Chapter 183: If the Demon Lord Commands, Even Killing a Knight of the Holy See Is Nothing!

Translation by: Weebsread👹

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Iresha was gone—vanished without a trace.

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The air in the room stilled, thick with silence. Lin Wei stood by the door, chin resting on his hand, lost in thought.

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He’d known Iresha for some time, but never had he seen her flee like that. For her to bolt, something must be truly urgent—so urgent that, despite her falling out with the Hero’s party the day before, she was forced to rejoin them, continuing the crusade by necessity.

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“It was I who taught them: when scattered, demons could escape into the Labyrinth, using their innate gifts to rally monsters and ambush their pursuers—inflicting heavy casualties. But taking hostages? That’s always been forbidden. It only drives humans to fight with desperate abandon, and the resulting chaos often spirals out of control. Worse, it can trigger a monster stampede that engulfs everything.”

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Demons bore a racial mark, after all. As long as they kept to certain lines, most monsters would see them as half-kin and let them pass unscathed.

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Even if attacked, so long as they crossed the Labyrinth’s threshold, they’d be safe—unless they were dragging a human along. That changed everything.

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“Human blood is an irresistible lure for monsters. Just as humans view wild beasts as prey, monsters see humans as the ultimate delicacy.”

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Lin Wei had explained this in detail before. Yet now, someone had broken that rule. Something was deeply wrong.

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Why risk taking a human hostage into the Labyrinth? To provoke the monsters into a frenzy and turn them loose on more humans? That was suicide—no demon would do it without a compelling reason.

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High-ranking demons were a dwindling breed; losing even one was a heavy blow. Unless… unless they were trying to draw someone out.

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“Are you ready, Lady Saintess?”

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“Eh?!”

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Yalis, still halfway through her breakfast, had been so absorbed in her meal that she barely noticed Iresha’s abrupt departure. Lin Wei’s sudden question startled her; her fork slipped from her fingers, clattering against the plate. She hurriedly retrieved it, looking up at him with wide, expectant eyes.

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“We’re leaving now?”

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“Not yet. There’s something I need to handle first. I’ll be back in about three hours, and then we’ll depart.”

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“In the meantime, visit the city lord—see if there’s anything you can help with. Or check on the young man who fainted at the Cathedral yesterday… Here, lean forward a bit.”

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Yalis wasn’t sure what Lin Wei was planning, but her trust in him was absolute. She obeyed without hesitation.

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A soft “click,” and warmth bloomed at the nape of her neck.

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“I’ve placed a mark on you,” Lin Wei explained. “If you’re ever in danger, it’ll activate automatically and alert me. I can also use it to track your location.”

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“It’s powerful protection, but don’t take it as permission to run wild, understand?”

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It wasn’t most people he worried about. But with someone as cute, reckless, and adventure-loving as Yalis? The moment she felt “invincible,” she’d probably charge off to save the world.

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If she actually stumbled into a Demon God or Evil God, even his protection wouldn’t last long. Humans had their limits.

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“Don’t worry, Mr. Lin Wei—I’d never do something like that.”

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Her earnest nod reminded Lin Wei of another silver-haired girl, long ago, who’d given Veya that same solemn promise before collapsing in the Lotai Labyrinth.

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“You’d better behave. Otherwise, next time I’ll take your friends adventuring right in front of you, and leave you locked up—forced to watch from the sidelines. And I’ll make sure you’re properly punished.”

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Nothing could be more terrifying than that threat. Yalis’s eyes went wide, innocence replaced by pure horror. She’d never imagined Lin Wei could be so cruel.

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“Take my friends on an adventure while I’m locked up, forced to watch but not join in?!”

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She didn’t have many friends, but just the thought was enough to conjure a nightmare.

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“I promise! I absolutely won’t sneak off, Mr. Lin Wei!”

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“That’s what I wanted to hear.”

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Honestly, if not for the “training” he’d planned for her, he’d have just locked her in the inn with a magic seal for three hours and left it at that.

