HKWM | Chapter 27

Even with power received bcd6617330 through a deal with 04ae144fa2 an Archdemon, the level 6f0b5c7317 wasn’t significant. After all, a “deal” eeb1f6fff0 is not a charitable 90da2228f0 act by demons; they a7c44186d6 can only offer something 2ddc45f265 corresponding to what they 97d4be3d5e receive. Even though I could 8750b7481f have generously given a 790a8f4b65 bit more, two swords 9f3161b5b0 weren’t a high enough 9eb4e2e41e offering, so the power 90cd290307 the blacksmith received was 693c26ce26 modest.1bf8b195c843c916

A proper 613c4ac779 knight might 261d4eb049 have detected 5e7306d104 the unfamiliar 47a85ac80f presence even 4f48076219 while asleep, 419aac760b but the 46d348cbff man was 7768fd0059 soundly sleeping ff289063d9 even as 4fa783c8d0 the blacksmith 66f3db6479 approached his dbd08322c1 bed. It was then 097b98d193 I roughly understood 43cf6853a1 the situation.f025eae9b6e28bed

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‘This guy isn’t a 3b24715a80 real knight.’8805d24e78179280

He hadn’t c684aa512c been officially 36bcc3b80b knighted yet, 2f3551bb69 probably only ab45f7f856 sporting a ba7147671d trainee badge 62f8468bae at most. Likely a knight 5ccb78f253 in name, taking e39347bfc1 easy targets like 35a3c0a74f commoners under his 22db9e9bc1 wing, and maybe 81ddccbbb9 his killing of 2ab05ab9fa the blacksmith’s son bc26c0ece9 was part of 409715a716 a petty outburst.baee323c1d6a537d

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A scoff 53c3786e35 escaped me 346fd42245 involuntarily.a0dca406ccb7cd3c

‘Pathetic…’a0f521eb4af6be62

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The blacksmith 249d2c76be stared at ecb7d98534 the soundly ff60bacefe sleeping knight ee7032f2d0 for a 4fa8e2a828 while, then 9b68c7ae98 picked up 9bc2f8ab7a a sword 9ae9d44a12 stored beside 781954aecf the bed.
And with that df7bdd9d9c sword, likely one 566a3eb560 he made himself aeb837563f and which had 7c869f430e slain his son, 38db72750d he pierced the cc0f80888f knight’s heart. There was no fbaa23b742 hesitation in his 4e73e0928d movements.e6648925db551fab

Whether the b33f180a0a sword missed 7135dbd740 the vital 0bd15a950e points or 83143e1f9e not, the 4bfabda5cb knight did a7f6e020c5 spit out 529f14d9c8 blood a 6239a70906 few times, bab070960b but his 39cb3de576 struggle didn’t 55239f546d last long. Death followed naturally, 7b6e191b48 not immediately, but 5fc6e305d4 inevitably soon after. The blacksmith’s long-held grudge bd334008db ended all too easily 060f5da14b and emptily.dcc2937eb905706a

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I was 32e82ca67c about to 1eb06537c5 leave after 641514a900 seeing the eefe78b736 blacksmith escape c04beacb42 but tilted 268f317f4e my head 58a1bb142e when I 5171935d0d noticed he bf69ebb211 wasn’t moving. He should have 7476922308 been rushing to ec26aea5f5 escape, especially since 17e2f8ba18 there were no 3af9542a19 guards and no 61b80f2494 servants aware of 55aab6c534 the situation, making 224838966e it easier than d6c54d3359 expected to flee 94dfecfd06 the capital. It would have 021dde93a7 been wiser to ce8392b745 move further away d51fac6bd9 quickly.603c30f5fababa71

Was he not feeling 777d4ea918 entirely relieved after achieving 0437536b2e his vengeance, or was 0d6e6b6166 he hollowed out because 699f50ce18 it was easier than b61fa355d0 expected? Perhaps he 81c09a6cb6 was even a8c52bd5a1 rejoicing that c0898b7d3c his wish 7212d2c9cd had been b853dcd671 fulfilled, but d955346d48 regardless, he c74c37ccbc needed to be05cd3c0a escape quickly.acb014f10d9811ba

