90

In a large cathedral, lined with ornaments that are all divine, lined with several long chairs and a cushion in front for prayers. 

And artefacts that display their faith in their god, a woman with a cloth that covers her body and a veil that hides her face was kneeling. 

Her hands clasped in a prayer, however, her face was filled with insincere eyes. 

Soon footsteps rolled and a man with white clothes, unmarked by dirt, as if it was always safe from filth. 

"Saintess?"

The woman tilted her head towards the voice that called her. 

"Yes?"

Her voice was calming, like a warm and welcoming hand towards a stranger, welcoming all. 

"It's already dawn, aren't you tired?"

"I… have to pray for someone's safety," the woman bowed her head down. "Even if my prayers are left unheard," she mumbled. 

"Saintess?"

"I will, soon."

The saintess looked at the symbol of their church, the symbol of their faith. She couldn't help but feel things that were not meant for her stature. 

Disdain to her faith?

"Some people aren't treated fairly." She mumbled. Her voice slowly melted into fury. "So why does someone wish for it to be unfair?"

She stopped kneeling. 

"Why do some, wish for some people to suffer?"

The saintess closed her eyes. She saw the visage of a red-haired man. 

"I wish for the better." she was despondent. "I hope he lives better."

***

"Are you sure this is a good idea? Theres a war going on!" 

Abigail looked at the man who was panicking. She was adopted within the barony a few years ago and with drive and effort raised its prestige. So naturally, the man who worried about her would panic.

"It's okay Butler! I already received approval for my volunteer application, I'm going to be in the backlines, you know I'm not a fighter."

Despite her best efforts to calm down the man, he could only look at her with anxiousness, it's war that they're talking about, ever since the emperor declared war on the demon continent out of nowhere, countless lives have ceased.

"Just… be safe. The young master has already gone to war, we don't know if he'll even come back safe."

"Don't worry, I know my brother," Abigail said with a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "He's changed…"

"What…?"

"Nothing, I'll come back safe and sound and even better, with good news!"

She said with a smile that made others feel joy. Her aura just makes everyone calm and warm, the butler hoped that these feelings continued to wherever Abigail is stationed, since she is a mage more focused on healing she will be a valuable asset.

Abigail continued her gait with determination. Her destination is with the military since she is from a Noble family. She will be considered a volunteer and her military achievements will be recorded. 

 And thanks to this system the Empire had, she could station herself wherever she requested. 

The place she requested to be deployed is the front lines, where the resistance of the demon is much worse. 

Without any delay, she started travelling to the military outpost with her papers. 

***

Leonard walked through the dark alley, he seemed to be unable to feel it earlier but now that the adrenaline was gone he started walking with a limp. 

He breathed heavily while wiping some blood off his cheeks. 

'It's done. I've already said it.'

Leonard kept pretending all those years that he didn't know. But truthfully, he has sent hints and suspicions to the girls. Now he can't take it back, the declaration that he remembers. 

Why couldn't he? He keeps deluding himself that he has forgiven them. Telling himself that they didn't know, telling himself that the outcome would be different if the circumstances were different. 

Yet, that wouldn't erase those scars that were etched deep within him. Ignore as he might but it will still itch and he has no choice but to scratch it. 

Whilst he was walking along the dark halls of the sewers he heard hush whispers. 

"Look! What a fuckin boon!"

"We could finally see some progress with this!"

"It's a shame that they're civilians but that's fine. A demon is still a demon. "

Without confirmation, Leonard immediately knew what kind of people were talking. They were disguised as a commoner's movement power but truthfully they're just a cult. 

The Zurtin Brites. 

Leonard sighed and immediately used his shadows to lurk and sneak around. There were a total of six people. 

"Hm?" 

"What?"

"I Sense something—"

Without warning, Leonard rose from the ground behind the man, there was no immediate response but those who did are still yet to move. 

Before they could even process what was going on, Leonard already snapped the neck of the man in front of him. 

"What the!?"

Everybody froze, a 200cm tall man just suddenly appeared out of nowhere with one eye bleeding, rugged and haggard looking at them with no malice in their eyes. But one thing is certain, they felt the doom that awaited them.

At that moment everyone made their decision and flared their magic. But before they could do something their movement was restricted, by a single strand of shadow emanating from the man in front of them.

Leonard was considering how he could go back to the demon's military force to report and lock these cultists up, though he wanted to be sure that they wouldn't kill themselves on the way.

Leonard checked for any types of curses but without any surprise learned that there is one, it's a type of curse that will kill the cursed if they relay any information about the curser.

"Black magic."

Leonard has not delved into this topic as of yet, only dark magic and the manipulation of the darkness. If he recklessly tries to tamper with the curse he might get affected.

"Haah… these lowlives… no I guess you're a problem that was prolonged long enough."

Zurtin Brite's actual upper-ups have never shown their faces for a long time, there was that attack in the academy, it was a massive loss on their part but their goal has to continue.

Leonard has not been on the surface when a lot happened. No, the original story, is already gone not when he disappeared as Leonard, the story he was following was gone from the start when he returned here.

So referring to the story for what Zurtin Brites was planning is not a good idea. Leonard doesn't know if the demons have some magic that could extract memories so it is a good idea for him to leave the head intact.

For that reason, he snapped the neck of the remaining cultists.

Leonard impassively looked down at the dead bodies of the demons, it wasn't his responsibility to help these bodies go to their families. But with his time here he learned the way of the demons.

He let the cultist corpses sink in his shadow and started arranging the bodies of the victims of war. Closing their eyes if necessary, once he did he clasped his hands together and gave a prayer, to a god that hears none.

"May you all rest in peace."

His mana flared and all of the demon's horns shattered, as if being liberated a small glow from the broken horns fled. 

Leonard walked forth after, but not after making sure no more cultists were lurking in the dark.