I can! Hurry!"
Ray trusted the two. He had no choice.
In this extreme situation where he had to exorcise an archdemon alone, he continued reciting prayers.
"By the holy power invested in me, I command you, unclean spirit, to release your hold!
Begone, foul presence! This vessel is girded with the unyielding belt of truth, and shielded by the impenetrable breastplate of righteousness!
Flee, shadow! Their steps are guided by the unwavering readiness of the gospel of peace, and their defense is the invincible shield of faith!
In the name of all that is holy, depart! Leave this being now and forevermore!"
He dipped his finger in holy water and sprinkled it on the demon. The demon's resistance grew fiercer.
THUD!
At that moment, something unbelievable happened. The bed to which Lady Ophelia was tied began to shake violently.
'The necklace will fall off!'
Ray continued reciting prayers while pressing down on the brass star on Ophelia's chest with one hand.
At that moment, the demon's eyes flashed, and an immense force was applied.
RUMBLE!
Beyond mere shaking, the bed actually levitated into the air. The force was so great that Ray barely held on by grasping the edge of the bed.
BANG! BANG!
The massive bed shook violently up and down, trying to shake off Ray and the necklace.
In that extreme situation, Ray climbed onto the bed and pinned down the lady.
Ray poured an entire bottle of holy water and repeated the prayer.
"Capricorn, source of all evil. In the name of the Holy Father, I command you, your darkness is not tolerated in this world! Leave this world and return to the pit of darkness!"
CRAAAAAK!
Lady Ophelia's screams grew louder. Her body convulsed violently, and ominous energy poured out.
But that was all.
Ray realized that the demon couldn't directly interfere with him.
Without fear and shaking off the demon's illusions, he repeatedly called its name.
The name of a spiritual entity increases control and dominance over it.
That's why knowing the name is important when making contracts with demons and spirits.
From the moment its name was revealed through the witch's soul memory, Capricorn had exposed a great weakness.
"Capricorn, begone!"
"Kuhak...!"
At Ray's continued command, Lady Ophelia coughed up blood.
The black, dark blood was blood corrupted by the demon.
It was a good sign.
Evidence that the demon's power was weakening and the exorcism was progressing successfully.
"Kyak!"
Just as Ray sensed victory, a short scream came from the doorway.
"Jenny?"
It was Jenny's voice, who had been holding off the soldiers. Ray turned his gaze and gasped as he met a chilling stare.
"You... what exactly are you doing to my daughter!"
A bloodshot gaze glared at Ray. A man covered in blood and clutching monster corpses.
It was Margrave Ralph Violet.
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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