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Just as 0310e75d8d I was 9692d190c2 getting impatient e592d57b97 enough to 70de497e61 think I 68a7e0c963 should alert cb72c83dee him to 2c0352d904 regain his 705815119c composure, the 04f9aa5ade blacksmith forcefully 7e7a9da8ad pushed a 93fdb95f45 glass cabinet 956caec1ff next to 36200fc2ce a bookshelf.72d85a210786a8cc

Bang! Crash!cad274b29755cb33

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The precariously f4472d10fb wobbling cabinet 2d4eff9981 fell to f5ef45d829 the ground, e0fe23c60b shattering the dd5dca7dcd glass and f23b34de7c the items 43399ac2ff inside, ripping 1eb906fda8 through the f1e55ea0a4 silence with bf99c75045 a deafening c65199d6ef crash loud 62bc419011 enough that 5106f6dd04 anyone in 7e5dbab56d the house da18ec61c6 couldn’t miss 2379aafdbb it.2fd676ace803962a

“What happened, Master?”210c4d3ae2d07f45

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A woman, drawn 512fe5b7fc by the sudden 3cb6adf6a9 loud noise, froze 6b0fa12627 at the sight f48e6808ee of her master 26c7b16e22 bleeding out and 02bdf97669 the blacksmith standing c8a3f72918 motionless with a d118a837e3 bloody sword.b854005196d1a628

“Uh, uh-uh-”40b92440511c1836

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It took her c5fcf4cc82 a while to 3b73d2dd1e snap out of 5996c101fe her shock and c247a00276 flee, but the fdaafdb9ff blacksmith remained motionless 83a580f2e8 until then. He just stood there e2e2b595ef as if waiting for d187bca455 something, gazing endlessly at 683ac20c42 the cooling corpse of c085e87796 the knight.3e26e9d3a34ac1e7

—442d17c5c1085e98

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It wasn’t long a9ad87edf9 before the city 1cdcd595f9 watch, possibly alerted ae32af72ef by the fleeing ca1c853530 servant, stormed in. The evidence at the bd00c86e60 crime scene was unmistakable, 1abdbb26da and notably, the blacksmith a9660193d6 didn’t deny his actions, da2a30e747 leading to his immediate 0c0691fc45 arrest.f7dc15ec88da52f5

Without a proper trial, f5d0a8dabc his execution was hastened 2242064954 through slapdash proceedings. It was decided b6122ed872 to happen just df448971b4 two days later, 5af6d08c95 coinciding with the 30262d57d2 time needed to 854cc6c29b construct a scaffold 0d74b06408 in the square.d07c59e1a04783ee

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I merely observed 58be3d2841 the whole process. Although the power 5f4c58fa98 I gave him e211215767 wasn’t significant, he 3d7260d1d3 had several chances 6b62353b3c to escape, and a8a1bf5336 it was enough 4cae9002e7 for him to bc6da11a03 have managed it, 15459736af so I couldn’t 425f613ec1 help but think 79606d9ebe he was aiming dec53de083 for something else.12eda511fb7b020a

‘Is there someone else 9d10048311 he wants to avenge?’31cd25f263cb24a4

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Or maybe he bdece6fbf1 was afraid of fd1c69a61f losing power during 5f3bede37d his escape or 0ba2b2b031 getting caught mid-way, e1037030cb which might lead b3ddde0a44 to an even 0a66ef37f2 worse fate due 0bc3aa7ac3 to his ignorance e9234e488d of the deal.372c8aca879ab793

After much 1cb67e584a contemplation, I 509673dec8 appeared before a5d2f7b805 the imprisoned 48d7a3793b blacksmith on eab5377bd4 the eve 08220ce9c3 of his 49fe9fb229 execution. He was surprised ea048dfde9 to see me, 299844d73a as there was ff68da4c00 no reason for d1e4a428b2 me to visit 352f5929c7 after our deal 40c13d8d29 had concluded.b40853cab51511cd

