"It's good that every witness was killed, but that doesn't mean we're safe." Yuri explained patiently, his tone calm and eyes serene as he leaped from the tunnel, leaving the sewers behind and landing on solid ground. Then, He looked back, waiting for Sam and his bizzare lady.
Amelia's expression was twisted in displeasure. Her nose and mouth werr covered with cloth, but the look of disgust was still as visible as light at the end of a tunnel. Running through literal shit wasn't a pleasant experience, and the foul smell wasn't exactly the cherry on top either.
Stopping at the tunnel's edge, Sam looked at the river of waste with a grimace, shaking his head. All the sewage was flowing into the Tussock River. He looked at his left, facing the Mirminsk Mountains in the north, and felt the chilling winds send shivers through his body.
Yet standing here after shattering the restraints that had forced him to lower his head felt liberating. Exhilaration filled his body like a drug-induced high.
He smiled as the wind caressed his pitch-black hair streaked with gold, closing his eyes to appreciate the beautiful scenery.
"Hey, I don't want to interrupt whatever you're doing, but we're standing in a literal shithole, so can't you do that after we're out?" Amelia asked blankly, her hands trembling as she inhaled carefully, holding her breath.
Sam froze, snapping out of his thoughts as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly and nodded. "Yeah... sure."
He sighed and grabbed her waist and legs, picking her up as Amelia yelped. But her discomfort slowly disappeared as Sam leaped from the tunnel, landing beside Yuri on solid ground. He set Amelia down, and she immediately tore away the cloth covering her face, stepping on it and grinding it into the dirt in frustration.
Then her eyes widened. She clutched her stomach, fell to her knees, and emptied it, acidic liquid dripping from her lips. She wiped her mouth as Sam patted her shoulders, tears welling in her eyes. "Ugh, that was disgusting! How did you guys endure that stench?"
Yuri sighed, smiling wryly as he looked at the greenery. It was clear he was in good spirits after seeing trees for the first time in three years. "I'm used to it. Prisons aren't exactly known for hygiene."
Sam shrugged, rubbing his eyes, feeling exhausted from all the fighting and running. "I was a stable boy. Been cleaning horse shit since I was a kid."
Amelia stared at them for some time, her expression unimpressed and bleak as she cursed under her breath and stood up.
Seeing them composed, Yuri nodded to himself and continued explaining their situation as they walked, recovering from the exertion. "As I was saying, we aren't safe. This is the territory of the God of Steam and Machinery. While they don't have capable Diviners, that doesn't mean they can't use divination at all, so stay on guard."
Sam nodded in understanding, knowing he was right. But Amelia scoffed, hands in her pockets. "As if I don't know that. I already prepared anti-divination tools to counter Seers." She stated calmly, taking amulets from her bag.
The moment Sam saw them, his eyes widened, his expression growing thoughtful as if he had recognized them. He touched his chin, tilting his head as he observed the grotesque charms with a pale smile.
Noticing his peculiar expression, Amelia blinked, feeling a bit awkward, and muttered sheepishly. "Umm... sorry. I forgot you're a devil too."
Sam shook his head with a small laugh, amused by her reaction. "It's fine. I don't really care if those amulets are made from parts of my kind." It was clear that devil ears and intestines had been used to craft the charms, since devils could interfere with Divination and Spirit Channeling.
"Still... don't relax." Yuri reminded them softly. While devils could counter Seers to an extent, that didn't mean they were out of danger yet. "The materials most likely came from a Serial Killers, and while they're effective, they don't make us completely concealed since the materials aren't from high-sequence Beyonders. In other words, if a high-sequence Beyonder of church attempted divination, they might figure something out despite all our contingencies."
Sam already knew this, and by the looks of it, Amelia did as well. But what intrigued Sam wasn't that the amulets were made from devil remains. Instead, he was curious about the background of those devils. "Say... where did you find those materials?"
Amelia glanced at him, instinctively pursing her lips, but then she recalled that she wasn't the Church's Beyonder anymore and exhaled. "Six months ago in Constant City, the Church was investigating serial killings happening in the East Borough. Even Sealed Artifact 2-111 was used to determine the motives and location of the killers. With its help, we managed to locate and eliminate them. Based on ritualistic circle, they were trying to summon a projection of a powerful devil. Their goal was the destruction of the entire city."
Amelia frowned, her crystal blue eyes dimming with the memory as she shuddered, chills crawling up her spine. "With 2-111, we figured out that they were trying to please a bizarre and revolting devil. Since I wasn't a high ranking member, I don't know exactly what kind of devil it was, but the moment the Deacon saw the devil's true name inscribed on the victims' foreheads, he froze, as if he'd seen something especially harrowing and insidious. His face filled with unfathomable dread and despair."
Sam nodded thoughtfully. Which one was it? Marquis? Or maybe Duke? Hmm... perhaps it was Baal? No, He's too arrogant. He won't answer any prayers. Then maybe it's Paimon? No, I'm going too far with this. The Nine Demonic Kings would never descend just to destroy a city. Goetia would never lower themselves for mere mortals. Each devil is unique, but there are always similarities such as arrogance and cruelty. Though Paimon does have a habit of messing with humans when She's bored.
Sam hummed, thinking about the information Amelia had provided. Then he looked at her and asked, "Do you know the name of the devil?"
Amelia shook her head, her expression tightening as sweat slid from her forehead, as if the memory of the ritual haunted her. "I don't. The Deacon destroyed the corpses immediately, saying the devil could reach from the Abyss and influence our desires if we hadn't destroyed the ritualistic circle instantly. But I know the title of that devil."
Sam nodded, gesturing for her to continue. Yuri glanced at her as well, stroking his beard with intrigue.
