Chapter 10: Journey to the Border

The week passed faster than I expected. Faust had been in high spirits ever since my announcement, however, Prylla has been in a sour mood. It started the day after my announcement. She didn't serve me breakfast as usual and started speaking much more formally than I'd like. The distance is starting to make me feel bad. I hope that this doesn't affect our mission too terribly since this is mostly just to let Faust have his way for a bit. I don't particularly care much about whether the Demon Clan survives or not. As far as I've researched them, they've been falling apart for a long time now. Of all the demi-humans in the world they're considered one of the strongest races.

The only physical difference between a human and a Demon is their horns. Which apparently grants them immense combat strength. Their horns are able to suck in large quantities of mana from the atmosphere from what Sergei told me. He in particular is able to combat this problem. He has a special technique that poisons the mana in the air effectively rendering magic useless. From what I've gathered about their culture they have an elitist mindset focused on the purity of their race. Which is why they live in secluded villages in the mountains. Their numbers have always been low even before some members of the Witch Cult began exterminating them.

Demons are generally born with two horns, but there are cases of Demons with only one or no horns. Hornless Demons are considered the dregs of society and are heavily discriminated against. Twins that are born are executed to maintain the purity of the Demon Clan which I find quite repulsive. Their pride and strict adherence to their traditions is the real reason why they're falling apart. It really only a matter of time before they go extinct. Which makes me wonder why I even have to bother with it in the first place.

If they're falling apart already, why hasten it? Or rather, I don't hold any real ill intent towards them but the few people I'm bringing with me seem to besides Prylla. Now that I think about it she might be upset because I'm going through with this. I need to make sure I have a talk with her during our journey.

Now that that's wrapped up I got up from my desk and started packing the things I planned on bringing with me. First I plan on bringing that strange mask. I would like to learn it's full capabilities as it just feels like an anomaly to me. Second my Gospel of course. Finally I'm going to be wearing my cultist robes instead of normal clothing. Now I have to find the others who should have already prepared the carriage. Leaving my room I walked down the long hall and passed by the training room. Reaching the end of the hall I followed the winding corridors till I found the staircase that led out of the Cathedral. The guard inside the Old Church bowed as soon as he saw me. Walking past him and exiting the cathedral I saw my group finalizing the travel preparations.

Faust had Sado and Fogg doing all of his work for him as usual. Prylla was staring at the sky with an absent look on her face. I watched as Sado and Fogg placed the last box in the carriage before I walked up to them. Sado and Fogg turned and bowed swiftly while Faust leaned against the carriage with a lit tobacco leaf in his mouth.

"Is everything ready for our departure?" I asked.

"Yes." Faust replied briskly. While he did seem to be in a better mood than usual he did continue to keep his conversations with me very short.

"Alright let's be off then."

The first week of the trip went smoothly. We opted against staying inside of cities at all in favor of just camping outside. This meant we had to have a rotating watch shift. I offered to take one of the shifts, but Prylla flatly refused to let me. Saying something about how someone of my standing shouldn't have to work so hard. Fine. Fine. I'll let her win this one. The second week wasn't so pleasant. We were attacked by mabeasts in the middle of the night. They weren't too terribly difficult to deal with, rather that it was just annoying like mosquitos.

We passed through Flanders to cross the river which went smoothly. Everything was mostly going to plan. More mabeast showed up which I let Faust, Sado, and Fogg handle. Once the week was over we set up camp in another forested area for the night. Prylla's mood had stayed the same through the first two weeks of the journey and I decided it was finally time to ask her about it. Tonight was her turn to watch so it would be the perfect opportunity while everyone else was asleep. After some time passed and I was sure everyone else was asleep I slipped out of my tent to where Prylla was sitting on a log.

"Hm? You shouldn't be up this late, you know."

"I was thinking you could use some company." I replied as I sat next to her.

"Fine. Fine."

"You seem like you've been upset for the past couple weeks. Is something the matter?"

"I thought I was hiding it." She let out a sigh.

"You call that hiding it?" I jested.

"Hehe."

"Well would you like to tell me? I'm not forcing you or anything, I'm not entitled to know your thoughts."

"I just… I was thinking back to shortly after we first met when you originally forbid Faust from killing any Demons."

I leaned my head against her shoulder as she spoke.