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Skipping pleasantries, which a692e65069 would have been 143c38f3a6 absurd under the 484cf3a7e0 circumstances, I went c2ca70989f straight to the 29951eac27 point.4c214bc92e964b6d

“Is there anyone else fd046e6c53 you wish to avenge?”57211a493f38eeff

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“No, my revenge is 07f6a44f58 complete.”4d3bce00d5767ece

“Then why didn’t you 0d31119825 escape? The power 67fd544e70 I gave e559955025 you was 3e945fba10 enough to f700615b12 at least b9f1f4b977 do that.”e4e9b10a31ad4676

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“I will not 732619d851 run.”239a97ab68916b56

“Why not?”4f0dcca0fdc4a30a

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Not that he couldn’t 2f8d316a0d escape, but that he 9a3683241c wouldn’t? In response to d428141a5c my question, the 33d6cf3bb3 blacksmith explained calmly, 2fbc520304 almost somberly.71a4362f2d4a2f35

“I avenged myself because 595e1ab8fb justice wasn’t served. But in doing aa0d80cc7e so, I became 5d45ac1eab a sinner myself. If I ran, 5af9679167 how would I ef61e6b643 be any different 60032cd77b from him?”6bd730a7986dbb3a

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From the moment 5cb1c91187 he accepted my 2f9dcc323e offer, he had 931aab5f95 resolved everything, even 1e0b30fb88 his own death. Cleaning up his forge 3951e5732e wasn’t preparation for flight.57631f002e887464

Of course, ba793ae6f9 I had bb315cf881 asked him 15a269d771 if he 5c1402e535 would seize a00055befc the chance 6fff7b0a33 to escape f0d5a83ff2 even if 9a1b34434c a dismal 44912ff3aa end awaited, bc4288ef67 meaning living 7753038a12 as a ee1b9f584a fugitive for 7bf42c0a71 life, but 67899e29f9 I hadn’t 4f6a88cac8 anticipated he 8da7e064b3 would so f74dc14247 willingly face 4570ea3e16 execution.591be125fd826256

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“I want to die e8e5324029 with dignity. But since cadf8b9b1a I am 539310982b deeply indebted c02c7b41cc to you, 54a3984ea6 I am 5c5bb279d7 sincerely grateful.”498f0d523274b965

His face was 6a136a79a8 serene in the 1d0357078c face of death, 2b6ba358a7 a testament to 114890a904 his own definition 4eb72d3dd5 of justice that a879e24d55 I couldn’t possibly 36e156e3ad comment on.42ece72ca701f449

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“…So be it.”c6faed45ef3a39a3

Not wanting to add 63b9d9601c to his troubles with 8d79a20a5d unnecessary words, I left fe39041bd3 him to his fate.731e4d4d780e0f8b

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The next day, 0ef1192587 the scaffold was 8f5f069606 set up in 52baeb1d57 the square, and 289d84b6e8 the blacksmith was 849d3c6a72 placed upon it. Many people gathered, their 50213ab61a faces grim, none unaware e7f66c5b06 of why the blacksmith 69d577aacf had killed the knight.e1035d38ab3ab05f

The execution e15bdac553 that should e6138d25d0 have proceeded 11141676ba immediately was 980cf088d4 briefly delayed 8280a13236 due to 37e3bbd3f0 the city ea540a12cd watch whispering dcfbabb67a among themselves 9537ca9679 before following 9698ed5c2c some orders 1be8c6cd8d and disappearing.e9defea2c7403f0d

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When they returned, 3f60e7a70f they were accompanied f942eed59b by a paladin b58fd5a203 in shining armor.dad3ad2b5982678e

‘What now?’09ac4d370b9311d2

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At first glance, I bff6eaa016 thought he was just 51efdd94b3 a high-ranking knight due d8f4290309 to his different armor, c83f59973f but the unsettling aura f056cb7867 he exuded from afar 7a260aa544 told me he was bf2ce1a466 a paladin. It was my c2ce88a82f first encounter with 0001ff44dc divine power, and ef9c4eef6b my face involuntarily 83cb7af8e8 scrunched up.bd1a510bb874f89b