Amelia sighed as she walked, wiping sweat from her forehead. "It was the Devil of Ruination."
Sam blinked, pursing his lips as he grimaced. Dammit... Him of all devils? Now it makes sense. He would've destroyed everything if He was annoyed. Then again, He might've just enslaved those Serial Killers and made them commit suicide. It mostly depends on His mood, though.
Sam didn't show any emotion, nor did he reveal that he knew that particular devil. Instead, he exhaled softly, nodding to Amelia in gratitude. "I see..."
"Anyway, screw that unpleasant incident. What's our next course of action?" Amelia asked curiously, staring at Yuri, who smiled and pointed toward the edge of the forest where branches of the Tussock River converged.
Beside the water, hidden behind the trees, was a boat waiting for them.
Seeing it, Sam's expression shifted, understanding flashing in his eyes as he recalled Yuri mentioning he'd sent a letter to a "fair lady." Whoever that woman was, she'd prepared this boat for them.
Yet Sam wasn't keen on leaving the Mirminsk mountain range just yet. Scratching the back of his head, he looked at his teacher and partner, if he could call Amelia that. He hesitated for a moment, then exhaled and spoke softly. "I have a favor to ask you two."
Yuri and Amelia glanced at him, curious about his request and somewhat dubious as they encouraged him to speak his mind.
Sam nodded, then looked back at the mountains, his expression hardening as he said coldly, "Rat King and Skinless Blood Cat can be found in the Mirminsk Mountains. I want to hunt them."
Amelia blinked in bewilderment, wondering what was wrong with him as she stepped forward. "Are you insane? We only have a few hours to escape. After that, the search will start for survivors. Sure, there's no guarantee they'll search the mountains, but why risk it?"
Yuri was more thoughtful, eyeing Sam with an indifferent look, stroking his chin absentmindedly. Then he sighed, shaking his head, and asked, his eyes cold and piercing, "Are you sure? Do you truly wish to become an Unwinged Angel?"
As the words left his mouth, Amelia's eyes widened in disbelief and horror, understanding that Rat King and Skinless Blood Cat were potion ingredients. At the same time, she felt wary, knowing that becoming an Unwinged Angel was equivalent to abandoning your humanity and emotions.
Sam bit his lower lip, looking down, his expression conflicted. His heart was divided between desire for strength and fear of truly embracing the demonic aspects of his pathway. Yet he decided to trust his Lord. His unwavering faith in the Ancient Sun God was like perpetual light, extinguishing his fears and doubts. "Yes, I do. I need more power."
And indeed, he needed it more than anyone if he wished his dream of reviving his God to become reality. He yearned from the deepest part of his heart, brimming with warmth and purity, to witness his Lord returning in all His majestic glory. "I need to become as strong as possible... No, I need to reach my peak."
Yuri stared at Sam, his cold face cracking to show signs of concern as he looked down, lost in thought. Then he ran a hand through his messy hair and locked eyes with Sam, his gaze filled with both warmth and worry. "If that's truly your wish... then so be it. I won't block your path. All I can do is guide you. But... we only have a day."
Sam sighed in relief, smiling in gratitude as he bowed his head. "Thank you. I won't forget this."
Yuri waved his hand dismissively, ruffling Sam's messy hair while his head remained bowed, eyes closed in appreciation.
But Amelia wasn't as calm. She stood frozen in place, contemplating what to do. She was even tempted to go her own way, betraying them and taking the boat for herself, but that would be foolish. From what she'd seen and heard, Yuri had connections with some secret organization that had left the boat for them. Meaning... if she actually used it, and if there was a capable diviner in that organization, she could be found out.
Sure, she had the amulet to protect herself, but as Yuri said, it wasn't all-powerful against divination. Besides, there was a possibility that members of that organization would be waiting for them, camping beside the river. So theoretically, there was a high chance she'd face them, whether she stopped at Tingen City, Backlund, or even smaller towns. There was no way of knowing.
After analyzing her situation, she gritted her teeth, glaring at Sam, who was talking to Yuri like a student talking to his favorite teacher. She sighed, then coughed to get their attention. After they looked at her, she placed her slender fingers on her chest, her other hand on her waist haughtily. "Fine! But if we notice things are going to shit, we're leaving right away! Besides, Skinless Blood Cat and Rat King aren't exactly harmless creatures, so we need to be wary of that too!"
Sam grinned at her, which infuriated Amelia. She stepped forward to punch him, but Sam held her head at arm's length, her fists not reaching him while he smiled maliciously. "I like your courage, my new friend. The Lord always tells us to be strong and courageous. Oh my~ now that I think about it, I almost forgot. Do you want to hear about our Lord and Savior, the God of Gods, the Omnipotent and Omniscient, the Ancient Sun God who liberated mankind and brought warmth to a lightless world?"
Amelia stared at him bleakly, grimacing in displeasure while Yuri shook his head with a wry smile.
This idiot... Is he a heretic? Preaching about an unorthodox god? He'll get beheaded for that stupidity... She continued trying to punch him until she gave up. "No, I don't care about some god. I decided not to believe in any gods the moment I became a deserter."
Sam sighed, but that didn't discourage him. He smiled maliciously, putting a knife to her neck. "What about now?"
"Shit! Get away from me, you lunatic!" She yelped, kicking him away while Sam and Yuri laughed.
After messing around for a few minutes to relax, Sam glanced at the snowy peaks with a dark smile, preparing his weapons as he licked his lips. A single day, huh? I already know where those two creatures dwell since they're important for devil families. Mhm, I should be able to do it.
He grinned maliciously. It's been a while since I went hunting...
***
[A/N: Time for Sam to pray to Medici, XDD.]
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