"I don't hold the same feelings as that bastard does towards the Demon Clan personally. In fact, I used to have a friend who was a Demon. So doing this just feels… wrong."

"Oh? So you feel like you're betraying your friend and that's why you don't want to hurt them?"

"Precisely. I wanted to pass that sentiment onto you, but it looks like fate has a different plan in store."

"Well the Gospel only states to destroy it. It doesn't say the method that must be used." I stated. I moved into an upright position and turned to look at her.

"Well then… If I may make a selfish request of you, my Lady." She looked at me with a pleading gaze in her emerald eyes.

"Proceed." I nodded.

"Don't raise your blade against them."

"With our numbers that will be quite difficult you know."

"At the very least spare my friend's child. I took her to that village when she was young shortly after my friend passed. I don't want to see her die." I could see in her eyes that she was about to cry. This reminded me of the time just before my duel with Faust where Prylla comforted me, now it was my turn to return those feelings in kind. I lifted my hand and wiped the tear droplets away from her eyes.

"I'll see what I can do." Prylla looked at me for a moment before the tears began to flow freely. I lowered her head down and hugged her, running my hand through her silky purple hair. We stayed like that for a while as she calmed down. After that I returned to my tent and the journey to the last village of the Demon Clan continued. I wasn't sure exactly how strict my Gospel was about the meaning of 'destroy' because that can be interpreted in many ways. I doubt a survivor or two would be able to revive the clan especially since they have a low birth rate. That night I flipped through the pages of my Gospel searching for a better future.

I joined Prylla during her next night shift four days later. She explained a bit more about herself for the first time. I really didn't know how much I didn't know about her. Apparently she is what one would consider a moderate member of the Witch Cult. This was a distinction I was completely unaware of. There are apparently two factions within the Witch Cult. The moderates which are led by Petelgeuse and the Radicals which are led by Regulus. I honestly couldn't understand the difference between them frankly. Prylla explained that the moderate faction had more or less disbanded a hundred years ago.

She was one of the last remnants of that faction. She wasn't proud of the things she's been forced to do, but she's always tried to atone for her actions. This was something I could admire; seeking forgiveness is only something someone with a pure heart would do. Petelgeuse, while still considered the leader of the moderate faction, is a radical himself now. I now understand her position much better. She more or less wants me to revive the moderate faction and that's what she's been pushing me towards.

I see where she's coming from. I wouldn't set foot near this village if I didn't need to. Finding my brother is my top priority, but that doesn't mean I want to throw away the relationship I've built by going through with this. So I've decided. I'm going to save her late friend's child and leave the rest to Faust, Sado, Fogg, and Sergei. Prylla gave me the description of the child, but it has been quite a few years since she's seen her. All she remembers is that the child had brown hair and blue eyes. So, I'm going to have Prylla scout the village beforehand and find any children that match the description and we're going to ensure they live.

The largest obstacles to this are Faust, Sado, Fogg, and Sergei. From what I've found using Object Premonition on them is that they're all going to die very soon. I couldn't find a single future where any of them survive. Which means that I don't have to feel bad about abandoning dead men. I guess I feel a little guilty about Sergei, but he is just good at hiding his bloodlust in comparison to the others.

The rest of the journey wasn't too terrible. Prylla was much happier after I reached my decision and I kept the other four's fates hidden from them. I guess I could call this their funeral party, but that's more morbid than I'd like. It's a shame things had to turn out like this, but as long as my interpretation of the Gospel is correct everything should move forward smoothly. Locating the village itself was a hassle as the mountains were difficult to navigate. Faust seemed to have a sixth sense to sniff out the Demons, or that's what I'd like to say, but it was really Sado who used his magic to float in the wind that discovered the village. We set up a fair distance away from the village to begin the final preparations.

I looked at the group as we set up our final camp together. It still hasn't quite struck me that only two of us were leaving here alive. I double checked the others that night as well. There were even fewer possibilities this time around. Their deaths are seeming more and more certain by the second. At least one was going to die during the attack, but each of them have an equal possibility of being that person. I considered telling them again, but I don't want them to get cold feet after coming so far. Actually scratch that, I think they wouldn't actually care as long as they get to kill the Demons. Ending with that line of thought any empathy I had for them melted away. I don't care if they die, as long as I have Prylla; the only one who's stayed with me.

The destruction of the Demon Clan was about to begin.