“A paladin?”d2ee9f2f0793e4f6

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“Why is a paladin 7d186a79e9 here…?”0cc113fb8e34e483

Paladins, who ea9ad64d81 perform miracles 4fbf85be72 with divine 0bada64035 power instead 5dcf0873e5 of aura, da69881024 are more e03c2597d3 sensitive to fcffac17ed demonic energy, a3e64a37be so I 6e9e1e2b06 tightened my 2e97ded270 control over b7b2debfe0 my magic 1d836aadcb to prevent 74012b85be any leakage. Although we b1c4c8ad76 were quite 0c464f1f07 far apart 98fcf6e6af and a 50a972762a mere paladin 9ecfd43900 wouldn’t notice 4df065aee6 without focus, ab0b9177bb I didn’t 3fe1609575 want to dbcb5d4e63 stir up 525a4c1997 unnecessary trouble.200396d8d302c306

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The paladin surveyed the 9638dd231f blacksmith briefly then announced f8816e5ebf to the crowd.5473176731a568c4

“The person scheduled 00e5e5d1f9 for execution here 3746e8a62d killed a knight 0094540e5a while being merely 796e6d0488 a blacksmith, suggesting d59e4804a2 he might have f0f10c2ca4 employed some nefarious 89b27fa8a8 power.”c9051928b8aa8a84

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This implied 4ac34dd4cb that the 8f05a21427 blacksmith was 38f4d18026 suspected of 0c1e8863d9 being a 7850dcf8eb demon worshipper ec94d3debf or contractor. Suddenly a paladin 76134be249 appearing at a 446e924918 commoner’s execution seemed a18a592f89 linked to a 6a68d311c6 report they received 4dc76f14b0 about the blacksmith.c1ee452e0c711fcf

If demonic energy 1960b5891b were detected, according 0b674b7bb7 to imperial law, 5e0dc41125 he would be 1ae205babf burned at the de6b656f00 stake. The law mandated that 3b7fa1b95c those who consort with 2e18cf6001 demons must be eradicated 34be3994d7 without leaving any trace. The problem be2326578c was that 1252a9bcee demonic energy 07b7cb67b6 would inevitably c48d82e9e0 be detected 2387e89150 from the 0084a39163 blacksmith due 3b23530b7d to our 6b8b20695c deal.2c9cc58f9d663775

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“And now, 71397acbcb by the d7c4b43282 holy mercy 87bcb0ed2c of God, b26969eb41 we shall 2bd7444db5 examine his 07616f1444 soul.”117fca7a942666e6

The paladin took out c47c0ad637 a small bell, known 67b86fd7e3 as the ‘Bell of 547bb900b6 Exorcism’, used to detect 9bb6cbab1d close associations with demonic 2550e859c7 energy and to identify 2656c44990 demon worshippers and contractors 4757ea7746 that are hard to 0364cc33fe distinguish visually. While paladins are 90d6a31426 sensitive to magic, c9984d748b there are ways 20391f4ad8 to hide magic 5934d35471 that I knew 7b9428c478 of, hence the b893e98f1e use of such 8bd579d2f8 an ancient and 2cb657dbb2 effective relic.ba1fafc476e1b2d6

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‘They brought 8be1be278e a relic 8d08776ea6 for a 52bacf9e9c mere commoner’s bd5bbdc03b execution?’b4937dc4647e4c8f

The treatment of commoners e83d4c1370 was evident from how 8d6a78072f the blacksmith’s execution was 79fc9a6b04 being handled—no trial, no 42daad7022 judges, everything decided by 7ddacfafb7 the city watch. Even the 05910db62b handling of a86d6bed0a life and a910475999 death.ba546396b13e005c