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But a little adventure was good for her. Three hours—what could possibly go wrong?

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“If anyone asks, say I’m working in my room and don’t want to be disturbed. And you—stay within the city. Don’t wander off!”

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He found himself missing that squad of Personal Guards he’d never actually met. If only they were here now—what a relief that would be.

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“I’ll be back soon.”

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He took a deep breath, glanced out the window at the winding alleys, and then faded from sight—a streak of light vanishing into thin air.

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“Stay put… right.”

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The room fell silent once more. With Lin Wei gone, Yalis returned to her meal.

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If anyone else—even Her Holiness—had warned her, she might have run straight for the nearest Labyrinth to test her new protection.

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Sure, she’d promised not to do anything dangerous. But “testing the limits” didn’t count, right? Even if she got scolded, she’d have an excuse.

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But since it was Mr. Lin Wei, she’d behave—no matter what.

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“Locking me up to watch others go adventuring… Mr. Lin Wei, are you a demon? Who even thinks of punishments that cruel?”

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She chewed her food, glancing out the window, grumbling to herself. Her thoughts drifted back to Iresha, who’d come by earlier to say goodbye.

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No proof, no reason—just a Saintess’s intuition. There was something off about that girl.

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“Same noble birth, just as pretty, maybe even a better figure than mine… though that’s probably just an age thing, not my fault.”

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“And the real problem is, her relationship with Mr. Lin Wei seems far too close. He even comforts her with a head pat?”

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It wasn’t just her own feelings for Lin Wei—he clearly cared about Iresha too. Was this what Her Holiness feared most?

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“No matter. I’ll write to Her Holiness, then check on the refugees outside the city. By the time I’m done, Mr. Lin Wei should be back.”

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As long as she didn’t run off, what could go wrong? She’d behave, and not cause Mr. Lin Wei any trouble.

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With that solemn resolve, Yalis clenched her fist and threw herself into her work—never imagining that, far beyond the horizon…

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On the far side of the plain.

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A figure swathed in a heavy cloak stood, eyes fixed on the rough-hewn city wall in the distance, nostrils flaring.

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Amber, slit-pupiled eyes flashed with a wild, predatory light. Their face twisted with a feral hunger—the look of a beast catching the scent of prey.

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“So, the Holy See’s knight, Lin Wei, is here… and he’s with the Saintess. Headed for the City-State of Brook?”

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They sniffed the letter again, searching for the faintest trace of scent—a trail even the keenest beast would have missed.

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But for one with the right training, if it was his scent… there could be no mistake.

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It was the Demon Lord’s scent.

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Unmistakable. It belonged to their Demon Lord alone.

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“What are you planning in the Imperial Capital, my Demon Lord? Lin Wei, the adventurer… am I to kill him?”

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The whisper faded into the wind, the cloaked figure dissolving into swirling yellow dust, drawing ever closer to the city walls.

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In the blink of an eye, they were there, scaling the barrier with inhuman speed.

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Wounded, hunted, unable to return to demon lands—yet if it was his order, nothing would stand in their way.

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They would see it through, no matter the cost.

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◇

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“Achoo… Hm. Can I even catch a cold?”

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The Holy Church City.

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After nearly an hour’s journey, Lin Wei finally landed in the familiar plaza—just in time to run into the Secretary.

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Her features were all sharp lines and frosty professionalism—a beautiful mask of composure. But seeing Lin Wei descend from the sky, even she was caught off guard, taking several seconds to recover before addressing him.

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“Adventurer—no, Honor Knight Lin Wei?”

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“I thought you were escorting the Saintess to the Coalition Army headquarters. What brings you back here?”

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Why did this conversation feel so familiar? Never mind. Returning here hadn’t been easy; best not to dwell on it.

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“Something urgent came up—I had to return. Since you’re here, could you deliver this letter to Her Holiness, Selena? I need her reply as soon as possible.”