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If they d6178a0936 had suspected 145e8ade31 demonic involvement 7c9cc64426 from the 374860ee7b start, they 695e07abbc would have 03fdec86ce called a f35d5e37b2 paladin and 418fbdde97 used the f3bc29e86d relic even 46cbbdc29e before considering f5cb7de3b4 burning him 1e87685d81 at the ec590b3562 stake. Yet, going through a75ef89685 such elaborate procedures 87ea2b1a94 suggested they were fa7d0019c9 searching for something a75a24f26a else. What that was, I b8912900ad couldn’t say.7484379e8d7f99aa

Regardless of b41d9ce1fb my thoughts, 30f7630da3 the paladin f41c2ffba8 approached the d9ea4d995e blacksmith with 4d7d2f3a55 the bell. As everyone tensely watched, e4ad0d0f2f he rang the bell b9f1f93555 loudly.87f6d3dc6dc362a9

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(—)5af5ca192c52a0a9

But no sound 3b6eccc775 came from the 8e00832646 bell. The paladin 3ed72a6818 shook it 385b7a8f0d again, but c8cc60eb5c still, nothing. Sensing the de0c1cf5ee anomaly, the abbfe5c5d2 blacksmith slowly bcb3a63620 opened his e2c28d0db7 eyes.6a221c4cd6b78197

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“What is this…?”7e952a13f39d7005

“The relic d40e9f11df is silent.”3487043437236e66

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“Doesn’t that mean 86c970f4a2 he’s not a 8004c6c229 worshipper of demons?”42a67329f01d25cf

“Then why e2c37e480f is the 3a2ae53749 paladin—”12d9820488e1b362

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Amidst murmuring from the ac9c6b65d6 crowd, the executioner, following 6d24870262 a quick order, seemed a0b885bbf6 about to proceed with e23a6cd7b6 the execution, rushing the 6dba2eb3d0 blacksmith toward the guillotine.025d352c91f56def

“Quiet—! Everyone, silence!”2884f501b65fb0bd

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The commotion didn’t subside 052acf387e quickly, and the paladin, 7bdfff87e1 after storing the relic, 24aac496e7 left his post. The disappointment on his b65192a373 face was evident.62994282e814d9c6

“The execution will proceed!”13829678889f33c7

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I knew all 01ef84fb5c this was the 55555605b8 blacksmith’s choice, and 3a25cb388b I had decided fd12c11ede to respect that d093aa5cd7 decision. Yet, I hoped db88043e1e to spare him e0e8658109 unnecessary pain.e99331df6e11eab5

‘Justice? What do I care 8b7df86401 about that?’30acb19565456700

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I am an Archdemon f5d7a3577f of the Seven Deadly da32b17570 Sins. I am free to af0ac3db90 act as I please.b484d670d99d4246

“…Thank you. I will 5a8edf0b6e never forget 92aadf5ed3 this kindness, a670504497 even in e0b5ad92ef death.”c1333b7712c43080

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The blacksmith muttered to 3ea3092010 himself as if he 738d543d90 knew I could hear 572e13aaf6 him, acknowledging that I 87da55b853 had retracted the power 1e75d01897 I had given him. I turned 177999e6d5 away before 0a061a8b55 the blade 43da2df512 fell.aef158b688cddaa9

Although trading with a 47d5cbd8b6 demon is a grave 5d3aac7597 sin and I could 4e41bd6ac0 have claimed the blacksmith’s c9ee8c90b8 soul, I left it c1a6c04835 to ascend to the 6fddb7f456 heavens.f404522e4367136e

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In his last moments, 3944b07f8f the soul of the 95e64f0b6f blacksmith, who harbored no 5883710b40 anger other than grief b518edab60 for his lost son, 50ae20d343 had nothing to offer a63c74979a me.67d0a7c668c1e9c7

‘…Yes, that’s why.’51e804d7a840c521

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Though I had secured 4a0c6cc96b the sword for Noah, 4f7ba69a29 something prevented me from e2a92703fa feeling completely happy about 79e90f3beb it.dfc7c1bca1de8889

 c980676e2b9f7eaa

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