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“I have to get back to the Borderlands to look after the Saintess, so I won’t keep you.”

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Coming all this way just to deliver a letter? Something serious must be afoot, or he’d never bother.

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“Why not deliver it yourself and report in person? I’m sure Her Holiness would love to hear how the Saintess’s training is progressing.”

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“What can you even learn in a single day…?”

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Besides, if I went to see Veya, there’d be no chance to report. We’d be tangled up half the morning—who knows what trouble the Saintess could find on her own?

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“I’ll report next time. No time now—please just deliver it. I need that reply, Secretary.”

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With that, Lin Wei vanished in a blur of light, leaving the Secretary holding the letter, bemused.

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Wait… she’d forgotten to remind Lin Wei that he could have used the Holy See’s high-priority channel for urgent messages.

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But he was already gone. Too late.

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“I’ll mention it next time.”

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With that, the Secretary hurried upstairs, unaware of what awaited in the study.

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“Gone already?”

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Veya, freshly changed into her uniform, frowned, glancing out the window in confusion.

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She’d sensed Lin Wei’s presence a moment ago—why hadn’t he come to the study? Was he up to something, deliberately avoiding her?

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“Never mind… I even tidied the desk for him.”

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She’d prepared herself for his visit, even readied the “battlefield.” And now, after all that, he simply left?

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“Fine then. When you return, I’ll make you beg for mercy… Ugh, why am I so restless?”

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Hearing the Secretary’s approaching footsteps, Veya quickly composed herself, shifting her posture and donning the icy dignity of the Holy Maiden—the unfathomable aura of the Pope, vessel of the Goddess.

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No one would ever guess how deep these waters ran.

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Of course, Lin Wei hadn’t come all this way just to deliver a letter. The refugee crisis in the Northern Countries mattered, but the demon threat was even more urgent.

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“Afuduo! Are you awake? Get up already!”

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A series of sharp knocks jolted Afuduo from sleep. Seeing Lin Wei at her door, her irritation vanished, replaced by a nervous need to collect herself—at least he’d remembered her name this time.

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“Mr. Lin Wei, what brings you here so early? I know you used the special channel to send your letter, but it couldn’t have arrived this quickly.”

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She’d only sent it yesterday—even with a five-gold-coin Express delivery, it wouldn’t reach its destination until late at night at best.

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With the return trip and time needed for a reply, she shouldn’t expect an answer until evening. And that was if everything went smoothly.

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“You’ve got an Ultra-Express letter, Afuduo.”

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Just then, a courier dashed up, bag slung over his shoulder. He pressed the letter into her hands, spun around, and sprinted off, magical light flickering at his heels.

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“Wait—this is a thirty-gold-coin Ultra-Express delivery?”

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She stared at the seal on the envelope.

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This wasn’t just a portal transfer—this was riding flying monsters the whole way, the fastest and most expensive communication money could buy. Only the wealthy or the desperate would ever use it.

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And that bigwig… wasn’t he always short on cash?

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Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent her to mail something for just a hundred gold coins.

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“The contents.”

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Lin Wei wasn’t here for pleasantries. He motioned for her to open it.

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After the mess he’d encountered at the Borderlands, and with a demon lead finally in hand, he wasn’t about to let it slip away.

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“Right away!”

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Afuduo tore open the letter, quickly deciphering its coded message. In less than two minutes, she waved him inside and read aloud:

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“Cooperation to assassinate adventurer Lin Wei has been accepted. The job will be completed on the day this letter arrives. Please have your cooperating noble prepare sufficient payment.”

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“That’s it?”

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Even with their unique cipher, one only the two parties could decode, the letter was shockingly brief.

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No haggling, no discussion of payment or plan—just a blunt acceptance. Lin Wei stared at the note, speechless.

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“Not even a question about the reward or the method? This demon bigwig must be insane.”

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“This went too smoothly—there’s no intelligence here at all.”